Many of us have been involved in horses for most of our lives and this has had an impact in our lives and who we become as a person. Even those who came onto the scene later in their life will be affected in ways unimagined when they first decided to pursue the equestrian dream of owning their own horse.

None of our journies are completely smooth and along the way we run into the whackos and nut jobs and wannabes, but even they have something to teach us.

Besides the financial and time burdens we place upon ourselves by owning a horse we also significantly alter our social circles. Many of us find, date and marry other horsemen and then raise the next generation of horsemen from those unions.

Others may marry outside the horse world but still their social circle and contacts become filled with equestrian friends doing equestrian things together. Things that a non-equestrian would never ever understand like the finer points of cleaning a sheath.

With the addition of the internet there is distinct possibility that many of these friends may come from places far away from our location and have their own equine environment distinctly unique from ours. This environment is in many ways similar to ours and then drastically different in other ways. We can perceive those differences as cool, or even rather icky. Some are just strange.

I remember once riding down south through the woods and instead of squirrels scurrying about they had armidillos. That was both cool AND strange!

Equestrians today have the great fortune to have at their disposal the internet which offers information, education and access to others of like mind.

When I began my own little foray into my blog persona "Dressage For The Rest Of Us" I didn't imagine that I'd make the friends I would. I just figured I'd write some crap to get it off my chest and no one would pay attention.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that there were people who loved my crap because it reminded them of their own crap and crap experiences. There are a few people from around my country and neighboring countries I now speak to on a continuing basis and were in not for the internet, I can't imagine ever having connected with them. Yet the commonality of our crap has drawn us togehter.

Yet all these choices and opportunities can at times be rather overwhelming. We are continually smacked in the face with a multitude of trainers and philosophies and all have a book or dvd for us to buy. We have to decide whose crap we like and whose crap is well............. crap.

When we join with a local trainer, (one not known to you simply from the internet), and you begin your training you find others just like you who are of like mind. In good situations these friends can bond for life and we can have many great experiences and fond memories riding, showing or travelling with them. You have a great time going through crap together!

Many of my own friends are horsemen from my past and I am lucky to keep gaining new friends. Many of the new friends are so very versed, knowledgeable and experienced and such good people that I consider myself more than fortunate to have found them. We like the same crap and for the friends of old, I consider myself fortunate to have kept them through all these years. As we all know, the equestrian world can be just as volatile and frustrating as it can be fulfilling and beautiful, the balance of good crap and bad crap.

Of course no friends see eye to eye on everything, and I see that as a good thing. That gives us the opportunity to discuss and debate and there is nothing I love more than a good debate, even if I am proved wrong at the end. Being proved wrong is a great opportunity to learn something new. Then I think "Oh crap, I was wrong!"

I urge all equestrians to make a real effort to connect with everyone that you can. Some you'll hate, others you'll love and from all you'll probably learn a thing or two even if its how crappy people can be.

Enjoy, because as an equestrian, this is the best time ever to be alive and living in the equestrian world. It's craptacular!