Wednesday, September 24, 2014

STFS blog hop: Why I Do What I Do

Thanks to Jenn for the great idea! (And all the great comments. She is seriously the best instagram follower of all time. Holla Jenn!)

Hunters?
I have loved reading though everyone's editions of this blog hop and learning about all of you, but I didn't think I could participate, because I don't really "do" anything. I don't have a trainer that I pay money to. I don't have a show that I'm aiming for. Hell, I've only been to one show this whole year and it was hardly a stunning success.





And then my favorite 900fbpony did a hop and I was like "Well, I'm not quite as scattered as she is," so here goes.

Courage and I are a bit between disciplines right now. The only thing he's 100% solid at is racing and he doesn't want to do that anymore.

And me?



Eventers?
I grew up in 4H, which is basically breed showing on mutt horses. I wasn't very good.

I transitioned over to eventing. I only ever took two XC lessons, didn't know what a trot set was, and couldn't afford to join USEA, so BN only. I was ok, not great.

Then I did some dressage. I was not the best at it, though I'd guess perennially riding green horses didn't help much.

I spent too long trying to get my wildly unsuitable mare going and killed all the confidence I had as a kid that made me a solid rider.



We had something special
And then I met Cuna, the eventing machine, and we were KICK ASS in the most kick-ass-ing-ist way possible.

And that was awesome.

But all Courage knows is he doesn't want to be a racehorse. We tried doing XC, but my heart is just not in it. It still scares me (thanks bitch mare) and without Cuna there to be my rock, there is just no point.


10 jump. Or something.
So I told Courage he was going to be a hunter. I told him his ideal event horse conformation was not a big deal and he would just show off his 10 jump and wow everyone in Kentucky at the Derby in a couple years.

Or you know, we could just do jumpers.

I like that idea. I like jumping. I like things that fall down. I like the idea of having more than one chance to win a ribbon. I like the idea that if I screw up, I don't have to wait til the next thousand dollar show to try again. (Srsly how do you eventers do it? So expensive.)

who knows. why pick?
But I like other things too. I love trail riding. I really do want to hit a mini endurance ride and see how it goes. Courage and I need to play with cows just for funsies/and/or win a belt buckle.

So yeah, we aren't really showing now because I think Courage needs more miles before we can be competitive and I don't feel like flinging down money to go suck at shows this year.

I do plan to get back in the ring next year (I know, the universe laughs) and maybe then we'll at least look like we have a discipline to define ourselves with. Until then, we're just having fun.

I'm ok with that.

19 comments:

  1. I really like your posts because of how 100% honest you are. This is another good one :)

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  2. Holla right back atcha! I heart your IG :)

    Great post! I'm glad bloggers like you participated: you don't officially need to be competing in something to take part in the hop, and I love that you know what you do and don't like as far as disciplines go. It's awesome that you and Amanda bounce around in different things with your horses!

    I also (obviously) like that you like the jumpers ;)

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  3. Ha! No one is as scattered as me, apparently.

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  4. I'm in much the same position right now with my OTTB. He'd be one heck of a good event horse, but neither of us have the guts for cross-country. Officially, we're going to start with being jumpers. Actually, we're not even showing yet.

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  5. Oh man eventing is SO EXPENSIVE. But it's not anywhere as expensive as rated h/j shows! An entry fee for a recognized event is like $250, and then a stall, and gas to get there. A rated h/j show is like $2000, and then a stall, and gas, and a groom, and training fees, and hauling fees, and possibly a psychotherapist trying to figure out why exactly you're spending alllllll this money on your crazy habit....
    I think schooling events and schooling h/j shows are about the same price though!
    (Oh god and then there are driving shows and all the equipment you need.... WHAT WAS I THINKING)

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    1. But if you live in BFN Idaho, the nearest event is like 6-8 hours away in good weather. Tack 12+ hours of diesel and food and I don't camp when it's 100f onto the show price, and all of a sudden it's ridiculously expensive. I can't even imagine driving.

      Why didn't we get in to basket weaving or something?

      PS All of Idaho is BFN. Doesn't really matter where you are.

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    2. Oh hell. I thought I had it bad, and I have several events within 2-3 hours of me (and one 2 miles down the road). Although after living in New England, where everything was 1/2hr-1hr away and something was happening EVERY weekend and I never had to stable or get a hotel, I got HORRIBLY spoiled.
      We should have taken up knitting or something. Birdwatching. Book club? Nose picking.... checkers.... golf....

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  6. A lot of us are in the same position. I am starting to think I could be a walk-trot adult pleasure champion, with an optional crossrail course if I'm feeling brave that day.

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  7. I know what you guys do. You just be awesome. All the awesome all the time. That is what you do.

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  8. I love well rounded horses that try out multiple disciplines. Trails, cows, jumping, dressage - good for them and for us too! Although I must say that even in his first year and still learning the basics, I found that schooling shows were "worth" at least 5 lessons in terms of what Hemie came away with from the experience. They were good investments in his training, even though I knew we weren't going to be competitive.

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  9. i like your approach - finding something that works for you AND the horse. and Courage still has so much to learn - it's almost impossible to tell yet where's he's going to be the most brilliant.

    the good thing is that it isn't really necessary to define yourself yet (or ever?) - as there's nothing wrong with getting out there and trying new and different things :)

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  10. I think your approach is very smart. I love XC and eventing but it can be very frustrating and financially, seriously limiting. Having several things to try sounds like fun!

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  11. I think the best plan is having no plan, and doing what you enjoy at the moment.

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  12. Having fun is the best discipline of all!

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  13. I ALWAYS wonder how some of these people can afford to hit very single event in our area.. how?!?

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  14. The fact that you are having fun is why you and Courage are so awesome! Nothing good ever comes out of forcing things. Do what you and your horse enjoy and you will end up where you belong :)

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  15. Salem and I are grand champion hand-grazers @ the moment. But he's still alive and I'm very grateful for that, so I'll take it. :-)

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