Missing riding ...

I haven't really been riding since September :( I came to uni, and joined the riding club - but I haven't actually been motivated to go to any lessons. I had a 15-minute assessment lesson, where I walked trotted and cantered round an arena in a huge group, and I went on a really crappy hack. Lessons would only be available every fortnight anyway, and are ona first-come first-served basis.

The thing is ... the stables I go to back home is a really amazing one. They have loads of horses for lessons - including lots over 15hh, which I like as I have really long legs - and they are all well-looked after, well-behaved and well-trained. The same horses that pack beginners round are used for bending exercises, shoulder-ins and counter-canter.

The stables available to me through my uni's riding club are all very small, with very few horses of any decent size (maybe one or two that aren't ponies) and which simply aren't as well-trained, well-cared for, well-behaved, and so on. When you look at them, you can see from their muscling that they're not often used for much more than WTC. This has, I'm afraid, discouraged me - I'm jaded from learning to ride in such a good place. I know riding less wonderful horses would be good for me, but the idea of packing around a small arena in a big group on a horse that means my knees have to come up to my ears isn't nearly as appealing as the thought of the horses back home!

The hack was absolute garbage and cost £20 - it was ridiculous.

Right now I'm really missing the horses back home. My best friend has been keeping me updated on how they're all doing, and right now I want to just go there and give big hugs to Charlie Brown, Mr Darcy and Fifi. I'm home in two weeks, but I won't be able to loan a horse as I'd hoped because I won't have access to a car. Hopefully Mum will be able to drive me to a few lessons as she's been made redundant by the credit crunch.

-sigh- I just wish I could have my home stables next door, and go riding every night. I want to give Mr Darcy a kiss :(

At least you have the option.

I havnt seen nor ridden my horses( or any horses for that matter ) in 2 months because im at uni also. Thankfully I have one more week in the city then I get to go home to see them : )

What exactly is uni?

Welcome to university! I didn't ride my first year. The second year I borrowed the car of the guy I was dating, and then when we broke up I moved onto the farm and cleaned stalls in exchange for a room. Then I moved back home and didn't ride for... 3 years has it been? It sucks, but it's part of university life. Could you find a stable that will let you work in exchange for hacking a horse once in a while? I'm 5'7" and I can ride smaller horses if they have larger barrels, and even if they don't I make do just so I can ride! I spend a lot of time reading about different disciplines and training methods. Next semester I'm going to horse college :)

Bah you guys are a ll a bunch of whiners! Come on cheer up! 2 months off? Come on ladies, let's keep going here! I haven't seen the back of a horse in nearly 2 years! And I have to take at least another year off riding all due to injury.
Take that time off and chill out, go spend more time with friends, go visit someone sick, spend time with family in 2 weeks when you get home. You have the rest of your lifetime to keep riding! Your ponies I'm sure can take the vacation as well! Have fun, enjoy life

Two months is a long time when I'd only been riding for four months before the start of term :P

Uni is university.

I'm limited only to the riding opportunities the uni club can give me. I don't have a car - can't afford one and am not actually allowed to have one at uni: the council wouldn't give me a parking permit for my house and the uni wouldn't give me a parking permit for on campus. If I did have a car, I could arrange riding myself at a decent local stables, but as it is it's not an option.

I'm not desperately desperately into horses like many of the people here, but I do miss riding. My best friend was updating me on all the horses last night and I told her to give them all hugs from me xD

(I have been up to plenty of other stuff :P Aside from drowning under coursework, I've been doing lots and lots of my ballroom dancing, and we had our Christmas Ball on Sunday in the beautiful Assembly Rooms ...)

I know university team at my old school had grooms and helpers for the riders so we could go to the lectures and lessons and learn and help out. It was competitive to get on the team and since I hadn't ridden in 2 years I didn't bother trying out lol In the past 3 years I have ridden about a dozen times (bareback, on my sister's OTTStb

I haven't ridden for a year and don't know when I will be able to again. The urge never goes away...

Oh my gosh! I am so the same! I have not ridden a horse in more then 5 months!!!
It. Is. Killing. Me!

I know how you feel! Cookie?