The 7 Types of Boarders at Every Barn

Know anyone with these personality traits at your barn?

Boarding your horse is kind of like joining a fraternity for horse-obsessed crazy people, and it certainly takes all kinds. That’s what makes it fun, though. What kind of boarder are you?

[Flickr: carterse]

The Railbird: This boarder hangs out ringside and isn’t shy about giving advice–wanted, unwanted, knowledgeable, or otherwise. Their intentions may be good, it’s true–but as long as they’re around, you can be sure they’ll share their opinion.

[Wikimedia Commons]

The Kid With Parents You Wish You’d Had: The fancy show pony, the Pony Club rallies, the adorable, adorable hair ribbons at shows–this kid is living the Saddle Club dream, and you can’t help  but live vicariously through how awesome their life is. At least, if you can stop Awwwing long enough over the tiny paddock boots and tiny jods and tiny saddle and tiny everything.

The Juggler: Long commute? Check. Demanding job? Check. Kids to take care of? Check. Somehow, this person is an amazing rider despite seeming to have less free time than anyone you know.
[PicsToPin]

The Glue: This is the person who forms the social backbone of the barn–for better or worse. While oftentimes this person is the barn manager or owner, at some barns it’s simply a boarder with a take-charge personality. At best, this person is all about organizing potlucks, tack swaps and other fun things to do, and at worst, he or she sets a negative or cliquish tone at the barn.

 The Amateur: And then there’s the vast majority of boarders–people who work to ride, and walk the line between having the money versus having the time to devote to a hobby that eats up both. Often found browsing horse blogs and forums on the sly at work, and subsisting on strange foods after a late night of work and barn time. Spongebob Mac and Cheese with wine, anyone?

[Wikimedia Commons]

The Recent Convert: Whether this person is a “re-rider” or completely new to the sport, their mind is like a sponge, soaking up everything horsey (except they’re probably cleaner than the grody sponge in the wash stall). The most dangerous combination is when this type also has some traits of the “railbird,” and can’t help but talk your ear off about the latest new training method they read about on the Internet.

[Flickr: lostinfog]

The Crash Test Dummy: This person may be a catch rider, a working student, or just someone who has lost just a few too many brain cells from a lifetime of falls, but they’ll throw a leg over just about any horse for the chance to ride.

Go Riding!

———–

MORE PLEASE! If you liked this post, check out…