I know you’ve heard it before: “X is my life,” or “He eats, breathes and sleeps X.” Well, I’m hear to tell you that horses have actually become our life. Occasionally, work or sleep or some other mundane thing intrudes, but generally everything we do in some way relates to the fact that we have horses.
This weekend, for instance, we drove all the way to Knoxville (about an hour) to rent a chipper/shredder at Home Depot on Saturday. We spent about six hours collecting fallen trees and branches in the pasture and sending them through that terrifying, but oddly satisfying, maw of wood death. Then on Sunday we drove the hour back to Knoxville (missing church, btw) to return the behemoth within our 24-hour rental period. We are both so sore we can hardly move and have stuffy noses from the dust, and our bank account is $150 lighter (not counting the gas to drive up there and back twice) – but about 27 tons of deadfall is now nice, neat mulch. Of course we want our pasture to look nice, and that’s probably why most people would spend their Saturday clearing it out, but frankly we could have left all that stuff indefinitely. That’s a lot of hard work, and the “natural” look is best for a pasture, don’t you think? But our horses walk through the woods out there all the time, and we’ve been concerned for their safety for months now. So once again, we devoted a weekend to horse maintenance. Last weekend…well, I don’t actually remember last weekend, but past weekends have included putting up hay, fixing fences, fixing barn stalls, clearing weeds in the pasture, driving to the city to get horse supplies – oh, and actual riding, once in a while. Our weekends coming up will include installing a new outlet to plug in the stock tank de-icer, building out the unfinished stall for Romeo, fixing up the old barn for hay storage, installing electric fence…and that’s just what has to be done before winter.
I wish we had known ahead of time how time-consuming horse ownership really is. On second thought, maybe it was better not to know.
I’m not so sure I want horse property now. I think I’d rather board.
lol! So true!
I worry more about my horse then I do about my kids sometimes.
I have been getting out more often to ride, though. At least once or twice a week. Riding yur horses makes all that hard work and money worth it, doesn’t it?
Oh and by the way, I am still in love with my Henry Miller saddle. I just had to say thank you for sharing the news about your saddle last year. I’ve had my Henry Miller saddle for about 6 months now and it was the best horse related purchase I’ve made. I can ride for hours and hours without suffering any pain afterwards. And my horse seems to like it, too.
Thank you!!!
~Lisa
I’m looking for horse property now and I’m worried about this very thing. I have no time now, what’s going to happen when I add a horse to the daily routine?
Between the mowing, raking, mucking, feeding and watering, the couple where we board has no energy for their own horses after taking care of the boarders.
I don’t want that to be me!
Do you find you still get out to ride a good deal?
I know what you mean. We spent our weekend running around to different boarding places just to end up staying were we are at. Then we spent last night cutting down all the burr bushes to hopefully prevent the up coming burr in the mane and tail mess….we will see if our work paid off. But has much work as they are it is worth it in the end.
Wow. I bet it does look nice. And there is such a satisfying feeling when the work we do looks as though it was done.
Sounds like heaven to me! I am looking forward to having horses and all that comes with it. Love your site!
Lynn
I’m so glad I found your web site! Next year I plan to retire (early–I’m “only” 54) and fulfill a childhood dream of owning a horse. I have some idea of the time and expense involved, but I know that I know a lot less than I think I know—if you know what I mean.
Your site will be a valuable resource.
The second reason I like the site: You’re a good writer (writers?). A lot of blogs should be called “blahs,” but not My First Horse. I’ll keep tuning in.
Well thanks for the comments you guys! Mikki is the good writer
. I keep telling her to write a book or something because I always love to read what she writes.
And let me be clear, having your own horse property is a lot of work but there are benefits, too. We love having this many acres and wish we had more. It’s more work when you don’t have a tractor (we don’t), of course. And we have four horses but it was less work with two.
hi!!
I absoloutly LOVE your site…I’m going to be 14 and i’ve been asking for a horse since i was 5.
Well the waiting and wishing and dreaming finally paid off and my parents have agreed to let me get my first horse!!!!:)
i am SOO happy and excited and when they told me i cried…:P
this site has helped me to see how much work its actually going to be but i know it will pay off in the long run.
I also have worked with almost 100 horses because i worked at my local ranch and took riding lessons which i rly loved.
Thnx for all the useful tips!!!
Thanks for the comment K.T. and congrats on getting your wish! Although we started much later in life than you, I think the best time to start with horses is when you’re young. Best wishes with your new horse and thanks for reading!