rsl12

The topic came up over conversation today with friends. The only juvenile horse story I've ever read is "Misty of Chincoteague", which I read two years ago because I was actually going to visit Chincoteague. It was VERY boring. The boy and girl love wild horses, so they save up money and, with the help of good corraling skills, manage to buy a horse. The End.

Why do some girls *loooove* these stories? Why are there so many writers dedicated to such a specific genre? I'm interested from an anthropologist view--it's like a mysterious fantasy world full of alien appeals, and those appeals are completely lost on me.

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Poppinjay

Arhgg.... I had to read Misty of Chincoteague to two girls we were babysitting.

Mind you, I love the wild horses on the barrier islands of VA and NC. I've chartered boats to see them. I even thought I would like the book because of that. No. I want those hours of my life back.

I don't know. Maybe it's the mane? That's what My Little Pony was about.

Maybe Hasbro could give us all a break and start selling My Little End of the Month Bills, or My Little Inexpensive Drug Store Toy.

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Jinn

They're one of the few female animals with beauty AND strength? My sister loved the damn things, so I'm just as curious as you..

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hrandani

Freud.

It's all about Freud.

pig

Should I avoid any obvious phallic issues? Charging stallions, wildly untamed, yet amazingly soft. Not to mention "Steve? Oh, shit, he's hung like ______"

edit dang you hrandani and your "beatin me to punch"

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raveneye

My daughter (age 5) is one of those girls -- she loves horses, period. My older sister also was a horse fanatic. I asked her once what the big appeal was, and she said that horses are just inherently lovable, they're gentle, obedient, strong, loyal, and have that long flowing hair that you can brush and ornament.

Add to that the fact that you live in a city and don't get a chance to see them or ride very often, and the longing never really gets satisfied.

veruca

I LOVE HORSES..lol

I always have...I have read every lame ass horse book ever, and just had to take riding lessons over dancing. I don't know why I love them...I just do. I think they are beautiful animals...and it's just so cool to ride something, it's almost like being one being..it's hard to explain :x

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bettaa

my mother had 2 horses while i was growing up.....i like 'em, they're cool, but i don't understand the inherant love for horses...

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meembo

I couldn't agree more.

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onodrim

Well, as a female myself, I never had any great love for horses beyond my general love of animals and nature. Also, I know plenty of other women who have never expressed some great love of them either, so I'd say it's an overgeneralization to say that all women love horses. But then, I've never really fit in with the "girls" and have always been "one of the guys," so maybe I'm wrong.

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Stiltzkin

The first time I saw a horse, it took a crap, and stunk really bad. Anyway, I agree with Hrandani and Pigglet.

raveneye

The problem with Freud is that it doesn't explain why they're not equally fond of donkeys, or mules, or cows, or elephants, rhinoceri, etc. . . . .

Coppertop

The OP asked about girls, not women.

raeanna74

I am not a horse fanatic BUT if I ever get a chance to ride a horse I do take it. I would love to own a horse and ride it daily. There is an almost spiritual, emotional connection between the rider and the horse. Even if it's only in the riders mind they feel it. When it comes to cars there isn't that emotional connection it's different. Men tend to be less emotional, less interested in emotions so for them to WANT that emotional, spiritual connection, I think it's less common.

And honestly, for me, I LOVE going fast. Going fast with a horse is more like riding a motorcycle than driving a car. You're seeing the ground under your horses feet, feeling the pounding and watching things go whizzing by. I would MUCH rather go fast on a horse than in a car. The feeling is more free, more earthy, more natural.

I'm just spouting off the top of my head but there's my 2 cents.

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Charlatan

Girls and horses are like guys and cars... (well, in most cases).

I am married to a horsewoman. She has been riding since she was eight. She travelled to England (Harrowgate just north of Leeds) to study riding and teaching riding. She has been teaching riding to kids and adults since about as long as I have known her.

I've asked her to explain it but she can't. Our son was raised around horses (hell she riding well into her last month of pregnancy and had him on a horse before he could walk). He likes horses about as much as I do... which is to say, we both think they are cool, and can ride them but we don't make a point of doing so.

My 3-year-old daughter? Nuts for horses. She's already been kicked, stepped on and she still loves to ride. She has her own joddies, boots and half chaps. She's getting her own grooming kit for Christmas...

It's just a girl thing.

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rsl12

Surely someone can cite studies or something? Wouldn't it make an interesting anthropology study? I've heard too often: "I can't explain it...I just love them!"

Out of all the responses so far, raveneye's sister's response is the most eloquent: "...horses are just inherently lovable, they're gentle, obedient, strong, loyal, and have that long flowing hair that you can brush and ornament."

I also like Raenna's response--I like going fast too, but have never had a chance to ride a horse in any speedy conditions. And even though the idea appeals to me (going really really fast), I'd much rather try riding motorcycles before riding horses--something tells me it would be faster and more comfortable. But I could see how it would be nice to have an emotional connection with the creature running 35 miles an hour through thick woods. You call it a natural connection, but it almost sounds like a supernatural one--a fantasy of some sort, involving creatures with ability much greater than your own.

PS. I hope I didn't give the impression that I thought all girls love horse stories--I just know that there is a market for horse stories that is gobbled up by young girls much more than it is by young boys. The question in my mind is, why is there a market in the first place?

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snowy

I read a book once, a young adult novel for women, that suggested all girls go through a "horse phase." For some of us, it's short--not more than a month or so of pining for a horse.

It isn't about the animal. It's about the relationship a girl has with that animal.

Eventually girls realize they can get that from guys...and they switch into the "guy phase" instead. Adolescence usually puts an end to the "horse phase." Personally, my "horse phase" was very short--I discovered at a young age that flirtation with boys was more fun than any stinky animal.

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shesus

As a girl I was never 'in love' with horses. My best friend was though. She bought horse posters, horse figurines, and horse books. She also would draw horses. She was quite obsessed. My cousin had a thing for unicorns, which are very similar. I still don't really like horses today, although I'm sure my friend does. However, I do feel sorry for the Handsome Cab horses around Chicago because they are not taken care of. Yet, that is the only time I have felt one way or the other about horses.

I think that it goes back to fairy tales though. The prince rides in on the white horse to save the princess..yada,yada. Forget the horse, I just wanted the prince

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Astrocloud

I don't know about girls.

As for women... have you ever heard the expression "Hung like a horse"?

-I never have either. But apparently some men are popular with ladies because they remind them of horses somehow. I'm guessing that these men have very strong necks and can't be hung easily -just like a horse.

albania

I don't know, it never made sense, maybe it is that whole girls are raised a certain way boys are raised a certain way, and it's something perpetuated by society argument. Although, people who do argue this are missing the fact that there are fundamental differences inherent in our biology, and I don't just mean genitalia. But, as to how that would be related to the love of horses I don’t know. What I notice more is the way that girls and guys act towards their dogs, in my experience guys treat their dogs as they would their friends, and ladies treat them as their children, I thought that was always weird.

uncle phil

/me shoveled the shit of 17 horses for many years while growing up. i never understood the fascination people have had with animals in general. /me hopes y'all love 'em...

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onodrim

This made me remember that I used to draw Centaurs constantly. But that was because I was in love with Fantasia at the time. Plus I've been obsessed with mythology/fantasy/paranormal etc for about as long as I can remember, so I also drew equal amounts of other fantasy creatures. I think it's more related to those two things than a love of horses.

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"The world is so exquisite with so much love and moral depth, that there is no reason to deceive ourselves with pretty stories for which there’s little good evidence. Far better it seems to me, in our vulnerability, is to look death in the eye and to be grateful every day for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides"
-Carl Sagan

skier

Something to understand here is that horses are prey and herd animals. While they are big and strong they are inherently cautious and easily spooked.

I've seen a lot of novices (Greenhorns :P) introduce themselves to a horse- walking stright up to it while staring directly at it. While this is normal behavior for us showing confidence and trust, for a horse it is a scary, aggressive move and it'll often shy away or if accustomed to it at least be very uncomfortable (especially if you have a broad smile on showing your nice canines. Also, when horses curl their lips back to show teeth, it's a sign of frustration and intimidation.)

I think girls are a lot better at seeing vulnerability and empathize or feel comfortable with this reaction. What's not to like? It's a large, powerful beast with a heart of a puppy. It's herd instincts means it wants to be friendly, and it's motivations are simple and easy to understand.

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Gilda

Horses are graceful, powerful, beautiful animals. It's a lot easier to project your emotions onto them than those other animals you mention.

I'm not really into horses myself. They tend to scare me a bit, and I'm easily intimidated physically.

Gilda

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Grasshopper Green

I never understood the horse thing. My best friend in grade and jr high school loved them and always wanted me to go riding with her; I think I went once just to make her happy. Chalk me up as another girl who just doesn't "get it"...then again, I don't get guys and their sports and cars either...

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Charlatan

I just asked my wife again what's the deal with girls and horses and she said something quite similar to this...

It's a huge, powerful beast and yet, it's friendly. I think the motocycle analogy isn't too far off for some riders. The speed and power... but also the grace and gentility.

She was an eventer so she would have to be able to go fast and reckless around a cross country course but also be able to do the graceful forms of dressage...

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rsl12

You know, you're absolutely right!! It never registered with me before. I always thought it was kind of condescending, the way a lot of women treat their pets, but this explanation puts it all into place.

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Blaise

I used to love horses and horse stories when I was younger. I went riding for ten years, had a room full of horse related things, wished to god I'd be able to own one instead of spending an hour a week at a stable.. not so obsessed now, but there definitely is something about them which catches my attention even now.

I agree with several people in this thread about why girls love horses. In spite of their mass, they're very beautiful and delicate-looking animals- they have enormous eyes, long mane and tails, etc. They're immensely strong and there's no way your average horse-mad girl could subdue them physically, yet they're usually so gentle towards humans and object very little to training. They're sensitive, easily frightened herbivores who are very easily hurt or traumatised, but they're also great athletes and show a lot of courage- they'll go into a crowd full of screaming, rioting football fans or jump over huge objects into a drop they can't see.. or they'll potter around quietly with a disabled child rider. There is something amazing about such a big animal lending someone their size and strength with comparitively so little training- you don't need to frighten or brainwash a horse for them to work for you, you only need to introduce them to tack/leading/riding without fear and most of the time they completely accept it.

Poppinjay

I think the nail has been hit on the head through various posts....

Like Uncle Phil, I had to shovel shit out of our stalls for years. I also had the task as a 12 year old to "break" our foal. The foal was never broken because the mama was way too protective. Been thrown, stepped on, bitten. I was not the least bit sad the day we sold our last horse. Gentle, my ass.

That last fucker defeated me though. That pisses me off.

If somebody else was charged with shoveling the shit and breaking the foal, I would probably have been much more in love with horses. I'm guessing most girls don't get that side of it.

If you buy a girl a horse, buy her the shovel first and let her get used to it.

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I think the Apocalypse is happening all around us. We go on eating desserts and watching TV. I know I do. I wish we were more capable of sustained passion and sustained resistance. We should be screaming and what we do is gossip. -Lydia Millet

Charlatan

There are many that don't but most girls who love horses that become women who love horses are horse poor.

Before my wife gave her horse away she would shovel shit to pay for her horse's room and board. For a while she was at one stable every morning shovelling and feeding... at another she would be there all weekend between teaching and mucking stalls...

As for breaking foals... my wife has done this a few times but she actually sought out to ride and train older horses with bad attitudes. She doesn't take shit from too many horses... and once she is finished with them they are much better horses.

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Daniel_

I like zebras but that has more to do with one of my earlierst memries being a toy one.

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