Would you own a horse if you didnt compete?

My dancing is....

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I dont understand some people. Does this mean that if you were to become injured so much so that you couldnt ride properly anymore but were quite capable of quiet hacking then you would sell your horse? Or when your horse gets to old to compete then you get rid? I dont understand how someone can say they have a bond with their horse but say they wouldnt have it if they couldnt compete, doesnt seem like a true bond to me.......
 
i dont really compete like SJ or XC but i do a bit of local showing, i do XC for fun & my friend & I go out hacking around badminton every now and again. i just enjoy his company, yeh i dont always ride when its horrid - dont mind rain but wind makes him spooky so not worth the risk!!
 
Had this been asked a year ago I would of said yes as I keep horses for fun but having found a horse that is good at showing and another that is good at driving (although we are yet to compete) I don't think I could go back to being a happy hacker. Although I don't consider myself the same competition wise as eventers or showjumpers etc, I will do a show at least once a month and next month have a show a week.
I would never sell my horses though if they didn't compete, I love them too much, competing is just something fun to do with them.
 
There is far more to keeping horses than competing. In fact, I have never competed, I am prefectly happy with that, as are my equines.
 
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I dont understand some people. Does this mean that if you were to become injured so much so that you couldnt ride properly anymore but were quite capable of quiet hacking then you would sell your horse? Or when your horse gets to old to compete then you get rid? I dont understand how someone can say they have a bond with their horse but say they wouldnt have it if they couldnt compete, doesnt seem like a true bond to me.......

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I'm sure that isn't what anyone means.
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I have to admit I love the challenge of improving myself and my horse. I use competing to test that training. I would not be happy just being a happy hacker going around the same rides over and over again, I would have to have something else on the go. At the very least I would be organising pleasure rides or something. I just love pony parties/adventures.
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I gave up competing on a big scale everal years ago, it bores me. I kept the ponies we showed and still have 4 of them and a young DWB who now just do local shows which are far better fun and the childrend learn more from it. My eldest mare is now 27 yo, I could have sold her and got a youngster to carry on her legacy but to be honest my heart isn't in it. I was coming away with trophies and places every week and after a bit you think, whats the point, wheres the fun. We had 9 ponies on our yard, all showing or SJ's my friend rode the sj's (alot younger than me, I'm 35 this year) for us until she was 19 and is now a barrister so she rides when she can on my new 16.3 but she is only help prepare her for my daughter.

My eldest is set to do showjumping and I am providing her horse who is being trained by myself and family at the moment but as for me getting back in to the thing...no chance.

I think everyone who says they only own horses to compete aren't really in it for the love (just an opinion so don't get offy with me). I forgot why I had horses/ponies until I saw my daughters face when I said we were going to a big show...she was so upset because of the pressure to perform..I had taken the reason for rider from her.

These days we have horses/ponies that are happy in their work, live out most of the year and three children who love having fun on the gallops and playing over our jumps. Worth far more to me than ribbons and money.
 
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I dont understand some people. Does this mean that if you were to become injured so much so that you couldnt ride properly anymore but were quite capable of quiet hacking then you would sell your horse? Or when your horse gets to old to compete then you get rid? I dont understand how someone can say they have a bond with their horse but say they wouldnt have it if they couldnt compete, doesnt seem like a true bond to me.......

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Its not that i'd just want to sell my horse just cause I couldnt compete - but if i couldnt afford it or became injured myself then i would find her a suitable home who could compete her. She loves competing and isnt really suited to just sitting in a field looking pretty just yet!! I'd be doing for her, not me. Think it would be a waste of a good horse.
IMO and my situation right now - horses are too expensive to be field ornaments or pets etc unless your lucky enough to have your own land or very very cheap livery. I'd be having a horse to have something to aim for. Right now i cant really afford it, having just brought a house and moving on with life, so am making the hard decision to find her a nice new home
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i.e FinnMccoll lol
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There are people at my yard who's horses havent even seen the outside of our school since they have been there, i find the kids want to do more with their ponies at local shows etc just to get out of the yard for a few hours tjhan some of the others with 'competition' horses that dont go anywhere or do anything. Theres only about 2 of us who ever go anywhere when everyone who's theres horse could do anything.

Does that make any sense?!!
 
I know where you are coming from. I had a three year break from competing. It had all got a bit much and I had forgotten why I was doing it and became miserable about it all.

I got back to enjoying my horses again and then I started to get the desire to want to go out and play again. We just do something every month or so. That is plenty enough for us. If we get a rosy, great if we don't? Did we have a good day? As a rule "hell yeah"
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