Would you own a horse if you didnt compete?

My dancing is....

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I have horses, I don't compete, I haven't done so since I was a teenager, it doesn't appeal to me at all now.

At one time I kept horses purely to hunt, if I hadn't hunted I wouldn't have bothered, so I guess that is the same as competing really.

Now, I just seem to collect them, we hack, have 2 broodmares, the stallion and a couple of boarders.

I most definitely come under the banner of Happy Hacker and am very happy to be just that
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Grrrr, the system is slower than a slow thing today and won't let me edit.

I'd just like to say that I do understand the financial side of things if you are paying for expensive livery etc, and not competing then horses are very expensive lawn ornaments. Mine are at home, they live out, are unshod and we cut our own hay so my costs are much less, also, the Boarders very kindly pay for the Trimmer/feed/vaccinations etc.
 
i do own a horse and i dont compete, only hack and local fun shows, i ride him every day and love it, no pressure, no interference and lots and lots of fun. now, owning a horse and not riding it is a different topic........
 
YES!

i love looking after horses and bonding with them just as much as competing and i love just hacking out and doing my own thing.

i compete when i can but as i have no transport so i can only compete in local shows which is not very often anyway. i still have aims without competing anyway, my horses are all a challenge to ride!!
 
I just could not warrant the cost of having my boy if we didn't go out. Maybe if I lived somewhere a little less expensive or owned my own land. So its catch 22 it costs me fortune to keep him anyway then I spend more going out playing otherwise its pointless having my boy.
 
Always have! I own a horse and occassionally compete, not I compete therefore own a horse.

Actually owning the horse, the care and work, companionship and relationship we have is why I do it, I wouldn't miss competing if I never did it again, but I'd miss owning a horse if I didn't have one. My horse is a pet first and being a means to compete is way down the list of reasons to have one!
 
I own a horse and I dont compete. If you had asked me this six months ago I would say that I didnt care if I don't compete, but that was when we still had so many problems to iron out as he was, and still is, very much a project horse so I had lots to work for and aim at just at home.
Now he is almost ready and get out to a few little dressage things. But I have no transport at the moment so I am stuck at home. I feel very deflated and have lost the drive to ride him. I still spend time with him and love every second I get with him, but if a problem turns up I know I dont work as hard as I used to to fix it because it doesnt seem as important to sort without a goal to aim at.
The thing that grates me the most is a few years ago I had my own transport, and even though I had two horses at the time, I would leave one behind and take a friends horse for her so she can get out and about. Now they have transport and two horses and never ever offers to do the same in return.
 
Can't see the point in competing all that work and time wasted just so you can say how many rosettes you've got!
I took Sarah-lee to a show once and felt so guilty as when I took her out of the trailer she looked up at the Malvern Hills and clearly thought she was going for a great ride.Instead we hung around for hours doing nothing but waiting for our ten minuites in the ring before packing up and going home.I promised her I'd never put her through that again.
My gang aren't just "expensive lawn ornaments" they pay me back tenfold with the things they teach me and cut down the cost of getting to work and back
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But then "Horses for coarses" as they say--or in my case "half horses"
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Good lord, yes!!!!! Never competed horses in my life (apart from a bit of in-hand showing when horses very young just to get them out to see things and Burtie competed my Arab at dressage), although when I do compete at anything I go to win, not "experience" or to make up numbers. I don't even RIDE but I love having a horse (OK, so I'm odd). I don't understand the having to compete thing as hundreds of years ago when I learnt to ride, the only people who competed (apart from kid's gymkhanas) were the rich types who had their own and show-jumped or evented, even dressage as a discipline on its own didn't really exist. Normal mortals like me, hired horses for hacking by the hour from local riding stables, there was no such thing as livery.
 
I own a horse and dont compete so yes.

Im a happy hacker and odd session a week riding in the field. though would quite enjoy the odd show

Once i have my horse working properly my problme is then transprt. I dont have any so cant compete when i want to.. if i had to compete to have a horse im not sure id ever end up with one!
 
yes my pony is with my for life no matter what.

i enjoy to do local shows etc but if i cant so what - if i didnt compete im not sure id keep her as fit as i do now though i think i might take it a little easier and stop pushing myself so hard to ride 5 days a week
 
Of course I do! I've not competed in years but enjoy owning/riding horses. I have my own goals to aim towards and don't feel as if I am less motivated as a result. Horses are my hobby - competing stresses me out too much and turns my hobby into an ordeal so I just don't see the point of me doing it anymore.
 
I have a horse because i love everything about them, i have never competed and don't intend to, i hack 5-6 days a week mostly alone, but sometimes in company, i keep my horse at home, she is one of the family, life just would not be the same without her.
Kate x
 
i have never compeated and don't think i ever will maybe the odd show hear and there but ijust like the horses company and plodding around to the pubs my mare would never be able to compeate to a high standard but she does the job i want and thats why i got her
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Always have! I own a horse and occassionally compete, not I compete therefore own a horse.

Actually owning the horse, the care and work, companionship and relationship we have is why I do it, I wouldn't miss competing if I never did it again, but I'd miss owning a horse if I didn't have one. My horse is a pet first and being a means to compete is way down the list of reasons to have one!


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Absolutely - my thoughts exactly.
 
I've always competed but just haven't had time for the last few years due to work commitments and daughter's competition career taking priority, and I must admit while I haven't been competing I've become a 'fair weather' rider. I ride so much less without a goal to aim for, not competing seems to bring out the laziness in me!!
 
I enjoy all aspects of owning a horse - not just competing!

Must admit that if I didn't think Ty would eventually be jumping etc I would maybe be thinking hard about our future - but he's getting there! x
 
We we don't own our horses but if I didn't compete then I think I might give up. I need something to aim for. Even if it is just 2 foot jumping. I love horses and riding but I am also very lazy.
 
Yes. I just enjoy all aspects of looking after a horse and riding. It's a great way for me to chill out after a stressful days work. i do compete now and again at local shows, but just for fun!!
 
Nope. I mean I have done for several years, but I get bored. I love competing, even if its only local shows and the like.

If I have nothing to work towards I just get fed up and demoralised. I do enjoy hacking about and just having fun at home, but ultimately I would get fed up if there was no chance of competing.
 
I wouldn't. I love competiting and even if it is a tiny 2ft unaffiliated I'd be happy going.

Makes it worth all the hours of schooling and work you put in
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Without it I don't think I'd have anything to aim for.
 
I own a horse and don't compete. Like many others who have posted, I'm not at all competitive. I like to try and keep my horse relatively fit, so school and hack (injury and problems permitting!) and like him to go well, but I don't really feel the need to take him to shows.

Used to love jumping when I was a kid, but don't have the bottle now! I admire people who do go out there and do it. Now and again I get a twinge of guilt and worry that I don't do my horse justice, but that soon passes when I remember how stressed I used to get going to shows and events!
 
Yes i would! My horses are my hobby! They get me out of the house and give me something to do! When i do out and compete, its just a bonus! If i didn't have my horses, i wouldnt have much else to spend my money on, and would probably spend every day in my house with nothing to do!
 
Mmm, I could give up all my rides and shares, I wouldnt ride them just for the fun, but I couldnt part with my coloured or Berth my old mare, Berth is just a big field ornament and oshk is fun when you cant be bothered to get off and open the gate...
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I have horses because I love horses, not because I love to compete, so of course I'd still own them. Doesn't anyone appreciate getting out riding in the countryside having adventures with your horse anymore?

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Exactly my thoughts, well said!! Have to say, i am amazed by the amount of people that have horses to compete! I love just being around my horse even if she is a cow at times. I love mucking out, grooming and spending quality time with her. I love going on hacks, jumping and schooling, but i don't have the facilities (like a school) to do much else. I am only 13 so can't drive....
 
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