I love horses

Horses have carried us throughout the world, died for us in countless wars and now have become (to many) a mere pathetic status symbol, feared, mistreated and locked away in tiny dark cages.

Even though he was a Nazi, Rudolf G.Binding wrote the one book that should be obligatory for everybody who works with horses in one way or another. The essential message is "Horses are mirrors to our soul".
And they are. They want to communicate and colaborate and surender their force to serve and protect us. But they need guidance or they become dangerous. If you found the right parameters of communication, you will see how your horse exactly shows you what mood you are in, what you expect to happen and where your "axis of physical balance" is crooked. Working with horses is meditation and Tai-Chi and psychological therapy, for everybody who opens up, trusts instead of fears and leads responsibly.

Roman Emperor Cailgula (Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus) loved horses too.

a reply to: chr0naut

I love the story about Alexander and Bucephalus.

My experience with horses is limited to a few of years as a kid between 9 and 13 working with a Morgan mare with a bit of a mean streak and a tendency to really push one's buttons to see what she could get away with. She put me on my ass (excuse my language) more than once and was generally moody and barely tolerated me. Although I wasn't her owner I remember feeling a lot of rejection and didn't understand why she seemed to dislike me when the other horses did well with me. But I always hung in there with her and eventually she got to be on the same page, and it was worth it to me.

I won't lie, there were some times out in the desert with her where I thought I wasn't coming home in one piece lol

So I don't have much experience at all with horses but I just innately love them and loved being around them, even if it was just while doing grunt work like manure duty and trough scrubbing. Really hope to have the chance to work with them again.

Great thread idea, I wonder how many horse owners are on this site?

While I like horses well enough, I do have a bit of fear of them. Just because they are so big, with a mind of their own. My sister and niece on the other hand, loves them and have several, including a mini.
One of my fondest memories, was seeing my niece, at 5 years old, being followed by her monster horse, (part belgian) like a dog. Then grabbing his lips and yelling "hey uncle Jay, wanna see my horses teeth?" LOL I swear that horse would have done anything for her.

She's older now, and just this Christmas I bought her these:Horse Cards
She swears by them.
And she is working on me and me fear. They really are amazing animals.

I'm not a horse owner *yet, but it is part of my 10 year plan! When I was a teen, I worked at a barn near my home in exchange for riding lessons and privileges. It was the best time of my life. Seriously. There's just something about horses that is amazing when you bond with one! I've actually been thinking about starting my kiddo on riding lessons, she (like most little girls) loves horses too. I've introduced her to them, we had a friend that needed some help around her barn while she transitioned to a new facility, and my daughter had such a blast. Sadly, we moved, and haven't met up with any horse people around here yet.

I frequently do imaginary internet horse shopping! (Yeah, I guess I'm still a kid at heart, I dream about having horses).

I want exactly 4 horses. I don't have a specific breed in mind, although I'm partial to quarter horses because they're just so good all around for doing anything you can imagine. Although secretly I adore the Perchon, I just can't justify to myself why I'd need a horse that big! I also think Gypsy Vanners are absolutely stunning, but it would drive me crazy trying to keep them groomed meticulously. I also adore Friesians, and I've always thought it would be great to rescue an OTTB.

The colors I am particularly fond of are anything even vaguely unique, but especially dun. Dappled grey. Paints (but only the really really striking ones!

When the time comes to add horses to my family, it will probably take a really long time, because I'll really want to find the ones that we really connect with!

a reply to: Ashirah

Thanks for your contribution, the same for you, chiefsmom.
They are very majestical aren't they? So much power and brains. And if it helps, horses are all a little bit different, it's a personality question sometimes. Mine was a literal asshole, who deliberately stepped on my feet when i wasn't paying him all of my attention, the bitchy diva... but so phantastic when you reached this lucky level where he started wanting to show off, what an awesome dancer he is...

Wow, some beautiful pics! I think horses are a beautiful animal, though I know next to nothing about them.

a reply to: MojaveBurning

Haha, i do that too. Thank god i know i have neither time nor space, because otherwise i would own them all by now.
I like especially the colourfull ones like him

I'm looking for a mini this spring. I'll go a rescue. It can boss around the two arrogant Palaminos

I grew up on 5 acres with 6 dogs & 3 horses. I would be hard pressed to own either ever again.

originally posted by: Night Star
Wow, some beautiful pics! I think horses are a beautiful animal, though I know next to nothing about them.

Horses are one of the smarter animals. They exhibit keen amounts of critical thought & problem solving.

a reply to: Eunuchorn

Why not? Was it a complete nightmare ?

NightMARE

a reply to: zazzafrazz

Uh I love Palominos... But be aware minis make up what they lack in size with wit. So i hope you are the kind of person who laughs at pranks... I could tell you stories about a Seppl I once knew, he had total control over his owner...

originally posted by: Ashirah
a reply to: Eunuchorn

Why not? Was it a complete nightmare ?

NightMARE

It took me a few minutes to realize this was not in fact a joke about black people being well endowed.

I was just thinking what an awesome way to go on an exploration trip on a different planet:
when you take this

and modify it into a space suit
for this:

a reply to: Eunuchorn

Horsist!!

a reply to: Ashirah

OMG! I promise i give you a star for it everytime i come looking at them... gonna be a lot. The Emo horse! The Emo horse...

a reply to: Peeple

Here's another for ya

a reply to: Ashirah

That's perfect. I think I know this one? Didn't he play this little streets festival?