Blog Hop: Would You Rather

I love a good blog hop, thanks Anxiety at A!

Can't wait to develop this canter!

Spooky or Steady:

Honestly, either for the dressage. TC was pretty spooky as a young horse and now he's fairly confident after a lot of clicker training. But over fences, for my next horse, I want the horse to be super bold because I don't want to have to give the horse confidence necessarily. 

 

Matchy-Matchy or Mismatched

I am not a stickler but I do appreciate things matching or at least not clashing. 

Tall boots or Half chaps

I ride in tall boots now, but I used to ride in paddock boots and half chaps for years. 

Indoor or outdoor

I mean, right now I would love to have an indoor. I think I'd pick a covered arena, not stuffy but you can still ride in it in the rain! 

 

Bay or chestnut

I'm super into the grays right now but if it's between bay or chestnut, I'd go for bay. Rico is bay, after all. 

 

Hard shell boots or sport medicine boots?

I don't use boots anymore and I don't honestly know why. I think I'd pick hard shell boots though, easier to put on and I think they look nicer. 

Free Board for a Year or 20k for a shopping spree?

Well, where we are at now, a 20k shopping spree would be excellent. Board for a year on the peninsula would be more worth it (especially if I had two horses) because it's so expensive. 

I'd definitely buy a few saddles, two dressage saddles and a jumping saddle!

Honestly this western saddle is pretty comfortable

Long or short mane or roached mane?

TC's is short and Sunny's is long. I prefer short manes and I think Sunny would look ADORABLE with a short mane but my mom would be very upset. I am excited to learn some braiding techniques for long manes this winter though. 

Lazy or hot horse?

So if hot means tense, no thanks. But I like a horse with an engine. I really want a forward but relaxed jumping horse in the future. Flounder is like that, he doesn't take spurs or a whip but you could not call him tense. 

 

Private barn or a boarding barn?

I miss some aspects of a boarding barn and will probably find my way back to one eventually. But I cannot say that I miss being at one at all right now (aside from having a covered arena). I love being alone at the barn and not having to share space with anyone! 

 

Create your dream barn or own your dream horse?

Oh dream barn of course. Horses can break and don't last forever. I'd like 2.5 acres in LAH please. Five stalls with paddocks leading out to a shared pasture. An oversize dressage court and a large round pen. Plus room to have a perimeter trail. 

 

Roman nose or dished face?

I've mostly had roman nosed horses, but I really don't have a major preference! 

 

Ride an Olympic-level horse or take a lesson with an Olympian?

Wow this is tough. Olympians are often subject to the amnesia of expertise. I've audited some lessons with Olympians and riders of that caliber and the lessons (dressage at least) are just a ton of pressure on the horse and rider to be more forward, straighter, and sharper off the aids. It's all very basic information because someone like Charlotte Dujardin can just think "gotta get him straighter" and do amazing things with her body that she has no idea she's doing. I don't disagree with the fact that most horses need to be straighter and lots of riders ride horses' gaits dumbed down, but every lesson I've audited, I've left feeling like... eh I learn more from my significantly lower level trainers who focus on more technical things. Probably why I'm not an Olympian! 

At the same time, I don't think I'd be capable of riding an Olympic horse. Do I get time to double the amount of strength training I do and start running (ew) every day? Do I get to borrow the Olympian's fascia? Do I get to hand off my amygdala for the ride?

So I'll pick a (Novice level) cross country lesson with an Olympian eventer only because I'm a much lower level event rider than dressage rider (so I won't be such a shrew to teach) and I also have seen some pretty cool exercises come out of upper level eventers! 

Own a miniature horse or a donkey?

I'd own a mini in an instant! They are so cute and I'd totally teach him tricks. 

I want to ride him (consistently) so much!

That was super fun! 

So, this week I am giving my two weeks notice and starting to prepare for starting my new job at the end of this month. It's so crazy how fast this feels like it's happening. I'm really excited to start but also really sad to leave my current position. 

Onto new things, though! 

This Decade in Photos

I, of course, got this idea from May as Well Event and everyone who followed. I can't do just one picture a year though, that's just too difficult.

My horse life and my non-horse life can be separated in two this decade. The first half of the decade was about education. Coming up to 2010, I had been dropped out of college for a few years and was working hard running my business and was also an assistant trainer at an eventing barn. Rico was on rehab for a suspensory after getting me my bronze in 2009. I was riding 8+ horses every day and was generally enjoying life alright.

Rico in 2008! So young, so patient with me

2010

In 2010, I showed in both eventing and dressage. In dressage, I showed Leo and earned my USDF Silver Medal and in eventing, I showed a friesian stallion at the lower levels.

Earning my USDF Silver Medal

Walking out of the ring with Leo, knowing I just earned my Silver

Novice debut

He was super fun! I loved sitting on those hamstrings 

2011

In 2011, I snagged the first two scores to my USDF Gold Medal on Leo and made my first Grand Prix attempt before Leo was retired from the FEI levels. I began riding Rico again and headed back to school to finish my undergraduate education. I quit my job as an assistant trainer and just ran my business. It's also worth noting that TC was born this year!

Grand Prix on Leo

2012

In 2012, Rico came back to work fully and we showed 4-1 again at Greenville!

Oh young Megan and her terrible riding

2013

In 2013, I started riding with Tracey on Rico and we showed at 4-2 a couple of times before competing at PSG three times. I graduated from my undergraduate and headed straight into graduate school. At the end of the year, we went to an Alfredo Hernandez clinic and Rico learned the piaffe and passage.

Graduation

Rico and I at PSG

2014
In 2014, we showed I1 once, I2 once, and then earned my USDF Gold Medal at the end of the year in two shows at Grand Prix. Rico was retired and I began riding TC at the very end of the year.

Rico and my first Grand Prix 

Rico and my second Grand Prix and Gold Medal ride!

What we did after earning my Gold medal

The second half of the decade has been more about establishment. I've found a career I love and have been developing my wonderful horse despite a few setbacks.


2015
In 2015, I took TC to a bunch of schooling shows at Intro and also graduated from graduate school. I got my first job outside of horse training (and my teenage job at a tack store) and then bought TC. By the end of the year, TC hurt himself and left for rehab just after Christmas.

Good boy, baby horse

I look gigantic on him in comparison to now!

2016
In 2016, TC spent half the year in rehab while I hated my job. I quit that one and entered a new industry that I am still in now and adore. TC came home and we continued his rehab, dealing with some behavioral issues on the way.

Ultrasound, I don't miss my wizard vet (so please, TC, let's
not hang out with him any time soon)

Trotting out to see soundness

Swimming!

2017
In 2017, TC and I debuted at Training level and even won All Breeds! We also did some bombproofing clinics. I continued working in IR and loved it.

You win some, you lose some, sometimes
your phone falls out of your pocket in
the show ring

Best pony in the show ring

Bombproofing clinic!

All Breeds!

2018
In 2018, we spent the majority of our time in Sacramento, winning All Breeds at First level. I restarted my business at the end of the year when I moved back to the Bay Area.

Still love this picture of his stretch!

Also I bought my trailer!

2019
In 2019, we had a few setbacks early in the year (me getting mono, TC hating his boarding facility) that delayed our show ring entry until the end of the year. But we did make it into the Second level ring and he now has clean changes on him so we can play catch up in 2020.

Lots of trail riding in the beginning of the year

Then we started riding with Tracey

And it really paid off!

If you told me at the end of 2009 that in ten years, I'd have earned my USDF Gold Medal on the horse that was at the time sporting a career-ending injury or I'd have gone to graduate school and be working a job I adore... I probably wouldn't have believed you. But such is life. I can't wait to see where the next decade takes me.

Blog Hop: Ten Questions for October

Thanks again to L for providing me with blog hop content so that my blog isn't so barren all the time these days! I cannot wait for winter, you guys. Cannot. Wait.

Downside about winter: cannot enjoy the trails as easily

1. What discipline do you ride? What would you ride if you could pick any other one?

I'm a dressage rider. I think if I had unlimited time and money, I'd love to event again.



2. How many horses have you ridden in your entire riding career?

Oh I have no idea. Lots. Hundreds. I hop on a fair amount in clinics, especially the ones with questionable connections, to see what is going on. I can't even guess.



3. Most bizarre activity you've done with your/a horse?

I don't know how bizarre any of these are, but Rico had to put up with a lot. During finals week, I'd go through flash cards when walking him. I often brought my 3DS on trail rides so he could just cart me around while I played video games. I've jumped him bridless. I've stood on his back. I've roped off of him. TC is lucky that he's such a dingbat or he'd be subjected to all of this and more.

Best horse in the world

4. Do you consider riding to be your outlet? If yes, why?

I suppose. I've mostly classified it as a compulsion. Something I have to do, like breathing or sleeping or eating. An outlet like, to help me relax? No. Riding does not help me relax unless you'd say that hard drugs help an addict relax. Riding is a great source of stress for me and I genuinely think that my life would probably be better without riding. But I can't not ride.



5. Have you ever read horse-related magazines? If yes, which one(s)?

When I was a kid I definitely did, I mostly read Dressage Today and Practical Horseman. Now everything is on the internet and I have almost no free time anyway.



6. Most memorable advice given to you?

I've heard a lot of memorable advice. I think what makes me a good test rider though is hearing these words "ride the horse, not the test" which really resonated with me. Sometimes my riders, especially those without enough show experience, will throw their riding out the window and just basically steer and kick through the test. Instead, they must ride the horse within the confines of the test.

Along the same lines, hearing Heidi say "it's just arithmetic" when we were talking about getting my Gold medal has also made me a way better test rider. If I know I can get an 8 on a transition if I just wait an extra step, vs a 5 now, I'll do that and take the 7 with "late transition" as the comment, rather than the 5 with "abrupt" as the comment.

Arithmetic

7. Did you ever collect Breyer horse models or similar?

Yes, my mom bribed me to go to the dentist by getting me a Breyer each time. Also I got bribed with a Breyer to not kick the doctor. Wow, kids are the worst.



8. Favorite "celebrity" horse?

I honestly don't follow horses or even riders all that much. I don't know why, I've never been a celebrity person in general. I do not keep up with anyone.



9. If you could spend a day learning from any horse person (past or present), who would you choose?

See above. Honestly at this point, I'd like to follow Mary Wanless around and watch her teach lessons.

I'd say Tracey but I can barely handle my
two-to-three-times-a-month lessons lol

10. If you could ride in any international arena in the world, where would you choose?

Just ride or compete? I'll keep it realistic and say that I'd love to compete in the Golden State CDI ring one day. Just gotta get the horse, more money, and a lot of luck. I think I've got the drive, the trainer, and the time.

Blog Hop: Ten Questions for September

My favorite Southern California resident, L, gave us a few questions this month so here we go!


1. Favorite quirk your horse (or a horse you’ve spent time with) has?


Not sure if this counts, but TC has the best facial expressions!

This one is my favorite when he gets his ears all squished forward
because he's so excited to, say, see that he has two judges

Then this one, I think it's just when he's relaxing but he always
looks like he's wondering what specifically in his life led to
him being owned by me

2. Three adjectives that perfectly describe your horse?

Goofy, hard-working, sweet. 



3. Plan your next ride. What will you do/work on?

Getting my thigh to do what I want it to! Also probably some haunches-in and simple changes. 


4. Have you ever trained an OTTB? If yes, what was the biggest challenge?

I have had many pass through my training barn over the years but never have owned any of them. They're all *very* different but I mostly have had to deal with tension and/or connection problems. Honestly though, lots of horses have those issues. 

I couldn't find a picture of one of the TBs I had in my barn so
look, my parents' ranch is so pretty sometimes

5. Have you ever groomed or worked for a professional rider?

I was an assistant trainer for a few years. It was a good experience! I got to ride a ton, compete client horses, learn about horse shopping for clients, learn how a big barn works, learn what I liked and didn't like about the business, and all sorts of other things. I'm very happy with what I'm doing now, but a lot of good memories in my life come from those times. 


6. Favorite horse and rider combination?

TC and his future amateur who will spoil him like no other. There are a few riders in Northern CA who I always stop to watch ride if I see them riding. I don't want to name names. As for the international riders, I don't honestly watch a lot of dressage if it's not in person, it's kind of boring okay?


7. Have you ever ridden a horse at the beach?

Yes! I took TC there recently, have taken Rico, and have also ridden a client's horse as well. 

We didn't get so far

8. If you could experience the equestrian community (i.e. ride and compete) in another country, what country would you choose and why?

Honestly I love competing here, we have it easy in that I don't have to qualify for riding at specific levels (for dressage). I think if I were to go ride in another country for fun (not for like horse shopping or what not), I'd want to go foxhunting in Ireland. 



9. In your opinion, what is an item of tack that is given unnecessary hype?

There is this one saddle that Devocoux makes that I think is THE STUPIDEST THING. You absolutely 100% cannot have a correct posting mechanic in this. Dear Devoucoux, please stop making this. 

Sorry if anyone owns this, sorry mostly for your
thighs which must be hurting if you ever try to
post correctly in this

10. What was the first horse you rode called? Are they still alive?

I think I rode my mom's pony, Princess, first. She is by no means alive. She died in like 1990. But she was a Morgan pony. Kind of like Sunny! Who my mom now has and loves. 

Blog Hop Redux: What's in a Name?

Last year I started going through my old blog hops that I had done with Rico and decided to re-post some of them answering them about TC! Since I'm not riding this week, I figured I'd use one as fodder.

This blog hop was originally proposed to us by Hand Gallop. I posted about Rico in October 2014. The prompt was asking what the origin of our horse's names were.

Little baby TC

TC's original name is stupid, but I'll tell the story. There was a horse named Cool that lived at the barn where TC was born, he was a big gray and apparently really... cool. He wasn't doing well when TCs dam was pregnant and they were expecting the worst.

The night TC was born, Cool passed away. A woman who worked there found Cool and then saw in the next pasture over that little baby TC was born.

They decided to name him Cool, after the horse who had died. But TC was Cool the Second, or Cool Two, or Cool Too, or... Too Cool. When I met him, he wasn't mine, or I probably would have changed his barn name. But I rode him for nine months before I bought him and felt silly changing his name then. I refused to call him Too Cool because I thought it was stupid, so I shortened it to TC.

He joined Rico on my wrist a little while ago

His show name is The Alchemist. I was deciding between that and Ghostwriter, which L helped me veto by pointing out that it was the name of a stupid children's show (I had picked the name from the song, Ghostwriter, by RJD2). I liked The Alchemist because alchemy is the art of turning iron into gold and I thought I'd be able to take this very gangly weirdo and turn him into a fancy dressage horse.

To make things way better, naming TC this means that HE is the alchemist in this equation, not me. So while I do think I'm doing a somewhat decent job with him, he's really lived up to his show name of turning me into a way better rider.

He's taught me so much already, how to be more patient and tactful, how to keep everything in perspective, he's given me an insane amount of confidence in my riding, my training, and my stick-a-bility. He's made me laugh and cry and want to rip my hair out. But he's amazing, he totally grew into that name and he deserves it.

Blog Hop: 25 Questions

I decided to grab L's 25 questions because my blog is boring right now! I'm so excited to start riding next week and get TC and I back into shape. Until then, boredom.

I want to get back to this! Including the part where we're showing,
that will take a second though... 

1. What is the first thing you do when you get to the barn?
I go out to get TC usually. Pretty much if I'm at the barn, he's out of his stall, I think he prefers that even if it involves some standing around.


2. Is there a breed that you would never own?
For my purposes, gaited horses wouldn't be a good idea for me. I do like my dad's horse, Riot, but not to own.


3. Describe your last ride.
I sat on Rico this weekend! Last time I rode TC was Wednesday May 8th and it was such an amazing ride, he felt so good. Can't wait to get that back!


4. Have any irrational riding fears?
My main irrational riding fear is that TC will launch me head first into the rafters of the covered arena. I'm still surprised that hasn't happened. He hasn't been bucking as much this year so that's been nice, thanks TC.


5. Describe your favorite lesson horse?
FLOUNDER, who I rode in my return to the very lowest levels of eventing last fall. From when I actually rode lesson horses regularly, his name was Jimmy and he was a horrible, untalented, ugly animal that I loved because he was a horrible, untalented, ugly animal and I was twelve.

The best fish

6. Would you ever lease out your horse?
Maybe... I could see it if I got TC up the levels fairly far and was not interested in selling him (either I didn't need the money or if he wasn't sellable for some reason). I'd be the most annoying owner though, I think it'd only work if either a) the rider took lessons with me or b) was in training with a trainer I approved of.


7. Mares: Yay or neigh?
I'd LOVE to have a mare, but historically if I really click with a horse, it's been a gelding or a stallion. I'd need a very non-mare-ish mare. The mares I have gotten on with though, I adore them so much.


8. How many times per week do you get to see your horse?
I'm at the barn almost every day, maybe on average 6 days per week. I only live about ten minutes away from the barn so it's easy to get out there. If I lived further, I'd probably back down to five days a week.


9. Favorite thing to do on an "easy day" with your pony?
I live for getting on TC bareback and wandering around the barn if he's going to have a light day. It's so much fun and he's surprisingly safe.


10. Conformational flaw that bothers you the most?
I think a horse being built downhill would bother me the most given my discipline. Also anything with a weak lumbar or a neck that ties in low to the shoulder, again due to my discipline.

Not the world's most perfect conformation, but a high neck set,
a decent lumbar area, and built uphill

11. Thing about your riding that you're most self conscious about?
I can't think of anything off the top of my head. We're all insane to strap ourselves onto flight animals and make them do weird shit. I'm just doing my best over here like everyone else. Teaching however, I have lots of impostor syndrome about that.


12. Will you be participating in no stirrup November?
I usually don't. It's just that coming into winter is not a good time to ride TC without stirrups... maybe this is the year he remains sane enough (or the weather remains good enough) to go for it. I don't actually ride without stirrups very much, in the past I haven't found it all that helpful. Foot light and all that Mary stuff has removed the benefit a bit.


13. What is your grooming routine?
I have a fast version and a slow version and the difference is dealing with TC's giant tail, which takes a long time to brush out.

The short version is basically just currying him all over, brushing him all over, and picking out his feet (while also checking his legs because I'm perpetually wondering if that old suspensory will come out to play that day). The long version involves brushing out his mane and tail, spraying him with shiny horse spray, and probably getting distracted with the clippers/trimming his tail so he doesn't step on it/painting his toes.


14. Describe a day in the life of your horse?
He eats breakfast around 7:30 or 8 and I come get him shortly after that. I ride for about 45 minutes to an hour in the mornings or I'll long line him, longe him, or ride him around bareback if we're not doing dressage. After that I can only guess that he rolls on the hour every hour, taking a break for dinner around 4-5, before going back to rolling every hour until I see him again. That's how dirty he is. All the time.


15. Favorite season for riding?
I really like riding in May and June, the weather is usually good, we have the whole summer and fall ahead of us. I love the fall weather but I feel like once October hits, I start getting gloomy about how winter is coming.

Fall is pretty amazing though

16. If you could only have one ring: indoor or outdoor?
Ugh. Do not like this question. I would want an indoor (with mirrors) but then I'd have to sell my soloshot and get a pixio.


17. What impresses you most about the opposite discipline.
This may be cheating since its not technically the opposite, but I am super impressed with Cowboy Dressage. They are super low key and very horse-centric. Their rated shows are run like the sweetest of schooling shows for the lower levels, like if a horse or rider is having issues, they address it so well (vs being like "oh well") and the tests are really interesting, even at the lowest levels. As you climb the levels, there's less flexibility, but not no flexibility. They also have an in hand division!

I think it's amazing, I may bring TC to one of the shows this fall for a few reasons. One is that they're held at a big facility with a lot of atmosphere (but again they're all about horse success so they'll be patient if TC is being a loon), two is that Kate's face lit up when I said she could take TC in the classes I'd want him to do (in hand, I am not getting on that horse in a western saddle) because I don't have clothes for it. We'll see if the weekend works out for us, I start the L program this fall and have a camping trip to go on at some point.


18. You have unlimited funds to buy one entire tack set for your horse, what is he/she wearing?
Custom Saddlery saddle that's custom fit to both me and him. I don't even know what my dream bridle is because I don't look at super expensive bridles. But it would for sure have a completely obnoxious blingy browband. I'd love to replace his half pad and get some nicer saddle pads.


19. How many blankets do you have? When do you blanket?
TC has a cooler... and that's it. He has never been blanketed in his life. I ride in the mornings in the winter and it doesn't get that cold here, so it doesn't make sense to clip him. I hate winter anyway and taking away TC's hair is not going to improve our relationship in the winter. I'm sure I'll eventually be in a situation where I need to clip him, but there's no reason to do it if it's not necessary IMO.

Rico has a medium weight blanket and gets blanketed when it's really cold. He's older and I care about him more.


20. What is your horse's favorite treat? Favorite place to be scratched?
TC is very fond of carrots, I'd say those are his favorite, though he will eat any cookies. His favorite place to be scratched is on his back right under where the saddle goes, just behind the withers. He also really likes being scratched between his butt cheeks and will pick up his hind leg to let you really get in there. He has absolutely no shame.

TC does have other clothes though... 

21. Something about your barn that drives you crazy?
The resident trainer sometimes venmos me inappropriately so then I venmo it back to her and then she venmos it back to me.


22. Roached manes, pulled manes, or long flowing manes?
My horses have pulled manes, but I would love to one day own a fjord simply for the joy of being able to creatively roach its mane.


23. Can you handle a buck or a rear better?
I'm way better at riding bucks just because I've ridden way more of them than rears. I have fallen off way more from bucks though, but again, haven't ridden as many rears. TC has done both and I much prefer his bucks to his rears. With Rico, I'd ride his rears all day long, he's super balanced.


24. I would never buy a horse who _____?
I'd say cribbing, I just don't like the sound and knowing me, I'd pour money into the horse to get it to stop.


25. Favorite facial marking?
I love a good star and snip combo. So cute!

Rico has the tiniest star

Yay thanks L for the blog content! I'm beyond excited to start riding (and lifting) again this coming week. Hopefully one of my next posts will be about our first ride back.

Blog Hop Redux: Wish We Could

One day when I was wandering through my blog for no reason other than boredom (work gets slow in the summers yay 12 month assignment in academia), I realized I had written a ton of blog hops about Rico, but hadn't updated any of the subjects with TC in mind. So I decided to start doing them again now, but with TC!

This blog hop was originally thought up by Beka. I posted it about Rico in early 2015. The question was: Let's pretend that financial restrictions don't exist and logistics isn't a nightmare. If you could do anything with your Ponykins, what would you do?

I just want to wander around bareback forever

TC and I are basically doing what I want to do with him: mostly dressage with some trail riding and other fun stuff thrown in. If money or logistics weren't in the way, here is my ideal situation:


More Lessons
I'd love to take weekly lessons again! Maybe even do a lesson and a training ride each week (that's such an insane idea to me, having my trainer see my horse TWICE a week).


Camping
I've never been horse camping before and I'd love to try it! Unfortunately, with TC's stupidity about fencing and tendency to rear at the trailer, I think the only way for us to camp would be for me to bring a custom paddock type thing that would give him enough room and not allow him to climb it. I'm sure that's out of my budget.


More Trail Riding
I've been trail riding a lot this spring, but if I had all the money in the world, I could take some unpaid days to go trail riding during the week.

Soon the green hills will turn brown

More Shows
The main reason why TC and I do shows where we can just haul in and out is money. I just can't see being able to swing going to a show for a whole weekend, paying for stabling, hotel, eating out... when I can just drive him in and out and eat at home and he can stay in his paddock. If I had more money, I'd totally make a vacation out of showing!


Working Equitation
I'd love to pour money and time into doing WE with TC. I think he'd be good at it. If I could, I'd probably find a working equitation trainer to work with semi-regularly, set up a whole course at home, and put a little more time into it than I am now (which is basically nothing).


Invest More in Soundness/Happiness
TC is doing quite well in the health and happiness department. But, inspired by my post about Rico, I'd totally pour a ton of money into making him the happiest, healthiest horse ever.

For this, I'd love to have my own property so he could have a large private pasture, I'd love to get anything injected the minute it wants to be rather than waiting for it to be a necessity, I'd love to put him on ALL the supplements I want (and then hire someone full time to feed at my property because that's a lot of supplements), I'd love to have him chiropracted and/or massaged at least once a week, and the list goes on.

Blog Hop: My Ideal Day

I obviously started overthinking this blog hop the moment that L posted it. There are so many things I want to do! They don't all fit in one day.

I love doing my job and the structure it provides in my life, so I don't dream of quitting it, but I do have a few ideas for days that could maybe be combined into being my ideal week?


Riding

I love riding and I obviously want to do it every day. My ideal day would probably have 3 hours to spend at the barn so that I can take my time to really brush TC, wander around on him a lot, work on the dressage, then put him away without being in a rush. I also want to be able to ride Rico too, but Rico in 2014 when he was fit and strong. I'd love to ride a line of one tempis or play with the canter pirouettes again, neither of which he will ever do again (but he has given me single changes and pi/pa since being ridden again so I'm not complaining).

Pictures: some pretty ideal days in the last few years, like
kayaking on lake superior, something I get to do again this summer!

Outdoor Activities

I love being outside and trying new things, so I'd like to do some kind of adventure/outdoor activity. Ideas include snowboarding, stand up paddle boarding, hiking, camping, kayaking, swimming. Basically anything that doesn't involve running. No thanks. I also like going new places, so an ideal week would involve some traveling or even just going on a day trip around here.


Gym

I do love the gym, so I'd for sure go to it on my ideal day. I think that I'd go to my previous gym so I could hang out with my friends there. The workout would be this strength one that we did months ago with banded deadlifts and box squats. I still remember that as being one of my favorite workouts.

Riding Rico on the beach 

Friends

I love spending time with my friends and family, so an ideal day/week has those things in them. I joked with L that I would want to visit her on my ideal day, but I think to fit everything else in there, I'd need to be able to teleport, so consider teleporting to San Diego part of my ideal day. And seeing all of my other friends. Actually seeing them all together like at the Mary Clinic would be really fun, so in my ideal day, everyone has to come visit, sorry guys, get on a plane.

My family is super fun, I'd love to either be on a camping trip with them or just hanging out at the ranch. Today is my mom's birthday actually! Happy birthday mom! She doesn't read my blog, I've showed it to her but I think she thinks it's too boring. Sorry mom!

Butter beer!

Food

When I think about what I'd want to eat, it's from all over. Tacos from San Diego, poke from my favorite poke place in San Jose, boba from my favorite place in Davis, maybe trying something new too. Oh and dessert, just all of it. I say these things as if I could eat that much food. I could not. But on my ideal day I could. Certainly in an ideal week.


Indoor Activities

When it gets dark and I can't be outside anymore, being inside is fine. I'd definitely make some time to play board games and video games. Maybe watch a movie too.

Hanging out with the best people

I think if I didn't have my job, I'd have a really hard time not having my entire day being me full of anxiety. That's not to say that the 40 hour work week is what I desire. I think if I were to design my ideal work week, it'd be 4 days long at 6 hours a day. Three day weekends every weekend and an extra couple of hours a day to not be gone from the house for quite so long when I want to both ride and hit the gym in the same day.

Rough schedule (though I think I'd like to live/board closer to work if we're talking ideals lol):

8:00 - get to the barn
10:00 - leave the barn
11:00 - at work
5:00 - change clothes, head out to the gym
5:30 - gym
6:30 - drive home
7:15 - home

Too bad my job doesn't want to pay me my full salary plus benefits for like... half the work. For now, I'm happy and find plenty of time for the above.