Lippyx
Well-Known Member
It's been a while since I've been here.
I have a horse, he's rising 10. I bought him about 4/5 years ago to do showing & dressage. 2 years ago, after a few schooling struggles, we gave western training a go, and haven't looked back. We both enjoy it. He's not perfect, and can have his moments, but he's improved loads since training western, and I feel I could cope with it, and was starting to enjoy and plan our future.
Just recently I feel he's changed a bit, become more spooky than normal, and they aren't his normal spooks. There have been a few other schooling issues (more him struggling with certain exercises) and he's become quite awkward with the farrier.
After talking to the vet, I have him booked in next week for a lameness work up, potentially looking for hock issues/arthritis (which would make perfect sense, even the way he is spooking) I'm trying not to think of worse case scenarios etc., but you can't help it sometimes.
I want them to find something, so I have a reason in my head as to why. But if they find nothing, I'm petrified of how I'll feel.
I've had issues with my confidence in the past, and its taken me so long to get back to where I was. If they find nothing physically wrong with him, I'm worried I'll want to give it all up. My anxiety can't cope and I'm exhausted. I thought about part loaning him, so I can have even just 1 non-horsey day, but people see the word "western" and assume they cant ride him ... they can, its just different tack, and it wouldn't take much to learn the basics.
Has anyone else felt like giving it all up? I feel so guilty, especially when I get to the yard and see him waiting for me to arrive!
I have a horse, he's rising 10. I bought him about 4/5 years ago to do showing & dressage. 2 years ago, after a few schooling struggles, we gave western training a go, and haven't looked back. We both enjoy it. He's not perfect, and can have his moments, but he's improved loads since training western, and I feel I could cope with it, and was starting to enjoy and plan our future.
Just recently I feel he's changed a bit, become more spooky than normal, and they aren't his normal spooks. There have been a few other schooling issues (more him struggling with certain exercises) and he's become quite awkward with the farrier.
After talking to the vet, I have him booked in next week for a lameness work up, potentially looking for hock issues/arthritis (which would make perfect sense, even the way he is spooking) I'm trying not to think of worse case scenarios etc., but you can't help it sometimes.
I want them to find something, so I have a reason in my head as to why. But if they find nothing, I'm petrified of how I'll feel.
I've had issues with my confidence in the past, and its taken me so long to get back to where I was. If they find nothing physically wrong with him, I'm worried I'll want to give it all up. My anxiety can't cope and I'm exhausted. I thought about part loaning him, so I can have even just 1 non-horsey day, but people see the word "western" and assume they cant ride him ... they can, its just different tack, and it wouldn't take much to learn the basics.
Has anyone else felt like giving it all up? I feel so guilty, especially when I get to the yard and see him waiting for me to arrive!
