getting the riding mojo back?

[isobels07]

Hi all, I really need some help to get back to riding. After having a lame horse for about 2 years, getting back to riding just to have her go lame again, I really lost the want to ride in about october last year, I’ve been getting on to go for the odd hack since about april time, but I really want to get back to it. I just don’t know how to get back, I’m finding it hard to get the motivation to do any form of schooling, because in the past it has ended in me finding out my horse was lame. I want to ride, desperately to be honest, but I get my horse in and always decide against schooling and just end up going for a plod down the lane. I guess I’m just looking for a kick up the arse to get going again, or somebody to sympathise with? Please anyone with anything to add or say,do, i’m looking for anything I can get at this point!

 

[JumpTheMoon1]

Big kick up the arse now get going and stop whinging.Be grateful you have a horse and make the most of every day and enjoy it with your horse ! Only you can decide if this is what you really want anymore ?

 

[black and brown]

Could you have a lesson booked with an instructor so you are less likely to change your mind or maybe a low level unaffiliated dressage competition to work towards

 

[Skib]

I do everythng hacking. It depends how busy your road is and whether you can find some off road hacking. My RI told people that I schooled while hacking my share. I didnt see it like that. I wanted to make sure the horse was safe and listening to me. I would halt soon after leaving home and check the girth just in case. I woud leg yield and steer one side of the tack to the other. I would make proper turns with halt and hand signals. And I am always obsessed by transitions.
I dont ride well. Like in outline. I never took to the posh stuff but like some other lovely riders on H&H one can be a sack of potatoes old lady rider and still be sensitive to the horse and feel through one's seat and reins that the horse is being sensitive right back.
Exactness isnt important unless you choose it to be. One can decide to transition by a certain tuft of grass or after a certain number of steps. And remember that downward transitions are as important as the ones going up. Riding for me is a treat and it should be a treat for the horse as well, f you can make it so. But I have been to Olympia and seen a dressage finalise who did all her training out hacking. I think she had no arena.

 

[MuddyMonster]

It doesn't sound like a lack of motivation but a (completely fair) worry that your horse will go lame again.

Could you have lessons with a sympathetic & knowledgeable instructor who could help re-hab you both back into schooling?

Would lessons on a school master help to ease you back into schooling without the worry of breaking them?

There's also nothing wrong with 'just' hacking, if you want.

 

[isobels07]

Big kick up the arse now get going and stop whinging.Be grateful you have a horse and make the most of every day and enjoy it with your horse ! Only you can decide if this is what you really want anymore ?

this actually made me cry a little (don’t worry not in a bad way). I have wanted my own pony for as long as I can remember, it made me realise that 10 year old me would be out riding everyday if she had a pony.

 

[isobels07]

It doesn't sound like a lack of motivation but a (completely fair) worry that your horse will go lame again.

Could you have lessons with a sympathetic & knowledgeable instructor who could help re-hab you both back into schooling?

Would lessons on a school master help to ease you back into schooling without the worry of breaking them?

There's also nothing wrong with 'just' hacking, if you want.

It is a big worry yes, I’m not sure emotionally if I can deal with it again, but I won’t know until I try. I think booking some lessons would be a very good idea actually, I would really like to work on myself, I’m going to look into that as it would really help me get riding if I can feel the fun in it all again.

 

[Jellymoon]

I guess if achooling highlights your horse's lameness, is there any harm in keeping her out of the school and enjoying hacking instead? how about booking onto a fun ride, or boxing up to different places. Perhaps you both might like drag or trail hunting.

 

[MuddyMonster]

Big kick up the arse now get going and stop whinging.Be grateful you have a horse and make the most of every day and enjoy it with your horse ! Only you can decide if this is what you really want anymore ?

this actually made me cry a little (don’t worry not in a bad way). I have wanted my own pony for as long as I can remember, it made me realise that 10 year old me would be out riding everyday if she had a pony.

Don't put too much pressure on yourself though.

Ten years old me would be made up to have a pony at all. Thirty year old me is made up with having an oh so very precious pony but I'm older, a lot more tired and certainly juggling more balls with more ties on time and money than I used to at ten ?

Yes, be thankful for what you have but just be careful it isn't at the risk of doing yourself a disservice for what you feel in the here and now.

Lameness, coming back from it and managing it going forwards can be difficult and emotional draining ? Even just logistically I'm glad mine isn't on box rest anymore. Let alone the emotional and physical toll of all the extra work and worry that comes with. I can't say I was always feeling the love every second of my day for my lifestyle choices ?

It's totally normal IMHO to feel that way and a bit discombobulated afterwards. I'm still mentally in slighy over protective Mum stage and wanting to protect him.against all of life's possible harms (although I'm hugely sentimental I'm also usually quite sensible and practical about things) and I haven't quite got back our 'normal' yet.

I'm not ungrateful for what I have - its just a reflection of where I am currently in our journey. I'm sure in another few weeks it'll be a more distant memory and I'll only tell anyone that asks the good bits of horse ownership

 

[SO1]

Agree. Having lost my pony lately try and make the most of having a sound healthy horse that is not on box rest.

However if you really don't fancy riding then just enjoy having an alive horse.

There is no pressure to ride in the school if you just want to pootle around down the lane just do that.

If you are worried schooling will cause more lameness and you may be right it might depending on the injury and what surface you have then perhaps check with vet.

You could also try riding in the school but doing movements in walk and not doing too much circles or movements hard on the body and legs and just build it up gradually.

Big kick up the arse now get going and stop whinging.Be grateful you have a horse and make the most of every day and enjoy it with your horse ! Only you can decide if this is what you really want anymore ?

 

[Pmf27]

Another vote here for getting a lesson booked, I never fancy schooling alone but always look forward to my lessons.

It takes the pressure off because you know there's going to be someone else deciding what you do (unless you request to do something) and you don't necessarily know what that is going to be.

 

[FFAQ]

Back in the days when I could bend I used to go to yoga, and the teacher used to say 'don't tell yourself you're going to practice because that sounds like a chore. Just stand on the mat everyday, the rest will follow'.
Why not decide ride around the arena each time you 'should' be schooling with the plan that after you've gone all the way around you can go for a hack? I bet you'll find it starts to come back. And, as others have said, you can do lots of schooling out hacking ?