New Horse Envy [Archive] - Chronicle Forums

KSAQHA

Oct. 20, 2008, 10:17 AM

Anyone else turn green with envy when an acquaintance gets a new horse?

A friend brought her new, young horse out to my place to work with, yesterday. Very cute, big, flashy, good-minded paint gelding - her only horse. I own 5 horses...so WHY am I coveting HERS?

Guess there's just something addictive about that new-horse feeling of excitement.

I think I need an intervention. :sigh:

BuddyRoo

Oct. 20, 2008, 10:37 AM

LOL.

Ya know, I have the same problem to a certain extent.

I have had my one mare since she was born and bought my other mare when I was involved in a totally different discipline. Now that I'm doing H/J, neither of my horses have the scope nor the training to be been there done that jumpers....

My good friend (and BO) got a gelding this spring and he's turned out to be a real gem. Total school master when it comes to the OF work.

She had him for SEVERAL months before I ever rode him...brought him home April 1 and I rode him for the first time about 3 weeks ago.

Last night, I was really wanting to do some jumping...friend says "Go ride the squirrel" (our nickname for her horse)

Me: "No. I don't want to enjoy riding your horse. I have two horses already."

Her: "Go RIDE him. You'll have fun."

So I did. And the whole time, she's saying, "You look so good on him." and "Wow, that looks fabulous" etc etc

I'm a little green. 'Tis true. He could do the job I want at this point.

But I don't need another horse. Period.

SOMEDAY....when I grow up...I will go pick out a horse for me. :lol:

Stacie

Oct. 20, 2008, 10:37 AM

Its not envy so much as...fantasy. You are imagining how wonderful this horse is, how easy he will be train, how flashy he will be at shows. You haven't seen his less than perfect side yet. It's like dating. No reality, all fantasy until you get to know him. And well...then there you are.

DressageGeek "Ribbon Ho"

Oct. 20, 2008, 10:42 AM

Nope. I have a horse I've had for over 10 years. I can take him outside, at night, drop the reins. He now loads, clips, stands for hoof soaks. Everything I own fits him.

Like Stacie - Ted and I are an old married couple. But there is so much history, and so many wonderful times.

royal militron

Oct. 20, 2008, 11:13 AM

I love my horse to pieces, and there's NOTHING I would change about him in the event that I where to get another horse. So when people get new horses around me, I do get excited for them... I do not wish to be in there shoes though. I'm happy as a clam having my horse and not having to go through horse shopping ever again!!!

FlashGordon

Oct. 20, 2008, 11:28 AM

Frankly I'm jealous of anyone who has a horse they can actually ride.

In ten years I have not gone a full 4 seasons with a ridable horse. Barring the months I had Dan, in the last decade I've not had a horse that was anything but lame/crazy/baby. Seems like I am always waiting. Waiting for the horse to grow up. Waiting for the horse to come sound. Waiting, waiting, waiting.

Dan really was "The Man" and it was cool to have the enviable horse, even for awhile. Though I have to admit I could not WAIT to whip him out on the local show scene next summer. :sadsmile:

Now it is back to the waiting... for Mr. Windsor to gain weight, grow new feet, etc.

At least he's got a nice temperament and is as patient as I am...

Ashby

Oct. 20, 2008, 11:29 AM

JulesGirl

Oct. 20, 2008, 11:34 AM

There's a beautiful mare in our barn, owned by a lovely family. The girl isn't much of a rider yet, and her mare is a handful - young, athletic, everything that Jules isn't. She has her whole life ahead of her and is sound. They can jump, go on hunter paces, do everything I'd love to do with my elderly citizen and can't.

So yes, I do have horse envy every time I look at the gorgeous mare in the next stall. I love my man, but I look at the trails now - especially since I just bought a trailer - and wish it woudn't be so much of a hardship to go out on them, or to pop over a crossrail every so often.

Ashby

Oct. 20, 2008, 11:36 AM

I have horse envy too, and I'm so ASHAMED of it.

During all those long horseless years I thought I would like to have a horse, any horse, no matter how old, decrepit, even crabby. I just wanted to have a horse to love and groom. I was sure I had enough emotional maturity not to long for anything more.

A year and a half ago I bought my daughter a horse she desperately wanted, a small and sometimes difficult OTTB mare who was available very cheaply. When I first bought the mare I felt envious of my daughter and wanted so much to ride, but I rarely got an opportunity. Since then he horse has had some soundness problems, my daughter has gotten extremely busy and is now away at college, and she rarely even asks about the horse anymore. Basically, all responsibility for riding, caring for, and paying for the horse has fallen on my shoulders.

My feelings are mixed. I have come to love her. But she represents a tremendous financial sacrifice for a struggling single mother. She seems to spend a lot of time being dinged up wiht resultant vet bills. And there is not a lot I can do with her: her conformation makes it hard for her to get very far in dressage, while her fragile little legs and very nervous temperament make it very unlikely that she could ever hunt, which is my great passion. (She also kicks nastily no matter how she is disciplined for it, and her jumping is unreliable, so hunting is also not an option for those reasons as well as the reasons of strength and temperament.) At the moment she's not jumpable anyway. It's scary even for me to take her on trail rides. Because I have to work during the day, I can basically only ride her around and around an often crowded and dusty indoor arena at night. We work on a little dressage and try to despookify her but she has made no progress on the despookification and I know that, even though I'm a strong rider, I'm taking a risk when I get on her.

So when some of the other people at the barn take their horses hunting, or go to trail rides, or go to shows, I'm frankly envious. I'm also envious when I see the big strong legs of their horses who almost never seem to go lame, or note how quiet and calm their horses are when confronted with bicycles, horse trailers, dogs, and the other minutia of life. I even feel envious when I see how large their horses are, for as tall as I am, I look a little silly on this small, fine-boned mare.

I try hard to suppress these feelings, for I have a (truly!) God-given opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to ride despite my pitiful economic circumstances, and many, many people would envy me. Yesterday was a beautiful day, and I was blessed to ride OUTDOORS in the autumn sunshine, out in a pasture (during the 45 minutes the horses usually in the field were indoors being fed). Yes, the mare was spooking at various deer, bikes, birds, water, geese, etc. Still, I took this time as a gift from heaven and tried to quell any envy of people who have more useful animals.

I am quite religious and try to look at things through that perspective, so I know it's wrong to envy when I have been given so much. I am so, so, so sorry for complaining about my dear little girl horse; it's not her fault she's wired to be frightened of things, and it's certainly not her fault she has legs the size of my wrist. She is a good girl, and I do love her.

(But I wish I also had a Cleveland with legs the size of my calves! ;))

KSAQHA

Oct. 20, 2008, 11:47 AM

For me, it's not so much I want a particular horse, just envying that feeling of excitement with getting a NEW one. I'm quite happy with my horses (despite current abscess or allergy issues with 3. blah), and certainly haven't the time for another, but it doesn't keep me from wistful window shopping...:)

PinkPonies

Oct. 20, 2008, 11:50 AM

kellyb

Oct. 20, 2008, 11:51 AM

Of course it's normal :lol: Most of us are women, women like change, women like 'new' and 'exciting'. :D

oldenmare

Oct. 20, 2008, 12:11 PM

BuddyRoo

Oct. 20, 2008, 12:13 PM

Oh, I dunno - every ride on the Oldenmare is like riding a new horse!!!! Seriously. Never know which personality I'm going to have that ride - and it has been known to switch throughout duration of ride!!!

I just wish I had more time/energy/money/personal talent to live up to her talent!!!

I'm SO right there with you with one of mine. LOL

I think THAT is why I have a bit o' envy with my friend's horse. What you see is what you get and what you get is nice. Hence, I don't like riding him because the permagrin takes awhile to fade and for a moment, I'm WAY too happy.

So I am avoiding riding him. :lol: I think twice in 6 mos means I'm doing a fairly bang up job.

2DogsFarm

Oct. 20, 2008, 02:29 PM

Sometimes when I see a particularly nice horse I experience a pang of "Wish he were mine..."
But mostly the two I have are all the horses I need.

Vern is my Rock - granted, even at 26yo he has TB Moments, but mostly he is my dependable mount. After 19 years together we are at the stage where 9 times out of 10 I can just be a passenger.
That 10th ride, however, can be a hair-raiser :winkgrin:

Cash is still - after 4 years - my Science Project.
We've given up on trotting - he just DOES NOT. But his gait is so comfy I just don't care. Some day we will conquer canter :yes:
He makes up for it by being my ATV on trails.

So I guess I have the best of both - my Schoolmaster and a Greenie
Yeah, who needs anyone else's horse : - P