Wow I haven't ridden Chrome in two weeks.... :\ Our cabinets we ordered for the kitchen finally came in and we've been really busy installing them so the countertop guys can come measure for our counters. It's been hot and HUMID too so I guess I'll let myself off the hook hehe.
If any of you follow my other blog Living A Farmer's Life you'll know that I have a list of thirty things I want to do before I turn thirty. If you want to read all of my posts on that blog about my 30 Before 30 list click HERE. I recently revised my list, but I'm only going to put details about the horse related ones in this post. If you want to see why I revised my list, see the old one and see the new goals you can read this post from my other blog HERE. It goes into a lot more detail but I don't want to bore any of you who might be interested only in the horse aspect of it. :)
So here is the new, revised 30 Before 30 list. To see more details on the completed ones check out the sidebar on my other blog. It has links to a post about each item completed along with pictures and videos.
Updated 30 Before 30 List
1. Take Chrome on an overnight camping trip.
2. Stand in two places at once (state lines). COMPLETED 1-3-13
3. Go to a live horse race. COMPLETED 1-16-2012
4. Participate in a cattle drive on my horse or one of their horses.
5. Ride a/my horse on a beach.
6. Take a trip on an actual train.
7. Ride/drive a horse drawn carriage/wagon/sleigh.
8. Own and learn to fly a kite.
9. Go to the Kentucky Horse Park.
10. Print out a coffee table book of my photos. COMPLETED 11-14-2012
11. Learn more about photography. COMPLETE
12. Learn American Sign Language.
13. Do something special for my fifth wedding anniversary. COMPLETED 4-26-14
14. Learn some sort of dancing (belly dancing, ballroom dancing, etc.)
15. Do a photo shoot with Jackal.
16. Experiment in different mediums (graphite, charcoal, watercolor, etc.)
17. See cross country in person, like WEG.
18. Train a horse from weaning to basics under saddle.
19. Take dressage lessons on Chrome.
20. Eat gluten free for a year.
21. See a polo match in person.
22. Gallop Chrome across an open field.
23. Go on a trail ride off property in the snow.
24. Ride a purebred Friesian! COMPLETED 2-17-14
25. Conquer my stage fright and show Chrome in a local dressage schooling show.
26. Grow a garden at my new home (and WATER IT!)
27. Go on a trail ride with Chrome and his sire or dam.
28. Learn to swim. COMPLETED 7-4-13
29. Finish building my new house.
30. Go kayaking! COMPLETED 7-10-13
Okay so I'm going to give you an update/run down on all of the horse goals that I haven't completed yet.
1. Take Chrome on an overnight camping trip. For this one there is a horse camp REALLY close to where we live now with great trails. I am going to start teaching Chrome to do the overhead tie (tie a rope between two trees and tie him to it so he can walk back and forth and graze or eat hay but not lay down or get tangled up) since I don't have a portable pen or electric fence. I only want to do a weekend trip so he can figure out this whole leaving home thing. Good prep work for Competitive Trail Riding. :D He got all of his vaccines, so all I need to do now is some minor work on the trailer. Fingers crossed we can give it a shot this fall when it cools off. It's too hot to have fun right now (sleeping in a tent when it's this humid would be torture especially since I'll probably be too nervous to sleep lol).
4. Participate in a cattle drive on my horse or one of their horses. I actually found a place that does this annually in my state. It's a two day thing and they have campsites and everything. They don't have horses though so I would have to take Chrome or one of my friend's horses. We wanted to go this year, but something came up so we're going to try again next year. I think it's in April or May, but I don't know the date yet for sure. This might conflict with number nine and seventeen on the list though so it might get scratched from the list until another year.
5. Ride a/my horse on a beach. My husband actually found a place in Florida that provides beach horseback rides and it's not too expensive. I forgot where it is. I have my fingers crossed but it's going to depend on finances so I'm trying to stay realistic and not get my hopes up. If anyone knows of a place on the Gulf of Mexico that has beach horseback riding PLEASE leave a comment. I'm having trouble finding places.
7. Ride/drive a horse (or mule!) drawn carriage/wagon/sleigh. I have a friend that has a wagon and mule team so I have my fingers crossed he will take me out and teach me to drive sometime. He is the one who now owns my Appy mare Lady and he was the Justice of the Peace at my wedding. :) The problem is he's a wedding photographer too and stays REALLY busy, so it's been a challenge to find time. Fingers crossed though!
9. Go to the Kentucky Horse Park. This goes along with number 17. If things go as planned we are trying to go to Rolex next year. I am saving up the money to buy tickets as far in advance as possible. As it gets closer if it looks like it's going to work out I'll let you all know so we can plan a blogger meet up like the last few years. :)
17. See cross country in person, like WEG. See above. Rolex!!
18. Train a horse from weaning to basics under saddle. This goal is so close to being done I can almost taste it! I got Chrome as a weanling and I've done all of his training. I've ridden him walk, trot and canter, but I don't feel I have enough steering and control at the canter to really call him trained in the basics, but I will be checking this one off soon!
19. Take dressage lessons on Chrome. As soon as I find a job and my trainer has an opening I WILL be marking this one off. I am determined to start having lessons again. We need help to progress beyond where I've gotten him on my own.
21. See a polo match in person. I've been wanting to keep this one a secret, but I can't! They are finally holding a polo match locally (well it's not that close, but it's in my state) and we got tickets!!!!! I'm so excited!!! It's in September and I will be posting pictures. If anyone has been to a polo match and has suggestions on what to wear I would really appreciate the advice. They have a best dressed award they will be giving out. :D
22. Gallop Chrome across an open field. This may seem lame, but considering the confidence issues I have and how green Chrome is and that I did all of his training myself this will be a huge accomplishment. I've been feeling like we're in a rut for a while now, so I'm hoping this goal will give me the motivation to push outside our comfort zones and start trusting each other (and myself) completely.
23. Go on a trail ride off property in the snow. Every time it has snowed (not often around here) I have never left my property while riding! So if it snows this winter I want to go on a trail ride with Chrome!!
25. Conquer my stage fright and show Chrome in a local dressage schooling show. If I manage to start taking lessons this fall like I want we may be ready to try Intro at my trainer's barn next June. I know I don't want to compete regularly, but I have to try it at least once!
27. Go on a trail ride with Chrome and his sire or dam. This has been something I've wanted to do since the day I went and picked Chrome up as a five month old weanling. His dam's owner made a comment about how it would be cool if we could ride together someday when Chrome is grown up. That would be really awesome. I only live a few hours away from her. His sire's owner has invited us to her place to go riding with Jan too, so fingers crossed I get to do that with one of them!
So that's all of the horse related ones on the list. I REALLY hope I can check most of these off before I turn thirty. :D
