1. What is the first thing you do when you get to the barn?
Check the white board at the door to the barn for any updates or messages.
2. Is there a breed that you would never own?
I'll ride anything with four legs and a tail, but I can't imagine I'd own a Saddlebred.
3. Describe your last ride?
Go forward, go forward, go forward. Resetting him mentally so he knows it's collection time.
4. Have any irrational riding fears?
Horses running in a field next to me when I'm mounted. I will usually panic and dismount regardless of who I'm riding.
5. Describe your favorite lesson horse?
Gus. He was so kind and sweet and tried so hard while taking care of me at the 3' hunters. Auto change, adorable knees, and just wonderful to handle for anything but mane pulling.
6. Would you ever lease out your horse?
Yes, that's the plan when he's ready to step down.
7. Mares: Yay or neigh?
I had one but not my first choice. Adds a whole other component of trying to figure out what resistance is coming from. Is she having cramps/cysts/heat cycle or is it something else?
8. How many time per week do you get to see your horse?
Used to be three or four but it's now going to be five or six.
9. Favorite thing to do on an “easy day” with your pony?
Trail ride or jumping day.
10. Conformational flaw that bothers you the most?
Crooked legs. I want a horse that will hold up over time.
11. Thing about your riding that you’re most self conscious about?
Sitting trot. I have the worst case of imposter syndrome every time I sit the trot and people can see me.
12. Will you be participating in no stirrup November?
Sort of? I don't take stirrups off my saddle because I have to warm up with stirrups and posting without stirrups is hell on my bad hip. It makes weird sounds. I usually schedule some lunge lessons during November since everyone is thinking about it and that's all.
13. What is your grooming routine?
Haas curry comb followed by the Haas Schimmel brush (stiff) and the Haas Lippizaner brush (body). Pick out his feet and, if it's still a muddy nightmare out, treat with Bannix to manage thrush. If it's Sunday his tail is fully brushed out, his mane is treated with Ecolicious mane oil and rebraided in pasture braids, and his hooves get hit with some Hooflex.
14. Describe a day in the life of your horse?
Lives out 24/7. Breakfast is around 8am, dinner is around 4:30pm, I usually ride around 6pm. Outside of that, he spends his day eating hay, eating grass, napping, and playing halter tag with his TB neighbor.
15. Favorite season for riding?
Fall. The heat breaks, the bugs go away, and we usually get a week or two of stunning, dry, perfect weather. Can't get me in the ring at all during this period of time.
16. If you could only have 1 ring: indoor or outdoor?
Indoor. I live in New Hampshire and if I only had an outdoor, I'd lose four or so months out of the year.
17. What impresses you most about the opposite discipline (english vs. western)?
I do both, sooooo what about saddleseat? I am impressed by the raw power and enthusiasm of the horses.
18. You have unlimited funds to buy one entire tack set for your horse, what is he/she wearing?
Custom Frank Baines dressage saddle with blue piping and short flaps and quilting on the cantle, PS of Sweden saddle pad, Stubben Equi-soft dressage girth, white Majyk dressage boots, white Eskadron bell boots, PS of Sweden Flying Change bridle, NS Verdinbend bit, bold style browband from PS of Sweden
19. How many blankets do you have? When do you blanket?
Ha ha ha ha, I have a horse that's body clipped in NH that lives out 24/7. Rain sheet, medium turn out, heavy turn out, neck rug, heavy neck rug, Irish knit, square cooler, Baker sheet, Baker blanket, Baker rain sheet, Baker show rain sheet, Baker cooler, stable blanket (100g used as under layer for turn outs), wool quarter sheet.
20. What is your horse’s favorite treat? Favorite place to be scratched?
German Horse Muffin. We call them crack cookies for a reason. Those actually got him trained to stand for his Adequan shots rather than trying to flatten everyone in the area. The best scratching spot right now is his whole body, the bugs are bad. His ears are his favorite spot always, year round, every day.
21. Something about your barn that drives you crazy?
Why is the round pen still up in the middle of my large arena??!!
22. Roached manes, pulled manes, or long flowing manes?
Whatever works for the horse. I usually go for pulled manes or trimmed if their mane is naturally thinner, but with a full double mane like Theo's, going long has worked much better. He's happier, I'm happier, and he looks awesome.
23. Can you handle a buck or a rear better?
I can do both, but rearing freaks me out more. I've had two horses flip over with me, I've got reasons to not like it.
24. I would never buy a horse who ___________________?
Actually tried to hurt the rider. I've met a few in my life and they are an absolute no. I won't even handle them.
25. Favorite facial marking?
Star plus snip. Always been my favorite.
Straight legs are super important!
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