The Daily Horse - Questionnaire

I snatched this idea from Equestrian at Hart. Totally cheating on a blog post but honestly, NOTHING has been happening. Oh, and we're supposed to get 6-10 inches of snow/ice this weekend.

awesome!  

If only it were just snow - I haven't ridden in the snow since.... I think I was 12 and my POA Chip was so fat and made for super comfy bareback rides.

Only it's going to be a "Wintery Mix" - gee whiz, thanks whoever pissed off Mother Nature AGAIN!

On to zee questionnaire!

20 Questions For An Equestrian

• 1) What discipline do you ride right now?
• Hunt Seat - concentration in dressage and jumping. Desperately want to event. 
• 2) If you had to switch your discipline, which one would you choose?
• Eventing!!!!! 
• 3) Who is your equestrian idol?
• Mary King
• 4) Who is your least favorite equestrian?
• I don't think she qualifies as an equestrian but Katie Price really grates my nerves. 
• 5) Describe your dream horse... breed, color, markings, name.... (if you have yours, post a pic)
• Dapple gray all the way. I love me a chestnut with chrome, but a dapple gray is my dream color. 
• 6) Explain or post a picture of the horse you ride
• I will explain AND post! 9 year old unofficial homebred Appendix mare. Trust me, I realize the error of my ways, I should NEVER have been allowed to breed my mare. I was, so I'm giving my all to this horse. Sire was Pittsburgh - OTTB, dam was Precious Queen - Appendix. Both are deceased. Both were chestnuts. Pittsburgh is out of Cozzene and Fager's Star out of Horse-of-the-Year Dr. Fager. PQ has crazy awesome Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred lines - Rica Bars, Three Bars, Top Moon, Moon Deck. And like most Thoroughbreds, she goes all the way back to the Godolphin Arabian. Which unashamedly thrills the young girl inside me (thank you Marguerite Henry!)

Riiiight before the winter coat started coming in. I think this is her supermodel pose. Also, she's only 15.2 and wears a 5 3/4" double jointed snaffle. Baby's got a mouth on her. 

Snuggles in the fall

Why the long face, my dear?! 

• 7) What would you do if you were forced to stop riding?
• I don't understand the question. 
• 8) What was your best score at a show?
• I honestly don't know - I did score second place in Test A a couple years ago at a dressage schooling show. I snagged a third (or maybe second) at the New Vocations Charity Horse Show in one of my rounds in the hunter baby ground poles. Don't be jealous, ground poles are the shiz. 
• 9) Who's your favorite horse blog?
• I read so many blogs, it's crazy. I have to say I am challenged the most from Mugwump, get gads of self-confidence from Project Runaway and Poor Woman Showing, find great inspiration from SprinklerBandit and have to send a shout-out to Henry is my name, training is my game for being the first blogger who I read who commented on my blog, so they are awesome in my book. Plus, Henry is a stud. Not literally. I mean, he's one fine chestnut. 
• 10) Group lessons or private? Why?
• I love both. I learn a lot from group lessons because I can watch others and see first-hand what the trainer sees (if I'm lucky) - it then helps me better understand what I'm supposed to do. Private is great too though for the one-on-one time. 
• 11) How high do you jump?
• Dassah and I are 2-footers. 
• 12) What level dressage do you do?
• Intro Baby! But really, training level. 
• 13) What level eventing do you do?
• Well, we've never actually evented, but we'd be baby beginners. and that's ok. 
• 14) Cross country colors? What are they?
• I talked this over with Dassah and we agreed on green and gold. 
• 15) What colors look good on your horse?
• Blue, green, silver, gold, black. 
• 16) Your opinions on Rolkur
• shortcut with long-term negative effects. 
• 17) Last time you rode... was it great?
• The ride before it was great, the last time was nice. 
• 18) If you can spend a day with any Equestrian.... who would you spend it with... What would you do?
• Mary King - we would head out to her fields, grab a couple young ones, and go for a hack. She would then impart me with all of her knowledge. 
• 19) Helmet or no helmet... your opinions?
• Helmet, helmet, helmet. I don't think there should be a law requiring helmets (motorcyclists, I'm looking at you) because you should be mature and concerned for your fellow drivers/riders enough to wear one. But I don't want the image of someone's head injury seared into my brain for life. 
• 20) Who was/ is your first horse? Pictures or description
• My first equine was a rose bay Dartmoor mare named Fondly Marietta - we called her Etty. She trucked me around for 8 years (I got her when I was 4) and was the best pony a girl could ever asked for. She bucked me off three times in a row once. I learned to canter on her before her back right leg was injured in a freak accident. After that she lived a life of leisure with the occasional cart ride or bareback ride. She died in her sleep one winter night and I found her in our field. I miss her very much and have always wished to have a Dartmoor Thoroughbred cross.