"You haven't done very much with him have you"

I only ever bought my boy as a happy hack. For the first three years thats all I did. Some people might say my boy was wasted on me.
In the last three years I've done somewhere between 15 and 18 fun rides. Ive only had him 6 years and did my first show with him this year (in hand and in harness) . I knew we werent going to win any prizes, it was more about taking part.
Being that Ive only had a handful of lessons, I dont think that i will ever compete with him, I would be useless at it. Dont think im up for hunting or going round a xc course certainly couldnt do dressage.
But he makes me happy and he seems to be happy. You should do and manage your horse the way it suits you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: squidsin and horseandgoatmom
I don't have transport and I don't ride for several months of the year. I've always enjoyed what I have done with Ziggy, but his real job is to hack around our beautiful countryside with me. I like it, he likes it, and anyone else can take a running jump!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kite_Rider and horseandgoatmom
I have had fun with interdressage, you dont have to go anywhere to have fun. I just have to roll out of bed! :)

There are people who always comment about something. I get the"its good for them to do xyz" why? I am not a show person so why does she need to go. I must add its one person who comments on what I do, or don't do and questions my farrier and vet! You know the type, I need a ddollar for every comment, it would pay my rent. :)

If I take mine out Inhand I just wave and smile. Its my horse, my life, I pay the bills.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: horseandgoatmom and One for fun
When on my previous yard (60 plus horses) there was people going out competing and because that is what I want to do a little of I was jealous of them. But having been a groom for a few friends and got up at half 6 on a Sunday morning when I didn't have to . To then been flying around like a headless chicken because haynets needed filling,people were mucking out still,horses needed bandages or boots on etc etc. I think I couldn't do that week in week out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: horseandgoatmom
Actually it was amazing the amount of people that said to me when I was leading Tobes out in hand 'you should be riding him' Well, yes, I would be if he hadn't had a tendon injury - durrr!!! Added to which I was trying to help his bare feet along and both would not have been helped by having another 9 stone on him plus I didn't want him dancing around which wouldn't have helped his tendon either, and nearly all horses are better on the ground then being ridden. And it was quite good exercise for me!

People are very judgemental, and an awful lot of them have got no idea.

Do what you want to do and ignore them - generally they are either trying to make themselves feel better or have very little knowledge.

Edited to add Ale, Tobes is the king of having a meltdown over anything different, but he LOVES shows!! He will stand (with his girlfriends) all day tied up behind the trailer, eating a haynet or dozing. I can happily leave him and potter off, only to return to find him asleep whilst horses around him are being loaded, or going off to do something. I have no idea why, he is the MOST melodramatic horse I have ever owned, but he is as happy as larry at a show! So ale might surprise you!
 
  • Like
Reactions: horseandgoatmom
One of the places I took some jumping lessons at . There was a family with 3 kids 3 ponies boarded there. I was after their lessons so I got there as early as I could to watch their lessons
because you can always learn something from other lessons too.
Especially when the course she set up was what everone was going to lesson on that day.
Both the kids and ponies looked unhappy.:(
They showed A LOT every weekend they were off someplace and week long series's "oh can't miss one" .NO riding was ever geared toward fun that I ever saw. I asked them once do you ever go on a trail ride or fun ride or just get on and have fun. Poor kid she said no its all about the
shows I'm not having any fun at all but please don't tell my mom.
So sad. It's supposed to be about fun with your horse/pony. So don't feel bad if you don't show
and "do much" according to the people telling you that. YOUR HAVING FUN and you and your horse are BOTH HAPPY. I went to watch a show they were in and poor ponies/poor kids no more fun there
than I saw in the lessons
 
I have the same thing of being pulled in two directions. I know Roxy is perfectly happy with things as they are, and we have a good bond and that's all that matters really. I'd like to do more, and I plan too in the summer, but with two young children and a demanding job, the thought of getting up at 6am in the dark on a weekend and getting Roxy ready for a show, then the stress of actually taking her to one, leaves me a bit cold! I don't have as much time for her as I'd like - most of what I do have goes on looking after her, but I like doing that so it's fine. My yard isn't particularly competitive, and those who do compete do dressage which is a bit more low-key than the hardcore eventer types, who I suspect are the competitive types. Most people on my yard are older too, and everyone has busy lives, so there's no pressure to 'do things' with your horse. It's funny though, horse-riding seems to be one of the hobbies where there's an expectation to compete - most people who jog, or cycle, or go fishing or whatever, just do it for fun, nobody expects them to be winning competitions every weekend!
 
  • Like
Reactions: horseandgoatmom
I'm on a large 50 or so horse yard & there are people who do all sorts - some only have a horse to compete, some want to compete but don't have transport, some enjoy schooling with no desire to compete, some just enjoy hacking & some don't ride at all. I'm the only one that practises Natural Horsemanship though and people often make comments 'Oh, Pete could/should be doing X,Y and Z rather than pouncing about with NH' actually, someone once joked with me I didn't deserve him because he doesn't 'do' a lot. I replied by saying that actually he's been through a string of people in the past & was left with huge emotional scars. I've spent years not giving up on him & helping him overcome those scars however he needed me too, spending ££££££ in the process, but they'd never know that as I don't go shouting about it from the rooftops. But, if that's not loving him - perhaps I should do what everyone else has done & tossed him to one side whilst getting another more straightforward horse in to win me some rosettes. Isn't usually sink to such levels - but I was hungover & fed up with their barbed remarks everytime. Funnily enough, she's never said anything since!

I'm doing very little with Pete at the moment as he's undergoing chiropractic treatment - whilst I can ride in walk with some trot if I wanted to, I've not bothered as he does his chiropractic exercises & some groundwork - to be honest , by the time I've finished work, done by chores & battled the wind & rain, I'd rather not ride & just do groundwork. I strongly suspect he won't be ringing the WHW anytime soon :D

We may never do more than lessons, schooling with some hacking thrown in & we may never win rosettes together. But, he's taught me so much (not just about him, but myself too) that it doesn't matter. As long as he's happy, I'm happy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Trewsers, squidsin, MrA and 1 other person
Pete's Mum said:
I'm on a large 50 or so horse yard & there are people who do all sorts - some only have a horse to compete, some want to compete but don't have transport, some enjoy schooling with no desire to compete, some just enjoy hacking & some don't ride at all. I'm the only one that practises Natural Horsemanship though and people often make comments 'Oh, Pete could/should be doing X,Y and Z rather than pouncing about with NH' actually, someone once joked with me I didn't deserve him because he doesn't 'do' a lot. I replied by saying that actually he's been through a string of people in the past & was left with huge emotional scars. I've spent years not giving up on him & helping him overcome those scars however he needed me too, spending ££££££ in the process, but they'd never know that as I don't go shouting about it from the rooftops. But, if that's not loving him - perhaps I should do what everyone else has done & tossed him to one side whilst getting another more straightforward horse in to win me some rosettes. Isn't usually sink to such levels - but I was hungover & fed up with their barbed remarks everytime. Funnily enough, she's never said anything since!

I'm doing very little with Pete at the moment as he's undergoing chiropractic treatment - whilst I can ride in walk with some trot if I wanted to, I've not bothered as he does his chiropractic exercises & some groundwork - to be honest , by the time I've finished work, done by chores & battled the wind & rain, I'd rather not ride & just do groundwork. I strongly suspect he won't be ringing the WHW anytime soon :D

We may never do more than lessons, schooling with some hacking thrown in & we may never win rosettes together. But, he's taught me so much (not just about him, but myself too) that it doesn't matter. As long as he's happy, I'm happy.
Click to expand...
Good for you!
I'm amazed by how rude some people are about how others choose to look after their horses. I've never experienced it myself - or not to my face anyway - maybe because I am nearly 40 so nobody really expects me to try and be the next Zara Philips!
 
I think half the problem, is because I'm doing something 'different' people expect me to have vastly different opinions to them so I wonder if people expect I'm 'judging' them (in the same way they are judging me). I might have my own opinions, but I don't feel it necessary to voice them out loud! Partly as with a full time job & trying to fit in friends & family too - I haven't got the time or the inclination to get involved in other people's horses :D
 
newrider.com
Top Bottom
Back