I feel like I'm a blogging downer these days. The huge irony is that my horse is doing quite well! So what is so bitter?
UNMET EXPECTATIONS
When you are pregnant people tell you stories about how women grieve the loss of their "birth plan". HA! That's easy to avoid I decided. I simply choose not to create one, beyond the fact that I would go to the hospital and have a baby, ever which way he decided to come out. In less than six hours I had an adorable baby in my arms. It worked like a charm.
What I didn't do was avoid making a post-baby riding plan. Oh, yes, you all may recall how I was going to get right back in the saddle, Rose and I both would get back into shape, do a couple local schooling shows and finish the season off with a rated show or two.
Unmet expectations. I now realize what a ridiculous first time mom goal that was.
BITTER REALITY
The reality is that if I'm lucky I will get to ride my horse two times a week (Saturday & Sunday) at most. No easily getting back into shape, no schooling shows, and definitely no rated shows. No baby green hunter debut. There is just no way around it. Both my husband and I are self employed which is great, in that it allows me to be a work at home mom and keeps Jr. out of day care. It is bad however, because due to taking care of Jr. my income has been greatly reduced. This means that I can't afford to have a baby sitter watch Jr. while I go to the barn four days a week. Since my income is reduced, hubs can't spare his time to watch Jr. for me to get my horse fix either. That leaves me with the weekend only. Argh! Reality you are very very bitter tasting.
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Rose - the horse I got to see twice in the month of September. |
What is one to do? Personally I have a hard time justifying the cost of maintaining a show horse that I ride once or twice a week (a show horse, who for a while looked more like a bloated yack than a warmblood). However, the thought of selling Rose to only turn around and replace her in two more years (when I once again have free time to ride more often...hello preschool) seems foolish. The thought of selling her at all is one I don't like to even think about. Not getting to ride at all for two more years...that I could not deal with at all. Better one day a week than none. What to do?
Half-lease. This is the only thing I've been able to come up with. I've never lease out one of my horses so I'm very nervous about doing it and will probably have so much red tape involved that I'll never find a lessor, but I see no other choice at this point. Ironically I'd love to have EB lease her, but I don't know that she can afford it as a college student. She's been doing such a great job with Rose though that I couldn't be happier. Truly, EB has been a life saver this past month.
Have any of you had any good leasing experiences? Any tips or advice?
Happy trails and swooshing tails!
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