Lack of riding buddies

[frankieduck]

I feel the same some times. I'm generally rather independent and don't mind, riding, hacking or even going to competitions on my own (Little Madam will happily stand tied to the trailer all day if hay is provided). But sometimes, I'd just like some company, which somehow seems hard to come by.
My own horses are at home and currently unridden, though Little Madam is starting the journey out of maternity leave at the moment. But I also ride two at the riding school, one of which is exclusively "mine", if I don't ride her, she doesn't get ridden. But my hours are such that I'm generally arriving as everyone else is finishing up and leaving, in winter it's desperately lonely being on a dark yard on my own. I'm finding getting someone to hack with me difficult, and get lots of excuses, "can't hack with Enormosaurus as she's too unpredictable" (she's absolutely fine out hacking), "my horse won't hack with Enormosaurus as her shod feet are so noisy and it upsets him". So if I want to hack with someone, I have to take Green TB. I also get told people are not hacking the next day and then strangely meet up with them coming back from a hack as I'm leaving for one. "Oh, it wasn't planned...". I live a 5min drive from the yard, they could have sent a message.
I also get "forgotten" for a lot of things, simply because I'm not around at the same time as everyone else. I asked if there was a reason I wasn't invited to the games night that everyone then kept talking about in front of me. I was told "euh, not really, I don't know, you weren't around when we talked about it". That hurt. It's not as if I'm not at the yard 5 to 6 times a week and that people don't have my phone number, FB, WhatsApp... I'm apparently unrememberable, until someone wants their horse holding while they sort out an abscess, or a lift to a competition. I'll be popular again when I'll be able to hack unflappable Little Madam and people are starting to ride their young horses.
Sorry, no real suggestions as the proximity of people doesn't necessarily mean company. Also that turned into a bit of a rant.

I’m so sorry you’re being treated like this. I don’t think it’s anything person, sadly people are just quite selfish and self serving by nature I think.

I can sympathise as I lost my rock solid horse a few years ago, I was always popular as the ‘nanny’ horse or safe lead. When I bought my new lad who was a bit of a handful and needed a nanny myself I suddenly fell out of favour as I couldn’t go out and do all the ‘fun’ stuff anymore and just stopped getting invited.

I rarely get asked to hack or go out now as my horses are sharp and I think seen as a liability but ironically they’re probably the most reliable on the yard as they go out regularly and see the world, safe in open spaces etc. while the happy hackers that go out once a week lose their minds at an open field.

Funny old world the horse world.