[Chrysalis]

Originally Posted by Uma

I love horses but I didn't get exposure to them growing up and I'm a bit scared of them - they're so big and powerful.

Tell me about horses. What's it like to own a horse and be in connection with them.

Hi

I didn't grow up with horses but I'm sure horse was one of my first words.

Fast forward to when I got a steady job and then I bought my first horse who I met in a dream. There was a saying in a movie where a character said you meet your first horse in a dream. I didn't really believe it but it did happen to me.

The physical part of caring for a horse can get expensive, especially if you don't have land for them which means paying a boarding stable to feed and use their facility. Horses need regular hoof care which means, at the least, to trim hooves. If you know what you're doing, you can do it yourself and if not hire a reputable farrier. Keep some extra money available for when trouble comes as this can mean a vet bill.

When I first rode a horse, it was like there were two parts to coordinate, myself and the horse. By constant riding, the two truly blended into one so the horse became a part of me and we moved as one. It's rather difficult to explain how the disconnect dissolved but it just did by constant riding and time.

Riding lessons helped me and the horse to improve which meant work. When I rode, I worked and exercised not only myself but the the horse too. If I didn't do those, then I and the horse weren't exercising. I had to slow down as you do things on the horse's time and on the horse's terms. There's no rushing around and is like a different world, away from the noise of civilization. Sure, there's some things that creep in like phones and music. If you don't wear a watch, then guess what time it is as there's no clocks. lol

Everything a horse can do, like stand tied up to a post, accept the saddle and bridle, pick the hooves up for cleaning, stand for grooming, lead the horse, etc is due to someone taking the time to train the horse if it was bought that way. If not, then either it's a DIY project or pay a trainer.

This is but a glimpse into the horse world.