why do you own horses?

[elwood]

So my DW is excited she is getting a horse. I was curious about the other horse owners on here if you have horses for pleasure or what.

 

[the funny farm6]

I do ride when I can. (I have to take my horses elsewhare to ride so I don't get to much) but I will have a horse as long as I am alive. That is all I have drempt about for as far back as I can remember.

I don't know if I will say this right or describe it properly
There is something in some of us that seems to "connect" us to horses. My heart leaps when I see hoses-even if they aren't mine. Even if I am not riding I can daydream and imagane being on a horse and feel the movement. The best smell to me in the world is the smell of a sweaty horse. I have heard it described as an incurable virus.

My dh doesn't like horses he puts up with them for me. When I die the first thing he will do is sell my horses

 

[FarmerChick]

horse person here

don't have one right now. my last horse passed from twisted gut about 3 years ago. just haven't had time to get another. not sure if I want one right now. doing alot of traveling and would just be leaving the horse with a babysitter most times

I thought I would never be without one but I have to say as much as I miss riding, I don't miss the work involved owning animals. My friend I used to ride over the last 18 years has horses so I can ride whenever I want. surprised it isn't a top priority anymore.

we raised spotted saddle horses for many years. had my fill of preggo mares and foals and the work involved. never would breed to sell again, but one day, just maybe another horse. been thinking on it, but haven't made the leap just yet.

one thing I can say, when I was into them they provided tons of pleasure and hours upon hours of fun jumping and trail riding.

 

[Denim Deb]

I think FF6 about described it right. All my life, I dreamed about owning a horse. And while at times I could do w/out all the work I'm doing in order to have them, I cannot imagine my life w/out them. Something w/in me would shrivel up and die.

I know this isn't true for all horse owners, but a horse is more for me than just something to ride. I was in a car accident several years ago. I have permanent nerve damage to my right leg. (L4, L5 nerve irritation) I cannot walk for long distances any longer, and I used to go for long walks in the woods as in several miles. I can no longer do that. Those that know me know I need that connection w/nature. Having a horse has me back in the woods and able to go places I was unable to go to B4. W/my Misty under me, I no longer have to worry about my bum leg. She has 4 good legs and takes me where I need to go.

 

[~gd]

I am going to be very careful with this post but I thibk S e x is involved.

 

[rhoda_bruce]

When I was very young, my family had a few horses. Dad would use them to round up cattle. There was a small breed horse that was 'mine,' but not really. I could ride her, but only if Dad was holding the reins. Only once did he let them go, by my request, and the horse stood up on its rear legs, just as Mom opened the door and saw what was happening and screamed.
I didn't get to ride alone again. When I started dating DH, we went to a friend of his and she had horses and he wanted to get me to mount the mare and was telling me how to do it.......of which I told him,"I think I can manage." and did it like I had been doing it all my life (I probably would have much more trouble now). I rode around on that mare, with no trouble at all.....thinking Mom would die if she was watching me now. That was a good day. It reminded me of my childhood. I would get jealous when I would go to the races (just a little local thing we had) and see an older girl riding my horse and winning the race against all those boys....she'd get the credit and it was my horse and its not like I got a chance to learn to ride fast.
I don't really have time and place for horses right now, but my children would like a pony and sometimes I feel like getting them one. I dream at night sometimes that I am riding a horse. I would think that if I lose my house in a hurricane and relocate that I might get much more acreage and get some horses and cows.

 

[donrae]

Currently, I have horses to turn perfectly good hay into manure.
And to drag my butt outside at least twice a day.


But they smell sooooo good............

My current horse I've had for fifteen years and I've kept her for two reasons: sentimental and cause I knew if I sold her I'd never again be able to justify the expense of owning one again. Sounds weird, I know, but with how bad we were with money it made sense at the time.

I've just always been a horse person. Since I could know what they were, they were my thing. I haven't ridden consistently in 12 years, like less than 5 times a year, but they're still in my soul.


And no, nothing to do with sex. I have my husband for that, and trust me he gets ridden a lot more than five times a year lol!

 

[hqueen13]

Its in my blood.

No. Seriously. My family isn't 'horse people' and I grew up in suburbia where it was too far to travel to get to a decent barn, let alone the cost of just riding lessons and such. I took art lessons instead, and filled sketchbook after sketchbook with horses. Running, jumping, rearing, sleeping, standing, just horses, everywhere.

It wasn't until I grew up, and moved away, and after a failed attempt at getting an equine studies degree, did I get to live out my dream. For the past 5 years the other half and I have lived on the grounds of an equestrian center and I've gotten an immersion into 'horse life.' I've learned tons, and I know that some way or another I'll be around them for the rest of my life.

I now own my first horse, a draft horse, and he's teaching me a lot. There is a very spiritual side to them, if you allow it in, and they can teach us to be better humans.

 

[the funny farm6]

There is a very spiritual side to them, if you allow it in, and they can teach us to be better humans.

Well put.

 

[baymule]

I can't imagine life without my horses. I have 3 horses a mule and a donkey. I love them all. Mostly they are a huge hole in my pocket. I do not show, I just have them for my pleasure and my riding style is Western Schlump. I just schlump around and enjoy myself. I love their smell, their sweat, even their manure smells earthy and it makes my garden grow. They set my soul free.

This is my 23 year old gelding giving my grand daughter her first ride