Horse Illustrated Magazine

Today, July 15, is National I Love Horses Day! Officially, anyway. We all know that every day is a good day to love horses, but today is extra special because we can brag on and gush about our horses every waking moment and no one can tell us to stop. Isn’t that great?

In honor of the wonderful phenomenon that we all know as being “horse crazy,” we have compiled an incomplete list of things we love about horses; incomplete because, of course, there is no end to the list. No matter how many wonderful things we can think of to say about horses, there will always be more–many, many, many more. So sit down and read this list, add your additions in the comments, then run out and hug your horse: you have to, it’s National I Love Horses Day!

Things We Love About Horses (and the horsey life):

1. Velvety soft noses sniffing your pockets for treats
2. Shiny summer coats
3. Fluffy winter coats
4. Gentle whinnies greeting you as you walk into the barn
5. Planning your next show season
6. The thrill of a cross-country ride
7. The loyalty of an equine best friend
8. The beauty of a mane flowing in the wind
9. Fuzzy lips eating sugar cubes from your hand
10. The scent of new leather tack
11. The fun of a child’s first leadline class
12. Mastering a difficult dressage move
13. Taking a jump for the first time
14. Watching horse movies
15. Reading horse books
16. Quiet trail rides, just you and your horse
17. The friendships made at the barn–both horses and humans
18. The incomparable delight of getting your first horse
19. The soulfulness of deep brown eyes (or blue!)
20. The awe-inspiring strength of an equine athlete
21. Watching your horse play in her pasture
22. The miracle of a foal being born, and…
23. …the joyful sound of a foal’s first whinny
24. Finding the “sweet spot” where your horse loves to be scratched
25. The excitement of show prep and hitting the road
26. The soothing ritual of grooming
27. Devon!
28. Exploring new equine sports
29. Taking walks together
30. Teaching your horse that [insert scary item] isn’t that bad
31. The unbreakable bond between you and your horse
32. Show ribbons fluttering merrily from a bridle
33. The ears that will always listen and never judge
34. The quirky habits that make you laugh every time
35. The love you give and receive every day

Samantha Johnson is a freelance writer and the author of several books, including The Field Guide to Horses, (Voyageur Press, 2009). She raises Welsh Mountain Ponies in northern Wisconsin and is a certified horse show judge. Follow her on Twitter: @miraclewelsh.