10 Reasons your non-horsey friends think you're crazy...

1. We have our own, erm, unique dress code.
Knee high socks pulled over the top of our strides with boat shoes?? Perfectly acceptable! In the equestrian world, that is, but NO WHERE else.  Skin tight white pants regardless of butt size and the fact that they are impossible to keep clean around horses?? Sure, why not!?!

"Whaa?? At least my socks match my horse's."

2. We think our horses' shit doesn't stink. Literally.
None of us mind the smell of horse poo, much to the amazement and sometimes disgust of the non-horsey fraternity.  No one knows why we become immune to the smell, and may even in fact kinda like it.  But it's something those outside the horse world will never understand.  We will have all used the explanation "but it's just grass" to explain to horrified non-horsey friends why we don't even bother trying to walk around a pile of horse dung and expect them to do the same.  Nope.  They're not convinced.  They're pretty sure it is actually poop.

Grass v Horse Poop. Note the difference.

3. We have our own strange vocabulary.
We are often so immersed in our horse world and surrounded by horsey people that we don't realise how odd some of the terminology and expressions we use are.  So it's best to mentally edit what is coming out of your mouth before saying things like "my horse likes to pigroot when out at competitions" around non-horsey types!

"Your horse likes to WHAT?!?"

4. We like to put rugs on our horses.
Not sure why, but this one fascinates the un-horsey-initiated.  We will have all faced a barrage of questions from the non-equine asking us why we put blankets (summer sheets) on our horses in summer and why farmers don't rug their cows (*face palm*) ....

"Do I look like a cow to you?"

5. We love our horses regardless of how many broken bones, bruises and missing body parts they give us.
Of course we do!  But for the non-horse person this is definitely a sign that we are mentally unhinged.  Without the benefit of understanding the special bond we have with our horses, this is a difficult one to explain.  Even explaining why it wasn't your horse's fault or why you love them anyway can leave you sounding like a text book case of "Battered Women Syndrome". 

Best to just hide the limp and stitches when you're in the office or other non-horsey environment....

"I'm perfectly fine! Not his fault! No need to call an ambulance..."

6. We have to leave social gatherings and events to go feed our horses.
But dude, don't they just eat grass? (*Eye roll*).

7. Our horses and barns are immaculate.  But we have dirty nails, hay in our hair and our house looks like its been burgled.
Its a priorities thing.... They'll never get it...

"Maybe I have been burgled...?"

Ah, the satisfaction...

8. We spend more on our horses than a recreational drug habit. 
Yet there are no help lines or support groups for Horse Addicts.

"Oh-oh, better call the Horse Addicts Support Line"

"Here I am on the other side of the globe! Yep, on a horse!"

9. We avoid going on holidays as we worry when we are away from our horses.
And when we do go on holiday, the first thing we normally do is look for a horse to ride (or at least pat!)

10. We don't do weekend sleep ins.
Now that does sound a bit weird when you say it out loud...!  But when you're into horses early mornings are inevitable.  And to be honest, some of those times we spend with our horses in the quiet  wee hours of the morning are the most special of all.

"Why would I be in bed when I can be here with you?"