7 reasons why being a horse woman prepares you to be a mom

Some of you people are going to judge me for this title but I remember before I was pregnant I always thought boy having horses really prepares you for parenthood but of course I couldn’t really say that out loud because I didn’t have a kid yet.

Well to all you moms and future moms, here you all go. If you’ve worked with horses for awhile, you’re ready!

1.      Emotional maturity. If you haven’t ever cursed and/or cried with or at your horses I don’t believe you. I’ve cursed at my retired mare when she kept getting more and more amped up just standing in the barn, I’ve cried from frustration when I couldn’t get leg yielded and just got locked shoulders, I ugly cried from having the most harmonious ride ever I’ve done it all.

Each time was a lesson for me that I needed new skills or I was inside of myself just like a live wire and my horse fed off of that energy.

Parenting is the same way. I have to be truthful in how I am feeling and not tamp it down in order to not snap at my kid or get so frustrated when he’s just being a kid. Or sometimes I need to level up my skills. Aka leveling up my emotional maturity or right now I am leveling up my financial literacy in order to feel less worried about his future.

2.      Showing up day in day out, in sickness and in health. Fever, chills, ice, flood? Doesn’t matter, horses still need their water, food , maybe blankets changed , whatever us horsewomen get it done. This past winter I was so nauseous and weak, I had a high fever and it was icy and in the teen (F). My whole household was sick and down. Yet what did I do? I bundled myself up and out I went to toss hay, feed and fill waters for my horses.

Parenting is the same. Sick, bad day at work? Doesn’t matter, my baby still needs me to be present and connected every day I get home from work.

i'm a big fan of soaked alfalfa pellets/cubes in the winter for added hydration

3.      We know hard doesn’t mean bad. Horses are hard. We have a little of each shoulder season that is effortlessly easy. Riding in a light fall weather or spring where it’s heaven on Earth is euphoric. But what’s the majority… heat advisory’s or cold weather advisory. Lots of mud, lots of vet appointment and money, lots of hard work. But we love it and it’s worth it every time. Ask a horse woman to give up her horses and you’ll be left alone.

The same way with kids. It’s HARD. Physically, emotionally, spiritually but my life is fuller than it has ever been and I am happier now than I ever could have imagined. But it’s also so hard (and I only have 1 kid ha) I never sit down and veg on the couch after work, I take 1 shower alone all week, I work hard at my full time job and running the farm and I work the hardest parenting and pouring into my kiddo.

4.      A tired dog is a good dog. Ok left field here, but most of us equestrians have dogs. Is your dog digging holes in the backyard? Barking? Being annoying? Guess what…they need a JOB. They need to go outside and run, or pull you on rollerblades , or guard some animals, etc etc. I also found my kid needs a “job”. He needs to feel useful, he is always right by my side no matter what task (unless of course it’s really dangerous). This past weekend he was outside with me for hours helping me wash all the vehicles and he had the time of his life. I believe kids need to be physically tired out ( I mean I believe this for adults too) at the end of every day to feel satisfaction and purpose. My kid will tear the house apart if we don’t keep him active enough

helping mommy feed last winter at 2 years old after dark

5.      Nutrition. Horse people love to play with nutrition to get a healthy happy horse. We know hoof and coat health needs copper and zinc. Magnesium defiency is possible with a nervous horse. Vitamin E in the winter, etc etc. this carries over to pregnancy, breastfeeding and postpartum. We already understand electrolytes in horses but for breastfeeding it increases milk production. Folic acid in pregnancy. And for our kiddos sometimes they need magnesium lotion. And we add in greens , etc because food is medicine.

6.      The key to anything is a regulated nervous system. We’ve all seen shutdown horses. We’ve seen the nervous nelly horses. We know horses cannot learn or properly work until their bodies are present and they are not worried about getting eaten by the cougar in the corner.

Same with kids. They can’t hear us when they’re having big feelings and just need for us to help them regulate their nervous systems. They can’t learn their numbers or alphabet unless they feel safe and loved.

me and my baby :)

7.      How to be ‘chill’ when injuries occur. Horses are masters of trying to kill themselves. Same with toddlers. Run full gallop in a muddy field? Find the sharpest thing in the pasture? Hives? Yeet off the slide? Climb the tallest pile of wood or hay they can find? We know how to handle basic medical and how to assess. Running to the vet/doctor for every little thing is a recipe for a neurotic, stressed out horse mom or mom.

Well there you go , 7 reasons why I think being an equestrian gives you a leg up on being a mom.

-A