#TBT: 10 Things Adult Horse People Are Tired of Hearing

Each Thursday we throwback to a favorite Horse Nation classic. Circa 2014: Karlie Mitchell is sick and tired of her equestrian lifestyle being treated like something she’s supposed to grow out of.

Horses have been a huge part of my life from childhood. I fell in love with horses as a child and never looked back, and since that time a lot of people have made comments about me never growing out of the “horse thing.” As someone in her 20s whose life still revolves around horses, they can stop anytime with the …

• You should probably stop talking about your horse like it is a child.
• Maybe you should focus on human family.
• Imagine how much money you’d have if you didn’t have horses.
• Imagine how much time you’d have if you didn’t have horses.
• Do you really need to post pictures of your horse constantly on Facebook?
• Don’t you worry about falling off and getting injured and jeopardizing your life?
• How does your significant other put up with your lifestyle?
• Why didn’t you grow out of the horse phase like many other girls?
• When do you think you are going to give it up?
• What else do you do with yourself besides horses?

I do not know why many people are baffled by adult crazy horse girls (and guys) who never grew out of the “horse stage.” These questions can be asked of me forever and NO I’m not going to give it up — I didn’t ever give it up because it is who I am and what makes me happy. My horses are my babies so I refuse to stop obsessing over them, and again, NO I’m never going to change.

Photo courtesy Karlie Mitchell.

Or, as Morgane Schmidt a la The Idea of Order, put it:

Go Riding.