Seriously. Why do we ride? What do we want from riding? What do we want from our horses?

Huggie and Me, Spring Roading

Recently, I had to really dive into that question when I was faced the dilemma of having to choose one of two horses for myself. I cannot afford to keep two horses, and I had to choose between a 4 1/2 year old Appy who likes to foxhunt, and a 13 year old trail horse who likes to do everything else.
 

The baby is a challenging ride no matter what we’re doing. He’s 4 1/2 and while an eager student and good one, too, he does act his age. Some days I’m a little afraid of “what he might do.” Of course, I have only been riding him since April, so we still have some history to create together before that dreaded thought disappears from my mind. 

On the other hand, we have Soon-Not-To-Be-Barney. He’s a free lease. I can send him back anytime I want to. I rode him in a ring for about 30 minutes last weekend. Seems like a good egg. I have no idea what he’s done in the past except worked as a camp horse. He could have prosthetic knee for all I know. My only risks are: he doesn’t hack out alone (but we can work on that), he hates hunting, the cost to ship him to Boston and get him setup (vaccines, teeth, feet, etc.). 

I’m a mother with a job, a 5 year old daughter, and a gazillion things going on. Sometimes I like to just hop on and go. No training rides, no schooling, no fear of “what will he do.” 

So why do I ride? To relax? For the adrenaline rush? To have an uncomplicated relationship? Maybe all of the above. Since the baby isn’t my horse – and he’s certainly not stabled in a place I would keep my own horse (practially no turnout), it’s challenging to hop on and ride without having to take into account what’s lacking in his overall care and training. I’m pretty much all he’s got and he’s a pretty big project! To take on this horse’s education is a little beyond my abilities at the moment. The kicker is, he really does a good job out in the hunt field. He just goes along and behaves himself for the most part. No easy task, that.

So back to the original question. Why do it? Why ride? When I answer that, I’ll know which horse should be mine.