Liebster Award

Finally!  I've 'won' something.  Now if I could just get a ribbon to hang on my wall.

Seriously though, thanks to Carla at The Collegial Equestrian for nominating me.  I'm about to go on vacation so it's kind of good timing since I didn't get a ride in since my last ride.  At least I'm leaving on a good note!

Okay, here's the contest stuff:

HOW TO ACCEPT THE AWARD: The Liebster Blog Award is a way to recognize blogs who have less than 200 followers.  Liebster is a German word that means beloved and valued.  Here are the rules for accepting the award:

1. Thank the person who nominated you and include a link back to their blog.
2. List 11 random facts about yourself.
3. Answer the 11 questions given to you.
4. Create 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate.
5. Choose 11 bloggers with 200 or fewer followers to nominate and include links to their blogs.
6. Go to each blogger's page and let them know you have nominated them.

Eleven Random Facts

1. I have had every hair color you can imagine, including purple, pink and even orange.  My hair this month is platinum.  Sorry you don't get to see it since I usually don't take pictures of my un-showered, helmet haired self at the barn.

2. I have worked in the pet industry for 17 years and know more than is appropriate about dog and cat poop.

3.  After having my daughter in 2006, I developed allergies....to dogs and cats.  Please see above for why this is a problem.

4.  I love my kid, but I'm not a huge fan of 'kids'.

5.  Until a few years ago the only thing I could cook was toast.

6.  I'm a messy clean freak.  I want my  house to be clean but I'm a bit of a slob.  It makes me feel a bit schizophrenic sometimes.

7.  I'm a musician and all my friends are 'music snobs' and pick on me because I like really bad pop music.

8.  I also like really bad reality television, but I don't have cable so I only get to watch it about once a year when we're in a hotel.

9.  I'm taller than I look.  I slouch so I look 5'4, but I'm actually 5'7.  It's mostly in my legs, which also makes me look shorter than I am.

10.  We can't keep ice cream in the house because I will eat the ENTIRE carton in one sitting.  No joke.  Doesn't matter how big the carton is, it's me and a spoon and a good book until it's gone.

11.  My husband's passion is a sailboat which, as it turns out, is WAY more expensive than horses.  Though this helps my guilt about spending money on my pony, it doesn't help our bank account which is always pushed to it's limit with boat and horse stuff.  If my daughter takes up race cars, we will have the tri-fecta of most expensive sports in our family.  We will probably also need second jobs...

Questions from Carla

1. Outline your riding experience.

Rode at horse camp as a kid for a week every summer.  My parents borrowed a horse for a year when I was 14.  I rode bareback because they wouldn't buy me a saddle and my babysitting money all went to pay for the care of the horse.  After that year, I went horse-less until I was 21.  I scrounged up money to take english riding lessons and bought my first horse.  Rode regularly for two years until I had a horrible accident where I ripped my hip flexor tendons, broke all the little bones on the top of my feet, hyper extended my lower back muscles and cracked most of my ribs.  Took some time off.  Bought another horse to do Western Pleasure with.  Took some natural horsemanship lessons.  Sold her due to financial problems.  Took more time off to grow up and have a kid.  Bought a fancy pants Western Pleasure horse that was drugged at time of purchase.  Huge lesson learned!  He was supposed to be bomb proof and instead was one of the scariest spookers I've ever ridden.  He'd go from head down, ridiculously slow jog to spinning halfway around the arena in terror.  Sold him and took a few more years off.  Then bought The Pony (Tessa) for peanuts.  My first trainer was in an eventing barn and when we ran into problems, I switched to the resident trainers and have been there ever since.  I take lessons weekly in dressage or jumping.  I was told by my doctor to not jump anymore after my accident, so we only jump teensy tiny little jumps.

2. Who was your favorite instructor and why?

I don't remember her name, but it was a clinician who was just very enthusiastic.  She'd say something like "a little more leg.  Move it back.  There.  There!  YES!  BRILLIANT!  FEEL THAT??!!!  WONDERFUL!  MARVELOUS!"  You'd be sweating and grinning like crazy and nodding because you couldn't actually talk because you were working too hard.  I've never ridden at anything other than a low level and my horses have always been grade or off breeds and she didn't care ONE TINY BIT.

3. What is the best thing that has happened horse-wise so far this year?

Learning to finally go forward and believing in my horse's awesomeness.

4. What is the worst thing that has happened horse-wise so far this year?

Coming to terms with the fact that I do not get to ride the way I did before I had a kid.  I'm lucky to make it to the barn three days a week and this is my reality.

5. Are you a cat person or a dog person--or both, or neither?

I've had both dogs and cats.  They both have their ups and downs, but I'm probably more of a dog person.  However, I am now a dog person who is so allergic to dogs that she can't even touch one or go over to a house where there are dogs without having an asthma attack.

6. What's your favorite piece of equipment?

My 'Oh Crap Strap' on the front of my saddle.  Even though I've never used it in an actual emergency, I like knowing it's there.  Sometimes I use it to steady my hands and sometimes I just hook a hand through it if I'm feeling nervous.

7. What's your favorite thing to do with your horse?

We haven't experienced enough to answer this properly, but I love our jump lessons.  I also have a secret affinity for tail washing, but Tessa isn't such a big fan so it's not my favorite thing to do....yet.

8. What is something you've always wanted to do but never tried?

Some sort of cow event or dude ranch where you have a 'job'.  
9. Do you and your horse have "colors"?

Pink and black.  Which is hilarious because I'm SO not a pink girl.  But Tessa is a total princess and looks adorable in pink so I just roll with it.
10. What is your favorite easy dinner to make after coming home from the barn?

Ha!  My favorite easy dinner after the barn is one that my husband cooks.  Otherwise, I would just eat cereal and toast for dinner.  I usually am at the barn after dinner, so my after barn snack is usually some popcorn and red wine.
11. What is your #1 riding goal for this year?

To be able to ride forward without fear.

Eleven Blogs!

Some of you probably already got one of these from someone else, but what can I say....these are some of my favorites.  Also, if y'all are too busy to do this, I totally understand.  :)

1.  All Gear No Skill
2.  Calm Forward Straight
3.  I Pick Crazy
4. Thoroughbred Adventure
5.  My Equine Odyssey
6.  Green Slobber
7.  Princess Diva Diaries
8. Pia and Prarie's Parade
9. What Was I Thinking?
10.  Life As A Dangerbunny
11. The Red Horse Tales

And now I have to come up with my eleven questions.  Uh....erm.....ok, here goes nothing.

1.  Were horses in your childhood?

2.  What's the weirdest lesson/clinic you've ever had on horseback?

3.  What one thing would you change about your horse?

4.  What one thing would you change about yourself?

5.  Do you board or keep your horse at home?

6.  What is your favorite thing about boarding or keeping your horse at home?

7.  What is your least favorite thing about boarding or keeping your horse at home?

8.  What nicknames do you have for your horse?

9.  What scares you the most about riding/horses?

10.  What is your best skill around horses?

11.  What is your dream pony vacation?