Horse Addiction – Know the Facts!
In reality Horse Addiction is a complex disease, manifesting itself in many different ways. If your loved one displays one or more of the following symptoms this could be an indication that they are under the influence…
Symptoms associated with Horse Addiction
1. Getting up excessively early in the morning on a weekend.
2. A constant odor of ‘horse’
3. Holey, miss-matching socks
4. Boots covered in mud
5. Car boot is full of mysterious bags, hay, straw and what looks like rabbit food scattered predominately across the back seats
6. Denial, refusing to admit they spend too much time with their horse
7. Talking to the horse or other animals around the house/yard
8. Spending more money on apples and carrots at the supermarket than the average human being
9. Christmas list contains nothing for them and only items for the horse
10. Watching TV at home, well they don’t have one! although the tack room at the yard consists of TV, microwave, dining table, couch etc
11. They sold their car and bought a bike so their horse can have the latest rug
12. Their horse is cleaner than them
13. Their horse has a warmer jacket on than them
Although the road to recovery may sound daunting, many owners, riders and enthusiasts can sustain a new unhealthier lifestyle, if and only if, they hit rock bottom.
Symptoms on the road to recovery include;
1. Increased bank balance
2. Clean car
3. Clean home
4. Fresh fragrance has replaced the horse odor
5. Wanting to spend time cooking and cleaning the house
6. Talking to humans again
7. Miserable
8. Depressed
9. Lack of enthusiasm for life
If any of the above symptoms apply to a loved one or family member approach with caution. DO NOT, under any circumstances, challenge them about their possible addiction, riders in denial are often confrontational about their right to spend time at the horse.
We were considering setting up a Riders in Denial helpline but we can’t be bothered…we’d rather be with the horse, who’d want to recover from this addiction!
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.