Cob Jockey

1. What is the first thing you do when you get to the barn?

Yell "Hi Con!" as I'm walking in the door.  He always nickers real loud at me in response, and then I give him a peppermint.  (Am I bribing this nickering behavior, yes, most definitely, but it's still movies-level cute.)

2. Is their a breed that you would never own?
Probably something gaited?  I love borrowing gaited horses for trail riding but sport-wise they're just not my jam.

3. Describe your last ride?
The trial ride for the CWD saddle, which I did after hauling Connor to Cincy and back and having a  lesson there so needless to say (and understandably) Connor was not into playing my reindeer games for that ride.

4. Have any irrational riding fears?
Just coming off in general.  It's been so long since I came off anything, I almost don't even remember how that works.

5. Describe your favorite lesson horse?
Taylor, in college.  She introduced me to how amazing it feels to be properly sized to the horse underneath you, and gave me a confidence I never knew I could have.  RIP little horse.

6. Would you ever lease out your horse?
Oh most definitely if the right person came along.

7. Mares: Yay or neigh?
Pass.  I get along so well with boys in every aspect of my life, it'd be a real hard sell to convince me to own a mare.

8. How many time per week do you get to see your horse?
Am I traveling in this hypothetical scenario?  If I'm home, every single day with very few exceptions.  Since he only lives 9 minutes away I feel so guilty if I don't at least pick his feet out.  If I'm traveling, never.

9. Favorite thing to do on an “easy day” with your pony?
Hack out in the big field, although I would do almost anything to have access to some legit trails.

10. Conformational flaw that bothers you the most?
Bad feet, small feet, shelly feet, upright feet, coon feet, thin feet...you get the idea. 

11. Thing about your riding that you’re most self conscious about?
My tendency to be backwards. 

12. Will you be participating in no stirrup November?
Nah.

13. What is your grooming routine?

Before a ride:

1. Curry with grooming gloves
2. Stiff brush
3. Flicker brush
4. Tigers Tongue

After a ride:

1. Curry with green rubber curry
2. Stiff brush
3. Soft brush 

14. Describe a day in the life of your horse?
Currently it's: come in from night turnout, breakfast, stand under a fan napping all day, get ridden, eat dinner, night turnout. 

15. Favorite season for riding?
The last two weeks of September are statistically the most beautiful in Indiana (there's actual data to back this up).  The sunlight is beautiful, the sky is a deep cloudless blue, the grass and trees are still green, the temperatures are reasonable and Connor has amazing dapples.  That's the best time of the year for horse things.

16. If you could only have 1 ring: indoor or outdoor?
Indoor with lots of ventilation!

17. What impresses you most about the opposite discipline (english vs. western)?
That they're so chill with cows.  I know they're bred and then conditioned for it, but man, my horse would not be okay with that.


18. You have unlimited funds to buy one entire tack set for your horse, what is he/she wearing?
Whatever makes him most comfortable, seriously.

19. How many blankets do you have? When do you blanket?
Stable sheet - Shows only
Turnout sheet - 45F-55F
Light liner - Added to sheet between the upper 30's and 45F
Medium blanket - Don't use this much
Medium liner - Used between 25F-upper 30's
Heavy blanket - He pretty much lives in this if it's below 25F
Ultra heavy with neck 400g - He's uncomfortably warm in this above like 15F, but below that this is a super useful blanket

20. What is your horse’s favorite treat? Favorite place to be scratched?
Peppermints, and his face!  His loooooves having his face curried.  He also loves having the inside of his ears scratched.

21. Something about your barn that drives you crazy?
Nothing?  I really have no complaints now that he's so close to me!  I wish we had more storage space and I wish we had access to trails, but both of this can be dealt with.

22. Roached manes, pulled manes, or long flowing manes?
Pulled for sure. 


23. Can you handle a buck or a rear better?
I don't think I've ever ridden a rear, and it's been years since I rode a real good buck, but I'm SUPER good at riding a spook in place!

24. I would never buy a horse who ___________________?
Cribs. I pride myself on being low maintenance for my BM/trainer, I would be so embarrassed if he stood there and destroyed the facility all day.

25. Favorite facial marking?
Castleberrys Echo's Sneetch blaze 😂