Western Tack For Sale

How can i get back in the saddle?

When i was younger i was an apprentice at a local horse stable in my town for five years. I had always loved horses and had a great passion for them. I bought and owned a horse for about three years until family propblems arose and she had to be sold. I was 17 then and seemed to care more about partying anyways so i let it go. Now the partying days are over i'm 22 and stuck in a dead end job i hate. I'm married but no kids thank god. I have a mortgage two cars and live in a suburban hell. I can't think of any way to refocus on the career i threw away. I have to have my job to paybills, but work leaves little time for any hobbies other then house work. I'm miserable and depressed all the time now and my heart aches to be with horses again. I'm at a loss and don't know what to do or how to cope. My ultimate dream would be to have my own stable or ranch and teach kids to ride and get involed with horses, but i can't think of anyway to get there. I need help... any suggestions?

What a trap we set ourselves up in as youth! A lot of kids do this only to find out a few years later that what they got isn't what they want. I'd try to see if my husband could be interested in horses. As a young couple working a lot, you need some play time together, too. Take him on a dude ranch vacation, and get him on a gentle horse. If you can get him hooked, then you guys will have a common thing to work for.
It sound like to me that this is more of a personal life refocus than a horse question. There are some great ideas for how to get back into horses here, and I'd look into them. What it really sounds like the question is, though: How do I get the rest of my life together so I can follow the horse dream? I would visit with a career counselor at a local college - you are too young to feel stuck in a dead-end job. See about getting some classes to work toward that career that you gave up. It will take baby steps, but some action is better than no action. With your husband, set up a 1 year, 5 year, and 10 year plan for yourselves. Write a budget, and stick to it, to reduce your debt so you don't feel like you have to work 12 hours a day just to pay the bills. Scale down the car situation -maybe keep one nice one, and get another one that won't have a payment.
Also, find someone to talk to about developing coping skills. Life doesn't come with a manual and many people just struggle along forever, never figuring things out. I am almost 40, and just getting to where I want to be after taking a route similar to yours (minus the suburban thing.) The main reason it has taken so long is I spent a lot of time waiting for things to happen, instead of taking action. Write the plan, and stay realistic for at least the first year. If you can get your husband on board you will have a much greater sucess rate. We are behind you 100% - no one wants to see a horse lover deprived of a horse! Good luck and keep in touch with the forum for more support.

Side note - this is the first question I ever remember reading, where every single answer was extremely positive and encouraging. YAY! Wasn't that inspiring?

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