There ought to be a word...

One of the things I did during my endless night check was let my mind wander and think about why I actually love horses, instead of how frustrated I was that this was taking so long.

I thought about language and writing and all the wonderful words that are connected to horses, and are so horse-specific. Then I thought about all the feelings and moments in horses that have no words.

So, for your perusal, here are a list of horse things that really ought to have their own word. I bet we can think up tons more!

- the endless hanging moment in the middle of a wide oxer when you've been in the air just half a heartbeat longer than you thought possible
- the smell of a horse's nose in summer, that perfect mix of sunshine, grass, and horse
- the adrenaline rush of a horse taking up the bit and surging forward when you ask for a gallop
- the almost audible click of a horse locking on to a fence
- the sense of rightness in the universe when you nail the perfect striding to a perfect jump
- the moment when you realize that the mud puddle you just stepped in is over the height of your boots, and your foot is coming back up with just a sock
- the perfect spot where a horse's neck meets his shoulder, you know, the one where you bury your face when you need to cry
- the peaceful happy sound of a barn full of horses munching on hay at the end of a long day
- the endless possibility of a forward-striding horse on a beautiful open trail
- the gangly wobbly awkwardness of a week-old foal out in the field
- the floating weightlessness of a collected canter
- the intense, neverending itch of hay chaff stuck underneath a bra and down your underwear
- the happy, productive, satisfying feel of bridle leather between your fingers as you work conditioner into it
- the muscle memory that takes over when you post to a lovely big trot without even thinking

Anyone else?