Does your horse need shoes? Nope. I have never had a shod horse.
What do you think of the barefoot vs shoes debate? I have my beliefs and refuse to get in a debate over it and it's ridiculous how bent out of shape people can get between the two. Doing what's best for the horse is paramount.
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| A Misty hoof |
Favorite season for riding? Late spring or fall. Perfect trail riding weather! Not too hot, not too cold, beautiful foliage, what's not to like?
How many shows do you think you’ve gone to? I have no idea... too many to count over the years. I started with 4-H and Open shows, then dressage league shows and High School Equestrian team. I've done a couple recognized USEA events and one recognized USDF show, mostly just little dressage or derby shows! I don't get to do as many shows as I would like any more, but I went to at least 5 this year.
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| My first recognized HT |
Do you consider yourself a good rider? Yeah, I think I'm a good rider. Not particularly great, but I've got the basics down and can get on unfamiliar or green horses and put in a semblance of some good work.
How experienced do you think someone needs to be to own a horse? I don't necessarily think you need a lot of experience as long as you have someone who IS experienced to help you along the way. Working at a feed store and even at my barn I see people who are absolutely clueless in every single way about horses, yet they buy one and have no one helping them. They don't know what to feed, what tack to buy, how to measure them for any of that tack, how to know if their horse is colicking, how to clip, etc. When I got my first horse my family was fairly clueless, but we had a great trainer that literally taught me everything from the ground up.
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| So long ago, so clueless |
Have you ever gotten into a fight with your trainer? Yes, that first trainer on my first horse... She was an incredible trainer who I owe everything to. But my first horse was 16 years old, he was a ranch horse before I got him. We turned him into a great horse, but he was never going to be a show horse. It just didn't click in his brain how to do precise movements, etc. But she kept pushing me to show him in pattern classes when it just didn't work for us and I got into a screaming match with her over it at one point. Definitely regret it, but it's never happened again. I respect my trainers and the trainers I choose for myself now know what to push for and I have the appropriate horse to push in that way!
Describe your dream horse? I love horses with a little chrome, especially a soft spot for blaze faces. I like a horse with correct conformation, uphill and more short-backed horses. Personable and sweet on the ground, with a good work ethic in the saddle. Nothing fancy with gaits, though I wouldn't mind a horse with a little bit better gaits than Jetta. Not spooky. I like horses that are more than one-trick ponies since I love to trail ride, jump and do dressage.
Does anyone in your family ride? Not anymore. My dad grew up on a ranch so he rode a little when he was young and my mom loved horses when she was younger and actually bought herself a horse when she was in her late 20's. They tried to ride a little when I first got into horses and my brother actually took some riding lessons and went to horse camp with me, but no one besides me was really into it.
If you could ride any horse in the world, which one would it be and why? Probably Snowman. He just sounds like such a cool horse, I would love to have been able to ride him.
