Hobby or way of life?

[Cinnamontoast]

For me, having a horse was playing around. I came to horses late in life and should never have bought one, although he was very well looked after and lacked nothing. Some might say he was wasted, although I doubt many horses care if they’re field ornaments or highly trained competition animals. I wasn’t even a happy hacker, I just loved owning and looking after him. Riding was fun, but not terribly frequent then he had an injury and never came right, but 8 didn’t mind, as long as he was comfortable. However, I look at friends whose entire lives revolve around horses, working with them, rehabilitating them, owning multiple horses, competing, the works.

For you, is it in your blood or a happy hobby you have?

 

[Barton Bounty]

I would say its in my blood because my life would be very empty without my hobby, but also it is a way of life for me. I like my routine, my horse likes it I think.
There really is no money in horses unless you make it a way of life and you would have to be really successful at it.

 

[MuddyMonster]

A lifestyle, I think.

It's a hobby in the sense that I'm an amateur owner that does it just because I love having the partnership of having a horse and riding.

I ride regularly week in and week out (I average 5-6 days a week) but I'm not particularly competitive and just enjoy having a fit, healthy horse to explore our beautiful countryside with and do other fun stuff with - sometimes that's competitive stuff, sometimes not.

I enjoy doing other stuff too in my life, so I'm not sure I'd say all my life revolves around them (sometimes I have to fit horse's around my life, sometimes life fits around horses) but there aren't many things that get me out of bed at 5.00 on a winter's morning to ride before work either (or blow so much money on each month) - including my other hobbies

I plan on having horse's for a long time so it's probably in the blood, too.

 

[IrishMilo]

They're in my blood, and I'm always striving to be the best I can be both in terms of how they're looked after and how I ride.

 

[Britestar]

Lifestyle which I'm very happy with.
I do other things too, and everything slots together- sometimes well, sometimes not so well .

 

[Backtoblack]

In my blood, definitely a way of life

 

[tda]

Definitely in my blood, I just love horses and everything to do with them, can't imagine life without them

 

[equinerebel]

They’re a hobby to me, but my horse is no less loved for it!

 

[Meredith]

Mr M who is great at repairing stuff at the yard but not an equestrian person at all said he would be glad when I gave up horses. Then said when I was horse-less for the first time in over 50 years a couple of years ago.
For goodness sake, find another one soon
My quote is
without a horse I am not me

 

[millitiger]

Way of life.
My whole life centres around them; my choice of career to support them, I bought my home as it was perfect for them to live here, my life revolves around them.

Wouldn't have it any other way... at the moment!
I do look forward to 30yrs time when I'm retired, ponies are no longer and I will spend my last year's travelling the country in a motorhome with a pack of whippets.

 

[ycbm]

I tried to give it up when I lost Ludo but I had absolutely no idea what to do with all my time. Horse owning is literally the only thing other than reading that has ever been able to keep my interest.

I've just got in from my favourite part of the day, taking him out for a 15 minute walk to loosen his joints and stir the joint fluid before he settles in for the night.
.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I sometimes, quite often at the moment think I could gladly give up horses and have manicures and facials instead.
Not sure it would last all that long in reality and I’d always want my darling little ponies around!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

It was my life, my job and vocation for many years as I ran a damned good producing, schooling and dealing business. (Children's ponies and retraining of TB's)

For the last 13 years it's been my life-hobby, I now only have just the 2 and am still there twice a day every day and ride 6 x a week. (Still grinning when I get there as only 2 to do, not 9 to 12 of them! ). The pt hrs at the office pays for them..

 

[SO1]

Loved horses from a small child and been involved with them ever since. I was lucky enough to have a ponies as a child then rode at riding schools and then got a share as an adult and then finally got Homey at 35. I lost him last year and got Bert in August.

Bert came in lame on Friday and is now on box rest. Vet saw him on Saturday and will come back on Thursday to nerve block if he is still lame. I am hoping whatever is wrong is fixable as I am not sure I could cope with loosing him so soon after loosing Homey.

I am not sure if I would get another if I had to have Bert PTS he is 5 and I am hoping with a bit of luck should see me through to 65.

Homey was my world and Burt has rapidly become a very important part of my life.

 

[SEL]

My mum is still waiting for me to grow out of the obsession I think - so I dashed those hopes by buying a yard and another pony

I had a gap in my 30s where life and horses weren't mixing well. I spent my spare pennies on overseas horsey holidays and rode my friends horses whenever I could. Was fun but never as good as having your own. Don't know what I'd do without them now whether ridden or pets

 

[SilverLinings]

Way of life for me, verging on an obsession. I still feel the same about horses as I did aged 5 when I desperately wanted to learn to ride, the novelty/excitement has never worn off or diminished. Horses give me a reason to get up in the morning, and a reason to work hard in order to keep them. I find relationships with humans hard work and often confusing, whereas relationships with horses are easy, and they are great listeners. If such a thing as reincarnation exists then I am pretty sure I must have been a horse in my last life.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Definitely a way of life, we keep the horses at home, a lot of my social life revolves around them and some of my oldest friends are people that I have met through horses.

 

[southerncomfort]

Completely, utterly, hopelessly obsessed.

I had 18 mths without one of my own and I was just incredibly sad.

 

[myheartinahoofbeat]

Completely, utterly, hopelessly obsessed.

As above, this is me. In my 50's now. Had riding lessons as a kid. Got excited when I heard a horse coming passed our house. Had a pony on loan, got my own horse in my teens in sad circumstances. Had to give up when I had kids. Got an ex racer 12 years go. Moved to a house with land during Covid. Now have 7 horses. When I'm not riding or looking after them, i'm watching videos on horses, or horse racing, or eventing scores or on here!!! Lots of people would say I'm sad BUT I'm loving it.

 

[Kunoichi73]

Currently it's a hobby for me as I don't have my own. That said, having had a 30 year break from riding and restarting a few years ago, I've realised what an important part of my life it is. My mental health is much better round horses, I'm much more relaxed and focused and riding is the only hobby I have that makes me completely stopping thinking about crappy things like work.

 

[scats]

It’s in my blood. I’ve been lucky to have my own ponies since I was a child and I’ve never had any breaks. I showjumped very successfully as a junior and then played around backing and producing some young horses. I’ve had a lot of horses over the years. It’s a sort of obsession- one of the only things that fires up my blood and consumes pretty much every waking thought.
I enjoy the life I have outside of horses and I sometimes wonder what life would have been like without them, but the reality is I don’t really know anything else.

I had an enforced break (quite literally!) last winter and it was one of the most depressed I’ve ever felt.

 

[poiuytrewq]

My mum is still waiting for me to grow out of the obsession I think - so I dashed those hopes by buying a yard and another pony

I had a gap in my 30s where life and horses weren't mixing well. I spent my spare pennies on overseas horsey holidays and rode my friends horses whenever I could. Was fun but never as good as having your own. Don't know what I'd do without them now whether ridden or pets

I think my mum would be quite pleased to see me give it all up too

 

[poiuytrewq]

I had 5 years without horses when my daughter was born. I found it really hard when she was a baby. I couldn’t do the riding and let the baby wait thing.
My daughter became number one and I put the horses out on loan.
I can honestly say I had a really happy few years being a mum and even did stuff like run my own toddler craft group!

All went tits when she started showing an interest and my old horse got ill on loan so I had him back, got him good and taught her to ride him. End of break

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

4 decades of being around them. They are as much a part of life as I am In theirs. My eldest's first word was the name of my pony. I can not see me not being involved in some way or other.

 

[M1lbie]

Begged for riding lessons as a small child and started riding at the age of 10, totally obsessed ever since, parents gave up trying to persuade me to do other things so although I completed a college course and had a good job when offered a job grooming I jumped at the chance, gained BHS qualifications and worked with horses for several years and loved it. Eventually had my own horse on loan and decided to get a sensible career to afford to keep him, subsequently married, children, more horses and ponies, now in my 70s and have still got 2 horses (1retired and 1 ridden) and a pony for the grandchildren,I occasionally wonder what life would be like without them but realistically they are my reason for getting up in the morning. They are kept at home and are part of my life. My daughter tells me they keep me fit which I keep telling myself when poo picking in the pouring rain!!

 

[silv]

Definitely in my blood, I just love horses and everything to do with them, can't imagine life without them

This for me!

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Hobby currently. Slowly slowly working to shape life to have more time for horses and dog(s) so it can be more lifestyle though

 

[Boughtabay]

I spent 1 year without horses in my life (ever) to try and see if I could make it a hobby and have occasional lessons or a share after a break… 1 year was all I could manage

 

[saddlesore]

Very much a way of life. I’ve had horses for over 30 years, can’t imagine life without them tbh

 

[pistolpete]

It’s an obsession. I gave it up for twenty years while I raised a family. I’m only really happy when around the wretched things!! I don’t think there’s any hope for me!