What do you do when the horse you love more than anything in the world doesn’t enjoy his job? Is it selfish to keep them? 

Do you change your goals to keep them? 

 Do you let them go to someone where you know they’ll thrive at what they love?  Do you put them in a field so you can get something else to be able to smash your own goals? 

My first horse Murphy owed me nothing, he turned inside out from when I bought him to when I sold him. I got Murphy, or as I call him, Smurf for my 18th birthday, my first project horse. He was a scrawny, wobbly 4 year old who didn’t know his left from his right, didn’t have a clue what a  coloured pole was, BUT had the heart of a lion. 

I am a showjumper at heart, I do not thrive off galloping at solid fences on a xc course, frankly, it terrifies me! Murphy, however, was at home, he adored it, just hold on and he’d bring you around no asking twice at any fence. It was the most heartbreaking decision to sell him, nearly a year on it was the best decision I made though, for both of us, he hated the showjumping atmosphere, he did not thrive off it one bit. He adored jumping at home for fun but not at a show. He deserved better! so do I just put my showjumping goals and dreams aside? Hack him and sometimes get someone to bring him around an xc course for him to have some fun? He was 6, not 15, he had his whole career ahead of him, it would be selfish of me to keep him. To know there was someone out there that could enjoy him to his full potential, he was such a talented horse on the xc field, a horse like him is so hard to come by for people obsessed with their xc. These people often find it hard to find a  horse like him so why keep him? Brave, fearless and careful, when I knew deep down that he could do what he loved best with someone who loves to do it with him. 

So I sold him, it was a horrible experience from having renowned horse abusers banned from owning horses to people wasting my time just for the joy ride, it really made me question if I was doing the right thing. Until his dream home came along with a lovely family. 

Murphy now competes at hunter trials across Ireland, he’s rarely out of ribbons and competes in the pony club too. I get updates often and I can go see him whenever I want, he is so happy and spoilt in his new home. They even love him and adore him as much as I do! 

That was definitely the hardest decision I’ve ever made, but putting my horse and I first was the right one.