I feel like the worst horse owner ever....

My horse is in my backyard, and I can't ride in summer; 16 to 20 hour days, and no way around it. As NorthernMama said, "Life happens." So October to May is my riding time.

Does my horse know how lucky he is to have the whole summer off? No, he doesn't. He thinks that's how it should always be.

I try to clop around on him at least three times a week, but he has 24/7 access to turnout, so if I don't it is not the end of the world. I find though, that the more I ride him the more I am motivated to ride. When life interferes and I can't ride for a few days, I start remembering how much he wants not to be ridden instead of how much I want to ride. The more you ride, the more you can't do without it.