Hi friends, and thanks for stopping by to read Someone Asked Me What It’s Like to Own a Horse. Because today is Cowgirl Monday! Welcome back.
Actually I was working on this piece while I was travelling in South America. I hope you like it.
Someone Asked Me What It’s Like to Own a Horse
So I tried to explain it sensibly.
That was a mistake.
Instead, imagine this:
You’re standing quietly, minding your own business, when a 1,200-pound animal exhales directly into your face.
Not a kiss.
Not a nuzzle.
A full-force nasal event. There’s horse snot everywhere!
This is considered bonding.
You begin to wear hay.
Not carry hay.
Wear it.
In your hair. In your pockets. In your bra. In places hay should never be.
You’ll find it weeks later and feel oddly reassured.
Personal space becomes a fond memory.
You are leaned on. Stepped on. Nudged. Gently shoved. Occasionally used as furniture.
If you ask for boundaries, the horse will stare at you like you’ve suggested something unreasonable.
Your money develops wings.
You hand it over cheerfully for things you don’t fully understand but now speak about with confidence:
“Yes, that supplement is essential.”
“Oh absolutely, that blanket is different from the other five.”
You reorganize your entire life around:
- feed times
- turnout schedules
- weather forecasts
- and the horse’s general vibe
Plans become flexible concepts.
You’re late. You leave early. You cancel.
Because the horse might need you.
Or might not.
But what if.
You learn that mud is not seasonal.
It is eternal.
Clean clothes are a theory.
Cars become mobile tack rooms.
You will, without hesitation, fit a large bale of hay into a small car, shed hay all the way home, and think, Yes! I have mastered this.
You also discover talents you never expected to have as an adult woman, including calmly cleaning a gelding’s sheath while questioning every life decision that led you to this exact moment.
And no matter how presentable you look when you leave the house, you will inevitably run into everyone you know while covered in dust, hair, and regret.
You become deeply emotionally invested in an animal who:
- ignores you
- costs a fortune
- embarrasses you publicly
- and occasionally makes you question your life choices
And yet.
You would defend them like a medieval dragon guarding treasure.
You would walk barefoot through a swamp for them.
You would sell furniture, dignity, and possibly a kidney before selling the horse.
Tomorrow?
You’ll do it all again.
Happily.
On purpose.
With treats in your pocket and hay in your hair.
Because horse ownership isn’t a hobby.
It’s a lifestyle.
A personality trait.
A mild but permanent condition.
And honestly?
You wouldn’t trade it for anything. 🐴
© Cheryl @ The Lifestyle Digs
Published by Cheryl @ The Lifestyle Digs on June 22, 2026.
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