5 Day Challenge: Day 2

Continuing the 5 Day Challenge from Tracy at Fly On Over.

Day 2!

6. Favorite equestrian book and movie.

Favorite book: Black Beauty. Hands down. There are many books competing for second place, but this has held first for as long as I've been able to read.

Favorite movie: Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken. The best. The absolute best. The very, very, very best. Can I find some more hyperbole for you?

7. Most common riding misconception.

"Why do you still take lessons? Don't you know how to ride?" Sigh. I don't know why this is the most common question I get, but it is.

8. 2 riding strengths and 1 riding weaknesses

Strength: I am not what you would call fearless, but my confidence levels are pretty good. I can't remember the last time I was genuinely afraid to do something a trainer asked of me. Falling off doesn't especially worry me; physical injury, ditto. (I mean, I don't want them to happen, but it's not something I am concerned about.)

Strength: I am fairly picky about most things connected with my riding: grooming, tack fit, warmup routine, footing, etc., and I like to adjust to keep things just right. This can easily tip over into weakness!

Weakness: Consistency. My work schedule can be unpredictable and I can often be so mentally tired if I do end up getting to the barn that I don't work as hard as I ought. I am very, very driven in every other aspect of my life, and often for me riding is the thing that I tend to be more casual about - which works well for Tristan, I think, but isn't getting us any blue ribbons.

9. Least favorite thing about horses and/or riding.

I am ever so very tired of being broke all the time, of scrambling to pay another vet bill, another mechanic bill, another supplement bill, you name it. It gives me some rather bitter attitudes sometimes, toward people who don't have that ongoing, immense financial burden. All the stuff they buy! All the places they go!

Runner up would be the way in which owning a horse has increased my anxiety levels exponentially. I was always going to trend that way but yeesh.

10. What do you feed your horse?

AM: 2 flakes of grass hay, 1 quart of Sentinel Senior, 1.5 oz of High Point Grass

Turnout: free choice hay (usually another 2 flakes or grass in the summer)

PM: 2 flakes of grass hay, 1 quart of Sentinel Senior, 1.5 oz of High Point Grass

Night check: in winter, 1 flake of grass hay