[QUOTE=Timex;7772427]
Wow. Some of you are WAY too emotionally invested in this thread. Might I suggest y’all back away from the keyboard, have a drink, go ride, anything more productive than this? Yikes! 
[/QUOTE]
Are you crazy?? There are people to fight with and insult on the internet, damn it!!
:lol:
If not “heart horse” (which I agree has potential unwanted connotations), then what phrase should we use that expresses the same thing? OP?
“Horse of a lifetime” has been suggested. Although it captures the uniqueness aspect, I’m not sure it says anything definite about the strength of the relationship.
My SO uses the term “grandmommy” in reference to a grandmother.
It seriously makes me twitch and I think it is the most stupid term ever. I refuse to use it period. Thank goodness so does my daughter.
Ug. It brings up visions of his mom with his 6 year old nephew on her lap spoon feeding him a banana like he’s 6 months old. I could go on.
I can’t stand the term. He uses it. I try to not cringe outwardly and just go on with life.
Seriously let it go. (And yes, sorry to contribute to this dead horse). .
[QUOTE=fburton;7772943]
If not “heart horse” (which I agree has potential unwanted connotations), then what phrase should we use that expresses the same thing? OP?
“Horse of a lifetime” has been suggested. Although it captures the uniqueness aspect, I’m not sure it says anything definite about the strength of the relationship.[/QUOTE]
Call your horse anything you want. I used to call my current “heart horse” the love of my life but hubby gave me the hairy eyeball over that one so I switched to the equine love of my life. Considering I have probably owned close to 100 horses over the years that is a big honor in my mind.
I had a horse of a lifetime. He was with me for the better part of 20 years. But I have to agree about the cringe factor of “heart horse.” It’s just too touchy feely, butterflies and unicorns for me. But “heart horse” doesn’t begin to grate on me as much as DH, DD, DS, DSIL, DN etc. ad nauseam. Can people not just say “husband,” “daughter,” “son,” or whatever familial relationship? I love my husband, but have never felt the need to refer to him as my “DH.” Barf.
[QUOTE=fburton;7772943]
If not “heart horse” (which I agree has potential unwanted connotations), then what phrase should we use that expresses the same thing? OP?
“Horse of a lifetime” has been suggested. Although it captures the uniqueness aspect, I’m not sure it says anything definite about the strength of the relationship.[/QUOTE]
I actually think “Horse of a lifetime” is TOO limiting, as I fully believe/hope that I will have a similar connection with another horse or two in my lifetime as I had with my Pirate. That’s what keeps me going 
I have two very nice horses right now and I enjoy them, love them, etc., but they aren’t HIM, it’s not the same. I have a bond with both of them … but someday, maybe with one of them … I hope to have the almost mind-reading type of connection I had with Pi.
[QUOTE=Tif_Ann;7773400]
I actually think “Horse of a lifetime” is TOO limiting[/QUOTE]
I agree, but for a different reason. If my gelding suddenly turned out to be a GP level jumper, and we had massive achievements together, then he would certainly be my horse of a lifetime, as I don’t have a budget for a horse of that level.
To me a heart horse is something totally different. I’ve had horses since I lost my mare, I love them all - but with a heart horse, it’s different, and a much stronger bond. I feel incredibly lucky to have experienced having a heart horse, and can only hope to experience it again.
My mare and I were so very connected, if you’ve ever seen a horse shift their weight when a rider is unseated, she did that to me. Someone else said that it’s impossible to describe to people who have never experienced it. It’s not just a case of loving one horse more than others, and you will love another again. That’s so not it.
I have an older Tb and we are best friends. I’ve never had a relationship with a horse before like I do with him. We can pretty much read each others minds. I just call him “Buddy” and tell him how much I love and appreciate him, and leave it at that. I don’t know if he calls me anything when he’s with his friends, but I’m not too worried about it.
The “reading each others’ minds” thing is extraordinary, isn’t it? One horse, who I spent 27 years with until he was pts age 30, might well be described as my “heart horse”, though I wouldn’t naturally use that phrase myself. For the last 10 or so of those years, we were at the point where nothing he did was ever unexpected ( (vice versa too, probably). A few times I showed off to people by giving a running commentary accurately predicting what he was going to do before he did it - which was nothing magical of course, just the result of being tuned in to the horse’s mood and every tiny bit of body language. This was/is doable with other horses, but there was no other I cared more about.
[QUOTE=MuddyHalter;7773200]
I had a horse of a lifetime. He was with me for the better part of 20 years. But I have to agree about the cringe factor of “heart horse.” It’s just too touchy feely, butterflies and unicorns for me. But “heart horse” doesn’t begin to grate on me as much as DH, DD, DS, DSIL, DN etc. ad nauseam. Can people not just say “husband,” “daughter,” “son,” or whatever familial relationship? I love my husband, but have never felt the need to refer to him as my “DH.” Barf.[/QUOTE]
^This. I’m past retirement age and have owned or leased (1st horse was a lease) only seven horses over that time, though I’ve interacted with many others. Once I buy a horse, I tend to hang on to it! Eh, “heart horse” just doesn’t resonate with me, personally. My trainers had to pry the reins/lead out of my hand to enable/force me to move on with horse No. 2, who just.wasn’t.going.to.do.it. She made a great trail horse for a friend, though. Ditto for horse No. 3, purchased as a 4 year old, just starting cross-bars, who turned out to have life-endangering jumping form, but I persevered for several years trying to make her into an event horse/jumper. Sigh. I must have had a knack, in my early years, for picking trail horses, 'cause that’s the one thing No. 3 excelled at also. Then I got my first “good” horse - and years later, the next, and the next and the next. If I could combine the physical talent of No. 7 with the incredible mind of No. 6, I’d have an Olympic prospect. I dearly loved/love them all - but “heart horse,” no, no my term of reference.
bottom line: this has turned into an argument over nothing.
No one has to like this term, no one has to use it. If some do, and like the term, it means something for them obviously. Doesn’t mean they’re stupid, not edumacated horsemen who don’t make rational decisions about their horses. Doesn’t mean they dislike others that don’t use it or feel those others are unfeeling horse owners.
Jeeze - o - Peeze.
[QUOTE=ayrabz;7775252]
bottom line: this has turned into an argument over nothing.
No one has to like this term, no one has to use it. If some do, and like the term, it means something for them obviously. Doesn’t mean they’re stupid, not edumacated horsemen who don’t make rational decisions about their horses. Doesn’t mean they dislike others that don’t use it or feel those others are unfeeling horse owners.
Jeeze - o - Peeze.[/QUOTE]
True enough. And I don’t care if someone uses that term, but… it does sound (to me) slight affected, but, heck, not really my problem, and I certainly wouldn’t SAY as much to someone who used the term.
[QUOTE=MuddyHalter;7773200]
But “heart horse” doesn’t begin to grate on me as much as DH, DD, DS, DSIL, DN etc. ad nauseam. Can people not just say “husband,” “daughter,” “son,” or whatever familial relationship? I love my husband, but have never felt the need to refer to him as my “DH.” Barf.[/QUOTE]
“Heart horse” is no where near as nauseating as any of the “D” descriptions. So ridiculous. :disgust: :yes:
[QUOTE=fburton;7772943]
If not “heart horse” (which I agree has potential unwanted connotations), then what phrase should we use that expresses the same thing? OP?
“Horse of a lifetime” has been suggested. Although it captures the uniqueness aspect, I’m not sure it says anything definite about the strength of the relationship.[/QUOTE]
Why does everything need a short form, a code, or a special phrase all its own?
QUOTE=sascha;7775483]Why does everything need a short form, a code, or a special phrase all its own?[/QUOTE]
Because words are important and are the way we describe something to someone else. It’s language. It’s one of the predominant ways in which we communicate with each other.
You could see it in my eyes if you saw me with my horse, even in some photos. You could see it in his eyes, too. It’s pretty obvious. But the only method of communication we have on this board is the written word.
And these, I suppose:
:love-struck:
Heart pancakes http://www.celebratingholidays.com/?page_id=2857
I prefer Ego waffles myself, but hey, to each their own.
[QUOTE=Sandy M;7775176]
^This. I’m past retirement age and have owned or leased (1st horse was a lease) only seven horses over that time, though I’ve interacted with many others. Once I buy a horse, I tend to hang on to it! Eh, “heart horse” just doesn’t resonate with me, personally. My trainers had to pry the reins/lead out of my hand to enable/force me to move on with horse No. 2, who just.wasn’t.going.to.do.it. She made a great trail horse for a friend, though. Ditto for horse No. 3, purchased as a 4 year old, just starting cross-bars, who turned out to have life-endangering jumping form, but I persevered for several years trying to make her into an event horse/jumper. Sigh. I must have had a knack, in my early years, for picking trail horses, 'cause that’s the one thing No. 3 excelled at also. Then I got my first “good” horse - and years later, the next, and the next and the next. If I could combine the physical talent of No. 7 with the incredible mind of No. 6, I’d have an Olympic prospect. I dearly loved/love them all - but “heart horse,” no, no my term of reference.[/QUOTE]
Again, that’s exactly how I felt until I had a heart horse. I loved all my past horses, but there’s an inexplicable connection with my TB. All three of my horses prefer me to any other human, and I love them all. But it’s just different with him, and it’s not really something which can be put into words.
Mmmmmm, pancakes.
Right horse, I couldn’t disagree more strongly. I think it’s actually more of a pack behaviour thing. Everyone feels they need to have the exact same experience so they smack a tag on it and become part of the team.
Besides, it’s a silly use of the word heart. Would we ever describe another human as a heart something? Nah. We describe them as what they are (sister, husband, uncle) and then add descriptives as necessary. Favourite sister, friend who is like a sister, asshole son in law, 2nd husband, etc.
<-- these things are awesome, and have come to be part of internet language, but they are not words.
And nope, not trying to convince anyone, just presenting another point of view. It’s not likely to fall off CoTH any time soon, no matter how much it makes some of us cringe.
[QUOTE=sascha;7775577]
Mmmmmm, pancakes.
Right horse, I couldn’t disagree more strongly. I think it’s actually more of a pack behaviour thing. Everyone feels they need to have the exact same experience so they smack a tag on it and become part of the team.
Besides, it’s a silly use of the word heart. Would we ever describe another human as a heart something? Nah. We describe them as what they are (sister, husband, uncle) and then add descriptives as necessary. Favourite sister, friend who is like a sister, asshole son in law, 2nd husband, etc.
<-- these things are awesome, and have come to be part of internet language, but they are not words.
And nope, not trying to convince anyone, just presenting another point of view. It’s not likely to fall off CoTH any time soon, no matter how much it makes some of us cringe.[/QUOTE]
I’m ok with disagreeing…
but really, it has NOTHING to do with pack mentality. When I bought my horse I’d been away from the horse world for so long I didn’t have any clue it was used, not used, etc. I wasn’t joining any pack.
And while I hope that everyone has a wonderful experience with her/his horse, I don’t feel that everyone has to have the same experience as I do in order to have fun…
And we do actually have a similar term when describing a partner: “soul mate.” And before “BFF” became so popular, we had “best friend.”
It doesn’t matter to me, not arguing with you, truly, just explaining the words/verbal part of it because you asked and I’m assuming it wasn’t a rhetorical question - perhaps it was. But it’s trying to convey a feeling with a word. Like “love.” Or “right.” Or any number of words that might not translate well. I can’t remember some of them, but back in the day I spoke some German. Those words were pretty cool, and they conveyed some things that didn’t translate. I think there is a dressage term…perhaps someone will remember it.
PSA: it is not actually illegal to use the phrase “heart horse.” I unfortunately do not have the power to pass that into law. 
Carry on everyone!
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