socializing versus horses

[quietann]

I went to a party last night, after many hours spent at the Groton House 3-phase horse trials. I was pretty wiped, but the party was nice -- not terribly crowded, thanks to the n-zillion other social things going on, and quiet enough for actual socializing.

But somewhere along the way it hit me that I have been making much less effort to get out and be social, yet I'm not suffering (too much) from the "left out" feelings, the idea that there's this huge wonderful Camberville social network to which I am no more than a flea. It just doesn't matter.

Instead, I am riding horses. And it's much, much better for me, a strong introvert, than trying to keep up in an extrovert's game. Ben worries a bit about how much time horses are taking, but I worry less, and am finding that everything else in my life is shifting to accommodate.

Will I ever own a horse? I really don't know. We have enough land to keep a horse, but no place to ride it, so I'd still have to board it somewhere. Horses are expensive to buy and even more expensive to maintain. Right now, I can't justify the expense; we are in good shape financially but there is no room in the budget for an expensive hobby. I may, at some point, get a "half-lease" on a horse, basically an arrangement that allows me a certain amount of riding time on a specific horse owned by someone else, in return for some hundreds of dollars per month. For the time being, I am riding Minnie and getting lessons from J on a barter arrangement, and in the fall I'll go back to Windrush and pay for lessons again.

I was going to add my impressions of the horse trials, but we are going out to be social, and Ben is anxious to get going.

Comments

[donnad.livejournal.com]

It was good to see you last night especially looking so happy and relaxed.

[rubynye.livejournal.com]

I have some small idea of what you mean. (And I read your horse riding posts, even though I don't have much to say in response.)

*hugs you warmly*

Horse poor

[sarahshevett.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on the horse ownership. I just can't afford it. Not that I couldn't, but I am feeding 30 goats on less than it would cost me to keep one horse. And the goats do make money ( occasionally). Horses are pure expense.

At the present I am spending 120.00 per month for my riding habit (habit! get it? oh, geez...). I could, as you said, keep a horse here at our place, but I'd then also need a trailer and a bigger truck to pull it. That's a whole lotta expense.

I have thought about a lease as well, that's a good option.
But horses have NO practicality, and I'm a pretty practical person. Even the 30.00 per lesson grates at me. I mean, that's a pure pleasure/ passion/ emotion expense.

And the dealing with people and their horses? Well, horse people are NUTS. I have decided it's because they are pure emotion. People have horses because they love them. No other reason. And with that reason for such huge expenses, you get some pretty crazy people to deal with in some irrational situations.

It was great having my own horses when Daddy was paying for everything. And there was a time not too long ago when I had lots of pasture and a trailer.
But I was a cowboy and I actually got paid for having my horse; we had a job.

Maybe it's that I'm getting older and the expense is just not justified.

Re: Horse poor

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

well....stjarni does more or less pay for himself, what with the teaching. but i *like* teaching; it's certainly not for everybody, though.

Re: Horse poor

[quietann.livejournal.com]

Ah, consider yourself lucky you don't live where I do; group lessons start at about $40/hour and go up from there; I pay Windrush about $55/hour, though some of that goes to the charitable cause of supporting their therapeutic riding program. Right now, the biggest expense for me is just gas for my car, since Minnie lives 30 miles away.

My parents never had the money to pay for a horse for me, so in a way it's easier because I never *have* had my own horse.

My new post (about the three-phase) will have a certain amount of reflection on crazy horse people.

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

. i'm an extrovert. i still like horses better than people, by and large, and they are certainly better *for* me. esp. stjarni.

. i am now a bit recommender of not buying a horse until you have to, which is to say that the horse you want is RIGHT THERE AND FOR SALE. plenty of nice horses you can ride without owning in the meanwhile.

. today in sociable camberville i, personally, am deck-sealing one of my back porches.

. a half-lease at my current barn is $220/month, just so you know (three days/week).

[quietann.livejournal.com]

I just feel so relieved to care so much less about all that social stuff that used to bother me.

As for point two... well, look, if Windrush had to sell Guiness for some reason, and they asked me if I want him, I would So Be There. I would find a way! (And this is in spite of his Issues; I am not even sure he can be trail ridden safely because he's so sensitive to noises, though I suspect he'd do fine as long as there were other horses along.)

For now, I have Minnie to ride, but at some point I *will* have to look elsewhere, because she's old, and no one really knows how long she'll stay sound. I hope I don't have to look elsewhere for a long time, but knowing that half-leases are available makes me feel better.

I may try to bump up my riding to three times per week in the fall, one lesson and two rides on Minnie, simply because Minnie is so much happier being ridden regularly.

[cogitationitis.livejournal.com]

My friend leslieturek once co-owned a horse, and is currently riding. If you're serious, you should talk to her; she can at least give you pointers. (She lives in H2Otown.)