So I've been in a funk lately. 

I sold what I had bought as a dream horse in 2019.  She needed more than I had to give unfortunately and I wasn't interested in feeding something I couldn't ride. 

That sort of broke my riding spirit down.  

My old horse is 27 this year. In great shape, but I don't want to push my luck for the most part.   He's not ready to quit and every horse I've had that I've retired has gone down hill in a hurry.  But I also am being exceptionally selective on when and where he runs and I will see what spring brings as to if he'll get more towards retirement.  My other gelding is 20 and his legs aren't that great. 

I honestly don't know if I'll get another horse or not.  1/2 of me really, really wants another one to do what my plan was with the dream horse.  Train one on barrels myself. Fully train a started horse.   Dream horse was not even started when bought.  Dumb on my part.   Other 1/2 sees all of the money I could have if I didn't have horses. LOL

SO...what would you do? 

I have a lot of high dollar items that I'm hanging on to for 1/2 the sentimental value, but I sort of feel I should start selling stuff off.  PHT, I think 9 full sets of sport boots (sport boot fetish lol), bits, BOT.     

I just don't know what to do. 

Just my thoughts, But I wouldn't run a 27 year old, ride maybe but run, no.  The 20 year old sounds like a buddy to the 27 year old and at this point those 2 can't really cost that much to retire, I have a 22 yr old retired in my pasture and he's  loving life. 

Training aint for the faint.  I actually enjoy the training part probably more then the competition part. But its not all roses. seasoning a horse can break you emotionally as well... 

If I were in your place, you either have to know if you want another to run or you dont.  If you do, find one going and roll on.  Dream horses come in all D's... remember that... you just have to find your happiness where ever that is or move on.  I have had a few horses in my lifetime and literally now own a dream team.. it's a matter of if I have it in me... gut checks happen every year here lol

My issue is that the 27 yo is a harder keeper so I have to keep him on supplements to keep weight on him.  So that's a money drain. 

Vet said last year that he wished he had a whole barn full of horses like him.  But he doesn't like seeing them because he'd be poor. lol  There was 100% nothing wrong with him that he could find.   

Horse was 3D horse his whole career, had him since he was 4.  He's just now 1/2 sec slower in 4D on a 5D scale. 

I know most wouldn't run at 27.  On every other horse I've ever had they've had to be retired earlier.  This horse has shown me that he doesn't want to quit.   I'm exceptionally careful with him though. He ran 6-8 times last year, that's it. 

Really depends on your intentions and the commitment you can put in. Starting a young one, while very gratifying, takes a HUGE commitment of riding them EVERY DAY. For some, life just gets in the way and messes up the best of intentions. Sometimes it is just nice to have that good ole horse that you can ride one or two times a week once in shape and take them to a race and have fun--I mean really, that is what it is all about, if it isn't fun---why do it ?

You know...that's the problem. 

Running is fun.  Riding is fun.   It's just some of the other parts that get to be a pain.  Funding being the main one.  

I don't mind the barn work.  I do mind listening to my husband whine sometimes about the horses.  But that also makes me mad, so I want to continue.  Don't want spite to be a reason to do it though.  Finding hay sucks.  

Maybe it's the fact that death is staring me in the face with my old man.  Maybe it's Covid (stupidity, not actual worry) and the govt that has me worried.  

I would buy a finished 3/4 D horse and GO and have fun. Or buy a good broke horse and start it on barrels if you are wanting to start your own barrel horse. 

And really what would you do with all your money IF you didnt have any horses? I sometimes think the same thing, if I didnt have all these horses I would be saving alot of money, but then what would I do with myself IF I didnt have my horses, Grow old and fat!!! We dont travel since Hubby has his own business and he loves working 24/7 if hes not working he gets bored really fast, he has his business on our land a ways behind our home, so I have my horses and yard. I'm been milling around about getting another finished 3/4 barrel horse myself to go and just enjoy when I want.

So buy something you can enjoy, nothing real young something you can run on NOW!!!.. 

I can only speak for myself.  When you reach a certain age or stage in life you have to take a step back and honestly ask yourself what really makes you happy and weigh the rewards against the expense.  By "rewards" I mean realistically.  I still work and many of my friends ask me why.   I try telling them that I really still love it and it keeps me sharp and useful.  It gives me something to look forward to.  With the horses, they are my "Prozac".  I still actually just enjoy riding them and they serve as my mood stabilizers.  Whether it's working the pattern on them or just riding them for a couple hours out in pastures.  The stress and worries leave me.  I don't have a lot of expensive habits.  I don't gamble, drink much, or belong to a country club.  Most of the things I enjoy day in and day out don't cost me much.  I can easily afford to keep a few horses.  I can't imagine looking out on empty pastures would be very rewarding.  We have a lot of tack, a nice trailer, etc.... but if we sold everything, we'd just stash the money away.  We love to travel, but that's hard to do nowadays. I guess you have to decide if the horses are enjoyable to you anymore, given the circumstances, and what you would replace them with.  

ALLL THIS ^^^^

I could not see me selling all my tack and horses, it would be like selling my soul to the Devil. Hubby loves working and I love my horses, even if I dont barrel race anymore I still enjoy the HECK outa them.

You'll notice I didn't add saddles to my list of what I could sell.  LOL.  Can't do that yet!

I agree though with what both of you have said. 

Horses are my relaxation.  I'm perfectly fine with a non 1D horse.  Been there my whole life, why change now. LOL   Not that it isn't a dream to win a barrel race, or 5.

  I hunt, which does get expensive, so there's that.  I could travel to hunt other species that aren't local to me. 

But getting old and fat does look like it's coming without horses.  

That's the nice thing about horses.  You can still ride if you are fat.  If I didn't ride a couple hours a day I'd be a lot fatter.  I'd rather ride than go to a gym. 

I get it!

With fuel costs rising - I think regional barrel races will continue to grow.  If you can afford it buy a prospect that is really well broke or something in that 14 - 18 year old range that you can have fun on.

I would not run my aged gelding for fear of an injury to him or yourself if he falls.   I am a cautious person though. 

I'm down from 5 horses to 1.... my white 14 yr old rope horse, turning into a barrel horse ... kind of. I already have a plan to buy something else later on down the road.. I plan on buying a FINISHED 3/4D been there done that something I can just go enjoy and work on my jockey skills instead of having to train on one... I'm no horse trainer .... I'm realistic with my abilities, or lack therof! I'm ready to go have some fun and build confidence and just enjoy this life... I thought about buying a nice broke horse to pattern but I've pretty much proved to myself I'm not skilled enough to pattern one correctly and consistently. My gelding isn't going anywhere tho.. he's a great rope horse and safe for my kids to ride ... so if I ever feel like roping or my husband wants to go rope, he's the one can throw in the trailer and go. He loves  to rope. Funny thing is, everyone that knows him, when I say I'm going to run barrels on him, they laugh and shake their heads lol! And usually say that poor sob .... I don't care tho... he's my ride or die ... my buddy and I love him. 

I finally gave it all up because of age.  We had one horse left on the place.  He was 28 and died the first of January.  Broke my heart.  He died 20 ft. from where he was born if that tells you how long we had him.  My husband roped calves, steer wrestler, team roper (won a championship at the USTRC Finals in 2009).  I loved running barrels.  Growing old changes everything.  I still work because I would go insane sitting around at home and I do like spending money and make a great salary. I also love the people I work with. 

However, I do live four miles from a very large casino and even though yeah it's an expensive way to have fun.....so were horses.  Life just changes.

I lost my passion after I sold Duncan. I was stuck with a horse from my divorce I resented. You know how much it has helped me having Cider now... I get where you are coming from!

I know where your at. I just sold my mare, have had her since she was a yearling, with the help of a few along the way, I did most of the training myself. Last few years it has been hard to get out to the place I boarded her to go ride. I think I had been to two races in 5 years, one I hit a barrel and the other I fell off. Then 2020 we became foster parents to my SIL's kids, when she got arrested for drugs. At first I tried to just go ride as something to do by myself to get some alone time, but with hubbys work schedule, I would have to take them with me. I didn't have a horse for them to tootle around on, so they would just sit there bored because they are city boys and all they wanted to do is play video games. Then the oldest tried to commit suicide on me twice at 8 yrs old, I was so exhausted mentally and physically, it just came down to I wasn't doing her any justice when I rode her and she LOVES to go.

If I were in your shoes I'd start keeping my eyes open for my next ride.  Something I was comfortable riding and that fit in my price range. 

If something happens and you are forced to retire your trusty steed it will be harder for you to keep riding and going to races if you don't already have something in the barn that you're messing with.  If I had not already been riding and running my younger mare when I lost my old girl I'm not sure I would have gotten back on a horse for a long while & we all know the older we get the harder it is to get that engine revving again after it's been turned off for a while...  Taking a break sounds great in theory but let's face it, starting over is hard.

1. If the old guy can be legged up and safely run 5-6 races over the summer then I would haul him. If he's not truly done then why dim his light, especially if he enjoys running. 
2. Get yourself a finished 2/3D horse. You will have a main mount and bring the old man along but only run him at certain races. 

I am now 31 and sold my last 3D gelding a couple of years ago. I regret it daily. I sold my beautiful excellent condition trailer, all BOT products, one of my saddles, I still have a tub or brushes and a couple of expensive head stalls and breast collars but I sold all my good bits and even sent my bit to the girl for free who owns the gelding now. I'm just sharing my story so that maybe you won't feel sad and guilty like I do. 

I turn 56 in a week or so, my Jack of all Trades gelding turned 20 this year.  Last year I decided I wanted to go fast again just one more time.  Not just "fast for me" but FAST, found a horse I think can do it and to help take the pressure off my gelding.  I committed myself back to workouts knowing at my age that I'd need to be stronger than ever to sit the new guy leaving the turn. He is a completely different style than I've ever ridden before, I did that on purpose too, figured it was time for me to learn a some new skills and it was now or never.  I figure I probably own the last 4 horses I will ever have (though there is a part of me that still wants an Appy at some point. I grew up on one and have a weird fondness for them) 

There have been some tough moments, learning to go fast to the 1st again has been nothing short of a chAllenge for me, but it has invigorated my passion for learning new ways to do the same thing all over again too.  I get up and workot at home at 4:45 am, I run home at my lunch hour to squeeze a ride in becAuse the days are still too short to get one in after work so lots of hurried lunches while I drive back and forth.  My older gelding is getting ridden thru the winter too and is in much better shape coming in to spring than normal due to the renewed passion of wanting something so badly again.  

Having said that, I knew that at my age aNd with a full time job I didnt' have the luxury of being able to start my own again from the ground up so I knew I needed something started and ready to pattern at the very least. I tried my best not to set myself up for complete failure, and my husband has actually commented on my drive.  A few years ago when my mom got sick and I helped care take for her so many things had to take a back seat to her care and that was okay.  After my mom passed away I kind of lost my drive where my horses were concerned, my mom always came to watch me run, shoot the last few years she even would sit on her chair and watch me just lope circles in my little worked up area down in my field, evey time I looked up to make sure she was okay she would wave to me and honestly for a long time I didnt' want to ride because she wasn't there watching anymore.  Took a while to realize she still is and I owe it to both of us to do what is in my power to chase those dreams. I don't have a lot of money so I have to hustle , I can't send my horses out to be swam or excercised if the weather is bad, I have to slicker up and cowgirl up, but I'm loving every minute of it again.  My life is more balanced with goals to reach.

That's a wonderful mom story.  We never stop missing them do we?

I love reading about your life,your mom,and dad.I read EVERY post you make,because they are so heartwarming.I truly wish you would write a book,the next generations need to see the love and compation you have for your parents,and your animals.