15 More Questions

You know what I miss? A good ol' blog hop. Luckily for me, Anna had even worse weather than I ever do, so she posted one!

1 – What would you consider to be your favorite item you’ve purchased for your horse?

Oooh, tough one. Y'all know I'm not big on shopping, but I'll have to vote for the nearly-new brown Wintec 500 I bought for Arwen in 2023. It was such a literal Godsend - the first saddle I tried fit the horse great and I got it from a friend, so there was no fussing around with awkward trial periods or couriers. Although I have to say that my cute show ear thingy is also very high on the list.

okay so this helmet, these Nu Angles, the double bridle my friends and hubs got me, and the blue glitter browband are also on the list

2 – When you found your current horse, what drew you to them?

I found my horses and my husband the same way - they kind of just showed up. Skye and Arwen arrived so long ago that I barely remember any specific reason about liking them, I just liked them because I was a horse kid and they were horses. (Of course, I found lots of reasons to like them later on). Thunder I loved because I was a horse kid and he was a foal - even better.

I picked Faith out of her group of two-year-olds at the time because she had an ethereal, airy-fairy beauty. Not the greatest reason to pick out a horse, but she really still looks not-quite-real, and is far bigger and more athletic than those same peers today.

Lancey was a repo case - I claimed him because his people couldn't pay his stabling. I originally planned to resell him, but his perfectly cuddly, goofball personality made him too irresistible, and I realized that you only ever get one Lancey in your life. It would have been silly to let him go.

Finally, I picked Wynnie and Raya's sire primarily for his movement. He had all the basic things that would have been total deal-breakers for me if they weren't in place (good feet, good mouth, good brain, good back), but his free, elastic movement set him apart from others in the breed.

3- If you could move your horse and yourself anywhere in the world, budget is no problem; where would you go and why?

I think it would be really fun to spend one season in a super horsy neighborhood overseas like Ocala and be fully immersed in that culture, but only for a season. I love where we are. It's far enough outside the city that it feels very rural, but all the major shows, vets, and other amenities are an hour away. Absolutely perfect.

4 – Is there something on your horsey wish list you’re coveting? What is it? (new pad, halter, bridle, a trailer, etc)

I'm dying to completely level out and redo my arena footing, but without a tractor, it's proving to be a challenge. We'll likely have to hire a tractor next spring to do it. In the meantime, trusty old Flash has been harnessed to the harrow and has to pull it around every time it rains, so that's fun.

5- Do you have a playlist for your horse? What is on it?

I don't have a playlist, but Arwen does have a song. It is a relic of my upbringing as a homeschooled teenager whose friends were only allowed to play Minecraft and delved the oddest corners of the internet. You have been warned.

6 – In 3 sentences or less, describe your horse- bonus points if you can use a gif. (inspired by Mamas Magic Way being described as one of Boyd Martin’s kids in a recent article tbh)

Ages ago we assigned an animated movie character to each horse. This is the perfect time to showcase them.

Arwen is obvious.

the Nightest Fury there ever was

Thunder is warm, cuddly, and always patient with my general BS. He's also chubby and in his extended canter you can practically hear him say, "I am not fast." He's obviously Baymax.

Me: Oh no I'm bad at life! Thunder: There, there.

Lancey is another obvious one. "Some people are worth melting for."

7 – If you could go see a clinic or participate, who would you audit/participate in? (Again, budget is no question here)

This one is tough for me, because as much as we all want to ride with Olympians, I do not ride an Olympic-bred horse. I love having J as my coach specifically because he has shown many off-breed horses all the way to GP, so he understands how to break down movements into tiny bite-sized pieces and introduce them to horses to whom they don't come naturally.

I think it would be really fun to watch a completely different clinic to the worlds I'm used to, like Western or saddle seat.

8 – Favorite fictional horse?

This is super niche, but I loved Ardanwen from The Letter for the King. Not only is Ardanwen the fastest Friesian in all the land (as they always seem to be), he also spends most of his time rescuing the hapless main characters from all kinds of disaster. He also carries most of the plot on his back, let's be honest.

9 – Opinions on Devacoux’s latest saddle design?

I'm neither smart enough (or, let's be real, in the right price bracket!) to know what it's really about, but I will say that it's a little silly-looking. If it works, though, who cares?

10 – If money was no problem, would you get a custom saddle?

Absolutely. With many sparkles. Nothing really fits my oddly-shaped little round horses perfectly, so as much as we happily make do with what we have, it would be cool to get the perfect fit.

11 – If your horse wasn’t a horse, what animal would they be? (basically copy paste your horse’s personality into another animal – what animal would they be)

We've long since established that Arwen is a dragon (and so is Wynnie) and Lancey is a unicorn. Thunder would be a big, fluffy dog or an orange cat. Skye is a pegasus. I will die on this hill. (You never said they had to be real animals).

12- Favorite horse and rider combo? (i.e Boyd Martin and Fedarman B)

That's an easy one: Becky Moody and Jagerbomb. They look like such a harmonious partnership even though Jagerbomb is clearly a bit of a live wire, and her social media is humble and hilarious. Plus he's a homebred like my Thunderbird. Love it.

13 – What was your favorite or best advice for horses you were ever given?

J said to me once that every horse is a Grand Prix horse until proven otherwise. Sure, not every horse actually will be able to compete at Grand Prix. But if you set aside barriers like soundness and extreme age, approaching every single horse like they have the ability to go all the way puts a measure of belief behind them that might just surprise you with its results. That doesn't mean pushing or forcing a horse to be something they physically can't or mentally don't want to be; it's just believing in them and daring to dream audaciously.

14 – What is the best and worst registered name for a horse that you’ve seen recently?

I don't really want to pick the worst name because, you know, somebody did pick that name and thought it was a cute name, but I do find the Friesian names kind of funny. 17 hands of midnight and fire bound by muscle and lit with strength - and you show it under the Dutch equivalent of, like, Joe or Henry or Pete. Hilarious.

Magic had the stupidest racehorse name I've ever seen. He was called Gadsfly, poor bro.

I love lots of the old Afrikaans names that the Nooities and Boerperde have, like Voorslag (the cracker on the end of a whip), Vastrap (firm steps, also a traditional dance), Bomskok (shellshock), Voorspoed (prosperity), and Haastig (in a hurry). Waaksaam (alert) is another favourite. One used to come across lots of horses with Boer War names but I haven't met a De La Rey in a while.

15 – Do you want to try another discipline or something fun with your horse?

If I had unlimited time, Arwen and I would 100% be doing working equitation. SO fun.

16 – Free space! Leave a funny story, photo, advice, a quote, or something you want to pass along to the next person!

This is a Sebright (albeit not a show quality one). They're adorable and about the size of a pigeon. I thought you should know.

God is good.

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