1:04:16 PM

The Online Magazine FOR and ABOUT Southside Virginia

2/14/2026

Some things you won't have to explain
to a horse person.

(But no one else understands)

• Horses eat first.
  
  
• Muddy boots in the kitchen
  
  
• A saddle in the living room and bridles hangin' on the kitchen chairs is normal.
  
  
• Paddock boots = fashion footwear.
  
  
• Horsehair everywhere.
  
  
• Farmers cutting hay on Monday means calling in "sick" Thursday or Friday to go get hay.
  
  
• The bill for new tires on the Dually.
  
  
• Hay and baling twine in coat pockets.
  
  
• Getting up and going out in the rain at 2 AM because that whinny "doesn't sound right."
  
  
• Spending 2 hours feeding hot senior feed to the old gelding and using all the good towels to dry him off because he was too stubborn to get out of the ice storm.
  
  
• Crying because putting him down the next year was the right thing to do, but still hurt like hell.
  
  
• Yes - big boys DO cry sometimes. But the vet had the decency to look away.
  
  
• Feeding up on the dark side of sunrise.
  
  
• Draining water hoses in the winter.
  
  
• Water hoses in the bathtub to defrost them because I forgot to drain them last night.
  
  
• Why the missing sox are on the buckles of the horse blankets in the dryer.
  
  

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