1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:03,000 Speaker 1: Brought to you by the reinvented two thousand twelve Camray. 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 1: It's ready. Are you welcome to stump Mom never told you? 3 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:17,439 Speaker 1: From house top works dot Com. Hello, and welcome to 4 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:21,239 Speaker 1: the podcast. I'm Kristen and I'm Molly. Molly I have 5 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 1: belonged here. It's true, we book we both do. Here's 6 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:26,800 Speaker 1: as much long as mine. Yeah, mine's getting a little 7 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 1: control at this point. And uh, I don't know about you, 8 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 1: but when my long hair really gets to be a 9 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 1: little too much, I like to put it up in 10 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:41,160 Speaker 1: a ponytail. You know, I did too, And uh then 11 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:43,800 Speaker 1: I then I learned what ponytails meant in the course 12 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:46,480 Speaker 1: of doing research for this podcast courtesy of a book 13 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 1: called Girlhood in America in Encyclopedia, and I talked about 14 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: how the ponytail came into style in the late forties 15 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 1: early fifties. It was very popular with teens and uh, 16 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 1: the their Miriam Foreman ber Now writes the ponytail's name 17 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:07,080 Speaker 1: herrikened back to horses animals considered to be erotic fixations 18 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:09,800 Speaker 1: among young girls. In this style, the hair is pulled 19 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:12,640 Speaker 1: back to reveal a maturing face. At the same time, 20 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:15,560 Speaker 1: the hair is playfully cult like in the back, wiggling 21 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:19,960 Speaker 1: and bouncing as a girl walked, revealing yet sprightly, innocent, 22 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:23,360 Speaker 1: yet erotic. This look reflected the cultural position of the 23 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 1: teenage girl in the post war United States. And I 24 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:29,040 Speaker 1: gotta tell you, every time I put my hair up 25 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:32,200 Speaker 1: in a ponytail before I go on a run, look 26 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 1: at myself mirror, say christ, and my god, you look 27 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 1: so innocent and yet so erotic. And then I just 28 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:43,760 Speaker 1: trot away cult like galloping down the road. And then 29 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 1: do sexual disconnotations of what you look like as a 30 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 1: bouncing horse fill your mind? Yeah, I mean people stopping 31 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 1: watch jogging is so so what rotic? Oh Molly, I 32 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 1: don't jog. I gallop galloph and try bridled and the 33 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 1: streets of Atlanta. Oh well, our topic today is horses, 34 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 1: and that just kind of throws some of them. I 35 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 1: think it throws all the issues just into the melting 36 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:12,519 Speaker 1: pot all at once. And that's just girl's hair, yeah, 37 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:15,359 Speaker 1: like that kind of even horses. Yeah, we haven't even 38 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 1: got the horses. We're just talking about ponytails. And it 39 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: is already getting salty up in here because you throw 40 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:23,920 Speaker 1: you put the word pony in there. And people are 41 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 1: going to bring all these conceptions as to why girls 42 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:29,360 Speaker 1: like ponies to the table, the stuff about sex, the 43 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:33,079 Speaker 1: stuff about being innocent in fact, but also being free 44 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:35,920 Speaker 1: and unbridled. Yeah, it's it's all of these are going 45 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:38,919 Speaker 1: to come into play in our investigation of why girls 46 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 1: love horses so much, because it does seem to be 47 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:45,799 Speaker 1: a rite of passage that girls love horses. Girls love horses, 48 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:50,119 Speaker 1: And when I think about my own girlhood experience with horses, 49 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: it was kind of strange because I sort of stole 50 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 1: my sister's horse obsession. She got really into horses. She 51 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 1: was She's a little bit older than I am, so 52 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 1: she hit the horse phase and she saw started drawing 53 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,959 Speaker 1: horses all the time. She's not listening to this, sorry 54 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:12,480 Speaker 1: if I'm sharing too much, but she would she would 55 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:14,359 Speaker 1: draw horses all the time, and I was kind of 56 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 1: jealous of how great she could draw these horses. So 57 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 1: I jumped on the drawing bandwagon, and so I would 58 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:23,800 Speaker 1: try to draw horses as well, and they just always 59 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 1: kind of looked like misshapen brooms. It's really the only 60 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 1: way I can describe it. And I really wanted, I 61 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 1: really wanted to love horses I felt like I should 62 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 1: love horses, but my neighbors had horses, and I remember 63 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 1: when I was little, one of them kicked my dad, 64 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 1: And they also just smelled awful to me. And like 65 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 1: when I was a little christened, I didn't even go 66 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 1: into the fresh market because I thought that store smelled awful. 67 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:49,120 Speaker 1: It was the coffee. So you throw a horse in 68 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 1: there with horse poo, and I'm not gonna not gonna 69 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 1: be gone for that. But I'll tell you what I 70 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:57,839 Speaker 1: did love my little ponies. And also a fun fact 71 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 1: about these we came across and researching the podcast is that, um, 72 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,840 Speaker 1: it's not like Hasbro set out to have a pony toy. 73 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 1: They were just doing some crazy like pie in the 74 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 1: Sky research and they kept saying, the little girls, what 75 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 1: do you think of when you close your eyes? I 76 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 1: think they expected to get these really detailed descriptions of 77 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:17,919 Speaker 1: like princesses. It was when they when they closed their 78 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:19,600 Speaker 1: eyes to go to sleep, like when we were trying, 79 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 1: you know, drift off into dreamland. What makes you happy 80 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 1: to think about it is you do that? And by 81 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:27,040 Speaker 1: and large all of them said horses, yes, And so 82 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: they just threw like a brown horse on the market 83 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 1: and the early eighties it's sold like gangbusters. They're like, oh, 84 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 1: well that's that's girly it up and they put it 85 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 1: in colors, and now My Little Ponies have entered I 86 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:40,560 Speaker 1: think the Toy Hall of not the official toy Hall 87 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 1: of Fame, but but the toy Hall of Fame in 88 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:44,839 Speaker 1: my heart. Yeah, they sold a hundred and fifty million 89 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:48,000 Speaker 1: of them, and I like that. They call the colors 90 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 1: that My Little Ponies come out in as fantasy colors, 91 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 1: kind of going back at that dreaming because girls weren't 92 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 1: just thinking about brown horses in the stables there, they 93 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:02,840 Speaker 1: were thinking about fluorescent moll high colored, magical hor horses 94 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:07,239 Speaker 1: pencing around and Hasbro makes a point of not making 95 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 1: My Little Ponies and stereotypically boy colors like the primary colors. 96 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 1: They're all in sort of this girly palette. And this 97 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 1: author Ellen Cider makes kind of a good point that 98 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:21,279 Speaker 1: in contrast to like our doll podcast, Kristen, where you know, 99 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:23,280 Speaker 1: you can get into we're just teaching girls how to 100 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 1: be mothers and to caretaking whatever, there's really not that 101 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 1: element with playing with My Little Ponies. These are, you know, 102 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 1: horses you make gallop and you don't have to. You know, 103 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 1: there's no boyfriend like Barbie, and it's it's your entring, 104 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 1: more of a magical playland than maybe a baby doll 105 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:42,680 Speaker 1: would allow you to do. And at the same time, 106 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:47,840 Speaker 1: you have a Maine entail to brush and braid and 107 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:52,360 Speaker 1: decorate with with hairclips. But you know, and that's that's 108 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:54,720 Speaker 1: what I've said, that's what I got on my little 109 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,600 Speaker 1: pony too. But let's get back to big ponies. And 110 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 1: some authors that we've looked at say that that's part 111 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 1: of what girls like about real horses too. Is this 112 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:06,159 Speaker 1: something that they can take care of, something that they 113 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:09,920 Speaker 1: can watch over and have responsibility for. And you know, 114 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:11,560 Speaker 1: if you authors say that that's one of the main 115 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 1: things that girls are really into about horses, yeah, because 116 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 1: we should note that when it comes to riding, like 117 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 1: actually riding horses, equestrian clubs, um different associations, women make 118 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:29,360 Speaker 1: up a majority of horse riders and horse owners. It's 119 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:31,520 Speaker 1: just it's it's astronomical. In fact, there are a few 120 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:34,920 Speaker 1: articles we read about how in college scenarios, if if 121 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 1: college is put in an equestrian team, it solves all 122 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:41,719 Speaker 1: their title nine problems immediately. Because so many women want 123 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 1: to continue riding, and uh, it's just sort of an 124 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:46,720 Speaker 1: interesting thing to throw out, is that girls are trying 125 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 1: to find ways to stick with it, even though we 126 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 1: tend to think of, you know, it's little girls have 127 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:53,880 Speaker 1: this pony mania like Santa, bring me a pony sort 128 00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:56,839 Speaker 1: of thing. And I think that boys might not have 129 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 1: as natural of a draw to horses because when men 130 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 1: had this you know, historical association with horses in terms 131 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 1: of workhorses and war horses, so they were always being 132 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:09,479 Speaker 1: used for some kind of purpose. But when it came 133 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 1: to girls being able to ride horses, there was more 134 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 1: of that that human animal connection connecting with with the 135 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:21,120 Speaker 1: empathy and then also of course the sexual aspect, which 136 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:23,040 Speaker 1: we'll have to talk about. She wanted to go ahead 137 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 1: and talk about sex. Now. I think it's the thing 138 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 1: where let's just get it out of the way. Let's 139 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 1: talk about sex. Yeah, because that's what most people think. 140 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:32,880 Speaker 1: There's some kind of Freudian connection to girls liking horses. 141 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:37,720 Speaker 1: It's because we all want to secretly have sex with them. Well, 142 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 1: it's just yeah, like a big you know, and the 143 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 1: words you can't really even talk about the words without 144 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 1: like a double, you know, without some menu weender like 145 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 1: mounting a steed, like mounting a stallion. Yeah, I mean, 146 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:52,880 Speaker 1: it's just it's all in there. And uh. This association 147 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:56,280 Speaker 1: of horses in Freud comes from this nine case study 148 00:07:56,520 --> 00:08:00,720 Speaker 1: of little Hans, and poor little Hans was scared of horses, 149 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 1: and his dad, who was pretty familiar with Freud's edible 150 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:07,679 Speaker 1: complex idea, writes in and says, hey, I think that 151 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 1: my son would be a good case study for you 152 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 1: because he's scared of horses. And I'm pretty sure it's 153 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 1: because of me. Yes, Because at the same time, while 154 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 1: he was scared of horses, he also had a little 155 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:25,520 Speaker 1: bit of an obsession with his penis. Yes, and he was, 156 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 1: as you know, a young three year old boy discovering 157 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:30,400 Speaker 1: his body might. So basically, the father's theory was that 158 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:35,199 Speaker 1: the son who was had a some kind of romantic 159 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:38,360 Speaker 1: attachment to the mother and wanted to come sleep in 160 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 1: the bed with He wanted to sleep in the bed 161 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 1: with them. He had dreams about having children with the mother, 162 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:46,439 Speaker 1: and the dad would be like, oh, whose kids are these? 163 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:48,720 Speaker 1: And he was like, oh, well with the mummy, said 164 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:53,160 Speaker 1: you're the granddaddy. Yeah, and uh, and he kept referring 165 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:56,400 Speaker 1: to his father's having like horse like characteristics. He'd say, Daddy, 166 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:59,560 Speaker 1: don't trod away from me, or your skin so white 167 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:02,319 Speaker 1: like that horse. And uh, and this is where it 168 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:04,120 Speaker 1: gets kind of crazy because people think that, you know, 169 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: since this dad knew about what Freud was all about, 170 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 1: he kind of fed Freud some lines. Because Freud never 171 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:12,800 Speaker 1: met the child, this was all sort of facilitated by 172 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:17,000 Speaker 1: the father. And uh, the father alleged that little Hans 173 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 1: saw some horses fall and just couldn't leave the house 174 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:24,719 Speaker 1: because he was so destroyed by these horses. And uh. 175 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:27,319 Speaker 1: Through you know, Freud would feed questions to the father. 176 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 1: The father would report back on what Hans said and 177 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 1: sense what they worked out was that the horse was 178 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:38,360 Speaker 1: was the father for a little Hans, and um, obviously 179 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 1: horses have big penises, and so there was that was 180 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 1: where the penis like obsession was coming from, as he 181 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:47,120 Speaker 1: wanted to be the manly man like his father and 182 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:50,400 Speaker 1: sleep with his mother. And uh, the fact that the 183 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 1: horses were falling over was his fear of castration. So 184 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:55,960 Speaker 1: there you go. So you I mean, and I would say, 185 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:59,320 Speaker 1: in terms of our our cultural idea of this, you know, 186 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:02,960 Speaker 1: sexual connect with between horses and girls. It probably goes 187 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:06,240 Speaker 1: back to Freud at least in recent history. Yeah, and 188 00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 1: you know, I found a few articles where they're like, oh, 189 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 1: the Freudian, the Freudian horse. But you go back to 190 00:10:10,880 --> 00:10:12,959 Speaker 1: the study and it's it's all about this boy, I 191 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:15,679 Speaker 1: mean boy and not a girl. But never the leck 192 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:17,439 Speaker 1: As you can make the argument that girls can be 193 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:19,040 Speaker 1: in love with their fathers and thus they're in love 194 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 1: with horses. But you know, as we got more and 195 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:23,000 Speaker 1: more into the research, I think it's gonna be really 196 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:26,440 Speaker 1: hard to get anyone to say, yes, girls want girls 197 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:29,600 Speaker 1: want horses because they associate them with sex. Because what's 198 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:31,720 Speaker 1: so weird is, on the other hand, they keep talking 199 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:35,240 Speaker 1: about how horses have this innocence that girls like, and 200 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 1: that this is a reason why women, especially after they're 201 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:42,599 Speaker 1: not girls anymore, but after they've gotten world weary of 202 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:45,240 Speaker 1: of all the things going on, that's why they want 203 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 1: to return to the horses, to return to this simpler time. 204 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:52,400 Speaker 1: May May May I quote a theory from Melissa Holbrook Pearson, 205 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:55,160 Speaker 1: who was the author of Dark Horses and Black Beauties. 206 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:58,560 Speaker 1: I wish you would Okay, she thinks, and she's this 207 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 1: author is a long time horse lover Loves the Horses, 208 00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:05,679 Speaker 1: wrote this book of essays about women and horses. So 209 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 1: she says, we are attracted to horses in particular because 210 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:12,000 Speaker 1: they echo our own tentative whispers, but do so in 211 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 1: a bold, ringing call. They speak with certainty of exactly 212 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 1: those things we are most unsure of in ourselves. For 213 00:11:18,160 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 1: the qualities that most to find the equine species are 214 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 1: the ones suppressed currently in the human raw sexuality, fear, 215 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:30,959 Speaker 1: open vulnerability, and need uncomplicated drive. I mean, my god, 216 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:35,880 Speaker 1: it's quite a horse. That was the last part. Know 217 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:38,000 Speaker 1: that that That last part was just my comment on 218 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:41,080 Speaker 1: the quote. Sorry, that's quite a horse. I'm gonna throw 219 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:46,319 Speaker 1: that out in conversation whenever I can, now Christ okay, um, so, yes, 220 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:48,199 Speaker 1: sex is always going to come up, like it came 221 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 1: up in that quote. But people bring it up and 222 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:52,320 Speaker 1: then they drop it, So I don't think that's very 223 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:54,520 Speaker 1: helpful at all. Well, and then there's also the aspect 224 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 1: of caring for a horse. I mean, for anyone who 225 00:11:57,559 --> 00:12:00,760 Speaker 1: has taken a horse in and out of distable, like 226 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:02,839 Speaker 1: saddled it up and then taking the saddle off. What's 227 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 1: that called tacking the horse. Uh, it is a lot 228 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:07,720 Speaker 1: of work. I mean you can't just It's not just 229 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:10,040 Speaker 1: like walking a dog. You don't just toss the saddle 230 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:13,920 Speaker 1: on and go out. I mean you have to dogs. Yeah, 231 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:17,439 Speaker 1: don't just settle up old Fido. You have to groom 232 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 1: the horse. You have to get rid of the the 233 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 1: the dirt and it's in its hoof, in the in 234 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 1: the horse shoe. I mean there's a lot to do. Obviously, 235 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 1: I'm no horse expert because I tried actually to volunteer 236 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 1: at a horse farm for a while. Quickly realize somebody's 237 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:39,040 Speaker 1: afraid of horses. That's me. But Kristen, apparently women have 238 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 1: the special skill to get along with horses according to 239 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 1: our research. Yeah, that's a lot of these these sources 240 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:48,559 Speaker 1: that are coming from horse magazines that are talking about 241 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:51,400 Speaker 1: horses and girls that have this you know, close connection 242 00:12:51,679 --> 00:12:55,559 Speaker 1: with uh, with horses. It goes back to the empathy thing, 243 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 1: like we have some kind of horse whisperer, secret sort 244 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:02,720 Speaker 1: of communication with horses. Well, I mean they it goes 245 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:06,600 Speaker 1: to some sort of gender stereotypes and that girls are communicators. 246 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:11,880 Speaker 1: They understand body language, they understand unspoken connections. Uh, they're 247 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 1: sensitive and they'll look you in the eye, and that 248 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:16,600 Speaker 1: these are the skills that horses gonna respond to. A 249 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 1: horse isn't going to respond to this aggressive male coming 250 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:22,680 Speaker 1: in to dominate it. And that's why some people say 251 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:25,600 Speaker 1: that girls do better treating stallions because they're not a 252 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:28,880 Speaker 1: threat the way a man might be. Um. You know, 253 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 1: this empathy card comes up over and over again, and 254 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:35,160 Speaker 1: one study I found those really interesting was about how 255 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:39,880 Speaker 1: they asked girls handboys what pets they wanted, what pets 256 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:43,080 Speaker 1: they had, and uh, they weren't even going to study horses. 257 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:45,640 Speaker 1: It was supposed to really be like a dog's cat thing. 258 00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:48,800 Speaker 1: The girls kept bringing up horses the boys didn't. But 259 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 1: the girls were also just far more empathetic than the 260 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:55,240 Speaker 1: boys were. And you just see that repeated over and 261 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:58,760 Speaker 1: over again, that girls have this empathy, that horses are 262 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:02,200 Speaker 1: a creature that require empathy, and that that's also a 263 00:14:02,240 --> 00:14:06,599 Speaker 1: reason why things like horse therapy can be so effective, 264 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:10,760 Speaker 1: is because it takes kids who are angry or um 265 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:15,120 Speaker 1: misbehaving and teach them how to have empathy for another creature, 266 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:18,120 Speaker 1: the horse, which hopefully they can take those skills and 267 00:14:18,679 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 1: uh put them to use in their real life when 268 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 1: they get angry or upset with someone, and they bring 269 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:26,320 Speaker 1: up this empathy connection as well. When it comes to 270 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:28,800 Speaker 1: riding a horse. I mean, you have to be in 271 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:32,440 Speaker 1: touch with a horse's body and its movements and anticipate 272 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:35,880 Speaker 1: how it's going to to counter or trot or jump 273 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:39,320 Speaker 1: over things. And they think that women are especially good 274 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 1: equestrians because they because of that kind of connection that 275 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 1: you're talking about, and speaking of equestrians to uh it 276 00:14:47,560 --> 00:14:51,120 Speaker 1: also riding a horse puts men and women on pretty 277 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:54,040 Speaker 1: equal playing grounds. Yeah. They talked about how this is 278 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:56,520 Speaker 1: one of the few sports where where when men and 279 00:14:56,520 --> 00:15:00,320 Speaker 1: women really can compete one against another because the great 280 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 1: equalizer is the horse that you get up there, and 281 00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 1: it's it's not how fast you are, it's not how 282 00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 1: strong you are, it's how you can work with your horse. 283 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:10,960 Speaker 1: And so I think that's an interesting, interesting theory. I 284 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:14,120 Speaker 1: also think that there's something to self esteem if you're 285 00:15:14,160 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 1: good at riding horses, UM as a girl and you 286 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:20,400 Speaker 1: can get up and sort of master this powerful creature. 287 00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 1: That's something that I don't think girls get um a 288 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:27,400 Speaker 1: chance to do as often as boys do. I think 289 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:31,040 Speaker 1: it's a very empowering creature because it is big because 290 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:34,360 Speaker 1: it does respond to not your strength or your force, 291 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:38,120 Speaker 1: but to you as a person. A lot of a 292 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:42,000 Speaker 1: lot of the uh the horsewomen who were interviewed made 293 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:44,920 Speaker 1: mention of that factor that it's freeing. You can ride 294 00:15:44,920 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 1: away from all your troubles and feel good about your 295 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:50,080 Speaker 1: ability to get along with this horse. Yea, yeah, absolutely. 296 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:54,000 Speaker 1: Just from my pretty limited experience with horses, the thought 297 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 1: of sort of mastering and building a relationship with a 298 00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:01,560 Speaker 1: two thousand pound animal, you know, who could kick me 299 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 1: in the head or whatever run me over. I mean, 300 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:07,040 Speaker 1: that's that would be a pretty powerful type of thing 301 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:11,200 Speaker 1: to to experience. I for one, it is a little 302 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 1: scary for me. But but I bet that if you 303 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:16,920 Speaker 1: did commit at from someone who is scared, I mean 304 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:19,120 Speaker 1: it's natural to be scared of something that's bigger than you, 305 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 1: I think, and then you did master it, sure I 306 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:24,200 Speaker 1: would feel such a sense of accomplishment. Of course, you'd 307 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:26,240 Speaker 1: be on top of the world, Christ and conger and 308 00:16:26,280 --> 00:16:27,920 Speaker 1: on top of a horse. Maybe it's time for me 309 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:32,960 Speaker 1: to start riding you. You'd be like the old spice guy. Yes, 310 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:35,960 Speaker 1: I'm on a horse. There we go. I wonder if 311 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:37,720 Speaker 1: that's why women all like horses now. I bet in 312 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 1: twenty years there'll be some study about the impact of 313 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:44,840 Speaker 1: that commercial Oldman on a Horse, and how girls who 314 00:16:44,880 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 1: watched that commercial when they were ten learned that sexuality 315 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:50,240 Speaker 1: of the old Spice Maan was linked to this horse. 316 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:52,320 Speaker 1: And I'll go back to sex again in Yeah, we're 317 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 1: gonna have to write that down and uh and come 318 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:57,600 Speaker 1: back to it. But I would make a bet too, though, Molly, 319 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:00,880 Speaker 1: that in twenty years, horses aren't gonna go out of style. 320 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:04,600 Speaker 1: I don't think that this connection between younger girls and 321 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:07,240 Speaker 1: horses is ever going to just fade away. I mean, 322 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:11,040 Speaker 1: think about brought Off, Ride Off into the sunset, because 323 00:17:11,080 --> 00:17:15,560 Speaker 1: think about say, Black Beauty. It came out in eighteen 324 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:19,879 Speaker 1: seventy eight and it's still so popular, and it's just 325 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:23,439 Speaker 1: one of you know, a thousand horse books that you 326 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 1: can get from a library if you're if you're a 327 00:17:25,320 --> 00:17:27,879 Speaker 1: young girl. I just remember those horse books sections and 328 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:30,359 Speaker 1: since I found horses really smelly, I didn't intend to 329 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:34,120 Speaker 1: read those, but I think I likeed empathy as a kid. Well, 330 00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:36,440 Speaker 1: maybe it's time for both of us to uh head 331 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:40,119 Speaker 1: over to the stables. Maybe that would be quite the 332 00:17:40,119 --> 00:17:42,399 Speaker 1: stuff I remember told you field trip. That would be something. 333 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:44,239 Speaker 1: If anyone in the Atlanta area wants to give me 334 00:17:44,280 --> 00:17:50,040 Speaker 1: in Molly some free horse lessons, send us anymore. But anyway, 335 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:51,920 Speaker 1: I think I think now is the time. Since neither 336 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:55,840 Speaker 1: of us are obviously horse experts, neither of us are equestrians, 337 00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:58,720 Speaker 1: I would like to hear from some folks in our 338 00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:03,040 Speaker 1: audience about out this whole horse thing. If you are 339 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:07,159 Speaker 1: a rider, what draws you to the horse? What is 340 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:09,879 Speaker 1: it like to look into the eyes of a horse? 341 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:13,520 Speaker 1: Will it change my life? Let me know, mom. Stuff 342 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:15,600 Speaker 1: at hell stuff Works dot Com is the email, and 343 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:21,080 Speaker 1: let's read a couple of those. Okay, I'm gonna read 344 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:25,639 Speaker 1: two really quick ones about the Shaving Legs podcast and 345 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:28,320 Speaker 1: a really quick one from Andrew, who writes so according 346 00:18:28,359 --> 00:18:31,080 Speaker 1: to the timeline of when women started shaming their legs, 347 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:34,840 Speaker 1: which we talked about in the podcast in ve when 348 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:37,320 Speaker 1: the movie Titanic is said, when Rose takes her dress 349 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:39,800 Speaker 1: off to have Jack draw her aboard the ship, she 350 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:42,000 Speaker 1: should have been sporting a healthy amount of body hair. 351 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:44,200 Speaker 1: We earned how that wouldn't have translated. Well, it's the 352 00:18:45,119 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 1: audiences and therefore the facts shifted a little. Yes, Andrew 353 00:18:49,040 --> 00:18:51,359 Speaker 1: and all our listeners out there. When you are watching 354 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:54,480 Speaker 1: a movie that takes place before the twenties and the 355 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:59,359 Speaker 1: girls all have smooth skin, something is a miss. To 356 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:01,840 Speaker 1: follow up, I want to read a real quick one 357 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 1: from someone who wants to be anonymous. And we talked 358 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:07,439 Speaker 1: about how shaving legs is a cultural thing, she writes, 359 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:10,640 Speaker 1: I agree. I'm South Asian and was born in North America, 360 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:12,919 Speaker 1: but my mother is from India. All the time I 361 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:14,760 Speaker 1: was growing up, I had never seen my mother shave 362 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:17,440 Speaker 1: her legs, and she never suggested that I needed to either. 363 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:19,600 Speaker 1: So it was with some surprise that when I was 364 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:22,040 Speaker 1: around eleven, I think, and I was at a swimming class, 365 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:24,640 Speaker 1: I started noticing that the other girl's legs were bare, 366 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:27,440 Speaker 1: and later on that same summer, some other kid asked 367 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:29,679 Speaker 1: me why I didn't shave my legs. I was shocked 368 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:31,760 Speaker 1: because I figured it was an adult thing based on 369 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:34,439 Speaker 1: all the commercials I saw, and even then I figured 370 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:36,560 Speaker 1: it was only if you were showing your legs. I 371 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:38,960 Speaker 1: started shaving afterwards, but even now I really only shaved 372 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:40,800 Speaker 1: depending on what I wear and sometimes if I just 373 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 1: feel like it. But I'm definitely not a regular shaver. 374 00:19:43,920 --> 00:19:46,360 Speaker 1: I guess depending on what a regular shaver is. I think, 375 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:48,919 Speaker 1: based on my mom's example, it never really occurred to 376 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:52,720 Speaker 1: me as a necessary thing for routine maintenance. So very interesting. 377 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:56,359 Speaker 1: Thanks for Brian. Well, I've got an email here from 378 00:19:56,560 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 1: Tom and he is a hand bag owner. That's right, 379 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:05,480 Speaker 1: he is a handbag owner. He wanted to share his 380 00:20:05,520 --> 00:20:07,960 Speaker 1: recent experience with handbags. He says, for the longest time, 381 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:10,159 Speaker 1: I took a backpack to work with my lunch and 382 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:12,080 Speaker 1: beverages for the day, as well as any mail that 383 00:20:12,119 --> 00:20:14,160 Speaker 1: I needed to send, our bills I needed to pay, 384 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 1: all checked into the big main section. Unfortunately, the one 385 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:19,480 Speaker 1: I've been using was a cheap backpack with all plastic 386 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:22,520 Speaker 1: inside that kept cracking and falling apart, leaving a life 387 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:24,840 Speaker 1: black dust on almost all the stuff I toss in there. 388 00:20:25,040 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 1: I've had that same experience with a bag that's breaking down. 389 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:31,639 Speaker 1: It's terrible anyway, he says. Finally I broke down and 390 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:35,600 Speaker 1: went shopping for a new one, and I found a 391 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:40,159 Speaker 1: fabric messenger style bag that wasn't overly feminine. After figuring 392 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:42,720 Speaker 1: out how to wear it properly, which proved to be 393 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 1: a bit difficult for a lifelong backpack wearer, I quickly 394 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:49,880 Speaker 1: found out how useful this oversized purse can be. Soon 395 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:52,400 Speaker 1: I was checking everything in it, my lunch, my soda pop, 396 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 1: my asthma and hailer, my bills and my mails, a book, 397 00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:58,040 Speaker 1: even my cell phones and keys. I've also discovered how 398 00:20:58,080 --> 00:21:00,160 Speaker 1: perfect all the little pockets and chambers in the bag 399 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:02,879 Speaker 1: guard for organizing everything so I can get to it quickly. 400 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:05,680 Speaker 1: I wish my bag were that organized. Uh. This thing 401 00:21:05,760 --> 00:21:08,040 Speaker 1: is perfect for lightning the load on my pockets and 402 00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:10,280 Speaker 1: finally bringing to an end to what my mother so 403 00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:14,720 Speaker 1: charmingly refers to as the elephant balls look. Fill up 404 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:16,760 Speaker 1: your pockets to the brim with everything you might need 405 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:19,280 Speaker 1: for the day, and you'll see what she means by that. 406 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:21,480 Speaker 1: I like this thing so much, I'm thinking about getting 407 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:23,919 Speaker 1: a second one for evenings and weekends to carry all 408 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:26,040 Speaker 1: the stuff I usually chuck in my pockets during my 409 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:30,080 Speaker 1: free time. Toss the wallet, cell phone, keys, multitool, pocket knife, 410 00:21:30,119 --> 00:21:32,680 Speaker 1: ball opener, corkscrew and a digital camera in the front 411 00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:35,800 Speaker 1: pockets of your jeans and you'll really have the elephant 412 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:38,440 Speaker 1: balls look. After a couple of months with my handbag, 413 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:42,440 Speaker 1: I'm happy to say that I'm a hetero averagely masculine 414 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:46,359 Speaker 1: man who loves his man bag. All right, Tom, thanks 415 00:21:46,359 --> 00:21:48,639 Speaker 1: so much for writing in, and if you would like 416 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:51,040 Speaker 1: to write to us, our email is mom Stuff at 417 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:53,879 Speaker 1: how stuff works dot com. You can also leave a 418 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:57,320 Speaker 1: note over on off Facebook wall, or you can tweet 419 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:01,480 Speaker 1: us at mom Stuff podcast Us. Then, finally, you can 420 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:04,600 Speaker 1: check out our blog during the week, It's stuff Mom 421 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:11,679 Speaker 1: Never told You at how stuff works dot com. For 422 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:14,280 Speaker 1: more on this and thousands of other topics, visit how 423 00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:17,280 Speaker 1: stuff works dot com. The how stuff Works dot Com 424 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:19,840 Speaker 1: I phone app is coming soon. Get access to our 425 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:23,440 Speaker 1: content in a new way, articles, videos, and more all 426 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:26,920 Speaker 1: on the go. Check out the latest podcasts and blog posts, 427 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:29,760 Speaker 1: and see what we're saying on Facebook and Twitter. Coming 428 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:37,400 Speaker 1: soon to iTunes. Brought to you by the reinvented two 429 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:39,960 Speaker 1: thousand twelve camera. It's ready, are you