Guilty



Do you ever feel guilty for not riding or going to the barn?

I'm USUALLY at the barn every day, come hell or high water, riding or working or both. But this weather, man... It makes things really difficult for me.

It's freakin' cold, and even though I own plenty of appropriate winter clothing, it's still uncomfortable to be outside. If I wear enough clothes, I'm warm, but I can't move. If I wear fewer layers to facilitate movement, I'm miserably cold. I can't win.

And while I'd love to be training 12 months out of the year, I'm not the type of rider who isn't amenable to a bareback stroll around the farm now and then. But sitting on my pony while he picks cautiously across the frozen lunar landscape is just plain depressing.

So I haven't been to the barn for three days in a row.

And I feel guilty about it.

Anyone else?

Comments

  1. Yes, although my timeline is more relaxed than yours. I usually make it 3-4 days a week, and if it's going to be lighter than that I schedule a training ride. It's a really long hike for me, and time/gas money doesn't allow daily visits.

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    1. See, part of my guilt stems from the fact that it's only a 15 min drive for me to get out there, but UGH WINTER. Barn guilt. it's real.

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  2. Yes. Guilt is strong! Then I remember that they usually don't care.

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  3. I know you guys are leagues ahead of Dassah-mare and I so you are more dedicated on a regular basis than we. That being said, I have hit one of my most dreariest of doldrums this winter. So much so that I don't even want to blog about it. I haven't ridden in several weeks - it's just so cold and dark. We have an indoor but sitting in a windowless office all day, then driving in the dark to the barn, to ride in a cold, windowless space is killing my spirit. I know I just need to get out there but I'm caving to my weak side right now. Anyway.

    Yes, I feel guilty about it. :(

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  4. I have routine - Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. If I miss just ONE day, I can't sit still and mentally I am cursing myself out for being lazy.
    I opted out of Tuesday's ride since it was -28c without windchill here and I have been forced to sit at my desk all day today at work...
    Today is barely warmer, but I am itching to go!

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  5. I used to. But I mean I'm not on part board or self care. So Mainly I just try to maintain a certain number of rides, sometimes I go above, sometimes a little below. It all evens out.

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  6. I get you, I want to ride so bad, but seriously what is the point of slipping and sliding over frozen tundra!?

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    1. YES. EXACTLY. And I keep telling myself "well you could hack out" but the grass in the fields and the roads are just as hard/slippery/awful as the arena footing.

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  7. I don't even have frozen ground and mud and stuff and I still wimp out. And then I feel like a horrible horse mom. I get you. Super guilty, like there was some fine print in the contract that said, "8 carrots and at least four occurrences of breaking a sweat a week."

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  8. It has been cold here and I haven't gotten to the barn all week. I don't feel guilty though, I know my horse is fine and comfy in his blankets and the time apart makes the time together that much better :-)

    plus no use in me freezing my butt off and having to remove my cozy horse's blankets!

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  9. I know I do. Last week I missed 6days in a row because our windchills were in the -20s the whole week. I was depresso and Katai certainly punished me when I got back. Things are so much better this week now that temps are in the 20s above zero :-)

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  10. A little, but mostly? It's January and I'm without a saddle. We're allowed a little time off. You can't just go hard year round, in anything, even the number of trips you take to the barn.

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