I don’t know about y’all, but I’m a huge sucker for those instagram story templates. Especially if they ask good, thought-provoking questions that really give you insight into who someone is, on the inside. The only problem is that time and space are both quite limited in the story format, and there are a lot of interesting questions that I haven’t seen anyone ask yet. So, since it’s Wednesday and my brain is already fried, and it’s Halloween, my favorite holiday, let’s do something fun today with 25 questions! Some are easy, some are hard, some are fun, some might be a little uncomfortable, but here we go. The questions themselves are first so they’re easy to copy and paste, and then my answers are below.

1. Why horses? Why not a sane sport, like soccer or softball or curling?
2. What was your riding “career” like as a kid?
3. If you could go back to your past and buy ONE horse, which would it be?
4. What disciplines have you participated in?
5. What disciplines do you want to participate in some day?
6. Have you ever bought a horse at auction or from a rescue?
7. What was your FIRST favorite horse breed – the one you loved most as a kid?
8. If you could live and ride in any country in the world, where would it be?
9. Do you have any horse-related regrets?
10. If you could ride with any trainer in the world, ASIDE from your current trainer, who would it be?
11. What is one item on your horse-related bucket list?
12. If you were never able to ride again, would you still have horses?
13. What is your “biggest fantasy” riding goal?
14. What horse do you feel like has taught you the most?
15. If you could change one thing about your current horse/riding situation, what would it be?
16. If you could compete at any horse show/venue in your home country, where would it be?
17. If you could attend any competition in the world as a spectator, what would be your top choice?
18. Have you ever thought about quitting horses?
19. If you could snap your fingers and change one thing about the horse industry, what would it be?
20. What’s the dumbest horse-related thing you’ve done that actually turned out pretty well?
21. As you get older, what are you becoming more and more afraid of?
22. What horse-related book impacted you the most?
23. What personality trait do you value most in a horse and which do you dislike the most?
24. What do you love most about your discipline?
25. What are you focused on improving the most, at the moment?

 

Why horses? Why not a sane sport, like soccer or softball or curling?

I’m not sure why anyone would want to do a sport that doesn’t involve having an animal as a teammate. On one hand, a lot of what we do is completely insane by normal people standards. On the other hand, the rewards are more than worth it. I’ve never really been able to explain why I’m so drawn to horses though. Mostly I think it’s because of how giving and kind they are, without really expecting much in return… if people were more like horses, the world would be a better place. (I also feel the same way about dogs)

 

What was your riding “career” like as a kid?

I sat on a horse here and there a few times at birthday parties or for girl scouts, but I didn’t start weekly lessons until I was 10. It didn’t turn into more than weekly lessons until I was 14, when I moved to TX and started working at the barn I rode at. I was a stereotypical barn rat all through high school, riding anything and everything my trainer would let me ride. We didn’t have the budget to go to the A shows, but I would go along as a groom for my trainer or to help the other girls. In a way I’m grateful for that now, because I feel like I learned more about horsemanship without having showing as my main focus. 

 

If you could go back to your past and buy ONE horse, which would it be?

Puddles. I have no good reason for this. She was a complete nut and ridiculously hot. I loved her anyway.

 

What disciplines have you participated in?

Competitively – hunters, jumpers, equitation, eventing, and dressage. For fun – a little bit of reining and cutting also.

 

What disciplines do you want to participate in some day?

If I had to make a total departure, reined cow horse looks pretty fun. Kinda like the western equivalent to eventing?

Have you ever bought a horse at auction or from a rescue?

Yes to both. One from a TB exracer organization, and one from a very ghetto horse auction. 

 

What was your FIRST favorite horse breed – the one you loved most as a kid?

I was fairly obsessed with Morgans as a kid. Not sure why, the book Justin Morgan had a Horse definitely started it, I read that thing a million times. I still really like Morgans and have ridden a few but never owned one. 

If you could live and ride in any country in the world, where would it be?

That’s a tossup for England and Germany for me. England would be an easier place to live, for obvious reasons, but I sure do love Germany (and since when do I like to do things the easy way?). So I would probably tip towards Germany. I like their system for teaching people to ride, even if I’d probably have to go back and start all over with all the little kids.

 

Do you have any horse-related regrets?

From where I stand now? No. Just because I’m pretty pleased with the status quo. Sometimes I wish I’d gone on longer as a working student, or stuck with eventing that first time I did it, rather than going to back to the h/j world, but I also feel like maybe those things were necessary learning points for me that led me to where I am now.

 

If you could ride with any trainer in the world, ASIDE from your current trainer, who would it be?

Christopher Bartle. He probably wouldn’t know what do to with a plebian like me, but the man is a legend as a coach, so why not aim high?

 

What is one item on your horse-related bucket list?

Someday I will gallop around the Irish countryside on a good horse. 

If you were never able to ride again, would you still have horses?

Yes, for sure. I’d be a breeder!

 

What is your “biggest fantasy” riding goal?

Probably 2*. The highest levels aren’t really super appealing to me, but 2* seems reasonable enough for an amateur with a fantasy. 

 

What horse do you feel like has taught you the most?

Henry, hands down, no contest. About riding, about horses, about myself, about life… we would be here all day if I tried to list everything he’s taught me.

If you could change one thing about your current horse/riding situation, what would it be?

To be closer to my trainer. It’s hard to get as much done as I want to, or progress like I want to, when she’s 2 hours away. 

 

If you could compete at any horse show/venue in your home country, where would it be?

Rebecca Farm, for freaking sure. SOMEDAY. 

 

If you could attend any competition in the world as a spectator, what would be your top choice?

I’m fairly torn between Lion d’Angers and Burghley. Maybe next year I’ll be able to cross one of them off the list.

 

Have you ever thought about quitting horses?

Completely? No. I’ve taken a couple of very short “breaks” but I could never quit completely. I don’t think I would know myself without horses, everything I am is built around them, and some people might think that’s bad or weird but I like it that way.

 

If you could snap your fingers and change one thing about the horse industry, what would it be?

To fix the horse safety and horse welfare issues. 

 

What’s the dumbest horse-related thing you’ve done that actually turned out pretty well?

Have I ever told you about the time I was trying to take a break from horses to pay off some debt and I bought a horse sight unseen off of facebook for $900?

As you get older, what are you becoming more and more afraid of?

That I’ll never be any better, as a rider or a horseman, than I am now. 

 

What horse-related book impacted you the most?

Most recently, Tik Maynard’s book In the Middle are the Horsemen. I like his perspective on learning, it really hit home for me. 

 

What personality trait do you value most in a horse and which do you dislike the most?

Value Most: a horse that is genuine/kind/honest. Dislike most: a bad work ethic.

 

What do you love most about your discipline?

That it’s so freaking hard. Trying to be good at 3 very different things, all at the same time, is pretty ridiculous, but it’s what keeps you working hard day in and day out. I think that’s also what makes the people so great… we all know how hard it is, and how easily things can go wrong, and everyone seems so much more supportive of each other and kind to each other than in any other discipline I’ve done. 

 

What are you focused on improving the most, at the moment?

The mental side of things. At this point I know that’s what is holding me back the most, so I’m trying to fix my brain.