Once you have a horse, certain things in your life change, never to return to normal again.
Of course, there’s the fact that you suddenly wonder if there is in fact a way to plant a money tree. And that you get used to the idea of early mornings filled with horse hair die top online casinos. But there are other ways that having a horse changes you forever, some for better and some, arguably, for worse.
1. You become a Hoarder
Because gradually, bit by bit (no pun intended), your spare room becomes a storage space for bridles, saddles rugs, boots, show gear, normal gear, yard clothes, lesson clothes, spare saddlecloths and various other pieces of horsey equipment.
It never gets thrown out or sold because you “might need it” sometime in the future, so its best just to hang on to it.
2. Straw in your hair? no issue
It fits in with the current boho chic trend, right?
3. Horses’ sent? Normal, no?
All horse people are familiar with the scent of sweat and horse hair intermingled with grass and damp.
Lovely.
4. Expenses are thought of in horse terms
That night out is at least a week’s livery, that holiday you’re booking could almost buy you another project pony and the winter coat you so desperately need is always weighed up against the lovely Pikeur breeches you saw on sale last week.
No prizes for guessing whether the coat or the breeches win either.
5. You learn about good sportmanship
Because even if you were the kind of person who won every sports event at their high school athletics day and subsequently became national junior champion in triathlon, horses have a way of levelling the playing field.
You might be an excellent rider but even the best can confirm that there’s nothing to be done when your horse has a meltdown at the finish flags or judges box at an important show. All you can do is laugh, congratulate the winner and hope that the next time is your day.
source: FEI