Writing a college essay and inspiration is slow, so here is a fun horse poll :)?

1. What is your favorite thing about your horse (or favorite schoolie, lease, etc) both personally (such as a cute habit or personality trait) and professionally (horses best selling point)? If you could change something about him/her, what would it be?

My horse has a ticklish spot right between his back legs, if you scratch it, he cocks one leg up, pushes his head right forward and eventually he gets so caught up he loses his balance, once toppled over and ended up on the floor.

2.Whats the most fun you thing you have done with horses?

A friends of mine leant me her western saddle one day and gave me a mini lesson. It was quite fun getting to know my horse in a new way

3. Whats the scariest?

Riding out in the reserve with a couple of friends and a group of guys came out of the bush on to the path with pangas, they started threatening us and we had to hightail it out of there. Never been so scared before. The land we were on was owned by my YO and the men were trespassing, when my YO went out to look for them, they were no where to be seen.

4. What is the stupidest thing you have ever done around horses? (either a stupid mistake or a fun but really bad idea, ect)

Not something I've done or a result of something someone has done. Occasionally my YO would let a few horses run around her house to "mow the grass", she has a pool in her garden and for years the horses never went near the pool, but a few months ago, one of the horses ended up in the pool. Said pool had a pool net on and poor Ol got stuck in the pool net, after a few hours and some man power we managed to get him out. About a week later 2 more ponies ended up in the pool (no pool net now). My YO checked the CCTV footage and on both occasions the ponies didn't fall in the pool, they actually jumped in on there own accord. A fence has since been put around the pool.

5. Worst fall?

I was riding one of my YOs horses, I had ridden her several times and she was still a bit fresh after brin out of work for a while, so she would occasionally throw in a playful buck or pig root, her tack, teeth and back had been fully checked so she was not in pain. Still not quite sure what happened but the mare freaked out and started rearing, not tiny little bunny hop rears, she was going straight up. I tried to stop her, turning, moving forward but she wouldn't, eventually all I could do was cling on. The mare fell over backwards and I got pinned underneath her and my leg got caught in the stirrup. She kicked me a few times trying to get up. I dislocated both hips, my right shoulder, pulled all the muscles along my lumbar vertebra and pinched a nerve in my lower back. I had my pony club testing in two weeks but still managed to do it.

6. Most ridiculous or embarrassingly idiotic fall?

I was riding a tiny welsh pony bareback playin some gymkhana games, the pony had a bucking spot and if you sat fractionally too far back he would back, I made the mistake and slipped back and the pony started bucking, nothing huge or anything, but I somehow managed to slip right off his neck and head landing on my feet.

7. Worst show catastrophe?

Skittling the judges in an equitation comp. my horse spooked at something and ran into the judges.

8. Proudest moment?

Placing 3rd in Inter-Schools on my baby OTT thoroughbred.

9. Most ridiculous barn outfit worn?

Don really wear crazy outfits, just the normally jods and a shirt.

10. Any runaway horse stories?

I use to love this riding school horse, he was not a beginner ride and was known to spook and take off. I was having a group lesson in the dressage school on him and we were going over caveletties with no reins or stirrups, on landing after the 'jump' the horse swung around and bolted for the stables. I had no reins or stirrups and was clinging around his neck, I thought he would stop as there was a car blocking the entrance to the stables, the horse jumped the hood of the car and ran through the stable block heading to the back where the muck and rubbish heap was, I couldn't stay on any longer and knew the sand was soft so I just dropped landing in a heap in the sand, the horse stopped not far from me, but I landed in black sand and I was wearing white jods. I hand sand everywhere, in my jods, my shirt and even my boots, my face was completely black.

11. What are your immediate and future goals for your equestrian career?

I want to get back into showing and competing but lack the time at the moment as I work mostly weekends.

1. What is your favorite thing about your horse (or favorite schoolie, lease, etc) both personally (such as a cute habit or personality trait) and professionally (horses best selling point)? If you could change something about him/her, what would it be?

Favorite personality quirk is that he's just kind of a big chill teddy bear, but he's also REALLY energetic and loves to run. Selling point would be the energy for one and also the fact that he really moves nicely off of leg pressure.

2.Whats the most fun you thing you have done with horses?

I love everything, but running down the trail is awesome just to have fun and showing is also awesome because I'm pretty competitive.

3. Whats the scariest?

Not much scares me any more, but I used to be scared of everything. Honestly, scariest thing to me right now is the prospect of my horse tripping or slipping in the mud or something and falling on me. I'd rather ride a horse that I knew would buck but that I was sure wouldn't slip than a horse that would never do anything stupid, but never put a foot right. That was a hypothetical situation of course.

4. What is the stupidest thing you have ever done around horses? (either a stupid mistake or a fun but really bad idea, ect)

When I was very young I tied a horse up just with the lead rope around it's neck and it set back. Enough said. One of the worst days of my life, but the horse was fine luckily.

5. Worst fall?

Concussion and overnight in the ICU when I was 10ish.

6. Most ridiculous or embarrassingly idiotic fall?

I fell off the little POA that I leased twice one day at an all day 4-H group lesson type thing. We would canter and then the little brat would stop suddenly and put his head down. Worked every time, I was so embarrassed.

7. Worst show catastrophe?

Haven't had one yet.

8. Proudest moment?

When I got my horse back

9. Most ridiculous barn outfit worn?

Umm... My barn outfits aren't that ridiculous, they're pretty normal I'd say.

10. Any runaway horse stories?

No, I've always been able to stop them.

11. What are your immediate and future goals for your equestrian career?

Immediate is to finish school and get into college for equine science, and to get experience under trainers as much as possible. Distant future would be to own a reining/cutting facility and breed and train foundation QHs.

1. What is your favorite thing about your horse (or favorite schoolie, lease, etc) both personally (such as a cute habit or personality trait) and professionally (horses best selling point)? If you could change something about him/her, what would it be? Well, I love the adorable look she gets when I feed her. Haha. And she has a really nice trot for dressage, and a good jumper

2.Whats the most fun you thing you have done with horses? Cross country! The best was a ditch, water, and a big bank down!

3. Whats the scariest? Flipping over backwards.

4. What is the stupidest thing you have ever done around horses? (either a stupid mistake or a fun but really bad idea, ect) ahh, jumping 2'3 bareback in a halter on a 17 hand horse.

5. Worst fall? Flipping over backwards

6. Most ridiculous or embarrassingly idiotic fall? I fell off dodging a twig in my way!

7. Worst show catastrophe? Back to the flipping over, it was walking to the warm up. She spooked and flipped. And it broke my saddle :(

8. Proudest moment? Probably when she jumped her first coffin on the first try, or the huge (well it was huge to me, preliminary sunken road) bank down.

9. Most ridiculous barn outfit worn? Oh boy, I dressed as wonder woman on Halloween, and we dressed with elf hats near Christmas

10. Any runaway horse stories? Just once, a mini horse broke loose and chased us

11. What are your immediate and future goals for your equestrian career? This year, winning at novice. Future, pro eventing

I'm supposed to be writing a chapter summary on a chapter I haven't even read yet... But this seemed more fun at the moment.

1. What is your favorite thing about your horse (or favorite schoolie, lease, etc) both personally (such as a cute habit or personality trait) and professionally (horses best selling point)? If you could change something about him/her, what would it be?

~Her personality is freakishly like mine. I think that may be my favorite thing. She doesn't have many great selling points IMHO; she's stubborn, only trained for trails, spooky, freaks out around kids, no good breeding, her conformation could be better...She's a pretty color, though? (Wow, she's a BYB's dream.) She's also smart, and with the right person she could turn out to be good at something. I just don't have the knowledge or resources to turn her into a great anything. I'm hoping to find a trainer in my price range though, so I can someday do something cool with her. If I could change anything, it would probably be her height. I'd like her to be about 15.2-15.3. She's not too bad though, she's 15.1 on a good day.

2.Whats the most fun you thing you have done with horses?

~I used to show Arabians in saddleseat and western pleasure. That was always fun.

3. Whats the scariest?

~Showing. I get really nervous riding in front of people.

4. What is the stupidest thing you have ever done around horses? (either a stupid mistake or a fun but really bad idea, ect)

~Riding bareback and in just a halter, in basketball shorts and no helmet about a mile down a highway that didn't have much of a shoulder.

5. Worst fall?

~When my mare turned left, I kept going straight, and front flipped over her shoulder onto my *** on concrete.

6. Most ridiculous or embarrassingly idiotic fall?

~The same as my worst fall. We were at a standstill when it happened.

7. Worst show catastrophe?

~For me? My first show. I dropped both stirrups at the canter, and then had to come back down to a walk on a high stepping, bouncy as hell Morgan gelding that didn't really feel like walking, so we trotted halfway around the arena before I fell off. I hadn't been riding all that long at that point, in my defense.

8. Proudest moment?

~In showing? Winning 2nd place in a halter class with my best horse-y buddy, a (at the time) 17 year old Arab gelding that taught me everything I know. In general? Successfully training my own mare from halter breaking all the way to under saddle.

9. Most ridiculous barn outfit worn?

~My swimsuit and flip flops. My best friend and I used to go straight from her swimming pool to the barn since it was all right on her property.

10. Any runaway horse stories?

~None that I can think of.

11. What are your immediate and future goals for your equestrian career?

~To start riding as much as I used to. I've been boarding my horse for the past year, and it's hard to get out there as often as I'd like.

1. What is your favorite thing about your horse (or favorite schoolie, lease, etc) both personally (such as a cute habit or personality trait) and professionally (horses best selling point)? If you could change something about him/her, what would it be?

I will do all these ~s for my Belgian X mare. She is really sweet & loves to have her head held <3 As far as a profession highlight, she is super smart & very trustworthy! The only thing I really would change is her size, I wish she where a LITTLE bigger(she is 15.2) and I would like ehr to be pinto :)

2.Whats the most fun you thing you have done with horses?

That is to hard to give a definitive answer, but last yr & dressed up as a carrot & rode a Friesian, lol.

3. Whats the scariest?

When my horse took off with me and we where coming up to a big ditch!

4. What is the stupidest thing you have ever done around horses? (either a stupid mistake or a fun but really bad idea, ect)

My sisters & I used to ride backwards on our horses with nothing on them, and hug right in front of their back legs to stop them! Then one day our cabby pony bucked my sister off, lol!

5. Worst fall?

Last Saturday I got run over at my 1st show! :(

6. Most ridiculous or embarrassingly idiotic fall?

Me & my sisters tried to ride a Friesian X TRIPLE & he freaked & bucked us all off! Haha!

7. Worst show catastrophe?

Lasy Saturday :)

8. Proudest moment?

When a horse that one month before didn't even lead let me get on her and walked calmly. I was so proud to have trained her!

9. Most ridiculous barn outfit worn?

Baggie sweatshirt & Pjs

10. Any runaway horse stories?

Not really!

11. What are your immediate and future goals for your equestrian career?

Immediate, get my horse working off the bit better, and teach her flying lead changes. Down the road: XC

1. What is your favorite thing about your horse (or favorite schoolie, lease, etc) both personally (such as a cute habit or personality trait) and professionally (horses best selling point)? If you could change something about him/her, what would it be? My favorite thing about Ursula is her sensitive, sweet personality, and she's super cute! She doesn't have any huge selling points at the moment. She's a young, unregistered draft cross, but she is built well, trainable, has a lovely black coat with bold white markings, and is a nice mover. She has a nice, flat-kneed action that's desirable for HUS. If I could change one thing about her, I would give her some more suspension at the trot. My favorite thing about Rags is his gaits. He has the most breathtaking, sweeping, ground-covering stride at all gaits. His best selling point would be his gaits, and his ridability. He also has a huge successful show record. The only thing I would change about him is his age. He's 22. Ten years younger would be perfect!

2.Whats the most fun you thing you have done with horses? I really liked the horseback ride on the battlefields in Gettysburg.

3. Whats the scariest? My appaloosa filly that I no longer own, reared very high. That was not cool.

4. What is the stupidest thing you have ever done around horses? (either a stupid mistake or a fun but really bad idea, ect) I got on my grandfather's OTTB bareback and bridleless, before she had any training off the track. I lasted about 10 seconds before I hit the ground.

5. Worst fall? I was riding my dad's appaloosa mare. She spooked and shied. I landed under her and she stepped on me. I cracked two ribs.

6. Most ridiculous or embarrassingly idiotic fall? My appaloosa filly that I no longer own tripped. She fell on her face and so did I.

7. Worst show catastrophe? I was showing my first horse, who was a bit of a spaz. Someone's horse bolted during a class. Then my horse bolted. Then about 4 other people's horse's bolted. There were horses flying everywhere snorting and panicking. It was bad. It took nearly 15 minutes for everyone to get back under control again.

8. Proudest moment? My proudest moment was the first time I jumped a course with the filly I raised.

9. Most ridiculous barn outfit worn? Hm.. I got caught on the silver detail on my western show saddle and ripped my pants. I had to wear them around until my mom came to pick me up.

10. Any runaway horse stories? See show catastrophe.

11. What are your immediate and future goals for your equestrian career? My immediate goal is to get back into shape (both me and my horse) and to reinforce what we were doing on the flat. I hurt my back and was unable to ride for a month. A further goal is to be jumping 3'6" courses with my draft cross. It might be a few years until we get to that point. We have a lot of work to do.

1. What is your favorite thing about your horse (or favorite schoolie, lease, etc) both personally (such as a cute habit or personality trait) and professionally (horses best selling point)? If you could change something about him/her, what would it be? - i love my horses personallity hes just fun and playful and knows how to make you smile you have to yell at him like a kid sadly every 30 seconds because hes noisy and gets into everything professionally last summer would have been his best point he had most of the winter off due to an injury but hes more of a pet than anything and the one thing is to stop him from pooping in his water buckets and troth's!!!

2.Whats the most fun you thing you have done with horses? - i use to take my QHs swimming all the time and it was amazingly fun

3. Whats the scariest? when my horse got his injury this fall it was gory and looked worse than what it was i never felt so scared to loose him

4. What is the stupidest thing you have ever done around horses? (either a stupid mistake or a fun but really bad idea, ect) hahaa well, we rode are horses completely wasted through a cow field and the owner came out and chased us all the back to the barn on a 4 wheeler screaming like a lunatic

5. Worst fall? falling off right before a 3 foot fence and watching my horses feet go flying over me

6. Most ridiculous or embarrassingly idiotic fall? my horse freaked out over a cut out of a cow in the arena for trail and i went completely over his head at a walk was not on my game .. : / who knew card board was so scary

7. Worst show catastrophe? passing out in the middle of a reining class in 4h from sun poisoning

8. Proudest moment? rescuing my current horse getting him back into health and retraining him to be a lesson horse

9. Most ridiculous barn outfit worn? umm i have had a few its a tie between my footie zebra print pajamas with ugg boots on and bubble coat or the time i had to leave work to go to my barn for a "emergency" so i was told that ended up being nothing wearing my skirt and high heels yay

10. Any runaway horse stories? yeah had a whole pasture break loose of 6 horses running down a main road last week with about a foot of snow on the ground and me chasing after them on the small fat hairy bucking pony to ride with a pair of coveralls on got them back to the barn thank god

11. What are your immediate and future goals for your equestrian career? to get working my horses again and get them back into shape for summer camps and more lessons and maybe hit a few shows this summer took a long break but now im really itching to get back into it

1. His favorite personality trait is probably his cheekiness. He'll wait until my back is turned, and then push something over, or start chewing on the fence loudly. When I tell him to stop- he gives me the most innocent look!

Professionally...his conformation is decent, and he has extensive showing experience. He's a great school master for a young dressage enthusiast:)

2.Riding with friends on trails has always been my favorite. Nothing beats a good gallop with friends:)

3. I have been on a few rearing horses- that really scares me. Especially when they get to that point where they could either go backwards (which has happened to me before) or forward.

4. I saw my horse lying down and thought it would be a good idea to go sit on his back and ask him to stand up. Didn't end well:P He stood up and promptly bucked me off. It was funny, though!

5. I was riding a cutting horse around a jumping course. He tried to cut before a jump, and we ended up crashing through it. He bolted, and I fell- breaking my elbow and injuring my spleen.

6. Someone asked me to hold their horse while I was riding. My horse went one way- the horse I was holding went the other. I just slipped off and landed on my butt. Haha!

7. He bucked me off in the middle of a class....that was when he used to be SO herd bound he would do anything to get back to his friends. Thank god he never does that now!

8. Winning Champion Ridden Baroque. I beat all the purebreds with my part-bred:) So proud of him!

9. PJ shorts (pink and stripey and very short) with a 'grumpy old man' T-shirt and gumboots. Not my finest hour of fashion :P

10. I was camping at a horse show, and my horse was in a yard attached to my trailer. A HUGE truck (like- sem-trailer sized) came and parked right next to our trailer. My boy got scared, jumped out of his yard, and ran away- all at about 9:00pm. Thank goodness he wasn't hurt!

11. I'm doing another year of competitions with my horse, then probably selling him/leasing him out and moving to a horsey-area to find work:) I have ALWAYS wanted to own a Percheron and compete it too!

1.) Heidi is my mare, and she has a great selling point because she's so dang beautiful :)

2.) going to the lake and just chillin' :)

3.) The first time I sat on her when I was training her :)

4.) When I rode into the lake (fully saddled) and she rolled!

5.) Off of my gelding..

6.) Heidi moved while I was getting on bareback and I tryed to jump on but I like dove over her :)

7.) When Heide wouldn't stay still in showmanship, I guess she got stage fright that show lol :)

8.) When I acheive something new with her :)

9.) Well, I live out in the boondocks :) So I soak in the water trough (during the summer) and ride in my bikini :)

10.) My gelding, Jake. He didn't want to get in the trailer and he got away from me along with my friends horse and ran around the campground like a maniac :)

11.) I'm wanting to start going to more showmanship, halter, and western pleasure shows :)

1. What is your favorite thing about your horse (or favorite schoolie, lease, etc) both personally (such as a cute habit or personality trait) and professionally (horses best selling point)? If you could change something about him/her, what would it be?

Bailey is a rescue horsie, from an animal hording mess. He was housed with another horse, goats, cats, pigs and dogs. During that time.. the goats ate his tail. Now, that's sad and all.. but lord, his little stump is adorable! It's growing back, but right now it looks like a foal's tail.. or a show draft's tail. It's adorable.

2.Whats the most fun you thing you have done with horses?

This past summer I went to Aruba and raced a horse across the beach.. through the ocean, over dunes.. originally my mom, sister and I were going for a trail ride, but I held my gelding back and then cantered to catch up, and the guide (who spoke very little English) was like.. 'okay, let's race!' so he and I flew everywhere while my mom and sister walked behind us.. we kept circling around to them and everything. FANTASTIC.

3. Whats the scariest?

It was actually when I first started lunging a horse. I was still kinda iffy about it, but went with it. Well, the mare that I was lunging, Peaches, hated going to her right, so when I had her cantering that way... I think I had the line a bit short, and she slipped, and went down hard on her side. She stayed down a minute and I was frozen. 15 at the time, and I thought I broke the horse. She's a privately owned jumping mare and really amazing.. I almost peed myself. But she got up and we were all good :)

4. What is the stupidest thing you have ever done around horses? (either a stupid mistake or a fun but really bad idea, etc)

With Bailey, I ride him around, whatever.. and when we're done I kinda hop off and lay in the arena... and he comes and stands next to me. Insanely unsmart... so dangerous.. but nothings happened, so...

5. Worst fall?

Just lately actually, off a four year old. He's jittery and all, so I had a friend hold him and mounted from a block.. well, once I was up, he sidestepped, stepped on the block and flipped out. He reared, kicked it up between his legs, jumped sideways - still in a rear.. I landed hard on my *** and broke a rein. lol the rest of the ride was good though!

6. Most ridiculous or embarrassingly idiotic fall?

My first. Wasn't paying attention, and the horse I was riding, Cactus, spooked at someone sweeping the isle way. I just tumbled off the side and landed on my butt, facing away from him. He then started lipping my shoulder like...'whatcha doin down there?'

7. Worst show catastrophe?

None :) I don't show.

8. Proudest moment?

Signing the lease papers for Bailey. Watching Bailey take his first fence. Going over my first jump arms out, no stirrups. Gaining the trust and respect of my mentor. Watching an old mare, Bubbles, go back into the lesson program - I'd been riding her to get her strength up enough. She used to be a jumper, but broke her leg a while ago. It was bad enough that the vet suggested we put her down, but my mentor said no.. two years later she's finally back in lessons. One a week. I still ride her every day.

9. Most ridiculous barn outfit worn?

God. My mentor called me and asked if I could come lunge some horses because everyone was freaking out and out of time.. so I said sure. I drug my friend with me - who I was hanging with at home - and I showed up in pink fuzzy slippers, my old sweatpants that had spackle and paint on them, and an old jersey with a brown parka.

10. Any runaway horse stories?

One of the first times I rode a mare named Merci.. she tested me every time I hopped on her. Anyways.. she bolted down the arena center line, and I was so pleased with myself when I managed to pull her back without yanking on the reins.

Also, when I was in Aruba.. haha it's not a runaway story, cause I was urging him on.. but it got to the point that whenever he felt me twist my fingers through his mane, he'd take off.

11. What are your immediate and future goals for your equestrian career?

Stick where I am, learn everything I can. Soak up everything, then go to school for business with an equestrian minor. Find a barn in need of a handler and grab it up. I plan to own a horse or two down the road but just keep working close as I can with the animals that stole my life :)

1. I love our bond! And proffesionally.. her build. She's a pure jumper.

2. Me and my friend did a tiny jumping course together, and went over the same jumps at the same time.

3. Riding a green horse up a hill who was bucking and rearing on the way up.

4. I wasn't paying attention as I was going towards a really tiny crossrail, so I fell off. So embarrassing...

5. My horse spooked and I fell, and broke my arm.

6. Same as Number 4.

7. Forgetting to tighten my girth before I went to the ring.

8. Um....I think getting back on after Number 5.

9. Pink tutu, pink high heels, pink leg warmer, tiara (it was Halloween, my horse and I were ballerenias).

10. My mare spooked, dumped me, she kept stepping on her reins and getting her legs caught up. I was horrified, but she was fine in the end.

11. My goal is to be a horse trainer, but my dream is to be in the Equine Olympics... a little crazy, but I can always hope, right? :)