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Not all riders can — or want — to make horses their full-time occupation and while they’re certainly dedicated and committed to their equestrian lives, many live multi-faceted lives, working different jobs to fund their horses.

If you’re an out and out horsey person in the mornings, evenings and on the weekends, but an office worker for all the bits in-between, you can probably relate to some of these situations…

1. Your desk is covered in pictures of your significant other (your horse)

While your co-workers have decorated their work space with candid pictures of their family members on holiday or at weddings, your desk is laden with professional pictures you’ve paid a small fortune for from the season’s competitions, as well as important rosettes. You want to see your horse’s squishy face all the time so you don’t get withdrawals. Plus, when you’re having an “I don’t get paid enough for this” moment, the pictures provide a timely reminder that horses cost money, and to make money you need to be here. Though your work friends are a bit bemused as to why you have the exact same picture of your horse trotting sideways, just with a different background, 10 times over.

2. Hay in your hair or shoes is a daily occurrence

A quick mirror glance is essential before that big meeting just to check you don’t have straw, mud or anything else more pungent stuck to your smart work attire. We’ve all been there. Changing in the tack room — or if you’re really pushed for time, in the car — doesn’t provide the best dressing room for creating office chic, but as long as your team can’t smell you before they see you, you might get away with leaving a few shaving flakes in your wake.

3. Some of your co-workers are allergic to horses

But they didn’t know this until you started working there, so you’ve really done them a favour.

4. You never offer to share lifts

You’ve been asked ample times if you want to share lifts by the colleague who lives in your village, but each time you decline as the idea of letting anyone get into your car, also known as your second tack room, is not worth the embarrassment. While you’re fully aware that you’ve gone nose blind, you really don’t want to subject anyone to the stench of in-need-of-a-wash rugs, sweaty numnahs or yard overalls.

5. You’re never free for after work drinks

5pm on a Friday may signal beers in a pub garden for your friends, but for you it’s a glass of wine in front of the television while you clean tack for tomorrow’s competition.

6. Your boss always knows why you’re late

You still apologise profusely for your lateness, but your boss has said, several times, that they don’t need a monologue about why your horse decided that today was the day he was going to escape from his stable, gallop across the neighbouring farmer’s field and refuse to be caught.

7. Your probably the most pro-active employee in the office

Equestrians know how to fit a lot into a short space of time, and just like you, juggle horses with work and the rest of life, so you know how to get several tasks done at once, to a high standard. Your CV might say that your excellent work ethic, attention to detail and ability to work quickly has been picked up along your career path, but you know that it’s your journey in the saddle which has given you these invaluable, transferable skills.

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