Dotstream; 10 Questions for November

Oh yes, thank you to L over at Viva Carlos I have nipped her blog hop of '10 Questions for November', you can thank her later for the addition to my recent lack of content.
With further ado...


How old is the youngest/greenest horse you’ve ridden?
Two years, 8 months. My dear Paloma bird.
I purchased her September of her 2 y/o year and started her from the ground up.
She certainly has come a long way from the 2 y/o that broke two of my toes upon arriving home.
*daydreams*


How old is the oldest horse you’ve ridden?
23? Good ole' Archibald. A very floppy eared, droopy lipped retired grand prix horse. One word. AMAZING! I could barely even ride then, he just... did it all.


Were you scared of horses when you first started riding?
Absolutely not. I think I am more scared of horses now. Well, maybe not the horses themselves but what can happen when they decide to be ********. :D


Would you say you’re a more nervous rider or a confident rider?
Confident. Stubbornly confident. On the outside. On the inside, when I know I mussed up striding to a line. I quiver. But make up for it in faux confidence.
'YES! I totally meant to make that one stride into a bounce!'


A time you’ve been scared for your life?
Hmm. I can think of the scariest experience I have ever been through. But at the time it wasn't scary. No time to be scared.
It was on my loyal Pal, it was less than one week from my Jamaican wedding, I wanted to have a good relaxing ride before our trip. We were cantering down the long side in the arena. Somehow, a still looped hay twine had been harrowed into the arena sand. Pal managed to hook it with her front hoof, step on it with her hind, buck and send me flying a good 10 feet away.
Both of us were okay. I fared a nasty bloody nose.... let me remind you a few days before our wedding, and Pal was able to recover and stay on her feet.
To this day, I swear she only bucked to get me away from her in case she fell. *pony kisses*




Have you ever fallen off at show? What happened?
Ha. Mmm yeap. I see you all grinning, those that know this story! Jamaica!
Ekhm. Let me explain.
In 2012, at one of Paloma's first over fences shows I was ring side on deck waiting for my round. I was chatting with a few other riders also waiting, four people had fallen off on course before me and I had to make the remark, 'Oh man, that must be awful'... What happens? Cliffhanger.
Ha no, I came off on the second last line, right before an oxer. I was getting overly up in my seat since Paloma had jumped all the scary ones and this one was easy. I let the gas off and thought to coast. Erm, no. Paloma decided that she would rather rock back on her hauches, somehow spin and jump sideways.
Everything sllloooowwweeedddd down from here. I swear in the ten seconds I was unseated I was able to think 100 questions. My main question, 'how much longer can one rider last hanging sideways off a horse with no stirrups and said horse bucking in total terror of the beast that is clinging to her shoulder?'
I bailed.
No harm, no foul. Well, other than total screwing my shot at some satin.
Oh, and did I forget to mention the giant CENSORED sticker that should have been placed over my mouth. Sorry kiddies, curse happens!
Anyhow, the judge, in tears, allowed me to finish the course as a training tool. Paloma got a good ole' 'GGGEEEETT' and has since never had another issue with hay bales or cat-tails. Go figure.
However, my barn mates have since combed my vocabulary and the F-bomb is now, 'jamaica'.
Why? I don't know...


What’s a breed of horse you’ve never ridden but would like to ride?
Hmm. I do think I would love to ride a Knabstrupper. So regal. So dotty.


Describe the worst behaved horse you’ve ridden?
Percy AKA Percival. Flat out devil welsh pony. Dumps all the kidlets and who gets the reins, yours truly here.
Have I mentioned how difficult it is to stay on a small horse that has like zero neck and withers?!


The most frustrating ride you’ve ever had?
Ooo, this is a tuffy. I think this would be on my friends horse. The first ride I ever had on him when we decided to swap.
However, none of the frustration was because of what he was doing but rather what I was doing. And that my friends was making a total *** out of myself because I totally thought I had this riding thing down. Nuh-uh. All horses are very, very different.
Good news though, I have now figured him out and he is a very simple guy once you understand his stress buttons.


Biggest pet peeve about non-horse people around horses?
The Overly Timid horse show mom. 'Badgy? Come on Badgy.... please let's walk. '


THREE HOURS LATER.


'Badgy? Come on Badgy?'