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Havre, Montana, United States
Western Montana girl living in north central Montana. The outdoors call frequently, and there is no better way to see them than on the back of a good horse. Life companions are my pup, Sage , and horse, Twist.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Ode to Equipause


For my fellow horsewomen…

My Uncle Jack Rich, first introduced me to the term, equipause.  Definition: Noun.  A duration of time from when a girl first discovers she has an intense love for all things horse. It effects women from the age of 1 to 90 and there is no cure. It’s something most men won’t get. Equipause is expensive; it requires several horses, trailers, saddles, riding lessons, and barns.  A woman’s love for her equine pal will leave a guy scratching his butt and winding his watch.  Women may go gaga over puppies, sunsets, babies, and old couples that still hold hands, but there is nothing that quite enthralls a girl like her love for a horse. 

 

 A true horsewoman spends more time thinking about her horse than a man actually spends thinking, I think.  But if a man understood what that horse does for her, he would never question it.  Her horse teaches her lessons that no parent or teacher ever could.  Her horse is her best listener of thoughts and worries, and is the keeper of her secrets.  Her horse gives her wings to fly and makes her smile.  Horses help her see that hard work really does pay off in the end.  Her horse strengthens her soul and helps her face fears she thought she could never overcome.  Her horse is her peace and solitude when nothing else seems right.  The feeling she has when she rides, she can’t explain; all she feels is free.  In her mind, she’s that ten year old girl again riding bareback across the meadow.  Her horse is her travel partner over miles of rough trail in life.

 

In the end, you can’t put a price on that.  It’s worth every nickel ever spent.  A little note to the man that marries a horsewoman with equipause; don’t expect her to change because you knew she was crazy about horses when you met her.  And if you ever can’t find your girl, check the barn.  There’s a pretty good chance you will find her there with her face buried in his mane.  She’s there for the peace it brings her at the end of the day, and for the love she gets in return.

 

So thank you to my horse, Twist for what you give me each day.  I never want to outgrow that “horse phase”, and I pray to God I never do. 

1 comment:

Julia Munroe Martin said...

So happy to have found your blog via Instagram. This is a wonderful post and I know now the name for what I've had since I was about seven years old. Big time Equipause. Now (many years later) I've only owned two horses very briefly and haven't been on a horse for years. Ever since being on Instagram I've been in search of a horse to photgraph for my gallery and have even been hard pressed to find that here in Maine. Love your photos on Instagram and love your blog too :)