I Should Feel Guilty

3/27/2017

I should, but I don't. I've had a busy school year. Selling and buying a house and then moving during the first quarter of the school year has really wreaked havoc on my life. Furnishing the house and getting things repaired and in working order prolonged the mayhem. There are days when I am just too tired to do anything.

From a day where I wasn't being lazy.

I go to the barn every Saturday; It's what I do. This Saturday however, I realized it wasn't going to happen. I did my grocery shopping, mailed my Dad's birthday present, started some laundry, and then gave myself permission to go fishing. I caught a fish. And then I sat down.

The day was drizzly but there were moments of brilliant sunshine. Even so, I finally told myself that it was OKAY to skip a riding day. I ride at least 300 days a year. There is no crime in sitting on the bench and letting a prime riding day slip by.

I felt much more motivated by Sunday morning and had an excellent ride on each horse. Do you ever just sit one out, and do you feel guilty when you do?

Carol link

3/27/2017 05:10:16 am

Yes, my riding time is so limited, that I feel extremely guilty when I skip a weekend ride day. But I also know if I don't give myself a rest day every so often , I won't be able to keep up with life . Enjoy your bench by the water !

Bakersfield Dressage link

3/28/2017 12:53:02 pm

That's exactly how I feel. Sometimes, I just need a break in order to come back totally ready. :0)

Lauren link

3/27/2017 05:13:53 am

Sometimes I feel guilty when I take a breather day but that's usually when I have something big coming up. Most of the time if I don't go out it's because I really need the time for other things and thus feel too busy to feel guilty.

3/28/2017 12:54:05 pm

If I have concrete plans, I don't feel guilty. If I am just doinking around because I need a break, I do feel a wee bit guilty. :0)

Tracy link

3/27/2017 05:40:44 am

This is the biggest perk of boarding at a full-care facility and being an adult amateur: you don't HAVE to go to the barn. And sometimes I just... don't.

3/28/2017 12:56:00 pm

If I had a horse with a trainer, I'd never feel guilty either - what a life!, I like to be in it up to my boot tops though - mud, poop, feed, the whole shebang! :0)

Alex link

3/27/2017 06:58:51 am

All the time. I feel guilty whenever I'm just too tired to go to the barn. I have this lovely creature who I spend lots of money on each month. What on earth am I doing, not taking advantage of each and every riding day I can. Then I have to remember to tell myself breaks are okay. If I force it too hard, I make myself burn out.

3/28/2017 12:56:31 pm

Yep, yep, yep - that's it exactly!

lytha

3/27/2017 12:36:58 pm

When you're paying by the day, Yah, I cringe at every day missed.

Like your commenters have said, I feel very guilty if I don't make it to the barn, when I think of the training lost and the cost paid. Having a horse at home has no such pressure.

3/28/2017 12:58:11 pm

Paying by the day would change my perspective. The way I think about paying board is that I am paying for a safe home with good quality feed for my boys. My visits don't change any of that. However, not riding or checking in on them seems to scream "you're a loser!" :0)

Teresa link

3/28/2017 03:25:01 am

I believe that guilt is a non-productive emotion - it keeps us from enjoying what we're doing because of we're not doing but we wouldn't be enjoying that either so.....

I'm sure that the horses were fine. I once had a riding coach who pressured me to ride all the time. I didn't mind but when I just couldn't because of work/family she would make me feel that I was not dedicated enough. I remember one time when I came to the barn and she began to lecture me because Irish had been a nut the day before in his turn out. 'You need to be riding him more' she scolded. 'But' I said 'yesterday morning I lunged him, rode him and then went for a hack. He was being worked for about 90 minutes and was dozing when I left'.

she hadn't realized I had ridden and assumed that I hadn't. That's when I realize that people don't alway give you the benefit of the doubt. :) Irish was young and energetic and was not getting enough turn out (in my opinion).

Anyway, a really long reply to simply say- go fishing and have fun. The horses are fine.

3/29/2017 06:39:46 am

You're absolutely right. :0) I rode with a trainer for quite awhile who disagreed with some of the decisions that I made for my horses. I didn't have a lot of other choices at the time, and she was helping me, so we agreed to disagree. As soon as another option became available, I was happy to move on.

Doing this mostly on my own (you know what that feels like) means that I assume ALL of the responsibility. I take that job seriously which is where the guilt can come in. If not me, who else? But like my ranch owner said the other day, I already ride PLENTY, so a few missed days won't hurt anyone. :0)

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