2010s In Photos

I'm jumping on the bandwagon for this challenge! Thank goodness for Facebook and this blog to find the old photos. I know I'm supposed to keep to one picture a year... but for a couple of the years I just couldn't help it.

2010
I started eventing again after a 6 year break.

2011
Mikey and I did a lot of hunters and jumpers in prep for our first recognized horse trials. While there are other pictures that more adequately show what we did, this is my favorite picture from 2011. My in laws had a drawing of this picture commissioned after Mikey's death, and I still tear up looking at it.

2012
The highlight of the year was doing the long format beginner novice at Full Moon Farm. A great place with incredible people and I had an incredible time.

2012 (again)
Couldn't help adding a second picture. This is from my first novice, that I rode with a sprained ankle (visible side).

2013
This was the year I started showing dressage only. That's not the highlight from the year though. Husband took a series of silhouettes one evening, and they're still among my favorite pictures.

2014
Mikey and I kept showing dressage, riding 2nd and 3rd level as I tried to clean up his changes enough to finish my bronze.

2015
Mikey had surgery for a fracture bed in his hock. He recovered, we showed 3rd level again, and a month later he died. Our 11 year relationship ended in a flash.

2015 (again)
Penn entered my life shortly after Mikey's death and provided a healing balm.

2016
A year showing at recognized first level. And a hug for Penn at the end of our championship test.

2017
Penn helped me finish my bronze medal!

2018
A tragic year for Penn's soundness, we did one major fun thing and checked off an item off my bucket list... sorting cows!

2019
PC Austen
I realized I couldn't manage Penn's rehab and gave him to a friend who could. Austen was so generous in coming to take beautiful winter photos of us.

2019 (again)
Beefcake Liam came and went from my life in the blink of an eye.

2019 (again again)
Eli came into my life and reminded me that horses are fun, and riding is fun too.

May the 2020s have as much fun and joy as the 2010s, but please, with a lot more soundness and good health for all.

"What Would George Morris Say" Blog Hop

*I didn't get my champs recaps written this weekend, so you get this instead*

I'm making my own blog hop! The recent unicorn bit contest that SB and Topline Leather held brought up a ton of fun fails. I found this great series of me riding like a schmuck and submitted it:

Mikey needs some features on here that are not #fail!

I remember reading mock George Morris critiques of jumping fails many years ago. They were hilarious plays on obvious rider error and recommended that riders should take up goldfish keeping instead of jumping because they suck so much (or something like that).

So have at it everyone, take a fail pic of you and your horse jumping (or get creative if you don't jump!), and write up your own Faux George Morris critique!

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"This rider has started off well by keeping a 90 degree angle in her knee. However, her base of support could use some attention. Her seat is much too far forward and out of the saddle. She should strive not to duck and to keep her heels down. Harry de Leyer's heels up position is not one to emulate in the equitation ring. Despite her poor base of support, she has her hands pressed firmly into the horse's neck with generous loop in the rein in a long crest release. Her dull partner does not seem to have any aptitude for jumping. While I am not a fan of bright colors, she is correct to dress in red - it will hide the blood stains in the oncoming train wreck." - Faux George Morris