28/ MAY 2026 THE RIDER
24 Reasons Why Horsin’ Around Makes Us Better Human Beings
By Kathy Farrokhzad. I often write about how
being around horses changes a person. In many ways, there is no chance that a person who is involved in horses - whether as a rider, or barn owner or manager, instructor, volunteer, or someone who helps with the chores - can stay the same as they were pre-horses. While there’s likely plenty of physical im- provement, there’s the even more important aspect of de- velopment of character. Well, it makes sense
when you think about it. First off,
there’s the
being-out-in-the-country fac- tor. For many of us who live in suburbs or cities, being out- side “for real” puts us in a
much different position than we’re used to. The sheer space and conditions create an environment that is rarely ex- perienced these days by most people. Quite opposite to the hustle and bustle of our city lives, being at a farm makes us do things differently. Time slows down. Pace
slows down. Even while we have to actually perform tasks (that won’t get done other- wise), the physical aspect re- quires us to focus on one thing at a time, prioritize tasks, find the most efficient way to do things and to “live in the moment.” Then there’s the horses. They teach us so many
“soft” skills like empathy, re- sponsibility, leadership, com- passion, determination and
organization. That doesn’t even include riding-specific skills.
So why does horsin’
around make us into better human beings? Here are 24 ways. Maybe you’ll relate to some of them.
1. Work hard: Whether we’re carrying water buckets or cleaning out stall after stall, we’re in it to get ‘er done, no matter what it takes!
2. Ready to pitch in when needed:We learn quickly that many hands make light work.
3. Compassion - for people too: (As in, not only for the animals. We become “tuned in” to others, period.)
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4. Clean without complaint: Well, maybe just a little com- plaint. But we realize that if we don’t do the cleaning, the mess will build up quickly and not go away on its own!
5. Walk briskly and far: Walking is the major way to get around farms and so you learn to go - fast!
6. Not afraid to get dirty: We get right into the mess of things and clean up later.
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7. Keep doing despite the weather: Like turning horses in just as the huge downpour begins, or taking the wheel- barrow to the muck pile after a white-out blizzard covers the path.
8. Put others’ needs first: The horses always get taken care of first because they rely on us for almost everything.
9. Become Stubborn: In a good way: we try, try again in order to learn the new skill.
10. Make decisions - even the hard ones: As the person responsible for the horse, it’s our duty to keep our selfish needs to the side and do
what’s best for the horse.
11. Have fun! Stay a while in any barn and hear the laughter echo through the rafters (liter- ally).
12. Enjoy our alone time: Except we’re not really alone. We relish our quiet time lis- tening to the munching of hay and occasional snorts of our equine friends.
13. Enjoy being with others: Even the most introverted of us becomes more outgoing and social simply by virtue of the shared passion we have for horses.
14. Stick to it when the going gets tough: We learn that almost any problem can be overcome with persever- ance and a little bit of creativ- ity.
15. Better at “performing” in front of others: There’s no way around it. You watch oth- ers ride and others watch you ride.
16. Step out of own comfort zone regularly: We become more willing to do try new things and grow - whether in
the saddle or on the ground.
17. Share information and knowledge with others: We pool together all of experi- ences and research especially when there’s a horse in need.
18. Finish tasks: Because the chores won’t get done other- wise.
19.Take initiative: Our lead- ership skills flourish in a barn setting.
20.Lift heavy objects: We build our strength and we aren’t shy to use it (water bucket, anyone)?
21.Can be counted on to pitch in or complete tasks: Because that’s just the way things get done in a barn.
22.Communicate clearly: We use white boards, lists, text messages, memos, and old fashioned “face time” to make sure we’re on track and the horses are taken care of in a consistent manner.
23.Self-starters:We will find the things that need to be done and do them on our own.
24.Life-long learners: Be- cause we need more than one lifetime to learn everything we need to know about riding and horses.
When you take a look at
those 24 characteristic traits, it’s pretty easy to realize that little by little, day by day, being out in that barn and in- teracting with those horses adds a huge dimension to our way of being in the world. How have your horses made you into a better human being?
Bio: Kathy Farrokhzad is an EC coach and author of the Horse Listening book collec- tion, Goal Setting For The Equestrian: A Personal Work- book, and the creator of the Practice Sessions online pro- gram. If you liked what you read here, check out her blog at
HorseListening.com for many more articles about horses, riding and life in gen- eral.
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