Ammy Hour: Meet Austen!!

Austen from Guinness on Tap gracious agreed to take time out of her busy schedule and talk about how she makes the ammy life work for her. She may be a DQ but I love (LOVE) her horse and I find Austen very relate-able. I don't know about the rest of you, but meeting the hardworking ammies behind my favorite blogs is definitely a highlight of the horse blog world.

1) You’re at dinner with work colleagues. How do you introduce yourself?
Hey guys! So... we're working late again? Super fun. I'm the marketing girl from upstairs, you know, the one swearing loudly when her computer crashes and creating enough paper waste to fill up a small van on a daily basis. How's it going? By the way, I'm going to need Friday off for horse show prep...

this one time i rode pig. JK OBV.

2) But what you really meant to say was this:
The sun is finally out today?! I had no idea! I'm sorry, I'm going to have to go take advantage of this weather and ride. (Also, can we get a window in my office?)

DAT FACE DOH

3) Tell us about your horse and how you met him.
Logic Lane (Guinness, Guinea Pig, Pig, Piggles, Captain Pigmachine...) is a 17 year old Irish-bred Thoroughbred. He raced the mile on turf in England, then was shipped to California in his two year old year. He ended up falling through the racing ranks, and was picked up by a hunter/jumper in his 6 year old year. When he was 11, that girl placed him with her friend in Lexington to sell. I found his ad on Craigslist, added him to my list of potential horses, and the rest is history.

she's a brave woman

4) What do you do with your horse?
I bought Guinness to be my eventing partner as I got back into the lower levels of eventing. Unfortunately, he ended up developing some severe arthritis in his front fetlock joints. At that point we switched gears. Now, we attempt to do dressage. When that fails completely, we go galloping through hay fields with my two Siberian huskies.

5) Where are you going together?
Literally we are going to D.C. (no, seriously, we're moving in June!). But really, my overall goal is to get my USDF Bronze Medal on this horse. So far we are on track, and have just started schooling 3rd level.

6) What does success with horses look like for you?
With this horse, success is keeping him sound and keeping his brain together enough to get above a 60% in the dressage ring. Those two things can be pretty tough, so I feel really good when they work out.

7) What keeps you riding?
I thought I'd be devastated when I switched from eventing to dressage, but I've really fallen in love with the sport. The detail and level of communication in dressage has really gotten into my head. I love breaking down a good ride or lesson and figure out exactly what I did to help make it so good (or bad!). That whole training breakdown is a complete addiction for me. It keeps me headed to the barn even when the weather is unbearable and my time is precious.

8) How do you finance the addiction?
I work full time, do some little freelancing, and try to save as much as possible. It's not easy, especially since my husband is in medical school (Just finishing up! Here comes that sweet, sweet double paycheck!).

9) What does your support team look like?
If you're talking at horse shows, it's just me. But, I am thankful to have a lot of great friends willing to pour me a glass of wine and commiserate, a husband who will sometimes come take video or show up to a horse show, a trainer who is wonderful, and some fantastic barn friends willing to check up on my horse when I can't make it out.

model status

10) What are your horse keeping arrangements?
Guinness is boarded at a facility about 40 minutes from my house. He's on field board, but the facility is a great blend of full care/ field. They don't mind switching blankets out for me, and bring him in to eat his supplemental feed every day. I love that he is on 30 acres of pasture almost all year round.

11) How often do you ride?
I try to get out to the barn 4-5 days a week during show season. Many times, those days at the barn also include multiple rides on other horses. In the winter, I'm doing good to get 4 rides in a week. Right now, I'm taking two graduate classes in addition to working full time. Unfortunately, that means my riding gets cut when I have big research deadlines looming.

12) What does being an Ammy mean to you?
I don't see being an Adult Amateur rider as an excuse to not be as good as I can be, instead I see being an Adult Amateur as a way to become the best I can be. To me, horses are a way of life and work is my hobby. I'm going back to school to make work something I love (history and art and preservation work), and at the same time I am juggling a full time job and horse with a full training and showing schedule. Being an Adult Amateur means I think I can juggle all of these things and stay happy. Being an Adult Ammy doesn't mean I'm a winner, but it does mean I'm a rounded person, with something to offer in every facet of my life.  Of course, it also means I have to work 50x harder to keep up.

13) What’s the single biggest thing that helps you achieve your goals?
I'd have to say being a morning person. I'd be lost if I wasn't able to happily get out of bed by 5:30 a.m. to go for a run, do research, and get to work early. Getting a lot of things out of the way early in the day lets me spend the evening at the barn without falling behind on everything else.



14) If there was one thing you could say to people getting ready to join the ranks of riding (or re-riding) adults, what would it be?
Plan out your time efficiently. Make sure to figure out what your priorities are, and realize how devoting more time to those things can effect other areas of your life. Also realize that those priorities can change on a weekly, or even daily, basis.

Some weeks my whole schedule gets reworked so I can finish up a paper, some weeks my riding takes a back burner to my work schedule, and some weeks I have a show coming up and nothing can keep me from the barn. I have to sit down and really think about what's important to me and make my time decisions based on that.


15) Bottom Line:
Don't let the craziness overwhelm you. I wouldn't trade in my time with my horse, or this journey for anything.

Again, thanks to Austen for participating. To (try) and keep up with her and Guinness, head over to her blog. Want to be featured on Ammy Hour? Know someone who should be? Contact me and let's talk!

Ammy Hour: Meet Gingham!

I have a fun line up of ammy hour interviews coming your way. This week I talked with Gingham of Pia & Prarie's Parade about how she makes life work as an employee, mom, wife, and ammy rider. Without further ado, meet Gingham!

1) You’re at dinner with work colleagues. How do you introduce yourself?
Well let’s see.  I was going to say something clever about being the only girl at a hunting/fishing outing (since that what’s my work folks do) but… well, I’m still on what appears to be a mostly extended maternity leave.  So right now my “work” colleagues are my cat and baby.  Both are kind of uppity about their dinners though so they’d probably introduce me as the tall lady who never feeds them on time

2) Assuming I pretend this is dinner with real work people… 
I’d mean to say “HOLY CRAP I HAVEN’T PUT ON A REAL BRA IN DAYS, and these HEELS!??? I’M JUST GLAD MY FORMERLY SWOLLEN FEET FIT IN THEM AGAIN.  (I might say something like “I wish I was with my horse” if I wasn’t already chugging my second glass of wine)

Ms Star

3) What is your history with horses?
I started out as a total barn rat, who after getting hooked on a weekly lesson courtesy of a former fox hunting grandma, started to clean tack and stalls in exchange for more lessons.  When my favorite schooling pony ended up for sale (she maybe bolted, and kicked and bit a lot.. but what pony doesn’t) I promised my (clever) father no French kissing till high school, no sex till college and grandchildren by 30 in exchange for bringing her home.

the one and only Pia

I agreed hastily.  Because I was 11 and boys were gross.  Anyway, Star was an awesome first pony.  She was surly and horrid but she jumped ANYTHING you pointed her at and she started my love affair with eventing.  By the end of our time together we had competed through 2nd level dressage and managed one start at Prelim (for the record she was 13.2).  In contrast, every other horse has proved a tad disappointing.  Star was totally sound, only wore two shoes, never got sick, ate two flakes of hay a day and that was IT.  Man I miss ponies…

When I went off to college I managed to ride and compete our of school’s team with the IHSA.  That is a truly unique and bizarre experience, but it scratched my horse itch and was affordable while I was busy studying.

After school, and a pit stop in NYC for a few years, I finally moved home and got back into horses for real. That’s when I found Pia - a really pretty, really opinionated Hungarian mare.  We struggled a lot, but like most mares she taught me more, and eventually taught me that we were not a match. Currently she’s with another ammy bouncing around cross country courses and going on trail rides.  It’s a win.

early Prairie

4) Tell us about your horse and how you met her.
Prairie is my current ride, and I adore her.  When I got her (basically Christmas of 2011) thought I was buying my next dressage horse.  I found her on my own while perusing lots (and lots) of online listings.  I was hypnotized by her trot and when after a couple months I still found myself comparing every other ad to her… I went to go see her.  I think I rode her for the first time on December 23rd, and by New Years I had sent the check.  It wasn’t a very rational purchase, but there was something about her I just loved.

they're so classy

5) What do you do with your horse?
About a year into our partnership, I started working Prair over small fences as cross training.  When she seemed to enjoy it more than 20m circles and other really, really boring low level dressage stuff, we slowly crossed over to Hunter Land.  We’ve spent the past two years getting (much) more relaxed and (much) more capable as low level hunters.  We’ve competed together once in the AA’s (3’) but mostly we bop around at 2’6” while we still get the whole polished-and-consistent thing figured out.

6) Where are you going together?
This is a hard question to answer right now.  Assuming prolonged soundness I would love Prair to be a solid 3’ Hunter.  I’m honestly not sure that will work, but we’ll see.  If it doesn’t, we’ll enjoy jumping lower things and find other fun stuff (like mountain trail and dressage) to keep us exploring together and learning.

7) What does success with horses look like for you?
I’ve never had the same goal with two horses, and I’ve liked that.

With Prair, success looks like finding work that she is happy, sound and relaxed in.  We have made SO many strides in the happy and relaxed arenas.  But sound is just now starting to be an issue (those pesky soft tissue injuries are just devastating).

he's a keeper

8) How do you finance the addiction?
I am (extremely) lucky that my husband doesn’t mind that a large portion of our salaries goes straight to the barn (and tack store.. and equine massage therapist.. and vet, always the vet).  We’re lucky to have some good property investments that throw off some rental income and that goes a long way to making it possible for me to even pretend I belong in Hunter Land.  I am really lucky to keep Prair in a full training situation in a really nice show barn, where I know she’s well cared for if the kiddo (or work) keep me from visiting as often as I’d like.  It’s not cheap, and every once in a while (like when I’m paying show bills) I fantasize about going back to a somewhat more affordable discipline…. But I don’t actually see that happening anytime soon.

cooler spam!

 9) What does your support team look like?
My support team is outstanding.  My husband is a HERO.  He knows I’m a better human when I get my barn time and even tolerates it when I try to spin shows as “vacations.”  Not only will he haul my horse across the state with me, but he keeps me fed and watered at shows, watches the baby while I ride and even feigns interest when I’m geeking out about whatever horse related purchase I’ve most recently blown our budget on.  He’s the most important part of the equation.  On top of that though, both his mom and my mom try to help out with childcare so I can get to the barn during the week, so that’s huge too.  More directly related I’ve got a great trainer who pushes me just the right amount and an all star vet who has really changed Prair’s body for the better.

pictured: not a barn in the PNW

10) What are your horse keeping arrangements?
Oops, I already answered this sorta.  Prair is at a really amazing facility about 45min south of my home.  It’s far (really, really far) and it’s meant that I only get to ride 3 times a week, but the program and the care is worth it.  She’s become a totally different mare since we moved there about 15 months ago.  Less anxious, less stressed, happy and willing in her work.  It’s been awesome.  Hopefully someday soon she gets the greenlight to actually enjoy their lovely turnouts again, but for now, she’s got a beautiful stall and gorgeous arena to enjoy.

11) How often do you ride?
Oops, answered this too.  Right now 3 days a week.  I’m used to seeing/riding my horses 5 or 6 days a week, but having our first kid has shifted the schedule a bit.  Now I ride twice during the week and once on the weekend.  It seems to be enough to keep me from turning into a totally useless heap of a rider, and Prair seems to enjoy the extra training rides when I’m not there.  If I could wave a magic wand I’d ride more, but right now three times a week is sustainable.

fancy mare

12) What’s the single biggest thing that helps you achieve your goals?
A sound horse.  LOL.  Just Kidding.. kinda

Sure is easier to accomplish things when you can actually ride your horse… buuuuuut aside from that, patience is key.  I’m rather Type A and sometimes I forget that my horses don’t care about yearend awards, or points, or even (god forbid) coolers.

As I’ve gotten older I’ve gotten better about trying to eliminate my competitive-teenage-sports-mindset as much as possible.  Competition still frames my progress and helps me organize my goals, but trying to enjoy the (long, slow, sometimes backwards) process has become a larger part of the picture.

SO FANCY I COULD DIE

13) If there was one thing you could say to people getting ready to join the ranks of riding (or re-riding) adults, what would it be?
1) DO IT. It’s so good for the soul.

2) But unless you’re prepared to spend twice as much as you think you want to, find a horse to lease before you buy.

That’s my number one suggestion to those of us stumbling back into the horse game. :)

14) Bottom Line:
Basically, I’m not me without a horse to be with.  I’m grateful for a spouse who not only accepts that fact, but embraces and maybe even enjoys it.  I thought having a kiddo would significantly alter my horse life, but 8 months into it, I have still been able to enjoy a few lessons a week, a reasonable (if a tad scaled back) show season and my blog.  I might not be doing quite as much of those things as I was two years ago, but I’m just thrilled any of it fits into life with my fun little family.

Many thanks to Gingham for participating!! Do you know someone who should be featured on Ammy Hour? Is that person you? Either way, contact me if you want to be included.

Ammy Life

bonus: horse is still cute

I want to write this post about how frustrated I am.

How my dressage riding isn't pretty.

My jump riding isn't effective enough.

My show budget is pathetic.

My lessons are infrequent.

My progress is stilted.

My goals are unreachable.

I'm calling a stirrup-length mulligan. Yay cute knees!

But you know what? I'm an adult ammy. I take lessons when I can afford it. I refuse to beat myself up for not looking like a jumper pro in my first jump lesson of the year. I looked like an adult ammy in my first lesson of the year on a green horse who'd only seen jumps about 4x in the last few months, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE.

Yeah, my dressage position isn't perfect. But you know what? It's effective for where we're at right now. I'm hardly a dressage pro, Courage is new to the whole idea, and the fact that he's progressing this quickly is a testament to the team he and I have become over the past year and a half.

I'm focusing on the positives--Courage is coming along great. We have homework to help fix the jumping. I'm excited about our dressage.

I'm not dwelling on the meta narratives here. I can't turn into one of those people who shows out of state year round and dumps buckets of money into nice made horses. I like those people, but I'm not one of them. I'm just me with my lil bay OTTB that I'm bringing along myself, and that's ok.

Ammy Hour: Meet Lauren!

biggest problem: too many good pictures

I always love meeting new bloggers, but there's something fun about profiling established bloggers as well. You probably know Lauren from She Moved To Texas already (who doesn't?!), but here's the rundown on how she balances life and horses and that satin addiction.

1) You’re at dinner with work colleagues. How do you introduce yourself?
I am the worst at introductions, and I also only go to work dinner with colleagues who already know me.  In that situation, I typically say something like... "So is anybody else going to order a glass of wine?"

too cute

2) But what you really meant to say was this:  "No, really... who's getting wine?  Should we do a bottle?"

3) Tell us about your horse and how you met him.
Simon is 2006 OTTB, but more importantly the thing I am most proud of in my life.  When I met him he was pretty skinny with few marketable skills and a sketchy history of lameness.  Now he's less skinny with more skills and a less sketchy history of lameness ;)  I ended up with him because he wasn't the world's best school horse, but luckily I can't think of a better horse for me right now.  Simon reaffirmed my faith that everything in life happens for a reason!

this pic=so much win

4) What do you do with your horse?
We show hunter/jumpers and generally try to enjoy life together.  Right now that means a lot of miles and confidence building in the baby jumper ring, but we toss in the occasional hunter derby and bridleless riding session for funsies.  I also haven't abandoned my idea of showing him low level dressage, but the stars haven't aligned for that quite yet.

5) Where are you going together?
I don't really know.  I have this high lofty goal of eventually showing in the Take 2 Thoroughbred jumper division, which is realistic but definitely a struggle.  It's more important to me that we both remain happy and healthy together.  Simon has a lifelong home with me, and I learned long ago not to spend too much time planning out every little detail with horses.  Once you make a plan, they will show you how to change that plan!

Simon has goals too

6) What does success with horses look like for you?
My horse leaves the show happy and feeling like a million bucks because he did his job.  I leave the show feeling like I improved from the first class but still have things to work on.  Neither of us feel beaten down or scared by what we tried to do.  Bonus points if we're awarded fair ribbons for our efforts.

fancy

7) How do you finance the addiction?
I work for a video game company doing content marketing and UI design.  It's a random job I fell into about four years ago, but I really love it.  I've been challenged here and continue to learn and grow while getting a pay check that allows me to keep Sir Simon up to his expectations.

so many great moments

8) What does your support team look like?
My husband isn't in the forefront (he claims horse shows are boring... can you believe it?) but he's probably my biggest supporter.  He indirectly finances the sport and also doesn't get upset when I spend lots of time at the barn or horse shows.  Outside of him, my trainer is hugely important.  She's been key in making Simon the solid citizen he is today and she deals with my crazy amateur brain without ever getting visibly frustrated at me. Since I get frustrated at myself, I consider this fact shocking and amazing.

let's do this

9) What are your horse keeping arrangements?
I board, and I'm a happy boarder.  I don't mind writing a check for having a lot of life balance and I'm never going to be one of those people who just MUST see my horse every day.  I love my horse, but I also love my life outside of horses.

10) How often do you ride?
Weather permitting, I try to hit 3-5 days a week.  Usually I end up around 4-5 when we're actively showing.

so pretty together

11) What’s the single biggest thing that helps you achieve your goals?
Breaking them down into tiny steps, and believing that I can.  If I walk into the ring and honestly believe I won't have any trouble - I don't.  For me riding is mostly mental right now and I'm slowly winning that battle bit by bit.

horse showing bosses

12) If there was one thing you could say to people getting ready to join the ranks of riding (or re-riding) adults, what would it be?
Remember that this is for fun, but also know it's going to be really hard.  There will be nights that you cry and worry and stress, but if you're in the right situation you'll do a LOT more smiling than you ever thought.  Horses teach you more about life than they do about riding, and a solid relationship with the right horse is one of the best feelings in the world.

13) Bottom Line:
I really like ponies.  And ribbons.  And sunshine.  And pearls.  I could go on.  Mostly though, I like Simon.

Many thanks to Lauren for participating! Do you want to be featured on Ammy Hour? Do you know someone who should be? Contact me!

Ammy Hour: Meet Amanda!

BOOM

Here we go with another round of Ammy Hour! I really do this series for myself--I love learning about the hardworking people like me behind the blogs I read.  This week I'm talking to the voice behind the 900facebookpony. Without further ado, here's the tack-ho-est of them all!

1) You’re at dinner with work colleagues. How do you introduce yourself?
I am lucky that my job doesn't really require face to face contact with customers, because lets be honest I'm not a big people person and I'm not very good at hiding how I feel about things (the "omg I'm so bored, kill me now" face might not go over well). But if I DID find myself forced into a work dinner, I'd probably just keep the chit chat limited to work related things and say as little as possible until I found the right moment to run away.

I do not know this horse

Sooo I guess my introduction would be "Hi, I'm Amanda." and hope that they were a good talker because unless it's about horses I've got pretty much nothing to say after that. Normal people are really confusing. Socially awkward? Me? Never. The only exception to that would be if it was a horse related work thing or if I knew the person was into horses - that's an entirely different ballgame. I can, and happily will, talk about horse stuff all day. And probably sell them something in the process, because I love stuff. This is why I need a horse related job...

so classy

2) But what you really meant to say was this:
"OMG I'm so bored, kill me now"? or "Unless you like horses you're of no interest to me"?

3) Tell us about your horse and how you met him.
Henry is a coming 8yo TB gelding that I found on facebook and purchased sight unseen in Dec 2013. I got really lucky, he's fantastic and such a good boy. He's also a total goof with TONS of character... there's never any question as to what his opinion is about anything.

um yes.

4) What do you do with your horse?
We started off in the jumpers but after a spur of the moment XC schooling adventure he seemed to be really into it, so now we're eventing.

5) Where are you going together?
I'm hoping to qualify for AEC's this year. If not we'll move up a level and just do more schooling events to save some money but keep putting miles under his girth. He's still pretty green, all things considered.

6) What does success with horses look like for you?
For me, a horse that has become better since I acquired it is a "win" in and of itself, because I always buy green ore remedial ones. I think it's really fun to bring them along and see what they turn into. At the end of the day though, as long as I'm having fun with whatever I'm doing, and as long as the horse is happy, I'd consider it a success.

off to the lotto!

7) How do you finance the addiction?
Sadly (and boringly) I have a "real job", I'm in charge of managing the repair and return department of a company that makes monitoring equipment for gas and oil pipelines. It pays the bills and my schedule allows me to get out of work early enough to ride, plus I get a fair amount of vacation days since I've been there for a decade, so I can't complain that much. I am really keeping my options open though for something horse related... I've worked in tack shops and was a barn manager for a while when I was younger. Eventually the right thing will come along at the right time. Or I'll win the lottery. Until then, it's the "real job".



8) What does your support team look like?
My fiance is pretty supportive from a distance, in that he doesn't complain nearly as much as he rightfully could and once or twice a year I can talk him into going to the barn with me. I'm totally ok with that. Otherwise I have a really great group of friends that are really enthusiastic, supportive, and helpful. Very grateful for every one of them.

9) What are your horse keeping arrangements?
I board at a small barn owned by my boss's boss - his wife is also an eventer. Small world. There's just a handful of boarders (which I love) and it's nothing super fancy but the care is second to none, the people are great, the price is great, and it has everything I need. Absolutely no complaints.

this is not Henry

10) How often do you ride?
When it's not raining ALL WINTER LONG (sorry, sensitive subject), 5 days a week is my average. It's hard to squeeze in a normal work day, fairly regular overtime, the horse, the gym, regular life stuff, and a relationship, but I do the best I can. Sometimes something has to give (ok, usually something has to give) and I'm perpetually borderline exhausted but that's ok. I think that's really just the way of life of the working amateur rider, and something all of us have to figure out how to deal with.

aside from being kickass

11) What’s the single biggest thing that helps you achieve your goals?
My support group. Honestly, there's just NO WAY I could do any of this even semi-successfully without them. That and I'm hella stubborn, borderline crazy, and really love a challenge, so I think this sport suits my personality really well.

get that trahkener

12) If there was one thing you could say to people getting ready to join the ranks of riding (or re-riding) adults, what would it be?
Welcome to your new obsession. We're all mad here. ;) Honestly though, don't be afraid to ask questions. I think sometimes people are intimidated by this sport and it's people because because we can be so intense. But we all had to start somewhere and if there's one sure thing it's that horses will make fools out of even the best of us - they're a great equalizer. I would also try to say yes to as many opportunities as you possibly can. This is very much a sport where you learn by doing, and one little thing can lead to another little thing, which eventually leads to big things. Another really important point - team up with a professional that you really trust. I see so many people get the wool pulled completely over their eyes and taken advantage of by unscrupulously opportunistic trainers. Be smart and trust your gut, never allow yourself to be led around blindly.

requisite adorable picture

13) Bottom Line:
I can't imagine my life without horses and riding. They've taught me so much about life, relationships (both human and equine), compromise, hard work, dedication, discipline, courage, humility, failure and success. They've shaped my entire character as a person. No doubt there has been a lot of blood, sweat, and tears along the way, but a million more smiles and laughs and warm fuzzies. There's just something about it that makes me feel whole. It's not an easy sport by any means, and being a working amateur in some ways makes it even harder, but it's worth it.



Many thanks to Amanda for participating. If you don't follow her already, run right over to the 900facebookpony and hob on that bandwagon STAT.

Want to be a part of Ammy Hour? Know someone who should be interviewed? Contact me and let's chat!

Ammy Hour: Meet Alli!

I love this picture

We're back on track with Ammy Hour! I know I've said this before, but I really meet the coolest people doing this series. This week I'm talking to Alli from Ponytude about life as an Ammy with a real life pony. Allie and Dino are always a well matched pair and I love reading about them each week. Without further ado, here's Alli!

1) You’re at dinner with work colleagues. How do you introduce yourself? Hey guys, are we getting appetizers? I think we should get appetizers. And margaritas. Let's stop talking shop and read the menu. There are only four of us in the entire company, so we all know each other pretty darn well!

let's just agree Alli has great pictures

2) But what you really meant to say was this: Yes, I'm a real estate agent, no you won't see my face plastered all over shopping carts, billboards, benches, or buses. I refuse to be obnoxious or pushy, and I also serve as the company IT Department, Marketing Department, and Professional Sign Installer. I mainly sell horse farms, and the best part of my job is the crazy horse people I get to deal with on a daily basis.



3) Tell us about your horse and how you met him. Dino is a 16 y/o German Riding Pony. I first met him in college when he was assigned as my senior year special training project, and he was a total and complete monster. He was famous for his tantrums. But for some reason we just clicked, and I knew that eventually he would come home with me. Something I heard a lot from my classmates was, "Wow, that pony LOVES you." 2 years after my graduation he was retired from the program because he was too badly behaved to be a lesson pony. Whoops. I adopted him, and we've been together ever since! We (creepily) have the exact same stubborn, independent personality, and he's taught me so much over the past few years. Dino is definitely my equine soul mate, without a doubt.

4) What do you do with your horse? Dino and I just started eventing this past summer at the Elementary level, and we both love it! We recently found a fabulous eventing trainer as well, and she's really helping us improve. We also enjoy trail riding, riding western, going to clinics, and having grand adventures together. I love dressage, Dino is not so keen. He much prefers the trail riding and the jumping. We just pretty much do whatever seems fun at the time.

5) Where are you going together? I'm hoping to run BN this year, and maybe one day we'll go Novice. But other than that, Dino and I are just going to continue life as friends and partners and have fun together.

um yes. hello dino.

6) What does success with horses look like for you? For me, success with horses is tied to constant improvement. I may not be able to show every weekend or take lessons twice a week, but I'm dedicated to making myself and my pony the best we can be. If we are both improving and growing steadily, I feel successful.

7) How do you finance the addiction? Real estate is a funny business - it's feast or famine money-wise. Thankfully I'm married to a husband who has a full time IT job that easily covers our regular bills, and I work my butt off at the barn to drastically reduce my board bill. Shows, lessons, major tack purchases, and clinics are all carefully budgeted for, or I wait for a commission check to do or buy something special!

8) What does your support team look like? My husband is my biggest supporter, hands down. While he does ride too, I'm definitely the more hardcore equestrian in our household. Michael knows how much horses and riding mean to me, and always encourages me to spend time at the barn, seek out new opportunities, compete, and learn. And, yes, he also fully supports all of the big-ticket purchases that go along with this expensive habit! I frequently hear, "I want you to have nice things! Dino deserves the best." Yes, ladies, I know you're jealous. I also recently started riding with a GREAT trainer who totally 'gets' the Pony Brain, and I work with an incredible sports psychologist a few times a year. I also couldn't do it without my wonderfully supportive equestrian friends, who are there with me throughout this wild journey.

9) What are your horse keeping arrangements? I keep Dino at a small private boarding barn - at its fullest we have 12 horses there, but right now we're down to 7. He lives outside because that's where he's happiest. Lucky for me, that's also the cheapest option! I work off the majority of my board by working several feeding/turnout/stall shifts each week. I'm also able to completely dictate my pony's diet and management, which is HUGE for me. I consider myself to be a very knowledgeable horse owner, and I'm not OK with a trainer or barn owner telling me how to best manage my pony. In the next few years, I hope to buy a small farm of my own and take Dino (and some friends) home!

10) How often do you ride? I try to ride 5-6 days a week, weather and schedule permitting. The great thing about a career in real estate is that my work schedule is EXTREMELY flexible. My boss and all of my teammates (and most of my clients!) are also horse people, so it's cool if I have to re-arrange my workday in order to ride or meet the vet or farrier. Unfortunately my barn doesn't have an indoor, so in the winter 5-6 days a week drops down to 1 day a week. If I'm lucky.

this pic=win

11) What’s the single biggest thing that helps you achieve your goals? My passion for performance is the biggest driving factor in achieving my goals. While I may not be the second coming of Karen O'Connor, I am very serious about being the best rider I can be. Riding is something I am extremely dedicated to and passionate about, and I work my ever-loving buns off to perform as well as I possibly can, limits be damned!

12) If there was one thing you could say to people getting ready to join the ranks of riding (or re-riding) adults, what would it be? WELCOME TO THE NUTHOUSE! Just kidding. Not really. We're all crazy here. Be prepared to spend more money than you thought you'd ever spend on a hobby, be humbled, have fun, stay safe, and ASK QUESTIONS! The learning curve is steep when it comes to being a knowledgeable horseperson, and the best way to climb that mountain is to ask question after question after question!

Admit it: they're adorable

13) Bottom Line: Even if riding and training horses isn't your main source of income, you can still be heavily involved in this incredible world. If riding is a priority for you, you can make it happen. Do your thing, do what's right for you and your horse, and if it's not fun and rewarding, DON'T DO IT! Horses are incredible and they bring so much depth, richness, and joy into our lives. If you feel passionately about horses, follow that passion and you'll never be sorry!

Many thanks to Alli for participating!! Know someone who should be featured? (Including yourself!). Contact me through email or the comments!