Please talk me out of this

[Teslaedison]

A few days ago I went riding for the first time in 14 years and it was brill. The canter just took me back to my Pony Club days

I really don't want a horse (but I do!) do I?

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

You know you don't want to buy a horse right now don'tcha?

What you DO want is more horse-riding.
Different horses - the good obedient ones and the narky little blighters that make you work every second.

Then go on a week long riding holiday (the ones that take your luggage to the next stop off, and you settle your horse, have a bath and dinner then sleep) in some gorgeous countryside.

Give it the summer , the lovely Autumn and the winter (all the layers and gloves) then the mud of spring.
Then decide.

I've not ridden a horse since I was early thirties (I'm 49 now) but I had done from probably 12yo.
I keep musing about a loan horse (something tall and steady) a couple of days a week.
But my old carcass wouldn't thank me.

[Enchufla]

No you dont want a horse...yet. give it a year or so of riding and gaining experience then look. I almost bought a horse a few years ago...maybe look for a share instead

[Greyhorses]

I have just sold my horse. I found it very hard work to be honest and in the end just got sick of the stress and worrying about the horse...his health, having no time, that he wasn't getting enough attention or wasn't being ridden enough, the livery yard know it all plus the amounts of money I chucked at him. It didn't help my horse was mis-sold and was very naughty and I spent years worrying about his behaviour.

I am having the winter off and then will decide again if it's worth it.

Maybe a part loan is the way to go so you get a feel of what it's really like, then times the worrying by 100 and decide if it's worth it

[PipAndPosey]

Don't do it! I got back into riding in my late twenties (having ridden from age 10 to 17) and stupidly bought what I THOUGHT was a very safe sensible cob. I couldn't really afford it and he ended up almost costing me my life when he threw me off in the middle of a forest and I broke my femur in two!

[Gabilan]

Horse ownership is the reason I'll never own a house or have a decent private pension. People think horse owners are rich but many of us aren't, mainly because we effectively pour our salaries onto the muck heap.

But my horse is also the reason I get up in the morning and the reason my clinical depression is by and large under control. Wait, take your time, do some more riding. If you do decide to buy one, take a hard-headed, practical person along with you. Get something sensible you can have fun with.

[honeyroar]

I came back to riding after a 10yr break. I had a good few lessons over a few months then bought my horse. Then another. Then two ponies! Nowadays we just have two.

So many people advertise for help/sharers you can have a lot of the experience without the expense of owning until you've really decided.

[Velociraptor]

What they all said! Enjoy it but take it slowly. I got a loan horse after a 4 year break, who turned out to be way too much for me, and chucked me off numerous times until my confidence was in tatters. He went back, and I chose my next horse a lot more carefully, with the benefit of hard won experience, and since then I have loved every second.

[Wolfiefan]

Ride lots.
Some riding centres allow you to do a loan/share agreement on one of their horses.
Save madly for vet bills.
Dream of the future. poo picking in icy horizontal rain

[GillynMilly]

LOL!! Yes,why do we have them?! You can't beat it though really can you. However,sensible head on,agree with all above,go slow! There are loads of share opportunities now,this would also give chance to rule out what you don't want from a horse as well as what you do want! And definitely go through a year of seasons! It's all so easy and beautiful in the summer! You can never regret any contact with a horse though,amazing therapy. Don't say never,just not yet?!

[saintlyjimjams]

Go slowly. I went back to riding after a long break. I go to a great yard & ride all sorts. Riding lots of different horses has taught me so much - especially now I'm being let loose on the 'better but sometimes tricky' ones.

At my riding stables we can do a joint riding/horse care lesson - might be worth looking for that. We do an hour of learning about things like tack/rules of freeding. Tack/untackled our horses & ride for an hour. It's fab :)