So uh I've been blogging a really long time and even though I wrote less posts this year than I used to write in a month, blogging still brought some of the greatest people into my life. Because of those people, I present: the decade in review, sprinklerbandits edition.
Here goes:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0WJR5U9wPMwiRD3yGesT8v95pk66AsT7B0ig-wf8D0yEkxJSF-Q4inpUAbLcPPAHEZVBMV3WHUnmq80aNZdxqoU8YknKcopa62RvsOhbSc_nLWVNyeJQwMAqTwn_9x15RB2iZYRFREy8/s320/2010.jpg) |
2010 this looks... way more pleasant than it was |
In 2010, I was newly back into riding as an adult amateur. I was fresh out of college and took on a (black 6 year old) spoiled warmblood mare as a project. The goal was eventing, so we did a little of everything.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmZWYWeP7bcVkNAljicU2zt68csukmwby9RuegqtlnvTJtLKTpZk3lMQbvXDGRjkmAcGcH0k8jkr4XOdNUdeg9x38YebtrppcTz78qpK9OlmXmX6_kn01hKEyc_uWNnZRZ8hH_G1pVLbU/s1600/2011.JPG) |
2011 yeaaaaaah i was completely terrified in this picture |
2011 brought lessons and a major wreck and broken bones and moving in with a trainer and learning that my horse was all wrong for me and then meeting the horse that was so, so right for me.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGQTb3r6r_HuHFOuoMVb6VvvzsaBTmHZrsi-ubXd9jpk5LClgK-jE5-yUfIeMwSGjYyqzCCot4SQ_EFAr2hvI5OsCGS1_e3X9Eo45UlDA-ZGxch1YXOsO_BsUYmszj1pxcY_EipX86Jas/s320/2012.jpg) |
2012 with this stud |
In 2012, everything came together for a few glorious moments. I was in love with a giant red horse and we showed and lessoned and trail rode and played and I'll always remember that time as one of the best ever. <3
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7vOJGQ_pB7YE3qpC83_QYMpmbTWG9_W_VVmEa5Txyoc-Z87nJuUtwXu4QHnL2uwJgig8QCRhkllFSUSyG1dviPb97mIN18ApD7hOMVxUkcofe4FB407m7nY4TEruzEAFVHHzu2gGiUCU/s320/2013.jpg) |
2013 this photo always makes me laugh |
2013 brought an opportunity to work on the racetrack and meet new (bay) faces. Of course one of those faces came home with me.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgecn_CBwyCVVVlue2lhWuQ41Hek7s7hozT2n5tuliyzOJbVCCME62yCVZOJ8pvlgEZk-H7lesqBMf31KNX49jp0HWAoWJAFo1Piwpv1HRUDJHCB0RZNwe0_Zms7T_K4kcqqEVhAsbHoZ8/s320/2014.jpg) |
2014 this one time we looked competent haha |
It's weird to me that 2014 was five years ago. I quit my job at the barn (s), started being an adult with a career, lost my beloved Cunafish, and had some high highs and low lows with Courage.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheeyxXvGxTM_6vY6rMH8obktp9Z1NebSyOF11X4JjEJGAyeYrZOMOUHYdyB7HEL2NvdOgjvShlFrpetipW9JTGsLvVjKjoOC0jYcK-1TQOqdCbHb3fQ2vjY3jOFWejdV-kwhRB8t0avFA/s1600/2015.jpg) |
2015 because Alyssa is the actual best |
In 2015, I was determined to make showing happen. We went to every. single. show. at the lowest level available and I won this giant ribbon that I'm still proud of, haha. Good friends and fun adventures and yeaaaaah apparently you can get eliminated by refusals in a ground poles class. Now you know.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRzuIaBhNfSlhc31cS5Qa_a__N-CpQIzlaz3eca9TZCoeQTjzhD7_3UMn23B95gLtrp0dxNRHVyhSVbrk9A9NA9q5WD1z-3kCR1QhpiwquM1yczVRHs_D5GRPR8EpwBZ7cg-iCWdJ98ZE/s1600/2016.JPG) |
2016 football and dressage |
By 2016, I finally figured out that I should quit jumping C. Then I quit a lot more things. This picture is probably his best dressage moment ever and he looks so damn sexy and he so wasn't happy and I wasn't happy and things were about to fall apart real hard.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2AyPKEHWTweFhyphenhyphenDsehs3mc8ebKXYIz0nMy5giCPkvTL5a1u7M_AO5jeuRjFQND0w4Ef0VZqckdrUoxPFaM806XLxFbErd6SQ7MD_OMkFXg4G3OCy-fZp8zxsKB8UBKQ1WZjlaMiYZgSw/s320/2017.JPG) |
2017 a steampunk princess |
Basically the only thing that went right in 2017 was getting a baby percheron mare that wasn't even started under saddle. Courage found an incredible new home, I made career changes, and Alyssa took some of my favorite photos of all time.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgLAiU7J7ckKDirsW6P7npq6yXoEFT02Mjhu67DTL7iQQRsNlajIYnEQosVJaE99fy16mMSpBVi-IwH_2iK0SdoG2XvJiPI3t7LDUGEi8P8Yjfv4DySTBIBjBZ8tVlBAko4EVbHWGzmE/s320/2018.JPG) |
2018 when one photo is your whole year |
2018 accelerated the changes that had been rumbling. My personal life fell apart while my professional life took off and my constant was my curvy baby mare. I took about 4 lessons and never went to a horse show.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6mA9IRmAlGzdue2gLxkGTZ_t-WSQ6H7cmnClbO_7shzPwSab6I2H3qlc73LUidwPpwA892LE7zrx8kvV0mwGNZZcSa_QVKz1L_Uxz0cXjs0cUG3RQjB1J21l_G8f5LY16g1Nfx0mX9Kk/s320/2019.JPG) |
2019 a whole new perspective |
I spent most of 2019 getting on my feet and my beloved ZB had to take a back seat while I sorted things out.
I'm rolling in to 2020 with a black 6 year old mare and a whole new perspective on life, the universe, and everything, haha. I still have a someday goal of a bronze medal, a shorter-term goal of organizing a horse-soccer team at my barn, and an every-day goal of becoming a better human and horseman in whatever direction we go.
I wouldn't hold your breath for horse show domination this year, but maybe we'll take some lessons and get back on the bus.