Conference noted::equitation

    I own a horse as a complete counter-balance to my professional life. He
    (my horse) is "rest and relaxation" from the lunatic world of Digital.
    He is my pet, albeit weighing in at about 1400 lbs, to be spoiled and
    with whom I can have a very uncomplicated relationship. He has me and
    most other people figured out. We are there to feed him. While I would
    like to believe that he "values" our relationship, really he "values"
    the 1lb of carrots I bring each time more highly. Periodically he
    reminds me not to take him for granted (to keep me on my toes - by
    stepping on them!). 
    
    I had no ambitions of competitive achievement when I bought this horse
    but I have entered various low level competitions with him. Competition
    is not relaxing therefore I don't do much of it. We have, however, put
    our hand/hoof to a variety of equestrian pursuits to keep each other
    "sharp". We have entered the log pull, training level dressage, novice
    eventing competitions and done a wedding with my carriage, but we
    mostly both like to go off on a trail ride. Having just been given a
    one horse mowing machine our next learning exercise is cutting hay!
    This perhaps shows up the major reason I have a horse. We have been
    able to build up a partnership to do a number of interesting and
    diverse things and meet a whole lot of different people who have
    nothing to do with Digital.
    
    In discussion with a local (MA) trainer who is now eventing at the
    Intermediate and Advanced Level, I mentioned that I had owned my horse
    for fourteen years. She could not comprehend keeping a horse for that
    long. I cannot comprehend not keeping my "good" horse for ever, "good"
    being defined as well matched to my abilities and ambitions.
    

    With me, it's just something I have always wanted to do, because:
    
    	I love to look at them,
    
    	I love to take care of them,
    
   	I love to ride them, and 
    
    	I love just being around them.
    
    My family supports my enthusiasm for horses and joins in with a lot of
    the work and even more of the recreation.  It's a hobby that brings my
    family together, rather than separate them as in some sports.
    
    I am hooked!
    
    As to the pet aspect, our horses are pets... but they more than pull
    their weight when it comes to rest, relaxation, and recreation.
    
    Signed,
    
    A horse lover

    I don't know any *specific* reason I have them, they are just part of
    me. I was raised with them always around the farm, I started riding so
    young I don't remember learning how, they've always been part of my
    life. There were a few years right after high school that I didnt' have
    any horses, and I was incomplete. As a kid I used to do my homework in
    the barn, I spent all my summers riding, I never wanted to go visit my
    school friends in the city, I hated going away with my family on beach
    vacations because I missed my  horses......it's still kind of the same
    way, i still choose to spend my vacations at home riding....maybe Ive
    refused to grow up. :-)
    
    They are first and foremost pets, although I do compete several times
    a year (hunter shows with my TB, endurance riding with my Stdbrd mare).
    My first love is trail riding, and I also enjoy jumping and would like
    to get into eventing if the right horse came along.....but I dont
    compete much above the local level because Ive never had the time or
    money to get some serious coaching and in fact have only taken a
    handful of lessons my whole life, so Im sure Id need a lot of
    work to be competetive at the higher levels.
    
    My silly little 16 yr old Standardbred mare is the love of my life, I
    bought her right off the harness track when she was 9 and ready to
    retire, she'd never been ridden and I was told was difficult to deal
    with when in harness...I put a lot of long hard hours into her and it
    really paid off, she's a wonderful distance horse, jumps 3+ easily,
    and has a heart of gold.....I can hardly remember life without her
    anymore. :-)
    

Hi,

Well, I'm sort of new to horses and riding.  It was a gift I gave
myself when I turned 30.  I've kept up with it for the last 5 years
and plan on being strapped in the saddle (if necessary) when I turn
90-something.  I really enjoy this hobby.  

For me, riding horses is a place where I'm both challenged and happy.  I
ride English and jump small fences.  The jumping gets my adrenaline
going and showing sometimes terrifies me.  I do it because the feeling
of accomplishment for me is profound.  I've never been a very self-confident
person.  When I do things like canter a fence or place at a show, I get
a real dose of believing in myself.  I feel that horses have helped
me grow tremendously.  

I've owned two horses.  One was an old guy and I still think of him
fondly (even though he could be a real pistol to ride at times).  My
current horse is a 6 yr old TB that I've had since he was 3.  He's a
very laid back horse and as horses go, just about perfect for a ninny like
me.  Louie has been dubbed Saint Louie around the barn.  I count him
as one of my many blessings. 

Do I think of him as a pet?  No, I have cats for that type of outlet.  I
appreciate Louie for what he does for me, but I'm crystal clear on the
fact that he'd really rather cavort around with his buddies or eat.  And
since I'm not the one that feeds him, I pretty much represent work.  Louie
is an investment and a partner.  I take good care of him and he takes
good care of me.  Since I'm more of a casual rider, I have a trainer
that insures that he's working up to his potential.  He gets a tremendous
amount of turnout and lots of trail rides.  To me, his attitude
seems to benefit from his current lifestyle.  

I know there are people out there that really love their horses and believe
that their horses love them back.  There's probably a different story for
each situation.  However, it hasn't been my experience that horses are
all that lovey.  I respect them and try to have them respect me.  I guess
its just too expensive for me to think of my horse as a pet.  I keep a
little distance mostly because I want to keep a clear head as to whether
this is *really* the horse for me.  I've known so many people that kept
riding an unmanagable brute just because they "loved" the horse.  Riding
is no longer fun when you have to deal with that kind of problem.  

Jan

    
    Why do I own a horse?  I never thought of it to tell the truth.  I have
    just been drawn to them for as long as I can remember.  I got my own
    on my own whey I was 14.  I had a troubled family life and if it hadn't
    been for Princess I dont what would of become of me.  I'm sure I would
    of been into drugs or somthing.  My family never apporved of my horse,
    so I paid for everything on my own.  I keept her till her final day
    when she turned 23.
    
    I went w/out a horse for 5yrs after that...I was in kinda a cocoon.  I
    didn't do anything I didn't want another..then I got to anther low
    point in my life and relized I needed another horse.  So I got one,
    an older one that needed me to.  He brought me throught 1 family/friend
    death a month for 9 months...If I didn't have Old Joe, I dont think I
    cold make it...they jus seem to know you need them..A horse has allways
    been my best freind..I dont think of them as a pet..like I do my dog or
    cat...my horse is an extionsion of me.
    
    Joe needed a new hom (to retire) but he only lives up the road and I
    see  him every day. and went and found another friend to spend my time 
    with, he is the youngest I have ever had (7) and I am learning alot.  
    
    I just couldn't be w/out them in my life, I would not feel complete.
    
    Louisa

    I don't own a horse now and have only owned one in my life.  I have,
    however, ridden for other people or taken care of horses for them.  
    	Belive it or not, I have not always worked for Digital.  I have
    worked for several different barns, stables, breeders, and individuals. 
    My favorite work is with the broodmares and babies.  This is also where
    I have the most experience.
    	I guess for me, I stay active in horses because it is the only
    thing I have ever been realy good at.  I would be working in horses
    right now, but the market isn't realy great now and I am a single
    parent.  I realy envy those who have written in these notes file about
    job oportunities in horses.  
    	I am planing on leasing my friends mare in December.  I am doing
    this for my son as well as my peace of mind.  I am adicted to horses
    and have been away from them for 3 months now.  My stress level is in
    the clouds now and my concentration level is burried somewhere.  I just
    hope I can make it till Christmas.
    
    virginia

    If I could make enough money to live comfortably in this society by
    mucking out stalls, that's what I'd probably do for a living. I like
    the work, I like the 4-legged company.  What I don't like is abject
    poverty.
    
    Mary

    
    
    	I know why I own 3.. 
    
    	In my job I talk with people all day.. 
    
    	I can work outside with animals and hug and brush them
    	and they never talk back, never critize,... 
    
    	We own a new horse shelly.. she is the love bug.. you 
    	just couldn't stay removed from her.. she is always
    	looking toward people to tell her that everything is going
    	to be okay.. -that she I really needs you.. 
    
    	Lady.. My horse is a jerk sometimes but, I think that it really
    	gets my agrevation out.. She tends to know what kind of ride I
        need. 
    
    	I love to go in the woods and hear nothing no phones - just
    	the clip clop of those tennessee walker feet.
    
    	I stop riding horse about 8 years ago for about a year and
    	I was drawn back into it.. (the stress was getting to me)
    
    	I guess that's why I love dogs too.. They ask nothing in 
    	return but love and hugs.
    
    	Many people are always saying - there so much work - It
    	never seems like work to me.. - I agree with a lot of people
    	here If I could maintain the life style that I have been 
    	acustome to by mucking stalls - I would do it in a heart beat.
    
    	I don't consider them pets.. not like my dogs.. but, there 
    	part of my life - In my blood as my father would say -
                                   

    My horses are my pets.....what I would call a working pet, I guess! (;
    
    Like someone else mentioned, If I could make a comfortable
    living muckin' stalls, then I wouldn't be here noting now!
    I would love to run my own boarding facility, and have a
    horse show once a month, and stuff like that.  Unfortunately,
    I have heard of at least 3 such places go down the tubes
    (up for auction or close down) in the past month or so....
    
    I would really like to work with the Humane Societies in
    rehabilitating abused horses/animals, too.  Another poverty
    job! (;
    
    Lynne

I fell in love with horses when I was 4. Their long flowing manes were
so pretty and their movements were so graceful. They were like "animal
ballerinas" (pretty silly visual I know).

I drove my parents nutty as a little kid, making them stop by the side of the
road so I could pat them. The first thing I ever drew was a horse head (my mom
still has my first one ;-)

I didn't actually sit on one 'til I was 8 or 9, I can't remember now. There was
nothing in the world as exciting as being way up high on this beautiful,
graceful, stinky creature that I had been admiring all my life (yup, all 9 years
of it)

Once I had my parents convinced I would grow-up unfulfilled, if I didn't get a
chance to learn to ride, I took some low-cost lessons and went the 4-H route.
Louisa said that her horse got her through some tough times. I guess I always
had a horse's shoulder to cry on during my adolescence. I took care of various
ponies and horses for people. They were my charges, they needed attention
everyday, committment and responsibility. If I didn't feed or clean stalls, no
one did, and my friends would suffer for my lack of responsibility. So they
taught me alot too.

I took some time off when I went to college. I made it through almost 4 years
without horses. The whole time, something was missing. I missed their flowing
manes, the silent shoulder to cry on, the feeling of being needed by something.

I got out of school, found a job, a car, a place to live, and a horse..in that
order. That first horse is the one I still have today. I have had others along
with him, but that first horse, the one I got out of school, is my best
friend...

I try not to anthropomorphize too much, I know their priorities are eating,
sleeping and relaxing. But I believe that all us living creatures possess a life
force that we can share with one another to one degree or another. I believe
that all of the horses in my life have shared some of this with me.

Horses have filled a really broad spectrum of roles in my life, teacher,
partner, confidante, nemisis, idol, pet. I really don't ever care to go without
them ever again. I think I would really feel lost.

And that is why I have horses ;-)