25 More Blog Hop

Ok, Ok, you guys have worn me down! I think I have read this blog hop on basically everyone’s page at this point! Amanda, Michele, Emily, Olivia and so many others have all weighed in, and I have enjoyed reading them all. It’s a lazy afternoon at my place of employment so here is mine, enjoy!

 

1. What is the first thing you do when you get to the barn?

Go to my tack trunk and stuff peppermints (the Bob’s soft kind) in my pocket. At least 6. If I say Hi to Rio without a peppermint he will be unhappy and I bribe him to make him love me.

No treats in hand equals this face šŸ˜‚

2. Is there a breed that you would never own?

Most likely a pony. I think Olivia said the same thing. I’m 5’11 pushing 6 ft and pretty much allllll legs. Plus I am positive that ponies are Satan’s contribution to the animal kingdom.

3. Describe your last ride?

Saturday jump lesson. I worked on the stuff I learned in my flat lesson last week, and it went REALLY well. I felt super good about our canter work and how it translated into our jumping.

4. Have any irrational riding fears?

I used to be really brave (like an idiot) and ride anything and everything. Then I had a few bad years of back-to-back falls and scary incidents that really made me lose confidence for the first time ever. It took a long time and a really great horse to get it back. There isn’t any ONE thing I hate, but I will not ride horses anymore with even a hint of a screw loose. I have nothing to prove and life is too short.

5. Describe your favorite lesson horse?

I was lucky enough to have my own horses growing up and I never rode at a lesson barn. I did teach at some though, and the best lesson horse I ever worked with was this gentle giant of a TB named Gumby.

6. Would you ever lease out your horse?

I don’t know. Rio is only 8 and still a work in progress. Maybe in the far future when he is ready to step down or show the ropes to someone else, but even then it would probably have to be an in-barn lease or somewhere I REALLY trust and could come visit.

7. Mares: Yay or neigh?

Never owned one but would be open to it. I have ridden some nice ones over the years.

8. How many times per week do you get to see your horse?

4 usually. I ride Tuesdays and Thursdays after work, and Sat/Sun.

I wish my barn was closer and I could see this handsome dude every day

9. Favorite thing to do on an ā€œeasy dayā€ with your pony?

I like to hack when other people are lessoning. It’s fun to meander around and watch/cheer for my barnmates. I REALLY love to trail ride but there are no trails at my barn. I can haul to some though, and hope to do more of that in the future.

10. Conformational flaw that bothers you the most?

I don’t really know. As long as the horse is well suited to it’s work and can stay sound doing it then I can overlook almost anything. Rio doesn’t have perfect conformation and it doesn’t bother me at all. I really appreciate a pretty head & neck though!

11. Thing about your riding that youā€™re most self conscious about?

I’m generally a pretty confident person. I have been riding since I was a tiny person, so I think that makes me fairly confident in the saddle, or at least I feel home there. Don’t get me wrong, I’m an ammy that makes mistakes every day, I just don’t get that worked up about it.

12. Will you be participating in no stirrup November?

Nah. I’m too old for that and I think it often does more harm then good.

13. What is your grooming routine?

Curry, soft brush, mane & tail brush with conditioning spray, hook pick, fly spray. I just got this AMAZING Haas brush from Riding Warehouse that is legit a game changer.

14. Describe a day in the life of your horse?

Overnight turnout, come in for breakfast, morning nap, chill/munch on hay, dinner, evening hack, go back out and do it again. During the weekends I ride in he morning so he’s always super sleepy due to his morning nap is being delayed. It’s hilarious.

Always napping when I come to ride on weekend mornings

15. Favorite season for riding?

Fall. Something about the crisp air and the smell.

16. If you could only have 1 ring: indoor or outdoor?Ā 

I only have one (outdoor) but have been at barns with both. Outdoor with good footing though, for sure. I get stir crazy riding in an indoor.

17. What impresses you most about the opposite discipline (english vs. western)?

I want to know how all those quarter horses do such perfect and effortless flying changes. I really need to know.

18. You have unlimited funds to buy one entire tack set for your horse, what is he/she wearing?

Voltaire everything. I have the saddle and now a standing martingale, so I’m almost there. Although I adore both my bridles (Ovation and Edgewood) so honestly I’m happy with what I have.

19. How many blankets do you have? When do you blanket?

Umm… a lot? Like 4 or 5 and a Back on Tack sheet. Also a show scrim, a show wool cooler, a wool cooler for home and a quarter sheet. Unclear why this is necessary for 1 horse that lives in Texas.

20. What is your horseā€™s favorite treat? Favorite place to be scratched?

Bob’s peppermints. His favorite place to be scratched is INSIDE his ears. My nails do not approve, but Rio tends to win this one.

Inside the ear scratches are life. Look at that face!

21. Something about your barn that drives you crazy?

Happy to report that nothing drives me crazy. I love it there. Oh wait! If I could change one thing I would like to be able to pay with credit card, because miles.

22. Roached manes, pulled manes, or long flowing manes?

Pulled. Roached are cute on some horses though, and long and flowing can also be beautiful. Pulled will probably always be my preference though.

23. Can you handle a buck or a rear better?

Meh I don’t have strong feelings about either honestly. I have ridden many of both and I have had both end very poorly. How about neither? Rio has kicked up his heels a few times out of excitement but his “bucks” are so smooth that they make me laugh every time.

24. I would never buy a horse who ___________________?Ā 

Has a screw lose. Again, I’m too old for that. I would never willingly take on a horse that is known to be unpredictable or anything that the ad says “needs a strong rider”. I used to think I could fix horses like that, or that I was good enough to handle them. News flash, I’m not and it’s not worth it.

25. Favorite facial marking?Ā 

Blaze or stripe. Like Rio! Hate bald faces. Just not my cup of tea.

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6 comments

  1. I’m so with you on not needing to try and fix nutty horses anymore. When I was shopping anything that said needs advanced rider I passed right over. Am I an advanced rider? Yeah, I’d say so… Do I want to test that? Nope!

  2. Yeahhhh Let’s let the kids do no stirrup November and ride the crazy ponies. We will keep our civilized beasts instead. I figure we earn it from the whole being an adult thing hahaha.

    1. Haas Smile Grundy’s Finest Soft Horse Hair Body Brush! I adore it because it’s technically a soft brush but also REALLY flicks the dirt out of the coat. It’s kind of addicting. At $20 it’s a good deal for a nice brush too!

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