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boon
Posts: 1
| I never thought I'd feel this way. I've been around and riding horses my whole life and couldn't imagine life any other way. In the last year the thought of selling all our horses and livestock has crossed my mind a few times.
Our animals take up all our time and money. We never get to go on family vacation, we have two kids. We have a hard time getting away for even a weekend! We've had some major changes in life and dont get to ride like we use to and it will take a few thousand to get things set up again. So everything's just sitting, waiting.
I feel like it's a good time to close this door and open another. We can always come back if we want, right?
Anyone else happy with their decision to take a detour from the path they had been following? |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9991
   
Location: Kansas | every day  |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | NEVER...not even a litteM |
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Location: Great Places Great Faces | I've been in your shoes as we ranch so you don't get to put yourself first... Ever. But we have found a few people we trust very much that will chore for us over a weekend, also I often have friends come over and ride. It's a very personal choice but we find the rewards are well worth the sacrifice. Do what you love ?????? |
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 Buttered Noodles Snacker
Posts: 4377
Location: NC | I have been having similar thoughts lately. I can't imagine my life without horses and get really sad and depressed when I think of selling out. but at the same time if I don't have the money to show and compete what's the point. I don't think I could totally go horseless but have thought about down grading both my horses and equipment (ie saddle and tack). Then the tuff part is deciding who to sell. I have a young horse just started that would last longer not sure what her potential is really, or I have an older horse that probably wouldnt run much longer but has sentimental value and I could run for a couple years... |
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  Shipwrecked and Flat Out Zapped
Posts: 16390
Location: DUMPING CATS AND PIGS IN TEXAS :) | I could sell every cow on the planet and never look back. I could drastically reduce my horse herd, which I have slowly been working on. But, I would be a miserable little person without any horses or my dogs......and, my boyfriend too (I just had to throw him in there, because he reads my posts.) |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 464
| I have had the same thought. For some reason, my identity is tied up in horses. I feel like I wouldnt be me if i wasn't involved. it usually hits me around tax prep time. I havent ridden very much over the winter. Certainly not enough to justify owning horses. I start seperating out all my horse reciepts, from my cow reciepts. I notice how expensive my horses are. i then think about the equipment, barn space, pasture space etc. and so on. I even took time yesterday, and tried put a figure on what I've spent the last 5 years, It was staggering. Spring is around the corner. We'll be riding more, and the feeling will go away. Someday it won't though. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1119
| There were a few years (4, to be exact) where I did nothing with my horses but own them and ride around my house a little. I had one horse that I had with me from college and once my husband and I bought a house I somehow accumulated a few others. I had no truck and trailer, so I couldn't haul anywhere and I was living in a new area and didn't know any horse friends to ride with. My horses just stayed out in the pasture. I feed round bales, so if we wanted to get away for a few days I would just leave plenty of water and they are good. If it's going to be more than 2-3 days, I have someone stop by and just check on them. Our friends that farm store their hay on our property, so they do a quick check while they're there picking up bales.
Just see if you can make your horse life simpler! |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6437
Location: Montana | Yes, I have thought about it, but I know I wouldn't be happy without my horse(s). Sometimes I would like to go back to just one, but I can't decide who to sell (my gelding is a coming 3 y/o with loads of potential, the other is my mare who isn't fast but I've had her for 6 years), or to sell them both and buy one that is already running and winning. But I love both my mare and gelding and love spending time with them, so I keep on keeping on for now. I never like to give up on something. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1302
Location: California | I have never had my own ranch or livestock but I had multiple horses and rented a place with them and I got to the point that I could afford to keep them but not use them or enter them or even haul them. It was very frustrating and I just needed a breath of fresh air. I sold 2 out of 3 and sent the 3rd one out to pasture with some family. I moved to a new place and 2 months later I was DYING without my horses. I thought I could do it but I was wrong. I just bought a nice but cheap 3 year old that I work with every day and am loving every bit of it. I have money in the bank due to selling the others and I am comfortable again. I am glad I did it because I did need a change and was always going to feel that way until I tried it but I wouldn't do it again. |
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 Party Girl
Posts: 12293
Location: Buffalo, Wyoming | I have never wanted to sell out. I have wanted to get rid of what I had and start fresh though. It can get exahusting especially when you have no one to look after them when you want to go somewhere.
We started feeding round bales and it has made my life so much easier. If we are going to be gone for long periods of time (more than 3-4 days) we have someone look in on them to make sure water is good. |
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 Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11493
Location: 31 lengths farms | I've had the thought of "What do other people do that dont' have to pull on muckers and a rain proof jacket to go wade thru a foot of mud to feed their horses before they go to work? Sure they show up with perfect hair and makeup...brats..." LOL!!! Then I remember how there were many days that being in a battle with my siblings who refused to help with the care of my mom who has dementia would leave me not wanting to get out of bed. I wanted to lay there and wallow in self pity because I was going to have to get up in 15 minutes, get ready for work, get mom up, get her changed and fed and get her meds into her and out to her chair before the daytime care worker showed up and I just was overwhelmed and didnt' want to face the day that day...but funny how the notion of not getting up and feeding those animals can make you pull up your britches and figure out a way to get thru another day and another and another. I got up and put my feet on the floor a lot of mornings for my mom but there was a lot of those mornings I could because of those horses. They gave me that hope for someday.
Everyone has to make that choice, for me so far the benefits of living paycheck to paycheck with hay in my underwear so far outweighs the possibility of vacations and good hair days :-)
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 504
Location: Illinois | Yes and I pretty much did! Best decision I ever made. I was so burnt out, I had 5 horses a young toddler and was taking care of everything by myself. In the matter of a year, I had 2 that were prone to sand colic, 1 that got kicked and had to have splint bone removed after trying for months to heal it, then another punctured her fetlock joint and had minor surgery and then I had to rehab that over the winter. I was done... sold everything but my gelding and he is by himself on 5 acres of pasture. I don't get to ride much because of the kiddo, but my life is a lot less stressful to the point that I actually enjoy having him again. Maybe you might not have to sell completely out, but keep maybe one or two just lessen the load a bit? |
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 I Chore in Chucks
Posts: 2882
Location: MD | yessss.
I also have thought about it long and hard and decided to keep my two and that's it. no more no less. Not to be weird but my 8 year old would be heart broken without his "brother" and I can't do that to him. Thankfully we have nice neighbors that will chore for us and watch our dog. Have you thought about reducing? maybe just keeping your favorites and getting rid of the rest? |
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 Color My World
Posts: 4940
Location: My perfect world bubble | I did it about 5 years ago. Sold everything but my old retired gelding and moved from the country to the city. Much closer to our jobs, more family time, was a great thing for us to do. About 2 years ago I started my daughter in English riding lessons. Eventually bought her a pony, she's started jumping, and I figured I should take some lessons too. Fell in love with Eventing, met some wonderful friends and ended up bying a horse for me. Now we board, which means we can just go out, ride and go home. I always have friends to ride and show with. Easy to get away for vacation and still quite a bit cheaper then having our own place when you factor in gas, upkeep, more horses, etc. at our old house. Wouldn't change a thing. |
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 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | No - even on the crappy days when it's cold and dark and I'm exhausted when I get home....I love spending even 5 min with my horses. I'm happiest on days I can hang out working on our place with my critters wandering around with no people (except I don't mind my husband being there). Hanging out with them is how I recharge. Really love the days I get to go run my mare, but even if I never got to compete again, I'd still have my critters. Even if it was just my old man and all I got to do was visit with him and feed him cookies, I love that pony. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2276
Location: ohio-in my own little world with pretty ponies :) | I had that feeling for a couple years. Prior to that I was on a roll. I had two awesome horses running and was always in the money...it was fun! But then I had to retire one horse due to navicular and my main horse died from colic. I had my young 3 year old left.
So I was starting from the beginning. I had never had to do that before. I was really struggling. I wasn't used to all the obstacles of training and seasoning one. Then I blew her up without realizing it...I was pushing her too hard to get to a good point. That's really what did it. I hated riding. I hated going to the barn. I wanted to sell but I knew no one would buy her the way she was so I seeked help in fixing her in hopes of selling her.
One day we got over that hump and it became fun again. Since then I learned that that's the life of owning horses. You can't always do the "fun" part. It takes work and hard times to get there.
Since moving out and living on our own I've thought some about what it would he like without the horses. Yes, I would have more money. Yes, I would have more time. But I know I would become bored. I would miss it. Horses make me who I am. Not putting all that pressure on myself and my horses to be the best has helped me. I do this for fun I do this because I love it. Just like my fiancé told me....if I'm doing it for the money then I'm in the wrong business...you do it because you love it. If you don't, then you don't. Move on to something that will make you happy.
Not really sure there was a point to that but that's my little story lol.
Edited by lexyy12 2015-02-10 9:34 AM
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Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | run n rate - 2015-02-09 3:10 PM I've had the thought of "What do other people do that dont' have to pull on muckers and a rain proof jacket to go wade thru a foot of mud to feed their horses before they go to work? Sure they show up with perfect hair and makeup...brats..." LOL!!! Then I remember how there were many days that being in a battle with my siblings who refused to help with the care of my mom who has dementia would leave me not wanting to get out of bed. I wanted to lay there and wallow in self pity because I was going to have to get up in 15 minutes, get ready for work, get mom up, get her changed and fed and get her meds into her and out to her chair before the daytime care worker showed up and I just was overwhelmed and didnt' want to face the day that day...but funny how the notion of not getting up and feeding those animals can make you pull up your britches and figure out a way to get thru another day and another and another. I got up and put my feet on the floor a lot of mornings for my mom but there was a lot of those mornings I could because of those horses. They gave me that hope for someday. Everyone has to make that choice, for me so far the benefits of living paycheck to paycheck with hay in my underwear so far outweighs the possibility of vacations and good hair days :-)
^^This!
I haven't been on a non-horse related vacation except for one time in junior high. I'm perfectly contect burning my vaction days to go to barrel races.
Some of my favorite memories growing up were all of us piling in and taking off for the summer to rodeo with my Dad, or me taking off with the trainer to go to horseshows for a few weeks. I LOVE it!
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 383
Location: Sweet Home Alabama | I'm 20 years old and while all my friends are getting married, having kids, and going to college, I'm raising colts. After high school rodeo, I bred my main mare and sold two other jackpot horses to buy "own daughters" and breed them to producing studs for the future. Through 2013 and part of 2014 I was really regretting selling my horses that were already going because I was missing it so much. And on top of that, my job requires me to work on Saturdays and some Sundays and then getting on fb and seeing what everyone else was doing was the hardest part. But even then I knew I would regret selling everything and be much less happy. My oldest babies are 4 this year and are off with a reiner for a few months and I'm focusing on futurities for 2016. And it is so exciting! Like I finally have something to look forward to. I don't think I could ever really sell out because horses are my identity. I don't know what I would do with my life if they weren't involved. But you have kids so do what you think is suitable for your family. Once they go off to college, you could always get back at it. Just do what makes you happy and pray about it. :) |
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