Tell me its okay to focus on two horses...

[eponacowgirl]

I'm leasing a mare right now who is fantastic. I love her to bits and pieces, and she will EASILY take me to my goal of a T3DE in 2010, plus shes giving me confidence I've never had before, my trainer thinks she is wonderful and I'm finally filling in those missing pieces of dressage that I never really *got* before. Her owner is tickled to death that I'm having such a good time with her and giving her a purpose, and the mare is loving it too- she went from impossible to catch to meeting me at the gate- tell me she doesn't love her job!

My gelding, whom I've had for five years, started myself and have done everything with- from working cows to weekend camping trips, as well as jumped up to 3'9" and showed everything imaginable on (at a low level), is my forever horse. He is my baby and I REALLY love showing him- when hes not being a dirty stopper. The stopping is directly my fault- gaps in training, anticipating, overbitting... I know that now, and with the help of having a trainer and working with the leased mare, I'm fixing the problems both he and I were struggling with- we actually jumped around a 2'3" course in a snaffle the other day- small victories, right?

He also lost vision in his left eye this summer. Its not been a big deal, in fact, he is MUCH less flighty without that vision, but he has a hard time with light/dark and focus. I took him XC schooling at the end of summer, and babied him, but had a great school- I let him look at all the jumps first, but he just trucked around at everything he'd seen already. I'm not sure he'll actually be able to get out and run XC anymore- his new reaction to scary things is to stop and look, focus and figure it out- but it takes awhile. I'm not sure he'll be able to do it on the fly. I was planning on not showing him this summer and just focusing on the mare... but I was looking at some pics of us at some shows the other day and realizing how much I LOVE showing him. He and I "click" so well... and I just don't want to give that up. So, I decided I'd focus on doing some CTs with him this summer...just a couple, and probably unrecognized, 2' local stuff, maybe an XC school, some dressage/hunter schooling shows...

I emailed my trainer and told her I wanted to either alternate lessons on the mare and gelding, or ride the gelding once a month in lessons. Taking more than one lesson a week is NOT an option.

Now, I know, know, know she really won't care, but I feel like I'm going to disappoint her by telling her I'm not just going to ride the grey mare in lessons (who she really, really likes...) but add the gelding to the rotation- who shes never seen before, but I know she'll like him too- he's just not the athlete she is, more of a low-level packer (if I can quit screwing him up!)

I don't know why I feel bad about this- but I'm looking for the COTH enablers to make me feel better!

Go!

ETA: This is not because my trainer is awful or horrible- like I said, I KNOW she won't care. This is totally my hang up. :)

[shea'smom]

Ok!
Riding as many different horses as possible will only help you to improve.
More experience showing will only help you to improve.
You trainer should be happy to work with you on both horses.
how's that?

[Rescue_Rider9]

Its your lessons. I doesnt matter how she feels. I took lessons rotating horses like that and it worked out fine.

[yellowbritches]

Why should you feel bad?? There is NOTHING wrong with having two horses to ride and focus on...if anything, it is BETTER for you (more horses = more time in the saddle = more mileage).

I have two right now to focus on. There's Vernon, who, out of the two of them, is the super athlete and the makings of a very cool horse. Then there's Paco, who I love dearly and if all the chips fall in place could also be a very cool horse. I ride them both and learn from both and take what I learn from one and apply it to the other, when I can. There's a chance Paco will get sold, but I have to ride him and give him miles, so I try and give him as much of my attention as I give to Vernon (hard for me, for while I do enjoy most of my rides on Paco, I crave my rides on Vernon and go into withdrawal when I don't ride him!).

Anyway, it is OK, and I'm share your trainer won't care. A) she still gets paid and B) if she's a good trainer, she'll help you no matter what you bring (unless it is dangerous or totally unsuitable for you...then hopefully she'll share her opinions).

[purplnurpl]

Go for it!!

[Rainier]

All I can say is that I'm glad I'm not the only one with this dilemma ;)

[Summies182]

I have been in the exact same position! my thoroughbred that I trained from a baby to training level was just not cut out for the upper levels. extremely lazy and not bold, he thinks the start box is a 30 sec nap time. after eventing him all over for 5 years I realized he needed to be a kids horse but I was too attached to sell him, he definately is my baby and I could never let him go. the girl who ended up leasing him is uninterested in showing and would only come out once a week. I tried to get him back into showing novice again, but with me being so busy with work and school I let my prelim horse suffer. I ended up hurting the both of them by not paying marco (thoroughbred) enough attention even though he was only doing novice and letting trampas's fitness suffer by hurrying our rides so I could ride the other one. so dont do what I did!

[Bobthehorse]

Its very challenging, and so worth it.

Last season I had two going, my 18 year old Training horse and main man Bob, and my bouncing baby 5 year old, who went to 5 BNs (unfortunately he was off for about 2 months in June/July though). It has been great for my riding. They are very different horses, the heavy, surly, slow QH with a long jump that just sails. And the bouncy overly athletic ball of springs that for a long time jumped everything straight up in the air, but does have a lovely bascule now. I had planned to alternate showing, so each horse would go every 2 week or less, and I would go every week or so. Even though I didnt accomplish a lot of with the baby, I had a great season with Bob, winning the provincial champs and also the year end award for Training. Also, two horses going.....I look better than I ever have haha.

I plan to do the same thing this season. Though, with AJ as the dominant one and Bob going to only 4 or 5 shows (if he says he still wants to, he is 19 in April and has heaves). If he is up to it, Id love to take him to our local T3D as well. And AJ is getting mileage up the wazoo at N.

I say bring it on! Its hard but it will only improve your skills and your fitness.

[Hollywood]

All I can say is that I'm glad I'm not the only one with this dilemma ;)

Ditto - and as an AA, I sometimes feel like I have no business with 2 horses. But they both are in different places and teaching me to be a better rider. My trainer doesn't care who I ride - she likes them both.

But when my greener of the two gets healthy I will be struggling with focus and lessons again - it all boils down to time, but mostly money!

[lcw579]

Don't feel guilty for all the reasons everyone else has already mentioned.

One other thing to consider - this is a new trainer for you with this gelding and in your OP you mentioned gaps in his training. So look on this as an opportunity to fix some of those gaps. Your trainer may also be able to teach the two of you how to deal with his vision loss and you may very well end up with two competitive horses.

[Nancy!]

I also have 2 I am showing. I have my now 13 year old training level gelding and my 7 year old mare that I want to move up to pre-training this year. As well I have the full sister to the mare that I am looking at keeping for myself. She is only 3 so will mostly do lots of trail riding and some schooling.

Riding more than one horse is good for you. You learn how to deal with different horses and how they learn differently. Also more work for you which is good for fitness.

Now, I just have to make sure that I can keep them all going.

Nancy!

[olympicdreams04]

Can I play the devils advocate a little bit? It sounds like the gray mare is a star in the making and I'm very happy for you about that, you need a good one. However, when I talk about a horse I really click with, I'm talking about Percy. You've heard the tales of me on her doing freestyle tempi changes in the pasture bareback and bridleless. That's clicking. We've done two **'s together and I don't even have to hardly cue her she's so in tune to what I'm thinking. I have had LOTS of dirty stoppers. And while back then I thought I "clicked" with them and I kept trying to make it happen, it just never would. If you really and truely click with a horse they are going to WANT to give you their EVERYTHING. Not try to drop you on your ass stopping dirty. Especially with the vision loss, it seems like the odds are stacked against you. Good luck though in your decision!

[GiGi]

I am in a similar position only I own both horses. The feeling I got riding my mare xc was phenomenal and I never felt that way xc with my gelding. In addition he stressed himself into ulcers when we started doing recognized HTs.
My solution is to event my mare and dressage my gelding. He and I are perfectly capable of getting a bronze medal. My gelding loves hunters but I can't stand all the waiting and it is soooo much more cost wise than eventing or dressage. So we jump a little at home for cross training and that's it. He too started being a dirty stopper on xc and we never could get him over a ditch. It just isn't worth the effort to make him something he doesn't want to be.
Good luck!

[piaffeprincess98]

I'm in a similar situation. I have had my ex-advanced horse for 6 years and have gone through prelim on him with the help of my current trainer. She found me my new horse who I'm bringing up myself. I have a flat lesson on each one once a week and can only afford one jump lesson a week. I alternate or, if one is off from an injury, (which seems to happen alot!) I take that time to work the other one with her. My prelim horse is now getting on in age and we're probably not going to do anymore prelims, so we both think of him as my training level packer/schoolmaster. I have a blast doing changes on him and know he'll take me through any grid I set up.

Both of my guys are polar opposites, so I find it very rewarding to ride both and learn from opposite ends of the spectrum. Sam and I know each other so well since we've been together for so long, so I will continue to take lessons on him to make sure neither of our bad habits come back to haunt us.