Tash88
Well-Known Member
This could potentially be a very long post so I will keep it concise and then answer any questions that you have, although I will try not to drip-feed! Here is the situation:
I've had my lovely WB x TB for 4 years, during which there have been LOTS of ups and downs. He didn't have a rough start as such but he had an unsympathetic start and he has some ingrained bad (bordering on dangerous) habits that although have improved greatly, I can't see how they will ever go away. I have exhausted most avenues including seeking help from a very well-known and respected trainer; he suggested that the problems will never go away but will become much easier to deal with and they have, but I can't see myself ever being able to do what I really want to do with him, which is absolutely heartbreaking to admit. All I really want to do is to go out to some dressage competitions and maybe affiliate one day, and I am capable of this, it isn't an unrealistic pipe dream.
My confidence has been broken too many times and in some ways I feel quite restricted, but when things are going well I feel on top of the world. I went through a rough couple of weeks with him recently and seriously thought about giving up, but then thought about how far I had come. Perhaps we aren't the best match ever but I know I will NEVER part with him. At the moment he is on part-livery at a lovely dressage yard. He is easy to do, 10 y/o, sound and healthy.
My current situation is that I am 28 and work full time. Life is good at the moment, I have enough money to live on each month but no savings. My horse gets the best of everything; even though he is on livery I see him every day (apart from when I am travelling for work/away which isn't that often) and I ride 5/6 days a week. I am a hands-on owner, especially since until a year ago I was on DIY with this horse and the one before him who tragically passed away suddenly aged 11.
I had been toying with the idea of getting a second horse for a little while, but I couldn't afford two on part livery where I am now and I wouldn't want to move from my current yard as my trainer is there and I love it. I could potentially go on DIY and work 10 mins from the yard, but for the first time in ages I have a bit of a life and lots of time to ride.
Recently a lovely little horse has come up for sale, via a good friend of mine, who says that we would be perfect for each other. He may be something I could progress with and realise some ambitions, providing everything is ok if I try him and he passes a vetting etc etc. I know all horses have problems and nothing is perfect, but there is such a long and emotional history with my horse and I kind of feel like it is always going to hold me back. I am not getting any younger and I want to get out and do things before I have to think about having children etc. But as I said, I will always keep my horse and the thought of giving up on his training isn't a nice one.
So this is a bit of a vent (and if you know me in real life please keep it to yourself!) but I'd just like to have some opinions. Buying this horse (or any second horse for that matter) wouldn't be the issue but it would be impossible to keep two on part livery, even though that would be perfect. It would have to be one on diy/grass livery and one on part livery, possibly at two different yards, although there is a little yard next door to work where I already know people. I wouldn't want to stop riding and working with my horse and part of me thinks that if I am working with another one and that is going well, I would feel more confident. This was certainly the case when I worked at a livery yard for a year and was riding 2+ horses a day there.
So honest opinions please: how much harder is it having two horses and am I completely crazy to even be considering this?
Thank you for reading and in advance for replying
Tash x
I've had my lovely WB x TB for 4 years, during which there have been LOTS of ups and downs. He didn't have a rough start as such but he had an unsympathetic start and he has some ingrained bad (bordering on dangerous) habits that although have improved greatly, I can't see how they will ever go away. I have exhausted most avenues including seeking help from a very well-known and respected trainer; he suggested that the problems will never go away but will become much easier to deal with and they have, but I can't see myself ever being able to do what I really want to do with him, which is absolutely heartbreaking to admit. All I really want to do is to go out to some dressage competitions and maybe affiliate one day, and I am capable of this, it isn't an unrealistic pipe dream.
My confidence has been broken too many times and in some ways I feel quite restricted, but when things are going well I feel on top of the world. I went through a rough couple of weeks with him recently and seriously thought about giving up, but then thought about how far I had come. Perhaps we aren't the best match ever but I know I will NEVER part with him. At the moment he is on part-livery at a lovely dressage yard. He is easy to do, 10 y/o, sound and healthy.
My current situation is that I am 28 and work full time. Life is good at the moment, I have enough money to live on each month but no savings. My horse gets the best of everything; even though he is on livery I see him every day (apart from when I am travelling for work/away which isn't that often) and I ride 5/6 days a week. I am a hands-on owner, especially since until a year ago I was on DIY with this horse and the one before him who tragically passed away suddenly aged 11.
I had been toying with the idea of getting a second horse for a little while, but I couldn't afford two on part livery where I am now and I wouldn't want to move from my current yard as my trainer is there and I love it. I could potentially go on DIY and work 10 mins from the yard, but for the first time in ages I have a bit of a life and lots of time to ride.
Recently a lovely little horse has come up for sale, via a good friend of mine, who says that we would be perfect for each other. He may be something I could progress with and realise some ambitions, providing everything is ok if I try him and he passes a vetting etc etc. I know all horses have problems and nothing is perfect, but there is such a long and emotional history with my horse and I kind of feel like it is always going to hold me back. I am not getting any younger and I want to get out and do things before I have to think about having children etc. But as I said, I will always keep my horse and the thought of giving up on his training isn't a nice one.
So this is a bit of a vent (and if you know me in real life please keep it to yourself!) but I'd just like to have some opinions. Buying this horse (or any second horse for that matter) wouldn't be the issue but it would be impossible to keep two on part livery, even though that would be perfect. It would have to be one on diy/grass livery and one on part livery, possibly at two different yards, although there is a little yard next door to work where I already know people. I wouldn't want to stop riding and working with my horse and part of me thinks that if I am working with another one and that is going well, I would feel more confident. This was certainly the case when I worked at a livery yard for a year and was riding 2+ horses a day there.
So honest opinions please: how much harder is it having two horses and am I completely crazy to even be considering this?
Thank you for reading and in advance for replying
Tash x