Warning: Long. Half question, half brain dump.
I've got two horse, Julius and Blaze. I've been working away so they have been with my trainer since Augest, in training since October. I see them only for a few days every 3-4 months. Before moving for work, I had been riding both of them for two-ish years. I started both of them but had far more setbacks with Julius than Blaze. Blaze I cantered on out second ride, took Julius months before we cantered.
I wont sell Blaze as he is perfect for me in every way; body type, temperament, talent, and ability.
My quandary is more if I should keep both or sell Julius.
Since being at the trainer's Julius has excelled. He is now stretching through his canter, working through laterals, carrying himself balanced. He is very talented and enjoys Dressage. But in that same vein he is very sensitive and a huge mover and still quite green.
I have ridden infrequently over the last year and have to relearn how to ride basically since my instruction before that was spotty. (Being said, I'm not a beginner by any means. Need to correct bad habits and develop new ones). My trainer has made it clear I will not be able to ride Julius for a while. I trust his judgment and agree that I am not at the point where I can ride him currently. Now, I've been visiting the last few days and out at the barn all day helping out. We will ride both of mine, me on Blaze and he on Julius. We will switch half way and I so get on Julius and walk him around, so I do sit on him, but not more than a walk. He's said that eventually, in order or me to be successful on him, we will need the sort of relationship where my trainer schools him multiple times a week then I can ride under instruction. I agree. I did ask my trainer the other day if I should sell him and he said no, we can make it work eventually.
But then I look back on old pictures and videos and we did have some brilliant moments together, but then again he now has 6-7 months of pro training on him and he was basically restarted during that time. He is like a different horse now.
Despite both of them being young and green, he has said nothing like this in regard to Blaze. There is no concern about my ability to ride Blaze. But Blaze is a hunter/jumper through and through, lots of TB blood in him. Julius would allow me to be competitive in dressage(big WB). I want to do both.
I can afford for them to be in training currently, but am quitting my job in July and moving back with the parents to go to school again in the fall. I'll be leaving the guaranteed high paying career in healthcare for a more volatile field of CS. I have told him that I cannot afford to keep him in training come July and he said we'd work something out. And we would work something out as an exchange of rides/lessons for hours of work. Julius costs more to keep as he is on indoor board, is a hard keeper, needs joint maintenance.
Looking at just the cost, it costs me $900 for both to board, then I would have to pay for at least some lessons on top of that, not even factoring in those extra rides Jules. I don't expect them to give me free lessons on both horses for 2-3 years. With just blaze my cost drops to $350 board and reasonable expectation of working for all of my lessons. I do have a large savings account built up in preparation of my unemployment.
Logically, the best course of action would be to sell Julius.
But emotionally, Julius is the sweetest horse I know. So well behaved and just loves his people. Easy to handle, kind and polite. He tried really hard and just wants to please you. If I'd had a bad day I know I could go out to the barn and cry on his shoulder. If I had to say, he is my heart horse. I'm always worrying about him, making sure he gets the best care. When I asked my trainer if I should sell he asked, "Who'd take care of him like you would?". I am OCD on this horses care. He has some preexisting conditions that may shorten his soundness in the future, but I have been right on top of that with therapeutic wraps, lineaments, joint supplements, he gets yearly x-rays to monitor any changes, he had custom made shoes for a while(but is barefoot now). While Blaze is a great partner, he'd rather just go do something and work.
I don't know. Do I keep both and hope when my trainer says eventually he means like 1 year, not 4, and bank on being able to afford everything for the sake of keeping my heart horse? Or do I do the logical thing and sell him and focus myself on the horse who is currently more appropriate for my ability level and save up for my future? How much stock do we put in to emotional factors?
As a reward, here's the goober in question.
I've got two horse, Julius and Blaze. I've been working away so they have been with my trainer since Augest, in training since October. I see them only for a few days every 3-4 months. Before moving for work, I had been riding both of them for two-ish years. I started both of them but had far more setbacks with Julius than Blaze. Blaze I cantered on out second ride, took Julius months before we cantered.
I wont sell Blaze as he is perfect for me in every way; body type, temperament, talent, and ability.
My quandary is more if I should keep both or sell Julius.
Since being at the trainer's Julius has excelled. He is now stretching through his canter, working through laterals, carrying himself balanced. He is very talented and enjoys Dressage. But in that same vein he is very sensitive and a huge mover and still quite green.
I have ridden infrequently over the last year and have to relearn how to ride basically since my instruction before that was spotty. (Being said, I'm not a beginner by any means. Need to correct bad habits and develop new ones). My trainer has made it clear I will not be able to ride Julius for a while. I trust his judgment and agree that I am not at the point where I can ride him currently. Now, I've been visiting the last few days and out at the barn all day helping out. We will ride both of mine, me on Blaze and he on Julius. We will switch half way and I so get on Julius and walk him around, so I do sit on him, but not more than a walk. He's said that eventually, in order or me to be successful on him, we will need the sort of relationship where my trainer schools him multiple times a week then I can ride under instruction. I agree. I did ask my trainer the other day if I should sell him and he said no, we can make it work eventually.
But then I look back on old pictures and videos and we did have some brilliant moments together, but then again he now has 6-7 months of pro training on him and he was basically restarted during that time. He is like a different horse now.
Despite both of them being young and green, he has said nothing like this in regard to Blaze. There is no concern about my ability to ride Blaze. But Blaze is a hunter/jumper through and through, lots of TB blood in him. Julius would allow me to be competitive in dressage(big WB). I want to do both.
I can afford for them to be in training currently, but am quitting my job in July and moving back with the parents to go to school again in the fall. I'll be leaving the guaranteed high paying career in healthcare for a more volatile field of CS. I have told him that I cannot afford to keep him in training come July and he said we'd work something out. And we would work something out as an exchange of rides/lessons for hours of work. Julius costs more to keep as he is on indoor board, is a hard keeper, needs joint maintenance.
Looking at just the cost, it costs me $900 for both to board, then I would have to pay for at least some lessons on top of that, not even factoring in those extra rides Jules. I don't expect them to give me free lessons on both horses for 2-3 years. With just blaze my cost drops to $350 board and reasonable expectation of working for all of my lessons. I do have a large savings account built up in preparation of my unemployment.
Logically, the best course of action would be to sell Julius.
But emotionally, Julius is the sweetest horse I know. So well behaved and just loves his people. Easy to handle, kind and polite. He tried really hard and just wants to please you. If I'd had a bad day I know I could go out to the barn and cry on his shoulder. If I had to say, he is my heart horse. I'm always worrying about him, making sure he gets the best care. When I asked my trainer if I should sell he asked, "Who'd take care of him like you would?". I am OCD on this horses care. He has some preexisting conditions that may shorten his soundness in the future, but I have been right on top of that with therapeutic wraps, lineaments, joint supplements, he gets yearly x-rays to monitor any changes, he had custom made shoes for a while(but is barefoot now). While Blaze is a great partner, he'd rather just go do something and work.
I don't know. Do I keep both and hope when my trainer says eventually he means like 1 year, not 4, and bank on being able to afford everything for the sake of keeping my heart horse? Or do I do the logical thing and sell him and focus myself on the horse who is currently more appropriate for my ability level and save up for my future? How much stock do we put in to emotional factors?
As a reward, here's the goober in question.