How To Justify Equestrian Purchases to A Non-Equestrian
For me “smart” and “money” sometimes go together….sometimes. You know, in the same way that bodybuilders justify eating relatively unhealthy food because they have added protein powder to it.
Me: “Is that cake you are eating?”
Body Builder, in a rather defensive tone: “No! It’s protein cake.”
Yeah, we equestrians have little room to talk, because we will slap down any amount of money if the reason is “it’s for my horse.”
I have to admit, I had never really tracked my horsey purchases prior to getting married. Getting hitched meant getting a budget, which helps keep food on the table and heat in the water, but it makes it really hard to justify a horsey purchase to a non-horsey person.
I married a kind, smart, and funny man who has been sweet enough to wipe my boots at shows and even try bareback riding (he fell off…welcome to the club, Hun). When it comes to buying new riding stuff, however, I’ve had to put forth some good arguments that haven’t stood up to his sound logic.
Our conversations go a little like this…
Me: “I think I’m going to get a new saddle.”
Tim: “Why? Don’t you have two?”
Me: “Yes, but one is a wide tree for quarter horses and portly ponies, while the other is an all-purpose saddle.”
Tim: “I don’t understand. Why do you need another one?”
Me: “I’d like one for hunter/jumper shows.”
Tim: “But, wouldn’t ‘all-purpose’ also include hunter/jumper shows?”
Me: “Maybe….”
___________________________________________
Or that one time….
Me: “I’m running to the co-op for fly spray.”
Tim: “Okay.”
And then I return with a halter, hoof oil, buckets, spurs, supplements, de-wormer and a hoof pick:
Tim: “What’s all this?!”
Me: “They were on sale!”
Tim: “But, honey, you don’t even own a horse.”
Me: “Well sometimes it’s hard to find a free halter in the barn and this way I always have one on hand. The spurs are different than my other ones because they are rubber, which is softer on the horse’s barrel…”
Tim: “Where’s the fly spray?”
Me: “Oh! I forgot. I’ll have to run back.”
Tim: “No, no. I’ll go get it for you.”
Me: “But you don’t know what kind to get.”
Tim: “There’s more than one kind?!”
___________________________________________
Or that other time…
Me: “Tim, I would really like some brown field boots, so I’m going to save up and get the Ariat Challenger field boots in brown.”
Tim: “Don’t you have Ariat field boots, paddock boots and half chaps? And what are those fancy black ones you have? Fabbio…”
Me: “They’re Sergio Grasso, and none of my field boots are brown.”
Tim: “But your paddock boots and half chaps are brown.”
Me: “But they’re not field boots.”
Tim: “Why do you need brown? Are they required for a certain division?”
Me: “No…they just look pretty.”
Tim: “So… you just want them to match your outfits?”
Me: “Yes…” *Sheepish grin*
___________________________________________
So you see, he keeps me grounded, and he prevents me from spending our grocery money on a third set of stirrup leathers or new gloves, or a saddle pad, or leather cleaner, or the midnight blue breeches (because they are different than the navy blue ones I have).