Instead of cruising along on autopilot, take a minute to walk through your barn chores and see them with fresh eyes. You’ll find ways to save money—as well as time!—with a few simple one-time tweaks to your current system.

Below are our top gizmos that will save you big over the long run.

15 Equestrian Hacks Amid Inflation

1. Cushion From the Cold

Make winter watering easier with insulated buckets and tanks. While tank and bucket heaters are nice, a single tank heater can increase your electricity bill by $30 a month!

For those of us living in northern states, insulated bucket holders, either purchased or homemade, make barn life easier. A little bit of insulation means no more swinging a rubber mallet at the side of the bucket to break up the ice every day.

Large, outdoor tanks can be set inside a heavily insulated box with a piece of floating hard insulation on the water surface. My 100-gallon tank in Maine stays amazingly ice-free most days in the winter. There are no extra electricity expenses (perfect for dealing with inflation!) and no extension cords crisscrossing the farm.

2. Magnetic Tool Strip

A hammer, leather punch, screwdriver, or knife: How many times do you find yourself needing to quickly grab a tool but end up digging around for long stretches to find one? You may have even given up and thrown money away on a replacement simply because you couldn’t find it when you needed it.

For less than $25, you can purchase a three-pack of heavy-duty magnetic strips. Designed to hold heavy metal objects, they can be mounted on the walls in the tack room or feed room to keep the tools you use most at hand.

3. Invest and Save

My best tool investment was a portable air compressor; small ones start at $100. Air compressors are worth their weight in gold, especially if you add up all the tires at your farm. Tallying up my truck, horse trailer, hay trailer, lawn mower, tractor, utility trailer and wheelbarrows, I have 26 tires on the farm, and at least one of them always needs air.

4. Cord Control

Keep your barn aisle neat with a wall-mounted extension cord reel. These cord reels keep power at the ready, yet neatly put away when not in use. This way, you don’t need to go looking through the tack room for the last place you saw an extension cord or deal with tangled, twisted cords, and you won’t have dangerous tripping hazards in the barn aisle.

5. Collect Rainwater

Here in the U.S., we have some regions that are desperate for rain, while others are wishing it would stop. Whatever the situation, we rarely take advantage of harnessing this natural resource.

Rainwater can easily fill your troughs, and you don’t need a fancy system. If you have buildings with metal roofs, just add a gutter and downspout directed to the water tank.

Numerous websites can help you calculate how much water can be collected based on the size of your roof and the amount of rainfall you receive. For example, my small run-in shed has a 24-square-foot by 16-square-foot roof. That’s 55,296 square inches. Multiply this by a 1-inch rainfall, and I can collect 55,296 cubic inches of water. Divide that by 231 (the number of cubic inches in a gallon), and the result is 239 gallons of water—not bad for a small run-in shed! This is actually more water than my trough can hold.

If you have horses in remote pastures with run-in sheds, you can add a storage tank to collect the water and a float valve to let it automatically fill the tank when the level drops.

Think about the time you save not having to lug water or drag out hoses as often, not to mention savings on your water bill. You can find plans online for building a simple rain barrel or a more complicated rainwater-catchment system.

6. In Hot Water

For less than $250, you can have hot water on demand in a system that is so portable, you can even take it to shows or to trail rides.

These portable systems can easily save you money over a permanent fixture (which runs at least $600-$1,000) if you’re not using it every day.

7. Clean Up Your Act

Washers and dryers at the barn are luxury items, but it sure is nice to not have to drag hairy blankets and sopping-wet towels into the house or off to the laundromat.

Thankfully, you don’t have to buy new, expensive machines to wash smelly blankets. My appliance repairman advised me to shop for used washers circa early 2000s; he said they last forever and repairs are inexpensive. Perfect for dealing with saddle pads and blankets! Check online classifieds like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace for used washers and dryers near you.

8. Take Note

For less than $10, you can turn any wall in your barn into a chalkboard. With some chalkboard paint and a few strokes of a paintbrush, you can create a fun board for writing notes, phone numbers and feeding schedules.

Compared to the cost and hassle of buying and mounting a dry-erase white board with markers that can dry up or permanently stick to the board, this old-school system won’t let you down.

9. Simplify Cross-tying

Get your cross-ties out of the aisles and put them in your stalls. Many barns now have cross-tie hardware in the stalls, or they designate the wash stall as a grooming area.

By eliminating cross-ties in the main barn aisle, there is less debris that needs to be continually swept up, and you’ll have more room for others to navigate around the barn when bringing horses in or out. You also don’t have horses in the way when doing routine barn chores like mucking or feeding.

10. Reinventing the Wheelbarrow

When it comes to wheelbarrows, the design hasn’t changed in the past 100 years. You have your basic choices of a single- or dual-wheeled (I prefer the single because it turns corners easier), and plastic versus metal tray.

Until recently, you could only find basic wood stump handles that seem to be designed for ridiculously large hands. Finally, someone realized actual handles would go a long way toward making the wheelbarrow better. Even when fully loaded, this type doesn’t feel like a runaway train when going downhill because I can keep a firm grip on the handles.

11. Bright Ideas

If you’re guilty of leaving on lights after you’ve left the bathroom, tack room or feed room, install motion sensors and watch your electricity bill go down. This, combined with energy-efficient LED lights, is a money and aggravation saver. Exterior lighting on motion sensors also saves money. You may hear that motion sensors are unreliable, but if they are set up correctly, they work great. I’ve used them on my farm for more than 25 years.

No power in an outbuilding? A battery- or solar-operated motion-sensor LED light is the answer. The one in my hay barn has been operating on the same set of batteries for seven years.

12. Shelve It

Roll those grain bins out of the way. Shop for used kitchen cabinets with slide-out bases, or just add a countertop and mount your grain bins on barrel dollies, then roll them under the counter. You’ll wonder what you did without this additional work and storage space until now.

Metal trash cans are 100 percent rodent-proof, and being able to move them around allows you to keep the floors swept clean.

13. Open-Door Policy

Another old-school idea is to put solid board rails in doorways when barn doors are open. Fit the boards into slots so they can be dropped down easily for people, yet keep a loose horse from leaving the barn.

Good ventilation is key to your horses’ health, and these board rails will allow you to leave the doors open, even if you own an escape artist.

14. Save on Salt

Instead of buying small salt bricks or spools, buy a 50-pound block and place it in a corner of the stall. It will keep your horse happy and provide a source of salt for more than a year.

On a pound-per-pound basis, you will save $40 or more a year. As a side benefit, many horses that chew up the smaller bricks will just lick the larger block.

15. Nothing But Net

For years, I fed hay outside on the ground, but when horses had their fill, they wasted the remaining hay and trampled it into the dirt. (With today’s inflation-induced hay prices, this could easily add up to hundreds of dollars wasted per year.) Hanging hay nets reduces hay waste, but wrestling the hay into the nets each day is time consuming.

At a dressage farm that I visited, I noticed they had hay-net hoops. This was the best of both worlds—no more hay waste and no hassle putting the hay in the net.

Become an idea shopper! Hundreds of ideas like this abound at stables that you visit. Keep your eyes peeled and look for them. By sharing ideas and looking at the ways that other equestrians are doing things, we can all benefit—especially amid inflation.

Also Read: Beat Inflation at Horse Shows

This article about hacks for equestrians amid inflation appeared in the January/February 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Dealing with Inflation as an Equestrian appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Outdoor Shade Structure

Cost: $110 – $135 per structure

Need:
◆ Shade tarp
◆ Four 10-foot-long 4″x4″ pressure-treated posts
◆ Four bags of quick concrete
◆ Concrete-mixing receptacle like a wheelbarrow
◆ Posthole digger or posthole-digging shovel
◆ Heavy-duty zip ties

Providing shade to animals during the sunny summer months is important, and if trees and run-in sheds aren’t available, building a very simple shade structure is another option. Luckily, it doesn’t have to break the bank.

Harbor Freight sells mesh tarps ranging in size from 8’x10′ to 12’x 20′. These tarps have a close-knit weave that blocks approximately 60 percent of light, and can be doubled up if needed. The tarps cost $33 to $55.

Purchase four pressure-treated wood 4″x4″ posts with a minimum height of 10 feet from a hardware store, and dig four 2-foot-deep post holes in the appropriate configuration for the tarp. These posts cost approximately $17 each.

Drill ½-inch holes through the beams within 4 inches of the top for fastening the tarps with heavy-duty zip ties.

Mix quick concrete to slightly drier than package instructions, and cement the posts into the holes, checking for plum lines and even spacing.

Allow the concrete to set for 24 hours before using a ladder to secure the mesh tarp to the tops of the posts with heavy-duty zip ties. Be sure to watch the shade structure for any wear and tear, including holes in the tarp or failing zip ties.

Five-Gallon Bucket Safety

Cost: $5

Need:
◆ Electrical tape

Five-gallon buckets are used for all sorts of things around the barn, including storage, step-stools and their intended purpose—watering horses. Their universal nature is appreciated, but when used as water or feed buckets, the small hooks attaching the handle to the bucket can pose a hazard to a horse.

Itchy horses can rub their faces on the small hooks and damage a nostril, eyelid or catch long hair in the tight space. To remedy this, buy some electrical tape from a local hardware store and wrap the electrical tape tightly around each of the two hooks on a five-gallon bucket. The tape will make the hook less accessible, and the stretchy nature of electrical tape means it will grip more tightly as it is applied.

As a safety bonus, make sure all double-ended snaps are facing toward the wall when the bucket is hung. This means there is less opportunity for scratching horses to snag anything on the clip.

Safer Grain Storage

Cost: $50-100

Need:
◆ Deep freezer or heavy-duty bin
◆ Clear tape to hang feed tags

Storing grain in a consistent environment can be difficult, especially if the feed room is more rustic. No matter the location, keeping pests and mold out of the grain bin is critical for your horse’s health.

A classic grain storage hack for your barn is using an unplugged deep freezer to store the feed. Freezers are insulated, durable and seal to keep animals out. Plus, they don’t have to freeze things to keep grain safe. They’re frequently available on local sites such as Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist for less than $100. Any other type of other tight-sealing, heavy-duty storage boxes that you already own or can find for second-hand purchase will work, too.

As a bonus hack for your barn, save all feed tags and tape them to the grain bin for reference while feeding that bag. The white tags located on the bottom of grain bags list the lot number of grain and sometimes “best by” dates.

Should something go wrong with the grain, knowing which lot the grain came from is vital for feed companies.

Metered Fly Spray

Cost: $25 each

Need:
◆ Automatic bathroom scent sprayer
◆ Batteries
◆ Canister of metered fly spray

Flies are a constant hassle of horse ownership, and controlling them can feel like a never-ending task. Employing fly boots and misting horses daily with the bottle is nice, but automatic fly-spray systems in barns take fly control to the next level.

Although metered fly-spray devices are available at feed stores for around $50 each, you can save by making them from battery-powered bathroom scent sprayers. You’ll need to make sure the device matches with the brand of metered fly spray you purchase. With some leg work, an automatic and adjustable fly spray system perfect for your barn and run-in sheds is within reach.

Muddy Spot Remedy

Cost: $0-50

Need:
◆ Shovel
◆ Organic material to fill

A muddy spot at a gate or barn door is not only irritating; it can also pose a danger to horses. Mud can be slippery and promote thrush-causing bacteria growth. Try this hack for a muddy barn area.

The first step to helping a muddy spot is to see if a small ditch can be dug to direct any pooling water away from the area. The width and depth of the ditch will vary with the size of the issue, but should measure at least 6 inches wide and several inches deep. Using some elbow grease and a digging shovel, dig a channel away from the muddy spot.

If digging an escape route for water isn’t possible, adding product to a muddy spot can help too. Some of the common options are woodchips, gravel and sand. Local tree-care businesses often have woodchips from jobs for free, as long as you pick them up yourself.

Gravel and sand are also widely available at local landscaping shops. Or buy by the yard, and not by the bag, at a hardware store.

Whatever material used, add to the problem area when it is dry and get a nice, sloped base draining toward the lowest point. When it becomes muddy, add material as needed until the mud is subdued. Eventually, the place will be built up with fill material and less water will be able to pool there.

DIY Corner Feeder

Cost: $30 each

Need:
◆ One 55-gallon plastic barrel
◆ Drill with ¼-inch drill bit
◆ Jigsaw
◆ Coarse sandpaper
◆ Cleaning supplies
◆ Heavy-duty zip ties
◆ Wall eyelets

Feeding horses with their heads in a downward position is the most natural and has been proven to put less strain on their bodies. There are several large, plastic corner feeders on the market, but they start at $100 and climb in price from there.

Make a budget-friendly corner feeder for grain and hay using a 55-gallon plastic barrel. These can be purchased second-hand on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist or from local businesses (make sure they only ever held food-grade materials) for approximately $20 each.

Once the barrel is home, measure and mark where it will be cut. Cutting one in half will yield two corner feeders, although the top portion will not be as suitable for feeding grain due to the grooves from the lid.

After measuring, drill a hole into the line of division and use a jigsaw to cut around the barrel as it lays on its side. Jigsaws can be purchased for about $30 or rented for about $15.

Once cut, thoroughly wash the barrel with hot water, dish soap and diluted bleach. Sand the rough plastic edge with a coarse sandpaper. Drill at least two small holes in the barrel near the top to secure it to the wall.

Using eyelets screwed into the wall, secure the feeder to the corner with heavy-duty zip ties and trim them short.

Making life easier around the barn is a constant journey, but one horses deserve and owners will be thankful for. These hacks should improve life around the barn for your horse, so give them a try.

This article about DIY barn hacks appeared in the September 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post DIY Barn Hacks appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Our generally optimistic outlook on life with horses is not often eroded by a fear of being sued. Most of us never expect it from loved ones or horsey friends, yet this precise situation happens with some frequency.

A myriad of hazardous situations involving horses can result in a lawsuit, most too complicated to resolve without an experienced attorney. Yet we offer horseback rides to family members, casually board horses on our properties for extra income, and lend our trailers to friends.

The following should not constitute legal advice—always consult an attorney for that—but these five topics are designed to give you an idea of the prime areas of conflict that crop up in equine legal disputes and court cases.

1. Legality when Buying and Selling

Far too many horse buyers are more emotional than careful when buying a horse, and thus they are amazingly cavalier about documenting the transaction. They fall in love with a horse, sometimes by merely looking at it online, and purchase it sight unseen.

Most buyers and sellers jot a few words on paper about the exchange of money and consider that sufficient to change ownership. It may be for some, but protection in a dispute about ownership is better ensured with a detailed and thorough contract that you can easily find if needed.

If presenting a contract—or signing one already drawn up—seems beyond the needs of the average horse owner, consider how many horse buyers wait for registration papers that never arrive, take possession of an injured horse upon delivery, or discover their new performance horse has a periodic lameness issue related to a previous case of laminitis that the seller neglected to disclose. Those equine legal issues can be easily prevented with a proper contract.

Sometimes the seller insists on a “right of first refusal” (see sidebar, left), yet the buyer sells the horse without informing the former owner. What is the recourse when a sale is made on a proverbial handshake deal?

If hiring an attorney to draw up the specifics of a sale seems like overkill, at least consider using one of the many online equine sales contracts that provide a good starting point for buyers and sellers. Specific details or modifications can be added by either party to strengthen its viability, should a dispute arise.

2. Equine Legal Issues When Boarding

Most boarding stable owners are careful enough to require signed documentation from boarders limiting the business’s risk of liability in the event of an accident involving a boarder or their horse. That document typically outlines the rules established by the stable for everything from turning off arena lights to requiring all one-day riders or those test-riding a horse for possible purchase to sign a legal liability waiver.

High-profile boarding stable owners don’t rely on loosely worded boarding contracts with one-size-fits-all contractual language, because they know the cost of an attorney is minuscule compared to a judgement against them in a personal injury lawsuit.

More casual horse boarding operations would be wise to follow suit. Non-paying boarders or those routinely late with payments often present a problem that ends up with the horse as the only bargaining chip. In these situations, frustrated stable owners sometimes overstep legal boundaries.

“Declaring the stable to be the owner of the horse and selling it without following the law or putting the horse in the stable’s lesson program may not be legal,” says Julie Fershtman, a national trial lawyer, legal consultant, and author of two award-winning editions of Equine Law and Horse Sense. Fershtman is widely considered one of the top equine attorneys in the U.S.

“Stable owners of all types and sizes should be aware of their state agister’s lien statutes that give them a security interest in the horse that allows them to enforce the lien after a specified period of time has passed and the stable has performed specific procedures,” she says.

Boarding contracts typically include the Equine Liability Law for the state, and stable owners are also required in many states to post signs in the most visible barn areas to remind everyone of the inherent risk associated with horse activities. Copies of equine activity liability releases (sometimes referred to as waivers) should be on-site, signed and dated by non-boarders.

Some horse owners mistakenly believe equine liability waivers are not successfully defended in court, when the reverse is true. Even so, an equine liability release does not guarantee the stable cannot be held liable for any accident. For instance, equine legal issues may arise if a boarder can prove the stable owner has been negligent by failing to perform reasonable measures to protect the safety of boarders and their horses.

“Many in the horse industry misunderstand equine activity liability laws, currently found in 48 states, and wrongly assume that these are ‘zero liability’ laws,” says Fershtman.
“That is not true. Although many of these laws limit the basis for a claim or lawsuit, they typically allow for the possibility of certain types of claims to be brought.”

Horse owners sometimes view boarding contracts as routine paperwork that protects the rights of the stable owner, yet these signed agreements are often relied upon by both parties when a dispute arises.

3. Equine Legal Issues when Leasing

While an arrangement for leasing a horse can be a win-win for both parties, the best way to make sure everyone is on the same page is to write down the terms, fees and exclusions, and require each party to read and sign the contract. Without a written reminder, the lessee may believe her payments are for the purchase of the horse rather than its temporary use—and that’s a recipe for equine legal issues.

That’s merely one of many disagreements that can arise when time passes and memories fail. A written contract can include standard terms, such as duration of the lease, payment schedule, which days are assigned to each rider, and who is authorized to ride the horse.

More detailed contracts can define liability issues, who is responsible for veterinary and farrier care, and whether the lessee has the option to buy the horse during or at the end of the lease. The more specific the contract, the greater the chance of a positive outcome.

4. Equine Legal Issues when Trailering

When you own a horse trailer, you can count on someone eventually asking to borrow it, use it in an emergency, or asking you to transport a horse in your trailer for a fee. All of those situations can lead to potential equine legal issues, if you don’t take the right preventative steps.

First, you need to be aware of what your insurance policy will or will not cover. Those who assume their homeowner’s policy or car insurance will pay an accident claim involving a horse trailer and someone else’s property can live to regret it.

For example, a policy may cover personal use of your truck and trailer, yet consider you a commercial entity if you were paid to transport someone else’s horse. Unfortunately, insurance companies look for holes in your policy that allow them to deny claims. This is why policy holders never want to hear their insurance agent say, “read the fine print” after something goes wrong.

5. Equine Legal Insurance

Commercial horse businesses generally carry extensive insurance because their liability is multiplied by buildings, equipment, employees, boarders and visitors. Always know what your insurance specifically covers before you need it.

Trainers and riding instructors should be especially careful since they are on the “front lines” with more hands-on responsibility for clients and horses. Many carry umbrella policies that cover general liability insurance plus added coverage for care, custody, and control of their clients’ horses. The facility where training and riding instruction is conducted does not typically carry coverage that indemnifies trainers and riding instructors.

Horse owners and those in the horse industry shouldn’t live in continual fear of being sued, but we do live in a litigious society. Covering all bases with solid, detailed contracts, hiring a lawyer to handle complicated issues, and buying insurance specific to your horse activities is the best way to protect your assets.

The post Avoiding Equine Legal Issues appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

An honest evaluation gives insight into why the responsibilities of the barn, horse and other life stresses seem unbearable. Thinking about the strenuous duties, both mentally and physically, you can talk yourself out of just visiting your horse—let alone the energy to catch your horse and collect your gear, groom him, tack up, and ride.  

Finding Your Purpose

Mental skills coach, equine sport psychologist, and author Tonya Johnston, M.A., says that if we sit down and ask ourselves “why?”, we should be able to answer that question and find out what drives us to be an equestrian. 

“Your WHY can change depending on what your needs are at the time or perhaps for your future,” says Johnston. “Sometimes you need a more peaceful, less goal-orientated view when it comes to riding. Sometimes the social outlet to be with like-minded barn friends will help redefine your WHY. Answering your WHY will also shed light on other things that may be blurring your barn vision, such as feeling a bit depressed, having new aches and pains that make riding hurt, mental fatigue and trouble focusing during your ride, and problems communicating with your instructor and horse. It should trigger you to ask for help from a medical professional, a mental coach, or friend, or to find a new trainer or boarding facility before the issue becomes too big to handle.” 

She says that setting small, tangible weekly goals that make it easier to see your accomplishments will make your WHY more meaningful.

“I call these performance goals, remembering it’s fine to adjust these as you go through the ebb and flow of your busy life, allowing flexibility and making an effort to bring back the fun in and out of the barn,” says Johnston. “Take a step back and reframe your priorities—if you have family issues, you’re not sleeping well, or you have a big commitment at work—then change your goals to accommodate how horse time fits in best over these times.” 

For example, instead of spending five rushed evenings a week at the barn not being fully present, set the goal to three evenings with quality rides. Setting achievable goals can help make barn time fun rather than stressful.

Delegating Responsibilities 

Janet Sasson Edgette, PsyD, is an equestrian sport psychologist and author. She says that taking accountability for how you prioritize your time is crucial to making barn time fun. 

“It’s important to look at the different facets of riding, horse ownership and life outside the barn separately so you can figure out what’s working and what’s not,” she says. “Going home at the end of a long day of work and riding and finding that you have hungry kids or trash that still needs to go out can make you wonder whether you have room in your life to ride. This would be the time to rally your family members together and hold them accountable for their role in keeping the household running without relying totally on you. It could mean less resentment for you, in addition to more barn time or guilt-free rides, because you know the housework and errands aren’t just sitting there waiting for you.”

People who struggle to set limits, worry about disappointing others, or like being the go-to person need to realize what those habits are costing them, she explains. 

“Not only does this give you unrealistic expectations for yourself, but it invites people to ask you and expect more of you,” says Sasson Edgette. “Boundaries remind you and others that there are limits to how available you are or how generous with your time and energy you want to be. Exercising your right to say ‘no,’ or ‘I’m sorry, I can’t help you this time,’ can be used in all life’s aspects—work, social life, family and the barn.”

Taking a Breather

Feeling depressed about the non-riding aspects of your life can bleed over and make it hard to muster the energy to enjoy barn time. However, concentrating on what you can change and developing a perspective on those things that you can’t may feel impossible. 

Sasson Edgette says finding a therapist and letting people who care about you know you’re struggling will help you with some of these decisions and choices. 

“Being kind and patient with yourself is the way you want to approach this,” she adds.

Performance Pressure

If the loss of the feel-good moments at the barn stems from a training problem, then it’s crucial to ask for help before you lose confidence and create bad habits that will take more time and energy to fix down the road. A fall or accident, a misbehaving horse, setting unrealistic training goals, not seeing eye-to-eye with your trainer, or feeling over-faced with a horse who is above your skill level can make barn time lose its magic.  

“Work with trainers who you and your horse communicate well with,” says Patrick Cohn, Ph.D., a mental game coach and sports psychologist who owns Peak Performance Sports. “Assess your relationship with your horse and how you both enjoy that relationship. Keep in mind that you are a person first and foremost. Riding is what you do, not who you are, and it shouldn’t define your life outside the barn.” 

4 Tips to Get the Fun Back Janet Sasson Edgette, PsyD, an equestrian sport psychologist and author, offers her top four tips for getting you and your horse through whatever’s zapping the fun out of your barn time. 1. If you’re discouraged because your progress has hit a wall, it might be time to speak to your trainer—not to complain or blame your horse, but rather to ask what else you could be doing in order to get back on track. 2. If part of your drop in enthusiasm is the result of a fall or accident, don’t try to push your way through your anxiety or your fears—it will always make it worse. You might need to start back riding again under conditions in which you’re comfortable. If that means riding in the indoor after your horse has been turned out for a full day, and only walking and trotting, then that’s where you start! 3. There are periods of our lives where things don’t work well or feel good or look promising. A break may help, such as leasing your horse out for six months, or hiring someone to keep your horse fit enough, or putting your horse out on pasture for a while. You can also try riding even though you don’t feel great, and it will just be a different kind of riding experience for a little while. 4. Ask yourself these questions and answer honestly: Are you over-faced? Is your barn too fancy or competitive for you? Do you need a different barn social environment with more people your age or skill level?

Pressure to excel will hurt your motivation and love for the animal and the sport, he adds. Getting overwhelmed with demands and putting the rest of life on the back burner can cause riders to get burned out. 

“An important factor for you to manage is the expectations of others, and the ones you put on yourself, to accomplish your horse and life goals,” says Cohn.

Finding your WHY and taking care of it keeps life from stealing your joy, passion, and bonds with those you care about. Having a clear approach to protect your WHY with horses can get you back in the saddle and experiencing more joy than ever.

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