I am the kind of person who likes to know the “why” behind things.
I am the kind of person who likes to know the “why” behind things. To some degree I
think we’re all wired that way, since “why?” is usually asked by young children
somewhere around, oh I don’t know, around 98 times per day. It’s a part of our
natural curiosity. Sometimes about something, and sometimes about ourselves.
For me the question came to mind as part of my own reflection recently, and then
turned into curiosity about those around me.
Why do we do what we do?
I mean, there are more glamorous jobs that don’t require shoveling horse manure,
and being covered in mud. So what makes it worth it? Below are a few ideas on
what, I think, makes doing what we do worth our while.
“There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.”
~ Winston Churchill ~
Early Mornings
I’m not the kind of person who you would necessarily call a morning person, but don’t
get me wrong, I love mornings at the barn! Nothing beats being the first person in the
barn to hear the good morning sounds from a group of hungry horses, or seeing the
sunrise as we turn them out into their paddocks. I wouldn’t trade these early mornings
for the world, because simply having a reason to get up in the morning is a big part of
my answer to “Why horses?”. It’s in those early morning moments that I’m able to
collect my thoughts, and enjoy some quality time with the horses.
Hard Work
Caring for horses day in and day out will teach you the value of hard work. For me it’s
always worth the blood, sweat, and tears we put into caring for our horses because
they always have a way of letting us know that they appreciate that we care… While
they also go and make more work for us. I can’t tell you how many stalls I’ve cleaned,
or how many times I’ve tried to explain to someone why mucking stalls is one of my
favorite parts of my job. It’s heavy lifting, long days, and sometimes late nights. It
takes a special kind of work ethic, dedication, some may even call us workaholics,
but the pride we feel after a good day of work at the barn is something money just
can’t buy.
Free Therapy
When it comes to mental health I do not hold back my opinion that everyone could
benefit from seeing a therapist at one point or another in life. I have benefited from
talking to a human therapist, as well as the therapy that I get from being with horses
day in, and day out. I’ve heard it said that horses are like mirrors, they will mirror back
to you what they see from you. I agree that some horses do, other horses will test you,
and push your limits. Some will push your buttons too.
They will show you where you lack confidence, and the good ones will help you grow
that confidence. They will teach you patience, while showing you how little you may
have. They will show you the need to learn how to regulate your own emotions,
because there will be times when you may also need to regulate theirs. They will
teach you self-respect, boundaries, and how to have those boundaries respected.
Ultimately horses can teach you almost anything, if you are willing to be humble, and
learn.
Barn Family
If you’re lucky enough to have found yourself a great barn family you’ll know what
I’m talking about. They are the ones who support your crazy horse dreams, because,
well, they have a few of their own too. They are the ones we can talk to about
anything, and everything. There are definitely no secrets in the barn! We can be
ourselves, wear our hearts on our sleeves, live, love, laugh, and cry all in the same
day, and together grow stronger through all of it. We support each other through the
highs, and lows. We pick each other up off the ground, and help each other get
back in the saddle. We may not always get along, and we definitely don’t always
agree – as we all know, right or wrong, horse people do have some strong opinions.
But at the end of the day we can all unite on one thing, we want what is best for our
horses.
The List Goes On…
We each have our own reasons behind our answers to “Why horses?”. For some it’s
simply wanting to work outside, with animals. For others it’s finding a safe haven away
from the bullies at school, and feeling good at something. In other cases it’s finally
feeling seen, and understood. It’s a passion difficult to put into words sometimes, but
it can be seen, and felt, by the horses, and those around us.
Now it’s your turn, how would you answer the question, “Why horses?”.
