Anxiety at A Blog Hop: 15 More Random Questions

A whole month down the line, I find myself still mostly confined to the indoors with this stubborn respiratory infection. It has certainly been a lesson in gracefully accepting my human limitations and allowing myself to be human and God to be God.

We'll resume our adventures when the time is right. In the meantime, I'm grateful for a good old blog hop from the delightful (and relatable) Anxiety at A!

1. If you could create your dream horse, what would it look like?

I feel like the ones I have are dreams enough, but in the spirit of the question, if I could build-a-pony it would be a 15.2hh floaty thing with both baroque and Arab vibes. It would have a super cute head, a really muscly topline, and a high tail. Also it would be a really golden tiger dun with four even white stockings and a perfectly diamond-shaped star and snip. It would be a gelding who could have babies. (We are in dreamland here, just roll with it). He would have a wavy mane to his knees and a super thick wavy tail.

or I'd ask for Shy Boy back

2. Least favourite equestrian brand?

I honestly don't buy enough stuff new to feel particularly relevant here---I ran the stableyard on pure hand-me-downs for years---so I'm going to take a different twist on this and say that one thing I absolutely don't understand is the amount of big stableyards that feed the most el-cheapo concentrates (grain). There are plenty of grain manufacturers I won't touch with a long pole that nonetheless supply some of the top yards in the country. I'm a master of saving wherever we can when it comes to making horse ownership more accessible, but quality feed and appropriate hay are not negotiable in my book.

even this low-maintenance beast gets the best balancer on the market

3. Favourite horse show memory?

Oooh, tricky. It's a toss-up between this year's Horse of the Year, dressage at Easter Fest this year, and this event in our youth.

4. One thing you learned in your youth (or early in your horse experience) that has stayed true in your horse training today?

Riding absolutely rocks and horses are incredible, created beings that will take your breath away every day if you let them.

certified 100% breathtaking

5. How many horses do you think you've ridden in your entire horse career?

Lots. A hundred? I don't even know.

6. Favourite "celebrity" horse?

Easy! Valegro. Obviously. I mean, not only is he THE dressage horse, but I feel like a bumptous amateur like me could even enjoy a ride on him without being overwhelmed. He seems so kind, relaxed, happy and lovely.

7. Embarrassing moment in your horse experience?

Oh, so many. So, so many. One involving a pair of show breeches that had seen much better days and an adorable pony stallion named Reed. They split right down the middle as I came down the centreline and thus we rode Prelim 2 and 3 in sitting trot.

Also, I'm not sure why these stories are both about underwear, but I only discovered after getting the show photos that cute white panties with little black hearts on them are a poor choice under show whites. That was a memorable moment for 18-year-old Firn flushed with victory after a not-as-bad-as-usual show on Magic.

Ugh, not to mention the time I rode over to the judge's box while the rider before me was still doing her test. I'd just turned 18 and didn't know any better. I still think about that every single time I'm about to go to the judge and it makes my toes curl.

Reed and teenage Firn

 8. Favourite stallion in your discipline (or generally favourite stallion if you have one?)

It's a toss-up between two Nooitgedachter stallions that I both really like.

First up, Wynnie's dad, Wilgerus Dakota. I used him on Arwen, Faith and Rene (Rene is back in foal to him as we speak) and I will use him again if I get the opportunity. Of course, he ticks all the basic boxes for me: straight legs, great teeth, doesn't need much extra feeding, excellent bare feet, trainability and safe and simple to handle even for kiddos. I picked him specifically, though, based on his outstanding movement. He has a lovely free shoulder and a level of elasticity that the breed misses at times, and it complimented Arwen really well. He stamps his foals with a really beautiful head, always a bonus. I also love the fact that he's bay. I love my greys, but with melanomas so prevalent, it doesn't make sense not to avoid breeding them.

Having said that, my second favourite Nooitie stallion is a grey named Waaksaam Staal. Arwen and I rode against him a lot in his younger days and he is not only one of the most decorated stallions in the breed, he was also shown extensively by an expert junior, and he just never put a foot out of line. He's a real gentleman, doesn't fuss in the stable at a show, doesn't scream, his grooms lead him around in a flat halter. More than that, Staal has won everything there is to win both in hand and under saddle in the Nooitie classes. He's a bigger stallion with a bit more athleticism to him than Dakota but hasn't been tested in veld conditions the way Dakota has. Still, he's an older boy now - older than Arwen I think, with a lot of mileage - and still sound and healthy. He also has the loose, open movement that I'm looking for. I'm really hoping to get the opportunity to use him on a few of my mares this season or next season.

I almost forgot that Midas pony is actually a grandson of Staal through his sire.

Wilgerus Dakota

9. How's your sitting trot?

On Arwen? Pro level. Amazing. Anybody else? Absolutely useless. I mean, my butt stays in the saddle, but it's amazing how many parts of you can bounce uncontrollably without your seat bones ever losing contact.

10. What are your favourite colours on your horse(s)?

I love colours! Skye's was always sky blue, although she is a naked feral old woman now so she doesn't really have any of her own stuff. She more or less takes herself where she needs to go - I don't remember the last time she wore a halter - but she gets fly masks in her colour and is due a new blanket.

The yard colours are green and silver, so our shared stuff is usually green, like lunging gear and travel boots.

Arwen's colour is royal blue, which Wynnie will inherit. Honestly, I think royal blue looks gorgeous on basically any colour horse, but it's especially pretty on Arwen's brand of dark-for-her-age grey. It'll be cute on Wynnie too, though, especially with how rich her colour is.

Thunder's colour is purple because purple is beautiful. I sent him to J's with all sorts of cute purple things and found them all neatly stowed in my trunk when I went to visit lol. Also, with that tailcoat beckoning on the horizon, how do we feel about a deep plum fabric for that?

Finally, there's Lancey. His colour is rainbow/floral/glitter/whatever satisfies my inner child and I love it. If anyone out there has done temporary dye on a mane/tail, let me know what you did. I'm thinking of trying hair chalk on him this December to make him my honest-to-goodness unicorn.

unicorn

11. What social media do you spend the most time on?

Facebook. What can I say? It's something I'm trying to do less of.

12. Any horsy books you've read recently?

I spend so much time in the written word for work that I have to be really careful not to kill my love of reading, so I'll be honest: apart from Scripture, I read only fiction, and only fiction that I really like. When I want to improve my knowledge, I'm far more likely to pick up a video or podcast. That said, I'm nearly done with my equine behaviour course and loving it.

13. What is your favourite online store to buy horse products from?

Bridle Boutique has been a staple for well-priced leggings and blankets for years. I also love Horze for great service and value for money, especially their helmets.

beloved Horze helmet

14. Is there a supplement you give your horse that you don't think you could go without?

I'll say it again: horsemanship doesn't come in a packet. That said, I've seen good results this year with collagen for elderly horses with mild joint stiffness.

15. What is your favourite part about blogging?

I know blogging is not the in-thing anymore, and one effect it's had is that the horse blogging community has become smaller and rather tight-knit, which I love. We all know each other's horses and cheer each other on, and I truly feel like it's one of the few mostly supportive equestrian internet communities out there. I love reading other blogs as much as I enjoy writing mine.

My other favourite thing about blogging is being able to go back years and revisit in-depth write-ups of memories that only get more and more precious as time goes on. I have long recaps of Arwen's (and my) first shows, of backing Lancey, and so many sweet memories of my Magic pony who is not with us anymore. Especially in the last few weeks, with being unable to ride, I do go back and reread my old posts to smile at all the fun things we've done together. What's more, it shows me how much I have grown personally over the years, how my philosophies have changed, how the Lord has been at work in me. It's a testimony to His faithfulness and a way in which to remind myself over and over of who He is and what He is capable of.

God is good!

hunky man after the 20 minutes of groundwork I managed this week