boy vs. horse

[jodiTowne]

Well, I knew some day that my daughters would be more interested in boys than horses, BUT DID NOT think it would happen at age 4!!!! We were on our way out to the pasture and they were so excited about riding. Then, they saw the 8 year old boy across the street and begged to have him over. I said sure he can watch you ride. Well, riding never happened, but they had fun. Not much I can do about it.

[dana]

Nope, not much you can do about that.

i fought with my dad for years about buying me a horse. he always said, "you're just going to get interested in boys and lose all interest and that horse will sit there and rot."

he bought the first one and i bought the ones in the years following.

about 30 days before he died, i was leaving his room in the nursing home to go to work and he stopped me at the door by saying "you never lost interest, did you?"

having NO idea what he was talking about i had to ask "interest in what, Dad?"

"your horses. you never lost interest and your horses always came first"

told him "no, i guess it's just a disease, Dad" :v:

[Finogirl]

Yep Dana once you are bitten you can't let those darn horses go !!!

[pnalley]

I think it is called "horse fever".

There is no cure, only treatment.

The best treatment is daily doses of "horse". Scoopin poop, brushing, just absorbing any thing horse

Always remember, there are people with horses, and then there are horse people.

I am a horse person.

[jodiTowne]

A cute story on the same subject. I was looking at a horse magazine and Brenna came and sat on my lap. She's looking and asking questions. Then, she looks at me and asks "Do you like horses Mommy". My husband almost died laughing. Silly question.......I spend more time on horse stuff than I do myself.

[Minouri]

Even if girls look like they are choosing boys over horses (Alisha is 14 and her mother lets her date all the time), I'd like to think that what they learned from working with horses stays with them.

When I met Alisha at age 9...she was very shy. She was sweet, but a total push over. You can't be like that and not have a horse walk all over you. And you can't ride Scooter if you're afraid of him. He's only as brave as his rider. She had to stand straighter, speak with more confidence and learn how to be an Alpha.

When I watch Alisha with her friends I can see how much the horses have changed her life for the better.

She may go through a period of her life without owning her own horses....but horses have already laid claim to her soul. I can't imagine her not having her own little farm one day.

I love these picture of Alisha because I think they show you what I'm talking about. When Snowy first went totally blind we knew we had to move over to verbal cues. Alisha did a lot of ground work with him. We talked about how to keep a horse's attention and respect. Snowy taught Alisha just as much as Alisha taught him.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e48/RuthieBetta/alishasnow011.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e48/RuthieBetta/alishasnow001.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e48/RuthieBetta/alishasnow008.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e48/RuthieBetta/alishasnow029.jpg

I wish I had pictures of her before. She used to be the kind of girl who was harassed at school by bullies. Horses changed that. Now she is the kind of girl who looks you straight in the eye....and if you threatened to punch her she'd laugh....she knows no girl can punch harder than a horse can kick.

[Brigitte]

I have always picked horses over boys, horses much more fun to spend time with :v:

[Cindy]

I have never understood the need to choose between the two. And are boys expected to choose between girls and other stuff as well? I grew up in a family of girls so I don't know how it is with boys. I was always very irritated when they would say "one day you will find boys and give up the horses". I never could understand why I should have to give up anything for anyone. Still don't. :rolleyes: And, correct me if I am wrong those of you who either are/were boys or had boys in the family, but I don't think boys are expected to give up anything for anyone. :mad2: I have never ever heard anyone say, "yeah, Timmy is playing football now but soon he will find girls and have to give it up". Never in my life, not once. :mad:

[motorgypsy]

Amen Cindy!!! I certainly never gave up boys and just waited to get the loans paid off to get the horse/s!! Just plain too poor to get one before that so I always had friends with horses. All our vacations had at least one horsey part also. A ride or a trip to see a wild herd or a show or something.

There is no need to make a choice. There are plenty of men/women who like horses also and if you happen to choose one who doesn't - well plenty of very happy successful marriage are between two very independent people with very different interests.

I consider this special bond with horses to be a gift - a gift that allows us to get inside the head of this huge prey animal and to allow them to get inside our heads. Most people just don't have it and really don't get it. How lucky we are. Sure it's a form of co dependence, an addiction, whatever you want to call it - but it's no different from the gift of talent in art or music performance or excellence in athletics or skill in writing. I guess you could say it's a calling to protect and care for them - but they give back so much in exchange for this care and love. And anyone who doesn't understand this - so sorry - but to try to explain it is like trying to explain colors to someone who is colorblind or beautiful music to someone who is tone deaf. You either get it - or you don't.

[cristy]

I get it. Many times when you are growing up a girl will be consumed by her boyfriend not having time for anything else...How many times did I go for weeks at a time without talking to my best friend in HS because she had a new boyfriend? about every other month. ((Everyone said that about me too, "she'll grow out of the horses" yeah right))

I gave up my first love for the horses (well obviously he was not my FIRST love, but my first human love) When it came time and he graduated from college I could either stay here with my horses or go to Qatar with him (women are not to ride horses over there) so I could have all the horses I wanted but not ride them ever again. (My parents were NEVER happier to be proven wrong ((about the horses)))

[pnalley]

I have always picked horses over boys, horses much more fun to spend time with :v:

Horses smell better too:)

[motorgypsy]

Smart choice. The right "mate for life" would never ask a partner to give up something that important. If a SO ever asks you to choose - there is no choice. He/she gets the boot and the horse stays.

Now don't think that if we had a health catastrophe that I wouldn't sell anything I owned to save the life or health of a family member - I would do so in a minute - but I also know they would never ask it of me. It would be give freely. I would also free lease my guys temporarily if a move was required. But again - the right life partner would never ask for this sacrifice.

I wonder if "The Gift of the Magi" is required reading for today's kids??

[jodiTowne]

Guys.....I was making a joke of the situation. They are only 4 yo girls who were thrilled to see their friend. I didn't care, there are other days to ride and i don't push in any way. They will either love horses or not. In fact, if they don't, I'll be richer ;)

Minouri....loved the pics. It is special to see the smiles on the girls when they learn something new. ie....squeezing the legs makes the pony go, etc.

[Cindy]

Guys.....I was making a joke of the situation. They are only 4 yo girls who were thrilled to see their friend.

I know. Got the joke. Thought it was funny. Was really responding more to Brigitte's post.

[motorgypsy]

I got the joke also.

I was responding to the general readership because we have many on here who really did get a divorce because the spouse didn't "understand" about the horse thing.

It is interesting that the horse thing has become so much more female oriented in this country. I do know lots of guys though who also have the gift. And others who, even if they don't, realize that horses are a great way to "meet cute chicks"!!

[Soltera]

Teaching summer camps gave me this equation in the debate: “makeup + boys vs. horses + sweat”. The 8-11 year olds were pretty much universally interested in riding classes. The 12-13 year olds was where the split occurred; sometimes it happened between summers, sometimes right before your eyes!

As soon as "appearance" and "not messing up makeup" became important, their interest in horses began to dwindle (did you know some boys are allergic to girl sweat?). Those who survived that phase with riding interest intact during the summer were invariably the strongest riders. I much preferred to teach where makeup was against camp rules and everyone wore uniforms, but you can't always do that.

One more note: When I was about 16, I was told by Ralph Cannon (his fewspot appaloosa, Sundance Revel, took the world championship with Monty Foreman aboard) that it was "okay to make my life with horses, just please don't ever become horsey". I felt insulted at first, but said nothing because he was such a wise and fair-minded man otherwise, not to mention how much I looked up to him as a successful horseman and breeder.

Over the years, I think I've come to understand that, in his own (admittedly awkward) way, he was saying it's okay to be a tough trainer and burly farmhand and STILL be feminine. And indeed it is, or not, if you don’t want to be…..!

If ever I should marry (I’m not against it, just content to be alone and threfore not looking), it would have to be to an established horse addict. And is it too much to ask to have dogs on my bed, too? I’ll gladly spring for a King Size!  Been single too long, done got set in my ways, but I don’t think Ralph Cannon would see me coming down the road and think “horsey”, whatever he meant by it!? I just think it's funny, now.

[cristy]

It is VERY HARD being married to a non horse person. It is really hard (for me) to see things from his point of view. In my mind everything is about the horses, the first thing I do EVERY morning is go feed, and the same thing every evening. Everything else is planned around that, shopping, dinner, vacations, extra money, you know, everything. In his mind they are a big annoyance, a responsibility he would rather do without. (unfortunately for him they come with the package he bought.):biggrin: