Animals, For The Love Of..., Horse Bits, Life
TEN Ways My Life Has Drastically Changed By Owning Horses
June 2015 our daughter started taking horseback riding lessons – from day one we said we will never buy a horse…
September 2015 our son started taking horseback riding lessons – we said we will never buy a horse…
December 2015 we started partial leases on two horses – we continued to say we will never buy a horse…
May 1, 2016 WE BOUGHT A HORSE…
August 2016 WE BOUGHT TWO MORE HORSES…
For God sakes do not listen to a thing I say!
Buying one horse was like having one child. It is a whole lot more work but manageable and you have the best of plans to keep the stall manicured and gorgeous, brush that horse so there is never a bit of mud, etc…
By the time there are three horses it is exactly like three or more kids. The stall is “clean enough”, the horse is “brushed enough” and you feel like giving that third horse the keys to the truck so they can go buy their own hay…
So… Ten ways my life has changed….
- Hanging at the barn with tons of friends and tons of horses as well as other animals is far more fun than an amusement park. Seriously – even my kids would say the same thing.
- The kids will shovel poo, brush mud off the horses, slip in the mud and be carrying a sandwich the entire time so they don’t have to stop and eat. Yet the second they walk in the door for dinner I make them wash their hands so they have clean hands for eating…
- The kids hate cleaning their own horses stalls (all kids not just mine) but the second they see some other person in need with their stall – they rush in to save the day.
- I no longer think of my paycheck in terms of groceries, utilities or mortgage. I think of my paycheck in terms of hay, grain, bedding and farrier.
- I will walk around with horse boogers on my jacket, horse poo on my pants and boots and hay in my hair and still go to the store for groceries afterwards. Any other day I won’t go to the store or in public if I haven’t had time to take a shower yet.
- The kids won’t go outside and play at home – they will stay on the electronics and never move. Yet they will go to the barn and stay outside for ten hours straight and not a peep out of them in complaint.
- I used to feel like the kids always need something – clothing, lunch money, field trip money, etc… Now the horses always need something – farrier, vet, dentist, fly blankets, winter blankets, sheets, quarter sheets, bedding, grain, hay, hoof cream, supplements, halters/lead ropes (Lord knows where they always go), treats, buckets, fly masks, UGH!!!
- BOOTS – prior to owning horses the only boots anyone except my daughter had were winter boots. Now there are probably 50 pairs of boots between all of us in the house, in the barn, in the cars…
- My life went from revolving around kids bed times, medication times and moods to revolving around horses, weather, riding, making sure they all get ridden, shows etc… Consistent bed times are almost nonexistent – when we get there we get there. Meal times are when we find a moment we eat – or we are too tired to even bother.
- Flies used to drive us crazy. God forbid a fly lands on a piece of food we are eating. At picnics everything needs to be covered. At the barn….we pretty much ignore the thousands of flies landing on our sandwich – we just try not to eat one when we take a bite…
BONUS
Playing in hay is more fun than playing in snow, leaves or water…. Jumping out of a hay basket with your friends and landing in a huge pile of hay is so much more memorable than anything else in life.
I love horses and we used to own a couple! Great for every member of the family!
Sounds like horses makes your house happy. I like the joy that you have!
I love horses but could not imagine the work of owning one. I have not been horse-riding in a while and really should go again soon.
It’s kind of cool that they’ve had such an impact on your life! It’s good that everyone in the family is involved!
I really would love to get my daughter into horses when she is big enough. I think it is a beautiful hobby.
Reading you and your daughters’ experiences with your horse is happiness but don’t you think that it is way too much and haven’t you
recognized the crazy amount of money that you were spending on them according to your story? I was just a bit concern about that and I know you do notice it already.
It is a great deal of work but manageable and the kids would never give up the horses – they would rather do the work. The money however – well as long as I keep blogging, all that income goes to the horses. If for some reason I stop blogging I will absolutely need a backup plan. But what is more important is that it really doesn’t matter how much money there is or isn’t – once you fall in love with horses it is so very hard to not do everything you can for them. I can assure you my kids/family are not suffering in any way from owning the horses. We may have had to reprioritize our time but it’s all good…
I’ve never owned a horse but you sound so enthusiastic about yours its so cute! I wish I could get one
Great article! My uncle used to bread show horses and I loved riding them. I can’t imagine ever doing raising them myself though. It’s all I can do to keep up after my cats. I got one and said that’s it. Then came number two. I was definitely done after that. Now I’m up to number three. lol
It sounds like you all have so much fun! I love horses but could never be able to own any myself
What amazing experience to be able to own a horse!!! I can imagine a ton of your life would change, but so much fun!
This sounds like such an amazing life with horses. I can see how all the hard work is well worth it.
Your post made me laugh. Sounds like something I would do, buy one and then 2 more! 🙂
How awesome. My daughter would LOVE a horse but we can’t handle the expense. So we just visit horses at the moment.
This is great. My kids loves to ride on a horse. I wish I could have a huge backyard and horses like yours..
Horses are a lot of fun, but a lot of work too. I love horses, but I’d never want to own one. The flies really are bad! I feel bad for the horses when those darn flies are always around.
We took care of different animals when I was young and it’s really going to teach you a lot of lessons in life especially when it comes to compassion and love. You’re going to have to adjust to the changes they bring as well. But they are always for the better.
Aw it is so lovely that you have such a great bond with your horses. I love how you think of your paycheck in terms of hay haha.
It really changes your life! I think it’s great that these horses have changed your life for the better especially your relationship with your kids! It’s simply amazing!
Omg how fun would it be to own horses!!!!! I would love to own one!
Oh i love horses. Each time we want to ride a horse, we still need to travel up northern part of the country. You truly are one blessed person.