November 10!

Well, I had written a very thorough post describing a lot of the trials I have gone through over the last couple of months, but stupid Blogger ate it and I lost the motivation to type it up again! Thank goodness for L's 10 questions!

Two year old Vegas!

1. How old is the youngest/greenest horse you have ridden?

I sat on Vegas when she was 20 months old for a minute to see how she would handle it. She didn't care. As far as actual riding goes, the youngest would probably be the two year old at the race track!

2. How old is the oldest horse you have ridden?

Napoleon on the left. Grand grey boy. Me on Dan in the middle, and brother on Ace, the Missouri Fox Trotter

We had this handsome old boy named Napoleon at the barn. He was 38 when he had to be put down, and I had taken him for a couple of walk strolls that summer. What a cool boy. They use to leave his stall door open at the barn, and he was free to roam wherever he would like.

3. Were you scared of horses when you first started riding?

Dominic! And a 5 year old me.

No. When I was about 5, my aunt stepped inside to get a drink of water for me, and her horse Dominic decided to go on an adventure down the road to go see his girlfriend. I just laughed as we trotted along, my aunt and mom trying to catch up behind. Any horse I could hop on, I would.

4. Would you say you are a more nervous rider or confident rider?

Weeeeeeee! I haven't used this picture enough.

I would like to think confident. I tend to not get too worried, unless I am about to do a dressage test or I am on a runaway racehorse.

5. Biggest pet peeve around non-horsey people?

Me on another old gal, I think she was 28 years old?

No, I am not rich. No, I do not rodeo. No, you cannot run up to my horse, or take it hunting.

6. A time you have been scared for your life (horse related)?

Rothstein, the nice boy I learned to ride out there on. And a runaway.

When I was on a runaway racehorse. I was finally able to hold this horse (in a citation bit, yeesh) and had almost made my two gallops laps. Some guy thought it would be funny to put me on the rail, and when a horse gets on the rail, it "works". Or gallops at high speed. So my horse went to working, and I could feel all of the energy in my body dissappear trying to pull the horse up. So I hang on for the ride, almost running over two stupid riders on babies on the rail (not where you ride babies unless working). The outrider caught me on the back side, and we did another slow gallop lap. I was so tired.

7. Have you ever fallen off at a show? What happened?

Not this day!

Hasn't happened yet, but I am sure it will come some day!

8. What's a breed of horse you have never ridden but would like to ride?

This has been my favorite breed though!

I think maybe a Cleveland Bay, Irish Sport Horse, or perhaps a Dutch Warmblood?

9. Describe the worst behaved horse you have ever ridden?

This one wasn't too terribly bad. But that perm was.

Hmmm. There was a few at the barn I use to ride at as a kid. One in particular loved to bolt sideways in open spaces and another would crow hop every time a person went to get off. That one made me laugh though!

10. The most frustrating ride you have ever had?

The handsome Chappy was a little frustrating when I rode him. But I still love him!

When I know my horse is totally capable of doing what I am asking, but we get nowhere. You know, like trotting in a circle with some bend. Or when I got on a nice race mare on the track, but couldn't complete the ride because I had injured my arm the day before and it was causing me extreme pain, so I didn't even all the way around the track before I pulled off and walked her back to the barn.