In the story, it means:
* Horses matter, and by extension horse choices matter
* Horse *personalities* matter and convey meaning
* When he rides, he *rides*
There is *so much* meaning in that beyond some numeric value. I want *that*.
Plus, the clever person? It’s rewardingly painful to play, because it offsets a *different* problem by introducing stakes.
That is what I chase.
Kate Elliot has a *wonderful* piece on what sewing means to one of her characters, and this is also what I mean when I say I want rich skills.