Owning a horse can be stressful at times, and the busy life of an equestrian can sap much of your mental and physical energy on a daily basis. So it’s important to just sit back, take a deep breath and appreciate the little things in your manic horsey life that give you a lift from time to time.
Here are a few simple pleasures horse owners and riders will have experienced at some point. What would you add to this list?
1. Opening a brand new rug
2. Early summer mornings before the horse flies come out
3. The smell of hoof oil
4. A pile of full haynets
5. A fresh bed of shavings
6. When the lorry starts first time
7. Watching horses grooming each other in the field
8. Your horse’s whinny when he greets you
9. Perfect plaits or quarter marks
10. The shine of a freshly cleaned bridle
11. When the Swallow who nests in your horse’s stable hatches chicks
12. Looking back through old competition photos and videos
13. A fresh set of shiny (horse) shoes
14. A swept, empty yard
15. The sound of horses peacefully chomping on their hay (not a door kick to be heard!)
16. That first morning cup of tea when you’ve finished the yard
17. The smell of a new bag of chaff
18. A horse taking a polo out of your hand
19. Burying your head into your horse’s neck
20. That rewarding feeling after you’ve given your filthy horse a bath
21. When your trainer says you did something (you’ve been trying to nail for ages) well
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