[oldE]

50 years ago, when we met, a drive around the area with some friends ended up at a stable. My wife has had horses since she was in her teens. The only time she has been without a horse was at university and a couple of years when we lived away.
The second structure I built on this place was a barn. First for two, then three, now four equines. Although I grew up on a farm, the horses were retired by the time I was 5 so tractors were my thing. I took riding lessons 25 years ago and even went on a couple of trail rides in the UK with my wife and daughter but am much happier on the ground.
In my experience there are two types of folks. Some are briefly interested in horses and that feeling does indeed pass with the never ending work load and expense of large animal care. The other type are people like my wife who was miserable when she broke her hip ( in the barn) not because of pain, but because she was afraid she might never ride again. Several times while she was restricted to getting around with a walker, I loaded her and a frame into the car and drove to barn so she could treat her charges and pet noses over the gate. As soon as the surgeon gave her permission to walk again, she was in the barn. She feeds, medicates ( when required), waters, mucks out and manages pastures. I build and maintain fences, cut and make hay . She operates the tractor when we're baling. I build the load on the wagon. In the last two years we have hired a neighbor's kid to help her unload the wagon . ( He is a cool kid. He has built and races a dirt track stock car.)
The wife loves her horses. I suspect if I go first, she will miss me but hire someone to help make hay and do the other things that need to be done around here so she can be around her beloved equines. It's just the way she is.

Best
Les