A Day in the Life of a Horse Rider: Winter Edition

After the whirlwind of Christmas madness, we can all relate to feeling a bit overwhelmed. The quest for the perfect gift (trips to the shopping centre made the celebrity jungle look a breeze), spending time with family and friends, preparing meals, decorating the house, and keeping everything clean for guests, whilst smiling and wanting to enjoy the dinner you just stressed about—it's all a lot! And then, there's still the daily routine of caring for our beloved four-legged companions, whether it's twice a day or twice a week, depending on your livery plan. It's hard not to feel like we're drowning in the chaos.

When does it start to feel normal again? For me, the pressure to do it all has always been stressful, with the guilt of not balancing everything perfectly. So this year, I decided to hit pause. I took a step back, gave my beautiful boy a proper few weeks off, and today we finally made our way into the school in this stunning winter weather, a perfect combination of wind and rain, just enough to soak me through and chill me to the bones. It was just an easy lunge session—nothing crazy, but it was exactly what we both needed. I have to say, there were no expected fireworks, but I could see a more balanced, engaged horse in front of me. Sure, I was expecting a few wild moves or "handstands," but instead, I just got a very happy boy, and that was more than enough.

Why do we do this? At what point did it become a requirement to ride our horses 4, 5, 6, or even 7 days a week, with maybe a random two weeks off? My boy is capable of great things, but in the competitive horse world, he's considered "behind" because he's not out jumping 120's. He’s only just stopped growing, and today he reminded me that sometimes it's not just the rider that needs a break—it's our horses too. I’ve always given him mini breaks throughout the year, and I’m convinced that’s the key to keeping them happy and healthy.

To anyone reading this: I'm a true believer that "the longer you leave them, the longer you’ll have them". They’re not just athletes; they’re our pets. We don’t owe anyone anything. We can be our own worst critics, but we need to be kinder to ourselves. So listen to your gut—it’s rarely wrong.

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year and a balanced start to the year ahead! :)