how many of you have had a break from horses?

BSJAlove

BSJAlove

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just wondering really, as ive just had about a year's break from horses when i gave up Missy (some of you may rememeber her) and ive just come back and brought a new pony. i gave up because i have had horses since i was little so i wanted to have nice nails and have a bit of a social life. it was brilliant but im ready to come back to it now.

so really, how many of you have had a 'break' and why? :)
 
I had a break when I went to University because a) I couldn't afford a horse and b) didn't want to be tied down by a horse. That said I did ride on the Uni team so had a once weekly horse fix to keep me ticking over.

I also had intentions of having this winter off, only managed Sept-Dec before I started riding again!!!
 
My Irish horse had a kissing spine op (successful) but I found in his new good health, I couldn't cope with him. A friend sold him on for me with the onerous task of finding me a new suitable horse.This took the best part of 12 months. In that time I still had contact with horses but they weren't mine.It was nice having a break and I think if it had taken any longer to find me something I possibly wouldn't of bothered.
I ended up with a 2yr old gelding on the proviso it would be something I could sell on later.Needless to say I still have him. We had a bit of a ropey start but we are getting there, thanks to very helpful friends who have helped me along the way.
Couldn't of done it without them
 
I had a break after my first horse was pts, he was my soulmate and I needed some time to adjust to life without him in it.

It was a year or so, with the odd rides on my friends horse.

I now have three :D One who was sort of on long term loan, but was gifted to me.
One who I bought and am selling on, and a rescue pony that I also look after, who is from the same lady who gave me my big lad. :)

I felt really depressed in the year I was off riding, and I hated it to be honest!

I don't think i could ever give it up! I'm happiest when around horses, but I have no social life, no money, and I think my family wish I'd do something else with my life :p
 
I gave up for about 7 years. I met my OH scuba diving in egypt but he was from Aberdeen and I from London so I couldn't do both. Soon as I'd got him down the aisle though I was nagging for a place with Land and now have 7 horses! Regret the break a bit tbh cos I was eventing before and when I came back struggled to jump 80cm as too chicken, now I think 60cm is huge achievement!
 
I sold my horses when I went off to do my AI at 18, worked with horses until 22, then went abroad, so gave up completely. Came back, went to Uni, rode occasionally, started my job, didn't ride for 7 years, then moved back to where I grew up at 36, and got a horse again! Had about 12 years without much influence of horses, now back in the thick of it.

I think working with horses killed the fact that it was a hobby, and I couldn't afford my own then. Now its a hobby again.
 
I gave up when I was out of ponies at 17, and just got my first horse on loan a couple of months ago! Had a 5 year break, but missed it so much x
 
I had around a 5 year break. I had horses from young then when my mare had to be retired I was about to start uni so decided not to get another and enjoyed having no responsibility, spare cash ect. Then really started missing it so had a couple of lessons became totally obsessed again and ended up getting another.
 
Yes, I did twice. The first time was due to my parent's divorce which included my horse (Think I was 14) and the second time was due to the fact I had just finished school and wanted to move interstate (18yo), so financially as well as morally, I could not keep horses. I did try and lease a horse a couple of years after the move, but when I realised that there was nothing out there that I would be happy with, I put my dreams on hold up until recently :)
 
I remember giving up riding at about 12 as i didnt enjoy my riding lessons, looking back i had reached a point where i need to progress but couldnt so started making mistakes and it just out me off. Started again a year later at the riding school where my cousin kept hers, didnt look back after that.
My 1st horse was pts in May 09 after 14 years together and it took to March 10 until i got another one.
I rode a friends horse occasionally and still went to the big shows just so i could be involved abit but had no desire to get another one. Even when i thought about looking i could never get started, i just wasnt intrested. My current one was the 1st one i emailed about, not really wanting to but thinking i should and i ended up buying him, its taken nearly a year to really let go of my old girl enough to start gelling with him thou :(
I did enjoy my time away from horses, had a holiday, spent abit of money on myself but i am more 'me' now im back into it. Sometimes you need to step away from it all, i never wanted to as i never thought i was missing out but in away its done me good.
 
Me.

Lots of times.

Lots of reasons.

Feel another one coming up shortly, 4 years, not a single day off...getting fed up and today I HATE THE DAMN SNOW! Tomorrow I won't, but right now I do. It's minus stupid out there, stupid being -21C, blowing a gale and I've plowed the tracks twice already (10am now) and there is another 8" filling them up already:mad: One mare has trashed her fence and is shut in the barn, and staying there, until I can find the 'ooomph' to go and fix it, that would be after I've climbed into three layers, found dry gloves, hat etc, re-plowed the tracks, put more hay on the trailer for tonight, turned out the stalled horses, mucked out...sod it all, another coffee I think, everything has hay and water they'll manage for half an hour.

Farm for sale or rent anyone? :mad: One day offer only, going cheap-ish.
 
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Yep I have been away since I lost my lad in August 09, I couldn't adapt to life without him very well and kind of lost the plot a little bit, I worked with horses at the time too but I began to hate what I was doing why was I looking after everyone else's when I had lost my own...that sort of thing I actually think I was depressed, so when I moved back to my parents in Jan 10 I started to try and pick my life back up, Husband had joined the army so we were apart most of last year, until we moved into our quarter on a day that I couldn't forget it was Merlin's anniversary 1 whole year of him passing. :(

It wasn't until about December that I knew I was ready for another horse in my life again, so I am on the search for another one now.

I hate not being around horses they are a huge part of my life and always will be I am not one for getting nails done, I wear make up anyway don't have a huge wardrobe for myself I'd rather spend my wage's on a new rug or 2 and pay for my horse rather than myself.

Can't wait for the fun to begin again with new neddy :) :)
 
I've had a break of about 10 years- due to me being a numpty and letting ex rule/ruin my life.
Once the horse had gone the 'relationship' soon ended and quite soon after I met my now husband and have had 2 beautiful children (now 4 & 5) and I have only just got another horse and the girls a pony.
I hated the break- although would have happened for my pregnancies anyway. But I appreciate iteverything I have so much more now- I'm a very lucky wife and Mummy to 2 beautiful daughters and 2 gorgeous geldings x
 
I've had several breaks from horses

First was after I sold my first pony - I sold her because I'd been offered a job (live-in groom) away from home, and couldn't take her with me, after I sold her the woman told me she'd given my job to someone else *expletive deleted* I rode for a while after I sold my pony but I wasn't really bothered about it any more and I didn't like riding the RS ponies after having my own life-wire pony

I had a bit of an accident and couldn't ride for year as well, then when I got better I wanted to ride again and started having lessons at a yard that belonged to a fella who would in turns either be very rude to me, or act like I was his long lost best friend, in the end I quit going there cos I got sick of not knowing what sort of mood he'd be in.

Took me a couple of years before I found another yard, and have been riding there for over 12 years now, although I had an enforced break a few years ago when I aggravated my back/pelvic injury (from the aforementioned accident) and was in too much pain to be able to ride!

A few years ago the pain went, I lost weight and started riding again and 20 months ago bought me a horse!
 
After losing my Raggy, my soulmate, I apparently had a breakdown, so was away from all things horsey for about a year. Knew I needed another one summer last year so bought Sov from a friend who was giving up. Life would be so boring without horses, wouldn't it?
 
I thought I would have a break after selling my last horse in November and enjoy not being covered in mud, smelling like poop all the time and being able to sit inside while it's chucking it down and not have anything to worry about...
I ended up with a 4year old a week later!
 
yes I did, 2 years met my husband and moved away, i had one riding lesson during all that time and I was ok with it I thought, till we moved back near the horses and I realised how much I missed it

I do miss having nice hair and going clothes shopping but its like a drug i couldnt give it up again .
 
I have not had a horse now for just over a year.
I am looking at getting another one but Im just trying to sort myself out, I am working etc but need a better paid job before can even consider getting another. I really do miss it but none of my friends have anything big enough for me, they all have ponies and I need something at least 16hh so just having to make do helping at shows :(
 
I think sometimes life just takes over and a break is the best thing to do at the time, but the majority of people who have a break, or give up always end up with another one, horses are very expensive drugs!!
I had a break when my first horse was PTS after 12 years together, then life took over, bought a house, got married, had a baby etc etc!! Now baby boy is 2 and a half, he has got a section A and I have got a Cob x TB for myself, and the gaps have been filled :D
 
I had a break when I went to uni, mostly because I was going to be 300 miles away and the horse I had at the time was totally unsuitable for my sister (and not totally suitable for me if I'm honest), and couldn't be left unworked as he'd have gone out of his tiny little mind. He was sold to a couple who still have him and still compete (though he'll be about 20 this year!)

I bought Ron 5 years almost to the day after selling Beanie, as soon as I had a full time job. :D I missed it everyday that I didn't ride, didn't muck out, didn't clean tack. I volunteered with the RDA, played Uni Polo, had endless stirrupless lessons at a local stables with a finnish dressage rider, mucked out friends horses in return for a gallop on the beach, anything to be in contact with horses, but it's so not the same as having and caring for your own.

I'm glad I took the break, it made me realise how much they mean to me!
 
I have- due to moving up to London. Having a break was the biggest regret/mistake of my life
It makes it 100 times harder- I'm not used to 'riding schools' and trying to find a horse to share is a nightmare. Wish I'd just carried on. :(
 
I intended my break from horses to be purely while I went to University. 11 years on and I am just dipping my toe into riding again.

I had my break purely for studies and the fact I could not afford to keep a horse even though I ended up going to a Uni only 15 miles from his stable door!

Since horses I discovered lots of new hobbies that were time consuming, fun and cost loads of money, so I never had enough money to ride let alone own.

After a few lessons last year it was this years resolution to get back on and re-discover my "first love" in life which is everything equine.

I can't believe I left it so long!
 
only about 25 yrs:)
rode & owned as a child & teenager - went to art school, & life took some very different turns - had my daughter at 37 & a few yrs down the line took her for some riding lessons - mentioned to the instructor that I had ridden yrs ago & she offered me a lesson - was surprised & delighted to discover that i could still [ just ] remember how to ride & within 6 months was loaning a cob & daugher had first pony - horses have been a huge part of my life again for the the last 8 yrs - so pleased that i came back to it
 
Around the time of my divorce I arrived at a natural break (one horse died and my son outgrew his pony) and had about a year off. I didn't really miss horses at all for that time and only got back into it when I was offered a half share in a retired chaser. He wasn't supposed to take up that much of my time...I had clearly forgotton just how much time they do take up. Anyway, half a horse became 2, then 3 and now I spend all my days with them.
 
I had a 7 year break!!!! Started riding at 7 then had my own pony til I was 15 then lost interest (sorry dad!) then had uni etc, but still craved riding so did a few treks with like-minded friends here and there.

Went travelling at 21 and did a bit of riding on polo ponies in Malaysia (courtesy of Mums friends) I LOVED that. I helped a horse charity in Morocco, that was an eye opener. I then came back and met my horsey saviour and been riding seriously since then.... I'm well old now.

However, the "break" taught me much more than what I would have learnt if I stuck to it over here and it's made me more pragmatic I think.
 
Ive had a couple of breaks most recently though and have been horseless for 4 months but it feels like a lot longer. I am currently on the lookout for a new horse.
 
Yes, but only becaue I was forced, as per Honey08 i worked among them for 4 years, which was great, but things became a chore with my own. Years later, I'd got a grown up job, and my gorgeous boy had to be PTS due to colic, it knocked me for 6. I concentrated on work and got all grown up, it took ages for me to get enough courage to get another. Now I have 2, keep them at home, work full time and can afford them at last (ish!!). Because I had the break, I think, and partly because I have an office job and sit on my @rse all day, I can't wait to get outside with the dogs and the horses.

Somewhere in amongst that I also met my husband, so I moved to a farm and it became possible to have them at home!:D That is the key for me, I couldn't possible afford to have 2 in full livery at £70 a week. :eek:
 
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