Owning a horse is a life-changing experience. You’ll never again be the same after developing a bond with a horse, and these are the reasons why.

1) You wake up with a purpose: Not a lot of people like to drag themselves out of bed in the morning, but when you own a horse you are thankful for trading in the extra hours of sleep to be with your horse. Each day at the barn is a gift, and you find deep purpose in taking care of and riding your horse.

2) You will strive to be better: Every horse owner has had moments where they reacted in a way they weren’t proud of while riding, or even during usual barn chores. In order to treat your horse the way they deserve, you will spend a considerable amount of time working on becoming a better rider and horsewoman. You will likely take lessons and spend hours practicing your sport to ensure that you’re worthy of your equine companion.

3) You stop being selfish: It’s hard to find a selfish horse person. Why? Most will drop everything they’re doing to take care of their horse. They will stay up all night if their horse is ill, skip a meal in order to make the drive to purchase more hay, and forfeit buying items for themselves so that new tack can be purchased. Horse owners quickly learn that life doesn’t revolve around them, and this lesson carries over into all aspects of life.

4) You learn the importance of hard work: No part of horse ownership is easy. There’s always expenses, stalls need to be cleaned, water buckets need scrubbing, hooves need trimming, and the right balance of feed needs to be determined and evaluated often. Besides that, riding itself is one of the most challenging sports. There will be days where it feels like you will never reach your riding goals, but grit will keep you going. You will learn that you didn’t choose an easy lifestyle, but it makes it all the more rewarding when your perseverance pays off.

5) You understand unconditional love and trust: There’s no better feeling than when you pull into your driveway, or the place you board, hop out of your vehicle and see your horse patiently waiting for you. It’s hard to understand the bond between a horse and owner, but it’s life-changing if you have experienced it.

Raising your babies to be cowboys and gals? Check out How To Introduce Your Child To Horses