Liebster Love

My heart is very deeply warmed to be the recipient of the Liebster Blog Award. My sincere gratitude to to Karley of All In, Hillary of Equestrian at Hart, Emmi of My Life on Horses, Hawk of Forging Fiction, Niamh of Life of Riley and Karen of Bakersfield Dressage! Thank you very much for reading and for the nomination!

Interestingly, I was awarded the Liebster Blog Award back in January 2012...and it appears that the protocols have significantly changed since then. The facts & questions part is new...you choose 11 blogs instead of 5... I chalk this up to the blogosphere's version of the game of telephone.

How to accept the award:
The Liebster Blog Award is a way to recognize blogs who have less than 200 followers. Liebster is a German word that means beloved and valued. Here are the rules for accepting the award:

1. Thank the person who nominated you and include a link back to their blog.
2. List 11 random facts about yourself.
3. Answer the 11 questions given to you.
4. Create 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate.
5. Choose 11 bloggers with fewer than 200 followers to nominate and include links to their blogs.
6. Go to each blogger's page and let them know you have nominated them.

11 Random Facts About Me

1. My favorite color is blue.
2. I have never bought a horse, although I have owned 2.
3. I helped my husband choose his name (first and last).
4. I have an excellent innate sense of direction.
5. I'm pretty sure I invented nostril flare dancing. 
6. In college I double-majored in cultural anthropology and business economics.
7. My parents are 20 years apart in age.
8. I am the only horse person in my entire family (and I have a ginormous family).
9. My husband and I have the same birthday (Halloween).
10. I do cartwheels down the office hallway when no one is around.
11. I dislike peanut butter, but I want to like it, so I try it every so often, and confirm that I still dislike it.

11 Questions from Karley of All In 

1. What would your ideal last meal be? Prime rib, garlic mashed potatoes, cesar salad, and ice cream.
2. Ideal riding outfit?  Well-fitting breeches with pockets, technical/cooling top.
3. If you could go anywhere, all expenses paid- where would you go? New Zealand.
4. What are your top 3 musts for a boarding facility? Lights, good footing, quality hay.
5. What one beverage can't you live without? Coffee.
6. Dream car? A horse-box aka lorry like this one.
7. Where do you want to go with your riding? Novice level in eventing.
8. Where do you shop the most for real clothes? To be honest I get most of my real clothes as x-mas or b-day presents from my mom! But if I do have to shop, I go to Kohls mostly.
9. What do you do to calm your nerves at horse shows? Visualize, smile at everyone.
10. Favorite bathing products? Anything from La Source or Lush.
11. If you could pick 2 horses off of www.bigeq.com which would they be? The highest-priced equitation horse and the highest-priced jumper. Just because, as a saddleseater-turned-eventer, I have no idea what I'm looking for in the h/j world.

11 Questions from Hillary of Equestrian at Hart

1. Favorite gait? Canter.
2. Favorite breed of horse? I pick 2: Saddlebred and Thoroughbred
3. Favorite tackshop? Calabasas Saddlery. I just wish it was closer.
4. Favorite tack brand? I'm not sure if I have one, to be honest.
5. If you could be anyone for a day who would you want to be? The President of the USA. I'd be making some changes, and also want to know about Area 51.
6. Discipline you would like to try? Hunters or Jumpers.
7. Thing that you are most afraid of? Stagnation.
8. Favorite TV show? Star Trek Voyager.
9. Biggest barn pet peeve? People leaving halters attached to cross-ties.
10. If given a an unlimited budget and 1 month to travel where would you go? Ice hotel in Sweden, then the mountains of New Zealand, then the beaches of French Polynesia.

11 Questions from Emmi of My Life on Horses

1. You are stuck on a deserted island, what is the first thing you do? Explore.
2. You meet a stranger, he offers you two pills. He says the green one will take you on an amazing adventure although it may have dangerous/deadly consequences or he says you can take the yellow which will make you forget any of this ever happened. Which would you take? Why? Yellow because my life is good and doesn't need adventure or danger right now.
3. Would you rather own a unicorn or a pegasus? Pegasus so I can fly!
4. What was your most memorable experience you and your horse shared? When we first met. He was in a box-stall at the rescue. After meeting him in the box stall, we went around the side to talk to the manager. He stuck his head way up to look at me out of a random high window.   
5. What is a riding discipline you have always wanted to try? Why? ie. barrel racing, steeple chasing etc. Working Equitation. It's like trail class on speed.
6. What was your favorite toy from your childhood? My stuffed bunny, named bunny.
7. If you show, what was your most favorite ribbon/award you earned? Our first ribbon - which meant the first time we did not get eliminated!
8. You are at a bar (or restaurant if you are under 21!) what drink would you order? The girliest, fruitiest, tropical blended thing available.
9. How many siblings do you have? 2 (one full sister, one half brother).
10. What is your favorite time of the year? Summer, because there's daylight after work still!
11. Which do you like short horses or tall horses? I like them all, but if I had to choose then I guess tall.

11 Questions from Hawk of Forging Fiction

1. What is your favorite childhood memory? Getting my first horse, Bo, for Christmas when I was 12 years old.
2. If you could have a super power, what would it be? Ability to predict the stock market. I'd be rich!
3. You have one wish - what would you do with it? Wish that my family will stay safe and healthy and live long happy lives.
4. What is your favorite color? Blue.
5. What are you most passionate about right now? Riding.
6. You win the lottery. What is the first thing you buy? Whatever my husband wants, like a car or something. He deserves to get something since I have a horse, right?
7. What is something that intimidates you? Large down banks.
8. What is a quote that best describes you?  "How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours." -Wayne W. Dyer
9. If you had a week off from work, what would you do? Ride every day, and organize my house!
10. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? The far ends of the earth - everywhere I could.
11. What is the most dangerous/daring activity you have ever partaken in? Scuba diving. Seriously, it's way more dangerous than people commonly think. 

11 Questions from Niamh of Life of Riley

1. What's your biggest fear as a rider? *I feel like I don't trust people who say "nothing".  I fear falling off and hurting myself or my horse.
2. Who's your favorite rider and why? Bunny Sexton - she's a So Cal event trainer who, at 51 years old, and just did her first 3-star event on a horse rejected by other top riders. She is truly an inspiration.
3. What's the most useful piece of advice someone's given you as a horse owner?  Your gut instinct > your trainer's advice.
4. How old were you when you got your first horse? 12
5. Burghley, Badminton, or Rolex? Rolex. I know more about it than the other two, and it's closer.
6. Quick, you're trapped on a desert island, what three things do you bring? A yacht, a bikini, and my husband.
7. If you could could have dinner with anyone (alive or dead, famous or not) who would it be? My Pop-pop (maternal grandfather). He passed when I was very young, so there's some questions I'd like to ask him.
8. Favorite guilty pleasure? In-n-out burger animal-style fries.
9. Tell me three things on your bucket list. 1) Watch Rolex live in person. 2) Go back to French Polynesia. 3) Compete in a HT and finish on my dressage score.
10. If you could ride any well known horse who would it be and why? Henny because he seems so game, honest, and solid.
11. Would you rather: Ride without stirrups for the rest of your life OR have one arm tied behind your back at all times? Sans stirrups - I'd be a better rider for it, and after some time I'd get used to it.

11 Questions from Karen of Bakersfield Dressage

1. Where did you meet the love of your life? (Not met him yet? Where might you meet him?) Over AIM (AOL Instant Messenger). Rick was fixing our mutual friend's computer, started chatting with me, then we met in person that evening and the rest is history!
2. You've just won the lottery. Would you quit your job? Yes but probably not immediately. Ultimately I'd rather work part-time than full-time so I have more time to ride and such.
3. Black tack or brown? Black. Looks good on all colors of horses and you don't have to worry about matching the right shade of brown.
4. Where is one place you wouldn't want to visit? Tornado country during tornado season.
5. What's your favorite horse book? Oh boy,
6. How many riding disciplines have you tried? 10 or so. For competition, I've done saddleseat, western pleasure, dressage, eventing, halter, hunters, and jumpers. For fun, I've done trail class, reining, driving, and cow herding.
7. Is there something you won't do with your horse? Right now we're sticking to dressage, jumping, and trail riding since Hemie is still learning his job. I doubt I'll do western competitive riding with him, but other than that I love me a well-rounded horse and want him to try as much as possible!
8. Favorite barn snack? Water from the hose, or the natural gooey horse treats.
9. Do you have a "guilty" pleasure? In-N-Out burger.
10. What's your favorite brand of potato chips? Miss Vickie's Mesquite BBQ
11. Do you prefer "fancy" breeches, or just plain jane? Probably fancy, but I'm not sure since I've never afforded them!

11 Questions for Bloggers I Nominate
Bloggers I nominate can choose to answer any 11 questions they want. Shop around the various great questions above, or from other Liebster Award posts, or answer the questions you yourself invent. =)

11 Bloggers I Select for the Liebster Award
I'm not including the lovely bloggers who nominated me, but please check them out. Reading their selection lists is a great way to find other blogs to read and enjoy! Other than that, I haven't excluded anyone that I know has already received the award (because that would practically be my whole blogroll), so don't feel pressured to answer questions or make another post or anything. Just know that I like your blog and you are "beloved."   :)

1. Nicku of The Polka Dot Periodical
2. Andrea of Project Runaway: The Uncatchable Number 257
3. Carly of Poor Woman Showing
4. Aimee of SprinklerBandits
5. Mel of Boots and Saddles
6. Lindsay of Nanakorobi yaoki
7. Lysette of Viva Carlos
8. Lauren of She Moved to Texas
9. Dom of A Collection of Madcap Escapades
10. Laura of The Roany Pony
11. Gingham of Pia and Prairie's Parade

On a random sentimental personal note, I get lots and lots of enjoyment and value from reading blogs. Furthermore, blogging has brought me much more happiness and useful information than I had ever thought it would. If you're thinking about blogging, I encourage you to go for it. If you're thinking about commenting (or commenting more frequently), please do. Being a part of the horse blogging community has been very rewarding, and awards like this help to recognize and expand that community. Thank you for reading. And if applicable, thank you for commenting and/or writing your own blog. I am just one person, but my life (and that of my horse) has been enriched because of information, support, and encouragement from this community. <3