Those of you who have been following this for a long time probably remember the posts here about bringing the boys home. Can you believe it’s been (over) a year now? I can’t. What do they say? Time flies when you’re having fun? Or having… all the work to do? Or something like that.

I have managed to keep my horses alive and major incident free for a year. By major incident I mean we have not had any significant health problems or issues and we have needed little vet care but I don’t mean we have had zero issues. You guys realize my horses are animals with a sense of humor that love to watch me squirm and panic, right? So here are the things I have learned over the past year having horses at home.

• Having horses at home is an absolute blessing and it’s so cool to just watch them live, breathe, eat, etc.  There’s nothing like the sound of horses happily munching hay.
• If you should be blessed with horses that have as much personality as mine, you could likely create a youtube or something and make money off their antics.  I am not that creative, but I have thought about it.  They are hysterical and I laugh, a LOT.
• You better prepare yourself to fill your entire phone with photos and videos of all the things they do.  Or have some self-control, which I do not possess when it comes to them (or the dog, for that matter).  Zero pictures of the husband and I.  ALLLLLL the pictures of the horses and dog. 
• If you haven’t spent time in the barn in your pajamas or bath robe, you’re probably doing it wrong or haven’t had horses at home long enough.    
• You will 10000% spend more time working in the barn and managing the horses than you will riding or working the horses
• Barn chores wait for no one.  It doesn’t matter if you are busy, sick, hospitalized, out of town, or just lazy, etc.  The chores still have to get done.  Someone has to do them.  If you can’t, you better find someone who can.
  • Going out of town is a thing that requires much planning and effort, and you will worry the whole time about your horses.
• Horses are accidents waiting to happen. 
  • Pro tip: get annuals to keep in good standing as a current client with a vet.  Otherwise, you may not be able to get care in an emergency.
  • Don’t think you are above having an emergency. Your horse(s) will prove you wrong. 
• They WILL get loose at some point. Have a plan. Or run around like a complete fool trying to contain them. I’ve done both.
• Your barn will never be clean. Ever. Horses are gross. You will never 100% get rid of all the dust or grime they bring.
• Take all the things you thought you needed, and add more things you never knew even existed.  Then you still won’t have everything you need for horses. 
• There is no such thing as too much tack or too many bits. 
• A leaf blower has many uses far and above blowing leaves, and is a great thing for barn use
• Cobwebs.  They refuse to go away no matter how many times you swipe them down with a broom.  Just, WHY?
• Your permanent accessory is now hay.  Hay in your hair.  Hay on your clothes.  Hay in your pockets, down your pants, in your gloves, in your boots, in your underwear, literally everywhere. Feel something stabbing you in the middle of the night in your bed?  Hay. How did it even get there?  Hay goblins-I don’t know.  But it does. 
• If your horses wear shoes, it will take an act of God to keep them on if they are on lots of turnout.  But lots of turnout is good for their brains.  It’s a double edged sword. 
• Speaking of shoes, pray for a good farrier.  A consistent one. A true horseman who won’t charge you a zillion dollars, but also treats you and your horses well and SHOWS UP when you need them.  Level of difficulty: Expert.  Godspeed.  Finding that unicorn is near impossible. 
• You can never have enough hooks to hang things on in a barn.  Or enough bins to organize things.  And somehow, with all the organizing tools in the world, you’ll still manage to leave things out of place.  It’s OK.  You have bigger problems. 
• Never underestimate a good pair of gloves. Or a good 10 pairs, because you’ll use the snot out of them and even the nicest pairs will eventually fall apart under barn use. Hay string spares no glove. Nothing else does, either. And for the love of God, don’t waste your money on cheap work gloves. Your hands will thank you.

I am sure I could think of a million other things.  But for now, it’s time to go back to enjoying watching my horses exist. As much of a pain as they are, they make my days every single day.  Sometimes they make them frustrating, but they always make them happy because I am one lucky lady to get to experience life with them right here with me.