December's 10

Thanks again to L Williams for the fun set of questions!

1. What size horse do you prefer to ride? Giant ponies! If I could be super picky my ideal horse would be somewhere between 14.2 hh  and 15.1 hh and of a medium to 'solid' build.

Ginger is 15.3hh, and a bit big for me. I like how long my stirrups are here so I can pretend my leg is long enough to be useful. Also no clue why I am ghostly pale in both these winter pictures. I promise I am not a vampire in real life, and sadly my ponies socks are not that white either :)

Bridget is14.0hh and a bit too small. I keep my leathers slightly on the short side so my heels aren't at an awkward spot, and weight wise I wouldn't want to weigh much more on her.

2. Do you school in tall boots or half chaps and paddock boots? I school in the oldest pair of Mountain Horse tall boots ever. They are kind of a riding/barn boot cross style and about 10 years old and so beat up, but they won't die! I even used them for several years of barn managing/mucking stalls. Sadly, my new pair of 'nice/show' MH boots are awful, so I won't be using them regularly if I can help it! I tried the half chaps thing and never found any that fit well and lasted. Also I'm OCD about them matching my boots, which is hard to do when they wear out at different times.

3. What do you do with your ribbons after shows? They hang on the fridge mostly. G's way too nice to ever directly say I can't have them on display but dislikes equestrian items as decor so it's turned into a bit of a joke where (the low placing) ribbons decorate the fridge and my horse pictures are moved to the (basement) bathroom. We are both giant children and find it amusing :) The ones that are important to me, like horse's first show or something I usually keep in a box with their papers and other stuff. The majority have been lost over the years (sorry L Williams!). 

4. Do you ride/board at a large show barn or a small private barn? I'm at a large old fashioned barn as far as the structure goes, but tiny as far as boarders - only 4 horses there, 2 of which are mine! There are 6 stalls and 12 acres of pastures fenced, but no ring and definitely no indoor on site. It's a private place and the owners like to keep it kind of low key rather than commercial

5. Have you ever seen a horse give birth? Just caught the end a couple of times, Too busy obsessing over cute baby than being all 'let's explore the placenta' with the vet, so it doesn't count at all - I might as well just show up a day later!

6. What is your favorite breed? Love my Welsh Cobs. Thoroughbreds a super close second,. Love some of the cob or draft x TB's as well, Irish Draughts, I guess the British or Irish hunter type, generally speaking. Much love for Connemaras and German Riding Ponies too, Arabians, OK, I love them all really!

British show hunter from Wikipedia

7. Favorite tack brand? I like my newer Stubben stuff (much softer than the old lol), I like County saddles, but really anything that is beautiful and well made, but 'tough' and seems like it's a bit old school/will last, if that makes sense. We get way too much rain and I/my horses am too hard on things to own anything super beautiful 

8. Would you ever buy used tack? Definitely, although I need to admit that most of my stuff has been bought new for whatever reason - I do enjoy knowing the history of my bridles and saddles. 

9. Ever been on a carriage ride? I don't think I've ever been, but would love to!

10. How often do you go to the tack store? Once a month maybe. I always need something, and am getting good at just buying that one thing as I need it. Thank goodness I've stopped going 'just to look'. That always ends badly!