Is that True?
I have no time to ride—at least that’s what I tell myself. I go out morning and night to feed, clean, and fill hay nets and wonder why I keep doing this when I never ride. “Someday,” I tell myself. Now that I’m working full time in addition to keeping up with The Northwest Horse Source it’s been a challenge to find any horse time. Perhaps these are just excuses.
When I started the magazine, I still found time to ride. I got out in the horse community and took my horse to events and then wrote about the experience. Since moving to Colorado, I haven’t made the push to get connected here. Things have gotten more expensive, and I find myself unable to find the time to enjoy riding.
My new horse, Chip, has had very little saddle time (which he needs) and I miss my mare April, who died soon after our arrival in Colorado. I trusted her completely. But Chip lacks training and he’s spooky when I take him places (even around home). I’m sure he just needs more time.
I’m not as brave as I used to be. I don’t want to get hurt, and the potential medical bills are a worry. I wonder if I’m the only one who feels that way. I need a horse community like I had in Washington. I enjoyed trail rides, extreme trail, trail competitions, and sorting. I found time to ride because I enjoyed being around horse people.
Now I need to push through the fear and ride enough to earn Chip’s trust. It’s time to put aside the excuses and find just 15 minutes to work with him on something, even groundwork.
April was an exceptional horse, and it’s not fair to keep comparing Chip to her. I had her since she was a yearling, and Chip is a senior horse who’s had many experiences unknown to me. I had a local trainer get on him and evaluate him for me. His comment was, “He doesn’t know much; he just needs miles.” I’d hauled him to an arena he’d never been in. While he was spooky at all the arena signs and banners, he was manageable and not worried about the horses moving around him in the arena.
So, no more excuses! I need some horse time. Life is short and the older I get the faster it goes. Let me know your thoughts on the subject. Send an email to [email protected]. I’d love to connect with you and have a conversation.
“Don’t give up; the beginning is always the hardest.” – Unknown
No Time to Ride – Part 2
See this article in the September 2025 Online Digital Edition:
September 2025
Owner/Publisher Karen’s lifelong love of horses began at a very early age when she wore out a couple of rocking horses before convincing her parents to get her the real thing. That ill-tempered bay gelding, Brandy, was a challenge for the young horsewoman, but it drove her ambition to become a horse trainer. After attending Canyonview Equestrian College’s Horsemanship Program, Karen realized she needed work that was a little more lucrative than training, so she took a job with Customs Brokerage to pay the bills. There, she discovered an affinity for computers and a talent for creating informative, entertaining newsletters. The Northwest Horse Source began as such a letter in December 1995, with a distribution of 1000 copies for its 12 black and white pages. Now 29 years later, it’s an online magazine and website with a reach of over 10,000 per month and growing! Not bad for the results of one woman’s dream to work with horses!
Today, Karen remains involved with every aspect of the magazine and treasures the community of thousands who share a common passion.
