Horse Section - Have you ever quit riding/showing at one point?

Aw, kinda sorry to hear this but I'm sure you're doing what's best. From the time I started riding when I was 6, there was really only one gap after I sold my gelding I think I went almost a year without riding, but I owned a unstarted appy gelding for the last like, 4 or 5 months of that prolly. Really though, it's always felt wrong to me when I've gone for any period of time not being at the barn. Unfortunately, I haven't had the opportunity to get into high level/breed showing yet, but the more I get into reining and quarter horses, the more I love it and I hope to be doing it for the rest of my life.

Well I get those stupid phases where I just don't ever feel like riding. Although my horses live at my place, I never really go out and ride. I am sort of in that phase at the moment but then again I do like to wait til the snow melts and this will take a while. This winter, I kept on thinking about selling my mare, but maybe keeping her and buying another horse and I would just think of stupid ideas I would never think about in the summer time. Now I have really made up my mind: I'm going to keep her, lease her out til summer comes, keep the money and buy the money for another horse so I have both and friends can come over and ride with me so it will not be as boring as it is. I would leave my mare for like about a month or two. I felt so bad leaving her alone, not checking up on her as much (still had my family going down to see her) but it did give me the stress out of my life for a little bit (when riding, stress comes because I always think I have to fix something about my mare). This time, I finally just sat down, did my homework, got to actually sit down and watch TV and I felt good; not always wasting my time outside with my horses, not hanging around my family. But I got things back in order and it feels good. Sorry if this isn't really a answer you really wanted...

Well I get those stupid phases where I just don't ever feel like riding. Although my horses live at my place, I never really go out and ride. I am sort of in that phase at the moment but then again I do like to wait til the snow melts and this will take a while. This winter, I kept on thinking about selling my mare, but maybe keeping her and buying another horse and I would just think of stupid ideas I would never think about in the summer time. Now I have really made up my mind: I'm going to keep her, lease her out til summer comes, keep the money and buy the money for another horse so I have both and friends can come over and ride with me so it will not be as boring as it is. I would leave my mare for like about a month or two. I felt so bad leaving her alone, not checking up on her as much (still had my family going down to see her) but it did give me the stress out of my life for a little bit (when riding, stress comes because I always think I have to fix something about my mare). This time, I finally just sat down, did my homework, got to actually sit down and watch TV and I felt good; not always wasting my time outside with my horses, not hanging around my family. But I got things back in order and it feels good. Sorry if this isn't really a answer you really wanted...

Aw, kinda sorry to hear this but I'm sure you're doing what's best. From the time I started riding when I was 6, there was really only one gap after I sold my gelding I think I went almost a year without riding, but I owned a unstarted appy gelding for the last like, 4 or 5 months of that prolly. Really though, it's always felt wrong to me when I've gone for any period of time not being at the barn. Unfortunately, I haven't had the opportunity to get into high level/breed showing yet, but the more I get into reining and quarter horses, the more I love it and I hope to be doing it for the rest of my life.

I haven't really rode consistently in about a year and a half. It wasn't really my decision--I retired both of my horses at the same time. I still get to see my horses and actually their retirement time worked out perfectly for me. I was finishing up college, was planning a wedding, and attempting to buy a house. I didn't have to worry about whether or not they were in shape or if my last ride had been poor. I miss riding like none other, and I hope to get another riding horse someday soon. But really, it was best for my horses and ended up being best for me at the time. Now that life has chilled out a little, I think I would be able to dedicate more time to riding, although I have never really been big into showing. Sounds like you are making the right decision for yourself.

i go thru phases where I just cant be bothered to get on my horse. she's still in the training phase so we can't just get out and do whatever, we're still working on the little things. Riding alone also gets boring real fast! I don't think i'd outright quit riding, but sometimes i feel like it.

Riding gets me through a lot, so I have never actually quit riding altogether. But I am considering not showing this year, or showing in a different discipline. I think we all need a little change sometimes.

I quit for about a year and a half- but that was due to medical problems. Getting back into riding was the best ever therapy. As others have said- I have those weeks/months where I don't have the motivation to ride or care for horses, but I snap out of it pretty quick. It's my chosen lifestyle, and I adore it. I HAVE just sold my horse so I can go further in my career without being grounded by his care, but my chosen career is in the horse industry- so I'm not really getting out of horses. I am also riding/competing on two of my boss's horses this year. So no- I've never wanted to quit. I'm sure my day will come, but for now- I'm happy as anything!

after my horse (a couple years back) bolted and freaked me out, I really didn't want to ride anymore... I didn't like wasting literally all of my money on horses, I was tired of coming home late because of being out at the barn, I wasn't liking the people at the barn (I board and I go through times where I hate everyone) and then my horse has to act up. I gave up because of fear and my laziness. I eventually got back into it about a month or two later and didn't mind what was going on but NOW I find I am getting bored of it.. I am kind of at that point where shows are boring, I work most weekends so I can barely go to any out-of-town shows and the whole routine is just kind of boring. I am always the one who is 'thinking ahead' and I wonder how I will have a horse in the future and if it will ever benefit me. I took up other hobbies, like electric guitar and writing to fall back on if I ever decide to just drop it. if I decide to go to college, then there's no way I am keeping a horse and I don't think it would be fair to buy a new one and then have to sell it again. oh back to the future-horse-benefit thingy, I don't ever plan on becoming a professional rider in anything so it really isn't a future to me... yeah it is kinda dumb to be sayin all of this but it is kind of true ! so for me I will be moving on eventually... just not quite yet.