10 Things Backyard Barn People Don’t Want You to Know
Having horses in your backyard ain’t always what it’s cracked up to be. It’s a lot more work than many realize. But there are so many joys that come with keeping your furry, four-legged babies at home. Here’s a list of the top 10 highs and lows.
Sorry Not Sorry
When we apologize that we can’t go out and partake in whatever activities you have invited us to because we have to get the chores done or feed the horses, we are absolutely lying. We are not sorry. But don’t feel bad, it’s not just you. We use this excuse on everyone, old high school friends, in-laws, work events, etc.
You Get All That?
We talk to our horses way more than normal horse people. We tell them about the crappy coworker who makes our job harder. We ask questions we know they can’t answer. And we tell them how much we hate them for not just pooping in one corner of the stall.
Always Something…
We are master complainers. We complain about it being too hot or cold, the ground being too hard or too muddy. It doesn’t matter if the horses are great or practically taking us skiing on the way out to the pastures. We will always find something to complain about.
I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying
We cry more than we would like to admit. We cry because grain is expensive and that horse pulled his shoe again. We cry because we still have three more stalls left and what feels like the worst headache of our lives. We cry because all we want to do is ride for fifteen minutes, but the fence needs to be fixed and the buckets still have to be scrubbed.
On The Off Chance…
When we actually do ride, we blast photos of our horses on social media because the fact that we found the time to actually brush the horse and remembered how to put a saddle on was a feat in itself. No one needs to know we were out of breath after five minutes of trotting.
Paranoia Sets In
We worry all the time. Even those of us who were heavy sleepers before barn ownership, we don’t sleep now. Any kind of noise from the barn—no matter how quiet—can wake us and send us running out in out nightgowns to make sure the horses are okay. When we use the bathroom in the middle of the night, we check out the window and look at the barn, checking to make sure there’s no fire or lights that shouldn’t be on.
It’s All On Me
We hate being the last line of defense for our horses. Gone are the days of having someone else be there if a horse gets cast or needs to go to the emergency vet. We miss the luxury of boarding our horses and having a break in the responsibility.
The One-Woman Show
We love that we don’t have to worry about other people. We can nurse a good beer while mucking stalls and singing along to Celine Dion. We can pick out wedgies without worrying about our trainers seeing. We don’t have to worry about appearances and bras are always optional.
No Regrets, Except Yes, Sometimes, Maybe
We regret having our horses in our backyards, at least some of the time. Like when a friend invites you on a cruise last minute and there’s no way you can find a house and horse sitter in time. Like when you have to leave the wedding reception early because you have a long drive and stalls to do when you get home.
It’s The Best
We wouldn’t change this life for the world. Despite the debt, the worry, and everything we have and will complain about, in those moments of peace where we are brushing out of horses tail and the world goes quiet, or when we look out our window and see horses grazing in the field, it makes it all worth it.