No riding lessons for a while

I am trying to decide of what I should do, so I'd appreciate any advice that you guys have. I love horses so much, they are my passion and only hobby. I'm also a student at a university and I start this fall so I've been saving as much money as I can. I seem to always have a lot of money going out and only a little amount coming in. I am currently working 6 days a week so I feel very mentally drained. I have so much going on and it's waayy to personal to put on the internet, but I'm almost at a stage where I just want to throw up my arms and give up.

Unfortunately I have to pay for college on my own, but I recieved a renewable, top academic scholarship that will help me out a lot as long as I keep a 3.0 GPA through school. I have saved enough for text books, I just have to order them. I actually have money coming back to me, so I could either keep it or use it to get rid of some of my loan.

Now I just have to worry about my car payments and maintenance. My aunt bought me a car a couple months ago with an agreement that I would pay all of it back. I was thinking of using my money that I get back from school and use it to get another good chunk off of my car.

So I'm at a point right now where I'm just doing waayy too much. I've overworked myself and feel that I need a break before college, which starts in just over a month. I haven't had a riding lesson in over a month and I really need to ride. Lessons are $40 so they aren't that bad.

I could keep working 6-7 days a week and get my riding lesson a week

Or

Work maybe 5 days a week and not get any riding lessons.

Here comes the tricky part. My riding instructor is amazing and I've talked to her about not being able to afford lessons and find time to ride. She wants me to still come to the barn and ride one of their horses for free. I told her that I didn't feel comfortable without paying, but she insisted. Obviously she can't give me a lesson, but I'm welcome to come and ride as long as I let her know first.

Anyone want to give me any advice, please?

Your instructor is being amazingly understanding, and you should take her up on her wonderful offer.

The only thing holding you back is pride, and working 7 days a week is going to burn you out completely at some point.

Take her up on the offer of riding one of her horses, and do something nice for her when you have the time and money.

I already feel burnt out and I feel bad for my family, friends and boy friend because I had a huge breakdown. I really really want to take her up on her offer, but I still don't feel right about it. I'd offer work around the barn, but I don't have any time. I have to leave for work now actually, thank goodness it's a short day.

I say take the offer. Maybe find a way to put aside $10 a week and get your lesson at the end of the month. Sounds like you need a break, so I would take her up in it if I were you.
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Take her up on the offer. When you're there try to spend maybe an hour or so doing little things so you'l won't feel so poorly about it. There's always little things that can be done - sweep, clean their bathroom, toss some hay, fill water buckets. You may not be able to work a full or half day for her but little things you could do to help would surely be appreciated and help you too. What if you work your regular job 5 days a week and give me of your free mornings to the trainer and give her a half days work? The horse time will make you feel good and so will the physical activity. So many people feel better just being around horses! You'd still have a full day and the rest of that day unscheduled so you'll have time to do other things too.
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There's nothing wrong with taking a hiatus from lessons. Sure, your riding skills might not improve a whole lot in the next little while but you'll be surprised how little you'll forget. Especially if you can still ride.

I understand not wanting to ride the horse for free, but as you're this concerned about it in the first place, I doubt you're in danger of becoming a demanding mooch. I like what Speed Racer said - do something nice for her when you have the time and money.

Perhaps you are doing her a favour by giving the horse some exercise?

This.



Enjoy her generosity. Someday, when you're the one with more resources, pay it forward. Somebody else will be very grateful.

Take her up on the offer and while you feel you don't have any spare time to help her.... you really do if you *want* to.

It doesn't have to be right now but come the Holidays when school isn't in session, think about how nice it would be if you fed/cleaned the barn on Christmas or Christmas Eve so she could take the day off. Or giving her a couple of weeks of barn cleaning during Spring break/Summer break, etc....

Sounds like you have a delightful instructor and she's offering you some great free mental health time. I bet the horses she lets you ride are in need of more riding and sweaty blankets, I know most trainers are always in need of a good rider to just put the miles on some of their training horses.

Work 5 days, ride 1 and stay on top of your studies. The pace you're setting right now is not going to be sustainable for very long. Take the extra you have coming back and put it in a savings account for those unplanned expenses that always seem to come up. At the end of your schooling, if you haven't used it, you'll have a decent sized chunk to pay on principal for either your student loans or your car loan.

If your horse time is anything like my horse time (absolute zen!), then take up her offer. I was working part time and going to college full time, and I burned out in two months. I didn't have horses, or a hobby that could bring me back to my happy place at the time. I might still be in college if I did. Even if it is one day a week, or right before school or after work, just those couple of hours to breathe everything horse, it will be worth it. If you are not taking lessons, at least you can still touch and smell them, and get your happy time.

I hate my job some days, but I will happily go and muck some stalls for free before work (which is totally harder labor, but definitely not a mental task) if it just means being around the horses for an hour.