Happy Valentine’s Day everyone. Let me start by making a confession. I wouldn’t want to be married to a city slicker. My hubby isn’t an actual cowboy, but he certainly knows about country life, even if he prefers a ball cap to a Stetson.
My guy can single-handedly pull a calf without being squashed by an angry mama cow, back the truck and horse trailer into a parking spot smaller than a Smart Car, and fork hay over the fence with the best of them. He might not spend a lot of time on the back of a horse, but he’s a country person and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
If you’re a horseperson looking for love, you probably feel the same. Below you’ll find a few country dating sites that might help you in your search for someone special who knows the difference between a chicken pot pie and a cow pie. www.equestriansingles.com
Started in 2001 and affiliated with equine.com, this is one of North America’s first online equestrian dating sites. Equestriansingles allows you to search through 50 different criteria, looking for romance, friendship and riding buddies in Canada and the U.S. Many of the classifieds have photos, and their descriptions may include their riding discipline, career and hobbies.www.countryintroductions.com
This Canadian matchmaking service is different than your typical personal classified ad. Clients answer a questionnaire and are interviewed by the company, either by phone or in person. After determining each person’s interests and values, Country Introductions then helps them find the perfect match. The business has been in existence since 1989, with many of its clients being rural Albertans who find it difficult to meet Mr. or Mrs. Right in their small communities. Business owner Cheryl says “The first three years I was in operation, I had 15 couples marry.” www.countrymatch.com
Countrymatch caters specifically to cowboys and cowgirls searching for love, friendship and romance, but if that isn’t enough, they have links to a number of other dating sites. Are you taller than average? There’s a site for you. A police or firefighter? Interested in foreign or interracial dating? Countrymatch can provide classifieds for all these types of people, and more.
Pam and Wayne Elzinga of Peers, Alta., met through Country Introductions in April 2010. “It can be tough to meet someone decent once you’re out of school,” Pam relates. “The bar wasn’t my style, and the guys at church were friends, but not relationship material. I had a friend that had used Cheryl’s program, and I finally decided to give it a try.”
Pam, who grew up on a farm near Sylvan Lake, admits it was a bit scary meeting someone new. “But it wasn’t too bad, because at first we just talked on the phone,” she says. “I liked Wayne right away; he was always a gentleman, even on the phone.”
The couple were engaged in June 2010, married that October, and had a daughter in September 2011. “I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Country Match to any nice person looking for someone special,” Pam says. “It certainly worked for Wayne and I.”
If you decide to try a dating site, remember to use your horse sense. Read the fine print carefully, and know what your costs and obligations are. Even more importantly, remember that creeps and crooks exist everywhere. These people don’t mind using dating sites to steal your heart, and maybe your bank account at the same time. In most cases dating sites do not screen their clients, so it’s up to you to check potential dates carefully.
On the other hand, dating sites can also be the way for you to find your perfect love this Valentine’s Day — even if he does wear a baseball cap instead of a cowboy hat!