10 Questions for December

Thanks to L Williams for breaking up my boring blog with a fun hop!

Does your horse need shoes?

Currently, neither of the mares wear shoes. Fox might benefit from them, but the farrier agrees with her usual work load and age, it doesn't really make sense to shoe her, and would be hard on her already damaged legs to do so.

Enjoy a photo of the chunk to break up a wall of text. 

What do you think of the barefoot vs shoes debate? 

I think you should do what is best for your horse. They're individuals, and while I love barefoot because it's cost effective, I think shoes have a time and a place, and they aren't a bad thing.

Favorite season for riding? 

FALL. It has the best temps, the horses tend to be happy, and especially in the early fall, you can still ride outside because the world isn't a dark dreary place... yet.

Fall rides make for shadow photos

How many shows do you think you’ve gone to? 

Um. Good question. Let's lay things down:

Arabians: 2, though they were at the barn so I don't know if that counts.. I'm counting home schooling shows.

Mary's: Fall shows x 5, Scott County Fair x 2

Wyndem/RRS: 3

Otter Creek Spring - Fox

Roebke's Run Summer - Fox

Roebke's Run Fall - Fox

Dakota: 6

Carriage House - Foxie

Roebke's Summer - Bails

Steepleview HT - Bails

Roebke's Fall - Bails

Otter Creek Spring - Bails

Roebke's Summer - Bails

Bailey says being a dressage horse might actually be fun.

Do you consider yourself a good rider? 

I don't like that term. I'd like to think I'm relatively proficient at the basics, and sometimes ok at other stuff.

If anything, I'm sticky.

How experienced do you think someone needs to be to own a horse? 

I think the jump from lessons/riding to owning is huge. There's a learning curve you don't even realize until you sign the check, even if you've been leasing. I think you definitely need to have taken lessons on the basics, and would strongly encourage leasing/working at the barn first. Even after a summer of barn work and leasing, buying Foxie was a huge learning curve for me. 

Have you ever gotten into a fight with your trainer?
Yep. And I got snubbed/ignored/death stared at while at shows by her and her posse until she moved to another state. I am guessing I will be left alone now that she's gone.

Describe your dream horse. 
I think I own my dream horse; talented, personable, quirky. Some day in the future I'd love to own something Irish, but I'm not picky on looks or anything. Mostly I just dream of horses who are fun to ride - and luckily I own two!
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One of these derps is derpier than the other. Also one is shorter and wider. Hah.

Does anyone in your family ride? 
Hubs was learning before his knee surgery, and as we turn into surgery #3 I am hoping he will be able to be back in the saddle one day. Other than that, my family ended up on a horse occasionally on vacations but I wouldn't call that "riding".

If you could ride any horse in the world, which one would it be? why? 
Holy. I would really be hard put between riding a talented dressage horse like, say, Valegro, and getting to sit on something crazy and complex but a total machine XC.... Lets stick with Valegro, for simplicity.