Can we have an adult re-rider support group?

[Dewey]

Thanks, Hinderella. I think you’re right. The owner originally bought her as a breeding prospect, and she does have a fancy sire. He also wanted her trained as a riding horse; that’s how I got to ride her. I might want to breed her someday, but that’s not why I want her. To tell you the truth, I would rather not own any horse at this time, but I adore this mare. That’s the problem.:sadsmile:

As I see it, the trouble is that he’s having trouble letting go of the dreams he had for her even though he has to sell her. Since we are friends, he is trying to hang onto her in a way that is making me very uncomfortable. I can’t imagine him making these stipulations (requests, as he calls them) to a stranger who tried to buy the mare (although I may be wrong about that :lol:).

What we need is a disinterested third party to look at the contract he wants and to give him an honest opinion about it. I am hoping the B/O will do that. She is the ideal person because she knows what I have done with the mare, she understand the mare’s potential, and she can make a fair assessment of her actual value now. The B/O was out of town last weekend, unfortunately, so this is still dragging on. Today, I can’t go to the barn because it’s pouring rain and because things have gone crazy at work.

Will let you know what happens. I appreciate everyone’s interest. I really need to talk about this!

[Opus1]

Dewey: I really, really hope you can work something out with the mare’s current owner. His demands sound like a bit much, but hopefully someone else can talk to him about it. Happy thoughts!

==

I still haven’t seen my guy yet. The trainer sent me some small videos last week doing a dressage test, and he looks totally awesome. He’s 16’2, bright bay, great big blaze. Oldenburg x ISH. And has pretty much done everything. He does go in a pelham … No health or soundness issues. And the trainer has known him since birth, as she’s the one who bred him. He’s 13, so a little older than I’d like, but he’s still a good age.

My budget right now works, so that’s a plus. Well, it works really well with the cheaper board at Trainer No. 2’s place. It also works for the higher board at Trainer No. 1’s place. BUT it eats up a chunk of the cushion I was trying to have in place for things like show fees, emergency costs/purchases, random tack, etc. (And for the months I didn’t use it, I would be saving it.)

I mean, I can afford it either way. I just need some extra to make me feel completely secure about it.

If it were a perfect world, I’d have a 6-months heads up, then spend that 6 months buying random supplies/tack, and getting a horsey nest egg saved up.

[QUOTE=jaslyn1701;6135851]
Opus, you will get the promotion and the bigger paycheck, but it will be just enough to take care of your horse - the law of averages and all that![/QUOTE]

Don’t start! :lol: I’m hoping the extra bump in pay will help smooth over the jagged edges of my budget so that I can comfortably keep the horse and not be on pins and needles.

@HazelG;6135881

I was in that place where I was just somebody’s mother, somebody’s wife, somebody’s employee, but I had stopped being a person. It was like I was invisible. When I got that mare, all of a sudden I was somebody who did something again, thought about something, had friends and something to talk about.

Yeah, that’s exactly the way I kind of feel about it. I mean, I’m not a wife or a mother, but I have been feeling rather anonymous the past few years.

And I know this might sound hokey, but … I kind of want to be a barn rat again. I don’t plan to live at the barn, but just go out more, even if it’s just to groom him and clean tack. Plus, it’ll be nice to finally be able to say ‘Yep, he’s mine!’

[Dewey]

Opus, this really sounds exciting! I can’t wait to see a picture of the new guy!

[TarheelJD]

Can’t wait to see him Opus1!

Count me into the “I hope I get a raise” in March camp, so I can help off set the cost of the full training program Tajar has been in since December! He’s making great progress, but absent a raise, I’ll need to cut back a little on his days per month come May.

I am so slammed at work it is ridiculous. I’ve ridden one time in February, and with my briefing schedule and travel, it looks like I won’t get to go to the barn again until the first week of March. This makes me very grumpy! This is the first time since I bought him in late 2009 that work has interfered to this degree. Yuk!

[pony4me]

Day 62 of stall rest, and Bozo managed to get cast today. Thankfully the barn staff heard the commotion and got him right side up pretty quickly. He got a couple grams of bute and seems ok, but we don’t know if he did any damage to the injured bone and/or ligament. This is a horse who has NEVER gotten cast before.

Just pass the cheese around to go with the whine. I’ll finish whatever is left in the bottle. And then maybe open up another one. G’night.

[spacytracy]

Hey all just wanted to pop in and ask for some jingles. Having a bowel obstruction and I’m in the hospital again… so frustrating. Anyway I w
ill update more tomorrow

[TarheelJD]

So sorry to hear that spacytracy - lots of jingles coming your way. I know, from first hand experience, how you feel.

Pony4me - that sounds scary. Thank God they got to him and he seems OK. I hope he didn’t reinjure anything that’s been healing.

February has been a bit of a rough month for our little group.

[pony4me]

Sorry, Spacy. That does not sound like fun. Hope you are better and out of there soon.

[HazelG]

Hey everybody. Just popping in quickly from vacation (and crazy roaming charges). Sounds like a rough time for a few of us. Spacytracy I hope you’re feeling better and out of the hospital quickly. Hope everyone’s four-legged friends are on the mend and all possible leases and purchases go smoothly. My only bit of advice is be still and listen to that quiet inside voice, it will tell you whether its right or not.

I got a text at the airport saying my son’s horse had stitches the first day we left on vacation, so I hope he’s ok by the time we get home, I hate not being able to see him and look after him!

Hang in there everyone, I’m home on Monday but I’m following all your posts from afar! Get better soon ST

[Opus1]

Lots of jingles for you, spacy!! Get better soon!

And for your guy, too, pony4me.

[Dewey]

[QUOTE=HazelG;6145991]
My only bit of advice is be still and listen to that quiet inside voice, it will tell you whether its right or not.

I got a text at the airport saying my son’s horse had stitches the first day we left on vacation, so I hope he’s ok by the time we get home, I hate not being able to see him and look after him![/QUOTE]

Thanks, Hazel…you are so right about that quiet voice inside. I think things are going to work out with the mare…I am setting up a PPE. Wish me luck!!:eek:

So sorry about your son’s horse! Hope he heals quickly!

[Dewey]

[QUOTE=spacytracy;6145820]
Hey all just wanted to pop in and ask for some jingles. Having a bowel obstruction and I’m in the hospital again… so frustrating. Anyway I w
ill update more tomorrow[/QUOTE]

Sounds awful! You have had no luck lately, have you? Get well soon!

[jaslyn1701]

Woot, Dewey on the PPE!!!

ST - so sorry you have “coliced”. Feel better soon!

Our first show of the season is Saturday. I will not be riding, just being “Show Mom” for everybody. Monday is a holiday for me, so will get to ride Sunday and Monday (rain permitting).

[wntrwhte]

I’m a new re-rider.

Having trouble finding a facility with quality instruction that also has good school horses. A lot of places seem to want you to own your own horse if you’re past the up-down stage and while finances would sort of permit that, I’m not ready to commit just yet. I also know that I don’t have the kind of cash for the horse I would like to own, which also makes it hard.

I really do want to ride, and become a better rider, but I’m getting frustrated as 1. I’m short, so getting put on sales horses who are often 16.2+ is getting hard for me because I feel overhorsed and 2. I don’t feel like I’m learning much. I’m a little stuck because I’m a very confident rider on the flat but don’t feel that I’m fit enough to start jumping (only been re-riding about a month now.) In fact, I’m not sure that I even want to jump again at all.

Just feeling a bit stalemated and have been finding myself running the numbers on buying a horse the past few days, but I don’t see how I can make it work and be putting any money in savings for a rainy day.

Sigh.

Sorry to hear about your medical troubles, spacy, and good luck to you, Dewey, in your purchase…even now I still remember how scary buying can be!

[shelliblue]

Jingles SpacyTracy!! Hang in there!!

Great advice HazelG! I hope everthing works out for the best for everyone!!

[spacytracy]

I had eergeny bowel surgery this am. Therewas a total blockage/twist. Im ok.

[HazelG]

You’re welcome Dewey! Let us know how the PPE goes. Did you ask the BO about talking to the seller about the proposed conditions?

Wntrwhte are you sure you’re at the right place? You need to feel secure and like you’re progressing and that the trainer “gets” what you want to do. It is frustrating at times but supposed to be fun or why do it?? Have you had a discussion with the BO or trainer about that?

Glad you are okay SpacyTracy. Thinking about you and sending positive healing vibes your way

[wntrwhte]

@HazelG;6147707

Wntrwhte are you sure you’re at the right place? You need to feel secure and like you’re progressing and that the trainer “gets” what you want to do. It is frustrating at times but supposed to be fun or why do it?? Have you had a discussion with the BO or trainer about that?

I’m at the best place that’s available to me right now.

There’s sort of a mix here: your backyard trainer, no indoor very casual places and there’s your super fancy, training board only, don’t let the door hit your poor butt on the way out kind of places. There isn’t a lot in the middle with local quality instruction, decent but not world beating facilities, etc.

It’s not their fault that they have big horses…most of what I ride is sales horses and big horses sell.

Some of it is my own frustration at being priced out of ownership again. With board at $565/mo, shoes at $200 for a plain set of 4, and lessons at $65 a go, I just can’t afford to have my own horse. There’s some places that have rough board, but I travel a lot for work and can’t be relied on to get there 2x/day,every day. The only way I can make ownership work is to somehow come up with $15k for a decent horse, then find someone else willing to half lease from me. Not ideal, but I’m getting frustrated that I can’t find anything quality to ride that is enjoyable and remotely affordable.

There’s a barn that is sort of close by that is a better situation, but it’s almost an hour away by major toll road. I’m worried I’ll sign on for lessons and then just not be able to carve 2 hours out of my day to get there and back. Right now work is dead and I have all the time in the world (making this more frustrating, probably) but at the end of last year I was working 80 hours a week and was pretty much on call 24/7. If it picks up again like that, going that far from home (I work from home) isn’t an option, so I’m a bit stuck.

I don’t know how working adults make it work…I thought I would figure it out when I got there but so far, haven’t done much figuring.

[HazelG]

Wntrwhte have you considered coboarding or leasing something already at your barn? Always people looking at ours, our trainer is really good at matching up people and horses. Could you ask the BO or trainer if they know of anyone looking?

Spacy how are you feeling today?

[Opus1]

ST, so glad to hear you’re doing better.

Dewey: Good luck with the horse! My guy should be here within the next couple of days.

wntrwhte: I’m sorry to hear about the riding situation. The barn I primarily ride at is an hour’s drive from my house … and 1.5 hours from work. There were other places nearby, but none seemed especially geared towards English riders, and seemed a little sketchy. Having the barn that far away from me is a huge PITA, but I know I’ll have safe, size-appropriate horses to ride, a good trainer and good facilities. I ride once a week there, and have found a place closer to me where I ride in an additional lesson. I did once a week lessons for about a year. It’s been slow going, but it was better than the alternative.

===

So, I’ve been riding in these irons:
http://intecperformancegear.com/Intec-Suregrip-Stirrups-Brand--CPath-16-pid-31005a.html

for the past year. And I’ve noticed in every single lesson, I’d lose my stirrups constantly. They’re HEAVY. And they’re a size 5, which always seemed a little big to me. The wide track doesn’t suit my feet well. Anyway, I decided to get some new irons, just to see.

So, I bought these from Dover:
http://www.doversaddlery.com/composite-stirrups/p/X1-0775/

Since they were cheap and lightweight. I rode in them last week and they were FABULOUS. I can’t say I like the black, but I didn’t lose my stirrups at all in the lesson, and they felt so much better than the other ones. And they only set me back $25. Which was awesome.

A quick question for y’all: Is the standard adult size a 5? Because when I went to look for size 5 irons on Dover and SmartPak, all they had were 4 3/4. Like on ALL the irons. Not just the ones I wanted. Just curious. My trainer also thought 5 was the norm, but maybe not?