There are as many kinds of horse people as there are kinds of horses and it makes me smile.                                                                                  

I, myself, am the “used to” equestrian.  Almost anything you throw at me, I used to do with my horses.

Hunt seat? English pleasure? Dressage, trail, versatility, camping, exercising a park horse gone wild for the endurance circuit?

Check, check, check, and check.

Now, I give pony rides to every kid who asks and try to explain to my kids how lucky they are to be growing up able to ride whenever they want.

We don’t even show.

But I used to.

I have other friends who are “finally” equestrians.  These are the people who spent a substantial amount of life without a horse and now, finally, are living their dream.

I adore this group.

They are go-getters.  Their horses will never be taken for granted and frequently displace spouses as the most cared about being on the property.

No cost is too much, no weather to crappy for those making good on the horse dream.

Then there are show folks and trail folks, contesters, pleasure people, endurance riders, eventers and performance riders, rodeo people, polocrosse riders and the plethora of subcategories:

Professionals

People who hire professionals

Kids who are grateful to be there

Kids who are bitter about being there

Horse show parents

People who always have a cooler of beer and are staying at the showgrounds

Local saddle club riders

Breed association people

Newbies who were swindled into buying that horse

People who keep blankets on horses and horses in stalls

Kids who ride wooley ponies that refuse to trot

People propped up on the horse, posing instead of riding

Trail riders who look rough

Trail riders who look inexplicably put together

Judgy people who have a clique

Sweet people who will jump in to help everyone

People who don’t make eye contact with anyone

The people who complain to the staff if they don’t win

The people who are just happy no one died

There is usually an ancient person who has already won it all, has the 8×10’s on the walls, and is here because people who really love horses are never satisfied, never done.  

And just like a family, we all have this one thing in common, even if we have nothing else. This one living, soul touching, impossible to own, impossible to shake, thing called horses has gotten a hold of us and brings us, buckets in hand and crap on boots, to the hydrant together.  

Happy horsing, Katy