Stealing Tracy's 5 Day Challenge Questions: Day 1

Tracy over at Fly on Over has come up with some awesome questions to answer. And when you have no new content or the brain compacity to come up with something all your own, stuff like this is great and appreciated!

Me and Coco! Old lady Arabian back in Arizona.

1. Most influential person on your riding

This is a toss up. My mother instilled (possibly genetically) her love of horses into me. Perhaps this was by osmosis. Who knows. All I know is some of my earliest memories were horsey adventures with my mom. She was a groom at a track in Arizona and took me with her on the weekends to go play with racehorses. She use to take me on bareback rides down the sandy roads in the desert on my aunt's palomino gelding.

Trusy Dominic. 

One clear memory I have may be one of the most important things she ever taught me. Always wear a bra when riding. She told me that I would understand someday. I understand. So well.

The other influential person on my riding was my friend and "instructor" Deanna. She was only a year older than me but she taught me so many things. My dad found their boarding barn and brought me out there for a little visit. She threw me up onto her horse, I rode around the barn and beamed with confidence after she told my dad I was a natural. I then slipped behind the saddle and we rode doubles around the pasture and through the creek beds. I was thrilled when my dad told me that I would be having my 11th birthday party there.

Riding in Idaho. On Sassy. With horrible permed hair.

After that, I got to take lessons once a month with her. She taught me all of the basics of horse care and how to be a free spirit on a horse. We raced around and traveled all around the desert foothills. We played games and she told me that I was a better english rider than a western rider. It pissed me off, but I went with it.

2. Piece of tack you would love to splurge on

Right now that would be a dressage saddle that actually fit me. The knee rolls on my current one cause me a lot of knee pain (which I already have and don't need more of). It wouldn't even have to be an expensive saddle, just one that helped me as a rider and was comfortable. And comfy and fit the pony too!

Convince the husband that the tax refund should go towards a new saddle? Or bills. Those too.

3. Top 5 riding playlist (Oh geez)

• Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes (The Glitch Mob version is good too!)
• Pumped Up Kicks- Foster the People
• Everloving- Moby
• SIC-Slipknot
• When the Levee Breaks- Led Zeppelin

4. Most important aspect of your barn

Well, considering all of my ponies get to live with me, the most important aspect is making sure we provide the best care we can with the funds that we have. Husband knows that and allows this to happen. Last year I even got to get a new trailer! Even though we still haven't been able to use it, I am very thankful that he planned with me to buy it. I think our horses are well cared for, especially with what we have. I day dream about having acres for them to be out on, and I am sad that I can't provide that ample turnout or nice arenas or fancy stalls. But they eat well, have a regular farrier schedule, get bundled up when I am cold and cared for. 

Goal: To have their pasture look like that again this year!

5. Three winter riding goals

Ha! Well, hard to have riding goals when you don't get to ride. The general goal here is to hope that my horses (Bacon in particular) have a nice winter break. Hopefully we will be able to come back to work this spring looking awesome and ready for the year. So far, this week has been killing me. I don't know what is wrong, but there is more pain than usual and yesterday was full of body tremors and dizziness. And I have had enough of that.

This was last Feb. Hopefully we will be doing this again soon!