Horses have been a part of my entire life. They were one of the few consistent things I had around for all those years. Anyone who spends time with horses can tell you about how sweet, loyal, and fun they are, but they also teach us lessons. Some things can be taught by trainers, but others you have to hear from the horse itself.
Patience is one of the most valuable traits you can have.
Whether it's waiting anxiously for the vet at 4 a.m. or sitting at a horse show for hours to get results, we learn quickly that nothing comes fast in the horse world. Someone's always late, and mishaps happen at the most inconvenient times possible. The ability to take a deep breath and just wait has paid off a lot in the adult world.
Hard work always pays off.
If there is one thing horses are good at, it's making you have to do things the hard way. They can regress with just a few days or weeks of bad handling, and training a horse takes years and years of effort. They also frequently don't like to do the things that are good for them, like calmly reacting to fly spray or staying clean the night before a show. We often have to do things twice, but when we finally achieve something on the horse it all becomes worth it.
Be competitive, but polite.
Winning is great, that's a fact. Being a sore loser or a bragger completely ruins that. It's important to learn how to be friendly with the people you go up against while also giving the competition itself your all. There will always be people in life going up for the same opportunities as you. Fight for what you deserve, without negative feelings.
Budgeting is a lifesaving skill.
One of the hardest struggles for many horse owners is cost. Feed, shoes, lessons, stable fees, tack, it all adds up quickly. Learning how to balance all of that with other expenses forces you to watch your spending so you have enough for the barn. Budgeting is often learned the hard way when you move out of your parents' house, but if you ride horses you probably learned it early.
There are, of course, many other things horses taught me. How to get back on after a rough day, how to put something else's care above my own, how to get up at all hours and function. They are all different and teach different things. Growing up riding was a lot of frustration, tough lessons, and knocks to the ground, but I wouldn't trade what I got from it for anything.