The gift of not riding

I completely agree. For various reasons I'm not riding my teenage horse at the moment, and the baby is too young to ride. But they're both lovely calm natured horses and I really enjoy just having them, mooching around with them, taking them for walks. There is a chance the teenage one will not be rideable again - he's under investigation for a heart murmur - but he owes me nothing and if I can't ride him then we'll spend the next few years going for in-hand adventures with his pack bags on.
 
It always made me laugh when I'd go up, do the chickens, faff about and not actually see the boys at all (until I went to look for them). The hedges I planted grew to such an extent that when they were on the track I often had to climb onto an IBC to see where they were. They didn't care that the human had arrived, they had horse things to do. If I yelled they'd come eventually but I swear it was just to shut me up 😁 Here they are, leading the unstimulating life of the field ornament and failing to care a jot about their lack of a job to do...

I saw my role as 'field facilitator': making their environment work really well for them. It was incredibly fulfilling.

Boys.jpg
 
Burnttoast said:
It always made me laugh when I'd go up, do the chickens, faff about and not actually see the boys at all (until I went to look for them). The hedges I planted grew to such an extent that when they were on the track I often had to climb onto an IBC to see where they were. They didn't care that the human had arrived, they had horse things to do. If I yelled they'd come eventually but I swear it was just to shut me up 😁 Here they are, leading the unstimulating life of the field ornament and failing to care a jot about their lack of a job to do...

I saw my role as 'field facilitator': making their environment work really well for them. It was incredibly fulfilling.

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Wonderful
 
dreamcometrue said:
Riding my pony is a gift for me :)
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Me too:)

I love riding. I love groundwork. I love messing about at liberty. I also love just being with them with zero expectation and enjoying their company for wjo they are.

It's a gift to have horse's in our life in any capacity - whether we own, share, loan , ride at a RS, volunteer, ride occassionally, every day or never at all or admire them from afar.

And what a gift it is.
 
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MuddyMonster said:
Me too:)

I love riding. I love groundwork. I love messing about at liberty. I also love just being with them with zero expectation and enjoying their company for wjo they are.

It's a gift to have horse's in our life in any capacity - whether we own, share, loan , ride at a RS, volunteer, ride occassionally, every day or never at all or admire them from afar.

And what a gift it is.
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Me too! That's exactly how I feel, you put it perfectly.
 
I hardly ride these days. I hop on to check how a horse is going or, if I have some time on the weekend, I might potter about or go for a hack but I don't ride regularly.

I don't miss it at all. I am so enjoying watching one of my mares flourish with her new rider, and to get to plan out future clinics and possibly even shows for them. I need to sort out something similar for the other horse but that's also a good hobby for me.

I like riding but I don't like riding if I'm not fit, riding regularly, progressing myself and in a routine, and with my job, our home, my husband and stepchildren... that's just not realistic right now. I have always hated feeling like I 'should' be doing something and I'm just not getting to it.

Having the horses ridden by others means I get to cuddle, I get to be involved, I get to smell like horse and have a car that is covered in horse, but I don't feel like I'm letting either the horses or myself down. I love being an owner, and I'll be a rider as and when it's something I can do with the proper level of commitment.
 
When i get on a horse I feel like I'm In heaven, that I've left this world and its troubles and difficulties behind, I have big gelding among others, when I enter the arena I can't help feeling like queen of the universe he is so special

But when I bring them in, the little rescue is so cute, his big ears, furry face, bright eyes hairy legs etc makes me feel like child again, that I love ponies feeling its so nostalgic, innocent yet full of promise because I can ride him and feel sure he enjoys our time together

Its knowing you have animals that are friends and company, the routine that gives structure, makes it worth while, sometimes I forget i can ride them almost but I do ride them
 
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