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Thanks LWilliams for the blog hop!

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

I check the notice board to make sure there is nothing  need to know.

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

Never say never, but being 5' tall, I can't see myself owning or riding anything extremely large and wide regularly, so much as I love the draft breeds, it probably won't happen.

3. Describe your last ride?

A hack to the lake and then back around through the equestrian club and farmer's market grounds.

4. Have any irrational riding fears?

I can get nervous on horses I don't know, especially if I'm expected to do something a bit challenging for me (for example, jumping lessons and xc clinics on new horses haven't always been my most shining moments)
That aside, down banks on XC aren't my favorite, despite having a man-from-snowy-river type slope I navigate nearly every trail ride.

5. Describe your favorite lesson horse?

Audrey! I haven't had a lesson since christmas, but she's my coach's up and coming FEI dressage horse and she's absolutely wonderful and quirky in all the best ways. I miss her, but I need to save for training and lessons on Sophie.

6. Would you ever lease out your horse?

Maybe? I have leased out previous horses, but Bridget is too special to me - the idea makes me nervous. Sophie is too young.

7. Mares: Yay or neigh?

Apparently Yay. It's never my intent, and I have owned geldings, but my life is full of mares right now!

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

5 to 6.

9. Favorite thing to do on an “easy day” with your pony?

Hack around the neighbourhood, or sometimes just a 'spa day' where they get bathed and groomed an trimmed up like we're on our way to a show.

10. Conformational flaw that bothers you the most?

Feet...those itty bitty feet on upright pasterns holding up big bodies. Maybe it's just on my mind because there have been a few horses I know lately diagnosed with navicular type issues, and it's such a heartbreaking thing, especially if it could have been prevented with better breeding.

11. Thing about your riding that you’re most self conscious about?

Everything? Honestly, my weight/build. The ideal is the tall, slim elegant rider and even at my slimmest, I am short and 'sturdy'

12. Will you be participating in no stirrup November?

Unlikely. Sophie is too young/green. Last year I hacked Bridget out in her bareback pad a lot but I like to mix it up with days where I stay up off her back more too. This maybe sounds weird, but I actually feel like my balance is the least of my things I need to work on - my seat is pretty secure and I do ride bareback semi frequently.


13. What is your grooming routine?

I have ponies, so in the winter usually a shedding blade or something like it is necessary to get the mud/hair off. In summer, I start with a magic brush. I follow that with a plastic curry, then a soft brush to flick the surface dirt off, then a damp cloth with a bit of conditioner to wipe off any excess.

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

They're out more often than not, even when they are 'in' they have attached paddocks and don't use their stalls much. Fed at 8 am or so, if they're not on pasture they get a lunch snack, then I show up later in the afternoon and ride/work with them, muck out, and feed dinner.

15. Favorite season for riding?

Fall, even winter. I like the cooler weather, I enjoy how quiet the arenas and trails are.

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

I don't mind riding in rain, but the odd time we get snow it makes life difficult outside. The indoor I use is $5 a ride, so really cheap. I went to the bank last fall and got a couple of hundred dollars in 5's thinking I'd be set for a year. I counted that money last week, and it turns out I used the indoor 4 times so far this year. Since I ride 5 times a week I'd say I must prefer the outdoor!

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

Very generally speaking, I like riding English trained horses more, but would rather have a western horse on the ground :)

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

Please, please, please a magical saddle that somehow can be adjusted to fit us both for life. For myself, I'm really coveting a County Epiphany. I'm not loyal to any one brand and prefer simple and classic styling, so any quality plain noseband dressage bridle that fits a pony/cob well would be another dream come true. They are surprisingly hard to find, both my ponies wear bridles made up of multiple (almost but not quite matching) parts right now!

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

So many. And, um, right now I never use them? If/when the ponies are back in regular training/showing, then I will clip again and need turnouts and stable sheets and coolers and all that. For now, our climate is very moderate and they don't need to be blanketed as long as I don't mind spending a bit of extra time grooming each day.

20. What is your horse’s favorite treat? Favorite place to be scratched?

Bridget: Anything. She was begging and eating french fries the other day. She likes to be scratched on her belly and her chest.

Sophie: Doesn't like treats, or any food that is not hay or grass. Loves to be scratched anywhere, especially on her head around her ears or under her jaw.

21. Something about your barn that drives you crazy?

It can be a bit dramatic.


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

Pulled, although mine sport none of the above. Long flowing gets in the way or looks scraggly to me. I like roached, just don't feel like clipping it all the time. Both my horses have manes that don't grow long, so (*LWilliams stop reading now and skip to 23*) I use scissors and thinning shears to tidy them up and kind of go with the native pony standard where there are longer than pulled but neater looking than 'wild'.

Never mind, they're wild.

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

Depends...rearing is easy to ride provided they aren't going to flip over, but I hate it as an evasion because it means there really is no forward. Simple bucking isn't that bad, but if we are talking multiple in a row, or Bridget's preferred method of bucking on a downhill or after a drop fence, I'm not that good.


24. I would never buy a horse who ___________________?

Wants to hurt someone.


25. Favorite facial marking?

A medium width blaze is my favorite. Give me a big white nose any day :)