Mel over at Boots and Saddles did a post on signs you might be an Endurance Rider that made me remember a similar topic on Ridecamp of the same thread several years ago. Complied here for your enjoyment:
You might be an Endurance Rider if...
Crysta Turnage
• You buy bottles at the store based upon if the empty will make a good scoop or not.
• You have a low maintenance hairstyle that allows you to go six months between $12 trims at Supercuts but you don't bat an eye when you have to spend $80 with the farrier every six weeks.
• You cringe to spend over $30 on a pair of your own shoes, but can't pass up one Easyboot at that price.
• Your spouse has stopped even trying to keep track of your horse related expenses, and now does their best to not notice them.
• Your horse has been to school/daycare because you were out riding until the very last minute before you had to pick your child up.
• The meals you make for your family at home in the crock-pot on "riding days" somewhat resemble the mash you feed your horse at a vet check, but both are just as eagerly eaten.
• You've gleefully left a path of mud, horse hair, and other assorted debris through a public setting.
• You've met someone from your "normal" life while wearing tights in public (Oops, I was just going to run in REAL quick!), and only been slightly embarrassed.
• You're reading this list, laughing, and nodding your head yes!
Cindy Stafford
• You can list 10 different colors to describe your horse's pee
• You know more about your horse's nutrition than your own
• You know your horse's resting and working heart rate, but dang it if you can think of the last time you had your blood pressure taken
• You think nothing of preparing a dozen different ingredients for your horse's mash, but a 3 course meal for you consists of a banana, a snack bar and a Gatorade.
Chrystal Woodhouse
• You ask for a GPS (yes you already have one but they have a NEW wristwatch model!!:-)) or heart rate monitor for Christmas
Jamie Ward
• Most your wardrobe consists of ride t-shirts.
• Your shoe's have holes in them but ALL you horses have a brand new pair
Heidi Larson
• When it's near Christmas and you're considering a new horse so you can have a back-up!!
• When the tack vendor has a sale and you "have" to get something new, just because your horse "must" be tired of his current colors!
Maryanne Gabbani
• Your "good" shoes are a clean pair of Ariats
Dawn Carrie
• You've driven to work with the horse trailer hooked up to your truck because you plan to take off work early to ride, and having the trailer already hooked up will save you 5 minutes once you get home.
• You walk into a restaurant for lunch or dinner after a training ride wearing your tights and grungy t-shirt and sporting "helmet hair" and don't think twice about it. And, your husband, who is with you, is wearing the same outfit.
• You've browsed the "hair accessories" section at Wal-Mart, looking for neat-colored hair elastics (for braiding your horse's mane) that will match your biothane tack.
• Your husband hangs up from a phone call with his parents and says, "They want to have a family get-together this spring. I said I'd get back to them with dates we can make it. What's the ride schedule?" And you immediately rattle off the ride names and dates for the next 6 months.
Carla Richardson
• You're so used to having the trailer hooked to your truck that when you're NOT pulling it, it feels strange and you keep glancing back expecting to see it there.
• You wake up early in the morning and the first thing you do is look out to see what the weather is doing, is it going to be a ride day or cleaning the tack day. (Notice I didn't say clean the house day!)
April
• When your husband is driving a full-sized truck, you repeatedly reprimand him for taking corners "too fast"; only to have him exasperatedly say (again), "We are not hauling horses!"
Pauline
• You go out of your way to this ONE supermarket, three times as far as your usual one, because they sell Ajax floor cleaner in bottles which are perfect for sloshing AND match your tack (orange in my case)
• The one time a year you dress normally, you get stopped by the police driving thru the woods on your way home, because they don't recognize you
• You quickly scan the racks of any tack shop or trade stand and if they don't have anything plastic in flashy colors you're not interested
• You spend long winter nights in front of the fire debating which color tack would suit your new horse best
• The garden shed is filled with crates, slosh bottles and various jerry cans, all clean and marked with your name, to the roof - the lawn mower and other expensive equipment are filthy, rusty and sleep outside
• When you meet other riders in the forest they gape at you and forget to say good morning
• The best discussions you have with friends involve electrolytes and HR monitors
• Before the vets comes you spend three hours scraping the mud off your horses
• You've perfected the art of buying the perfect polo shirt which is long enough to cover your diaper bum but not so wide as to get stuck on branches when travelling at speed thru forest
• When you get up at three in the morning and make the mistake of putting on the lights in the house you can hear the horses calling for breakfast, thinking they are going to a RIDE
• And of course, permanent helmet head, electrolyte stains on your shirts, flies on your teeth, and when out with normal friends you're the only one comfortable sitting on a rock because your bottom is so calloused ( or because you're wearing your tights)
