I am often asked, by folks who aren't into horses, what I get out of horseback riding. Anyone who is into horses would never ask such a thing. Nonetheless, it a legit question worthy of a response, but one to which I hadn't given much thought. The short answer, of course, is that I horseback ride cause I like it as well as horses in general. But, what about it do I like?
There are multiple reasons why anyone does anything, including horseback riding, none of which by themselves would be a deal breaker. For me the first, but not necessarily foremost, reason that I'm into horses is that it gives me a link to my childhood. As a farm kid who grew up when teams of horses and mules were still dominant in farm work, these critters were simply a natural part of my life. I can remember that the first animal, besides my buddy Bozo, our family German Shepherd, that I felt affection for was a mule by the name of Babe. And to this day, mules and I seem to have a natural affinity for each other. When I was maybe 10 or so, I was the "water boy" during harvest time delivering water by horseback to the field hands. Another job I had at about that time was to steady teams while their wagon load of shocks was being unloaded into the thrashing machine. This was done by holding a shank rope attached to the lead horse or mule (the one on the left). With the really big teams, such as Percherons, one of the 'grown-ups' would have to attach the shank for me cause I couldn't reach that high. One of the horses I ride today (at age 70 something) is a Percheron/quarter horse mix. He is huge, and we get along great.
Another good reason under the rubric of history for being into horses is that horseback riding provides a tangible link to our ancestral past. I ride in the rolling hills of central Kentucky and the desert environment of Arizona. And every time I do so in either place I am reminded that some of the first folks to view what I am viewing did so from the back of a horse.
Independent of riding, the horse itself provides a link to our social evolution. The equine specie evolved on the American continent some 4 million years ago from where it migrated first to Asia then to Europe and Africa, and are thought to have disappeared from America about 12,000 years ago. The Spanish explorers are credited with re-introducing horses to our continent several hundred years ago. Wild horses from the early Spanish herds migrated north many of which eventually ended up with Native Americans. However native tribes from the planes, such as the Dakotas, dispute the contention that their horses originated from the Spanish. They claim that they have always had horses, and evidence from their cultural history support such a notion. So, maybe the horse never did completely disappear from America.
Regardless of whether horses have been on the American continent continuously for millions of years or reintroduced several hundred years ago, the horse has been an integral part of our cultural evolution. Without the horse early Native Americans could not have established trade routes; could not have followed buffalo herds; could not have established regular seasonal encampments all of which shaped the very nature of their being. Without the horse the rapid, vast and prolific expansion of Euro-American society in the 18^th^ and 19^th^ centuries could not have occurred. Horses enabled us to explore the vastness of the American continent; enabled us to farm its rich land; enabled us to transport goods, and to establish towns and villages throughout the land as well as to bring civility to those communities in the form of courts, schools and churches. Our partnership with the horse formed the bedrock foundation of what America is today. And as a horse person it's a privilege to be connected to that foundation through partnership with these magnificent animals.
A most important, at least for me, reason for being into horses, including horseback riding, is a spiritual one. To understand where I am coming from in this context, it helps to know that I am a pantheist -- the belief that God exists in everything and that all living things are connected by a vast interdependent web. For the most part, humans have lost the ability to tap into this interdependent web of existence, but animals have not. They continually live in a state of connectedness with other beings.
Possibly because they have very limited means of physical communication, horses in particular are quite telepathic and seem to have the ability to communicate at what can best be described as the spiritual level. That is, they appear to have the ability to operate within the interdependent web of existence much more so than we human types. My first, and most intense, spiritual connection with an equine relates to my childhood friendship with my grandfather's mule Babe, mentioned previously. When my wife and I were raising our children we took a family vacation to the Grand Canyon. We happened upon the corral where they kept the trail mules and were leaning against the fence looking at them, when a mare on the opposite side of the corral spotted me and came trotting over to be petted. Looking into her eyes I had the eerie feeling that it was Babe saying "Hi Danny, long time no see. How ya been?"
Intense spiritual encounters, like the one I experienced with the Grand Canyon mule are rare. I've not had one quite like it since. But there is no question but what equines have a powerful sixth sense ability. This is obvious to anyone who has worked with horses or mules for any length of time. They can sense your most subtle changes in behavior and emotions. If you're having a bad day, so will they when they are around you. If you are relaxed and in a good mood, they will be relaxed. If you are uptight, they will be uptight. And if for any reason you are fearful of a them, they, in turn, will be fearful of you, and will do their upmost to try and get away from you. Although as a pantheist I firmly believe in the interdependent web of existence, like most humans I find it difficult to detect. But horses consistently point it out to me reassuring me of its presence. This happens every time I manage to gain the trust of a horse such that they are relaxed with me, feel comfortable and non-threatened when I am on their back trusting that I will not guide them into harm's way when we are on a ride. When such mutual trust occurs between you and your horse, or any animal for that matter, it is as if a door to the spiritual world has opened.
A last, but definitely not least, reason I like horses has to do with the enjoyment I receive taking care of them and their surroundings. It is what I've come to call 'barn therapy'. Giving horses a bath, brushing them down, filling hay racks, mucking out stalls and even emptying the manure spreader all give me a peaceful satisfaction unmatched by any other form of physical work. I think that the reason for this is that barn therapy maintains the spiritual connection I feel with horses and mules.
So, there. That's why I ride. Those who aren't into horses probably can't relate to a word I've said. And for those who are, I'm sure I am preaching to the choir. But choirs have been known to benefit from a worthwhile sermon, which I hope this has been.