I'm not a horse person but I sure have learned a lot!

Going to school here at William Woods it is impossible to not know someone who is in the equestrian program. It effects everyone here and even if you aren’t in the program you end up learning quite a bit about horses, the barn and the whole nine yards. Jennah and Morgan are both EQS majors and Aly is an EQS minor. Megan is neither a major or minor but she has been around horses before and rides sometimes when she is at home. So that leaves me, Lacey, the only person in the group who does not have a horse background. And so, I am writing a post about a non-equestrian person’s perspective into the program.

First, let me start off with, they are all crazy. Every single one of them is crazy. Horses are such big animals and can hurt you pretty easily. You might think from that statement that I am afraid of horses and I am, kind-of. I think horses are amazingly beautiful creatures and I admire them…from afar. Last year we all went to Aly’s house and rode her horse. It was cool, but the entire time I knew that the horse could decide it didn’t like me being on her and just get me off. (Disclaimer: Aly’s horse is a sweetheart and I wasn’t too scared that would happen but they will never get me on any other horse.) I think it’s a shame the horses are locked up in stalls most of the day but I know they are well taken care of, that’s what keepers are for.

Over the course of the past year and a half, I have learned many things about horses. Many of them I don’t recognize I know until someone starts talking about them and then I realize I understand what they are saying (many times what they say flies over my head). 10 things I learned are: 

            1)      Never approach a horse directly from behind, they can’t see you.

2)      Each horse has their own personality, likes, dislikes, etc. (I kinda new this but it has become more evident in conversation)

3)      I now know five styles of riding,

a.       Western (what you see in most movies)

b.      Hunter/jumper (they jump…)

                                                                          i.      One of these is for speed and the other is for technique

                                                                        ii.      One looks more natural and the other one gets rainbows on the jumps

c.       Saddle Seat (not really sure…)

d.      Dressage (horse ballet)

e.       Trick riding (not offered here)

4)      Grey is a color, not a breed.

5)      Being Keeper is awful

6)      You can make you own tack (tack construction class)

7)      Horses can’t throw up and this causes colic

8)      Saddle seat horses have long tails that have to be blow dried and braided

9)  Each horse has a seat they perform. A hunter horse can't perform in a dressage show just like a Dance Team member can't perform in a basketball game. 

10)  NEVER wash horse blankets in anything other than an industrial washing machine!

            a. Someone did that this semester and the laundry room and the dorm room next it both flooded!

I can't imagine life here at William Woods without the horses and I can't imagine it without the friends i have because of the horses. 

Love God, Love Others, Love Disney,

Lacey