Winter Blues or something else - totally lacking interest!

[Taboo1968]

I am so totally uninterested in riding or competing at the moment..... in fact I am often heard to say I hate horses, but I usually say that in the winter anyway! (Dont we all!)
Just cant seem to get motivated where the horses are concerned, obviously I see to them every day.... make sure they are fed, groomed etc, but I really really cant be bothered to ride at all!!! I have three lovely boys but the interest just isn't there at the moment!!!
Anyone else feeling like this? or is it just me having a winter blues moment?

 

[cobden99]

Yes I am - I should be riding but Ive done mine and come back to bed with the electric blanket on ! I just get fed up with the rain and the mud.

 

[hadfos]

No ya not on your own!!Never said hate horses though,lol!!I hate this time of year and i feel riding is a completely miserable experience for the both of us,lol!!!Bring on those crisp clear days with the sun shining,might be cold but at least it makes us smile!!

 

[Taboo1968]

Thank god its not just me then! I go up there do all the work and then think I'd better ride, look at them, get all deflated and just dont get on with it! We are moving to Spain next year and I really cant wait! Was out there a few weeks ago wandering around in a t shirt in november! it was lovely!!! Yes of course it rains over there too, but at least its warmer whilst raining!
Oh well suppose I had better get ready and get up the yard - who knows, if it stops raining I might get the motivation to ride at least one of them!

 

[Saf]

I'm the same this time of year, during the event season I work full time and spend all my time keeping her fit, lessons and driving hundreds of miles to compete that when winter comes I just want to catch up on sleep, dark nights don't help in the slightest.
Should have gone jumping today, just can't be bothered

Think I need one of those SAD lights

 

[Taboo1968]

Maybe I need one of those too!

 

[Lampard102003]

feel the same too, get the jobs done and can't muster up the enthusiam to go and ride. The weather is without doubt the problem. My girlfriends best friend rides every single day round the year and either she's not being honest or she's a robot! Tries to make us feel bad. Hate the bloody rain so much! Wish the winters here were just plain old cold, I could handle that. And i put the old leccy blanket on too!

 

[Fiona_C]

Just get the bouncey ones ridden

you'll feel so much better for getting on and doing it.....

 

[Bert&Maud]

Currently between horses. Bally went out on loan 4 weeks ago and I'm looking for another. However, on days like today I really wonder why I am bothering. But if I don't I know it will be harder and harder to get going again, because the time I used to spend doing horses will be filled with other mundane things like housework! Yes, motivation is very hard at this time of year. Don't beat yourself up over it, horses don't die from not being ridden, providing they're cared for they're not bothered!

 

[ballvicki]

I think its particularly bad this year as we had such a horrid summer, so us horsey people haven't had a respite from wet rugs and mud. All been a bit much

 

[DAHH]

It is so difficult to get motivated in this weather! The rain is currently horizontal and the fields are more like muddy swimming pools. So it is not really a surprise that none of us want to ride or even go outside. It is only 2pm and I have already used 3 supposedly waterproof coats, 2 pairs of gloves and 3 hats.
I hate this time of the year. But the really depressing thing is that it is only the begining of december....

 

[Shilasdair]

I think I'm just going to hang in my roost until spring comes.
S

 

[rcm_73]

I feel the same, just go and do what needs doing atm can't be bothered riding in the wind and rain and a bit p#$$*d off waiting for YO to start building the long awaited school...

No fun riding a nappy green horse in a muddy field or alone on the road so thinking either I move yards or await the (hopefully) dry weather or a school..whichever happens first...

 

[RachelB]

Winter has never bothered me before (actually it's my favourite season) but this year I feel awful. So un-motivated, I can;t get out of bed on time, then can't get to bed early enough to be able to get out again the next morning. None of my uni essays are getting done (let alone my dissertation) and I was considering quitting until I realised I only have until June left! I am keen to do horses until five minutes before I have to leave the house to do them, then I can't be bothered. Always feel great after riding though. I hate doing Maiden as I SO badly want to be riding her and can't bear the thought that after a long winter I might get to April and the vet will tell me I can't ride her still.
Does anyone know if SAD and depression can be inherited? My dad is actually quite good this year but I seem to be making up for him!

 

[Marnie]

I have been feeling the same, I have been having more trouble getting up, work is hard and stressful. I usually ride before work in the mornings, but this year just haven't managed to do it. I didn't ride yesterday either, which was stupid as it was a beautiful day, but I had to help someone move a horse and just didn't get up early enough to ride first! Saying that though, today I felt so guilty that Marnie hadn't been out that I forced myself to go, and despite the wind and rain, had a lovely ride, and feel a lot more motivated now I know that I won't melt if I get wet and muddly!

 

[Taboo1968]

Its not the fact that his lordship is going to bounce that bothers me.... I cant even be bothered to ride a dead donkey at the moment!

Having said that I've spent two and a half hours up the yard, completely emptied three stables and put fresh in all of them, done the waters, haynets etc so now plan to go back up shortly and ride!!!!! Will report later if not hospitalised!

 

[catembi]

My lumie alarm clock has really helped me with the dark mornings. You set it for when you want to wake up, then 1/2 hour beforehand it gradually starts getting brighter. Subconsciously it gets your body & mind ready to wake up, so eventually when the alarm goes off, you feel more or less ready to go, rather than like it's the middle of the night & totally the 'wrong' time to be getting up.

It did cost £100 which is a lot for an alarm clock, but I managed not to set it one day last week & just got woken up by my normal alarm clock, & that was a real shock to the system. I could really see the difference with a 'lumie' awakening either side of a 'normal' one.

I'm still riding every day. I usually *really* don't want to cos it's no fun slithering around up the field by the light of a site light, but I always enjoy it once I've got going. The trick is to get into a routine so your body gets ready in autopilot, then you're all tacked up & ready to go before you've got time to decide against it.

Sorry you're feeling like this, Ovidius. I met you at Weezy's HHO meet & you were such a lovely person.

T x

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

What a relief I'm not alone, I'm grumpy all the time at the moment, still love my horse that I've had for years, but don't like the other three much, and one of them barged through two gates yesterday and carved up the yard, having let all the others out. And the dogs are driving me mad!!! Two dogs is good, but don't ever be tempted to get a third ( I wasn't, it was my OH decision).

Ballvicki, I think you're right, I feel really cheated out of summer this year.

 

[Gorgeous George]

definately not alone, despite being a new horse owner and loving my boy I am not liking the winter. My problem is I'm a tidy freak, so everything being muddy (including George) and dirty and wet is driving me nuts. I just managed to ride today before we were battered by something resembling a monsoon and everything got soaked - roll on summer!

 

[lucylemon]

i hate bad weather, like today.

got down yard, fed horses, stuck some hay in ed's haynet and waited for the rain to pass.

stops raining, so i take her thick stable rug of and put on her fleece. starts to drizzle so throw on her lightweight turnout.

all of a sudden its torrential downpour, everyones running around getting rainsheets to put on their horses necks (we dont have anough stables for the amount of horses) and putting on their raincoats/macs etc.

shoved eddie back in her stable and took off her (soaking) turnout and hung it up, luckily i had just finished throwing her bed up and handnt layed it again yet so she had hay, water and her bed was drying.

5 minits later the sun comes out so get her out and give her a top-to-toe groom and me and a friend start getting tacked up for a ride. and guess what? torrential downpour and high winds. waited about 15 minits and the sun came out again and we enjoyed a walk/trot hack as the bridle paths and our arena were waterlogged.

got back, untacked, groomed, fed swept and was pulling her bed down ready for when i next bring her in. went to put her down the field and in rained very heavily and she wouldnt move from her corral, so had to put her in again.

i must have changed her rugs over a dozen times, i wouldnt mind except she is 17.1hh and her rugs weigh a tonne!

so that was my day today, how exciting!

 

[Taboo1968]

Too late I've already got three dogs and can relate to being driven round the twist by them, let alone the three cats which are also causing mayhem at the moment, then 7 horses, I'm suprised I've not be sectioned yet!

What summer????

 

[LeneHorse]

Never mind - only 3 weeks until the longest night then it will gradually start getting lighter at night and we'll be able to get a better look at how truly muddy and disgusting our little darlings are! At the moment I'm turning out in the dark and bringing in in the dark and only see my girl in daylight at weekends.

 

[Taboo1968]

I'm still a nice person honestly!!! LOL! Just a little fed up with things at the moment! tell me more about this alarm clock!

Having had my moan this morning and after having spent two and a half hours at the yard emptying stables I only had to skip out this evening, so took my tack with me..... sorted horse, took into school, knowing that I was probably asking for trouble as he's not been ridden for about four weeks! Well he was suprisingly obedient and well behaved, that was until a horse in the field neighed and he called back and then lost the plot!!! Well we reared three times, (good job I have a good seat as I'd only got one stirrup at that point) then we bounced sideways and pranced and all I kept thinking was, can we at least move away from the fence if your gonna dump me, cos I dont want to land on that! Managed to get his attention again, and he worked really well..... so I got off feeling a bit more positive about riding tomorrow..... in fact I actually enjoyed it!

realised on way to yard this morning that I've actually owned him for over a year now, but a year ago today was the day we brought him home!!!! so extra kisses for being kind of good and for putting up with me for this long!

 

[Dougie]

i had a fab ride this afternoon. we could watch the river bursting its banks.....but we done some lovely canter work. Horse was very well behaved...well extemly forward going as she was cold so wanted to canter constantly

 

[SpruceRI]

Glad its' not only me. I seem to be the only one out of all my friends who can't be bothered to ride in winter, and feel blue.

It's worst at Christmas. I always take the week off at Christmas and after Xmas day slobbing in front of the TV with food at my finger tips, that seems to set the way for the rest of the week and I can't be bothered to do A THING! Except look after the pones of course!)

 

[Fiona]

Feeling much the same at the moment, the wet soggy weather is to blame I think plus having fallen off on my head about 6 weeks ago and not jumped since.
I have ben hacking out and schooling though.
Do I need a kick up the a**???

Fiona

 

[catembi]

This is the alarm clock I got:

http://www.boots.com/shop/product_details.jsp?productid=1028766&classificationid=1038722

I was going to buy one last year but was put off by the price in case it didn't work. My friend bought one & got on well with it, so this year I decided to take the plunge. DEF very worth it.

 

[MadMacher]

I must admit I felt Like I was the only person in the wrold feeling like this!
Grumpy, Misrable,Fed Up, Sad.. it didn't help with the issues I had at the yard last weekend...but
I think this weather sucks and it is just horrible, and like the rest of you guys, I feel so disheartned with this whole horsey thing!
Thought it was meant to be fun...but I too am beating myself up for not riding in the rain and wind!
But I am glad I am not the only feeling like this....
Chin up ...

 

[SecretSquirrell379]

I still love my horsey, I sit and talk to her in the shelter while she eats her dinner, with the wind and rain howling outside, she's covered in thick mud and I take one muddy rug off and put another just a muddy rug back on

I am 'lucky' that I'm not allowed to ride at the moment, had 1 week off so far and got another 2 to go, so I've got an ideal excuse not to ride in this horrendous weather LOL

 

[snurse]

Interested to hear about alarm clock.Might investigate. I'm another totally unmotivated at the moment. Don't know why. Don't really mind rain and wind. But depression and SAD (I've been treated for depression for many years, and doctor suggested SAD as well...) really do stop you getting out of bed, or getting on with anything. I think, if I didn't have two horses on DIY and three dogs, I wouldn't get up at all.