At 20:12:03 on 23.09.11, TwilightTango wrote:
I want to know your guys opinion on loving a horse you know you will never have or have to one day say goodbye to(not in the sense of death) I don't own a horse or lease, I just ride the horse my intructer has me ride. I've ridden every horse at the barn yet only two of them were ones I rode for lessons officially. Though I never felt any connection with them and I beleive my mind just naturally never let me because I know I wont be with them forever. Yet I feel like it's also contridicing my riding, which I guess is why Im asking this question. So do you think its a good or bad thing?

At 20:41:19 on 10.10.11, WannaHorse wrote:
BAD!! If you're not connecting with these horses, you are the luckiest person alive! You might wanna go to My Seat and read my story, it will tell you evrything. Right now you probably just ride and go home or something. But if you start loving horses you won't wanna go home. You'll just want to stay wtih them. And, more time you spend with them, more you'll love them. And, suddenly, every day you're not there you won't be able to think about anything else except them- is someone else riding them? is he nice to them? are they well fed? have they been outside enough? how are they? And once you start thinking like that, you'll se all the wrong things that happen to them (and,unfortunately, no horse's life is perfect. You'll start noticeing when they worked a little bit more then usually and are tired, and it will be killing you. Every person who rides them wtih spurs or whip will be you worst enemy. If their box isn't cleaned good enough, you'll be pissed. And the worst thing will be that none of these things you will be able to change. And then you'll start being very sad. And you'll keep coming there because you'll want to spend time with these horses, but you will feel no pleasure, 'cause every time you come, you'll se all these bad things that will make you sad. And it will go on and on untill you finally realise you can't do it that way anymore and with a HUGE heartache you leave.It's not just my personal experience, I've seen it happening to some others too. So, my advice to you is: NEVER LOVE A HORSE THAT IS NOT YOURS!

At 16:59:01 on 14.10.11, GabrielleB wrote:
I think it's both, but mostly it's a good thing, because loving horse can't possibly be bad. But even if the horse is yours, loss is inevitable. I currently lease a horse, and I love him so much. But he isn't mine, and very likely never will be. His owner is in med school, so the potential is for a very long relationship. His owners are fabulous; and I know they couldn't ask for more in me as a lessee. But again, the loss is inevitable, no matter what. What this horse has done for me and for my life will be a measure of the pain that I'll feel when the day comes I won't be riding him, but it will have been worth it.

At 23:14:26 on 25.10.11, Alyssa Marie wrote:
Bad! my grandfather had two belgian mares that i loved soooooo much when i was a little kid, and then my grandpa sold the two mares and i haven't gotten over that, i was heartborken. i wont ever forget those two.

At 05:27:59 on 28.10.11, FalconGirl wrote:
I agree with GabrielleB, it can be bad because you become heartbroken and feel like you lost the love of your life, but it's also good because you had a lasting loving relationship with an awesome horse that was the biggest highlight of your life, and probably there's. Before I got Falcon I used to ride lesson horses and fell in love with many and experienced many heartbroken moments because of my parent's dislike of some change at the barns I used to get lessons at, be it pricing or a change in attitude. I was a "Barn Hopper" xDDD that's what I call it, never stayed at a lesson barn for a minimum of two years, and four maximum with one. Well I fell in love with my designated lesson horses (Norman, Shiloh, Apollo, Nugget, Magic, etc, etc.). I gave up hope of ever having my own horse and felt like I'd forever be in the continuous cycle of losing my best friends and partners. But just this summer my parents and a family friend graced me with Falcon, my first horse and it was like OMG thank you! xD So I guess if you ride through the storm you'll reach your ultimate dream :P.

At 06:34:56 on 28.10.11, CrystalSkater wrote:
Loving a horse that is not yours is a very risky thing to do. As everyone has mentioned, they have been or are in this situation. I know, also first hand, the detrimental effects and potential consequences of falling in love with a horse that is not yours. The horse that I continuously call mine, even though she is not, means the world to me. I had come to the barn one day for a lesson when I was informed that my instructor had had an offer on her. I became an absolute wreck. My dad did not understand why it was such a big deal, because he assured me I'd probably be able to go visit her when I wanted. I told him that I would rather she was dead than with any other person. It is definitely a very dangerous thing to do and you need to know the potential consequences. I would suggest that it is not worth it, but that would be hypocritical. For those unable to afford a horse, it is usually the only way to be able to have a strong connection with a horse, which I would never want to deny anyone. It is just difficult to have the potential of them being taken away from you at any given moment.

At 18:43:56 on 29.10.11, JessAndGrenville123 wrote:

I was at a riding school for 11 years before i got my own horse and i loved one pony in particular with all my heart, she has as you say left hoofprints in my heart, she died just over 2 years after i got my horse and i visited her and galloped her on the beach in those 2 years. I love grenville SO much but i love holly equally, i rode her regularly for over 8 years and groomed her, jumped her and rode her on the beach. They offered me her for free and i was going to take her but a week later she died from old age, i went to the stables to say goodbye to her before the vet put her down, it was sad but i wouldn't have had it any other way, i am glad i loved holly and i hoped she loved me too because that connection made me in tune with her, she was lazy with everyone but nearly unstoppable with me, this pic was taken after a full pelt gallop down the beach, this was the second last time i saw her and the last time i rode her, so i would say let yourself bond you will lose all horses in your life eventually even if it was your own horse you have to embrace them while you can then let them go when you need to. It is hard but worth it :). RIP holly

(Click here for larger view)

At 02:00:12 on 31.10.11, KeepCalmCanterOn wrote:
The Horse that I have in "My Seat" Isn't mine, I'm only thirteen and my parents tell me they will never get me a horse. I have to wait until I'm an Adult and can make my own way in life. I love Hammer dearly, but sadly, he will never be mine. I agree in that the loss and heartbreak are devastating, but without Hammer I could never feel a connection or love for a horse this deeply. Besides, you can't help falling in love.

At 02:00:35 on 31.10.11, KeepCalmCanterOn wrote:
The Horse that I have in "My Seat" Isn't mine, I'm only thirteen and my parents tell me they will never get me a horse. I have to wait until I'm an Adult and can make my own way in life. I love Hammer dearly, but sadly, he will never be mine. I agree in that the loss and heartbreak are devastating, but without Hammer I could never feel a connection or love for a horse this deeply. Besides, you can't help falling in love.

At 02:01:24 on 31.10.11, KeepCalmCanterOn wrote:
The Horse that I have in "My Seat" Isn't mine, I'm only thirteen and my parents tell me they will never get me a horse. I have to wait until I'm an Adult and can make my own way in life. I love Hammer dearly, but sadly, he will never be mine. I agree in that the loss and heartbreak are devastating, but without Hammer I could never feel a connection or love for a horse this deeply. Besides, you can't help falling in love.