What would you do ...

  • Thread starter Thread starter DJ
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Well, I was about to reply that I manage to fit in a few other things these days as mine are at home and out 24-7 so not all that much work, relatively speaking.

Then I remembered how I crawled in tonight at 6.30, totally shattered from work and in the middle of a two week wait following a cycle of fertility treatment. OH is away until next Tuesday, and the new horse is on total box rest after a horrible accident so I mucked out, fed, turned the other one out for the night to give him a break from companion duty in the yard. Then walked the dogs, then sorted the chickens and fish, and watered everything in the greenhouse and in the pots. Then scrambled into the shower and cooked some dinner. How I will manage if the treatment has worked, I have no idea.

Seriously though, I'd do more sailing and scuba diving....all the while wishing I had the whole, pain in the neck, exhausting routine of horses again!
 
Work more? I am a researcher in the field of animal behaviour... I would probably still work with horses but maybe I'd spend more time actually conducting experiments and less time training horses for my own sake.
 
Well, the dog comes for rides with me so I don't miss out on walking her. So do the kids (that's quality time, isn't it?). I do endurance so that manages to combine the drinking with the riding too! I'm off to Victoria next year to ride in the Quilty (if I don't make it with my horse I'm damn well going to go and crew) so that takes care of the travel...
I think I'd actually just be fatter and lazier...
 
Now I'm not so sure, my horse is on full livery as I work away a lot so I go down 5 days a week and go on a lot of holidays/weekends away anyways and I hate shopping. I'd have a beautiful house though!

When I lived in Manchester and had him on DIY and actually had friends and family near I would have been out partying/socialising every night I think!! I dread to think really competing was the only think that kept me sober at weekends!! I've always worked hard at my job to afford my horse and I decided not to do another ski season as I preferred the horsey life to the seasonnaires life! Without that motivation I think my life would have been very different, I probably would have done seasons with my ex bf and who knows how things would have turned out!
 
I still have my two but not riding and couldn't go near them for about 3 months as i'm injured. Oddly enough they not only survived but looked better coming out of winter (thinner!) as a consequence. I've walked the dogs more, gone away for days/weekends away and we've just booked our first hols in 3 years!! I've just started poo picking again and I have to say I just love being out with them (which my OH thinks is bonkers)!
 
I gave up my horses last year to go travelling (I head off in September). I found it really difficult to adapt at first, but now, I love it. Although I'm saving for my travel adventure, I have lots more free time to socialise with friends, treat myself, I also love going to the gym. I couldn't imagine ever having horses again to be honest, though I love hearing how my horsey friends are getting on with their neds, and also enjoy reading updates on this forum. Who knows though, I'm only 21 so the bug may return....
 
I'd join a gym to keep fit - before horses I went to the gym 3-4 times a week and enjoyed it.
I'd travel/holiday more - out of the way 'interesting/cultural' places.
My hair would be cut and coloured every 8 weeks, my nails would be manicured, I'd buy fashionable clothes.... maybe even a dress :) with proper shoes instead of boots!

I'd go out for meals all the time, drink nice wine. Lie in bed in the morning listening to the wind and rain hammering down on the window... non-horse ownership sounds quite nice actually :D

Am sure after a couple of weeks I'd be bored... well, maybe 6 months.... a year tops :D
 
When my old boy died I remember phoning my non-horsey sister after getting in from work to ask what 'normal' people do at this time of day. Her response was "watch Neighbours." I think a little bit of my soul died hearing that.

Now I'm a bit older and don't live in a flat, I think I'd have to do gardening. I'm not happy unless I have dirty fingernails.
And travel - at the moment I get twitchy if I spend more than 5 days away from home, I hope I'd be able to enjoy it more if I wasn't missing my boys, although I'll always have a dog so I'd miss him/her.
 
I have only ever had part loans because of lack of time and even then I struggle to fit them in with everything else I do!

My weekends are taken up by travel to see friends or my mum & dad, I am always staying somewhere on a Saturday night. I envy those of you who have friends/family locally! If I didn't spend hours on trains with an overnight bag, I'd go months without speaking to anyone but my OH :(

I am also planning a wedding and doing up our new(ish) house at the moment.

Me and OH go on a little holiday every 3 months so all the fun of planning for them takes up time.

I travel for work a lot (overnight trips round the country) which is very tiring, and my work tends to be mentally draining anyway, which is the main reason I don't have a horse, because I'd have to have it on full livery and not go every day anyway so feel I may as well just part loan.

I also do zumba, days out with OH, have friends/parents to stay, language classes, keeping the house clean, gardening, shopping...
 
I would sell the trailer, buy a caravan and set off with the dog to explore all the bits of the UK I've never been to
 
I have really enjoyed reading all your responses, so thank you taking the time to post :)

I`m so sorry for those of you who have lost your horses though, I do feel for you, and know what you`re going through after making that decision for mine last Dec.

I honestly hand on heart cannot imagine my life with out a horse in it. My new girl is an angel on 4 hooves and really is no trouble at all, though my back and pelvis after my accident is now giving me a heck of a lot of trouble, and I honestly don`t know what the future holds. I suppose that`s why I started this thread, but I can`t imagine "not" having a horse in my life lol ... I`d have money, and time, but what the heck I`d want to do with it is beyond me. Having time and money, the first thing I`d think of having is a horse *face palm* lol
 
Commmits suicide by eating too much and rotting in front of a screen. I am retired but love my busy animal orientated life
 
Being really rather new to horse-ownership, I should know the answer to this...

I think I used to live in a clean house and have more money. I have to say, on balance I prefer the impoverished squalor of my current existence.
 
I think I could easily fill the time, there are never enough hours in the week to do everything I want, crossfit, pole dance training, silks, hoop, rings, rock climbing, learning another language on top of working full time in an incident response role and having a horse. I'd have more lie ins and spend more weekends climbing with my other half or on holiday. I wouldn't go grey so fast or wonder each morning what crazy thing the horse will do to age me further. But it just wouldn't be the same. I'm sitting in his field right now in the sun trying to fend him off as he tries to eat my hair and chew my iPhone and there's nothing else I'd rather be doing.
 
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