More interested in lunging than riding

newforest

newforest

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Mar 15, 2008
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I am not going to beat myself up because I would rather be leading and lunging than riding.
I have just discovered some ditches to play around with, it's still really hard in places off road and it's the school holidays.
We are at the "thanks for letting me know there are people going by", I do need to glance because dogs are often off the lead, we have a correcting sound if they are a quarter of a mile away! We don't need to know about those šŸ˜‚

Anyone not interested in being on board right now?
It's not the end of the world.
It's just how I feel at the moment.
 
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Me, I havenā€™t ridden for about three weeks now, Iā€™ve no desire at all, happy to just bring her in and groom and fuss.
 
I wonder if the weather has wiped me out a bit and I have got out of the routine.
I think though when the schools go back out will be less busy here and I can slot back into my Autumn routes.
 
As long as you're both happy it doesn't matter if you ride or not :)

I primarily have a horse to ride so still riding most days. Although I do groundwork, I would chose to ride most of the time all being equal.
 
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I don't ride anymore.
I haven't told anyone about it really.
I just don't want to have to take valium and cocodamol after every time I ride. I guess my back has finally made the decision for me.
And I look after 11 horses/ponies so I have all the best bits - being loved, nose kisses and appreciated while I run around like their unpaid slave.

I don't miss riding. There, I've said it.
I enjoy having my animals.

Riding was fun, but painkillers are not.

So you do whatever you want and enjoy that.
 
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I miss the riding and the driving. In the winter my go to with chunky was a quick lunge in the paddock even in the dark field, just to keep him ticking over. Billy never really took to lunging. Now i dont even lunge.

I have gone back to walking the boys out in hand this week. What with haymaking, the hot weather, chunky being lame and when i did walk them out they were grabbing the grass off the roadside, i had rope burn a few times so i lost my mojo.
Ive got to get billy back walking. Billys feet have grown hoof in the last 6 weeks. Farrier didnt want to trim his feet and said get him walking and he'll soon break off and self trim them back down. So it now gives me the incentive to get them back in hand walking. It kills me though, no actually it doesnt kill me, im just getting lazy and unfit. I would rather be riding.
 
This thread must have mentally kicked me up the bum!

I am happy as we are and we enjoy what we do, but I am aware she's carrying too much cargo.
That said the girth hasn't changed.

Funnily enough, I got to the field and I felt like grabbing the saddle.
We just went round the block but I feel better for having done it.
It's our winter route but it was cool enough to do._20220819_170009.JPG
 
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chunky monkey said:
I miss the riding and the driving. In the winter my go to with chunky was a quick lunge in the paddock even in the dark field, just to keep him ticking over. Billy never really took to lunging. Now i dont even lunge.

I have gone back to walking the boys out in hand this week. What with haymaking, the hot weather, chunky being lame and when i did walk them out they were grabbing the grass off the roadside, i had rope burn a few times so i lost my mojo.
Ive got to get billy back walking. Billys feet have grown hoof in the last 6 weeks. Farrier didnt want to trim his feet and said get him walking and he'll soon break off and self trim them back down. So it now gives me the incentive to get them back in hand walking. It kills me though, no actually it doesnt kill me, im just getting lazy and unfit. I would rather be riding.
Click to expand...
Mine would pinch things out of hedge. Okay she would almost get the whole hedge in!
So we popped on a drop noseband suggested by @carthorse and it means she be asked not to with a touch of the rein and she won't, as oppose to her already having her mouth wide open to evade.
 
Iā€™m struggling a bit to ride, when Jess retired I missed it terribly, but i guess Iā€™ve learnt to be content with doing all the other stuff, and now I have Niko to ride Iā€™m not massively motivated to šŸ¤¦ā€ā™€ļø

I do also have a new, very stressful job, shifts and it has been silly hot, thereā€™s definitely more to it than just not wanting to ride.
 
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I figure that as long as Belle is happy, well cared for and very much loved who cares, she doesnā€™t thatā€™s for sure, I have the option to ride my friends lovely 6 yr old who is a joy to ride but Iā€™m just not feeling as though I want to.
I am actually blaming the weather but I generally think Iā€™ve just lost the riding love.

@Frances144 im sending you some huge virtual hugs, I watched my wonderful Mum live with crippling pain and like you she was one tough cookie and tried very hard to hide it and carry on as normal, but I saw the agony she tried to hide and it must be so bloody hard coping every day with that. One the plus side, like you said, all those gorgeous noses to kiss and all that love they give is a blessing.
 
Yes I haven't ridden in a few years now, sometimes I miss it so much but generally I'm not too bothered. Horses are still a huge part of my life and I get so much joy from Ale and all the others. I just try and be thankful for what I do have and not worry too much about it or what others are doing.
 
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We've got much needed rain.
So hopefully that will soften the ground.

I do love my on the ground walks though, so maybe on a nice day I can set off for a picnic.
 
I never ride as much as I think I should be to keep Sid fit, but my livery mates tell me that I am riding more than I ever have so that must be good!

I think more riding is partly because I am now working only 3 days a week without loads of admin and worry, and also that I have a gorgeous cob who likes going out and is a hoot to ride. I feel very lucky!
 
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Theres only one way to check how much you go out and that to write it on a calendar. I did this for several years and i can honestly say its a surprise how much or little you do.

I used to find that sometimes id go 10 days with no riding then there would be 10 days back to back riding. I used to record if it was a lunge, drive or ride.
If i rode id also record a rough time i was out for. Again thats surprising to.
 
I had a routine at the last place, this one I haven't yet. Been here two years, first one selling, exploring, this one enjoying the explored.

In summer she was exercised six days a week, dropping to three over winter, last place.
To lunge or longrein here its a mile walk before you start, but that's the warm up and cool off sorted.
Though I have my new saddle pad thing to throw on to ride down which does make a difference.

I did needed to do chores today, will see if can buy motivation in a bottle tomorrow.
I always enjoy looking after her, being with her and just doing nothing but watching.
So I am just having a wee break.
The diary idea I used to do and that's a great idea, it might also remind me of something to do.

I am missing polework and jumping, so need to resolve this. My field isn't suitable/not allowed to exercise on it.
(Miffed ss others can use their field) I know grass is always greener, it's not but it's got jumps in it. šŸ˜‚ šŸ¤£
I wish they did self inflating poles I could take out with me, but she would probably spook at it. šŸ˜‚
 
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chunky monkey said:
Theres only one way to check how much you go out and that to write it on a calendar. I did this for several years and i can honestly say its a surprise how much or little you do.

I used to find that sometimes id go 10 days with no riding then there would be 10 days back to back riding. I used to record if it was a lunge, drive or ride.
If i rode id also record a rough time i was out for. Again thats surprising to.
Click to expand...

This is why I use Equilab as you can not only see how often you ride but how far, average speeds etc.

It's been great for me as over winter I might not necessarily be able to increase distance so easily but if I know I'm building on our average speed, I can still see our training progressing so keeps motivation up even on those freezing cold and wet rides!
 
I took her out off road longreining to explore the paths more.
There are four not including using the verges.

Then had a lovely ride over the route we walked a few days ago.
She was happy to give some trot as the ground has softened and we are becoming more confident with the ditches, dips, drops, holes, rocks, sign posts etc.
Thinking back to me tripping into a sandy dip and her tripping over a mound of grass, we've come along way- follow the sheep

It was breezy DSC_1482.JPG
 
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