Rocking E Cowgirl 10 questions July blog hop

Rocking E Cowgirl returns with another great set of questions for the second blog hop! 

1. If you could trail ride anywhere this summer, where would you go?
TO THE BEACH! 🌴🌊 I have always dreamed of taking my boys to the beach and riding in the sea ever since we had a family holiday in Ireland when I was 12 and I got to ride one of the ponies at the beach. We also rode up a small mountain/hill but that was not fun for me! I can just imagine Basse stumbling and us all falling down the side of it.

2. Tell me your all-time favorite joke.
Well this is not a joke, instead it's a funny line from one of the Blackadder episodes: "I think I'll write my tombstone 'here lies Edmund Blackadder, and he's bloody annoyed" simply because I've said this so many times throughout my life when I've been pissed off but everyone has always just laughed which has now made it into my favourite joke-y line to say, probably because I grew up watching all of the Blackadder episodes!

3. Polo wraps or boots? Dare I ask, why.
Bandages all the way because they offer more support and more protection. I also like the matchy matchy aspect of it, but I've been taught to use bandages since I could ride (like 8 years old?) so bandaging feels a lot more natural than using boots. I never feel like I am going to create any damage to the horses' legs especially since I use Eskadron climatex bandage liners underneath the bandages  - but I have NOTHING against using boots and do use them when I am running out of time or going out for a hack!

Pretty bandages!

4. If your horse was a human, would you date him or her? (disregard gender specifics and just roll with the question, mmmk?)
Errr Vallu yes because he is so charming! I have had so many people tell me that if Vallu was a man he'd be a total heart breaker but you would still just love him. Whenever someone new comes to visit us and goes to pet the horses Vallu looks something like this 😘 (it's like they created an emoji for him!) And I wouldn't date Basse because he is my best friend and that would be weird.

5. Name your favorite horse movie.
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002) of course! GOD I sobbed so hard when I first saw that movie when I was 9, and I just saw it on telly a few months ago and I still cried just as hard now 15 years later. All the horsey movies seem to make me cry, I just about got through Warhorse without having a heart attack... 💔

6. Who inspires you?
My older brother, Henri. He has worked non-stop since he turned 18 and I totally admire and love that kind of work ethic. Sure I'd love to see him more often but goddamn I'm so proud to be his little sister when he is out there kicking ass and making a name for himself in the dressage world! I also really adore the fact that he still loves his horses despite everything that he has had to go through. (P.S he was also one of the riders in that first group of international GP riders who started using hard riding helmets instead of a top hat because he thinks all riders should use them! 👏🏻)

7. Tell me about your most embarrassing moment. 🙂
Falling off a horse when I was about 10 in front of a big audience and I just couldn't stop crying... I wasn't even badly hurt but it was such a shock that I'd actually fallen off that I just cried and cried and cried. I can STILL remember people being like "she's not even hurt, why is she crying?" and now when I fall off I don't cry until hours later!!

8. If your horse could talk, what would you ask him or her?
I would ask both boys if they were in any discomfort or pain and if there was anything I needed to change with my tack - I'm always worried that my bridle or saddle isn't fitting perfectly. I'd also ask Vallu to not kill me when hacking out so that we could actually go and ride out somewhere else.

9. What was the best thing that happened to you today?
I rode Vallu in the indoor in his double bridle, paying lots of attention to the length of my reins and making sure that my curb rein was long and loose. I try to keep my snaffle rein short, but sometimes when shortening it I also accidentally shorten the curb rein which really pisses Vallu off. Today when I was constantly checking in the mirrors that the curb rein was long enough Vallu became really soft through the neck and didn't open his mouth at all! Woo!!

10. What would be a great question to include on the last blog hop for the summer?

Hahah, what a good question! 😉 I'd love to know what is everyone's favourite summer riding outfit, either for yourself, your horse or both.

Thanks for the great questions Allie! 💕