Nothing.
Training horses is damned hard work - there is not just the physical aspect of dealing with something ten times your size and 50 times as strong as you, but the whole thing of learning to talk to a large, fairly (horses make very bad scientists or philosophers) dumb sentient being through your muscles rather than purely by voice. You know what I mean. Most readers won't, and that is their loss and shame. The joy of riding well, as a true partnership between horse and human, is immense. Even puts a smile on this stone face when I clamber up onto Chessie (17 3, dark bay uncut hunter - so he is a handfull, to say the least! Most would call him a homicidal bastard, but we get along. He kicks at me, I kick him back twice as hard. If his hoof ever connects though I'll be picking bone splinters out of me lungs for months.)
Now as to the guy's reactions, well you got two main problems. First off, horseriding women are considered intensely sexual. Not saying it ain't true, since in my experience (thank you ladies!) it is, but it can be intimidating for the less self confident males out there. Guys usually like to be the predator, not the prey.
And secondly, you are used to controlling something that has an erection the length of a guy's leg. How is a mere 6 inches going to compete with that?
I think there is something seriously wrong with those men. It sounds like you have everything a guy could possibly ask for! You come off as smart and very driven, so find don't settle for less than that in a man. The fact that you got an education and work hard as well just proves that you deserve someone who can respect YOU
Bahahahahha...excellent, MM! I love horses and riding and your description of Chessie reminded me of a couple of prior horse/me relationships. I've know some of the 'cut' variety who were pretty full of themselves too.
Ahhhhh.... I need to get back in the saddle again. It's been too long.
And to the original poster: Those are just silly little boys. They insult you because they feel threatened. In short, everything MM said is spot on.
Do it. I can't think of anything much better than riding. Give me the choice, sex or a damned good gallop with a few hedge or fence jumps and I'll take the gallop every time.
And Chessie - well, tis just his way of reminding my I am there on sufferance - no real malice in it.
Yeah, I was thinkin' to myself "what sort of asshole laughs at a woman that is doing that she loves???"
Seriously, unless you just go on and on and on to someone about horses ,who clearly has no clue what you're talking about, then being passionate about something should be something positive and any guy that doesn't value that shouldn't be the guy you're interested in.
My actual job doesn't involve horses, but I ride every day and compete seriously. I get a very similar reaction when guys find out about it and realize how much time and energy I put into it. I can't tell you how many of them start patronizing me like I'm a 10 year old who's playing with My Little Pony, or telling me it's a phase I'll "grow out of". I'm 27, so probably not, but thanks.
If it's your profession I can only imagine you have it worse...it's probably just a reflection of their maturity level, but it's still a pain to deal with.
I always thought equine science was just a bunch of horseplay...
I ride competitively and have worked with horses my whole life. I'm not sure why so many men are intimidated by it, but they are. The commitment it takes is usually the nail in the coffin on my relationships. Most guys aren't into horses and don't understand the better trained your horse is, the less chance you have of getting hurt. :) It's also tremendously fulfilling to take an animal that could literally kill you if they wanted to and become his/her best friend and teammate.
I'm not sure I agree with MM about women who ride having a reputation as being more sexual, though. Rather, I think his point about men being intimidated by a huge penis has something to do with projecting that image onto us. Only a silly boy would see a horse and think of his huge dick. We look at it as just another part of their bodies, probably in need of a little sheath cleaning. :)
I hate to sound like doom and gloom, but short of dating someone who loves horses as much as you do (and straight men who do that are few and far between and I was married to a jockey who couldn't keep it in his pants, if you get my drift).... you may be better off sticking to single life. I agree with MM, I'll take a gallop through the fields on my horse any day over a roll in the hay. :)
"you may be better off sticking to single life."
How absolutely uninspiring.