Why do you want another horse? Maybe sit down and have an honest chat with yourself over a cup of coffee. What do you enjoy? Do you willing pay out $$$$ every month or does some small part feel conflicted or even resentful? That can take away some pleasure in riding. How do horses affect your family or social relations, particularly important during the current pestilence? Are you being pulled around by other important responsibilities such as family? Or do you enjoy horses as part of your family and lifestyle? What other activities and hobbies would you like to do, if you had the time? Do you actually have fun with horses or is it just a lot of hard work for limited reward? Do you enjoy the social life around horses? Friends are wonderful and horse friends are often the best sort. What other opportunities might be available to branch out and try new disciplines? Does your heart lift when you see a horse? There are a lot of things to think about.
Your horsemanship will not vanish like snow, your riding skills can be picked up again at any time - yes, possibly at a different level, but still there. I’ve had many breaks over the years for work, for ill health, for lack of money, lack of opportunity, but I’ve always returned to riding, always continued to learn and to have fun. My idea of what is fun has, however, changed with the years. It used to be a snorting 16.3 TB but now it is a friendly 14.2 Highland.
I’m well out of the American horse culture, safe on my horsey little island on the Atlantic coast of Europe but, from years of reading COTH, to me it seems too many people are on a habitual treadmill of riding=showing=winning. If you ride you show, if you aren’t winning, then work harder, show more, buy a more expensive horse, work harder, show more. Unless you make a living from horses, riding and owning a horse is about relaxation, recreation, fulfillment, FUN, otherwise it is pretty pointless.
Long story short, you never know what you’re meant to find.
