Life after horse owning?

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Dovorian

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Has anyone on here 'given up' owning their own horse? I'm just about to descend into those depths and although very sad to see the lad go, I know that I don't have the time to do him justice and have found the livery experience lacking to be polite about it!

Do you carry on as a 'fringe' horse person, have the odd lesson or hack? My OH thinks that it is better to come right out for a while and then see what you want to do after the initial shock goes!

The thought of not getting up to do stable chores is attractive........
 
I left horses for a year because i hated livery ect, then missed it alot so was lucky enough to keep horse at home, loved every min of it havent looked back, The year out did me good gave me time to look at things what i really wanted to do ect, When i did go back in to it it ment alot more to me than it did before. Now have 3 ponies lol

hope this helps
 
yep i had a break for 6 years had my daughter who is now three and now i run my own livery yard !
i couldnt have lessons felt wrong for somereason after you have had your own wierd but thats how i felt ,, when i came back into it 2 years ago ... my trainer said it looked like i hadnt had a break at all and was jumping by 2nd time on
its in your blood you will have a break enjoy it for 6 months then you will start itching to get back on te he
good luck enjoy the lie ins xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
I gave up for about a year. Not through choice though as my horse was PTS.

I didn't want to ever ride again at the time so had nothing to do with horses.

Gradually got over it and started visiting my mum's old retired horse.
At her yard I met the horse I now ride who didn't have anyone to look after her and was at grass because of a variety of reasons. I started riding her now and again and haven't looked back.

Suits me perfectly as I work in London and don't have time for my own horse but I still love being able to go and hack at the weekends and go to small competitions etc.

I have found that if you are trustworthy and can ride you will never be short of people needing help with their horses
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I lost my mare 3 years ago and cannot afford to have another horse. I found it really hard to have anything to do with horses for a while but then started riding a friend's pony. However, I did not enjoy it and I have realised that I don't miss riding - I want the mucking out, grooming and just being with a horse that means something to me, so I no longer ride at all. This forum is my only horsey connection.

I am looking forward though to having another horse of my own in the future, if I have the facilities to have one at home. Like you I don't enjoy the experience of sharing a livery yard!
 
I had time out whilst at university, but had lessons with the riding club for 2 years, which kept me going as they were good horses and I learned a lot.

I had an industrial placement for my 3rd year, and tried one riding lesson at a school and hated it. I thought about sharing, but the one I found wanted me to pay her for the privilege of schooling her horse, so I decided to be completely horse free.
I had a fantastic year with a great social life, and came back ready to do horses again
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You'll be surprised at how many hours there are in the day
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Gave up for 15 years after the loss of a horse....and was working in London...funnily while I was 'out of it' I could not even pick up a horse magazine,just needed to stay away...and always thought if I can't have my own,then going to a Riding school or riding friends is a No,No...odd I know!
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When my horse (Cass) was PTS I came right out of riding (and took up golf!). I was devastated and couldn't bear to spoil her memory. Then after a few years I got back into RS lessons at LEC in London. Learnt very little but got me back into it. A friend kindly let me ride her horses at weekends and one of them was just lovely! I realised I would be ableto find a horse that I liked that wasn't Cass
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I was still "horsey" throughout I think - horsey magazine subscriptions continued and I don't think I could ever have a clean break from horses for a long period, but I don't really know.

Clean break easier to start with I'd think. Then get more involved if you feel like it.
 
I've just come on here to post about my horse who is going on permanent loan today so what a fitting post to become involved in! Im on the verge of tears as i haven't been without a horse for the past 14 years, and i have no idea how i will cope over the next few weeks or what i will do long term without a horse. I can't afford another one so thats not an option so i guess i will have to see what happens!
 
Some of the other posts on here tweaks a few heart strings for me - my horse was PTS following an accident in the field, and possibly the only reason I am riding again now is because my YO made me get on another one, like BeckyD I didn't want to spoil his memory but I then had to face the reality that he wasn't the most recent horse I had sat on. I got back into it because after a while I missed horses so much and did fun and fast beach rides once a week whilst at uni. I later shared two lovely horses, and several years later am very happily sharing a welsh D that I met 2 years ago. I didn't imagine sharing would be a longer term option for me, but at the moment I don't have the funds or the time for my own again and I don't know how I could leave him, his owner would never sell nor would I want her to, and she is now a very good friend so I am extremely lucky and happy.

Sometimes life throws strange things at you and you've just got to go with it - see how you feel on a day by day basis, and if one day you want to try a riding school, hack with a friend or a share, try it - I tried several options before settling with one.
 
I have never owned ahorse but love how i've got it at the mo!! Am riding the sexy coloured boy in my sig every sunday and mucking him out on a sunday but also can ride him when i llike in the week with the owners permission. get paid £20 to sort him out every sunday and love it.
 
I feel exactly the same! I know that it is 'right' for the horse but having ridden since I was 5 and now a middle aged grump.... Having always done my own horses (at one stage 3 darlings!) the past year having to keep at livery really has turned the tables. I know that my chap needs an every day Mum, not a visitor to the yard! I really know how you feel!
 
I was faced with a similar decision last september. I knew my horse would be PTS in october (had known for several months) and really had to decide if I should walk away completely or look for another horse.
Walking away wasn't really an option as both wife and daughter have horses. What I decided was I just didn't want the emotional attachement that came with owning your own horse and something less than 100% comitment would be nice.
So I looked for a share, something I had never considered before. Idea was that i would have a horse to ride / compete. Some stable time but not the attachment or full responsibility.
Great theory, reality is the horse I found is probably my perfect horse. I'm more attached to him than any horse I have owned in the last 43 years. Bit of a problem really as I dont own him. I spent every spare minute with him and generally treat him as my own.

Oh and I wouldn't have it any other way
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Like you,'Naturally',my horse was PTS after a bad field accident,i had owned her for 14 yrs.Riding schools,loaning,sharing etc is not for me,it doesnt seem the same as having your own,so i will wait untill finances are sorted again before buying another,its amazing how much money & spare time you seem to have,but a year or so break has done me the world of good even though i miss it alot.
 
I sold my horse in 2004 as we were looking to buy a house and it was financially impossible to do both! I was also struggling with time and needed to dedicate more time to my career (including exams).

I've kept my toe in the water since. I shared a horse for 6 months, my mum still has a pony (although now 30 miles away from where I live) and my cousin has a horse too so I go on the occasional hack. I also still go to Badminton/Burghley/Olympia although it's very weird not having a 4 legged freind to shop for!

I go through phases of not missing it at all (especially when it's really cold and wet outside!) to thinking 'what a lovely day to go on a hack'. I was also competitive (or tried to be at least) and I miss that side of it.

It's always in my plans to get back into horses at some point and with me hopefully finishing my exams this summer I'd now have the time to dedicate to it again, but financially it would be a struggle and I'd rather wait until I could do it comfortably and not feel guilty for depriving my OH of holidays etc. so I guess I've got another couple of years to go.

It was definately weird at first but I gradually came out of it by having something to share for 6 months and you do find things to fill your time up with. I'd definatley advise having the odd lesson or hack though.
 
I did from 15 (mum died) until 24 when I brought home a skinny scabby old TB that I restored to health. I personally hated not having a horse and whilst going to a riding school and trekking is better than nothing, it is not the same.

After Fleur went out on loan, I shared/loaned Jemima but was heartbroken when her owner took her back. OH offered her a huge amount but she didn't want to sell. Hence, I bought Chancer as OH didn't want to see me so upset again. We now have a horse each and are skint, don't go out that often but are truely happy with our hairies.

Could you perhaps share - there are some people who don't charge a sharer but want help with the jobs and exercising.

Don't think I could give them up again - would hope to share at least if I couldn't keep one.
 
I gave up for 10 years because my family moved house and I could not afford it on my salary when I started working. I then met my now husband and got a house etc so could never afford it then either! But I yearned every day for another horse and knew I would one day before I popped with frustration! Luckily 10 years down the line my hopes came true as we moved to the country and I have my lovely lad. I could never be without horses now.
 
I gave up for a few years whilst at Uni and then started have lessons at a riding school a few years later. I ended up buying a mare from them as she was a loony. I really missed it. Unfortunately I had a very bad yard experience and sold her over a year ago. For the first few months I didn't really miss it as I couldn't think about horses without thinking of the yard, but I am now moving back out of the city and would like to get a new one. I am so worried about a yard though as I loved my yard at home and was there for many years. I am moving to a new area and know I'll find a horse - it's just the yard.
 
My mare died and i was heartbroken. She was a good age though. i had a break from horses for 17 years with no intention of going back to them.... until i had a ride on a friend's loan horse and realised what i had been missing all those years!!
 
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