Thank goodness for Anxiety at A because I was definitely not prepared for a Battle Royale Review this week and this is a much quicker, easier, and more fun replacement. We haven’t had a blog hop like this circulating in quite a while it feels like. We’ll get back to the reviews next week when I’m more organized with things, but for now I thought there were some really good questions in this blog hop!

https://anxietyata.wordpress.com/2022/06/21/even-more-questions/

1: What is one of your favorite brands specifically for your horse, and why?

Majyk Equipe would be high up on the list, especially if we’re talking sheer volume and range of what I own from the brand. I’ve got their XC boots x 2, their sport boots x 3, their ice boots, their jump boots x 3, saddle pads, etc etc. I’ve had great luck with their products and they’re great people, so win-win. Next would probably be Premier Equine, but really just their merino wool saddle pads. I have 5 and it’s about time to order a new round of them, they’re by far my most used pad and they’ve held up so well.

2. If you were given a gift card for a tack shop with unlimited funds, what would you buy first?

I would normally say a saddle but since I just bought a new saddle (which is on it’s way here from France as we speak) I guess I’m not allowed to say that anymore. Or bridles, since I have like 12 (If I have unlimited funds though I’d prob need this one to make it an even 13, ya know?). I’d probably pick up a couple nice super fancy sheepskin girths for Gemma and then I’d march my dumb ass straight into Romitelli and buy like 3 more pairs of tall boots that I don’t need but definitely want. It’s a sickness.

3. What horse event/clinic do you really want to audit or participate in? (Events like Equine Affaire, or the LRK3DE, or even local events, etc)

I love spectating big events and I’ve been lucky to see some major ones, but the big ones left on my bucket list are Millstreet 4* in Ireland, Lion d’Angers 6 and 7yo World Championships in France, and Aachen in Germany. Someday!

4. What is something your horse has taught you that you didn’t expect to learn?

That I have to stop worrying about what everyone else does or what we think we’re “supposed” to do, and pay more attention to what I actually want to do. Life is too short to live by someone else’s rules and ideas.

5. If you could take your horse anywhere, right now, to do anything, where would you go and what would you do?

Hunting in Ireland. But like their baby version, not the one with 7′ hedges and giant canals. Oooo or team chasing looks really fun.

6. What are your favorite colors to put on your horse? (think saddle pads, tack colors, browbands, etc.)

Navy. Navy navy navy. And black. Or Navy. Black and Navy. With black or navy glitter.

7. What is your least favorite equestrian brand?

Ooooo we out here throwin hands! Buuut… probably Tailored Sportsman. I refuse to give those people one hot cent of my money, they are astonishingly awful to both retailers and customers. Millbrook Leathers would rank high up there too due to some really not-great things they’ve posted on their social media. Oh what’s that awful pyramid scheme company run by felons that brews their injectable “joint supplement” without any FDA regulation… Summit! That’s it. Hard fucking pass absolutely the fuck not. KEP Helmets after that insane debacle a few years back with their falling-apart helmets and how they responded to it. I’m sure there are more that I’ve written off and completely forgotten about.

8. If you could change one thing about your discipline, what would it be?

Improve safety for horse and rider.

9. Did you grow up in an ag/equestrian familiar family, or are you the first person in your family to step foot in a barn?

Nope I’m from a family of muggles.

10. Do you like the bit that is in your horse’s mouth currently or do you want to try a new one?

My horses go in different bits (or different bitless setups) depending on a variety of things. Right now I’m happy with what each of them is in (Henry mostly goes in the bitless, Gemma is in a Myler comfort snaffle, Presto is in a HS WH Ultra Sensogan), but if I wasn’t I’d change it up.

11. If you could change one thing about your horse, what would it be?

I’d make Henry live forever, Presto not be a walking vet bill 24/7, and turn Gemma into an easy keeper.

12. What is one thing about horses you are weirdly obsessed with? (i.e wrapping techniques, footing, grooming, hair care, clippers, saddles, etc)

I’m sure I’m weirdly obsessed with lots of things by other people’s standards but I can’t think of one thing that ranks above most other things to me. I’d say I’m particular about… almost everything. I just have preferences after all this time.

13. What is the most advanced horse you have ever ridden, or what is the most advanced move for your discipline you have done?

I got to ride some really nice GP jumpers when I was a teenager, and I’ve sat on a couple upper level eventers (3* and 4*) and a GP dressage horse! Oh and a pretty nice cutting horse, which was really fun.

14. What is your favorite type of reins?

Rubber, but not too thick and not the cheap shitty ones that melt in the heat.

15. What are you a diva/stickler about in terms of equipment quality?

A lot of things. Mostly I hate really shitty leather, especially the stiff dry stuff that just never breaks in well or molds to horse or rider. Life is too short for shitty leather. I also don’t like things that aren’t designed well for the horse’s anatomy or comfort (like saddle pads with no wither cut, or badly placed seams, etc etc). I feel the same way about riding clothes with regards to fabric and fit.

16. What is your favorite barn hack you learned?

uh. I have no idea what I do that would even qualify as a barn hack… I feel like most of the “barn hack” posts I see are just full of DUH things. Like the one about how to kink a hose to stop the flow of water. You gotta be shittin me.

17. What is your least favorite piece of equipment and why?

If I see one more person put a curb chain on an elevator bit and then use it with one rein on the bottom of the gag, usually waterskiing on their horse’s mouth while running cross country, I swear to Jesus (and what a coincidence, 99.99999 times out of 100 the person with that setup also has really bad hands and gaping holes in their flatwork).

18. If your horse was a character from a Disney movie, who would they be?

I admittedly have not watched a Disney movie in forever but based on what I can remember of them off the top of my head Gemma = Princess Merida, Henry and Presto… I don’t think this is a Disney movie but it’s animated so I’m saying it counts – Henry is Shrek and Presto is the Donkey.

19. If you could change one thing about the property you are at right now with your horses, what would it be?

Mostly I’d just fast forward 5 years to when all the projects will be complete. This place is STUNNING and has such great bones, it was just a bit neglected and run down, so it’ll take time to get it back to it’s former glory and then mold it into what we’re eventually envisioning for the facility. One of the first big things is pasture maintenance! Gotta get rid of the weeds and get the grass lush again.

20. What is the purchase that you regret in the horse world?

The air vest that I bought when I first started eventing because that trainer at the time said it was essential, so I listened to her and bought one before I started researching things for myself and asking my own questions. Never did wear that thing, finally sold it a few years ago.