While I've never quite bought into the "having a dog is like having a baby!" fallacy, I do often think that horses can be compared to toddlers. This recent blog post, listing the ways in which dogs are not babies, seems to underline that theory.
The author lists these reasons that dogs are easier than babies:
• You can keep them in the car by themselves on a brisk fall day when running errands.
• You don’t have to worry about them when you’re at work.
• You don’t have to entertain them or worry whether they’re keeping up with their peer groups.
• They produce practically zero laundry.
• You don’t have to keep your phone on vibrate in case daycare calls with an emergency.
Yeah, all of those things are false for horses. Worrying, check. Keeping up, check. Laundry, check. Cell phone on vibrate, so very check. (Is there anything worse than a call from the barn in the middle of the day? Do any barn managers NOT start every conversation with "Your horse is okay! Here's another thing I needed to ask you about"?)
The major advantage to horses, of course, is that when you work late you don't have to check on them, or go pick them up from daycare. If you're me, you feel massively guilty and lazy, but 9 times out of 10 Tristan is much happier if I don't come out to ride.
I don't think having a dog is like having a baby (thank god!), but I don't think that list sounds a whole lot like having a dog...!
ReplyDeleteSorry, I forgot to link to the original blog post: http://cognoscenti.wbur.org/2013/10/17/dogs-are-people-too-hinda-mandell
ReplyDeleteBut yeah I'm not sure, despite her protests, that she really is the most involved dog owner ever...
When we brought our first puppy home - Storm, our blue Dane - I called my mom in tears the third day because she'd already peed on the carpet, chewed up a sock, scratched the kitchen table, and spent hours whining until we brought her to bed with us. I was like, "How can I ever be a mother if I can't handle a dog?" LOL
ReplyDeleteBut YES. I feel like being responsible for horses is a lot like having children, if you care about being a good horseperson. You worry about whether or not they're getting all their vitamins, if they're learning what they need to know, if they're safe, if they're healthy, if they're happy... I feel like having a horse changes you in some of the same ways parenthood does, because you can't ever forget that you have a horse. Even if someone else is providing care, the fact of owning a horse is always a background constant, and you have to make life adjustments sometimes to accommodate that truth. Or at least, that's how I feel. :)
"The major advantage to horses, of course, is that when you work late you don't have to check on them, or go pick them up from daycare"
ReplyDeleteUnless you keep the horses at home, and there is no one else there to feed them -- then you DO have to go, or arrange alternate care :).