Ten Questions for May

When in doubt about what to write, pick up a meme!

This one comes from The Horse Is Not Black.

1. What are your summer goals?

I'd like to continue our slow-but-steady progress in dressage; in particular, in accessing his hind end and working on relaxing instead of bracing through transitions. I'd also like to solve his assholery in the outdoor. I'll have to get it on video at some point so you all really understand what I mean, but I'd like it to stop. I don't mind spicey, I mind idiocy.

2. Do you have any tips or tricks for fly control?

Sigh. No. I want to try that new EcoVet stuff that people are raving about, just to see how it goes. Tristan wears a fly mask & fly sheet all summer but less to actually keep out flies than to keep him from other irritants. His eyes blow up if you look at them sideways and he has some kind of allergy that triggers hives. The fly gear helps with that, but actual flies are probably here to stay.

He does need a new fly sheet, though, since his old one (admittedly picked up for $15 on clearance 10 years ago) is giving him rubs. So that's on the list for this summer.

3. How often do you bathe your horse?

I'm really not sure. That's actually a good question. Once a month, maybe? He gets rinsed off whenever he sweats, so I don't know if that counts. I do hope to give him more regular baths this summer.

he hates baths so much.

4. Do you have any upcoming travel plans? Equine or otherwise?

It's a summer of family weddings, so we have three trips planned for that. It's also a travel summer for work, both to research a new exhibit and to do outreach work and speak on some of our past research topics. It's rare that work takes me out of state, though. Safe to say I'll be on the road at least once a week until it starts snowing.

5. What is your favorite way to beat the heat?

I am a thin-blooded lizard person and I rarely feel the need to beat the heat. (Also, it's Vermont; we'll have a week or two where it hits the 90s and that's as hot as it gets.) If I am really desperate there are rooms in our house that get better ventilation, and I read or do something to take my mind off it.

6. Do you do anything to prevent your horse from sunbleaching?

Nope. My horse is a funny color no matter what I do, I just try to sit back and enjoy whatever color he turns up as next. (His roaning has changed with every summer/winter coat shift for as long as I've known him.)

current state of funny horse color, spring 2017

7. How hot is too hot for you to ride?

Those weeks where it hits the 90s I'll ease off. Having the indoor helps - it's markedly cooler in there due to shade and cross-ventilation. It's really rare for me to choose not to ride because of the heat. I have more nuanced limits for cold.

8. How important is sun protection for you riding or just in general?

Less than it should be, for sure. There have been times in my life when I've been neurotic about sunscreen, but I've slacked on that in the last few years. I rarely burn (my skin has more olive tones) so I've gotten lazy.

9. Have you ever gone swimming with your horse?

Hahahahahaha. I once tried to get Tristan to the edge of a small pond and it resulted in a 45 minute bucking & rearing fit. Desert mustangs Do Not Do Water. We've ridden through water jumps after much coaxing and weeks of firm cross-country schooling. That's as close as it gets.

10. And because shopping is always on my mind, what’s on your summer wish list?

New tall boots! Finally. Probably also some new sunshirts, I have a bunch of house-related wish list items as well, and some personal ones, like a new computer.

10 Questions for July

Hi! I'm still alive. Tristan is still alive. I've just been reading, riding, working in the garden, baking in what passes for a heat wave in Vermont (mid-80s, you guys!), and like the rest of the known world, playing Pokemon Go. But it's time for me to pick up the blogging reins again, and how better to do that than to meme?

1. Do you actually always pick the horse’s feet? Always? Really?

No, I don't. Most of the time I do. When I ride in the indoor, I pick his feet on the way out. But if I am having the kind of day where simply putting one foot in front of the other is a major achievement, I give myself permission to skip things. Picking feet and grooming is on that list. I grab a bridle and saddle, I throw them on, I'm out the door in less than 5 minutes.

Caveat: the barn staff picks feet when horses come in from the field, so his feet are getting picked regularly. But sometimes it's the compromise I make, to get saddle time.

2. What is the biggest obstacle/reason preventing you from becoming a professional or competing full time with ease?

Desire. I have never for a moment had the desire to do horses full time. I am happiest when they are a very involved hobby. I get anxious, exhausted, cranky, and then miserable when I approach anything like a full time horse schedule - when working at the barn or riding more than a few horses. I am ambitious and competitive about many, MANY things in my life, but horses are not really one of them.

3. Do you think it will ever not be about the money?

It's not really about the money right now. I hope that doesn't make me sound like an asshole. If I wanted to, I could divert portions of my income and train and compete quite heavily. If I could talk my husband into it, we could swing a second horse. I could've pushed harder to find land and have a farm when we were house shopping. 

I'm simply choosing other priorities - once Tristan gets what he needs (and let's be clear, his board + expenses are substantially more than my mortgage payment, so it's not like he's not eating up large chunks of money) I have chosen financial stability instead of chasing horse goals.

Honestly, it's more about the time than anything. 

4. Was there ever a horse that you loved and really wanted to have a connection with, but it just never panned out? Details.

Not really. I've admired some horses from afar but I tend to have a pretty clear-eyed view of their flaws and problems. I adored my first lease horse, and we did have a great connection, but I guess you could say it didn't pan out because he went irreversibly lame. I can't say that I've ever failed to develop a connection on at least some level with horses that I've liked, whether I'm riding them or simply handling them.

5. What is one weakness in your riding that even your trainer doesn’t pick up on, only you?

I have nothing like a natural feel for the horse. No trainer I've ridden with has called that out. I guess I fake it pretty well, or have worked hard enough over the years to try to develop one that I've effectively compensated.

6. What is the biggest doubt/insecurity you ask or tell yourself in your head?

Laziness and lack of commitment. On paper, I work ridiculously hard, but learning the importance of taking time off, and committing to self-care instead of running myself into the ground - that's really, really difficult for me. I am pretty much constantly comparing myself to others and berating myself for not getting more done.

7. There is a barn fire. You are the first person to discover it and see that the roof is collapsing in slowly, and you can tell that it’s going to come down any time. Do you call people first, or head in straight to save the horses?

I...have actually been in a somewhat similar situation. It was the worst thing I've ever seen in my life. By the time I got there help had already been called, the horse was gone, and the best I could do was take the kids away and watch them for a few hours to try and help them.

Anyway: I am pretty good at keeping a level head in emergencies. I'd call 911, and I'd assess before running in. I err toward foolhardy with my own physical safety, so there's a very good chance I would try to go in at some point, but I'd also make sure help was on the way and that I had scoped out a realistic way in and out.

8. What is one event in your riding career/horse/anything that you’re still not over, even though you might tell others you are?

Tristan's first colic. My first and only complete nervous breakdown. Though I don't know that I've ever pretended to be over that.

9. If you could tell off one person you just don’t like, what would you say?

I honestly don't think there's anyone at the barn I dislike? Previous barns I guess there are people that I liked but thought made very, very bad choices. So I'd be clear about those shitty choices and their own flaily reasoning for why the haaaaaad to do x, y, or z.

10. Have you ever seen questionable riding or training practices, but let it go/ignored it? How do you feel about it in hindsight?

Oh, sure. Who hasn't? I can't think of anything truly dangerous or awful that I didn't speak up about in the moment, but there were times in my life when I wish I would've at least tried to show the person another way. The worst examples of that were all at one barn, and frankly I feel mostly relieved to have escaped. Somewhat regretful that there are a lot of kids who got some really bad exposure.

Tristan is Ron Swanson

So there was a blog hop thingy going around a little while ago and I skipped it because I had zero inspiration and also, lately, zero time to write. (I am in a funk where I get home and I collapse onto the couch and stare zombie-like at the TV while eating dinner, then read in bed. None of this is conducive to blogging, though lots of riding is getting done. More than you needed to know. ANYWAY.)

Then Amanda at The $900 Facebook Pony posted that her Henry is April Ludgate and I figured it out!

Tristan is Ron Swanson.

He is the most stoic horse in the barn.

He has a really extraordinary capability for completely zoning out and ignoring everything around him.

Food is his reason for living.

Everything, literally everything, has to be his idea first.

This is his first reaction to literally every question I ever ask him.

He is really independent to the point of almost actively antisocial in the field.

But when he settles in and decides on something, he is ON.

So, yeah. I own the equine version of Ron Swanson.

Ten Questions

From Viva Carlos, of course.

1. How many pairs of breeches/jods do you own?

4 schooling, 2 show (grey & white), 2 winter. One of those schooling pairs is on its way out (I did throw away the black ones I featured here a week or so ago, sigh), and the other three don't fit me - they're a size too small and make me look sausage-y. Ah well. I like my show breeches and looooooove my winter breeches, so that's something.

2. How many horses have you ridden?

I'm going to guess just over 100, if you truly count all of them - early lessons, summer camps, nose-to-tail trail rides, etc. Since owning Tristan, fewer than 10.

3. How many trainers have you had?

Oof. Trainers, as in I was in their program for a while and I came away substantially improved - four. Three for 2+ years, one for just two short winters but she was fabulous. "People who taught me riding things," probably closer to 20.

4. How many barns have you ridden at?

Hm. Let's see: childhood lesson barn, camp barn, barn in France, college barn, three post-college barns in MA, new barn in VT. Not that many, actually! 8 total.

5. What is the name of the horse you consider yourself to have the greatest bond with?

Tristan. No question.

6. What is your favorite show name you’ve ever encountered?

I don't know about show name, but my favorite show name + barn name combo was a Morgan I knew years ago. Show name: Heza Little Devil. Barn name: Taz.

7. What do you consider your greatest weakness or flaw in riding?

I'm not committed enough, both in the sense that I'm always finding excuses not to really ride (I'll longe, I'll groom, I'll just hack out...) and not to push myself or Tristan hard enough (I'm tired, he'll break, I don't have time...)

8. What do you consider to be your greatest strength?

Ground work. I can handle just about any horse doing just about anything on the ground and come out of it positively. I'm not saying I like to do that, but I have handled my fair share of assholes.

9. Have you ever leased a horse?

Yes. During and just after college: Sly. 

10. What is the name of the first horse you rode?

Not counting, say, pony rides at the state fair: Thistle. Isn't that a great name? He was a lesson pony extraordinaire.

Blog Hop: A Dressage Barn in Vermont

(please note, if you think you saw this yesterday - you are not losing your mind, I apologize! I accidentally published the draft before I was finished adding photos)

SprinklerBandit is hosting a blog hop encouraging everyone to show photos of their barn. I've had a couple of photos up here before, but this is a good comprehensive overview. For the record, the barn in question is a dressage barn in semi-rural Vermont. (As in, outside of the capital city, so clearly not the middle of nowhere; but all of Vermont is classified as rural according to broader standards.)

1) A View of the Barn

There are actually two barns on the property. Here's the main all-season barn, attached to the indoor (which is on the left, and shares the roofline). It has 20 stalls. Not a lot of frills but quality through and through. Everything is lived-in and there are tons of little tweaks that make life easier.

Here's the summer barn, in winter. It sits just behind the main barn and has an additional 10 stalls. It houses the trainer's horses in summer, but she's in Florida November-May. It is quite a bit fancier than the winter barn, and is newer.

One of my favorite pictures, looking back out the door - basically up to where the first two photos were taken. When the visibility is good, you can see a perfect frame of Camel's Hump through this door. I have watched many sunsets leaning against the wall and just staring.

2) Your Horse's Living Space

Drunk pony after a vet visit.

Home soon after his surgery.

3) In the Tack Room

Downstairs, looking left. It is actually a bit messy right now, barn manager would probably kill me if she knew there were photos on the internet...

Downstairs, looking right. You can't quite see it, but the wire racks in the back are the best saddle pad & wrap storage system I have ever seen. Hose in the foreground = a necessity in winter. It freezes in less than an hour if left in the aisle.

Upstairs, where my tack is kept! You can't see my tack; my trunk is just behind the saddle covered with the towel.

4) Where You Ride

There is basically no way to get good photos of an indoor, especially if you're almost always there after dark. Regardless: small court dressage size indoor, our primary home right now. Lovely springy mixed rubber & washed sand footing that is dragged every 2-3 days and, believe it or not, doesn't kick up ANY dust clouds.

Outdoor #1, jumping / schooling arena. Not quite sure of the size, but it's not huge - a bit wider than a full dressage arena. We are often here in the summer for schooling.

Outdoor #2, fancy-pants dressage arena, all-weather mixed rubber footing. This was taken sitting in the permanent judge's booth. I have actually never ridden here! This summer, maybe. There are so many other good options and this arena is about 50 ft from the barn owner's back door, so it often feels invasive to ride there when I'm riding at night.

And, of course, the fields! This is the big hayfield - no idea on acreage, somewhere around 10, maybe? Believe it or not, the dressage arena above is at the very top of this hill.

Oh, and the roads. So may dirt roads. I could go for miles and miles and miles. Did you know that 70% of Vermont's roads are dirt? Now you do!

5) My Favorite Feature

I have been in some beautiful places, but this one has them beat all hollow. It never comes out well in photos, but the fire of that sunset is touching the tips of the Monroe Skyline; in the winter you can see the ski trails of Mad River Glen and Sugarbush. You can see weather coming before it gets to the barn, in the clouds on the mountains and through the valley. The property itself is sprawling and lush and achingly pretty even on gross days. It's in one of my favorite spots in my favorite place in the whole world (I will argue to the death that Vermont is, objectively, the best state). I feel lucky every single day that I can live and ride here.

(this is not to say that the barn has many, many other wonderful features! but this is the one that gives me an almost physical pang of happiness in my heart when I think about it.)

The $100,000 Question

I was folding laundry at the laundromat a few nights ago and feeling slightly grumpy at the state of finances in my world and so I made up a little game and have enjoyed refining it since.

Imagine someone gave you $100,000 free and clear. Assume taxes are already taken care of and you can spend the whole amount. The catch: you have to spend the whole amount on horse-related things. What do you buy?

Here's my list.

1.) Down Payment for Farm: $55,000

I'm not saying buy the farm right away. I would set the money aside in something slightly more lucrative than a savings account, but not as risky as a stock portfolio. There it would sit until one of two things happened: the right property/opportunity came up, or Tristan was ready to retire.

What's the right property? 20-30 acres of good land: relatively flat, well-drained, somewhat improved. A 3+ bedroom house on the property. Some setup that could be turned to horses easily; it doesn't have to have a barn already (though that would be nice), but it should have the house situated in such a way that adding more outbuildings would be easy, and it shouldn't be entirely forested. It would also be relatively close to my job.

2) 2 Horse Gooseneck Trailer: $18,000

Leftover money would go into a general trailer maintenance + gas fund. For specifics, I don't need an XL or XXL; just standard size. No mangers! A reasonably sized tack room area, and the ability to put a mattress up in the gooseneck. Lots of ventilation from the roof and the sides. Doors on both sides. Possibly a roof rack on top for hay & shavings.

3) 3/4 Ton Pickup Truck (Used): $25,000

I don't need brand-new, but I want a late-model GMC or Chevy truck, less than 50k miles. Never plowed. King cab, but not necessarily a full back seat with extra doors. I would love the extended bed but it's not an absolute necessity. Rigged for hauling. Four wheel drive. Snow tires!

4) Custom Dehner Tall Boots: $1,000

I have coveted these for years. I keep changing my mind about precisely what I want. Something black, but do I want dressage or field boots? Spanish top? Toe cap? I don't know! So many possibilities.

5) Shopping Spree: $1,000

Let's call this the miscellaneous category. I need an assortment of small things that could easily fill up $1,000. A stable blanket for Tristan; a breastplate; a few new saddle pads; a couple of training books; new gloves; new breeches; a new winter riding coat. I could gladly go on a bit of a shopping spree and replace some things in my equipment that have seen better days.

Well - what about you? If someone handed you $100,000 that you had to spend on horses, what would you buy?

Happy Friday!

Just in case people haven't seen this going around Facebook:

Well, which one would you get?

I vote something on endurance lines; maybe an Australian stock saddle. I'm very happy with the saddles I currently own, so no need to get a custom everyday saddle.

(I would not mind a few hours with that guy, though he looks high maintenance to keep around for much longer than that.)

Five Things on My Christmas List

Thanks to Cob Jockey for a great idea for a meme!

Some of these things are a bit of a reach, and as such, I haven't actually put them on my Christmas list. (My parents don't believe in Christmas lists; they take them as a challenge and a list of things not to buy. My boyfriend's parents are very good about lists, but because of that I tend to be careful about what I put on there. Ahhhh, relationship Jenga.) But if I could put together my ideal Christmas list? These would all be on it.

1. Sore No More Gelotion

I love this stuff. I will take as much of it as I can get. I enumerated the reasons why it is my favorite in my product review of a few weeks ago.

2. Dublin River Boot

COVET. I love the look of them, I love the idea of them, I want them. I want them with a fierce lust that I usually reserve for new books and heavy duty pick up trucks. (Yes, I'm kind of boring.)

3. Saddle Stand

Believe it or not, I don't own one. Usually I put my saddle on the side of my truck bed to tack up, but that's getting kind of old. This would be great to have for tack cleaning, too.

4. SSG 10 Below Winter Gloves

I seriously need to step up my winter glove game. It's really starting to get cold now, and the fleece gloves I use right now are not cutting it.

5. Smart Shape Base Layer Tights

I feel pretty good about my base layers up top, but right now I just have the winter breeches on bottom - and they are glorious, but I'd like the option of stepping up the ante when I need to.

So, what do you want for Christmas?

5 Day Challenge: Day 5

Fifth and final day of the 5 Day Challenge from Fly On Over.

21. Favorite classes to watch.

Bromont CCI3*, 2010

Eventing at the Advanced or 4* level. Nothing like it in the world, watching horses take those big XC jumps in that incredible leap of strength and grace.

22. What’s in your cooler at horse shows?

Water, fruit (usually dried), yogurt, cheese, baked goods of some kind - usually banana bread, cookies, and muffins.

23. One thing about showing (or riding in general) you wish you could change?

So there's absolutely zero way to change this, but - why does showing take so freaking long? Everything involved with a day of showing is intensely time consuming and exhausting and you're busy constantly. On the one hand, that's great! It makes the day fly by. On the other hand, it would be nice to go somewhere and do a dressage test or two without it being such a major undertaking.

24. Your ringside crew.

Previously, my whole barn would go to events together, so we'd be crew for each other. Most often, Hannah would be my wingman. Now, just me, really. My boyfriend has exactly zero interest in coming to horse shows, and this barn doesn't event, so I'll be on my own.

25. Best prizes.

The best prize I've ever gotten at a horse show was the mug on the right that I won at a barn show, made by Lindsey Epstein, who was barn manager at the time and is a brilliant artist and potter. I still use it all the time. In general, should I ever be lucky enough to place well, I think the halters, coolers, and saddle pads that are the usual are pretty nifty.

5 Day Challenge: Day 4

Day 4 of Fly On Over's 5 Day Challenge.

16. One thing you’d like to change about your horse.

I do wish Tristan were more forward. Not hugely! But enough so that I didn't have to kick - every - single - stride, or at least be thinking forward with every single stride. 

17. Your horse’s future.

With me. Forever. Always. My goal is to retire him to my own farm, somehow, someday.

18. Your worst show ever.

Oh, God. There is actually video evidence of this. Brace yourselves.

Shortly after this video ended, he really truly lost it and flat out bolted out of the ring. He didn't stop for another 50 yards, until I grabbed the rein right by the bit ring and one-reined him into a spin. Good times.

19. Favorite horse show venue.

I've never ridden there, but I have a deep and enduring love for King Oak Farm. It's by far my favorite venue at which to volunteer, and it was going to be my pick for our first recognized event until Tristan's foot problems started.

20. Your show day routine.

I don't know that I've shown enough to really get a routine down, but it usually starts with a stupid early wakeup call, an egg sandwich and lots and lots of tea, and in the middle there's a frantic re-memorizing of dressage tests, at least one major smudge on my white breeches, me cussing out Tristan while he has a bratty moment while tacking up, and ends with at least one pair of socks soaked through for one reason or another and me flopping in utter exhaustion.

5 Day Challenge: Day 3

Day 3 of Fly On Over's blog challenge.

11. Critique your horse’s conformation.

Conformation is not really my area of expertise, but here goes! (Photos taken about 4 years ago.)

The good: He is the cutest! Objectively: he has excellent bone and rather nice leg proportions, both front and back. His back end especially is rather nice. Good depth of barrel. Very expressive eyes and a kind look. Not built downhill, but just about even. Not over or under either front or back. He is ever so slightly cow hocked: just enough for smoother gaits but not enough to impact the joints. Excellent feet: big and tough.

The bad: Holy shoulder, Batman. It's massive. And overall, his entire front end is disproportionate to his back: there is a lot of weight there, even if he's not technically downhill. His heck is over-thick and his throatlatch is basically nonexistent, leading down to a poor tie-in of neck and chest. He has the Roman nose to end all Roman noses. His top half is generally out of balance with his bottom half: he has the build of a 16hh horse on pony legs. His head is several steps beyond ginormous.

Overall: he's got a functional conformation, but he won't win any prizes.

12. Horse’s favorite riding exercise.

Sleeping and/or eating. No, really. Oh, fine - hacking out for a short distance, perhaps 20 minutes or so, ideally with some undergrowth to crash through. Followed by a snack and a nap.

13. Favorite spa day products.

Cowboy Magic Shampoo & Conditioner, clippers, sunshine.

14. Three best things about your horse.

1. He's genuinely adorable, with an avid, expressive face that charms absolutely everyone.

2. His brain. His default is to be chill and laid back and still. He puts up with an awful lot.

3. This past year notwithstanding, he is tough as nails about so many things: doesn't need a blanket, never runs in turnout, will hack just about anywhere, and is overall a very easy keeper.

15. Favorite picture of your horse.

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

5 Day Challenge: Day 1

I'm stealing the 5 Day Challenge as created by Tracy at Fly On Over: 5 questions a day for 5 days. I'm a sucker for big survey memes, and these looked fun.

So! Day 1.

1. Most influential person on your riding.

This is a really tough question! Can I cheat and say Tristan? No?

Probably my first serious trainer, the coach of my college equestrian team, who helped me start Tristan. She gave me my confidence back, and helped me start Tristan under saddle and over fences, and introduced me to dressage. 

2. Piece of tack you’d love to splurge on.

Nunn Finer 5 Point Hunting Breastplate (Cob). Drool. We definitely need a breastplate of some kind; this has been on my wishlist for a very long time. 

3. Top 5 riding playlist

I can't listen to music while riding. I've tried, believe me, but it screws me up. (I can't listen to music with words while working, either.) I won't turn the radio off at the barn while I'm riding, but I never queue up a playlist, either.

However! I do sing while I'm riding. I can remember the exact day this started: the day after Tristan's disastrous first show, when I took him back out to the warmup area he'd lost his marbles in the day before in an attempt to retrieve them. We spent a solid 45 minutes jigging and bucking and occasionally bolting and about halfway through I started to sing Cole Porter songs to remind myself to breathe, and to give him something to calm down, hopefully. It seemed to work. So now I sing Cole Porter when I am nervous, or when I think he's nervous, or when we're on a long hack and I feel like I'm alone. "Night and Day" is a favorite, followed by "Under My Skin."

(I also almost always clean tack to Astaire & Rogers movies, sensing a theme?)

4. Most important aspect of your barn?

Gorgeous scenery doesn't hurt.

Horse care: first, last, always. This is absolutely crucial to me. Do they notice if he's colicky? Do they text me if he's injured himself? Do they follow my instructions when he's recovering? Do they check in with me when I've asked them to? I tip toward the neurotic end of horsekeeping, and a barn manager that will work with me and understand that is key. My current barn fulfills all these requirements in spades, and thankfully I had seen them go the extra mile (or hundred miles) for other horses before Tristan had his surgery, so I had the utmost confidence in their hard work and professionalism.

5. Three winter riding goals.

1. Topline - that is to say, rebuilding muscle.

2. Fitness - mine and his. 

3. Jumping again, to see whether his foot will hold up.

Sunshine Award

Hannah nominated me for the Sunshine Award, and said some very kind things about me, and gave me a list of questions to answer. So here we go!

1. Mares or geldings? 

Oh, geldings. Every day, and twice on Sunday. Just...not a mare person.

2. English or western? English! Though I have not much to compare it with, as I've only ridden in Western saddles a handful of times and only gone faster than a walk once. But when I sit in a Western saddle, I feel trapped in an uncomfortable claustrophobic way. There are some super cool things to do in the Western sports - I want to try my hand at cutting someday - but it's not where my heart will ever be.

3. Do you prefer younger or older horses? Older. Babies are cute and all but I have fairly limited patience for toddler/adolescent antics, in humans or equines. There's something special for me about the sweet mellowness of a good older horse.

4. Have you trained a horse from ground zero? Tristan! Every ounce of training he has on him I've done myself, right from learning to pick up his feet and being groomed through to cross-country. Now, jury's out on precisely how successful I've been, but he is a nice horse to handle and be around, so I usually count that one in the positive column.

5. Do you prefer groundwork or riding? Do you know, I almost prefer groundwork? Probably because I'm better at it. I've started some tough horses on the ground and I still like playing with Tristan and adding pieces of his groundwork to make him a fun horse to handle. But I do so love to ride, so this one is practically a draw for me. (I wouldn't be happy never riding again, for example.)

6. Do you board your horse or keep him at home? Board, but I'd like to keep him at home someday - probably when he retires.

7. Do you do all natural things or just commercial stuff? Weird dichotomy. I'm from Vermont, right? So when possible I look for solutions that are low-impact in the environmental sense, but I have zero objections to "commercial" stuff if it does the job.

8. All tacked up or bareback? Usually all tacked up, but bareback is appealing in the winter - so much warmer!

9. Equestrian role model?  Either Alois Podhajsky or Reiner Klimke.

10. What's my one, main goal for my equestrian journey? I want Tristan to be happy and healthy. Everything after that is secondary.

So I am late to this and nearly everyone has been nominated and I'd like to do it a bit differently. If you're reading this, and you have a horse blog, could you do two things for me? Comment on this and tell me about it. I'm trying to expand my horse blog reading. Second, go ahead and steal the questions and answer them, because you are awesome. I know you are. I just might not know you yet. :)

Meme

La la la, I'm ignoring everything and just doing a meme. So there. This is from Viva Carlos.


1. Whats your horses name and how did they come by it?
Tristan's Bel Joeor. I gave it to him. He came to me with the barn name Big Red, registered BLM name Toiyabe Yomba. I hated both of those, so renamed him (after much deliberation) Tristan, and then a few months later decided on Tristan's Bel Joeor. "Bel Joeor," which means "beautiful player," in Old French, is the name of the knight Tristan's horse in Malory's Morte d'Arthur, one of the earliest recorded versions of the Arthurian legend. Also, hi, I am still a medieval historian at heart.

2. What are your favorite breeches?
On Course Cotton Naturals. Love 'em.

3. Tall boots or paddock boots and half chaps?
Tall boots. Not even sure I own paddock boots and my half chaps have been buried in a box for many a year now. Sometimes I'll hack out in just my Ariat Terrains and breeches but 99% of the time it's tall boots.

4. What brand of tall boots do you have(if you wear them)? If you had an unlimited budget what would you get?
Sigh. I have cheap-o plastic tall boots but truly they look like proper leather ones. They're the Saxon Equileather Field Boots. They've actually held up really well so far. I tried on everything in the store >$500 last time I had to buy new boots and the budget just wasn't going to stretch that far. My winter tall boots are the old version of the Ariat Bromont Winter Boot.

If I had an unlimited budget I'd get custom Dehners. I also seriously covet a pair of Dubarry Galway boots.

5. Favorite Helmet
I love Internationals, as they fit my oval head.

6. Shows or no shows?
While I've never had the burning desire to show, I'd like to be able to show more often. It sometimes feels like the times I'm able to get training, soundness, finances, and time all in a row to get to a show have been the exceptions rather than the rule.

7. Jumping or flat work?
Flat all the way. I am a secret DQ at heart.

8. Hunters, Jumpers, Cross Country or Derby's?
If by cross country we mean eventing then yes, that.

9. What other disciplines have you ridden?
Dressage, I guess. I did hunters (IHSA) in college

10. Dressed to the nine or whatever you can find when riding?
Depends on whether I'm lessoning. If I'm just schooling probably slightly grungy (breeches, horse t-shirt) but if I'm in a lesson always newly-clean breeches and a nice polo. Never a belt, always tall boots.

11. Where do you shop the most for you? Your horse?
At the moment, it's an even tie between Tractor Supply and Smartpak. Tractor Supply because there's one on the way to the barn and I can pick up quick things there, Smartpak for other more specialized things, especially with all the medical supplies of this past spring. Really can't remember the last time I bought something for myself. It's been at least a year.

12. When was the last time you rode and what did you do?
Last night, 15 minutes of walking to get his leg down with a smidge of trot to see if he was sound in it.

13. What tack do you use every ride/day?
Stubben dressage bridle, Albion dressage saddle, whatever saddle pad is cleanest, and a gel pad covered by a pillow case.

14. What are your horses color(s)?
Black/white/gray. I wish I could've been more colorful but he's loud enough to take care of that on his own.

15. How often do you clean your tack?
Not nearly as often as I should.

16. What kind of bit do you use?
Loose ring french link on the dressage bridle, full cheek french link on the jumping bridle.

17. Mares or Geldings?
Geldings, every day and twice on Sundays.

18. What is something you want to improve on in your riding?

I don't have anything resembling a natural feel. I have to work really, really hard to sense and then interpret what's going on, particularly in his gait. I desperately envy people who can pinpoint the slightest bit of crookedness through feel, even if they can't fix it right away.

19. Favorite horse themed quote?
"A canter is the cure for every evil." - Winston Churchill

20.What was your most recent equestrian purchase?
A salt block. I'm so exciting.