Lacking motivation to ride

[Bea_millard]

I’m really struggling to ride. I’ve striped back my 6 year olds routine a lot so I’m only riding her 4/3 times a week instead of 5 with plenty of variety (hacking, jumping, lunging). I don’t get up until 4.30 so it’s dark.

I’m seriously lacking motivation at the moment. Dark, cold weather and a flooded school. What do I do? In the nicer weather I’m very motivated

 

[RachaelJC]

I feel you! It takes time to adjust when the darker nights draw in, especially when it's bitterly cold like it is by me.

However, don't be hard on yourself. You're still riding 3/4 times per week and your horse doesn't care if she isn't ridden. Spend time doing what you have been - grooming, long lining, lunging over poles, hacking etc. The variety will keep her entertained, and as long as she has a decent amount of turnout she'll be absolutely fine.

Maybe take the time to plan a fitness programme for her for next year, that will also give you a goal and help motivation

My boy is ridden three times per week by me as that's as much as I can juggle with work, and a couple of times by another rider doing me a favour and improving his training (she's a lot more skilled that I am!). He's happy, and that's all that matters to me.

 

[catembi]

Mine are at home & I have just got planning for an arena (hurray) but have to do a load more faffing before we can start (boo). Therefore my riding atm is on a concrete drive/area behind the house which is just big enough for a tiny circle at one end, so I plod up & down there for 20 minutes practising my walk-halt transitions. It is jolly boring! I wasn't going to bother tonight, but now I have been motivated by your post! Thank you!

 

[Gloi]

Me too I had a lovely ride on Monday when it was sunny and rode in the school yesterday. Today I had planned to go for a hack but I got there and it was cold, dank and windy and I wussed out. I'm off for a group lesson next week , maybe that will motivate me. I hate being cold and/or wet.

 

[vmac66]

It's the time of year. Cold, wet and dark. We don't have lights on the school so using it during the week is difficult as I don't get to the yard till 4. I've resigned myself to hacking at weekends. I rode nearly every day till the clocks changed and its only a month till the shortest day. Not long till nights are getting lighter.

 

[Leandy]

Why do you have to ride if you don't want to? If you still have turn out, let your horse have a lovely holiday until the New Year and bring back into work then when you can look forward to spring and lighter evenings. Plan some competitions or other outings for then and make a plan to prepare for them.

 

[scats]

My main one is having a holiday. Partly for her benefit as she’s had a busy year, but probably mostly for my benefit! I don’t do November, really. I get my motivation back in January.

 

[TheOldTrout]

I think a lot of us get this at this time of year. Mine's on box rest at the moment, but the mud everywhere and boggy schools don't really make me feel I'm missing out...

 

[hihosilver]

I always say I do well if I can get till Christmas! January can be a hard, wet month so definitely be having a break!

 

[Follysmum]

I’m out at action until jan/feb but usually I don’t bother much when they are stabled in winter, just tick them over at the weekend if weather permits. My horses get lots of handling still whilst in and aren’t the least bit bothered they are not ridden

 

[AmyMay]

I always managed to keep the horses ticking over until the new year by riding once or twice in the school weekdays with a good long hack at the weekends. When I worked I always had two weeks off over Christmas so my aim was always to keep them reasonably fit up until that point. Once Christmas was over and I was back at work I’d only ride at the weekends. It can be really tough going at this time of year.

 

[Bernster]

Mr too - struggling with motivation in the week. Horse gets exercised anyway but I really should get out there more. Hoping to do some team quest in jan so hopefully that will give me some focus.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

It's understandable not to ride as much during the dark cold nights. Most of us keep horses for leisure, sure we ride more in the summer & compete more but we ride for pleasure not as a job. If it's not pleasurable to ride every night at this time of year then don't! Ride because you want to not because you feel you must. The horse doesn't care if you ride every night or just a few times a week & you shouldn't either.

 

[emilylou]

I always find this time of the year the hardest! I think you're doing great to manage three times a week

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

Id love to have to option of just ticking over come winter, but mine has a pollen allergy who is unrideable bar the odd plod from end of April through to October, so despite severe lack of motivation due to weather etc I know if I don't ride, thats my opportunity missed! Even more frustrating no matter how fit he is in say Feb, I know come spring he's back being a field ornament come spring. I was in your position with a healthy horse, I'd just tick over hacking on weekends for instance or turn away until the start of next year for a break.

 

[Maryann]

I'm only getting my 6 year old out two or three times a week but I box up to a school or an interesting hack as often as is practical. It's not enough to keep him fit but he is seeing a bit of the world and not getting bored.

 

[dogatemysalad]

This year has been exceptionally wet and gloomy. It's hard to be motivated when it's dark and saturated. Unfortunately for me, my horse is currently hating the muddy fields so I've had to increase his exercise to twice daily on the days that he stays in. However, we do have a really good surface in the school and even a bit of wintery sun helps to make hacking a bit nicer.
Sometimes though, I'd rather just stay warm and dry. Wet winters are not fun.

 

[Dyllymoo]

I was only saying yesterday how I had forgotten how hard winter is. Its the constant darkness that is the thing that kills me, if the weather is sunny that definitely helps but its the week when I get up in the dark and go home in the dark and see my horse in daylight rarely (which is good as he is a hippo!). I think you have to be forgiving of yourself and not be too hard if you don't stick to your plan of riding x amount of times a week.

21st December and it will start to get light again (ever so slowly! but still......) that's a much more bearable date then when the clocks officially change

 

[Olliepop]

I injured my knee back in May (non-horse related!) and have had 6 months of no riding and am now on day 10 post knee arthroscopy surgery. I am desperate to be able to do more with and ride my horses after 6 months of pain with some of that time on crutches an OH having to take care of them. It's made me realise that I don't value my health and mobility enough when I'm fine and I take it for granted. I can't wait to get back on.

 

[milliepops]

I injured my knee back in May (non-horse related!) and have had 6 months of no riding and am now on day 10 post knee arthroscopy surgery. I am desperate to be able to do more with and ride my horses after 6 months of pain with some of that time on crutches an OH having to take care of them. It's made me realise that I don't value my health and mobility enough when I'm fine and I take it for granted. I can't wait to get back on.

hope you're back on board again soon

I don't struggle with motivation but the bloody darkness does my head in. The horses are all lunatics at the moment too so it's quite frustrating. Have to keep going because the turnout is limited. if they were out for longer then I'd be more tempted to let one have a little holiday.

 

[Ranyhyn]

Don't worry about it!

Everything in life ebbs and flows and motivation to ride is just the same. Give yourself a week off, two weeks off whatever. Come back to it when you're ready - a couple of weeks certainly is neither here nor there.

 

[Zibby]

I'm having the exact same issue with motivation. When it's so cold and dark in the evenings after a long day at work and long commute it's really hard. I'm setting myself some goals to keep myself going...most evenings that is something along the lines of once around the school each way in walk By the time I've done that I find that I want to do more.

 

[Louby]

Im struggling atm. After months off my horse is supposed to be doing 20 mins a day for rehabilitation and Im finding without a school its pretty impossible. Shes a young Sport Horse and I can not or wont try to hack out alone, not yet anyway as after almost 6 mths off its like shes just backed again, so its been walking in hand, hacking when I do have company or nothing and its getting me down as I know she needs to be doing something daily. I dont think the constant rain helps with motivation either!

I was long reining in the field but the other night she had a mad en and dragged me as I stupidly didnt let go for fear of her re injuring herself and now have battered ribs oooops!!

 

[BBP]

There is a nice little 12 week challenge page on Facebook, which has lists of mini challenges to choose from to help keep people motivated, so even if you only ride or do ground work for 20 mins you might try using it to try a challenge. They are drawn from a variety of things from jumping and hacking challenges to exercises linked to working equitation, reining, Liberty work, Trec. It just gives a bit of motivations through the winter.

 

[ElectricChampagne]

I've been very unmotivated too and feeling really really guilty over it. I'm actually glad to hear others are feeling the same.
Riding in the dark (two horses) and the cold in a wet school is really taking its toll on me.
I got soaked to the skin the other day and thankfully I had a full change of clothes in the boot, otherwise I would have caught a chill.

I am really struggling.

Thinking of doing a few interdressage video tests to get me working towards something!
https://www.interdressage.com/

 

[Leo Walker]

There is a nice little 12 week challenge page on Facebook, which has lists of mini challenges to choose from to help keep people motivated, so even if you only ride or do ground work for 20 mins you might try using it to try a challenge. They are drawn from a variety of things from jumping and hacking challenges to exercises linked to working equitation, reining, Liberty work, Trec. It just gives a bit of motivations through the winter.

Have you got a link please? Or even the page name

 

[Bea_millard]

Thank you everyone. Glad I’m not alone. I lunges yesterday and she was amazing. Hoping the yellow rain warning passes over us as it’s our school that’s making it hard to ride

 

[The Trooper]

I always struggle in winter, I categorically do not ride through the week in winter, someone may ride one of my girls for me but I don't go out of my way to arrange for them to be ridden. They get a good hack at weekends if weather allows.

Some time off or light duties over winter won't do any harm I'd not think.

 

[Bea_millard]

I think it’s the fact she’s 6 and I don’t want to waste her that’s making me feel even more guilty

 

[The Trooper]

I think it’s the fact she’s 6 and I don’t want to waste her that’s making me feel even more guilty

What do you intend to do with her? Bonnie is 7 and is enjoying a chilled time at the moment (My Mum was supposed to be riding her through the week but she is currently suffering from a chipped bone in her elbow and nerve damage).

My plans for Bonnie are nothing serious with no competitions or anything so it suits both of us to just take it easy in winter. She has big busy summers though.