Journey As A Rider

Courtesy of "In Omnia Paratus" (http://liz-stout.blogspot.com/)

Do you define yourself as a rider by your goals or ambitions? Are they inextricably linked to your specific horse? Or maybe instead, your preferred means of deriving enjoyment are defined by the horse you have currently? 

A little bit yes and a little bit no.  I definitely have goals and ambitions and they are 100% part of what gets me out to the barn 5-6 days/week.  As a person, I enjoy having things to work toward.  As a rider, I enjoy the training process of slowly seeing improvements.  All of these things motivate me.

  

But as a horsewoman overall, I enjoy being with horses for the sake of the horses.  When I retired Fred we had no goals but I still enjoyed just going out and being with him.  I love just hanging out with my horse/s; it's probably the biggest thing that I miss being at a boarding barn.  I still do hang out with Mort, but not nearly as much as I did when I was growing up with my horses in the back yard.  I can't wait to be able to do it again someday when we get a place.  

Have you had to make decisions about buying or selling a horse based on its suitability for your goals or purposes?

I have only parted ways with two horses who belonged to me.  Coin and I were not a match on a personality level.  He wasn't a horse who was really interested in being with people and I was too young (13?) to enjoy a horse like that.  I had him for 18 months before I came to that decision.  He was athletic and could have probably been a really nice little dressage horse for me, but it comes back to wanting to be with the horse.  Luke and I parted ways when I went to college.  He was young and athletic and deserved more than just sitting in the pasture.  

Mort isn't exactly built for dressage but I enjoy him.  I know that my current goals are set up for his limitations (to compete through third but continue training him as long as he's happy).  I don't plan on selling him in spite of us most likely not being competitive in the upper levels someday.  If he were not mentally suited for the training at all; maybe then we'd be talking.  Or maybe then I'd switch up my goals.  I've honestly not been put in the position because while I'm competitive, I'm not so competitive that it takes a really fancy horse to satisfy my desires.   

Do you feel like there's something bigger out there, something more overarching in your own journey as a rider, independent of the horses that may come in and out of your life? Or maybe you feel the opposite - that it's less about striving forever for something, and more about enjoying each good moment as it comes?

I feel like this sorta falls back into defining myself as a rider.  I do want to get better and I have a few pipe dream type goals that involve getting all my medals someday.  In reality though, I think it's mostly about the good moments and the fun horses for me.  Those powerful rides in the arena where you and your horse are on the same page every step of the ride.  Those adventurous trail rides that help satisfy some of my wanderlust.  Those quiet moments when your horse takes time from his grazing to come over and bother you while you're reading in the pasture enjoying the weather.  Life is but a string of moments; you might as well try to surround yourself with good horses and good people to make sure the good moments outnumber the bad.  

Have your opinions or thoughts on this matter had to change over time due to different circumstances? Or maybe you've never actually thought particularly deeply about it at all? 

I'll admit I don't usually think deeply about why I define myself as a horsewoman.  My story is like many others'.--I can always remember wanting to be around these awesome animals.  Before I knew the first thing about riding, training, or scooping poop it was just being near a horse.  

When I was younger I for sure had more dreams and goals (and was naive enough to not know how far away from them being real I was).  As I said above, I still do--near and far, realistic and dreamer-type.  The more I live the further I feel from some of these dreams, but the more time I spend with horses the more determined I am to continue to do so in some way for as long as I can.  

I've always wondered what keeps a person in the industry versus falling out of it when they go to college or get rid of a certain horse.  Maybe it's the difference between people who got into it for the horses or for the glory.  Maybe the ones who stick around do so because it doesn't require success for us to enjoy the horse.  I think that to want to stick with this crazy and expensive industry it has to be about enjoying the horses for the sake of horses.  That doesn't have to be the only enjoyment; it isn't for me, but it should boil down easily enough.  

On the other hand, maybe I think that just because it's what keeps bringing me back.