And sometimes we cuss...

This is not a drill... nor a set up shot. Just an accurate display of how things sometimes go at the barn.

Once I was listening to a morning radio show where a caller stated she rode horses and the host’s comment was “have you ever heard horse girls talk? They’d make a sailor blush”. He didn’t comment on the way we control thousands of pounds of horseflesh, or drive big trucks, or spend lots of money... oh no, the first thing that came to his mind was how crudely we speak.

And he’s not wrong.

I was raised in a barn. Which means discussion about pee and poop was common; my sexual education started while watching a stallion mount a mare; and as an 8 year old, “hussy” had become part of my vocabulary because of my friend’s pony who would squat if a gelding looked at her.

---

Recently, my very favorite 4 year old girl proudly told me her newly made up knock knock joke - where the answer to “who’s there” was “penis”. Nothing else, just penis. 

Her mom’s horse had just enjoyed his chiro adjustment immensely... and we had a talk about not saying jokes at pre-school. 

As an instructor, I often find myself saying things that would normally get me in trouble with HR. 

“Make him play with his body” 

“Make your ass circles smaller”

“Stop thrusting like a jackhammer”

“Let’s check in with your pelvis” 

And, let’s be honest... I know more about some of my clients than their doctors. The fact is, that when we sit on our crotches for a living (as a trainee) or for recreation (as an Ammy), these things matter. 

By nature, I am not a very modest person, but even the most shy horseperson will strip down and change in an aisle when their running late for a lesson or competition class. 

We discuss waxing, and underwear (or lack thereof), and chaffing, and the many uses of baby powder and baby oil. 

And yes, sometimes we cuss. Some reserve their colorful words for exclamations or excitement or disappointment, while others replace commas with four letters. 

I probably fall in line with the latter. 

​Cheers!