who keeps horses but doesnt ride?

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Wibbly

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I have lost all confidence in riding at the moment, but dont want to be without a horse.

I wonder who keeps horses but doesnt ride? WHat do you do with them instead? Who do you keep them interested/exercised?
 
Well not intentiionally!! 1 is injured and the other 2 are babies!! You have loads of options, keeping show ponies, youngsters, driving, all wouldn't require riding, but lunging and walking out etc to keep fit and mentally stimulated. You'd still be around them, hand on and still show if you wanted.
 
same as above, 1 is injured, 3 are too small for me but also 1 of them is a baby and another isn't backed!
i'm never gonna ride the 3 ponies and i know that but i've had so much fun working with the ponies. i have managed to ride my horse a couple of times this year, i have to take it day by day with him but can never plan.

you can have horses and never ride, it's not a bad thing. so long as you get the pleasure out of their company and owning them then go for it, don't feel pressured into riding!
 
I always thought it would not bother me if I could not ride again as long as I could just be around them everyday, but when I put my riding mare infoal 18 months ago I thought it would not be a problem not riding untill the foal was weaned. God I missed not being able to get my tack out last spring/summer, I am counting the months down untill April which is when the weaning will start. Having said all the above I have still enyoyed being around horses, 1 unbroken yet, 1 shettie and now my mares filly. I have the cleanest paddocks ever and the fencing is all spot on, water troughs are spotless. But I really missed being a happy hacker, and cannot wait for the spring to arrive.
 
Me! :D

Had my girl for 18 years (23 now) and only rode her for about 5 of those if not less. She has been retired/a pet ever since.

I absolutely love being around horses and I cherish every moment I spend in her company but am simply not so fussed about the riding anymore. If I want to ride I can ride friends horses but I very rarely do.

When she was younger I did some inhand showing with her, lead/long reined her out on walks. lunged etc but nowdays I just sometimes take her for a walk around the ground of the yard I am at and thats it.

Sadiemay
 
Me! :D

Had my girl for 18 years (23 now) and only rode her for about 5 of those if not less. She has been retired/a pet ever since.

I absolutely love being around horses and I cherish every moment I spend in her company but am simply not so fussed about the riding anymore. If I want to ride I can ride friends horses but I very rarely do.

When she was younger I did some inhand showing with her, lead/long reined her out on walks. lunged etc but nowdays I just sometimes take her for a walk around the ground of the yard I am at and thats it.

Sadiemay
 
I have a youngster at the moment and I haven't had riding lessons for a couple of months because of a bad back, and I really don't miss it. My youngster is a sweetie and I simply enjoy being around him. I have confidence issues over hacking and yesterday I decided that I am not going to try and hack him alone in traffic myself because with my nerves it will be a bad experience for him. What a weight lifted from my shoulders! I will find someone willing to ride him and do a good job for me and he will be great when my pony mad daughters grow up a little more. Who cares if I don't do it myself as long as we are both happy? He is a family pet so he won't miss out on rides or attention. I have spent too many years worrying about what I should be doing rather than on what makes me happy as a horse owner. Not any more!
 
I have my 13.1hh pony i have had for 17 years since a baby, due to unsuccessful loaning attempts and his cushings, laminitis episodes, i have decided to keep hold, and once a week i occasionally hop up and have a stroll around. But yes - hes more of a expensive dog.
 
my friend went through this stage due to a bad fall. She sold her horse then bought another one much older with no intention of riding.

However as she got to trust the mare (12 months later) she found she yearned to just hop up on her. Luckily horse was able to be ridden so she just got on her one day and hasn't looked back since

another friend had similar problem but she bought one that could not be ridden, she said it was a big mistake as later she wanted to ride again
 
Me! If I tried to ride mine I would squash him! When we lost Benson we knew we wanted another horse, but I have lost an awful lot of strength due to my injurues. And I knew I didnt want to ride again after what happened.
So we got Donovan, who is a 12.2hh sec b. He is going to his 2nd in hand show on Sunday which he seems to enjoy, and in the spring we are thinking about doing some driving with him.
 
I do ride (in the nice weather!!) but also keep my retired horse and small native pony neither of which I ride. I bring them in to groom, take them for walks in hand, show in hand, long rein, pony can drive if I can be bothered to harness up!
 
Hey,

Mum is a prime example, she doesnt ride anymore since breaking her back twice, she's now just the normal fusser brushing all the time and so on, but her horse still gets to walk out luckly she's good to lead with my pony so when ever im just going on a nice quiet ride i lead her out with me and that way she gets to stretch her legs and see further then her stable yard.
I also have one that has been on box rest as he had a broken leg and he's really quit naughty and gets bored easily but he was in with a ball with nuts that he kicked around that kept him entertained for a while and also he has a big mirror in his stable and that helped him a lot because he now thinks he's always got some one with him.
Enjoy your horse give him/her the odd lunge and maybe if you can get someone capable to ride him once a week or so :)

Paige x
 
i do i do! :) i have 2 fillies. one i plan to break to drive and the other is just for in hand showing! i got bored of riding if i am being honest but cant not have horses so i decided to drive instead, it is something i have always wanted to do and it still gets you out and about enjoying the horse, fresh air and everything else, exercises the horses and occupies your mind.
in hand showing i have always done. it is a great experience for both me and the horse every time i do it. if we dont place i dont mind. if we do it is a bonus! :)
also it is bonding with the horse. both will be broken to ride but it will be my niece that will be ridding them.
i sometimes miss riding (but not very often) and when i spend quality time grooming them or schooling them ext i dont miss it at all because i know they are healthy, happy and i am happy that i am not pressuring them to preform. i take things slow and steady with them and because i dont really have the erg to ride i am in no rush to break them in or push them. and they mature at there own pace. :):) if that makes sense. xx i also have a few shetlands (which defo cant be ridden by me) they are just my little pets who spend there days eatting me out of house and home and going for walks every few day out on the roads ext and we find a field somewhere on the walks and the have a lunge lesson xx
 
Not forgetting on the other hand, many horses and ponies are perfectly happy in life not doing anything at all, just because you don't ride, doesn't mean they have to be doing something else, providing they don't require exercise for any other important reasons (weight/stiffness/bordom etc) it quite normal for a horse not to be anything, although I'm sure they appreciate the attention us humans give them, specially if kept on their own.

They don't have to have a job as such do they, I don't think owners should ever feel guilty because they are not doing 'something else' with them, a caring owner can be all that one wants shall we say :)
 
Me! But that's because I only have my two shetland ponies now, I lost my horse last year. Unfortunately neither shet has been backed and they would've been ideal for the kids, but WHW loaned them out at companions and that's how they must remain.
 
Wibbly,when you find a horse that you are more than competent to ride you will ride again and enjoy it,just take the time it takes to find a calm,easy to manage horse, and give yourself a chance. I bet you are a far far better rider than me,but i have found an idiot proof horse that has the patience to put up with my poor riding and am starting to have fun. Maybe just get a " low energy" cob, give him a fibre diet and plenty of turnout with friends so the beast is happy and relaxed start to play with him and make a bond, and then sit on him and take it from there, no pressure.
 
my last horse was injured and coludnt ride. eventually i lost him and bought a ridable horse!, and not looked back.


i honestly cant understand why anyone would keep ridable horses not ridden. Each to their own but imo unless you have your own land they are very expensive pets!!!

If a horse and rider are injured then i understand but to pureposfully keep a horse unridden if theres nothing wrong with it i just dont get....
 
I don't ride a lot - at the most twice a week and at the very least once every three weeks. I do have a sharer who rides twice a week. My boy is 17, has athritis which he has been injected for and finds it hard to do schooling (which is my passion) so we end up getting frustrated. He isn't the best hack and with sweet itch in the summer is impossible to hack. He also can't be lunged or jumped. I tend to just give him a potter about - some walk and trot, big circles and stuff he can do that doesn't challenge him too much, or if the situation's right he goes for a little hack. Having had a very competitive younger life and being a bit of a stresshead I think he quite enjoys a laid back lifestyle now. I do occasionally get the yard gossips talking behind my back about why he isn't ridden more, but he is turned out everyday for at least 8 hours and gets a good groom/scratch so I don't see why it's a problem. I'd never sell him because he can't do what I want anymore - he's been very good to me and I plan on looking after him until his twilight years. As long as he is having time spent on him and gets a good life and his expenses are taken care of, I don't see why anybody should have a problem with how little he is ridden.
 
I have never ridden my horse, but that is because things did not go according to plan...

First she was too young, when she became old enough to back I was working abroad while she was kept at livery in the UK, and shortly after I returned she was kicked, resulting in serious injury. After a long rehab period I have now given up on her having a ridden career, but since she is a very well bred warmblood and only 6 years old I am now looking for a broodmare loan home for her.

If she had been older I would probably just have retired her full stop, but she's so young... I think she can have a nice broodmare career and can't wait to see her foals on the ground. Even if I can't ride her, she is still a horse of a lifetime.

If I can find her a good home as a broodmare I will probably look for a nice project pony to bring on so I can get back to riding again.
 
teasle said:
Wibbly,when you find a horse that you are more than competent to ride you will ride again and enjoy it,just take the time it takes to find a calm,easy to manage horse, and give yourself a chance. I bet you are a far far better rider than me,but i have found an idiot proof horse that has the patience to put up with my poor riding and am starting to have fun. Maybe just get a " low energy" cob, give him a fibre diet and plenty of turnout with friends so the beast is happy and relaxed start to play with him and make a bond, and then sit on him and take it from there, no pressure.
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I think this sums up my situation best. It is not that I dont EVER want to ride again, just that I dont want to feel pressured to ride if I dont want to.

I dont want to buy a horse that NEEDS to be worked in order to be safe and rideable. I think I will take my time and find something super ploddy and happy to pootle round the countryside once or twice a week and happily live in a field the rest of the time.

I am very into 100% forage diet and keeping horses as naturally as possible so what teasle says makes a lot of sense.

I must say I am tempted with the thought of driving. Perhaps I need to explore that....maybe some driving lessons for fun, and see how I get on. Especially as I love groundwork and Intelligent horsemanship stuff. Perhaps having fun on the ground and driving at the weekends would be up my street....have to do some googling for carriage driving centres I think.

Glad to know I am not the only one who NEEDS to keep a horse but isnt particularly desperate to ride all the time.
 
I havent read all the replies, but I used to. I had my life ruined by someone lying about a project I took on. Lost my job/house/sanity etc :( However I couldn't stay away from the yard. I bought a cheapy yearling with the idea that if I never rode again, it didn't matter. I would have him backed when he was old enough and get someone to ride him for me/sell him if needs be. And if nothing else, by the time he was old enough to ride he'd be a nice member of society ready for someone to take on and do stuff with. I then started having the odd ride on other peoples again, and ended up desperate to ride and buying a riding horse.

She arrived and then the weather got hideous, so now I have the yearling, now rising 2yr old, a 7 month old foal (bought to keep the yearling company, although they hate each other!) and a riding horse who I have never ridden! I plan to bring her back into work as soon as I get a chance, but I'm enjoying just having them. I do really, REALLY want to ride, but if I couldn't ride her for some reason, I'd be perfectly happy just having them around :)

I had the most fabulous day on Sunday. I scritched the yearling, groomed and handled the foal, and just enjoyed my mare being beautiful :D
 
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