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My cousin came to live with us for a year when I was about 3. She would spend all day telling me stories of her horses and experience in 4H growing up. Although I was too young to remember specifics, she definitely planted a seed. I begged to start lessons when I was 6 and having been riding ever since!

I actually love this question and wanted to ask it again to the next person... So

When did your love of horses start? Was there a specific event that started it all?

I'm gonna to go with appaloosa in real life at least. My brother is hard of hearing and kind of half made up his own language. He called horses obbies for some reason and at the time there were a lot of horse pastures still right in town. There was one that had an appaloosa in it and every time we went by he would yell "that obbie has a spotted butt!" So I definitely have a soft spot for them.

What was your first experience with horses?

My first memory of a horse is actually not my first experience. My dad loved riding and let me up with him a lot as a small child. So when I was like 4 my dad and uncle went in on a racehorse. Beautiful chestnut, I can still see it in my mind's eye. I got so mad they wouldn't let me up on the horse we ended up having to go home. Looking back on it, if my dad had been a spanker, that would have been the day.

Did you start playing the game for the pretty pictures, or the science behind the genetics?

I don't lease or own at the moment, but the horse I owned and most of the horses I leased were arab/half-arabs. I rode both hunter and western on the circuit and even dabbled in saddleseat for the equestrian team shows. I also did trail, showmanship, dressage and a few speed events like poles and barrels for fun!

The farm I boarded at backed up to lots of trails and we also frequently trailered out to local metro parks to ride and take the horses in the lake which were by far some of my favorite memories! I tried jumping for a short time early in life but never took a liking to it. Two things I would love to do and haven't had the opportunity to try is reining and endurance riding.

As much as I love the horsey questions, I wanted to mix it up a bit!

Where is the coolest place you have had the opportunity to visit?

Ok, so I've had the opportunity to tromp all over the continental US. There are a lot of really beautiful places that don't take much effort to see. Of all the places I've been the only one I really want to show my children before I'm too old to walk it again, is Carlsbad Caverns. It's in the middle of nowhere, and only worth driving to if you have to go past it, but deep in those caves is the most amazing place I can think of.

What's one good thing that's happened to you so far this year?

I know I just answered but.... I love to go hunting, hiking, fishing, biking, and swimming. Ice fishing is so much fun, I mostly hunt to observe but occasionally I will thin a herd when deemed necessary (lately coyotes have been reeking havoc on the poor domestic animals around here).

What is your favorite food to eat?

In June 2019, my husband and I sold our house and travelled North America in our self converted camper van until the beginning of November 2020. While it was extremely tough living and quarantining on the road during the pandemic and it was ultimately the reason we came back, I am so so thankful for the opportunity 2020 brought us. I was already working virtually due to our travels and COVID really challenged me to grow my online business. As of November/December of last year I am officially making almost exactly what I was making at my corporate engineering job which I am extremely proud of!

@dejarea I agree that Carlsbad was incredible! We stayed on BLM land just outside the park that had another small cave system that you could explore just by giving BLM a call!

What is one thing you hope to do this year?

Good job @LadyHawkestables! Keep meeting those goals.

The best thing that happened to me in 2020 is easy. Hunny and I took a road trip to Texas before covid. I got to see the "Adults" of my foster family for the first time in 25 years, got to go out for a day with my oldest friend, and got to spend a week on my second favorite beach in the whole country. I'm hoping hunny's health gets better so we can do it again sooner rather than later.

Did you get a gift in real life for the holidays that made you squeal?

I’m going to answer a few of the questions.

My love of horses started when I was around 5 or 6 years old. My mom took me to Utah to my Great Uncle’s Farm. I got to ride a horse there. Long story short my love of horses started that day and has just kept growing and growing. My mom tells a story that I said I wanted to Giddy Up Go. So my Great Uncle hit the horse on its Rump with a stick. The horse took off at a Gallop across the field. When the horse finally stopped and my mom & Great Uncle caught up to me I looked at them and said “That was Fun! I want to do that again.” To this day that is now a saying in my family. If we do something Fun that we really enjoy we say “That was Fun! I want to do that again.”

My favorite breed of horse is definitely Warmblood. My Beautiful Mare is a Warmblood. She’s made me fall in love with the breed. I also really love Pintos, Paints, Knabstruppers, Appaloosas & Thoroughbreds but Warmbloods warm my heart!

I show my horse in Western Dressage. Not to sound like I’m bragging but we actually do quite well in it. I also love Trail Riding! I’m going to be trying Obstacle courses on my horse soon.

Coolest place I’ve visited so far I’d have to say were the Glaciers in Alaska. My mom & I took a Helicopter to the top of a Huge Glacier and we were able to walk around on it and take pictures. It was absolutely beautiful and really neat to see.

My favorite food is Chocolate, Chocolate and more Chocolate! Especially Dark Chocolate. If that doesn’t count then my favorite type of food is for sure Mexican.

The thing I hope to do this year is get back on my horse. Unfortunately both my horse & I have had health problems that has kept me from riding for 2 1/2 years now. We are both in better health now and I’m absolutely dying to get back in the saddle again Literally speaking!

My question for everyone is do you ride and if so what style of riding do you prefer?