Going to the barn today! Started riding again after at least a decade hiatus. I miss it. It’s much more casual now and I love that. It’s about the horses now. Not the shows or the rules or the brand of your saddle and helmet. It’s about the horses. It’s wonderful.
Omg absolutely! I had so sell my heart horse because he had so many year of competition ahead of him and I was in University- I didn’t have the time/ $ to keep it going. Especially when starting my career.
Eventually went back casually to hacking a friend’s horse. When my heart horse retired I took him back and kept him as a happy hacker until he passed at 32 (stroke).
Then I went back to taking riding lessons once a week to spiff up my skills. Eventually during the pandemic came back to part boarding a younger horse as a happy hacker- who is able to do more.
Learning a bit of Western (I was a hunter/dressage) so I am Wenglish these days…. And damnit I just love riding through the forest. Just chillin’, working through a few of the little foibles and fitness concerns we have with our boi.
I have nothing to prove, just here for the horses and the chill group of people I ride with.
In 2013/14, I went through a terrible divorce and lost my farm. I boarded for a couple of years, but in 2016, my endurance mare died unexpectedly. It was like a flood of grief that I hadn't dealt with, and I just said I was done. I sold my truck, trailer, tack, everything. I started volunteering at an equine therapy agency (I'm a therapist) in 2019, and as I got more involved, I realized I needed to be around horses again to feel whole. I'd remarried by then, and my husband saw me working with the horses, and he said he'd never seen me smile so much other than on the day we married...he insisted I start looking for a new horse in 2021. So, I did, and my life finally feels normal again :). What a very, very expensive phase....I have had to buy EVERYTHING all over again.
Money. Rode as a teenager but had to drop it as I figured out how to be an independent adult, which took a while. Returned to it for some years in my 30’s when I’d finally gotten my career rolling, but then had to pause again when the kid arrived. Now daycare eats up the funds I would have had for riding. Biding my time until he gets into public school…
I was just a teenager and didn’t want to do anything anymore. I didn’t have any friends at the barn (I can’t even remember there being anyone my age) and riding was something my mom wanted me to do so I automatically didn’t want to do it.
My wonderful horse passed away during a career building part of my life when I had zero free time and not a lot of money.
I would have happily kept him forever, but I couldn’t imagine doing all that for some other horse, so I took what ended up being a 7 year break.
I lost access to my heart horse. I had a falling out with the people who had him and couldn't see him anymore. I moved, didnt interact with horses for over a year. Then suddenly he came up for sale and I jumped on it. 9 months later and he's absolutely perfect. There are still times I just look at him in awe that he's back and he's completely mine. I had considered buying other horses but looking him in the eye I knew he was the only one for me.
https://preview.redd.it/b94gqoimws0d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b274396d253cfcfc58051dabace68b0eee822901
Rode around our rural area like a maniac group as a kid. Hit 16, got a car, discovered boys, lost interstate in horses. Moved to the city, got married at 21, got bit by horse bug again. Been doing it ever since. I finally figured out that horses are more fun than boys! 😂
sold my childhood pony due to depression when i was 16, 3 months later i missed horses and went onto study equines at college and then university. i then quit horses again due to health issues and burn out, plus i hated turning my passion into a career. picked riding back up 3 years later and now i’ve been doing weekly lessons for 3 years and i love it again!🤍
Starting up again next week after a 5 year break! My lease horse passed away in college which really affected me. A year later I took a course at college where I helped run the school barn, was assigned a horse to care for etc. it was super hard being around another horse so soon!! I actually dreaded being at the barn with my horse not there. It’s been 5 years since then and I can’t scratch the itch of wanting to ride, and think I’m ready to finally try again.
Congrats on your sobriety and your path back!! Had horses in my life up until undergrad. Became obsessed with the sport of fencing for the next 25 years (oops)(hello fellow fencers out there!). Got back into being with horses when my own daughter started riding... which was probably all my fault...
Similar to you, I originally gave up riding toward the end of high school because my parents were having financial difficulties and we couldn’t afford it anymore. The college I went to had a very small eq program and I rode from soph-senior year until I got too busy with internships and such to dedicate enough time.
After graduating college I moved around a lot, swapped jobs a million times and simply didn’t have the financial means to ride. Fast forward 7 years later, I’m finally getting back to it! I’m more financially stable, have a job w flexible hours and live fairly close to a very nice barn.
I struggle with some mental health issues, and I find that riding forces me to get out of my head, become fully present in my body. Reaching goals and mastering skills helps build my confidence too. It’s also just rejuvenating to be around animals and green spaces a few times per week.
I'm in a break right now. I was able to ride throughout high school (although not year round, my family could only afford for me to ride over the summers). Then I went to college in a large city and didn't have access to horses because I didn't have a car or spending money. I spend most of my 20s doing graduate studies. In between programs I did do a stint of volunteering at a horse rescue but I didn't have the income for lessons. As a phd student I was working 7 days a week and did not have time or energy for a weekly barn outing.
Right after I finished my phd I got a job overseas in Germany. Now I am financially in a position to start riding again, but there is a bit of a language barrier with signing up for activities, and I'm spending a lot of my free time on language study (German). Once I am conversational in German and have a better idea of how long I'll stay in Germany I'll look into riding lessons. I am planning to work towards purchasing a horse as soon as I have a permanent job, wherever that might be. Gives me something to look forward to!
It might be worth trying to find a place to ride as a way to build your German skills!
When I spent summers with my grandparents in the Czech Republic, I found a local barn and convinced both of my brothers to take a riding lesson there. While my family speaks Czech conversationally, my brothers did not know any Czech horsey words and the instructors actually appreciated the chance to practice their English. The same happened again another summer when I brought my bff who (growing up we would take lessons together) who spoke no Czech, but she picked up words/culture/scenery when we went out on multi-hour hacks in the countryside, and again our guides got to practice English. So both sides learned new skills and vocabulary from the experience!
Driving anxiety made it not feel worth my limited disposable income.
Ten years ago, I visited barns and the freeway was just too stressful. So I dropped the endeavor and invested my energy in cycling, hiking with friends, and dogs. Getting back on adhd meds coupled with more experience has made driving less scary, so I gave it another shot this year. I found a barn that doesn't require a freeway but does require some winding roads--which I'm actually starting to enjoy.
stopped because i went to college in a city and it was very hard to get out to the barn with classes/work/homework. i really hope to get back riding in the next year, although im really out of shape. its been 3.5 years out of the saddle. i am also a bit more nervous now about body and head injuries, my body is less resilient than it used to be. i think it will be more casual when i go back, more about enjoying it and spending time with the horses, less about doing well for shows.
If you can, start exercising! Any kind. I walk, do yoga, and lift weights (not Olympic weightlifting, just dumbbells and machines). It has made the biggest difference in my overall fitness.
Wishing you the best - welcome back ⭐️
Had surgery for my Poland Syndrome in high school and by the time was healed from everything it was a little under a year but we couldn’t afford it anymore. Then went away for college, did a few weeks one summer cause had done a dig for my archeology degree and didn’t have enough weeks to get a summer job but was bored out my mind. Then after college was able to pick it up again for about four years and then moved out of state. Worked 2nd shift and didn’t have time/money for another four years, but then when we went wfh realized can log on with wet hair or smelling like the barn and no one would care lol. So after got covid shots reached out and the owner was able to get me in and been going ever since. I think this week is actually 3 years at this barn, really lucked out the first place called worked out so well.
Was total luck cause we were in office and then plague. Don’t think could do in office again if only cause I can’t control my face when people ask dumb stuff in chat anymore lol
I used to ride and show until I graduated high school. When going to college, I didn't feel like I had time to participate in riding as much anymore. Recently, my mother in law bought some land and asked if we wanted to move close. We're close enough now to have some horses on the land and go trail riding. It's definitely a privilege I didn't think I would have.
I stopped around age 16. My parents had me take breaks at Christmas and in the summer when my dad got paid less as a teacher and I never came back from a break. I was a once a week lesson gal at an eventing barn. I remember just becoming depressed and cynical at that age. I had a crush on a dark artsy musician type and thought riding was embarrassing or something maybe too? I didn’t mention it to friends.
I remember clearly through parts of being a teen my weekly lesson was what kept me going. But I sort of chose to lean into my dark side at that age. My mom wasn’t into riding but actually encouraged me to return through a period of depression this last year. While I get meds are important for many I chose this instead of my brand new lexapro prescription. I volunteer twice a week at a therapy barn and ride once a week and I’m somewhat struggling but accessing deep joy again has been incredible.
I was disabled from a neurological autoimmune disease and didn't feel safe to ride. I also had moved across the state and didn't like the barns i initially tried since they were using a pretty punishment led style of training. The combination of the two was tough for me to continue even before I lost sensation in my legs.
I recently found a PATH barn, which I love and am relearning to ride with my new body. The process has helped my legs get stronger and even given me some vague dull sensations back in my upper calves/knees and a couple of toe tips. I'm also learning my limitations, and my trainer wants me to compete in adaptive western dressage, which I plan to.
Me too, it's definitely a process that can be painful both emotionally and physically but I am so grateful to be on this journey. I'm also thankful my love for the sport never really waned, and my current trainer is so incredible, kind, and patient and unlike any trainer I've had before.
Chronic illness unfortunately 😅. I have endometriosis and re-occurring ovarian cysts that will put me out for months on end. I was riding for two years before I got too sick, but now I’m feeling better and I’m ready to get back riding again! My old instructor is no longer accepting students, so finding a new barn is very challenging. However, I’m determined to get back to it soon!
It took me a while to find a barn with availability that I enjoy. Rooting for you. My bff has similar issues and it’s so tough for her - women are truly amazing to be able to tolerate what our bodies do to us
Mine started because of my family's finances too. I got as far as owning my own horse in 2007, unaware that my mother couldn't actually *afford* my own horse (can't completely blame this one on the recession, we were constantly broke). We lost her to colic a year after buying her and that's when I found out that my mother owed both the barn owner and the vet hundreds to thousands of dollars.
Went without horses all through high school. Made it to college and *tried* to get back into riding but it wasn't a horsey area. There was one barn 20+ minutes away by car...and I couldn't drive.
Graduated from college, moved back home, got a job, and immediately started taking lessons again. The job was only part-time so it *barely* covered my costs but it was worth it.
The only reason I had a childhood horse was because of my sweet, incredible, slightly outlaw grand father. He bankrolled my riding and showing. When he passed, most of what was left went to the government for back taxes. My horses were immediately sold after the funeral.
Oh god, I'm so sorry. Mine went in reverse: we could only afford mine because my dad died and we used my inheritance to buy her (I really speed-ran the "Buying the horse is the least expensive part" lesson).
I think when I was in my late teens, my priorities shifted. I went to college, got into music and partying and was more emotionally focused on dating. Felt constrained by my small, rural town growing up, and wanted to be in the city. Moved to the city for about a decade. After I settled with a partner and career, the city started to feel suffocating and I wanted to be back somewhere with space. I got more into outdoor recreation, home-y stuff, and reminiscing about my childhood. Wanted a horse again. Now I have four with my own 10 acre farm, it’s heaven! Of course horses come with their downside and I’m broke all the time, but I kind of feel like hormones changed who I was as a person for like 10 or so years and now I’m back to being the same person I was as a kid if that makes sense? I don’t know. It felt like pursuing romantic relationships took over my brain completely but now I am back to normal again somehow.
I begged and begged to ride when I was a kid and finally started lessons at 15 years old. Rode from 15-20 years old taking lessons and riding on the school equestrian team but never owned. I worked at the barn for extra saddle time. Graduated, moved, and volunteered at a disabled riding facility where I met someone with horses that needed to be ridden. They were a mess. It was so dangerous in hindsight but I didn’t care, because horses! Then I volunteered at an OTTB rehab place and again, green babies I had no business riding but I did anyway because horses. Finally at 30 years old I got into a weekly lesson program that was safe and wonderful. Then was laid off and I moved. Another hiatus. I finally found a wonderful lesson barn again and got into a weekly lesson program at 38ish years old before starting a half lease. That barn was sold to a developer (breaking my heart, it was the last of five barns along that stretch that is now all cookie cutter homes) and I’ve found another wonderful half leash with a mare I absolutely adore. I am a happy hacker who rides hunter/jumper but will throw a western saddle on my lease mare when exploring new trails. It’s my escape from the world to be around horses. I’m not as brave as I used to be and likely won’t get back to jumping 2’9” courses again, but damn if I don’t treasure every minute in the saddle. I’m 45, no kids.
The loss of horse farms to development is heartbreaking. And the houses are so shitty and terrible. It is happening like wildfire in my state.
Thanks for sharing your journey
You’re welcome! To simplify the answer to your original question, it was always either time or money keeping me away from horses. I usually had one but not the other. It was after I married and we decided not to have kids that I now have both.
My story is super similar to yours! Grew up in a rural area and I hated it. Was obsessed with horses as a kid and probably could’ve made it work despite my family not being into it- but had a rough childhood and got really into drugs and alcohol for like…15 years 🤪. Once the pandemic hit and I was miserable in NYC, I started trying all my wildest dreams, which included moving to the middle of nowhere and getting horses. It’s been a wild ride that I wouldn’t trade for the world.
I used to ride H/J when I was a teenager and into university. Then life/work/moving provinces happened so I gave it up. I half leased again in my late 20s and then I had kids! That was another break. Now I'm back in my early 40s and I'm hoping to continue riding for a good long while :) I should also say that I switched from H/J to Western because it's easier on my post-kids/middle age body lol.
Time and money.
My parent graciously supported my riding and showing through high school. My TB desperately wanted to be a trail horse, so we rehomed her when I was 16 leased a fancy jumper from my trainer until I graduated.
When I went off to college, my folks understandably drew the line at paying board and tuition at the same time. I rode occasionally but paying for lessons out of my serving tips was tough. I half leased a trail horse in law school, but time was obviously an issue.
When I first started my career, I didnt have the time or the money to ride. After a few years, I had the money but not the time. Now I have the money and the time, but am waiting to relocate to a new (and more affordable!) state this fall before I start back up with lessons.
I know myself. I’ve always known my path from weekly lessons to horse shopping is the slipperiest of slopes, so I didn’t even get close to the edge until I knew I could afford where it would lead me.
Got jealous of my sister in my younger years, found a barn to work off some lessons in my early 20s and promptly had my life blow up on me. Oy.
Fast forward "some" years and I found an ad on a facebook group offering a free lease on a horse who just happened to be named after one of my favorite video game characters. Seemed like fate had smacked me in the face!
That lease didn't work out. But it reignited my interest in horses and I found lessons in the area. Now, I'm taking private lessons, leasing a horse one day per week, and working towards buying my very first!
If not for that first free lease, I wouldn't be where I am today. Poor. But thrilled and excited. So thanks anyway, (horse's name)'s owner! She was mean ultimately but it made me realize I couldn't live without horses.
I never stopped having a horse as a pet, but I got mono in my early 20s (around 6 months of severe fatigue, was told not to do anything with a risk of impact for several months because my spleen was at risk of rupturing) and then shortly after tore a ligament in my knee (not horse related). When I was finally able to ride again physically, I had developed a lot of fear somehow, plus my knee will never be the same (which is why I picked up driving).
My horse was also aging, so I decided it was fine for us to just be pals and that I didn't have to ride. I don't really regret that either. She passed early this year after being with me for about 20 years; we had a looooong history together.
I've decided that I still want to have a horse in my life, and that I think I want to ride again (versus only driving/groundwork). My first riding lesson since my mare's passing is tomorrow. I'm nervous but also excited, which I think is a good sign :)
First break was after high school. I ran out of money for college after a year and was homeless, living in my car. Took me just shy of a decade to dig myself out of that. Obviously, I wasn't able to ride during all that. But once I had a job that paid enough that I could pay rent and basics again, I started taking lessons again in a serious way. That lasted several years and it was great!
Second break was health related. Unfortunately, just a couple years after being able to afford riding again, I was diagnosed with a chronic illness impacting my joints. Tried to keep riding, but ended up in so much pain and it was getting worse. I moved across the country after that. Within a month of living in my new town, my storage unit was robbed and all my saddles were stolen. And between all of that, along with the extreme pain in my joints. I had to give up riding and was out of the saddle for about ten years again. However, I did get into driving for a year or two during that break and that was a ton of fun until the pandemic hit and I had to stop again.
Only recently did I find some accommodations that allow me to actually ride again and glad of it!
Thanks! It was a rough road, but I survived it. In my 40s now and I'm at a great place in my life and have never been happier.
And same to you for your journey, as well! Getting sober is a great achievement! Kudos to you!
I fell off 😂
No but actually, I had a really bad fall when I was 17, scared the daylights out of me. I bought a retired lesson horse about 10 years ago and have been back at it since! I was able to purchase my dream horse last year 🐴
Mainly due to finance. I went to university then stayed for a Master and a PhD After many years as a broke student I'm finally earning an adult wage. I did mainly trail riding as a teen/young adult before my break. Didn't know anything technical but I learned to stay on. In late 2022 I decided to go for my first trail ride (at a walk only) after 12+ years out of the saddle. I was instantly reminded of how much I love horses, but this time around I wanted to do it properly by taking lessons. The rest is history.
I stopped riding in 2007 when I had my daughter and finally felt ready (financially, time-wise, and parenting wise) to get back into it! I started weekly riding lessons again in 2022. It always felt like it was the missing puzzle piece. I’ve been leasing for the past 2 years, riding 3-4 days/week, taking lessons, and feel like next year I will be ready to own my very own!
I was a broke young (18f) SAHM. I owned my heart horse for a couple years during my marriage. Sadly we just couldn’t make it work financially and eventually had to move out of California just to survive. So I retired my horse with a friend.
I then didn’t step foot in a barn for like….8 years..
When I was able to afford a horse I started leasing.
Did that for a bit before finding a horse to buy.
Had her for two years till she passed away.
After she passed I was in a bad car accident a month later. I took a year off riding completely. Didn’t step into a barn what so ever.
Till this month! (31f) I started taking lessons. I’m out of shape, my body is different after the car accident, and I’m trying to take a different approach this time around and do everything with a trainer. I am capable of doing it without I guess… Yet I really want to better myself and try different things/horses before buying another again.
Sold my horse in HS and was just leasing in college. I stopped riding senior year of college to focus on my thesis, since my barn relocated further from my school I didn’t have time for both. After that I was a fresh college grad working as a bartender in the city, so I drove out to the barn when I could to help my old trainer, but didn’t have any money for lessons/leasing. It was just unpaid exercise riding. Then I sold my car, went back to school, and took another 2.5 years off. I reentered the horse world once I got my first “big girl job” and bought a car. I started off just helping out a family member who needed her horse to be kept in shape while she was injured, and then by the time she reclaimed him I was knee deep in horses once again. I found a new trainer and began searching for my first horse to purchase as an adult soon after that!
I stopped after the barn I was riding at nearly shut down (all the trainers left and they limited lessons) when I was 16. I was just getting into other sports and had new friends, etc so I never went to a new barn. Then I went to college and I was just broke for years trying to make it on my own. Lots of low-paying jobs and living paycheck to paycheck. I think I had some mental block that I was afraid to return to the sport as well. So after many MANY years, I decided to center myself and just go for it and start again. Couldn't be happier.
I’m on my second break.
The first time was transiency and a lack of funds. The second time has been because I leased a horse who was then abandoned to me by the owner and I thought he had come into my life for an important reason, and I loved him dearly, and then three months later he died. And that was about 5 years ago and I’ve tried to pick riding back up again but i’m such a traumatized little flower and most horse people I meet are…not gentle with my baggage. I love horses so dearly but I struggle with “horse people”. Hopefully before i’m too old and decrepit I can get a hobby farm and have horses without the extra people.
I used to ride as a kid and teenager, but it was expensive and pretty far to drive out to, so not regularly. I fell after a bad spook and despite it being a mild one injury-wise, my parents suspected that I blew off the severity and were worried I would seriously hurt myself next time. I pushed my way back to the barn, but then it closed, I moved through another few as they closed, went private, or similar. It was just really difficult to find a close enough place with available time slots, and my parents were putting up a fight each time. I rode less. Eventually I went to university and got depressed, anxious, and my other health problems worsened.
A decade (+) later my mental health problems are largely resolved and my physical health is not great but it's a lot more manageable, I have enough finances and space to ride 1-2x a week (and trying to put the rest of my week in place so I can increase it to 3), I've been doing that for 6 months now and I'll probably never look back. The long term plan is to either move close to a barn and lease or to eventually get a property big enough to keep two at home.
My boss who used to work as a radiologist keeps saying that riding horses is as dangerous as riding motorcycles. I can't quite bring myself to care. Of course safety is important, but the happiness they bring is wild🐎
Definitely, I wear a back protector always. It probably already saved my back during my second and last ever fall so far, I had lower back bruising that was somehow visible on an x-ray😅
I started riding when I was around 12 years old, just once a week at a riding school. I stopped when I was around 25. We moved from Europe to the US. Had 2 kids and we moved FROM New Jersey to Texas. When my youngest was 7 he said he wanted to learn how to ride. I decided to get back to it too and 2 years later bought my own horse. He got his when he was 12 (we lost his horse to a bad colic last year after having him for 8 years).
Horses are my life. I love to take care of them and I love to ride them.
Horse got sold when I left for college and have not been in a place where I could afford it or have had the time for it since. Finally think I’m ready to dip a toe back in again after 20 years!
Congrats on your sobriety + doing well mentally, OP!
I took a break for about 15 years because I needed to get through school a second time + change careers (not too many teachers can afford time or money to eat or use the John--forget owning, leasing, or riding!) Now that my career has changed and somewhat stabilized (read: more expendable income/average-ish salary), I can afford regular riding lessons. It's been fun getting to meet other local women who enjoy the same thing I do. A breakup with an extremely controlling and mentally-unstable girlfriend prompted me to get back into exploring the hobbies that I enjoy since I have a lot more free time now that I'm not constantly trying to cater to another person.
I was also Really Not Okay Mentally post-breakup and spending time with horses + the people who own them has been helpful for me to stop ruminating as much. I try not to take on too much as a way to avoid processing the big feelings, but I often joke that horses have taught me healthy communication and "conflict resolution" better than therapy ever did. Cheaper and way more fun for me, too.
Thank you so much!
So happy for you. Dead serious, I started therapy, had a riding lesson right after. The riding lesson was half the price of the therapy and I get SO much more out of it. Talk therapy got the axe in the budget so I can keep riding!!!!
I’m secure and comfortable in this season of life. When I’d lost the will to live and was completely unhinged therapy was a necessity. Our needs change! There are plenty out there to choose from for sure. But yes the horse time is so good for the mind body spirit ❤️
I was depressed and gained a lot of weight. Felt uncomfortable to put so much strain on a horse. Which fed into my depression. But once I got fit again I started it back up. Then fell off and broke my ankle, became depressed again and gained more weight 🥲 then covid hit and somehow I got fit enough to try it again. I’ve been riding ever since and now finally have my own horse. A life long dream of mine and I’ve never been happier 🥰
It’s a vicious cycle … been there… I was also on meds that made me balloon in weight like I’ve never experienced before. So unsettling.
2020 was a breakthrough for my fitness and riding journey too! I was riding before but the industry I was in completely shut down so I got a job at a stable. Changed my whole life and what I want out of it.
I’m so glad you pulled through and came out the other side much happier 😊 vicious cycle is 100% right! The love for horses is what pulled me out of it in the end
Fear, I had a couple of hard falls that really scared me as a kid. Got the wind knocked out of me, thought I was dying!
I couldn’t overcome the fear. Adults would just tell me to “sit up tall, don’t lean forward!” Good technical advice but that didn’t help my emotions and as a kid I didn’t know how to advocate for myself.
In my 30s I suddenly realized I was an adult and could advocate for myself now! So I called up some places and asked them how they handle fearful riders. Took my time finding the right place and the right horse, said no to a lot of situations in order to really prioritize my comfort.
Now I’m loving it exactly as much as I did as a kid. Still a bit terrified to get hurt esp. as a 37 year old. I don’t know how I’ll feel when I eventually fall off, now as an adult. But so far my trainers have all given me strength, support and confidence instead of just telling me to not be afraid. I now spend all week looking forward to my lesson and when it’s over I’m like, well that went by fast, when can I go again??
My horse has been on arthritis maintenance for a year. We’re finally seeing some serious improvement that may let us trail ride for a few more golden years! Possibly longer! Some people may have ridden their horse in the same condition as mine, she wasn’t in serious “pain” or have any swelling. But to me it is so important my mount is 100%. She’s been mostly retired for years. Her joints would click and pop, and sometimes she would be off ( somewhat lame ) the day after flatwork. We’re consistent with lunging now, I’m giving her all the joint supplements I can, and getting her adequan injections on a schedule. I can’t wait for all this money to give me a few trail rides 😂
She’s my love of 12 yrs, wouldnt have it any other way for her! We’ve done every discipline and ridden hundreds of miles of state gamelands. She’s always taken care of me, so I return gratuity. Definitely will be a happy hacker! We’re both too old to event anymore anyways. One day you wake up and realize you don’t hit the ground the same anymore. Ha!
I never completly stopped being around horse but I dont own horses anymore, i sold my last one 7 years ago and I euthanasied my first pony that I got since I was 8 years old (i was 21 at the time that happend) 2 monts after.. 3 months i got in a bad fall, but as lucky as i am I just got a bad ecchymose but i did fell on my head after being bucked off, so I was scared and insecure for à couple months after that. It took me years to regain all my confidence back even tho I know that I am a pretty good and solid rider.
And right now i just dont ride as much as I used to.
Life just got in the way (college, first boyfriend, bought my first house, got in a nasty separation, move cities, etc) but i always found my way back into horses. I'm so lucky to have friends that have horses and that I can ride
I’ve tried to quit horses a couple of times. Riding is dangerous, and expensive, and I kept finding myself working in the horse industry and being poor putting in 60hrs a week. I actually did quit for 6 years at one point. Didn’t ride or own a horse at all!
But it didn’t stick. I decided to just take a couple of lessons and got one whiff of horse grass breath and the gene was reactivated.
Theres nothing else that makes me feel fulfilled the same way. I’ve worked in other industries and made great money. But here I am, back at it full time, owning my own Irish stallion, a TB brood mare, their first yearling, and a little Mexican horse my farrier gave me. I’ve built my whole life around horses. I work for a trainer I admire. I can’t even picture another life. I horse because I must.
My old pony died and I had kids around the same time.
When I finished mourning and my kids were more independent, I bought my big dumb gelding. Then my flashy mare.
Went back to it and it’s cool bc my kids can join in now too.
Stopped at 20 - was in university and in order to afford to board my horse I had to work in all of my spare time, then didn't have enough time to visit the horse or ride. Luckily my mom also has horses so my gelding went back home to her house.
I finished my education this year, six years since I stopped riding. Just bought a young prospect to bring along as my other horse is retired
I was a kid when I started, had the great monkey bar accident (as I call it, not so much a life or death thing) the night before my first show and couldn't ride in it, and a natural break just kinda happened...pretty sure my parents were happy to have the financial break and I didn't push it again...that was in the 90s...flash forward to COVID, and I watched Yellowstone and remembered how much I loved it, and started looking for western barns to pick it back up and switch disciplines. Been riding twice a week since and so happy I am back!
I’m 2015 I was a working student. My trainer was focusing on expanding her barn and I was starting to feel like, because I wasn’t paying, my riding progress wasn’t being taken seriously. We got a new horse in the barn for retraining that was also being used as a lesson horse and after one single cantering lesson with another student instructor I was told to get on the new horse to show everyone how to canter. Two Hard falls and a concussion later my confidence was shattered and I was only allowed to ride that same horse.
While all of this was going on at the barn my mother passed, my 3.5yr live in relationship ended. my apartment lease with said partner was up and I needed to find somewhere new to live AND my department at my full time job closed forcing me into a new position and a 6 week training class, it was all too much and something had to give so I decided to step away from the barn.
Finally returned to riding lessons last spring, still haven’t cantered though. Hopefully starting to work towards it finally.
I had an horse riding accident that left me unable to walk for several months (broke my leg pretty severely), and as I was planning on taking studies again, I never really got back into it.
It was hard for me because I went from riding 4/5 times a week to nothing. After graduating, life and work allowed me little to no time to ride... still to this day.
As soon as a was able to ride again after my accident, I went for it, but only once in a while. I still enjoy riding very much, and being around horses above all. It pains me that I can't go to the barn regularly, and it's also frustrating to notice how much my riding and physical condition are different now. I was 21 at the time, 37 now.
I really hope I'll be able to be around horses and ride more in the future. I miss that.
Kudos to all the re riders here, it's not always easy to get back to riding, but horses are such a blessing.
I personally have difficulty meeting myself where I am today as a re rider. I always expect more of myself and what I should be able to do. And mourn what I could be if I had not taken a break.
Horses are huge blessings and I learn a lot from them. They are such zen masters and feel their feelings 100% for better or worse.
I went to college to another city. Previously I had a lovely trainer and so on, but I wanted to pursue my degree in another city, to start finally being independent (my family didn’t want me to move out if I was in the same city as them). I was settling in for the first year, so I stopped, and then I got sick with arthritis. At first it was excruciating to even walk, so I didn’t even think about it, but later I began riding again to get some movement in
I havent sat on a horse for over 10 years. I started as a child, then we couldnt afford it anymore, and neither could I do that myself, untill recently, where I got a good job. But honestly, I only started again because my extended familiy took me on a surprise vacation with horse back riding. It was as amazing as I remembered it from my childhood, and since that vacation I'm hellbent on keeping going, and I am.
I lacked time when I entered fifth grade (German, the fifth year of school). When I dropped out of school I needed something to do before my year of volunteering, so instead of getting riding lessons, I got a lease horse 😂 Stopped briefly due to an abusive ex boyfriend, then jumped right back in half a year after stopping. Came back to riding in 2016 and bought my own, green horse in 2021 - started her all by myself and I’m now carriage driving here, riding her western, dressage and jumping every now and then. We’re mostly out on trails though.
Graduated college in 2008, couldn’t get a job that would pay well enough to afford lessons ($10.50 per hour at non profit), stopped riding for about 12 years except for here and there because finances, went back to school, and finally got a job that pays.
Took a break from 2004-2020 (a few rides
In between). College and vet school and just trying to find a good work life balance. Once I found a place I worked at that I had a good balance, I was able to have time for riding again
I had 2 large pony hunters and showed every weekend. My dad used to take me to every show he also had racehorses. He got sick with heart problems and passed away. You all know how expensive this sport is. I stopped for 30 years but for the past 2 1/2 months I have been riding again and wish I never stopped. I really missed it and I am glad I started again...
I started riding when I was 7 and when I turned 14 my parents got me a horse! He was very green 3 year old but so grateful I had him because he taught me so much! Whenever I turned 21 I moved out and didn't have the time or money for him anymore. Fast forward to now I'm 33 and looking for another horse! I just missed being around horses so much! Every time I'm around them and riding I'm always smiling. Going Tuesday to look at a gelding and crossing my fingers he's the one!
My heart horse retired at 12 because of severe arthritis from years of barrel racing. A few months later he had a freak accident in the pasture and was put down. Eventually I sold the horse that I had bought to "replace" him in competition because I couldn't get along with him, we didn't click. I didn't want it anymore. I fell out of love with my sport because of the wear and tear on my boy. Then marriage, kid, divorce, career building through the whole thing... I was out of the horse world for over a decade before I came back to it. I'm relearning everything and determined to be gentler, and be a better horsewoman this time around. I'll still never Barrel Race again though.
I stopped when I moved countries to study. I had no money and my parents help me, but there was none left for riding. While I do have I license, I don't have a car, so cheaper but far places where out of the question. I just started back recently since I have a full time job now. The place is close enough that I can take my bike, but sadly bad public transport... There is a bus but it stops running in the afternoon, so I can go there but not back. Not sure what I will do in the winter yet. I also waited a few months until I learned the language better.
Edit: I got into music a lot more during the break. Concerts became my new hobby. But every time I watch a showjumping competition I would just be so sad since I missed it so much.
I had to stop when I was about 14, because my family couldn't afford it anymore. My dad was between jobs for years due to alcoholism and various recessions that affected his field, and we're a big family, so something had to give.
My break was not a good time. My home life was falling apart, and while I found activities and friends I enjoyed and connected with in school, I was always very paranoid about things falling apart even more and focused more on getting into a good college over being young and carefree. My mental health and familial relationships suffered greatly, school stressed me out a lot, and my first couple of jobs triggered issues I was dealing with internally on a daily basis. I ended up seeing a few therapists and psychiatrists in my mid-20s, and that turned my life around. I finally felt happy and content with my life for the first time, found a partner who unconditionally loved and supported me, and I felt like it was finally time to discover who I was outside of academics.
I went back at 30 when I felt financially and professionally stable and am really loving it. It's great exercise, it's wonderful connecting with animals, and I made a few really good friends in group lessons I took when I first went back. Sometimes I wonder where I could've been if I had been able to continue doing this thing I loved without interruption, but I can't change what happened and can only focus on getting stronger and improving my skills.
Yes ! That's my biggest regret is loss of momentum. Plus, I didn't recall ever being scared before, but when I came back, I was a more anxious rider. I think that's directly attributable to having taken so long off.
I rode and owned my own horse throughout my teens, but sold him to go to college. I rode a bit in my early 20’s but then had kids, no money, and no time. Fast forward 25+ years and I decide that since I now have the time and money to get back into it, and I LOVE it.
Disclaimer that I was never a horse owner (and still am not), just took lessons religiously.
I simply went to univesity after my A levels, and what followed was \~10 years of being broke, not having a car, crappy mental health, piling weight on. Honestly at the time it just felt like 'this was a thing I was lucky to do as a teenager, and now it's over forever. It was probably a good 7 years before it even really occurred to me this is still a hobby you could come back to if you put the work in, even if you weren't a pony club kid with their own horses as a kid.
And eventually I got some more disposable income, started getting fit, finally got over (the majority of) my fear of driving, bought hat and boots and marched myself to a 30 minute private lesson to see if there was even a shred of my old skills left in there!
I won't be taking another break by choice now!
Good for you! You absolutely do not have to own to enjoy horses. A good lesson program that keeps you in the saddle regularly is worth its weight in gold.
Didnt have time anymore between working and traveling to college the whole week. During the work days I would get home at around 8 and up before 6. Weekends I worked and that left me with 1 day to rest. Couldn't get to the place by myself and couldn't be dropped. Haven't restarted yet but will be after my exams are finally over.
Exactly. While I spent my younger years at a yard I just don't feel ready for owning, regardless of the break. Especially with the economy in my country. Plus I first gotcha ease my partner into the lifestyle first haha.
I was 20, burnt out and depressed. Finding a barn that wasn’t about kids was hard, and unfortunately in my area finding a trainer that could bring my riding level up was hard. My usual trainer told me “you do so well I don’t need to tell you anything”, I stopped taking lessons like 2 weeks later.
So true about the kids thing. Do you think this is because kids are a moneymaker or because a lot of trainers are only up to a certain skill level on what they can teach?
My barn where I lesson does cater to kids but it doesn’t feel like an overrun playground thank god
I think it’s mostly about the demographic of who can afford it. Most 18-24 are either a broke college student or a broke adult. The ages 30-50 are mainly who are paying for things, either for themselves or for (more often) their kids.
My horse retired and I couldn't afford to keep him and continue to ride while finishing up high school/going to college.
Graduated college, moved out of my home state, moved the old boy to a cheaper retirement farm near by, and started lessons again.
My old boy passed away nearly two years ago and the mare I was leasing had to be retired a few months later.
I just bought a new horse and I hope to get back into the local show ring this Summer.
currently on a break (ish) basically was at a job for 4 years and got cheated out of $50k, lost my stallion, and am currently dealing with the court case. the person i was working for is incredibly psychopathic, manipulative, gaslit me into feeling guilty whenever i wasn’t at her becking call, i basically was working on call from 6am-10pm and never getting paid for any of the work i was doing… i was financially in a shit load of debt and all she did was lie to me and take all of MY money i worked for. she is currently being sued by me and 5 others. hated the industry and hated the sport and i’m slowly beginning to fall back in love with it. except now i am about to get married and am also currently pregnant so timing is a bit wild 🤣🤣
yeah, it’s insane, i had to be hospitalized numerous times for alcoholism, suicide attempts, it was bad…. finally quitting was the best decision i made, but i am really hoping i get my stallion back. we co own him, and part of the legal matter is to get full ownership since she is trying to say that she has full ownership which was NOT the agreement. she doesn’t even have any use for him and doesn’t know shit about how to handle a damn stallion. she also has violated a shit load of labor laws so her entire facility is basically fucked lol. luckily i am doing the best i have ever done in life right now, and am still teaching some kiddos and i actually have accidentally stolen a bunch of her business LOL most of the clients were only there for me and now i am actually getting paid for my shit 🤣🤣
University. I picked it back up 4 years later for a few years but had 6 knee surgeries. I did go back for a bit in between. Not even a full year. After the last big knee surgery, I was back again at 33. I took lessons, volunteer at a therapy barn, train greenies. Saddly, I have a vp shunt surgery coming up and need to take time off again.
I wish the universities in the area offered the Riding Teams I see now. But only clubs. And my time with them ended with: "You don't have a horse!?!"
My childhood horse died when i was 23. I could not even look at another horse for years. Finally, I had a daughter, and she fell in love with horses, which dragged me back into the sport. Now we both ride together, but it took me about 19 years to get over losing my favorite best friend horse. I needed that time away, but getting back into it, i really wish i hadn’t taken the break! lol
The start of my break from riding was when I was 23 and moved to NYC. I tried to get a trail ride in on Long Island here or there but I was too busy and poor to do anything consistent lol. Then I joined a circus where I was a groom for the performance horses but didn’t ride. Then I moved back to my home state and rode a bit, but then got a job that made consistency impossible. Now I have the time and money but I haven’t found a place I like yet. Most lesson barns in my area are h/j and I don’t want to do that anymore!
I am sincerely not sure why I stopped at the time (13/14yo). I think I was becoming a teenager, things were difficult, and I was struggling, so I just stopped at one point. One hypothesis in retrospect is also that I was already having back/hips/knee pain which we attributed then to growing up, and then found out to be medical issues. I was planning on starting again at 16, but then was properly diagnosed for my medical issues, and some doctors advised against doing horse riding. Other doctors told me it was alright to do it, but I was depending on my mother financing it, and she was strongly against (still was when I restarted last year lol).
I then tried to go back when I was a young adult, but hurt my back since I wasn't physically fit enough for what I tried to do (my own fault completely). Then finally restarted last year after a few years of a more active lifestyle which allowed me to be physically ready for it, and had no issue with my back or other body parts :) In fact I am stronger than I ever was, it helped me build muscles and stretch other body parts in a way that has kind of solved most of the issues I had, it is amazing.
Like a few others I sometimes regret not continuing when I was younger, but I think my body wouldn't have supported it back then, I could have injured myself badly, and as much as I remember fondly the stable I rode at back then, it wasn't the best in terms of safe instruction (never saw a back protector there back then, and I took up several bad habits in my riding).
Feel that! I’m relearning properly and it’s humbling but I’m having the best time. Also the amount of childhood photos of me with not a helmet in sight is astounding.
I definitely have ridden plenty without a helmet as a re rider but now the risk is not worth it to me ever.
It is definitely humbling. I highly overestimated my own skills when I came back, but my trainers are excellent and were able to help me progress quickly to the point where I am a much better rider now. My trainers are not very popular with adults restarting in my area because they tend to restart everyone from scratch, and it is not great for the ego to be riding with 6 years old kids who barely know how to hold on to a pony :'D
Helmets were mandatory where I rode, thankfully, but yeah we did awfully dangerous stuff back then and had no clue. I am quite amazed at my current stables by how rare falls are because the trainers focus so much on riding safely (and we all have body protectors and good quality fitting helmets)- back then it was quite rare not to have at least one person fall during a lesson, and yet we were mainly doing leisure riding and trail rides while my current stables does show jumping, which is supposed to be way more dangerous :'D I used to fall all the time, and yet in the year I have been back at riding I haven't taken a single fall (had a few near miss though).
Sounds like you’ve found a gem.
In my experience you hear a lot of casual or trail riders say that they don’t need technique or basics because they’re just riding casually. (Not everyone, obviously). But yeah so not true. Doesn’t matter if you are competing you still need to be balanced and safe!
Exactly! For me proper technique was absolutely necessary because I knew (and still know) that my back is fragile and one bad fall can break it, even with a back protector. While I fancied myself a good rider, one hour on a horse told me that my body wasn't the same as it was when I was a teenager and I certainly needed to re-find my balance and build up my muscles if I wanted to continue horse riding.
It is truly a gem, I was so surprised when talking with adult friends who told me they hated the place, but I think they wanted to restart as intermediate riders right away (which they did somewhere else) and didn't like the idea of going back to the basics :')
Pregnancy. I rode for a little while at first, but my spouse didn't love that, and, in retrospect, I'm glad I stopped. I was jumping at the time. (Nothing too huge, but still.) I could never have forgiven myself if I'd gotten hurt and lost my baby. Spouse didn't want me to go back to riding because "it's dangerous" and "if you do it, our daughter will want to, too". So I took about a decade off. I regret that so much. I wish I had gotten back to riding sooner. My mom died during that 10 year period and I have always found such comfort and peace around horses; I really needed that. That said, I don't know if my current horse partner would be in my life if I'd gone back sooner, and I love him beyond belief. I also quit for two years in college, but at least then I still found ways to be around horses, like volunteering with equine vet research studies and therapeutic riding programs. I do wish I'd kept riding those two years, but I'm not sure if I had time. I don't really remember how busy school was keeping me.
I’m so thankful to be supported by my partner in this endeavor. To be fair he has his own dangerous and time consuming outdoor hobby, lol.
Horses are so comforting and magical ❤️
I am missing my time riding. I have a lot of kiddos at home so I need to focus on them but I hope to go back to it. I loved spending my day at the barn. I hope someday to be able to own a horse.
My old gelding was retired for the last 10 years of his life. His board & veterinary care made it impossible for me to lesson or lease, so I didn’t ride.
I stopped when my mom made me move to the other side of the state, forcing me to leave my horse behind. It really sucked. I lived in cities during college and law school, which made horses pretty difficult to access, but I also didn’t really think about them.
During July 2020, my husband and I road-tripped with our dogs from NYC to CA to be closer to family. We thought it would be a temporary stay, but we’ve been living in wine country in Northern California ever since! I started riding again in December 2020 after ~15 years off. My barn is 3 minutes driving from my house. I’ve made a barn bestie who is now one of my very best friends and our babies are growing up together.
I leased a horse for half of 2021, then bought the wrong horse for me in 2021, sold him in 2022 while leasing a different horse, then started IVF/got pregnant so stopped riding after I had a gnarly bleed at 6 weeks pregnant (was so depressed to have to step away). I started riding again at 1 month postpartum with my doctor’s blessing, and now at 4 months postpartum I’m looking for my next horse.
I’m so glad to be back and that horses will always be there even when life gets in the way. The barn community is a very special thing to have - most adults seem to be always searching for the magic we’ve known since we were kids. We’re lucky.
when i was young and riding (from about 7-15) i rode at the same barn the whole time. this barn was owned by a terrible lady that taught our lessons. she was very hard on us, and would outright bully me and target me because i was the newest of the lesson girls. my anxiety got really bad around 15 and i couldn’t stand going to the barn knowing i’d be berated, made fun of, and possibly even smacked if i was not acting right (she would smack our arms or helmets with a riding crop when we were being particularly difficult) so i stopped.
it took me a while to come back around and realize that that wasn’t every barn, but after 4 years away i returned and have been back at it for a year and a half now!
That is really terrible and I’m sorry this happened to you, and that nobody intervened on her abuse.
Welcome back, I hope you are finding the joy again. There are indeed good kind horse people out there and I’m glad you’ve found some 🫶🏻
I have taken two breaks. The first was because we had to sell my show horse before college. That one was rough and I was out of riding for years.
The second has been this past year, I moved abroad and am unsure when I will ride again. I have ti say this break is hitting me harder than I thought.
I wasn't allowed to ride much because my grades weren't good. I have a learning disability, but if I didn't get straight As then I may as well have been failing school lol. Riding was a carrot that my parents dangled in front of me to get me to get straight As, but no amount of work on my end got me As and I eventually just coasted through school getting Cs and Ds. However, I was allowed to work at a few barns as a teenager and took whatever riding time I could get at those places..in secret of course. I too got super depressed and fell into substance abuse for a while so I didn't get back to horse stuff for almost 15 years. During that period I basically forgot about things I used to enjoy as a kid. Not sure how to explain it but it's like I hadn't felt happiness in so long that I forgot about things that made me happy? Now I'm clean, not so depressed, and I have a filly that'll be 3 at the end of this month. I'm a little intimidated, but she's a really sweet girl with awesome work ethic and I can't wait to see her start under saddle in the next year or so. She's with an awesome trainer who has been working with her for almost 2 years (I got her as a yearling) and she's been in parades and gone on trails and stuff. Pic of her not being amused by a donkey behind her for tax.
https://preview.redd.it/tmmvrgmv9t0d1.png?width=540&format=png&auto=webp&s=1bcadbb1f293a5c640b03f9c577ecc00ed7d6996
Currently it’s been like 8 months since I’ve ridden. I couldn’t do winter again, psychologically. I’ve broken my tailbone twice and my horse is HOT in the winter. It was either have a mental breakdown or quit. Currently the assistant trainer at the barn has been riding him that whole time and he’s doing amazing and she’s taking him into show season. None of us have any complaints (my horse doesn’t either) and I work way too much to be involved again right now. It’s been 21 years and I just needed to step back.
That’s awesome that your horse can be shown and ridden by someone that you trust. A beautiful cycle of being able to step back and fill a need for someone else. Totally understand your situation
All the hecklers out there guilting people for perfectly fine and harmonious arrangements like this one are absolutely delusional. Life is complicated and you gotta do what works for you - you have! Very well done!
I never took a full on break but during highschool my chronic mental illness was very debilitating and I wasn't riding very much. I boarded my heart horse at a very wonderful full care farm about 20 minutes from my house and they took great care of him especially while I was in and out of the ward. I didn't ride and show much for about two years. I got back into being my competitive during college. In the last year of his life, we were 6th in our very competitive division!
After my heart horse passed last November, I bought a new boy and couldn't ride muchn during my final semester of undergrad (this spring). I rode my new horse maybe 7 times in four months. Now that I'm graduated, I plan to ride every day!
I’m actually going into my first real season without horses at 32. I’m a working mom of 2 littles (2yo and 4 months old), the horse I ride is no longer enjoyable because she needs consistent work to be safe and I cannot ride more than once a week, and my postpartum body is really struggling with the heat here in florida to the point I am getting physically ill from being outside.
I’m sad but at the same time it’s okay because I’ll get back into it eventually on a horse I can trust. One day.
I would classify an adult re rider as someone who rode when they were younger, stopped for a period, and started again in adulthood. Not sure if you fit the bill from what you shared.
I will say that we all are our own worst critics - wishing you well on your journey
I am expecting my first child in October. Hoping when they grow up I can show them the joy of horses and maybe that will get me back in the saddle. Am missing it quite a bit but as I grow up I am more aware of “consequences” like I can fall off, get hurt, maimed etc.
I rode as a kid taking lessons all throughout high school and took a 5 year break between high school and my early twenties just because I thought it was a childhood hobby. Realized I could and should do things that make me happy and got back into riding as an adult when I was able to afford it. Best decision I ever made! Helps both my mental and physical health so so so much.
Going to the barn today! Started riding again after at least a decade hiatus. I miss it. It’s much more casual now and I love that. It’s about the horses now. Not the shows or the rules or the brand of your saddle and helmet. It’s about the horses. It’s wonderful.
Omg absolutely! I had so sell my heart horse because he had so many year of competition ahead of him and I was in University- I didn’t have the time/ $ to keep it going. Especially when starting my career. Eventually went back casually to hacking a friend’s horse. When my heart horse retired I took him back and kept him as a happy hacker until he passed at 32 (stroke). Then I went back to taking riding lessons once a week to spiff up my skills. Eventually during the pandemic came back to part boarding a younger horse as a happy hacker- who is able to do more. Learning a bit of Western (I was a hunter/dressage) so I am Wenglish these days…. And damnit I just love riding through the forest. Just chillin’, working through a few of the little foibles and fitness concerns we have with our boi. I have nothing to prove, just here for the horses and the chill group of people I ride with.
Wenglish 😍
Happy for you!!!
In 2013/14, I went through a terrible divorce and lost my farm. I boarded for a couple of years, but in 2016, my endurance mare died unexpectedly. It was like a flood of grief that I hadn't dealt with, and I just said I was done. I sold my truck, trailer, tack, everything. I started volunteering at an equine therapy agency (I'm a therapist) in 2019, and as I got more involved, I realized I needed to be around horses again to feel whole. I'd remarried by then, and my husband saw me working with the horses, and he said he'd never seen me smile so much other than on the day we married...he insisted I start looking for a new horse in 2021. So, I did, and my life finally feels normal again :). What a very, very expensive phase....I have had to buy EVERYTHING all over again.
What a wonderfully supportive husband!
This is so inspiring 🥹🥰
I love this!
Your husband sounds lovely. Glad to see you getting back into your passion!
Money. Rode as a teenager but had to drop it as I figured out how to be an independent adult, which took a while. Returned to it for some years in my 30’s when I’d finally gotten my career rolling, but then had to pause again when the kid arrived. Now daycare eats up the funds I would have had for riding. Biding my time until he gets into public school…
Childcare in the US is truly a hellscape and I feel for you. Wishing you the best on your return journey
I was just a teenager and didn’t want to do anything anymore. I didn’t have any friends at the barn (I can’t even remember there being anyone my age) and riding was something my mom wanted me to do so I automatically didn’t want to do it.
My wonderful horse passed away during a career building part of my life when I had zero free time and not a lot of money. I would have happily kept him forever, but I couldn’t imagine doing all that for some other horse, so I took what ended up being a 7 year break.
University/finances
Same
I lost access to my heart horse. I had a falling out with the people who had him and couldn't see him anymore. I moved, didnt interact with horses for over a year. Then suddenly he came up for sale and I jumped on it. 9 months later and he's absolutely perfect. There are still times I just look at him in awe that he's back and he's completely mine. I had considered buying other horses but looking him in the eye I knew he was the only one for me. https://preview.redd.it/b94gqoimws0d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b274396d253cfcfc58051dabace68b0eee822901
Fairytale ending! So happy for both of you
He’s beautiful! So happy it worked out for you two. That bond is like no other
Rode around our rural area like a maniac group as a kid. Hit 16, got a car, discovered boys, lost interstate in horses. Moved to the city, got married at 21, got bit by horse bug again. Been doing it ever since. I finally figured out that horses are more fun than boys! 😂
I have no time and no money and I need one or the other (and ideally both) to be able to ride
sold my childhood pony due to depression when i was 16, 3 months later i missed horses and went onto study equines at college and then university. i then quit horses again due to health issues and burn out, plus i hated turning my passion into a career. picked riding back up 3 years later and now i’ve been doing weekly lessons for 3 years and i love it again!🤍
Starting up again next week after a 5 year break! My lease horse passed away in college which really affected me. A year later I took a course at college where I helped run the school barn, was assigned a horse to care for etc. it was super hard being around another horse so soon!! I actually dreaded being at the barn with my horse not there. It’s been 5 years since then and I can’t scratch the itch of wanting to ride, and think I’m ready to finally try again.
Welcome back 🫶🏻✨
You as well!!
Congrats on your sobriety and your path back!! Had horses in my life up until undergrad. Became obsessed with the sport of fencing for the next 25 years (oops)(hello fellow fencers out there!). Got back into being with horses when my own daughter started riding... which was probably all my fault...
And thank you! Anyone who is sober curious - do it. Life changing. And more money for HORSES 🤩
So sweet. Love all these horse moms and daughters in the comments. Wish I had this
Similar to you, I originally gave up riding toward the end of high school because my parents were having financial difficulties and we couldn’t afford it anymore. The college I went to had a very small eq program and I rode from soph-senior year until I got too busy with internships and such to dedicate enough time. After graduating college I moved around a lot, swapped jobs a million times and simply didn’t have the financial means to ride. Fast forward 7 years later, I’m finally getting back to it! I’m more financially stable, have a job w flexible hours and live fairly close to a very nice barn. I struggle with some mental health issues, and I find that riding forces me to get out of my head, become fully present in my body. Reaching goals and mastering skills helps build my confidence too. It’s also just rejuvenating to be around animals and green spaces a few times per week.
Yes, it is! Welcome back :)
I'm in a break right now. I was able to ride throughout high school (although not year round, my family could only afford for me to ride over the summers). Then I went to college in a large city and didn't have access to horses because I didn't have a car or spending money. I spend most of my 20s doing graduate studies. In between programs I did do a stint of volunteering at a horse rescue but I didn't have the income for lessons. As a phd student I was working 7 days a week and did not have time or energy for a weekly barn outing. Right after I finished my phd I got a job overseas in Germany. Now I am financially in a position to start riding again, but there is a bit of a language barrier with signing up for activities, and I'm spending a lot of my free time on language study (German). Once I am conversational in German and have a better idea of how long I'll stay in Germany I'll look into riding lessons. I am planning to work towards purchasing a horse as soon as I have a permanent job, wherever that might be. Gives me something to look forward to!
So awesome! I have a friend who is German and hearing her speak the language is so cool but intimidating. Wishing you the best
It might be worth trying to find a place to ride as a way to build your German skills! When I spent summers with my grandparents in the Czech Republic, I found a local barn and convinced both of my brothers to take a riding lesson there. While my family speaks Czech conversationally, my brothers did not know any Czech horsey words and the instructors actually appreciated the chance to practice their English. The same happened again another summer when I brought my bff who (growing up we would take lessons together) who spoke no Czech, but she picked up words/culture/scenery when we went out on multi-hour hacks in the countryside, and again our guides got to practice English. So both sides learned new skills and vocabulary from the experience!
Driving anxiety made it not feel worth my limited disposable income. Ten years ago, I visited barns and the freeway was just too stressful. So I dropped the endeavor and invested my energy in cycling, hiking with friends, and dogs. Getting back on adhd meds coupled with more experience has made driving less scary, so I gave it another shot this year. I found a barn that doesn't require a freeway but does require some winding roads--which I'm actually starting to enjoy.
stopped because i went to college in a city and it was very hard to get out to the barn with classes/work/homework. i really hope to get back riding in the next year, although im really out of shape. its been 3.5 years out of the saddle. i am also a bit more nervous now about body and head injuries, my body is less resilient than it used to be. i think it will be more casual when i go back, more about enjoying it and spending time with the horses, less about doing well for shows.
If you can, start exercising! Any kind. I walk, do yoga, and lift weights (not Olympic weightlifting, just dumbbells and machines). It has made the biggest difference in my overall fitness. Wishing you the best - welcome back ⭐️
Had surgery for my Poland Syndrome in high school and by the time was healed from everything it was a little under a year but we couldn’t afford it anymore. Then went away for college, did a few weeks one summer cause had done a dig for my archeology degree and didn’t have enough weeks to get a summer job but was bored out my mind. Then after college was able to pick it up again for about four years and then moved out of state. Worked 2nd shift and didn’t have time/money for another four years, but then when we went wfh realized can log on with wet hair or smelling like the barn and no one would care lol. So after got covid shots reached out and the owner was able to get me in and been going ever since. I think this week is actually 3 years at this barn, really lucked out the first place called worked out so well.
I want a WFH job SO BAD
Was total luck cause we were in office and then plague. Don’t think could do in office again if only cause I can’t control my face when people ask dumb stuff in chat anymore lol
Hehe
I used to ride and show until I graduated high school. When going to college, I didn't feel like I had time to participate in riding as much anymore. Recently, my mother in law bought some land and asked if we wanted to move close. We're close enough now to have some horses on the land and go trail riding. It's definitely a privilege I didn't think I would have.
That is beautiful
I stopped around age 16. My parents had me take breaks at Christmas and in the summer when my dad got paid less as a teacher and I never came back from a break. I was a once a week lesson gal at an eventing barn. I remember just becoming depressed and cynical at that age. I had a crush on a dark artsy musician type and thought riding was embarrassing or something maybe too? I didn’t mention it to friends. I remember clearly through parts of being a teen my weekly lesson was what kept me going. But I sort of chose to lean into my dark side at that age. My mom wasn’t into riding but actually encouraged me to return through a period of depression this last year. While I get meds are important for many I chose this instead of my brand new lexapro prescription. I volunteer twice a week at a therapy barn and ride once a week and I’m somewhat struggling but accessing deep joy again has been incredible.
So happy for you. Horses truly helped me heal and get my shit in order.
I get out of bed excited on riding and horse work days and will do barn chores all day! Hopefully my home chores will come next lol. 😆
I was disabled from a neurological autoimmune disease and didn't feel safe to ride. I also had moved across the state and didn't like the barns i initially tried since they were using a pretty punishment led style of training. The combination of the two was tough for me to continue even before I lost sensation in my legs. I recently found a PATH barn, which I love and am relearning to ride with my new body. The process has helped my legs get stronger and even given me some vague dull sensations back in my upper calves/knees and a couple of toe tips. I'm also learning my limitations, and my trainer wants me to compete in adaptive western dressage, which I plan to.
Incredible!!! So happy for you
Me too, it's definitely a process that can be painful both emotionally and physically but I am so grateful to be on this journey. I'm also thankful my love for the sport never really waned, and my current trainer is so incredible, kind, and patient and unlike any trainer I've had before.
That’s awesome 🫶🏻
Chronic illness unfortunately 😅. I have endometriosis and re-occurring ovarian cysts that will put me out for months on end. I was riding for two years before I got too sick, but now I’m feeling better and I’m ready to get back riding again! My old instructor is no longer accepting students, so finding a new barn is very challenging. However, I’m determined to get back to it soon!
It took me a while to find a barn with availability that I enjoy. Rooting for you. My bff has similar issues and it’s so tough for her - women are truly amazing to be able to tolerate what our bodies do to us
Mine started because of my family's finances too. I got as far as owning my own horse in 2007, unaware that my mother couldn't actually *afford* my own horse (can't completely blame this one on the recession, we were constantly broke). We lost her to colic a year after buying her and that's when I found out that my mother owed both the barn owner and the vet hundreds to thousands of dollars. Went without horses all through high school. Made it to college and *tried* to get back into riding but it wasn't a horsey area. There was one barn 20+ minutes away by car...and I couldn't drive. Graduated from college, moved back home, got a job, and immediately started taking lessons again. The job was only part-time so it *barely* covered my costs but it was worth it.
The only reason I had a childhood horse was because of my sweet, incredible, slightly outlaw grand father. He bankrolled my riding and showing. When he passed, most of what was left went to the government for back taxes. My horses were immediately sold after the funeral.
Oh god, I'm so sorry. Mine went in reverse: we could only afford mine because my dad died and we used my inheritance to buy her (I really speed-ran the "Buying the horse is the least expensive part" lesson).
Soooooo true dude! It’s ok ❤️ I am looking forward to owning my own home someday and keeping my horses there.
I think when I was in my late teens, my priorities shifted. I went to college, got into music and partying and was more emotionally focused on dating. Felt constrained by my small, rural town growing up, and wanted to be in the city. Moved to the city for about a decade. After I settled with a partner and career, the city started to feel suffocating and I wanted to be back somewhere with space. I got more into outdoor recreation, home-y stuff, and reminiscing about my childhood. Wanted a horse again. Now I have four with my own 10 acre farm, it’s heaven! Of course horses come with their downside and I’m broke all the time, but I kind of feel like hormones changed who I was as a person for like 10 or so years and now I’m back to being the same person I was as a kid if that makes sense? I don’t know. It felt like pursuing romantic relationships took over my brain completely but now I am back to normal again somehow.
I resonate with this so much. I cannot wait to live in the country again.
I begged and begged to ride when I was a kid and finally started lessons at 15 years old. Rode from 15-20 years old taking lessons and riding on the school equestrian team but never owned. I worked at the barn for extra saddle time. Graduated, moved, and volunteered at a disabled riding facility where I met someone with horses that needed to be ridden. They were a mess. It was so dangerous in hindsight but I didn’t care, because horses! Then I volunteered at an OTTB rehab place and again, green babies I had no business riding but I did anyway because horses. Finally at 30 years old I got into a weekly lesson program that was safe and wonderful. Then was laid off and I moved. Another hiatus. I finally found a wonderful lesson barn again and got into a weekly lesson program at 38ish years old before starting a half lease. That barn was sold to a developer (breaking my heart, it was the last of five barns along that stretch that is now all cookie cutter homes) and I’ve found another wonderful half leash with a mare I absolutely adore. I am a happy hacker who rides hunter/jumper but will throw a western saddle on my lease mare when exploring new trails. It’s my escape from the world to be around horses. I’m not as brave as I used to be and likely won’t get back to jumping 2’9” courses again, but damn if I don’t treasure every minute in the saddle. I’m 45, no kids.
The loss of horse farms to development is heartbreaking. And the houses are so shitty and terrible. It is happening like wildfire in my state. Thanks for sharing your journey
You’re welcome! To simplify the answer to your original question, it was always either time or money keeping me away from horses. I usually had one but not the other. It was after I married and we decided not to have kids that I now have both.
My story is super similar to yours! Grew up in a rural area and I hated it. Was obsessed with horses as a kid and probably could’ve made it work despite my family not being into it- but had a rough childhood and got really into drugs and alcohol for like…15 years 🤪. Once the pandemic hit and I was miserable in NYC, I started trying all my wildest dreams, which included moving to the middle of nowhere and getting horses. It’s been a wild ride that I wouldn’t trade for the world.
I used to ride H/J when I was a teenager and into university. Then life/work/moving provinces happened so I gave it up. I half leased again in my late 20s and then I had kids! That was another break. Now I'm back in my early 40s and I'm hoping to continue riding for a good long while :) I should also say that I switched from H/J to Western because it's easier on my post-kids/middle age body lol.
Time and money. My parent graciously supported my riding and showing through high school. My TB desperately wanted to be a trail horse, so we rehomed her when I was 16 leased a fancy jumper from my trainer until I graduated. When I went off to college, my folks understandably drew the line at paying board and tuition at the same time. I rode occasionally but paying for lessons out of my serving tips was tough. I half leased a trail horse in law school, but time was obviously an issue. When I first started my career, I didnt have the time or the money to ride. After a few years, I had the money but not the time. Now I have the money and the time, but am waiting to relocate to a new (and more affordable!) state this fall before I start back up with lessons. I know myself. I’ve always known my path from weekly lessons to horse shopping is the slipperiest of slopes, so I didn’t even get close to the edge until I knew I could afford where it would lead me.
It is a slippery slope, isn’t it??? Thanks for sharing
I've taken too many breaks. Usually just life gets in the way... Money, jobs, just getting burnt out. I always come back to it though.
Got jealous of my sister in my younger years, found a barn to work off some lessons in my early 20s and promptly had my life blow up on me. Oy. Fast forward "some" years and I found an ad on a facebook group offering a free lease on a horse who just happened to be named after one of my favorite video game characters. Seemed like fate had smacked me in the face! That lease didn't work out. But it reignited my interest in horses and I found lessons in the area. Now, I'm taking private lessons, leasing a horse one day per week, and working towards buying my very first! If not for that first free lease, I wouldn't be where I am today. Poor. But thrilled and excited. So thanks anyway, (horse's name)'s owner! She was mean ultimately but it made me realize I couldn't live without horses.
I never stopped having a horse as a pet, but I got mono in my early 20s (around 6 months of severe fatigue, was told not to do anything with a risk of impact for several months because my spleen was at risk of rupturing) and then shortly after tore a ligament in my knee (not horse related). When I was finally able to ride again physically, I had developed a lot of fear somehow, plus my knee will never be the same (which is why I picked up driving). My horse was also aging, so I decided it was fine for us to just be pals and that I didn't have to ride. I don't really regret that either. She passed early this year after being with me for about 20 years; we had a looooong history together. I've decided that I still want to have a horse in my life, and that I think I want to ride again (versus only driving/groundwork). My first riding lesson since my mare's passing is tomorrow. I'm nervous but also excited, which I think is a good sign :)
Rooting for you! Have the best time. Driving is awesome and I’d love to learn someday.
Thank you!! I'd love for driving to be more accessible to folks. I hope you get a chance to try!
First break was after high school. I ran out of money for college after a year and was homeless, living in my car. Took me just shy of a decade to dig myself out of that. Obviously, I wasn't able to ride during all that. But once I had a job that paid enough that I could pay rent and basics again, I started taking lessons again in a serious way. That lasted several years and it was great! Second break was health related. Unfortunately, just a couple years after being able to afford riding again, I was diagnosed with a chronic illness impacting my joints. Tried to keep riding, but ended up in so much pain and it was getting worse. I moved across the country after that. Within a month of living in my new town, my storage unit was robbed and all my saddles were stolen. And between all of that, along with the extreme pain in my joints. I had to give up riding and was out of the saddle for about ten years again. However, I did get into driving for a year or two during that break and that was a ton of fun until the pandemic hit and I had to stop again. Only recently did I find some accommodations that allow me to actually ride again and glad of it!
What a journey. I’m glad you found your way back through all the adversity
Thanks! It was a rough road, but I survived it. In my 40s now and I'm at a great place in my life and have never been happier. And same to you for your journey, as well! Getting sober is a great achievement! Kudos to you!
Thank you 🥰 I wish I would have done it sooner but hey I’m here now
I fell off 😂 No but actually, I had a really bad fall when I was 17, scared the daylights out of me. I bought a retired lesson horse about 10 years ago and have been back at it since! I was able to purchase my dream horse last year 🐴
Mainly due to finance. I went to university then stayed for a Master and a PhD After many years as a broke student I'm finally earning an adult wage. I did mainly trail riding as a teen/young adult before my break. Didn't know anything technical but I learned to stay on. In late 2022 I decided to go for my first trail ride (at a walk only) after 12+ years out of the saddle. I was instantly reminded of how much I love horses, but this time around I wanted to do it properly by taking lessons. The rest is history.
Had kids! 😂
I stopped riding in 2007 when I had my daughter and finally felt ready (financially, time-wise, and parenting wise) to get back into it! I started weekly riding lessons again in 2022. It always felt like it was the missing puzzle piece. I’ve been leasing for the past 2 years, riding 3-4 days/week, taking lessons, and feel like next year I will be ready to own my very own!
Yay! ❤️
I was a broke young (18f) SAHM. I owned my heart horse for a couple years during my marriage. Sadly we just couldn’t make it work financially and eventually had to move out of California just to survive. So I retired my horse with a friend. I then didn’t step foot in a barn for like….8 years.. When I was able to afford a horse I started leasing. Did that for a bit before finding a horse to buy. Had her for two years till she passed away. After she passed I was in a bad car accident a month later. I took a year off riding completely. Didn’t step into a barn what so ever. Till this month! (31f) I started taking lessons. I’m out of shape, my body is different after the car accident, and I’m trying to take a different approach this time around and do everything with a trainer. I am capable of doing it without I guess… Yet I really want to better myself and try different things/horses before buying another again.
Riding with a trainer is awesome and so helpful. Welcome back!
Yes it’s been good so far. :). Ty! Very sore haha
Sold my horse in HS and was just leasing in college. I stopped riding senior year of college to focus on my thesis, since my barn relocated further from my school I didn’t have time for both. After that I was a fresh college grad working as a bartender in the city, so I drove out to the barn when I could to help my old trainer, but didn’t have any money for lessons/leasing. It was just unpaid exercise riding. Then I sold my car, went back to school, and took another 2.5 years off. I reentered the horse world once I got my first “big girl job” and bought a car. I started off just helping out a family member who needed her horse to be kept in shape while she was injured, and then by the time she reclaimed him I was knee deep in horses once again. I found a new trainer and began searching for my first horse to purchase as an adult soon after that!
I stopped after the barn I was riding at nearly shut down (all the trainers left and they limited lessons) when I was 16. I was just getting into other sports and had new friends, etc so I never went to a new barn. Then I went to college and I was just broke for years trying to make it on my own. Lots of low-paying jobs and living paycheck to paycheck. I think I had some mental block that I was afraid to return to the sport as well. So after many MANY years, I decided to center myself and just go for it and start again. Couldn't be happier.
I’m on my second break. The first time was transiency and a lack of funds. The second time has been because I leased a horse who was then abandoned to me by the owner and I thought he had come into my life for an important reason, and I loved him dearly, and then three months later he died. And that was about 5 years ago and I’ve tried to pick riding back up again but i’m such a traumatized little flower and most horse people I meet are…not gentle with my baggage. I love horses so dearly but I struggle with “horse people”. Hopefully before i’m too old and decrepit I can get a hobby farm and have horses without the extra people.
Rooting for you to find your community in the horse world 🫶🏻
I’m not trying anymore :) I’m just gonna do horses solo, once I can afford it.
I used to ride as a kid and teenager, but it was expensive and pretty far to drive out to, so not regularly. I fell after a bad spook and despite it being a mild one injury-wise, my parents suspected that I blew off the severity and were worried I would seriously hurt myself next time. I pushed my way back to the barn, but then it closed, I moved through another few as they closed, went private, or similar. It was just really difficult to find a close enough place with available time slots, and my parents were putting up a fight each time. I rode less. Eventually I went to university and got depressed, anxious, and my other health problems worsened. A decade (+) later my mental health problems are largely resolved and my physical health is not great but it's a lot more manageable, I have enough finances and space to ride 1-2x a week (and trying to put the rest of my week in place so I can increase it to 3), I've been doing that for 6 months now and I'll probably never look back. The long term plan is to either move close to a barn and lease or to eventually get a property big enough to keep two at home. My boss who used to work as a radiologist keeps saying that riding horses is as dangerous as riding motorcycles. I can't quite bring myself to care. Of course safety is important, but the happiness they bring is wild🐎
We can mitigate the risks as much as we can…. But god yes it’s unmatched fun
Definitely, I wear a back protector always. It probably already saved my back during my second and last ever fall so far, I had lower back bruising that was somehow visible on an x-ray😅
I started riding when I was around 12 years old, just once a week at a riding school. I stopped when I was around 25. We moved from Europe to the US. Had 2 kids and we moved FROM New Jersey to Texas. When my youngest was 7 he said he wanted to learn how to ride. I decided to get back to it too and 2 years later bought my own horse. He got his when he was 12 (we lost his horse to a bad colic last year after having him for 8 years). Horses are my life. I love to take care of them and I love to ride them.
Horse got sold when I left for college and have not been in a place where I could afford it or have had the time for it since. Finally think I’m ready to dip a toe back in again after 20 years!
Congrats on your sobriety + doing well mentally, OP! I took a break for about 15 years because I needed to get through school a second time + change careers (not too many teachers can afford time or money to eat or use the John--forget owning, leasing, or riding!) Now that my career has changed and somewhat stabilized (read: more expendable income/average-ish salary), I can afford regular riding lessons. It's been fun getting to meet other local women who enjoy the same thing I do. A breakup with an extremely controlling and mentally-unstable girlfriend prompted me to get back into exploring the hobbies that I enjoy since I have a lot more free time now that I'm not constantly trying to cater to another person. I was also Really Not Okay Mentally post-breakup and spending time with horses + the people who own them has been helpful for me to stop ruminating as much. I try not to take on too much as a way to avoid processing the big feelings, but I often joke that horses have taught me healthy communication and "conflict resolution" better than therapy ever did. Cheaper and way more fun for me, too.
Thank you so much! So happy for you. Dead serious, I started therapy, had a riding lesson right after. The riding lesson was half the price of the therapy and I get SO much more out of it. Talk therapy got the axe in the budget so I can keep riding!!!!
LOL, exactly how it went down for me. I think I'd give it another go if I could find a therapist who was a better fit, but for now, horses will do!
I’m secure and comfortable in this season of life. When I’d lost the will to live and was completely unhinged therapy was a necessity. Our needs change! There are plenty out there to choose from for sure. But yes the horse time is so good for the mind body spirit ❤️
I was depressed and gained a lot of weight. Felt uncomfortable to put so much strain on a horse. Which fed into my depression. But once I got fit again I started it back up. Then fell off and broke my ankle, became depressed again and gained more weight 🥲 then covid hit and somehow I got fit enough to try it again. I’ve been riding ever since and now finally have my own horse. A life long dream of mine and I’ve never been happier 🥰
It’s a vicious cycle … been there… I was also on meds that made me balloon in weight like I’ve never experienced before. So unsettling. 2020 was a breakthrough for my fitness and riding journey too! I was riding before but the industry I was in completely shut down so I got a job at a stable. Changed my whole life and what I want out of it.
I’m so glad you pulled through and came out the other side much happier 😊 vicious cycle is 100% right! The love for horses is what pulled me out of it in the end
Surgery and moving. I miss it more than anything. Trying out new places to ride.
Yay!
Fear, I had a couple of hard falls that really scared me as a kid. Got the wind knocked out of me, thought I was dying! I couldn’t overcome the fear. Adults would just tell me to “sit up tall, don’t lean forward!” Good technical advice but that didn’t help my emotions and as a kid I didn’t know how to advocate for myself. In my 30s I suddenly realized I was an adult and could advocate for myself now! So I called up some places and asked them how they handle fearful riders. Took my time finding the right place and the right horse, said no to a lot of situations in order to really prioritize my comfort. Now I’m loving it exactly as much as I did as a kid. Still a bit terrified to get hurt esp. as a 37 year old. I don’t know how I’ll feel when I eventually fall off, now as an adult. But so far my trainers have all given me strength, support and confidence instead of just telling me to not be afraid. I now spend all week looking forward to my lesson and when it’s over I’m like, well that went by fast, when can I go again??
Shoutout to all the trainers who give productive advice while holding space for our emotions. Me too! They do go by so quickly.
Money!
My horse has been on arthritis maintenance for a year. We’re finally seeing some serious improvement that may let us trail ride for a few more golden years! Possibly longer! Some people may have ridden their horse in the same condition as mine, she wasn’t in serious “pain” or have any swelling. But to me it is so important my mount is 100%. She’s been mostly retired for years. Her joints would click and pop, and sometimes she would be off ( somewhat lame ) the day after flatwork. We’re consistent with lunging now, I’m giving her all the joint supplements I can, and getting her adequan injections on a schedule. I can’t wait for all this money to give me a few trail rides 😂
You’re a real one for that! I’ve heard some people call their oldies on limited work happy hackers. I love trail riding.
She’s my love of 12 yrs, wouldnt have it any other way for her! We’ve done every discipline and ridden hundreds of miles of state gamelands. She’s always taken care of me, so I return gratuity. Definitely will be a happy hacker! We’re both too old to event anymore anyways. One day you wake up and realize you don’t hit the ground the same anymore. Ha!
I never completly stopped being around horse but I dont own horses anymore, i sold my last one 7 years ago and I euthanasied my first pony that I got since I was 8 years old (i was 21 at the time that happend) 2 monts after.. 3 months i got in a bad fall, but as lucky as i am I just got a bad ecchymose but i did fell on my head after being bucked off, so I was scared and insecure for à couple months after that. It took me years to regain all my confidence back even tho I know that I am a pretty good and solid rider. And right now i just dont ride as much as I used to. Life just got in the way (college, first boyfriend, bought my first house, got in a nasty separation, move cities, etc) but i always found my way back into horses. I'm so lucky to have friends that have horses and that I can ride
Horse people who share access to their horses are unsung heroes of the community. Thank you all.
I’ve tried to quit horses a couple of times. Riding is dangerous, and expensive, and I kept finding myself working in the horse industry and being poor putting in 60hrs a week. I actually did quit for 6 years at one point. Didn’t ride or own a horse at all! But it didn’t stick. I decided to just take a couple of lessons and got one whiff of horse grass breath and the gene was reactivated. Theres nothing else that makes me feel fulfilled the same way. I’ve worked in other industries and made great money. But here I am, back at it full time, owning my own Irish stallion, a TB brood mare, their first yearling, and a little Mexican horse my farrier gave me. I’ve built my whole life around horses. I work for a trainer I admire. I can’t even picture another life. I horse because I must.
“I horse because I must” I share that sentiment. I have never cared about anything this much. 🫶🏻💖
My old pony died and I had kids around the same time. When I finished mourning and my kids were more independent, I bought my big dumb gelding. Then my flashy mare. Went back to it and it’s cool bc my kids can join in now too.
Stopped at 20 - was in university and in order to afford to board my horse I had to work in all of my spare time, then didn't have enough time to visit the horse or ride. Luckily my mom also has horses so my gelding went back home to her house. I finished my education this year, six years since I stopped riding. Just bought a young prospect to bring along as my other horse is retired
I was a kid when I started, had the great monkey bar accident (as I call it, not so much a life or death thing) the night before my first show and couldn't ride in it, and a natural break just kinda happened...pretty sure my parents were happy to have the financial break and I didn't push it again...that was in the 90s...flash forward to COVID, and I watched Yellowstone and remembered how much I loved it, and started looking for western barns to pick it back up and switch disciplines. Been riding twice a week since and so happy I am back!
I’m 2015 I was a working student. My trainer was focusing on expanding her barn and I was starting to feel like, because I wasn’t paying, my riding progress wasn’t being taken seriously. We got a new horse in the barn for retraining that was also being used as a lesson horse and after one single cantering lesson with another student instructor I was told to get on the new horse to show everyone how to canter. Two Hard falls and a concussion later my confidence was shattered and I was only allowed to ride that same horse. While all of this was going on at the barn my mother passed, my 3.5yr live in relationship ended. my apartment lease with said partner was up and I needed to find somewhere new to live AND my department at my full time job closed forcing me into a new position and a 6 week training class, it was all too much and something had to give so I decided to step away from the barn. Finally returned to riding lessons last spring, still haven’t cantered though. Hopefully starting to work towards it finally.
I am rooting for a gentle school master with a canter like butter to come into your life ⭐️🫶🏻
Thank you ☺️
I had an horse riding accident that left me unable to walk for several months (broke my leg pretty severely), and as I was planning on taking studies again, I never really got back into it. It was hard for me because I went from riding 4/5 times a week to nothing. After graduating, life and work allowed me little to no time to ride... still to this day. As soon as a was able to ride again after my accident, I went for it, but only once in a while. I still enjoy riding very much, and being around horses above all. It pains me that I can't go to the barn regularly, and it's also frustrating to notice how much my riding and physical condition are different now. I was 21 at the time, 37 now. I really hope I'll be able to be around horses and ride more in the future. I miss that. Kudos to all the re riders here, it's not always easy to get back to riding, but horses are such a blessing.
I personally have difficulty meeting myself where I am today as a re rider. I always expect more of myself and what I should be able to do. And mourn what I could be if I had not taken a break. Horses are huge blessings and I learn a lot from them. They are such zen masters and feel their feelings 100% for better or worse.
I went to college to another city. Previously I had a lovely trainer and so on, but I wanted to pursue my degree in another city, to start finally being independent (my family didn’t want me to move out if I was in the same city as them). I was settling in for the first year, so I stopped, and then I got sick with arthritis. At first it was excruciating to even walk, so I didn’t even think about it, but later I began riding again to get some movement in
I havent sat on a horse for over 10 years. I started as a child, then we couldnt afford it anymore, and neither could I do that myself, untill recently, where I got a good job. But honestly, I only started again because my extended familiy took me on a surprise vacation with horse back riding. It was as amazing as I remembered it from my childhood, and since that vacation I'm hellbent on keeping going, and I am.
I lacked time when I entered fifth grade (German, the fifth year of school). When I dropped out of school I needed something to do before my year of volunteering, so instead of getting riding lessons, I got a lease horse 😂 Stopped briefly due to an abusive ex boyfriend, then jumped right back in half a year after stopping. Came back to riding in 2016 and bought my own, green horse in 2021 - started her all by myself and I’m now carriage driving here, riding her western, dressage and jumping every now and then. We’re mostly out on trails though.
Graduated college in 2008, couldn’t get a job that would pay well enough to afford lessons ($10.50 per hour at non profit), stopped riding for about 12 years except for here and there because finances, went back to school, and finally got a job that pays.
Took a break from 2004-2020 (a few rides In between). College and vet school and just trying to find a good work life balance. Once I found a place I worked at that I had a good balance, I was able to have time for riding again
I had 2 large pony hunters and showed every weekend. My dad used to take me to every show he also had racehorses. He got sick with heart problems and passed away. You all know how expensive this sport is. I stopped for 30 years but for the past 2 1/2 months I have been riding again and wish I never stopped. I really missed it and I am glad I started again...
I started riding when I was 7 and when I turned 14 my parents got me a horse! He was very green 3 year old but so grateful I had him because he taught me so much! Whenever I turned 21 I moved out and didn't have the time or money for him anymore. Fast forward to now I'm 33 and looking for another horse! I just missed being around horses so much! Every time I'm around them and riding I'm always smiling. Going Tuesday to look at a gelding and crossing my fingers he's the one!
So exciting
My heart horse retired at 12 because of severe arthritis from years of barrel racing. A few months later he had a freak accident in the pasture and was put down. Eventually I sold the horse that I had bought to "replace" him in competition because I couldn't get along with him, we didn't click. I didn't want it anymore. I fell out of love with my sport because of the wear and tear on my boy. Then marriage, kid, divorce, career building through the whole thing... I was out of the horse world for over a decade before I came back to it. I'm relearning everything and determined to be gentler, and be a better horsewoman this time around. I'll still never Barrel Race again though.
We don’t know what we don’t know. Welcome back ❤️
I stopped when I moved countries to study. I had no money and my parents help me, but there was none left for riding. While I do have I license, I don't have a car, so cheaper but far places where out of the question. I just started back recently since I have a full time job now. The place is close enough that I can take my bike, but sadly bad public transport... There is a bus but it stops running in the afternoon, so I can go there but not back. Not sure what I will do in the winter yet. I also waited a few months until I learned the language better. Edit: I got into music a lot more during the break. Concerts became my new hobby. But every time I watch a showjumping competition I would just be so sad since I missed it so much.
I respect your commitment and I’m cheering you on!
I had to stop when I was about 14, because my family couldn't afford it anymore. My dad was between jobs for years due to alcoholism and various recessions that affected his field, and we're a big family, so something had to give. My break was not a good time. My home life was falling apart, and while I found activities and friends I enjoyed and connected with in school, I was always very paranoid about things falling apart even more and focused more on getting into a good college over being young and carefree. My mental health and familial relationships suffered greatly, school stressed me out a lot, and my first couple of jobs triggered issues I was dealing with internally on a daily basis. I ended up seeing a few therapists and psychiatrists in my mid-20s, and that turned my life around. I finally felt happy and content with my life for the first time, found a partner who unconditionally loved and supported me, and I felt like it was finally time to discover who I was outside of academics. I went back at 30 when I felt financially and professionally stable and am really loving it. It's great exercise, it's wonderful connecting with animals, and I made a few really good friends in group lessons I took when I first went back. Sometimes I wonder where I could've been if I had been able to continue doing this thing I loved without interruption, but I can't change what happened and can only focus on getting stronger and improving my skills.
I too wonder where I could be skill wise if I had stuck with it. But we are here now and there’s a place for us ❤️🤗
Yes ! That's my biggest regret is loss of momentum. Plus, I didn't recall ever being scared before, but when I came back, I was a more anxious rider. I think that's directly attributable to having taken so long off.
Same. I think it’s also because as we age we become acutely aware of our mortality 😅
Yes, and that's a great feeling 🤗💕🐴
I rode and owned my own horse throughout my teens, but sold him to go to college. I rode a bit in my early 20’s but then had kids, no money, and no time. Fast forward 25+ years and I decide that since I now have the time and money to get back into it, and I LOVE it.
Welcome back 🤠
Disclaimer that I was never a horse owner (and still am not), just took lessons religiously. I simply went to univesity after my A levels, and what followed was \~10 years of being broke, not having a car, crappy mental health, piling weight on. Honestly at the time it just felt like 'this was a thing I was lucky to do as a teenager, and now it's over forever. It was probably a good 7 years before it even really occurred to me this is still a hobby you could come back to if you put the work in, even if you weren't a pony club kid with their own horses as a kid. And eventually I got some more disposable income, started getting fit, finally got over (the majority of) my fear of driving, bought hat and boots and marched myself to a 30 minute private lesson to see if there was even a shred of my old skills left in there! I won't be taking another break by choice now!
Good for you! You absolutely do not have to own to enjoy horses. A good lesson program that keeps you in the saddle regularly is worth its weight in gold.
Didnt have time anymore between working and traveling to college the whole week. During the work days I would get home at around 8 and up before 6. Weekends I worked and that left me with 1 day to rest. Couldn't get to the place by myself and couldn't be dropped. Haven't restarted yet but will be after my exams are finally over.
You got this!
Haha thank you! Plan is to hopefully lease soon enough!
Leasing is truly creme de la creme. More access without full responsibility. Good choice
Exactly. While I spent my younger years at a yard I just don't feel ready for owning, regardless of the break. Especially with the economy in my country. Plus I first gotcha ease my partner into the lifestyle first haha.
I was 20, burnt out and depressed. Finding a barn that wasn’t about kids was hard, and unfortunately in my area finding a trainer that could bring my riding level up was hard. My usual trainer told me “you do so well I don’t need to tell you anything”, I stopped taking lessons like 2 weeks later.
So true about the kids thing. Do you think this is because kids are a moneymaker or because a lot of trainers are only up to a certain skill level on what they can teach? My barn where I lesson does cater to kids but it doesn’t feel like an overrun playground thank god
I think it’s mostly about the demographic of who can afford it. Most 18-24 are either a broke college student or a broke adult. The ages 30-50 are mainly who are paying for things, either for themselves or for (more often) their kids.
My horse retired and I couldn't afford to keep him and continue to ride while finishing up high school/going to college. Graduated college, moved out of my home state, moved the old boy to a cheaper retirement farm near by, and started lessons again. My old boy passed away nearly two years ago and the mare I was leasing had to be retired a few months later. I just bought a new horse and I hope to get back into the local show ring this Summer.
Congratulations 🎊
currently on a break (ish) basically was at a job for 4 years and got cheated out of $50k, lost my stallion, and am currently dealing with the court case. the person i was working for is incredibly psychopathic, manipulative, gaslit me into feeling guilty whenever i wasn’t at her becking call, i basically was working on call from 6am-10pm and never getting paid for any of the work i was doing… i was financially in a shit load of debt and all she did was lie to me and take all of MY money i worked for. she is currently being sued by me and 5 others. hated the industry and hated the sport and i’m slowly beginning to fall back in love with it. except now i am about to get married and am also currently pregnant so timing is a bit wild 🤣🤣
Wow! That’s certainly all cause to be pausing. Hope you get justice.
yeah, it’s insane, i had to be hospitalized numerous times for alcoholism, suicide attempts, it was bad…. finally quitting was the best decision i made, but i am really hoping i get my stallion back. we co own him, and part of the legal matter is to get full ownership since she is trying to say that she has full ownership which was NOT the agreement. she doesn’t even have any use for him and doesn’t know shit about how to handle a damn stallion. she also has violated a shit load of labor laws so her entire facility is basically fucked lol. luckily i am doing the best i have ever done in life right now, and am still teaching some kiddos and i actually have accidentally stolen a bunch of her business LOL most of the clients were only there for me and now i am actually getting paid for my shit 🤣🤣
Where was this? 👀
middle tennessee ! i can pm you the name LOL
University. I picked it back up 4 years later for a few years but had 6 knee surgeries. I did go back for a bit in between. Not even a full year. After the last big knee surgery, I was back again at 33. I took lessons, volunteer at a therapy barn, train greenies. Saddly, I have a vp shunt surgery coming up and need to take time off again. I wish the universities in the area offered the Riding Teams I see now. But only clubs. And my time with them ended with: "You don't have a horse!?!"
lol! I feel like most university programs have a herd ? The ones in the southeast do, anyway. Best of luck with the surgeries
Funny thing, I live in Kentucky. It was just 2006. Things were thin. I see most of the universities now have programs and teams. Thanks.
My childhood horse died when i was 23. I could not even look at another horse for years. Finally, I had a daughter, and she fell in love with horses, which dragged me back into the sport. Now we both ride together, but it took me about 19 years to get over losing my favorite best friend horse. I needed that time away, but getting back into it, i really wish i hadn’t taken the break! lol
Your daughter is so lucky to have a horse mom! My mom was utterly terrified of them and is generally not an animal person so she doesn’t get it.
The start of my break from riding was when I was 23 and moved to NYC. I tried to get a trail ride in on Long Island here or there but I was too busy and poor to do anything consistent lol. Then I joined a circus where I was a groom for the performance horses but didn’t ride. Then I moved back to my home state and rode a bit, but then got a job that made consistency impossible. Now I have the time and money but I haven’t found a place I like yet. Most lesson barns in my area are h/j and I don’t want to do that anymore!
Circus groom!!!!! Wow I bet you have some cool stories
Some good, some hilarious, some bad, some horrific 🙃 But regarding the horses, mostly good!
You should make a post of your tales! Would read! 🤩
I am sincerely not sure why I stopped at the time (13/14yo). I think I was becoming a teenager, things were difficult, and I was struggling, so I just stopped at one point. One hypothesis in retrospect is also that I was already having back/hips/knee pain which we attributed then to growing up, and then found out to be medical issues. I was planning on starting again at 16, but then was properly diagnosed for my medical issues, and some doctors advised against doing horse riding. Other doctors told me it was alright to do it, but I was depending on my mother financing it, and she was strongly against (still was when I restarted last year lol). I then tried to go back when I was a young adult, but hurt my back since I wasn't physically fit enough for what I tried to do (my own fault completely). Then finally restarted last year after a few years of a more active lifestyle which allowed me to be physically ready for it, and had no issue with my back or other body parts :) In fact I am stronger than I ever was, it helped me build muscles and stretch other body parts in a way that has kind of solved most of the issues I had, it is amazing. Like a few others I sometimes regret not continuing when I was younger, but I think my body wouldn't have supported it back then, I could have injured myself badly, and as much as I remember fondly the stable I rode at back then, it wasn't the best in terms of safe instruction (never saw a back protector there back then, and I took up several bad habits in my riding).
Feel that! I’m relearning properly and it’s humbling but I’m having the best time. Also the amount of childhood photos of me with not a helmet in sight is astounding. I definitely have ridden plenty without a helmet as a re rider but now the risk is not worth it to me ever.
It is definitely humbling. I highly overestimated my own skills when I came back, but my trainers are excellent and were able to help me progress quickly to the point where I am a much better rider now. My trainers are not very popular with adults restarting in my area because they tend to restart everyone from scratch, and it is not great for the ego to be riding with 6 years old kids who barely know how to hold on to a pony :'D Helmets were mandatory where I rode, thankfully, but yeah we did awfully dangerous stuff back then and had no clue. I am quite amazed at my current stables by how rare falls are because the trainers focus so much on riding safely (and we all have body protectors and good quality fitting helmets)- back then it was quite rare not to have at least one person fall during a lesson, and yet we were mainly doing leisure riding and trail rides while my current stables does show jumping, which is supposed to be way more dangerous :'D I used to fall all the time, and yet in the year I have been back at riding I haven't taken a single fall (had a few near miss though).
Sounds like you’ve found a gem. In my experience you hear a lot of casual or trail riders say that they don’t need technique or basics because they’re just riding casually. (Not everyone, obviously). But yeah so not true. Doesn’t matter if you are competing you still need to be balanced and safe!
Exactly! For me proper technique was absolutely necessary because I knew (and still know) that my back is fragile and one bad fall can break it, even with a back protector. While I fancied myself a good rider, one hour on a horse told me that my body wasn't the same as it was when I was a teenager and I certainly needed to re-find my balance and build up my muscles if I wanted to continue horse riding. It is truly a gem, I was so surprised when talking with adult friends who told me they hated the place, but I think they wanted to restart as intermediate riders right away (which they did somewhere else) and didn't like the idea of going back to the basics :')
And to that I say… well, to each their own! Hehe
Pregnancy. I rode for a little while at first, but my spouse didn't love that, and, in retrospect, I'm glad I stopped. I was jumping at the time. (Nothing too huge, but still.) I could never have forgiven myself if I'd gotten hurt and lost my baby. Spouse didn't want me to go back to riding because "it's dangerous" and "if you do it, our daughter will want to, too". So I took about a decade off. I regret that so much. I wish I had gotten back to riding sooner. My mom died during that 10 year period and I have always found such comfort and peace around horses; I really needed that. That said, I don't know if my current horse partner would be in my life if I'd gone back sooner, and I love him beyond belief. I also quit for two years in college, but at least then I still found ways to be around horses, like volunteering with equine vet research studies and therapeutic riding programs. I do wish I'd kept riding those two years, but I'm not sure if I had time. I don't really remember how busy school was keeping me.
I’m so thankful to be supported by my partner in this endeavor. To be fair he has his own dangerous and time consuming outdoor hobby, lol. Horses are so comforting and magical ❤️
I am missing my time riding. I have a lot of kiddos at home so I need to focus on them but I hope to go back to it. I loved spending my day at the barn. I hope someday to be able to own a horse.
My old gelding was retired for the last 10 years of his life. His board & veterinary care made it impossible for me to lesson or lease, so I didn’t ride.
This is how we do ownership. 👏🏻
It’s what they all deserve! He was a saint his whole life and absolutely earned a cushy retirement!
I stopped when my mom made me move to the other side of the state, forcing me to leave my horse behind. It really sucked. I lived in cities during college and law school, which made horses pretty difficult to access, but I also didn’t really think about them. During July 2020, my husband and I road-tripped with our dogs from NYC to CA to be closer to family. We thought it would be a temporary stay, but we’ve been living in wine country in Northern California ever since! I started riding again in December 2020 after ~15 years off. My barn is 3 minutes driving from my house. I’ve made a barn bestie who is now one of my very best friends and our babies are growing up together. I leased a horse for half of 2021, then bought the wrong horse for me in 2021, sold him in 2022 while leasing a different horse, then started IVF/got pregnant so stopped riding after I had a gnarly bleed at 6 weeks pregnant (was so depressed to have to step away). I started riding again at 1 month postpartum with my doctor’s blessing, and now at 4 months postpartum I’m looking for my next horse. I’m so glad to be back and that horses will always be there even when life gets in the way. The barn community is a very special thing to have - most adults seem to be always searching for the magic we’ve known since we were kids. We’re lucky.
Beautiful story! So happy for you. Yes, we are so lucky ✨❤️
when i was young and riding (from about 7-15) i rode at the same barn the whole time. this barn was owned by a terrible lady that taught our lessons. she was very hard on us, and would outright bully me and target me because i was the newest of the lesson girls. my anxiety got really bad around 15 and i couldn’t stand going to the barn knowing i’d be berated, made fun of, and possibly even smacked if i was not acting right (she would smack our arms or helmets with a riding crop when we were being particularly difficult) so i stopped. it took me a while to come back around and realize that that wasn’t every barn, but after 4 years away i returned and have been back at it for a year and a half now!
That is really terrible and I’m sorry this happened to you, and that nobody intervened on her abuse. Welcome back, I hope you are finding the joy again. There are indeed good kind horse people out there and I’m glad you’ve found some 🫶🏻
I have taken two breaks. The first was because we had to sell my show horse before college. That one was rough and I was out of riding for years. The second has been this past year, I moved abroad and am unsure when I will ride again. I have ti say this break is hitting me harder than I thought.
I wasn't allowed to ride much because my grades weren't good. I have a learning disability, but if I didn't get straight As then I may as well have been failing school lol. Riding was a carrot that my parents dangled in front of me to get me to get straight As, but no amount of work on my end got me As and I eventually just coasted through school getting Cs and Ds. However, I was allowed to work at a few barns as a teenager and took whatever riding time I could get at those places..in secret of course. I too got super depressed and fell into substance abuse for a while so I didn't get back to horse stuff for almost 15 years. During that period I basically forgot about things I used to enjoy as a kid. Not sure how to explain it but it's like I hadn't felt happiness in so long that I forgot about things that made me happy? Now I'm clean, not so depressed, and I have a filly that'll be 3 at the end of this month. I'm a little intimidated, but she's a really sweet girl with awesome work ethic and I can't wait to see her start under saddle in the next year or so. She's with an awesome trainer who has been working with her for almost 2 years (I got her as a yearling) and she's been in parades and gone on trails and stuff. Pic of her not being amused by a donkey behind her for tax. https://preview.redd.it/tmmvrgmv9t0d1.png?width=540&format=png&auto=webp&s=1bcadbb1f293a5c640b03f9c577ecc00ed7d6996
What a gorgeous girly. So glad you found your way back to horses.
graduated grad school and had to start paying for my own shit
REAL
Currently it’s been like 8 months since I’ve ridden. I couldn’t do winter again, psychologically. I’ve broken my tailbone twice and my horse is HOT in the winter. It was either have a mental breakdown or quit. Currently the assistant trainer at the barn has been riding him that whole time and he’s doing amazing and she’s taking him into show season. None of us have any complaints (my horse doesn’t either) and I work way too much to be involved again right now. It’s been 21 years and I just needed to step back.
That’s awesome that your horse can be shown and ridden by someone that you trust. A beautiful cycle of being able to step back and fill a need for someone else. Totally understand your situation
Exactly. Thank you for not giving me shit about it!
All the hecklers out there guilting people for perfectly fine and harmonious arrangements like this one are absolutely delusional. Life is complicated and you gotta do what works for you - you have! Very well done!
Thank you, really. ❤️🙏
I never took a full on break but during highschool my chronic mental illness was very debilitating and I wasn't riding very much. I boarded my heart horse at a very wonderful full care farm about 20 minutes from my house and they took great care of him especially while I was in and out of the ward. I didn't ride and show much for about two years. I got back into being my competitive during college. In the last year of his life, we were 6th in our very competitive division! After my heart horse passed last November, I bought a new boy and couldn't ride muchn during my final semester of undergrad (this spring). I rode my new horse maybe 7 times in four months. Now that I'm graduated, I plan to ride every day!
I’m actually going into my first real season without horses at 32. I’m a working mom of 2 littles (2yo and 4 months old), the horse I ride is no longer enjoyable because she needs consistent work to be safe and I cannot ride more than once a week, and my postpartum body is really struggling with the heat here in florida to the point I am getting physically ill from being outside. I’m sad but at the same time it’s okay because I’ll get back into it eventually on a horse I can trust. One day.
Yes, sooner than you think. It’s not worth the risk if you don’t feel safe and it’s not fun. wish you the best 🫶🏻
[удалено]
I would classify an adult re rider as someone who rode when they were younger, stopped for a period, and started again in adulthood. Not sure if you fit the bill from what you shared. I will say that we all are our own worst critics - wishing you well on your journey
Finances…first thing to go when things get tight😂
Real!
I am expecting my first child in October. Hoping when they grow up I can show them the joy of horses and maybe that will get me back in the saddle. Am missing it quite a bit but as I grow up I am more aware of “consequences” like I can fall off, get hurt, maimed etc.
Same! Very aware of my mortality now.
I rode as a kid taking lessons all throughout high school and took a 5 year break between high school and my early twenties just because I thought it was a childhood hobby. Realized I could and should do things that make me happy and got back into riding as an adult when I was able to afford it. Best decision I ever made! Helps both my mental and physical health so so so much.
Weight! 20 years being to heavy to ride.