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9 Things a Non Equestrian Might Say to Make You Laugh…or Cry!

Feb 01 2025
Katie Nicholl

Now if you surround yourself with horsey chums or were born into an equestrian family then you might not have come across some of the following points. But if like me you still spend most of your time with non horsey folk, I am pretty sure most of us will have had the following conversations. Here are some of the best misconceptions about horse ownership we have come across. What else would you add to the list?

“Do you have to go and see your horse every day? Even on Christmas day?“
Yes the commitment level we give to our horses can be a shock to others, yet we take it for granted and do everything without question. Perhaps we should use this to stop being so hard on ourselves and give ourselves a break when we have the odd day of feeling like we cant be bothered to muck out.
“You can’t be tired, he does all the work“
This will definitely come from someone who has never even sat on a horse. Perhaps just encourage them to give it a go and see how they get on… They’ll soon find some muscles they never knew they had!
“Are the small ones the babies?”
Sometimes we wish they were! That might excuse their “naughty pony” behaviour.
“Why are they wearing blindfolds?”
The sun is out so its time to get the blindfolds out! Actually these lovely things are fly masks but to be honest even I still think they look super weird so this is a totally valid thing to question.
“Do you do horse dancing?“
Since the 2012 Olympics horse dancing (aka Dressage) has become much widely known and talked about. I cant imagine leaving the house in the morning and saying to my husband i’ll be back after the horse dancing competition!
“Horse riding isn’t exercise, you just sit there“
Even my own husband said this when I first met him! Certainly a comment that made me laugh.
“You have a horse, you are so posh“
Well this is absolutely not the case. Whilst horse riding isn’t a cheap hobby, you certainly don’t have to be posh to follow your equestrian dream.
“You fell off…! What do you mean you got back on?“
To a non equestrian this sounds like a totally ridiculous concept but to riders this is common practice. When I had this chat with my friends it made me view it through totally different eyes which always helps to keep things in perspective.
“You have a horse… you must be loaded!“
Literally couldn’t be further from the truth. Horses take everything you have – your money and your soul. We will be living on jacket potatoes for the rest of time.