You were a nineties horse girl if…

One of the first horses you rode was an Arab, or an Arab-cross. It was crazy.

Your boots had no zippers. You needed two strong friends to help you get them off.

You competed in jumper classes measured in feet, not meters.

The height of good equitation was laying along your horse’s neck as he jumped, with a huge, exaggerated release.

You either had or lusted after a coloured or bedazzled browband, no matter what discipline you rode in.

Your lead rope was this one.

Your helmet was velvet, heavy, and impossibly hot, with a huge chin strap - or, at the highest level of competition, no chin strap at all.

You were obsessed with Big Ben.

Bonus points for the browband, Ian! Fun fact: chin straps became mandatory in show jumping competition in Canada after Ian Millar had a fall and his helmet - predictably - came off, a rule that was known as the “Ian Millar rule” for some time.

You had “Wild Hearts Can’t be Broken“ on VHS.

You discovered it was literally impossible to make a “wisp” out of hay. You lied, Manual of Horsemanship.

The best day was getting your free State Line Tack catalog in the mail.

You had or coveted Professional’s Choice Sports Medicine Boots and a bareback pad.

You had or wanted Breyer, Grand Champion, or Star Fillies model horses.

You worshipped at the altar of George Morris (little did we know…) and this book was “the Bible.” Bonus point for the rust breeches George!

You had a subscription to Practical Horseman.

You participated in a gymkhana.

You rode your horse in a parade.

You read every Thoroughbred and Saddle Club book in the series, and were annoyed at the inconsistencies between books. “Um, Townsend Prince was a bay in the last book and now he’s a chestnut? God!”

You remember when rust breeches, full chaps, and Koolah oilskin jackets all had their moment.

With a lot of heavy stuff going on, I felt like doing something fun and light. Thanks for reading!