Music to ride to

Someone started a discussion on music for the start box on cross country. I had an answer for that all ready to go.

Fort Minor - Remember the Name

What can I say, that chorus is directly applicable to horseback riding in just about any discipline, but I find it particularly fitting for an eventer about to tackle cross country. That and I need a slower beat because start boxes freak me out. That countdown sends my pulse through the ceiling. I'll admit, this is the ring tone I assigned to the barn and my trainer so I know not to ignore those calls.

Then I started to think about other times that we need music.

Dressage: Apocalyptica - Farewell
Instrumental is the way to go for dressage. I'm one of those that needs to be reminded that it's not a fight, I'm not out to prove something, I'm just supposed to go ride the test and show how well we work together. Soothing music is definitely the way to go for both of us. Honestly, a lot of the instrumental work from Apocalyptica would work just fine. Beautiful, Ruska, and Sacra all come to mind. However, if I ever do a musical freestyle, this is my entrance music: Gaia Queen by Toby "Radiation" Fox. The judges will hate it.

Stadium: Row, Row, Row Your Boat
No, seriously, listen closely when I'm on course. There's a good chance you're going to hear me singing this quietly under my breath to help me keep a rhythm. Counting doesn't keep me as calm as singing, and I've been singing this on course since I was about seven. Of course, warming up and heading into the ring, I'm hearing Crystamanthequins by Erik "Jit" Scheele. Stadium is serious business. I blame my years in the jumper ring for the intense music that goes with stadium. Another song is Time on My Side by Joren "Tensei" de Bruin. At least I don't do jump offs anymore, that music just gets angry.

Out for a gallop in beautiful weather with the fall foliage covering the hills of NH as you come up to the highest point around: Two Steps from Hell - Promise
No explanation needed. You know the exact moment I'm talking about.

Horse themes:
Allen: Right Said Fred - I'm Too Sexy
He liked to think so, anyway. Tall, dark, and handsome. 17h, all muscle, and thought he was a stud. We had to lunge him before a lot of shows, and if another horse was watching? He could put on quite a show. He'd flag his tail and snort and carry on like he thought he was a stallion. When we'd unload him from the trailer he'd look a lot bigger than 17h with the way he'd go up on his toes. He would just deflate when we rolled our eyes and told him to knock it off. Amazing how he'd turn back into a pocket pony after that.

Fiona: Jzabehl - It's All About Me
How could this not be about the princess? Edumacated, complicated, and unique? She has that in spades. I swore I wouldn't get a mare because there wasn't enough room for two b****es in this relationship, but it seems to be working out.

My tastes seem to run from extreme to extreme. I doubt I'm the only one that spends time finding the perfect song for certain occasions. I have iPod play lists set up for changing my mood as needed. There are 'pumped up' songs and 'calm down' songs. Now I just need to figure out how I can listen to my music while I'm actually in the saddle. I don't really want to inflict my taste in music on the masses.