Questions from Tumblr

It was a boring weekend filled with rain so thanks Karley for the idea!

1. Most embarrassing horse fall?
None have really been embarrassing per se.  We all fall at some time or another.  It does espcially suck to fall off at a show.

2. Ideal lesson?
When I haul to my trainer's to lesson it is usually for a tune up.  It's fun to jump new courses and come up with some hard things to challenge my horse and I with.  We like to school bigger at home before a show so that the jumps at the show seem like no big deal.

3. What’s your goal for the end of this year? Ten years?
My goals for this year have changed due to monetary reasons and unplanned horse purchase.  Instead of focusing on qualifying for NAL finals I will be happy with a solid show season and moving closer to moving up a division.  I don't know about ten years.  Hopefully I am healthy and still riding.

4. What’s your biggest riding fault?
Not trusting myself.  Sometimes I start picking and riding backward to the jumps.  It is so frustrating.  I can come out of the ring at a show and tell my trainer in detail everything I did wrong yet why do I still do those things???  The million dollar question... 

5. If you could ride one horse, (dead or alive) which one would it be?
It is so hard to choose just one.  I'm going with Gem Twist.  I idolized him when I was a kid.  Apparently in his retirement he still loved to be hauled to the shows and tagged along.  I was showing Hobbs at Tampa Equestrian Festival (where the American Invitational used to be held) one year and was out grazing and his grooms had him out.  It was prior to smart phones existed but I sure wish I could have taken a picture of him.



6. If your next ride was your last, what would you do?
Find a show to haul to and show Poppy in the Jr/Amateur jumpers.



7. What do you spend too much on at the tack store?
Everything.  Obviously any tack is the most expensive.

8. What’s your view on imports? Homebreds?
This question needs to ask imports, US bred, or homebred.  I am a huge advocate for not importing and purchasing from our American breeders.  With modern day advances and the ability to ship semen we are breeding the same lines here in the US at a much cheaper rate so there is no need to import.  Support the businesses on our soil!  I see nothing wrong with homebreds as long as careful selection has gone into choosing a quality mare and then stallion that will complement and strengthen the line.  I hope one day when Poppy is finished with her job as my show horse to have my own homebred.

9. What is your typical riding week like?
I live in the swamp state so it depends on the weather.  I try to ride 5-6 days a week, Monday through Saturday.  A couple weeks out from a show I start planning what I will do each ride to prepare.

10. Have you ever wanted to stop riding? Why?
Sure.  I have been frustrated to the point of wanting to throw in the towel but never did.  I stopped for awhile after I lost my horse to colic in college and eventually couldn't stay away.  I stopped when Hobbs hurt himself and had to be on stall rest for 8 months, then a year.  I eventually couldn't stay away then either.