I have a problem that I suspect most of you share: horse obsession. It colors my waking hours--how soon can I get to the barn, could I ride here, why isn't this golf course a cross country course, do you think they're calculating the year end points right? It's not that I can't focus on my job and my non-horse life and be a productive human being, because I certainly do all those things.It's just the thing that drives me to be better, try harder, do more, and most importantly, always keep on learning.
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| I come by sportsball honestly |
I distinctly remember that as a little girl, my favorite color was pink. My favorite animal was pigs. Because pigs were pink. Obviously.
Then one unforgettably traumatic day, I got a book on pigs from the library. In fact, very few varieties of pigs are pink. They're mottled and multi colored and ugly and I found myself sitting on my bed (in my room with pink walls and a Beauty and the Beast mural), trying to pick a favorite animal. There were no poignant pink animals left, so I had to find a new criteria.
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| living the dream |
Thankfully, that translated as horses to my young mind instead of camels or elephants or reindeer or the like.
And here I am, decades later.
Why do horses captivate my imagination and dreams and plans so thoroughly? Why didn't I ever "age out of it"?
I don't know, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Let's face it--the rest of you are here with me. How did you get here, anyways?
I have a firm belief that the horse obsession is a genetic, soul-level trait. When I was about 6 or 7 - never having even seen a horse in real life - I told my mom in no uncertain terms that I wanted to ride. My parents are not horsey AT ALL, I lived in the middle of the suburbs, I had no exposure to horses whatsoever, but... the spark was there. Mom finally let me start lessons at 10, and the rest is history. Some people are just wired to connect with horses. It's who we are, at our core.
ReplyDeleteMy mom always loved horses and wanted to marry a garner just so she could have one some day. Older sister got horse crazy gene too. Skipped two kids and I got too. I had to talk my mom into letting me take lessons. But it is just something that fulfills me. Drives my husband crazy and he is even a horse person! He doesn't have my obsession though.
ReplyDeleteI don't know where it came from but it is all I think about most of time in some form or fashion. It used to be all I wanted. Kinda still is, but I've learned to be realistic. It is therapy, adventure, a best friendship, and more. What could be better? Worth all the heart break.
Darn auto correct and my lack of proofreading skills. Farmer...not garner. ..
DeleteFrom the time I was a baby sitting on the porch of the ranch house in Texas I would scream if a cowboy rode by and didn't put me on a horse...the rest is history.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea. I can't remember a time in my life where I didn't like horses. This is a good idea for a post which I may steal since I have 0 original ideas these days ;)
ReplyDeleteMy story is pretty much the same as Allison's: I come from a totally non-horsey family, and I don't remember how I first started liking horses...I think I just always loved them. But once I got a pony ride as a kid, I was hooked. Started taking lessons in 5th(?) grade and the rest is history.
ReplyDeleteThere's definitely something about that horse gene. My mom came from a non-horsey family and finally convinced her dad to let her have a horse when she was 12, she's had them ever since. I caught that bug and I have it real bad. My brother has zero interest in riding (although his fiancé does like horses and I am totally planning on ruining their lives by getting their kids obsessive over them).
ReplyDeleteThere's no way I ever want to NOT have horses in my life, like I think that my life force is tied to them in a major way. So many of my friends are able to quit riding for college or when it wasn't convenient. I'd do anything to keep horses in my life even if it meant going into debt (which happened during grad school + gold medal) or giving up major life experiences (I don't travel EVER and I didn't have a typical college experience). No regrets, horses are a necessity to me.
I've traveled some domestically. It's fun. If I had to choose between travel and horses, that is not even a choice. I took about a year off of riding in college (though I still worked in a barn), tried other things, and realized that horses are where it's at for me.
DeleteI'm not missing out. I feel bad for all the people who have to spend that much time and energy finding themselves.
My mom had always wanted a horse; she started taking lessons before I was born, and she and my dad both had horses by the time I was born. Like Lauren, I can't remember a time where I didn't like them. My mom signed me up for riding lessons when I was four, bought me a pony shortly thereafter, and both parents made sure I could continue with my equestrian pursuits as long as I wanted to. It's been all downhill since there. :P
ReplyDeleteit's pretty much an all consuming addiction. and i never want to be cured.
ReplyDeleteMy mom rode. She actually rode while pregnant with me. I have always been tiny and I came home from school when I was five crying because they told me I couldn't do any team sports because I was too small. My mom's answer to that was riding lessons. Who needs team sports, anyway? As I grew up, riding was the one hobby I never wanted to let go of and fortunately the one I was best at. I still daydream about horses every day and write musical freestyles in my head when I should be working. Wouldn't have it any other way.
ReplyDeleteI cannot remember ever not asking to go ride horses or for a pony for Christmas. I no longer question why, I just do. But both my mom and my dad had been around horses at least some, but I don't think they were quite prepared for how avidly obsessed I am about it.
ReplyDeleteI cannot remember ever not asking to go ride horses or for a pony for Christmas. I no longer question why, I just do. But both my mom and my dad had been around horses at least some, but I don't think they were quite prepared for how avidly obsessed I am about it.
ReplyDeleteHaha that's hilarious! And really, golf courses would make the best xc courses, so much wasted potential...
ReplyDeleteI have no idea how I got into horses. NO ONE in my family was horsey. My first word was 'horse' and I pointed to all the cows in the field and called them 'horses.' I begged my parents for all horse related books. When I was 5 I was still crawling around and people would ask my mom if I could walk and she would say "yes, but she prefers to be a horse."
Then one day my grandfather bought me a pony, and life was pretty much over after that.....
Strange though, isn't it? That you can just be BORN with this terribly addictive disease... haha
It's in our blood somehow. It's just there. I have had people tell me I can't ever get away from or give up the horses. "It's in your blood"
ReplyDeleteNon horsey background here too, although my dad rode a few times with me to appease me, while mom always hoped it would "just go away" I'm the only one who has taken it this far.
Long Car Ride - Me staring out the window: I wonder if I could ride here. This would be a nice place to ride. I wonder how much that barn costs to board at. I wish I was riding right now. Oh, horse trailer! Oh Ponies!
ReplyDeleteIt's endless.
I've liked horses since I can remember. There was never another favorite animal for me.
They were in the pasture of our farm long before I was even born. I didn't stand a chance of not loving horses!
ReplyDeleteThey actually converted a golf course into a cross-country course for the 1984 Olympics in LA. True story. There was a waterfall jump too.
ReplyDeleteI never had a thing for horses as a kid, instead I did ballet. Then I started on pointe, which I had always wanted to do. However, there's nothing like bleeding, broken feet that will kill your desire to do ballet. So on the way home from a dance lesson, I informed my mom that I wouldn't be doing that any more. She told me I had to do something else, like volleyball or tennis or horseback riding. I have no idea what possessed her to say horseback riding, but I'm pretty sure she's regretted it ever since.
It's gotta be some sort of genetic mutation! I was horse crazy by the time I was 3 or 4 and never stopped. Never took a break. My parents are not horsie, and neither are my siblings. Although my sister did used to ride some. But she doesn't have "the bug."
ReplyDeleteMy mom loved horses, but never had the means to act on it. She had plastic horses (two of which we still have, Royal and Delilah). I guess I got it from her?
ReplyDeleteThe Saddle Club, book #2. Age 10.
ReplyDeleteI loved all animals. I had had a unicorn phase when I was 6-7 years old but had never been particularly super drawn to horses although horses do run in my blood on my mom's side. My mom had horses growing up, thanks to my grandfather who bred Paso Finos.
I also loved to read. One day at a Walgreens I found The Saddle Club's Horse Shy. I used to read all sorts of series like The Baby Sitters Club but had never heard of this one. So my mom bought it for me.
There is a description at the beginning of that book where Lisa is riding the dappled gray Pepper through the woods. And the author describes the sunlight filtering through the trees and hitting Pepper's coat.
I was transported into a world unlike any I had ever imagined before, and into one that I suddenly wanted to belong in more than anything else in this world. That book changed my life forever, a change that was allowed by my mother and grandparents who bent over backwards to make every equestrian dream I ever had come true.
The pig story is hilarious!
ReplyDeleteI have no idea. From the day I was born horses have been my obsession and I grew up in the most horse-less family and area possible. My parents always figured I would grow out of it and clearly I never did!