eh, is it okay for me to be fed up?!

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ellieplatt

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I've been out of show jumping for nearly a year now, because my old pony was sold on. After we were given a ex polo pony with a fracture, little did we know he would never jump. (we rescued him from being shot)

after waiting 9months for him to be sound, the vet still says he should not jump. My mum cant afford to buy another horse untill july time. And at the mo she's not agreeing for me to loan out a horse.

I hate to sound like a bratty 14-year old, but there's only so much hacking-out you can do before you get bored on a horse thats only sposed to walk + trot
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sorry just a little rant. needed to get it out!
 
I think its perfectly okay for you to be fed up. Lucky as you are to have a pony, it must be frustrating when you can't do what you want to with him.
Are there no other ponies on your yard or close by with a bit more ability that need riding? It'll be revision and exam time for a lot of teenagers soon, might any near you need help exercising their ponies just for a few months to put you on till the summer?
 
Well I have to be honest and it may sound harsh but at 14 I do not think your in a position to be choosy unless you can afford to go out and buy a horse with your own funds.

There are so many teen girls that would give anything for a pony, for what ever reasons cannot have one.

You should count yourself lucky that you have a pony at all and stop moping. You know this is part of horse ownership sadly, you have a horse and one day your reaching for the moon the next you are grounded due to injury. Try to look at the positives instead of the negatives.

If my horse became unridable for any reason I would be upset but I made a commitment to him when I bought him. If I wanted a horse I could ride in addition I have the funds to buy and support a second horse.

You do come across a quite ungrateful sadly.
 
It is understandable that you are fed up. Put ads up in local tack shops and livery yards saying you are available to jump ponies for people. Also contact your local Pony Clubs and Riding Clubs to ask them to spread the word. Good luck with finding some rides.
 
I exercise my friends horse for her, now and again. He's a tad over-weight, i dont enjoy riding him much, as he's a push button ride really.
Might have to have a hunt to see if there are any jumping pony's around for riding untill summer time!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Well I have to be honest and it may sound harsh but at 14 I do not think your in a position to be choosy unless you can afford to go out and buy a horse with your own funds.

There are so many teen girls that would give anything for a pony, for what ever reasons cannot have one.

You should count yourself lucky that you have a pony at all and stop moping. You know this is part of horse ownership sadly, you have a horse and one day your reaching for the moon the next you are grounded due to injury. Try to look at the positives instead of the negatives.

If my horse became unridable for any reason I would be upset but I made a commitment to him when I bought him. If I wanted a horse I could ride in addition I have the funds to buy and support a second horse.

You do come across a quite ungrateful sadly.

[/ QUOTE ]


As a kid, i find it quite upsetting not to be able to go out to pony club with my friends, or on xc hack's with them or do our little inter yard jumping! Of course i love harry lots, his characters great. But i also have a strong passion for jumping. I'm sure if you were in this position then you'd have the same feelings.
 
know how you feel - mine has navicular so i dont hack anymore as lots of roads and dont want to go on hard surfaces - no more jumping and we just go into the arena - yes sometimes its samey and boring - but i have to be realistic as to what she can do - i can only afford one horse and i cant sell her, so we just get on with it and i am just grateful she is sound and happy.
 
I jumped BSJA as a kid so I do understand, perhaps your choice of wording came across in a light you did not quite mean.

Others have given you good advice, try to see if you can become involved on a local jumping yard (that's how I started out and taught me so much in addition to having my two ponies).

Put some signs up asking for work for rides, do you have any friends with more than one pony that you could do some jumping with? Get out into your horse community and see what is available.

Sorry if I upset you with my comments but I know myself sometimes we need another person to put things into perspective.

I have it too with my illness always getting in the way of me competing, however I must remember that at least I have a gorgeous horse to ride and fuss when many don't. Sometimes it is easy to take what you have for granted especially when frustrated and fed up ;-)
 
You are perfectly entitled to feel fed up, we all get fed up with various things in our life, at all ages.
Some people do want to do more than hack, some people enjoy only hacking, its down to personal choice.
It is hard not to partake in something you enjoy.

I think the best thing you can do is possibly find a home for your current horse where he can be a light hack, there are plenty of people who enjoy just a gentle hack out, as long as the horse is sound etc.

It sounds like this horse is not capable of doing what makes you happy and there are plenty of fit horses out there who could.
It does depend on so many things, as you say you cannot afford another I think perhaps this is a serious consideration for you.

I have a mare who struggles with soundness but I have had her 18yrs this july so although I cannot afford another I feel I owe her everything, so if it means I cannot hack as much then so be it.
But thats a different situation and we are all different.
I think you need to have a good think about what is best and a good chat with your mum.
 
Thanks MoggyingManolos - thats really opened things up, as i had never thought of the idea of finding another home for him.

and yes, think im going to have to consider that and talk to my mum about it..
 
just to say i know how you feel-i am older (26) but fortunate enough to have been bought some very smart horses by my parents in years gone by....i live to compete...ride to compete and would be hugely frustrated if i couldnt.

i would see if you can loan or sell your boy to someone who wants a light hack (and there ARE plenty of people who do, and if he's super duper safe then that opens up the market even more) and then save up (both of you) for something that can compete.
 
Ah im the same, I really do want a career in competing with horses, as you said, and i agree: i do live to compete.

I'd preferably loan him - couldn't bare to sell him on.
 
As an 18 year old who has never been bought a horse and has had to rely on the kindness of those better off than me in order to ride at all I am torn by your plight.

I understand where you are coming from... I have my "bratty" moments when I resent my Dad for not just buying me a horse when I have worked my socks off for 7 years to ensure I always have a pony to ride. (I have never been allowed many formal lessons either so it wasn't even like I was paying for rides, just scrounging) I have now had 2 successful shares and an unsuccessful loan (due to an injury 2 weeks into loaning said pony) and I am greatful for that and have loved it!

However, consider yourself incredibly lucky to even have a pony to love and hug for now!

You never know, just when things looked bleak for me after the loss of my loan horse and I had lost £700 of my savings in the process due to all those little costs I found the perfect share horse on my doorstep I am now incredibly happy and have only ever found 1 other horse I trust as much as her.

Don't forget the chinese word for problem also means opportunity (or something very similar!)
 
I was going to suggest that since you were given him, although I don't suggest passing him on in the same way, could you not loan him out to a hacking home and get another pony in to compete and do Pony Club on?
 
I can sympathise. we had similar problems with my daughters horse, we had only had him 2 weeks when he got kicked and chipped his cannon bone.He never came right as it brought on lots of other problems,much as though we loved him it was so frustratingly heart breaking. Just when we thought we were getting somewhere he had a freak accident and had to be pts.
It is so hard when everyone else is enjoying their ponies and yours is sidelined.
Try and see if you can find a swap or quiet home for him, you will be surprised who is looking out there.
 
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