Find a man who wants to take your pants off and is willing to put them back on too….

What goes up, must come down.  Equestrians are no exception.  

Anytime you mount up, there is a chance for an involuntary dismount resulting in injury.   Yet, equestrians (like many athletes) accept the risk of failure, have an exceptional ability to recover, and a likelihood to get right back on.

 We are definitely a unique breed of human.

The most successful riders are actually good at falling off and have personal skills to develop relationships with others who are willing to patch them together as needed.

Having someone waiting back at the trailer to catch your loose horse, sit patiently in the ER and muck your stalls while you recover is critical for every rider.

In fact, knowing you have a good support structure actually makes me a more confident rider.   Typically the caregiving falls on the role of the spouse, significant-other or parent.  I advise all parents to keep their young children far away from horses – just about any sport is less dangerous and less expensive.  However, there are those children that are drawn to horses stronger than a moth to a flame – so obsessed, their parents eventually buckle under the constant pressure…And so it begins, with lessons at the local barn, then the first pony, then the horse, the saddle, the bridle, the clothes, the truck, the trailer and the monthly board bill, vet bill, blacksmith…(the list is actually endless).

When these young equestrians grow-up and leave the nest, they will need to find a new support structure; preferably one with good-cash-flow to support the equestrian habit, a strong back to shovel & schlep all that goes with horses, and the tolerance to withstand the rigor of being a “Horse-Husband” (or Wife).

I have found that it is way easier to find a man willing to take my pants OFF than one that is will willing to help put my pants ON for days after a fall from a ‘High Horse’ 

It’s not easy finding someone to sign up for the job of “Horse Husband” (or wife).   Yet, choosing a significant-other/spousal-partner is as important as a selecting a good mount.  Not only will your selection have to help you get dressed every morning after a particularly painful fall, but they will suddenly become primary care giver to all the mouths that come with the equestrian lifestyle.  Your horses will need to be fed, perhaps the donkeys & goats, the dogs and don’t forget the barn cats.  Stalls need to be cleaned, water buckets replenished, blankets swapped, and horses need to go to paddocks for the day.   Of course, all this in addition to YOUR needs – coffee in bed, doctors appointments and constant (adoring) attention are essential.

The important thing to note here is that regular dating rules don’t apply to equestrians. Once you have flown from the nest, it may be time to get serious about your relationship status on Facebook.  Time to remove the “It’s Complicated” and simply commit to “In a relationship.”   Despite the attention from, and your attraction to, the handsome metrosexual type that is well groomed, who drives a sparkling clean car, and thinks ponies are baby horses, it may be time to start considering the more rugged, genuine model of man (or woman).  One who doesn’t mind the smell of the barn, isn’t afraid of horses, doesn’t mind if your dog jumps in their car and finds it impossible to stand idly while a woman unloads the hay truck.    One that says, “How can I help?” and meets you at the barn on the night before the show to watch you braid your horse.   A man who happily accepts that the night before a show is NOT a night for high heels, little black dresses and a martini late night.  It’s a night in the cold aisle of a barn, hooking up the trailer, polishing boots, take-out food and early to bed (with NO expectations).

If you find one of these rare specimens of human, I suggest you appreciate the value of what you have, be thankful and appreciative.  BUT NEVER encourage them to learn to ride horses – You don’t want to kill off that Golden Goose.…

Don’t have a Man (Or Woman) to pick you up, dust you off?  Read my advice on how to find one in [PART TWO].

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THIS POST – AND OTHERs will be included in my next book “Unleashed and Unbridled” due out in 2016.