One Year With Valentine
Posted by Mikki on Apr 23 2007 at 09:10 am | Tagged as: Horse Lifestyle
Well, here we are, one year (and then some) after Valentine came into our lives. I can tell you, he has changed our lives in ways I couldn’t even imagine.
When we first thought about moving to Tennessee and we were looking at properties, we were only looking for a quieter, simpler life. When we saw this place, it just clicked for all of us: me, Bill, Mom and Dad (if you are new to this blog, or just haven’t read all the way back to the beginning - this place is my parents’ retirement home as well as our home. They’re just not here yet). I’m not really sure what everyone else liked about the property, but for me it was the barn. I love that barn. As soon as I saw it, I dreamed of long afternoons spent up there…doing heaven-knows-what because I’d never actually owned a horse. We planned to get horses after we got here, but for me it still seemed kind of like a dream still.
Apparently, for Bill it was a dream that needed fulfilling. Again, if you haven’t read all the way back, Bill surprised me with Valentine on Valentine’s Day 2006 (hence his name). A couple of months later, Bill couldn’t stand his horseless state any more, and Moonshine joined us. Now, a full year of horse ownership later, I can share some of the things we’ve learned.
Some things were not all that surprising. Horses are big; they require care every day; they poop a lot. They eat hay and oats; they neigh; they like carrots and apples. They require a lot of equipment. You can’t just plop them in your barn and forget about them. Their manes and tails are fun to brush (at least for me, but I’m a girl). Oh, and they look really cool in that barn I loved so much.
Now, some surprising things:
- They require a lot more equipment than a newbie could bargain for. Halter, lead rope, and grooming supplies to start. Feed bucket, hay feeder, water bucket and feed storage for the barn (luckily, these were left by the previous owner). Water trough for pasture and preferably a hay feeder for out there too (not left by previous owner). Saddle, cinch, saddle pad, bridle, bit and reins for riding. A supply of first aid items for emergencies. Fly control of various types.
- They require a lot more time than we bargained for, too. We knew we’d have to keep them fed and watered, and keep their stalls clean. Those things alone took more time than we’d guessed, but there were a lot of other things we hadn’t even considered. That list is surprisingly long. The biggest thing is the maintenance of all the horse accoutrements, such as fence maintenance, pasture maintenance, barn cleaning, bucket scrubbing and leather care. The other is the time it takes to keep your horse trained and obedient. You really can’t just keep the horse in the pasture and see him twice a day for food and water. You need to work with him, from little things like making sure he respects your space when you’re around him, to spending time with him on a longe line several times a week. We haven’t been doing that, and consequently our horses are not currently safe for us to ride. Now that the weather’s nice again, we will work on that, but it will be more work since we’ve let it go.
- It’s a really good idea to have a friend nearby who knows all about horses. In fact, I would say that if you’re thinking about getting a horse, make sure you get some “horsey” friends too, if you don’t have them already. You can’t keep bugging your vet and your farrier for stupid little questions. And it’s always better to have a friend amused by your antics rather than a professional or a perfect stranger. Then again…
- Horses can get into more trouble than you could ever guess. I always thought of horses as kind of harmless, grazing creatures that wander around a field, eating grass and ignoring anything that’s not a threat. That’s true, for the most part, but they have an alter ego - and it’s kind of the equine equivalent of Curious George. Ours, at least, cannot resist checking out anything new or remotely interesting: from sticking their noses into piles of debris (hello! We have poisonous snakes here!) to trying to taste my new boots, to risking green noses by “helping” us paint our gate. In fact, whenever we plan a project in the pasture, we also plan to leave Nosy and Nosyette in the barn.
But the biggest surprise, for me at least, is how much I enjoy having a horse. We haven’t ridden them in months; we spend hundreds of dollars a year paying for their upkeep; we can’t travel anywhere without making elaborate plans for their care in our absence; and we shovel their poo every day - rain or shine, hot or cold, sick or well. It doesn’t sound like a very good bargain, when you look at it that way. But I just love watching them gallop across the pasture. I love petting their velvety coats. I love their horsey smell. I love the sounds they make, from Moonshine’s neigh of frustration when she’s in the barn and Valentine’s out, to the soft little nickers they use to greet me. I love the way Valentine takes a big old drink of water and holds it in his mouth until I walk too close, then drops it all over me.
Yep, they’re a lot of work. They’re the most expensive “pets” I’ve ever owned. But they are also one of the most wonderful gifts God gave us, and we are so grateful to have them. Love ya, Valentine!
I honestly learn something almost every time I go to the farm. I have to say I’m very glad that my horse lives at a very professionally run place with lots of very savvy horse folks. Happy horse-iversary.
hey , you know how you always call yourself “beginners” well you can chuck that title! you are now full fledged owners!
That’s a great post. I didn’t realise you’ve only had your horse a year! I thought you had yours before we became horse owners, which was in Sept. 2005. I’ve enjoyed reading your blog since I found it months ago.
Did you know that the statistics for first year horse owners are extremely sad? I can’t remember specifics anymore, but it was something like 50% of all new horse owners quit within the first year, and then another 30% give up within the second year. Pretty sad really.
It is a lot of work though. I’m blessed in that our eldest two kids are old enough to take on their fair share of the responsibilities. I’m not sure I could have done this on my own.
Thank you all! “Horse-iversary” - I like that, Donna! And ponygurl, even after a year, we still feel like beginners. Horses are such a mystery. Now dogs, on the other hand…maybe we should do a dog blog.
Peggy, those really are some sad statistics, but not very surprising. I can easily see someone giving up if they hadn’t had a good idea of what they were getting in for. It’s quite a commitment. Kind of like parenthood, only you can’t sell your children if they turn out to be too much of a challenge for you. (Although in some cases, that might be the best outcome - but that’s a whole other blog too.)
There’s so much to learn! I’m glad that I’m boarding now, especially because we’ll be living on the property until at least mid-July. I’ve gotten a lot of help from other, more horse savy horse people around here. And I get to watch someone else feed and scoop poop. Gypsy is currently in a box stall which is not ideal, but I can get her out everyday until she can move into a run.