Since I can't seem to keep up with my blog at all I figured I would get myself motivated by joining this blog hop, which was started by Aarene over at Haiku Farm.

Here's the directions:

Answer the questions (below) on your own blog, and leave a link to that post in the comments here.
In your post, invite readers to answer the questions on THEIR blogs, and link those blogs to yours AND to here.
Let's see how far this can travel!
Pictures!  Let's see lots of pictures of people and horses!

*  Introduce yourself!

*  Introduce your horse(s)!

*  What's your favorite horse sport?  Do you cross train in other activities?

*  Who else in your family rides?

*  What's your proudest equestrian accomplishment?

*  What was your lowest moment as a horse owner/rider?

*  What's the most important small thing you ever learned in a lesson?

*  Do you have any riding rituals or superstitions?

*  What are your short term goals for yourself/your horse?

*  Long term goals?

*  If time and money were no object, what is your dream equestrian vacation?

*  What kind of horse activities were you doing 10 years ago?

*  What kind of horse activities do you think you'll be doing 10 years from now?

*  What is the quirk about your horse that you like most?

Introduce yourself!
The short version? I am a 23 year old  who works with horses and kids all day, every day. I love my job and enjoy doing it, but it does cause me some extra stress! I live in the great plains and LOVE it, even though so many would rather live in the mountains or by the ocean. 
Introduce your horses!
I own 2 horses and my sister little guy lives with them. I own two mares, both of them are chestnuts which I laugh about now. I always swore I would never own another chestnut, but here I am!

Addie is my 18 year old OTTB mare. We did some eventing in the past, but a neighbors dog ruined her chance to ever jump again. I hope that she will be 100% sound again one day, but at this point we can do some walk/trot dressage work. She is by far my most expensive horse, and I do what I can to make her comfortable. Her early years weren't the best and even if she is a pasture puff she will be with me for the rest of her life. 

Pepsi (Fancy Time Chic) is my 10 year old AQHA mare. Addie is a great mare but has never been great for a relaxed trail ride, so I wanted a horse that I could have a nice relaxing ride with some friends. I swore it wouldn't be another chestnut mare... but you know how it goes! I love this horse. She is willing to do just about anything, and I have learned so much from her. 

Java is really my sisters horse, but I ride him more than she does due to his tendency to be quite... fresh. Java is a Hackney Pony cross around 7 years old. I have no idea what his past was like, the people we got him from tried to use him for their 5 year old. He was not broke at all and they pretty much gave him away. Java is a spitfire, but he is a blast. I wish I had more time to bring out his full potential, but I hope to someday show him!

What's your favorite horse sport? Do you cross train in other activities?

I have always had a great love for dressage. I think it's an amazing sport and I think it will always be my favorite riding style. Of course, I also enjoy jumping. 

I work at a barn that is almost solely western pleasure and hunt seat pleasure horses. It has been a huge challenge for me to get used to, they are almost all spur broke, which goes against all that I have ever been taught. The riding style is also different. I showed a season with them, and while I really enjoyed it, but I have recently gotten back into dressage and I still think the others do not compare!

Who else in your family rides?

My sister rides occasionally, but not as often as I am sure she would like. My mom used to ride with her mother when she was younger, but doesn't really ride anymore. My dad has never even liked horses. 

What's your proudest equestrian accomplishment?

I tend to be proud of even the smallest of accomplishments, but I think my favorite was last year. I showed a palomino from work in halter, and hunt seat pleasure, I have never shown either before and it caused me a lot of anxiety. He is a halter horse, not really built for riding and was so lazy and explosive that I really struggled at first. By a couple of shows in we really hit our nitch! We ended the year with high point in AQHA and Palomino Halter, Hunt Seat Pleasure Senior horse, AQHA and Palomino, and did well in most other events. I think I was so proud of him, just because I know how challenging it was for him to work correctly even a little. 

What is your lowest moment as a horse owner/rider?

I always hate when I get super frustrated with a horse. But I think the one on my mind right now is a situation at work. We have a really nice 11 year old AQHA that has such a great mind. He began showing lameness late spring and we were unable to really pinpoint where it was coming from. Months later, MANY vet visits (numerous vets) and we are still unable to find the exact cause. He is arthritic in his neck, fetlocks, and hocks and he has graduated to powder puff for the time being. I am sure that he will not be comfortable even in pasture forever. I feel like I haven't done enough for him, even though I know this isn't true... that really sucked. 

He is sooo handsome!

What is the most important small thing you learned in a lesson?

Oh boy... I have learned so much that I think of as important that this is a challenge for me. I think the one thing I think has impacted me the most is the lesson I learned about my own mindset. I used to get so frustrated if things did not go the way I though they should. It took me a long time to just go with the flow and to know when it was time to just get off. 

Do you have any riding rituals or superstitions?

No, not really. 

What are your short term goals for your horse/ you?

My main goal for myself right now is to take a couple of lessons to get my excitement about riding up again. My goal for Addie is to get her going well enough that she can doing even training level Dressage again. (She used to be doing well thrid level, but I do not expect this at all.) Pepsi... I want to get her carrying herself better undersaddle, and wouldn't mind doing some low level showing with her and Java!

Long Term goals?

I want to own my own horse property, and be showing at least one of my horses at least first level. 

If time and money were no object, what is your dream horse vacation?

I am a homebody... my dream vacation would be time off to ride my own horses!

What kind of horse activities were you doing 10 years ago?

I was taking lessons twice a week, and riding my own horses a whole lot more than I do now!

What kind of horse actitivites do you see yourself doing 10 years from now?

I hope to just be happy with my horses, but I would be so happy to own a horse I can show again without worrying about lameness. I would also love to be working with horses more often than I do now to help afford my own!

What is the quirk about your horse that you like the most?

I love that Pepsi is so people oriented, she sticks her nose out for kisses, and sticks her head on your shoulder. Java has an awful head toss out in the pasture... he does it when you lunge him and he doesn't like what he is being asked to do. I think it is hilarious.