Comments on: Rider Insider: Side Effects of Horses

By: Riley

Riley — Thu, 02 Apr 2015 18:34:17 +0000

A side affect of riding horses, especially when you can’t be at the barn every minute is that your family jokes that away from the barn you suffer from “Horse Withdrawal”.

By: Olivia

Olivia — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 14:15:38 +0000

I have always been shy around people, although I feel much more comfortable with animals. Ever since I started riding, I have become a more outgoing person, and also a better one. I’m able to make better decisions after a day at the barn because a ride relaxes me and clears my head. I have made many new friends as well; my riding buddies, show friends, my trainer, other boarders at the barn, and of course horses! I feel like horses teach us and help us; they teach us how to live and love, and help us back up when we fall. Horses are the best healers, companions, and teachers the world has to offer.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 21:50:50 +0000

I have noticed that a lot of times, I walk into a clothing store and I’m the only one who is wearing a ponytail, a normal shirt, and worn-out jeans because those have become the best horse clothes!

By: Linda

Linda — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 12:16:05 +0000

This article is so true. 20 yrs.ago,I was beaten,and assaulted. I lost every ounce of happiness, self esteem, confidence, caring for anything. Then a friend of mine and her husband got me into distance riding. I bought my own horse, rode day in, day out. Learned to ride, learned to care, learned self confidence. Made new friends, and gained a life long best friend in my mare. She didnt care what I wasn’t, she only cared what I was. She saw me much differntly than I saw myself. She believed we could do it, and we did. She’s 31 yrs.old now, and retired on my farm. She’s still the love of my life, and the saver of my soul. We walk around the farm together and work everything out. The kids ride her, and she loves it. I have a new mount, but no horse will ever take her place.

By: Erin

Erin — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 16:11:46 +0000

I can get nervous around new people and I am often shy. I’ve recently started to find my voice on and around horses, especially by helping teach kids how to care for the horses.

By: Hannah

Hannah — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 16:53:56 +0000

You know you are infected by the “horse bug” when all your spare money goes towards your horses, and people get a glazed over look when you are talking to them and you slowly realize you were blabbing about how good your horse was last weekend. Side effects being no spare cash, and having very few two sided conversations about a topic other than horses.

By: joley

joley — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 16:47:36 +0000

Since I’ve started riding I have had the urge to always do something horse/barn related! Several of my non-horsey friends get upset when i always talk about something my horse has achieved lately! Another side effect is forming a habit of saying whoa when you want some one to stop!

By: Maggie

Maggie — Sat, 06 Sep 2014 04:25:00 +0000

Ever since I started riding, I’ve wanted to be at the barn at every second! When I have a bad day, my worries seem to disappear at the barn. My horse seems to know how I am feeling, and knows exactly how to ease me. When I started lessons I thought I would go once a week and have my lesson and leave, but no, horses have an effect to suck you in!

By: Samantha

Samantha — Wed, 03 Sep 2014 18:14:44 +0000

I’ve noticed that as I’m walking my dog, I cluck for her to go, and I say whoa when I want her to stop. Also, since she doesn’t like to stand still, I end up “lounging” her around me.

By: Frances

Frances — Sat, 30 Aug 2014 11:16:36 +0000

I have just started taking riding lessons and one side affect is when I have an amazing ride, the next day all I can think about is when am I going to go again? Then I wonder ‘when can I get a horse of my own?’. That’s the biggest side effect for me of horse fever. Every time a see a horse it just makes want to adopt one all the more! Someday, someday that dream will come true.