Why I’m Nervous to Ride Again

Hay Y’all!

Now that it’s warm out, it’s time for me to start this years riding adventure! However, I’m nervous. A lot is changing this year, more than it ever has, so I’m addressing some of those nerves in this post with lots of silly horsey photos and videos with backstory to them (since Chika is the absolute cutest).

The first photo I ever got of my puppy (well- he’s a bit older now since this was a few months ago) and my horse together! He’s still learning how to act around her (he’s skittish but gaining confidence while still learning to keep space and be quiet!) since I want to take him to pet-friendly rodeos when he is older!

One reason I’m nervous to start riding again is the dip in Chika and I’s relationship. We are very close currently because I haven’t been riding. However, for the first month or so of riding her, she suddenly despises me. She has done it every year I’ve owned her and it always hurts my feelings quite deeply.

Once she is more fit and can enjoy being ridden again, she loves me again and our bond becomes a lot stronger! But that first dip and feeling like my best friend hates me can definitely wear on my confidence and self-esteem, causing me to push off riding. I’m hoping this year will be different, though, because she has seemed like a new horse with a new look on life so far!

Our dogs went missing (They are back). But when I was calling for them at the back of the pasture, she came and watched over the fence with me! She stayed the whole time, even a little while after I left. (Would like to add that the junk in the photo is not ours, that property belongs to someone else)

On a lighter note, another reason I’m putting off riding again is that I have to clean my tack and the tack room/trailer. My laziness prevents me from feeling the motivation to try and accomplish it all, especially since, with the humidity in the buildings, the tack tends to mold (EW right?!). We haven’t found a reasonable preventative for it, so I just have to go through and clean it all every spring.

On top of this, I have to do a regular cleaning as well, like saddle soap and leather cleaner and stuff like that! And reorganizing all the different places we have tack stored, especially since I recently inherited more, is going to take me upwards of a week, never mind selling anything that isn’t of use to me. So I’ve been pushing it aside as late as possible… but I plan to do it this week… or the next?

This video is just hilarious. During her farrier appointment, she could not stay awake! To the point that she would wake up and try to hop around to her get balance again, even failing and falling onto her knee once! So I just messed with her and bothered her in an effort to keep her awake, silly girl.

Another reason, or multiple reasons, is that this year is going to be very different compared to any other! I’ll start with one section at a time, so bear with my rambling, please.

One part, that I’m still trying to figure out the details on, is possibly leasing Chika out. For backstory, before I got her she was a lesson horse. She still has the perfect temperament for beginner riders or riders who need extra help or care. Although she wants to be a sassy, rocket donkey with me, whenever someone else hops on she goes back to her roots of a kind, gentle, perfect lesson pony. She is also an absolute dream of a trail horse and can do just about any discipline you throw her into (English or western!).

All of this, and because of my next point coming up, has made me want to give another person (or people) the opportunity to ride her. I’d prefer her to go to a lesson program, but I’m also fully willing to lease her to an individual or family.

However, I have absolutely no experience in the leasing side of horses! As the leaser nor leasee. I am thinking that I want to do a half lease, since I still want to be able to ride her, but other than that I have no clue! I nearly got her into a lesson program for individuals with special needs but her inability to lunge caused a rejection (which I understand). Therefore, do you have experience or knowledge about leasing? Tell me everything! I have no clue where to even start!

We were having fun playing tag and running around the property (only hand-led) before she got a little too excited and forgot I wasn’t another horse! She began rearing and bucking, without showing any signs of anger. I think she was just having too much fun! I decided we should cool out and graze after that though- and she sure didn’t argue about that either.

Adding to the change of this new year, and with leasing, actually, comes my next reason. I am going to *try* and lease a barrel horse, or ride other people’s horses that still have potential in the industry and competitions.

I want to do this because, especially since I have decided that Chika will not be going anywhere permanently (she’s my sweet baby; I just can’t let go of her), I won’t have the money I need to buy a finished barrel horse, unfortunately. Therefore, I am hoping that I’ll find at least one horse that is up for the challenge of taking on a new rider and entering races!

However, I technically have never rode a real barrel horse! I’ve sort-of made one? If you want to count Chika as a barrel horse- but I haven’t been on a speedy horse ever, hot, sure, but not for a race. And since I’ll have to ride other people’s horses, many will probably have some big vices. Regardless, I’m confident in my abilities and I’m always ready to learn (even if it’s the hard way) so I’m still excited for this next step!

She decided this was how she wanted to eat her apple? And no she did not eat the core or any dirt, she actually decided she didn’t like green apples after this video. But it reminds me of those “dog enrichment” videos where they are going ham for a frozen treat, if you know you know.

I think my last reason is simple. I’m growing up and I hate it. I’ll, most likely, be getting a job this summer. And, although most of my peers have been holding a job for a year or two now, it’s scary to grow up. I’ve always had the excuse that I needed to ride my horse instead but I’m just too old for it now.

On the bright side, I’m going to try my hardest to still get a job that pertains to my Interests! Whether it be a mom-and-pop pet store and grooming, Tractor Supply, a feed store, or an internship under a horse or dog trainer (believe it or not: dogs are a bigger part of my life than even horses are!), or something of the sort. I just can’t see myself being happy doing a job out of the agricultural or animal industries!

Took this because I couldn’t believe how chunky her shadow was- that’s what a whole winter off does to a horse I suppose!

Well, I think that that is all of my reasons. At least the largest ones, anyways.

I think that sharing the personal parts of being an equestrian are just as, if not more, important than showing the fast races and highest jumps. It’s what the sport needs more of, sharing and bonding over the real, relatable experiences that show us we aren’t alone.

Bye Fellow Equestrians!

I am wishing you all a good ride!