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Take someone who loves animals but has never touched a horse to meet a kind, well-mannered horse. Offer said person a treat or five to feed the horse. Stand back and watch in amazement as their face lights up because they thought they would feel teeth scraping their hand but instead they feel the tickle of extremely gentle and precise lips.

They’re mesmerised and want to know more about these majestic animals, strong and powerful yet so gentle in their touch. So just where do you start?

Muddy horse

Here are 20 things only horse owners know

  1. They are money eating machines who perform magic tricks by turning money into poo
  2. When a non-rider says they galloped on the beach on holiday, they were actually just trotting. Slowly
  3. Their little fingers are invisible to the naked eye. We know they have them because as horse people we recognize that we are wrapped around them
  4. They can make you the happiest, and the most dejected you've ever felt
  5. When you press your face against them the smell of a horse is the most beautiful and uplifting scent. It should be bottled
  6. They will ride past tractors without batting an eyelid but leap into the air when confronted with a blowing leaf or a kitten purring
  7. They are wonderful to have in your life. Majestic; with an endless capacity to make you smile or curse in equal measure
  8. A horse will torment you emotionally, mentally, physically and financially...and yet we still keep going back for more and love them unconditionally for reasons known only to ourselves!
  9. All grey horses and mules secretly long to be brown, green, or yellow, and will do everything in their power to achieve their dream
  10. You get good at experiencing constant ego death! Lots of failure that makes the tiny successes so much more rewarding
  11. There is a real thing called “yard time” and it never matches civilian time. Add a couple of hours on to any time prediction when the word “yard” is involved. One hour at the yard is the equivalent to approximately 14 hours on earth
  12. A horse's side eye is one of the strongest admonishments a horse owner can receive for embarrassing oneself
  13. The only way to make a little bit of money out of horses is to start with a hell of a lot
  14. You’ll develop grit and tenacity. Feeding and doing yard chores in the freezing winter weather will teach you that things worth doing take work, no matter what’s happening around you
  15. Wearing riding clothes straight from the yard to the shop means you may smell differently than the other shoppers…
  16. They manage to be incredibly intelligent and blind you with their complete brainlessness at almost exactly the same time
  17. They are your confidant, best friend, soul mate, and will break your heart quicker than anyone
  18. Regardless of what TV and movie producers think, horses are not always whinnying
  19. The more you learn the more you realise what there is to learn
  20. Owning a horse is like driving along and throwing £50 notes out the window on the journey.

hank you to members of SDU for their contributions to this blog. The supportive nature of the SDU family and their willingness to contribute is much appreciated. If you haven’t yet joined this merry band of dressage riders sharing the ups and downs of horse life, then what are you waiting for?