Identityincrisis
Well-Known Member
Excuse the long post, I need to get my thoughts down on paper and maybe get other’s perspectives. I know ultimately I am the only one who can make the decision but right now my head is a jumble
I recently, 5 weeks ago, lost my 8 yr old horse. I’d had him since he was 3 and backed him myself. He was a nightmare, he was aggressive, anxious, bolshy, spent more time on his back legs than on 4 (in hand) he wouldn’t tie up, he wouldn’t load (got Richard Maxwell in the end). He was pretty good to ride and I enjoyed that side of him.
Unfortunately on his first trailer journey, after RM had been, we weren’t even 2 minutes into the journey when he went under the breast bar, bent it up into a V and smashed the sides of my trailer, I found him ‘Supermanning’ under the bar with a fore leg over extended. That was the beginning of 2 ½ years of intermittent lameness. I half killed myself rehabbing him with in-hand walks through Winter. Unfortunately the time came in April where it was clear he wasn’t going to stay sound enough even to be a light hack. He’d also developed a huge aversion to even the lightest of traffic, putting me in ditches, through hedges, gates and trees at even the most considerate of drivers. Being a very hot headed horse he wasn’t a pleasure to have around and definitely ‘needed a job’ to keep his brain busy.
Between my injuries, caused by him, and his injuries, I only really rode him for a year of the 5 years I owned him. My horse before him was retired for 4 years before PTS so I feel I haven’t had a riding horse for a long time, I’ve only been an unpaid vet don’t get me wrong, I know this goes hand in hand with horse ownership and sometimes you’re dealt a shitty hand but I don’t know what to do now.
My life has recently flipped completely, I met my partner and fell in love, moved in together, got a dog, moved my horse to a new livery (I’d been at the previous yard 19 years!) all in 8 months. Now I have no horse and I’m not sure if getting another straight away is the right thing. I’m tired of horses and have completely forgotten the joy and love they can bring. Is getting a new one the right way to remember that? I feel lost with nothing to do with my spare time, the usual things of gym, walking etc just aren’t filling enough time
I handed my box notice in yesterday and I’m starting to regret it already. I like the stable in particular as I’m not a social butterfly and this stable is hidden around a corner and I can avoid the inevitable bitching that happens.
Coffee and cakes all round if you made it that far, and all thoughts welcome!
I recently, 5 weeks ago, lost my 8 yr old horse. I’d had him since he was 3 and backed him myself. He was a nightmare, he was aggressive, anxious, bolshy, spent more time on his back legs than on 4 (in hand) he wouldn’t tie up, he wouldn’t load (got Richard Maxwell in the end). He was pretty good to ride and I enjoyed that side of him.
Unfortunately on his first trailer journey, after RM had been, we weren’t even 2 minutes into the journey when he went under the breast bar, bent it up into a V and smashed the sides of my trailer, I found him ‘Supermanning’ under the bar with a fore leg over extended. That was the beginning of 2 ½ years of intermittent lameness. I half killed myself rehabbing him with in-hand walks through Winter. Unfortunately the time came in April where it was clear he wasn’t going to stay sound enough even to be a light hack. He’d also developed a huge aversion to even the lightest of traffic, putting me in ditches, through hedges, gates and trees at even the most considerate of drivers. Being a very hot headed horse he wasn’t a pleasure to have around and definitely ‘needed a job’ to keep his brain busy.
Between my injuries, caused by him, and his injuries, I only really rode him for a year of the 5 years I owned him. My horse before him was retired for 4 years before PTS so I feel I haven’t had a riding horse for a long time, I’ve only been an unpaid vet don’t get me wrong, I know this goes hand in hand with horse ownership and sometimes you’re dealt a shitty hand but I don’t know what to do now.
My life has recently flipped completely, I met my partner and fell in love, moved in together, got a dog, moved my horse to a new livery (I’d been at the previous yard 19 years!) all in 8 months. Now I have no horse and I’m not sure if getting another straight away is the right thing. I’m tired of horses and have completely forgotten the joy and love they can bring. Is getting a new one the right way to remember that? I feel lost with nothing to do with my spare time, the usual things of gym, walking etc just aren’t filling enough time
I handed my box notice in yesterday and I’m starting to regret it already. I like the stable in particular as I’m not a social butterfly and this stable is hidden around a corner and I can avoid the inevitable bitching that happens.
Coffee and cakes all round if you made it that far, and all thoughts welcome!