Slower than molassas in January.....that's what our progress has been like in getting Lily started under saddle, due to me for the most part. I think horses are started too young in general so when I bought her as a two year old I never intended to start her under saddle until she was 3 years minimum. Well, her 4Th birthday has come and gone (April 11) and we still haven't quite gotten there. I've tacked her up, lunged etc. but I don't feel as unbreakable as I did when I started my QH gelding when I was 22. (plus I didn't really know what I was doing and got help later anyway). So I was planning on getting a trainer to come out and start her for me.
My first problem with this plan was finding a trainer nearby. I've lived in the area for over 2 years now but I have Lily in a very quiet, private non-show barn which has proven not to be a big help in finding a good trainer in the area. And then problem #2 reared it's ugly head...............the getting laid off/financial type ~insert scream of horror here~ I'm able to keep my horse in boarding and full of hay and carrots and the other necessities (although I give my own vaccinations now) but I can't really afford to send her off to a trainer for 6 months.
My horse is a groundwork champ compliments of my Stacy Westfall basic groundwork DVD, but I'm feeling a little stress because she's 4 and not under saddle, like I'm doing something wrong! I think I've read too much Fugly blog and I'm feeling like the bad horse owner who doesn't train her horse and then the horse ends up 12 years old, unbroken and going to the kill buyer (*reining in overactive imagination now*) I'll never let that scenario happen, but I have that guilty voice in my head saying got to get going, got to get going! Plus I really do want to ride my horse! I live in a beautiful area and the beach is 10 minutes away, I'm itching to get out on those trails. I'm feeling a bit frustrated right now and I'm not sure of an immediate solution. I guess I'll just have to chill out, not beat myself up over it and put money in the training jar until I either find a trainer that I can have come to us a couple of times a week or until I've saved enough to send her to someone ( yikes that should only take another 3 years or so) Has anyone been in a similar situation? What did you do?
2 comments:
I sure wish I was close...and maybe I am? I helped start my first horse love, Cody.
Sorry to hear of the layoff..it is all too common these days. Is there not anyone there to help you at the stable? Like I said..wish I were near..would love to help since you have such a wonderful relationship with your Lily..it would be nice if you could be the trainer.
Don't beat yourself up too much though...totally hard to control circumstances. It will happen..really it will!
Kacy w/ Washashe mare
Thanks! I've asked around at the barn, but no luck so far. I guess there was one woman who trained and was good, but moved out of state a little while before we got there :( I would love to do it myself, I did start my QH gelding and even my Mustang mare that I adopted from the BLM, that was 17 years ago though lol. Lily is a good girl, she's just a little more "silly" headed, tends to get a little worked up about things sometimes, she is still young that might contribute to that. I'm in Tillamook by the way!
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