Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Blog Hop: The Liebster Award

I was nominated for the Liebster Award by Deborah over at My Examined Life! I've never heard of this award before now though this is definitely a pretty neat way to explore more blogs and get to know the bloggers behind the screen. Now onto the rules and questions!

The Liebster Award Rules
  1. Notify all nominees via social media/blogs
  2. Link back to the person who nominated you
  3. Answer the questions given to you by the nominator
  4. Nominate up to 11 other bloggers with less than 200 followers
  5. Create 11 questions for the nominees
Why do you blog? 

I've always enjoyed writing (and drawing) as a way to get my thoughts/ideas organized when my mind feels like it is racing forward at +100 mph. When I was younger, I often stumbled over my words because I was already mentally leaping to the next idea faster than I could talk or express myself. So writing has always been something that has helped me create semblance of rationale in a whirling mental mess.

I blog here because I enjoy looking back later for the memories which helps put the present into perspective. I don't ever really expect my blog to become popular per se and that's just fine with me. I also truly enjoy reading, learning, and being inspired by other bloggers that have a wealth of information and experiences to share.

When did you get started with your horseback riding journey?

I was 10-12 years old when I did my first “real” riding lessons at week-long summer camps which offered horsemanship classes. My first teacher was dark bay mare named Diamond. She was being a complete jerk to another student the first day in the group lesson so the instructor made us switch horses. Diamond was tough horse for a beginner and that first lesson left me so frustrated and in tears that I considered giving up completely. It was a very early and necessary reality check that riding wasn’t always push button. Since I really had to RIDE, I learned a lot despite the group lesson 1-hr/day camp setting. At the end of the week, I did my very first ever trot with her and it was SO much fun.

I remember with vivid clarity that summer when a tiny voice in my mind said that horses were going to be a part of my future. I had NO idea when or how it was going to happen since my parents had no intentions of allowing me to continue riding. It was 10 years later until I finally had the means to pursue that dream. I took my first lesson as an adult beginner on October 22, 2013 and the rest, as they say, is history.

What is the most difficult thing you find, about horseback riding?

The most difficult thing for me about horseback riding is dreaming big and sometimes feeling like I don't have the means to make those dreams into reality. I can't help but feel a little jealous of people who have been given the opportunity to be around horses all of their lives, riding from the moment they could walk, and/or have the support of their family.

Every step of this journey has been a challenge- starting with making sure I had the personal financial means to afford riding/leasing/ownership (thanks to finishing my Masters and having a steady job) and getting my non-horse parents somewhat okay with my choice of hobby (...still working on that). Now most recently the challenge has been knowing I wanted to try distance riding with my horse, pursuing different routes, coming up empty until I made the choice to finally move us elsewhere.

What is your favorite vacation spot/experience?

I think it might be a tie between Acadia National Park in Maine and visiting the Highlands in Scotland. I love rugged natural landscapes.

What is your favorite novel/book and why?

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. I read it (and the rest of the series) in middle school and it was what got me into the whole sci-fi/post-apocalyptic genre. I'm ashamed to say I haven't read anything super new lately though asides from one-shot fan fiction and comics.

I nominate: 
Questions for my nominees: 
  1. Why do you blog? 
  2. What is your most popular blog post? 
  3. Which is your favorite blog post?  
  4. Which bloggers have you met IRL?
  5. Describe your horse(s)/pet(s) using one image or gif.
  6. What is your riding discipline and why did you choose it? 
  7. What is the most expensive horse-related item you have ever bought?
  8. What is one tack/horse-related item on your wish list? 
  9. What is your favorite riding memory?
  10. What is your scariest riding memory?
  11. Share one of your riding goals. 
If 11 questions seem like a lot, just pick 3-5 that you like best!

5 comments:

  1. Ahah! I see my name! I will get on this tonight :D

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  2. Thank you for the nomination!! :D I WILL be participating, it might just take me a bit.

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  3. Thanks for the nomination! And I know what you mean about dreaming big then having to come back down to reality. Frustrating!

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  4. awesome to see you participated!! it's great to get a little more into the heads of the "blog friends" we make. especially since usually the narrative is one sided. :) i'm also looking forward to seeing emma's since i wasn't sure if i could nominate her b/c i didn't know how many followers she has... :)

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  5. Aww, thank you! I keep meaning to write a post and comment, but I keep being monumentally busy and it gets behind. So this will be both!

    Questions/Answers:

    Why do you blog? -- Keep track of training and remember adventures more vividly than I would otherwise.
    What is your most popular blog post? -- How to tie a rope halter.
    Which is your favorite blog post? -- Oh goodness, I have no idea. There are a lot after 5 years.
    Which bloggers have you met IRL? -- Oh...Dom, Mary, Nicole, Sara, Funder, Mel, Ashley, Caitlin, soon to be Hannah and Amanda....that sounds like most of them, I think. Mostly endurance folks east and west coast.
    Describe your horse(s)/pet(s) using one image or gif. -- Have to forgo this one for now. I'm figuring out which gif program I prefer though for future.
    What is your riding discipline and why did you choose it? -- Endurance and eventing soon. I love trail riding, moving faster than a walk, and seeing as much of the landscape as possible. I also love jumping and think dressage is fascinating.
    What is the most expensive horse-related item you have ever bought? -- Horse-related but not the horse...I suppose my saddle.
    What is one tack/horse-related item on your wish list? -- New bridle and breast plate for Griffin.
    What is your favorite riding memory? -- One of my favorites is completing my first 50 on my own horse.
    What is your scariest riding memory? -- Falling as a teen and having the horse step on my chest.
    Share one of your riding goals. -- Compete in eventing with Griffin.

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