Sad - no horse for a while now (self indulgent!!!)

[Nudibranch]

Since losing my TB mare last November I am now without a riding horse for the first time ever! Still have my retired ponies but for the immediate future I wont be able to get a new "proper" horse. This is for a number of reasons, too long/boring/complicated to go into here. I hope to get a new one in about 2 years - but that seems a very long time. Has anyone else had this experience? What did you do? Every time the sun comes out I am left wishing I could go out for a ride. I'm even missing the pitch dark, howling gale 5 pm feed routine!

 

[JadeWisc]

Are there any horses in your area that need riding?

 

[MizElz]

Awwww Nudibranch, you poor thing!

I dont know anything of your situation, but could you not look at getting an ex racer, seeing as you have had a TB before? Would be a lovely project for you!

But if getting another is out of the question, I really dont know what to suggest

At least you've got puppy dog!!!

 

[Boxers]

Well we're going to be pony-less from Tuesday. Having sold daughter's pony he's going to his new home on Tuesday.

Then we have the task of looking for something else - but I hope it won't take two years!

Perhaps you could put a card up in your local saddlery offering to ride for someone. There are often plenty of people looking out for good sharers.

Hope you find something

 

[JenHunt]

i know how you feel. I had 4 years at uni when i didn't have a horse. I sold mine before i went to uni cos he would have been an ar*e with no exercise, and would have been too much for my sister to manage.
i really missed all the little things like buying new kit, and choosing feeds nevermind the mucking out and riding etc.
by the middle of my third year at uni i joined the uni riding club, but not for the lessons, as i was qualified to teach so didn't really want lessons on a riding school pony (snobbish i know, but i just wanted my own horse again) i joined instead for the challenge of learning to play polo.
i had a whale of a time, even tho it reminded me how much i missed them.
when i left uni my parents were busy saying not to rush into buying a horse cos i didn't know where a job would take me etcetcetc...2 months later I bought Ron! still have him and he'll be here until he passes. definately worth the wait!

 

[Eaglestone]

Hi
When my old boy went down with Cushings induced Laminitis at the end of 2005, I had no interest in riding any other horse as I was so worried about my old boy and was not bothered about riding

I have another horse, unfortunately he went lame at the same time and could not be ridden for a while as well

.

When 2nd horse was sound, as he is not happy hacking out on his own, I tended to walk out with him when friends rode him but I never have any inclination to ride him .... he was quite happy to go out if I was around

After quite a few months, I started to think that if I did not get on board again, I would never do it, and to be honest I did not have a problem with that

I then decided I wanted to get back on board and started asking around and even put an advert in the Friday Ad .... asking if anyone had a quiet small horse they would like to be ridden, in return for help (I had no money as they Vets bills were increasing by the day!).

Anyway a lovely lady called to say that I could ride her mare out with her ..... and I still ride her out once a week now

Then a very good friend asked me if I could ride out with her on her 'retired' horse .... and I still do that every week in the summer and as often as I can in the winter months.

Then a girl in the yard next to me, asked if I wanted to ride her old boy out .... and guess what, I still ride him out at least twice a week

... however if you see my post in Vets you will see he has a bad eye .... but tomoz morning I will take him out for a graze in hand

Anyway after 8 months my old boy was given the ok to walk him out in hand and then to my shock, Vet gave me the ok to ride him

.... so I now ride him on a Sat and Sunday in the winter and last summer we got out 4 days a week.

So you see that from nothing I am riding at least 7 times a week in the summer, on 4 different horses, and loving every minute of it ..... I am exhausted but fit

Good Luck! .... you could end up like me

 

[Nudibranch]

Hee, yes MizElz, puppy is great, I have to admit. He is a good consolation prize! In fact I'm starting to wonder how I'll have time for them all when I do eventually get another.

Btw, my tb was an ex-racer! She was great, and I'm seriously thinking of going down that route again when the time eventually comes.

Thanks for the posts, it's interesting to see what you've all done...