Owning a Horse

There are some things that you simply just can't understand about horses unless you have one. Horse ownership is like nothing else in the world. It's not like owning a dog, or a cat, it's my horse. Perhaps it's the fact that they are prey animals, while most pets are predators. But they are so amazing.

I love my horse so deeply, and she loves me too. She nickers for me when I arrive at her stall. She patiently waits for me while I groom, and saddle her. She's eager to be ridden, but not necessarily eager to please. She is patient and forgiving. She falls asleep at the hitching post while I help my students tack their own horses, or while I leave her there to go run and do a quick errand that turns into an hour of work, or while she's drying from a bath.

Here she is dozing off yesterday. Do you see that shoulder of summer fur shining?

Horses are peaceful, even if you don't ride, just being around them is peaceful. I have one mom who told me yesterday "I just like being here, I love to pet the horses."

I love Roxy so much. Just being in her peaceful presence is simply blissful. I love when I ask her to lope, and she releases in short snorts with every stride. I love when I ask her to trot, and she moves out in her Roxy quickness. I love when we finish running a barrel pattern and she walks out with her head nearly dragging on the ground, and she chews the bit due to the endorphins the pattern released. I love all of these things because they are signs that Roxy enjoys her job. Roxy loves her life. She isn't in pain, she isn't lonely, or depressed. She's clean, well loved, and so happy.

Horses are forgiving. Often times I get on Roxy a little too hard. She tries to graze while being lead, and I slap her with the lead rope a little harder then I had meant to. She forgets about it in a second, and tries to graze again. She nuzzles me as I give her kisses, and watches for me with loving eyes as I emerge from the tack room.

I love my horse for many reasons. Some that everyone will understand, some that only horse people truly get, and some reasons that I don't quite understand myself.

Why do you love your horse?