Cowgirl… you can’t explain it, no matter how hard you try. You can grow up in a suburban neighborhood that doesn’t have a barn anywhere within 20 miles. Your family loves to ski, or play tennis, and can’t tell you the difference between a chestnut and a brazil nut, but they think you’re a nut. All you know is the sight of a horse completely takes your breath away makes your heart pound and you know you have to own one.
All cowgirls know in their hearts that horse lovers are the chosen. Once you’ve looked in the eyes of your first equine friend, and heard that whinny of recognition as you go out to feed (no matter that the whinny may be for the bucket your carrying.. it’s still a wonderful sound) there is NO going back. Of course, there are those lucky souls who grow up around horses or in equestrian families and are naturally inclined to love them. But I know many a present day cowgirl who was drawn out of her horse free life, lured by what we all know to be that most powerful of drugs, to create a life among horses.
Why do horses so easily get under our skin? A friend once told me of her feelings as a little girl, long before she’d ever had the opportunity to learn how to ride. She lived and dreamed horses. The books she read were horse books. Her bedroom was horse themed. Though she came from a family who didn’t know a thing about horses, that had never even entertained the possibility of owning one, as a little girl, my friend knew that her life would be different. All of her hopes and desires revolved around the notion that one day, she would own and love horses.
Maybe it’s because they give us so much- a non-judgmental ear, a neck that invites us into its warmth. Or perhaps it’s everything they represent; beauty, strength, excitement and the irresistible pull of a challenge. Even the ugly and broken down have nobility about them not seen in other animals. They radiate freedom and strength, yet their muzzles are soft and gentle. But, as we all know, they can also be ungrateful, exasperating and incredibly mischievous. Face it they are fascinating and…fun.
Owning a horse is much more than just keeping a pet, between a cowgirl and her horse there is a bond like no other (ask any horse husband). Horses give us the support we need when we need it most; they push us beyond our comfort zone and make us try new things. And even if we fail or look foolish they don’t mind because they don’t take the world, themselves, or us that seriously. And they help us to do the same.
I know there are many men out there that love horses. I mean- cowboys didn’t get their reputations based on their ability to herd cattle on foot. But it’s the women that will go through hell or high water to own a horse even if it isn’t practical. It’s the little girls that flip around backwards in their seat to gaze out the back window of the car at horses grazing in a nearby field. And it’s the women these little girls become, who still stop the car when they see horses in a field – as if drawn to a kindred spirit – even when they have little girls who have little girls of their own.
Michelle Kuester has a bachelors degree in equine science and over twenty years of experience working with horses. She is passionate about natural horsemanship and helping people gain the best possible relationship with their equine companions. 
