Chances are if you’re a horse person, you’re also a dog person—or at least have a collected a few of each over the years. For as long as horses have been filling our barns, plowing our fields, and carrying us from one place to another, there have been dogs to nip at their heels, lick them inappropriately, and drag them around by the lead rope. Here are 10 reasons why this timeless, inter-species friendship will always work.

1. They like to do the same things.

(via imgur.com)

(via imgur.com)

Rolling in dirt, getting treats, and chewing on everything but the actual toys you buy for them, these two never run out of things in common.

 

2. Dogs have natural ability as riders.


(via giphy.com/cheezburger.com)

Incredible, four-legged balance and great feel—plus they nail their distances every time.

 

 3. They won the West together.

(via imgur.com)

(via imgur.com)

Guarding the homestead, pulling the wagons, kickin’ it around the campfire. And hey, those cattle weren’t going to wrangle themselves.

 

4. Both agree there’s no time like the present for a quick game of tug of war.

Style points if the dog is still alive at the end.

 

5. They make great training partners.

(via imgur.com)

(via imgur.com)

Double bonus style points if the dog is still alive at the end.

 

6. They share the same sense of style.

(From left: via beval.com; via baker blankets.com)

(From left: via beval.com; via bakerblankets.com)

Plaid is fierce on every body type.

 

7. Their love of blood sport goes way back.

(via wikimedia.org)

(via commons.wikimedia.org)

Tally-hooo!!!!!!!

 

8. They help each other with those hard-to-reach spots.

Because it’s all about good hygiene.

 

9. They both know that sometimes, the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence.

You never know until you try, right?

 

 

 

Next Up | Quiz: What Kind of Horse-Friendly Dog Breed Are You?

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