I'd rather be in outer space 🛸
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DEAR READER
izzy's playlists!
will byers stan first human second
Andulka
One Nice Bug Per Day
2025 on Tumblr: Trends That Defined the Year
let's talk about Bridgerton tea, my ask is open
tannertan36
d e v o n
taylor price
wallacepolsom
art blog(derogatory)
YOU ARE THE REASON
shark vs the universe
roma★
todays bird
AnasAbdin
$LAYYYTER
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@quintessentialhorsemanship
“Some people when they have taken too much and have been driven beyond the point of endurance, simply crumble and give up. There are others, though they are not many, who will for some reason always be unconquerable. You meet them in time of war and also in time of peace. They have an indomitable spirit and nothing, neither pain nor torture nor threat of death, will cause them to give up.”
— Roald Dahl, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More
ZAFFERANO 1325
https://www.verbena.se/
“So how many times will your thoroughbred buck today since the temperature dropped?”
Kalaloch+ (Piaff x Ahbliss) - Polish Arabian Stallion
This boy’s Working Eq videos are droolworthy <3
Royal J Performance Horses
www.nicoleschultzphotography.com
source
There is no place as wild and magical and utterly gorgeous as Iceland.
Art by Alexandria Neonakis
The Adair County News, Kentucky, September 20, 1905
Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, England, April 28, 1923
Showing the Metropolitan Police (Mounted Greys Section), who escorted Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (Duchess of York, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mother) to the Abbey for her wedding, during training.
Two horse moods
One: I love this animal, I would jump off a bridge for her, I need her to survive.
Two: Stop spooking at that you fucking moron we’ve had this your entire life calm down and go over the jump you lunatic.
weather: -is spring-
horse: holy shit!!!! HOLY SHITTTT holy fucking shit!!!!!!!!
dirt and dust
All this discourse going around has gotten me thinking about reassing your goals. I always knew I wasnt going to the top with Bob. He’s not conformationally ideal for any sport. He’s long and downhill and heavy on the forehand. He was never going to be exceptional at anything -that’s why he was cheap enough that I could afford to buy him.
But I had plans. I was going to do some low level eventing with him. Jumping certainly sounded like more fun than dressage at that point. I wanted to do everything with him. I wanted to be able to go on long trail rides and be able to jump over logs on the way. I wanted to be able to gallop around a cross country course. Pop over little jumps.
That didn’t happen. After I’d had him for just shy of two years (though I’d been riding him for less than 18 months of that) when he was rising 7, he put his leg through a fence and severely damaged his extensor tendon in his right hind. For a while there was talk of euthenasia, and while we were cautiously optimistic, there was a chance he wouldn’t be sound to ride. I was a waitress at the time. I was poor. But I poured over $3000 into vet care for him.
And after 9 months off, he was sound to ride. He pulled through, but the vet cautioned us he should never be jumped, because his tendon was never going to be up to the strain - if he landed wrong on it after a jump it could just snap. My dreams of doing eventing on him vanished overnight. He was never going to be sound for anything other than flatwork.
So I reassessed. I did hacking, I did show hunter, and finally I came around to dressage. Now I love the sport and I love improving my riding and my horse and seeing those percentages creep up.
And the thing is, not only is Bob now conformationally a bit of a train wreck but his right hind is a constant problem. He gets uneven easily. He short steps a bit on that leg. He takes a while to warm up when it’s cold. He’s getting arthritic changes already, and at 13, he’s been started on pentosan. I had to reasses my goals. I’ll probably have to retire him before I would have otherwise. But I can still enjoy our journey together.
We’ve had challenges, but that isn’t anyone else’s fault. I can’t blame the people on fancy warmbloods for the fact that I could only afford a gangly looking paint, or that he injured himself. Instead of getting all bent out of shape about it, I set realistic goals for us. I want to crack 70% in a prelim test. I want to crack 60% in a Novice test. I want to keep my horse sound for as long as I can, and make sure when I retire him he’s still paddock sound and can have a long and happy retirement.
And you know what? Most of the dressage community has been really great. They’ve been supportive and friendly. I’ve had strangers compliment me on my shitty second hand coat because the green looked nice with my chestnut horse. I’ve had strangers tell me I handled it well when he was being difficult, or commented that he seemed like a sweet horse when he wasn’t. And more often than not, Ive had people just give me a smile as they ride past, an acknowledgement that regardless of what I’m riding or what they’re riding, we’re both in this for the love of horses and the love of the sport.
There’s no point getting a chip on your shoulder about things you can’t change. Do your best with what you’ve got, set goals that are realistic for you and your horse, and just bloody enjoy it. Why do this insane sport if it’s not fun anymore?
