Go Coco! & the Honest Scrap

What a super day! Highlight of it being that I jumped Coco! Yes, honestly really I did. I was down at the arena doing some schooling and stuff, and as I was riding Coco I just couldn't get my eyes off the jumps. There was a small crossbar, which I kept trotting near (seriously, my 20m circle turned into some weird oblong as I had an almost magnetic attraction to the damn thing). I decided to be somewhat sensible and get off and put some poles down first. She was good while I did that.

Then we came around and walked towards the 3 poles laying together. Awesome, no worries. I did some more various polework then trotted into the crossbar - no problem at all. I put her into that crossbar and a few others until she was jumping them kindly. We even did some small uprights (60cm) and little barrels - but really we don't quite have the impulsion yet to do anything more than that. But I am just stoked with how well she handled it all. It feels like she has a cute jump too, so will endeavour to get some pictures next time.

the Honest Scrap blog award

Beckz over at 'I will jump sweet Jumps' blog tagged me for the Honest Scrap. Basically it's an email quiz that has somehow worked it's way into the bloggersphere (blogosphere? which is correct, I'm not sure?). The idea is I have to list 10 honest things about myself, and then tag 10 further bloggers to complete it, but unlike the nasty email ones there is no threat of bad things happening if you don't complete it. But it'd be interesting if you guys did.

1. I am 30! Most people think I'm younger, but once someone who knew me only through the internet thought I was an old lady and was mortified when I posted a picture and wasn't grey and wrinkled.
2. I ride horses for a living currently. Sometimes I miss the warmth of the office and the relative ease of my old IT jobs (and I most certainly miss wearing the lovely wardrobe of clothes from Cue).
3. I am a vegetarian and have been since I was about 8. Over the past 4 years I have attempted to eat meat a few times - kickstarted by a rotational fall that ripped a reasonable amount of skin off my face. I found I healed much quicker while eating meat, but I really do hate it. I now tend to just eat about 2 servings of meat per year, and only if I am having health problems.
4. I have no siblings, and I am incredibly happy about this! I am very self-centric (as I am told is quite common in only-children). But I believe that if I'd had siblings I never would have had the opportunities to ride that I did when growing up.
5. I attended my first show a couple months after I turned 2 years old. I was on the lead rein, and got a yellow rosette (which I still have, and it's framed too).
6. Though I do not believe ribbons and placings can be our only goals in riding, I am excited every time I get one. I consider it a reward for all of the work put in to the horses (not just by me, either - but everyone who helps me), and never throw ribbons away.
7. The best riding lesson I ever had was about 20 years ago with Colin MacIntosh. I have had many good lessons since then, but I think that clinic had the largest number of 'lightbulb' moments of any in my life. It was also the single lesson that taught me how to get my heels down (though it still took a number of years for me to turn that theory into any semblance of reality!).
8. I didn't learn to drive until a few years ago. I was always scared of driving after an unpleasant experience when I was first put behind the wheel of a car. I was motivated by a desire to be able to drive horsetrucks and get myself out & about. I now have my class2 and am hoping to get my class4 when I have some spare cash.
9. I skipped a few years of school and started university when I was 16. I always assumed I would return to uni and do a Masters Degree, but never have (and now don't believe I ever will).
10. Many of you will already know this, but I love potato. I mean - there are days where I will have all 3 meals of the day as potato meals. I could potentially have potato in every single meal and never get sick of it. And I once cried when I spilt my freshly-cooked potato dish on the kitchen floor (smashing the bowl and making the meal completely unable to be consumed). This is how much I love potato.

Now it's your turn: Kylee at http://stellarsporthorses.blogspot.com/; Rackil at http://rackilshorses.blogspot.com/; Ang at http://kosporthorses.blogspot.com/; Kristal at http://flynnthegingerninja.blogspot.com/; Karina at http://valstersporthorses.blogspot.com/; Fiona at http://feetnz.blogspot.com/; Lou at http://talismanfarmsporthorses.blogspot.com/; Mel at http://cobber-highmaintenance.blogspot.com/; Alicia at http://aliciashorses.blogspot.com/; Jenny at http://enterata.wordpress.com/.