Here’s a fun question
Dec 02 2009
I like this HorseChannel.com article about 25 things you should do with a horse before you die – the equestrian’s bucket list:
http://www.horsechannel.com/horse-community/riders-bucket-list.aspx
What have you done on the list? What do you still want to do? What do you want to do that’s not on the list?
I’ve galloped on the beach before, but I want to take my VLC to the beach this coming year – and get pictures! I definitely want to take more cutting lessons and eventually own and show a cutting horse of my own. (I won’t pull a muscle getting on those from the ground, as I admit happened last month with the 16.2 VLC…that’ll teach me to wait for the mounting block!) I’ve never been to Europe at all, so I’d like to go and not just see the Spanish Riding School, but also visit some of the amazing stud farms in Ireland and and do one of those riding vacations on some fat, solid pony that jumps everything without blinking. 
  I want to go see the NFR in Las Vegas, I haven’t done that yet.
And there are breeds I haven’t experienced that I’d like to try. I’ve only ridden a gaited horse once or twice, so it’d be fun to try out a few more of the gaited breeds. And I’ve joked before that I have this lifelong desire to go in Native Costume and gallop around jingling like a fool – that one I’ll probably get to do now that I have so many friends with Arabians (I believe 10,000 or so sit-ups are in order before I try that…don’t most of those costumes show your midriff? eeek…).
So how about you? What do YOU want to do?
103 comments to “Here’s a fun question”
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This could be an entertaining thread! Let’s see…a horsey bucket list…I want to ride (and complete!) Tevis, the Bighorn 100, and Old Dominion.I would to give team penning a try.I want to train my horse to drive-I think a buggy ride on a beautiful summer day sounds like the thing to do!I want to take riding vacations-Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Austria, Austrailia, you get the picture…I want to go trail riding in all 50 states. And Canada. And maybe Mexico too….I have got to buy a lottery ticket now, that’s the only way I’m going to be able to afford all this!
My list is not very long:1. Going on a 4-5 days ride in Bieszczady which are mountains in the south of Poland. You get to ride local breed – hucul horses that can get you anywhere.2. Galloping bareback, naked in the sanset/sunrise on a beach in Carraibian Islands. I might want to re-think the naked part.3. Take in a rescue and turn it into a nice, well trained and well taken care of horse. I feel I own it to the horses as a species in general for everything they tought me.Speaking of riding in costumes – we do it with friends from time to time;) It is great fun!
Holy cow, did I really do 16 of those 25 things? And I’m only 53 so I can do the rest … That made me feel pretty good!My favorite thing that I did was to take the Equitour ride called Beaches and Dunes in Ireland 3 years ago. My SigOther and I went on the unguided ride. They gave us a map with the route highlighted, showed us how to read tide charts and waved good bye. They took our luggage from B&B to B&B, and we were just expected to show up at each place eventually. They even marked out horse-friendly pubs along the way. For 7 days me and my boyfriend took our time, galloped side by side on the beach, got lost once or twice but found our way with the help of the friendly locals, stayed at one amazing sport horse ranch, another upstairs of a pub that was hosting an Irish wake party — we poured back many a Guiness with those “mourners”.Experiences too many to relate, the trip of a lifetime. Without question. Equitour still offers that ride, and I encourage everyone to think about it.
That Equitour ride sounds amazing!Do you have a website or something where I can find out more about it? I would love to do something like that!
Adding that to my list!!! Wow!
Oh good! I hope I inspire someone else to try this amazing trip! I couldn’t find it on the current Equitour list, but it is on Hidden Trails: http://www.hiddentrails.com/tour/ireland_donegal_self.aspxThe place that runs the tour is: http://horseholidayfarm.net/Can't say enough about the people who run the place. They sent me and my boyfriend out with their ride manager for gallops on the beach first, had us brush and tack the horses under their watchful eye, all to make sure that we can take care of the horses. We’re very disappointed that finances haven’t let us go back again. We wanted to take another unguided ride they had that went north of where we were.
Adding that to my list too, if I could get hubby to join. That sounds incredibly awesome!
I’d like to run a pattern of barrels in a rodeo. I had my dream of riding in a rodeo fullfilled this summer when my mare and I got to carry flags for the local rodeo. That was a hoot! I would do it again and again if given the chance. The only frustrating thing was competing with the highschool girls for riding which was difficult when the cute boys weren’t around.
When I was a little girl if you asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up I always said jockey. I can cross off about half the list but I’ll never be a jockey. Yet I still dream of taking a spin around a track. I don’t know if I’ll ever have the chance, reiners don’t really rub elbows with the track crowd. But I guess maybe it’s dream enough that I even own a horse after all these years.
I like that list. It put a smile on my face. Interesting thing is I’ve done most of them. I’m really lucky! I have one last thing on my list. That is to take a rescued saddlebred from a kill pen, and turn him into an FEI Grand Prix horse. Of course, he has to grow up first, he’s only a yearling right now. Its a really big dream but I think we can do it!This is Arby, his name, a play on the initials of the man whose kill pen he was in.
OK so even with the new little widgets, I’m not sure if the picture issue has been resolved, if not here’s the link to Arby’s picture
I want to go to Mongolia and ride there horses, go the NFR, learn how to drive a wagon, go to Europe and see some of the different draft breeds, ride on the beach plus some other things that I’m sure I will remember later. I can say that I have done polo and I just bought one of our polo horses from our college team because she was getting tired of the game and had some training a behavioral problems that haveing only one rider would solve. She is also my first horse and she is an Appolosa. I’m 27 and I have wanted a horse all my life but never bought one because I knew what the responsibility it would be and I was not ready for it but know I am.
I have done eight of those, and two more this next year! The Derby is on my birthday in 2010, so it is my birthday gift. I’m ordering my hat after Christmas, too. I have never been so excited to mull around in a dress all day in a crowd of so many people.
Molly – my birthday is also on the Derby next year and I plan to go as well. I went back in 2004 and can’t wait to get another “Happy Birthday” Derby poster signed by the artist! I don’t have a hat yet though…
Spend a night in the barn/stable/stall. I’ve done this for several reasons (most rewarding below).1) Anticipating a new foal (this was before electronics/baby/mare monitors).2) Watching over a horse that had colic. He pulled through and never had colic again.3) At a show when I’d rather rent an extra stall for $25/night and set up a cot than pay $100/night for a hotel and use the money to enter more classes. This also means rigging up a shower curtain at 4:00 a.m. in a wash stall and taking a shower with unheated water when it was 40 degrees.
Participating in a true, full-blown one-on-one horse race. On my speed pony, Whiskey (he’s my avatar btw; check out hid hindquarters!) Mind you, he won’t let himself get out in front at a gallop without bouncing from side to side to unseat me, but we’ll work on that!
When I eliminated the ones I’ve done and the ones I don’t want to do, I was left with eleven.I’d add riding the course used for the race in The Quiet Man. Just more incentive to keep losing weight and getting fit!Ruthie
Sorry this is off-topic but does anyone know if it is legal to keep a horse tied to a tree in Oregon?
Compete in warhorse challenge! It’s like gaming, but with costumes and pointy stuff.
I have been fortunate enough to acomplish many of the items listed, I’ve galloped on the beach, won a few blues, jumped (only low crossrails, once or twice), fallen off & climbed back on, come to a sliding stop on a not so well trained reining horse, I didn’t get to take a ridding lesson from Lisa Wood, but I did get to trail ride with her once- and ended up ridding double on her appy Cacho when the TB I was ridding dumped me & bolted for home. I also got to help her with Shawnee’s foal, although I din’t remember the foals name… I’ve ridden a couple gaited horses (they are so neat!) have had the courage & done the right thing, ridden trails only accessable by horseback, can sit the trot well, not sure if i would say I’ve mastered it, ridden/shown fine tuned WP show horses, feed-muck-groom & hear nickers daily,Only “famous” horses I’ve met have been Shawnee & Cacho, ridden bareback, share a bond deeper than words.I would add to the list swim on horseback- (we used to do it as kids in the summer)some more things I would like to do:Ride across the counrty (USA coast to coast), take in a rescue, train a mustang start to finish, do something to positive for the horse community (set up a food bank for horses… somehting like that), foster a horse, take my mare to the beach, teach my horse to lean down so I can mount without a block, learn to do my own hoof trims… I’m sure there are more but that’s it off the top of my head. Fun topic!!!
I’ve done more of them than I thought going into it — but weighted toward the care-and-bonding stuff. I have TROTTED on a beach (we were supposed to be just walking, it was a guided trail ride in Mexico). Since we were heading for home and my horse was a butthead I’m not sorry it wasn’t a gallop in that particular instance!My one big dream is to complete a cross-country course. I don’t care if the jumps are so small the spectators need binoculars. I almost don’t even care if there ARE spectators; I could do the course when no one was looking. I have schooled on a cross-country course many MANY moons ago but that was just a loop around four of the jumps, not a full course.
This is a fun question! I’ve done 16 of these at the age of 24 so I have a lot of time to do the rest! Some of my personal want-to-do-lists is take a youngster from weaning to the highest levels of competition for my sport/s of choice. Along the same lines, I’d love to ride ANY horse at the highest levels of my chosen sport! I want to watch my son (or children to come) love horses as much as or more than I do. I want to see my husband ride a horse at something more than a walk, and love it! I would love to travel around the world taking horseback riding tours. I would like to own or be a big part of a successful boarding/training stable. Of course there are more, but those are my main ones!
Adding to my list! Win the lottery to be able to actually afford the horsey habit! (No, I don’t have a horse right now, so I’m not going to starve it due to lack of money!
) So maybe the only horsey goal is be able to afford a horse/horses?
I’ve got 18.5. I’ve seen “The World-Famous Lipizzaner Stallions” a couple of times before – was actually considering going down to join them at one point (you only have to ride 4th level dressage) and I don’t think Kentucky for the races will ever be one of the important things in life for me to accomplish and I’m not big into cross country, but PIAFFE, PASSAGE and SINGLE TEMPIS have evaded me for a few years! I will do it!!!!
Ouch – I`ve done only 7.5 ! (this “sitting trot”-thingie…it`s actually far more a “bouncing trot” for me LOL)
I’ve done ten on that list. I really want to compete in endurance or competitive trail, although I probably won’t be able to do so with my current horse. He’s currently recovering from laminitis (he’s likely Cushing’s and IR), so there’s the “nurse a horse through a crisis.” Hopefully to never have to do it again! I don’t like seeing my horse in pain, and it’s been a rather expensive little adventure.I’d love to gallop down a beach, but seeing that we have no beaches here, I’d have to do some travelling to make that one happen! I’ve ridden in the mountains and that’s fun. I’d also love to work some cattle, try barrel racing, gallop a TB. I always dreamt of being a jockey. I’m a little too big to be a jockey (I could probably make weight for the Derby, though!), but a gallop on the track would still be a rush!
I’ve done quite a few of the items on the list, too, and those that I have not done, I really don’t care about. (Some of the things I HAVE done weren’t all that terrific, either. I didn’t see Cavalia but had tickets to Zingaro–I think that was the name; I referred to it as Bizarro because it was just weird and not all that entertaining). I would love to be able to ride a dressage test at Second Level or above. I think right now that’s my fondest desire. Would love to ride that test on the horse I have now, as a matter of fact, with people who have belittled him and me sitting in the audience watching me kick butt ;o)
I saw Cavalia – it was very impressive. Fourth level moves bridleless!
Read almost everyday, first time to post though. This just made my whole day. I have 19 of those things done already at age 26. I am feeling really lucky to have already had all those opportunities even if I had to make the most of them happen through nothing but hard work. Might just take time to make my own bucket list with the knowledge that this is just the beginning… a joy granted to us from the beautiful flexibility of our wonderful sport that allows us to continue it until late in age. Thank you for this tonight.
I’ve done a few! Including the gallop on a beach/riding holiday/spanish horse show thing rolled into one, only I went to Jerez in Spain to watch Andalucians rather than Vienna in Austria! Could I stop taking pics? Could I heck! And that’s not all of them I don’t think…Also mastered sitting trot, as long as the horse isn’t too bouncy haha. And the show jumping, used to compete but never got 1st place (by the way, that would be a RED ribbon in the UK, blue is second place!). All of the Western-related cowboy stuff is only applicable to me if I combine it with another riding holiday, none of that happens here in the UK!!I think my second dream holiday would be a flat-out-galloping holiday in Botswana, I did ride out in Zimbabwe in 1999 but that was just at walk through the safari park (giraffes spooked, then our horses spooked, hilarity ensued!) and a separate faster ride through some small villages dodging the odd baboon, wasn’t a riding holiday though.
Fugly — you’d better HOPE it’s “just” your midriff showing if you show Arabian mounted native costume! Among my (dozens) of costume class stories is an event witnessed by many at a huge Pacific Northwest Arabian show, donkeys years ago. The over-endowed and under-costumed rider of her nightclub-owning boyfriend/employer’s horse ended up having quite a serious wardrobe malfunction during the class lineup….might not have happened had she not leaned over to talk to the judge….people still talk about that one….**And Cathy please check your e-mail sent a couple of days ago about the wish list you posted**
I’ve done the (involuntary) gallop on the beach wilst a rabid bulldog hung from my foot - would like to have a do-over on my own horse w/ no dogs around and maybe re-train my nervous system!
~DD
LOL! File under “things you wish you had video of but are glad you survived”
LOL!! So….you have #6 down too? (Fall off and get right back on again?).
{Long time Lurker 1st time posting}
WOW, I’ve done about 9.5 of those! (kind of). The 1/2 is the Lip’s show that was in Boston Garden (I think it was BG…. I was pretty young). The trail was a practically vertical dry creekbed made up of med. size rocks, those trail horses were goats! Ride on the beach was a spook/runaway in RI (hey, they didnt say it had to be intentional) The Blue ribbon was I think for “egg and spoon” in high school! LOLAs was the jumping experience. (In high school) Fall of and get right back on…yup…tenacious (sp?) thing that I am. Rode a Paso Fino once (…looks sheepish) Rode some PSG & GP School Masters in MANY lessons. USED TO BE good at Sitting trot, getting back there again. Working Student for MANY barns in NE, did the whole chores thing and waking up to the horses looking for breakfast. Rode bare back regularly on a goofy little white pony a few times while in my 1st “job” as a trail guide at 12yo.
As for what I still want to do….
1st and foremost being a “Re-Rider” (hence the name) I want my darn seat back! Grrrr.
2nd Visit the Lip’s IN Venice and watch a training session or 12.
3rd take that trip KT was posting about! (Or similar, the country is irrelevent, that just sounded SOO cool!)
4th rescue an oldster from the truck, just to keep as a pasture puff OR euth in a field of grass with cookies in his/her belly.
5th Have my very own horsey property 2-3 stalls nothing crazy, pasture(s) and dressage arena.
6th Trail ride with my hubby on OUR OWN HORSES whenever we choose.
7th RE-learn everything I forgot and then…learn some more….(maybe that should have been ABOVE the horsey property)
8th Get involved with a horse rescue; and be instrumental in a horse’s come-back
9th Rescue a Youngster from the truck and train them
10th Spend a night & fall asleep in a stall with a horse I have such a bond with that I feel utterly SAFE that my head won’t get stepped/pooped on.
Wow, that was long…sorry for such a long 1st post!
Well, I have done many of them and would like to do more. I have had the courage to do what was right for my mare, when it wasn’t easy. RIP sweet Tinker.I would love to do endurance some day. Nurse a horse back to health. Be the first to touch a newborn foal, been close on this one.
Tinker, I had that experience. Back in the day (before the baby monitors, closed circuit televisions and all that), I was on foal duty and happened to glance in the window of the stall to see a mare in labor, her rear end right at the door (we didn’t have foaling stalls, either).I could tell that baby wasn’t going to wait (and wasn’t going to have room to emerge), so I ran out and opened the stall door, kneeling down just in time to catch a brand spanking new Anglo Arab filly right in my lap.The sac burst open (amniotic fluid is very salty ;o) and there she was, wobbly, sopping wet, and breathing. Her little ears were pinched shut and flat against her neck. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.Talk about “making a memory.” ;oD
TBDancer-Wow, that must have been awesome. I have been so close to doing this but yet not close enough.lol
I have done at least 13 on the list.. at 39 that’s pretty good.I did round up cows with my horse, they got loose in a pasture next to ours.I went on TWO awesome horse trips when I was 17 in australia.And my hubby has a gaited horse, She is awesome..Still want to go to Europe like every one else!!Carol
actually 14 I have seen the world famous Lippizans!
2 through 8, 10, 11, 15, 17 through 21, 23, 24, and 25 have all been done by me, and the biggest one I’d like to check is going to the derby dresses to the 9s, hat and all!I think that I have ridden every possible discipline there is including several stunt horses right up to an incredibly well trained, higher level dressage horse. Theres not many breeds I havent gotten to ride. I know Id like to ride a rocky mtn horse, Akel Teke, Fell pony, Marwari, Orlov trotter, and the selle francais. My only word of advise for my fellow equestrian folks is that if you are given an opportunity to ride any other discapline or breed go for it! I cherish alot of the rides Ive had on other peoples horses, and the ability to get on and feel comfortable “playing” with other disciplines.
My personal bucket list:
1. Own at least one horse of my very own.
2. Do a real cattle drive, not a touristy one
3. Ride on an ocean beach.
4. Ride deep into the mountains (shouldn’t be hard, I can see them from our future home)
5. Adopt and train a wild mustang (at least one, anyway)
6. Ride well bridleless and bareback
7. Build my dream ranch, and do 1 and 5 there, and 4 from there.
Most of these I hope to realize within the next 5 or 6 years. We have the land to build the ranch on, in Wyoming.The stuff from the article’s bucket list that I’ve done. Not bad for someone who has yet to own her own horse (I’ve managed stables though):
1. I’ve galloped near a beach – within sight of the ocean – does that count?
2. Won a blue ribbon in a riding club’s trail class, against four competitors – one that dropped out, and two that had horse behavior issues.
4. Tried once to herd cattle, on a horse that also didn’t have a clue. I was laughed at. However, one of my bucket list items is to go on a cattle drive. I’ll be living in Wyoming soon, so that shouldn’t be too hard.
5. I have jumped. As a beginning rider, on a horse that thought she was Pegasus.
6. Done this more times than I want to count.8. Done this, though she was much better at it than I am.
10. Definitely done this. Friend went on vacation, the day she left, Strangles was identified in the field her horse, Alex, was in. He got very sick from something else, later I found out it was purpura hemmoragica. Despite the clueless vet, I did nurse him back to health, and he’s still going strong last I heard.
11. Really, Really want to do this. Soon.
15. Done this – lots! Done trails that on hindsight were insane to try, even if the horse was game.
16. Half done this – spent my 40th birthday in a tiny town called Craobh Haven in Scotland – and rode Appaloosas Western in the rain
17. Yup. Well, sometimes.
18. One of the Riding for the Disabled horses was formerly a high-end Western reining horse. Her and I had fun together!
19. Polo? Maybe. Looks fun.
20. Yup, yup, yup, yup. Rinse and repeat.
21. Not currently, but have done. Best sound in the world.
22. Yup. Rode an OTTB in Australia. Owner didn’t believe in letting him run, but my last day on him I took him to the big grass oval, and just said “as fast as you want to go”. WHEEEEEEE!
24. Yes, but not both at the same time.
25. Oh, yes. I still mourn the horse I had in college 25 years ago. She wasn’t technically mine, but we did share a special bond regardless.
http://thepioneerwoman.com/
Maybe she can help you with your “real” cattle drive
Great list! 22 out of 25, not bad. Got to gallop a big tbred through the jungle of Jamaica this summer and swim him in the ocean. Galloped a Paso Fino through the dunes of Aruba and parked to go snorkeling, that was a great ride. Running on the track has always been on my list, better do that one before I get too old!
Well, 18 out of 25 is not too bad. While I have given up traveling much, I’d still like to do a ew of these-like ride some gaited horses (an Icelandic), gallop at the track. That would be easy….
I have tried to fix some of the posts that weirded out. I think we’re experimenting with plug-ins trying to get the images working, so just bear with us! Thanks.
I use to have Paso Finos and I always had a secret desire to dress up in the costume for the breed and prance around a show ring like a fool with a wine glass on a plate
Their costumes don’t show middrift. One more cookie and one less sit up yay!Maji
Do try an Icelandic! Out of the 14 different breeds I’ve ridden, they are the most fun! Especially bareback. Sitting the Friesian trot makes you feel amazing, and posting a pony trot is almost impossible(for this outta shape rider). Never been to Kentucky so will have to put that on my list and buy a hat!
My bucket list would be being able to get back on a horse
again … I am a lifelong western rider but shortly before I was ordered off the
horses forever I was told by my doctor that riding English would be better for
my legs and back, and that all those years of riding western with the knee
problems I had no doubt made those knee problems worse.
I have never ridden on the beach … ever. Should I get back
on a horse that is where I am going first thing. Riding English, of course!
In all my years of showing a horse, the only time I ever won
a blue ribbon was at a county fair doing round-robin showmanship, and I won the
equine section of the test, beating one of my junior rivals, who graciously
said “You should have been beating me all along in showmanship. You have always
been better than me in that class.â€
I’ve seen the Lipizzans but not at the Spanish Riding
School, it was a touring group sometime ago. I brought my daughter and a bunch
of 4-H kids and I asked them to pay attention to the riders’ subtle cues to the
horses. We all learned so much that night, but it was so hard to stay on task
and not simply marvel at those beautiful equines.
I was also given the opportunity to take several 4-H kids to
Golden Gate Fields so they could get a behind-the-scenes look at how race
horses are cared for. That isn’t something that happens every day, and I was
the only 4-H leader in my county to seize the opportunity!
I’ve also had the opportunity to work cattle for real, not a
dude ranch thing but actual “We need to gather these cattle from this 600 acres
and move them five miles to another ranch. And we need to take a side trip and
stop at some holding pens along the way and vaccinate them, castrate the calves
and brand anyone who isn’t branded.†So yes, I’ve branded, vaccinated, and
castrated cattle… while using the Paint Mare from Hell to gather and drive cattle. Seriously folks, I
cannot tell you how inept and dangerous this horse was, but I loved her so much! She was
utterly useless for anything but pole bending but she was totally arena soured
… her routine was to be backed in, pushed in, or she’d rear up and walk on her
back legs in. If I would see a kid on a horse like that, I’d be lecturing the
parent. For me it was routine …
I’ve ridden bareback, bridleless, jumped bareback and in a
western saddle (didn’t own an English saddle into well into my 20s). My
daughter was encouraged to ride both English and western, won a blue ribbon in
her very first class at her very first show, and was given the gift of the best
horse I’ve ever ridden in my life when she was 8 years old.
I have been very blessed by my time spent with horses. I
miss them every day. The local cops think I am nuts because every time I see
them downtown, I go up to them and pet and smell their horses and remind them
that they have the best job in the world …
Hmm, I have a few to accomplish still. I wonder if Beezie Madden teaches in Alaska?8 Come to a sliding stop on a well-trained reining horse.
9 Take a lesson with your equestrian idol, _________ (you fill in the blank.)12 Watch the horses come through the Head of the Lake on cross-country day at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. – does on TV count?14 Attend the Kentucky Derby dressed to the nines—including hat!16 Take your dream vacation on horseback.22 Fly down the track on a Thoroughbred. 19 of the 25 down, six to go! That Irish riding adventure sounds wonderful, I am totally on board with that!
What a great list – and a great topic!A lot of the breed-specific ones still remain on my list – I haven’t ridden a wide variety of breeds, and now that I finally have a horse of my own, I don’t really ride ANY other breeds. Another category seems to be the “having your horse at home†or at least being entirely self-care category. I have yet to experience those joys and agonies either. But I was actually surprised by how many on that list I could check off.
Olala, *don’t* rethink the naked part! A ‘Lady Godiva’ ride was on my horsey bucket list, and I just checked that one off this year!
kt, I LOVE Horse Holiday Farms! They are the BEST! The horses are fantastic, and the people are too! You plugged the unguided tours… so let me also plug the B&B option. FANTASTIC! If I had the money, I’d go back every year.
My personal horsey bucket list… hmm…
1) To take my young, green, silly horse and help him grow and develop into the brave, unflappable partner in crime I know he can be.
2) Regaining my bareback-from-the-ground mounting skill. I used to be able to pop up bareback like it was nothing. I am woefully out of practice and out of shape for that kind of springing. Working on it!
3) Bareback AND bridleless riding. I go bareback all the time, but it will be a long while before we can think about losing the headgear.
4) Gallop my OWN horse on a beach, and bareback. And swim on horseback, too.
5) Be able to sit my Friesian’s trot bareback – heck, re-mastering the sitting trot at ALL would be great. I know all night, now, more ideas are going to pop into my head of all the things I want to do with my boy. This is a fun topic.
I’ve done 16… which I think is pretty darn good for 21 years of age! I’ve been very lucky and had some great opportunities. I’ve also done many things that are not on this list, and I’m very grateful to have done those as well. I’ve had a very unique and diverse equestrian experience, and I hope to continue to in the future.The ones I’ve done:1, 2, 5, 6, 10, 11, 13, 15-21, 24, 25.
And I’d like to do most of the ones I haven’t done.And if you can’t get to Austria to see the Lipizzans, try Lusitanos in Portugal – I was blown away!
I’ve done 13/25! I am very happy to say that I have the opportunity to ride gaited horses everyday. I would never switch to another breed if I wasn’t so curious. I love riding new horses.Cavalia is actually in Atlanta, Georgia right now… and I am an hour and a half from there and I want to go SO bad. I saw the big tent when I went to the GT/UGA game and had to look it up. I asked for it for Christmas… the last show is Jan 3….. we’ll see!!!I have galloped down a trashy beach in Mexico… so I want to do it again… on a GORGEOUS beach. I want to go to the Spanish riding school in Spain. I have seen Lipizzaner stallions in Montgomery, Alabama… hahaI have won many blue ribbons
Sir Gallahad, I miss you!I have had the opportunity to ride amazing cutting horses. I wish I still did that. It’s my FAV sport. Fallen off many many many times and gotten back on. not lately though.Just rode bareback and bridleless last weekend. Attending the Kentucky Derby is a goal I will accomplish in the next 3 years!I have a lot more things I want to do with my horses… I want to take them to the mountains and ride, I want to take them to a beach with my boyfriend, I want to breed and raise an English show horse… and many more.Good Topic!
Things I’ve done:
1. Gallop on the beach. I was in Ireland, it was gorgeous, though a little rainy. It was also difficult, because my Western-trained self was on an English-trained horse…the sad part is I did a lot better than my parents, just because I know how to ride better than they do. They thought they looked awesome…umm, not so much.
3. Enjoy an evening of equestrian theater, from major touring productions such as Cavalia to local performance troupes. I went to Medieval Times in California…that was amazing. The horses were so pretty.
5. Jump! From crossrails to cross-country obstacles, experience the thrill of soaring over fences. I started jumping bareback three years ago. Once my horse and I figured it out, I took off the bridle and jumped that way. It’s so much fun. More recently, I’ve started taking h/j lessons on an Arabian…it’s so much harder for me to jump in a saddle.
6. Fall off and get right back on again. Conquering fear is empowering. Three times.
10. Nurse a horse through a crisis and back to full health. This one is only a sort of. I didn’t know the horse until after her crisis, but I met her right after. Sierra is a 23-year-old Arabian mare that had colic surgery a little over a year ago. I met her right after her surgery, and helped keep her recovery stall clean and took her for walks three times a week. Eventually, her 15 minute handwalks turned into 15 minute baeback walks. A few weeks later, they turned into trots. Months later, two hour rides. Now, three+ hour rides at all three gaits, always with at least one time where I just let her run as fast as she wants.
11. Experience the smooth ride of a gaited horse. I’ve ridden two different MFTs, one half-Paso Fino, and three different TWHs…all were fun, especially the most recent one. She’s kind of crazy, which added to the experience!
13. Have the courage to do the right thing for your horse, even when it’s not easy. I think every horse owner has done this at least once.
15. Tackle a trail accessible only by horseback and enjoy the view. Golden Gate Canyon in Colorado in September…need I say more? Beautiful autumn colors, stream crossings, and a pleasant afternoon.
17. Master the sitting trot. Riding in an organization where posting elicited a lot of yelling and ridicule, this happened quickly.
19. Watch polo. Even better, try your hand at it! I performed at halftime at a Polo for the Cure show. We watched the polo players with the same fascination they watched us: it was amazing.
20. Feed, muck, groom, ride. Repeat daily. Again, something experienced by every horse owner.
22. Fly down the track on a Thoroughbred. I haven’t quite done this…but I have flown down a stretch of grass on an ex-racing Arabian.
24. Ride bareback, bridleless … or both! I’ve done both at the same time over jumps. See #5.
25. Share a bond with your horse that’s deeper than words. This was helped by riding bareback and bridleless. It’s amazing.I’d love to do just about everything else on this list. I’d love to ride a cross-country course someday, travel and see how the rest of the world does horses, and ride a professional dressage-trained warmblood. Just to see what it’s like.
OT – fun video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrYOQ52U3LQ
I make my living galloping TB race horses. Cruising on those suckers NEVER gets old. It can however get scary at times LOLI’ve also galloped on a beach, swam bareback with a horse on that same beach in the Carribean, played polo once, I even played polo-cross once. I really want to go to spain to see the lippizanners. I also would love to see Pablo Hermoso DeMendosa. Whether you agree with bullfighting or not is completely irrelevant, that guy is fucking GOOD and I want to steal his horse. If you have no idea who that is go to you tube and look up “merlin horse” he should appear at the top of the search. Prepare to be amazed.
Ok here is mine!!:
1 Own a warmblood that has the potential to take me to the top.
2 Compete in the equestrian Olympics and win the gold medal.
3 Win a blue ribbon in a horse show with my own horse.
4 Jump 3 ft in a horse show.
5 Make it to the the VHSA finals!
6 Ride a Gaited horse.
7 Own a horse taller than 16 hands and learn how to control him/her.
8 Get rid of my bad riding habits. No more heels down, looking down, or hands moving.
9 Own a horse for more than two years.
10 Meet an Olympic rider. Take a lesson with them!
11 Become a Jockey. Ride in the races.
12 Learn more Dressage.
13 Go cross country schooling. Compete.
14 Ride a horse in a 3-day-event!!
15
Meet a famous horse and take a picture with him/her.
16 Meet more guys my age who ride horses that live where I live. :p
17 Try VAULTING.
18 Go to the Rodeo and get a cowboy hat, or maybe even a cowboy.
19 Take care of a foal. Bond with him/her.
20 Breed my horse and name her foal.
21 Break a youngster all the way up to the point where you can put a saddle on their back.
22 Go to an auction and rescue a horse.
23 Win Champion or Reserve Champion at a horse show.
24 Become a Working Student at a top-notch farm.
25 Break my high jumping record of 3 ft 5 inches.
Out of that list, let’s see:1. Many years ago, on the Isle of Man.2. A few times as a teenager. I was always sucky at the egg and spoon race, though.3. Nope. Missed an opportunity to see Cavalia recently due to busy-ness and no spare cash. Sad. Unless you count the circus?
4. No, and not likely to, the husband has an aversion to the idea of going on a cattle drive and I’m not sure I’d want to do it on my own.5. Used to. But only because I had to. Jumping…maybe one day I’ll find somebody who can retrain me to enjoy instead of dreading it.6. Of course! You can’t call yourself a rider if you haven’t 
7. No. Would like to, but affording it is a pipe dream right now.8. No. But would not turn down the opportunity to ride a reiner, just out of curiosity and to see what I might learn.9. No. Not even sure who my out and out idol is right now. And I can’t say I’d accept a lesson from all of the Grand Prix riders (Ahem, Anky, ahem) right now. Sigh.10. Does the time my poor pony got either a bad cold or flu count? (Poor little guy was SO miserable).11. Have not had the opportunity, would not turn it down 
12. No. Keep meaning to get out to the much closer Fair Hill, though. One of these years.13. Never been in the situation. Thank Epona.14. No. Personally, I’d rather go to the Breeders’ Cup.15. Yes.16. Yes. (And covered 15 at the same time…man, I think those horses were part mountain goat!)17. Umm. I’ll get back to you after I’ve asked my trainer.18. Not quite. The closest I’ve come is a retired prelim eventer (and you should have seen the mess the first time I got on her…no WAY am I ready to get on a Grand Prix horse. I’d confuse it half to death!)19. I’m guessing glove polo doesn’t count…20. Not in many years.21. I wish.22. Nope.23. No. Not yet.24. Oh gods. Never ride bareback on an Appendix QH with a shark fin wither. Most especially do not do so when you have a doctor’s appointment the next day. (‘I think we need to talk about sexual abuse’ ‘No, it was a horse’ ‘Umm’. ‘I was RIDING the horse’)25. One day.
Things I have done: 2 Win a blue ribbon, even if it’s for the egg and spoon race! I won a red in my first show when I was 7 and a blue in my next show in the w/t class (again at 7.)3 Enjoy an evening of equestrian theater, from major touring productions such as Cavalia to local performance troupes. I went to Medieval Times in NJ. It was so cool!5 Jump! From crossrails to cross-country obstacles, experience the thrill of soaring over fences. I was trained in show jumping and have set up a little cross country course at my house. Its so much fun!6 Fall off and get right back on again. Conquering fear is empowering. I fell off 9 times during the 4 years that I took lessons. This bitchy little pony that passed away over the summer threw me 8 times (I literally mean threw. She would throw her head down going over jumps pulling little me with her.) And I fell off a huge QHx. I loved him though, he tripped and I wasn’t prepared and just toppled over towards the wall. Oh and about 2 weeks ago, when my TB mare wanted to get revenge and bolted when I hopped up bareback for her to graze. But hey at least that time I landed on my feet!13 Have the courage to do the right thing for your horse, even when it’s not easy. I think every horse owner goes through this. Though not the only thing I have done, I have trimmed my mares feet myself (she’s barefoot.) Previous owner didnt take care of her feet and they said she was bad about lifting them. Well she had huge flares on her hooves that went half way up. I couldn’t get the farrier so I did them myself slowly working on her letting me lift her feet and do a little bit everyday. Her hooves look normal again but I was very afraid of her kicking me since the previous owner told me she liked to kick too. (This was about a year or two ago.)15 Tackle a trail accessible only by horseback and enjoy the view. When my family went to the Catskill game farm years ago when I had just started riding, I made them go on a trail ride at the place down the road. Well it was only my dad. I think that those trails were only accessible by horse but I can’t remember that far back.17 Master the sitting trot. I mastered this when I got my first horse. Since I knew it was more challenging, I taught myself how to do this. 19 Watch polo. Even better, try your hand at it! This is a kinda thing. I have never watched polo live but I have watched several matches on TV. I also live about 10 min away from a polo barn.20 Feed, muck, groom, ride. Repeat daily. Something I have been doing for years. Oh the joys of horse ownership. =)22 Fly down the track on a Thoroughbred. So it wasn’t a track but I love to let my TB mare just GO in the field. I did the same thing on her half sister who was owned by a friend. Definitely a blast! I always dreamed of being a jockey but being 5’10″ and 130 lbs, I’m kinda to big for those shoes.23 Meet one of your favorite famous horses in person. So this one hasn’t come true… YET. Saturday December 5, I will be meeting the horse that played Hidalgo, the horse that is playing Secretariat in the new Disney movie “Secretariat,” and from the same movie, Secretariat’s dam.24 Ride bareback, bridleless … or both! Technically I have done both at the same time. I ride my TB mare in a halter and lead rope all the time. She has a habit of trotting and then throwing her head down to graze. Let me tell you, my leg muscles get a good workout from that! 25 Share a bond with your horse that’s deeper than words. I have done this twice. My TB mare knows me inside and out. She knows my habits and I know hers. I know what she likes and she knows what I like (other than coffee lmao.) She knows what is expected and likes to find loopholes. She is the first horse that I have met that gets jealous of other horses being worked, and she is the first horse that I have met that actually holds a grudge. I made her stand with me while I talked to some neighbors. Meanwhile she wanted to go to the field and get some yummy grass. Well when I finally got her there she bolted and bucked when I tried to hop on bareback like I do all the time (same story from number 6.) Then there is my fugly TB/Appy colt. I have known him since he was born. He is 28 months old and hasn’t been gelded (vet wouldn’t do it because they are too far up.) Anyway, he listens to everything I say, and I can tell what he is thinking by just looking at him. We have spent many afternoons laying down in the hay. My third horse I haven’t owned long enough to establish such a connection but we are getting there. He is my dream horse that I get to train my way!All this and I’m only 18! I hope to do many of the other things as I get older and have time to do them. I would love to ride on an Olympic Cross Country course too.
Personal additions…* Nurse my gelding back from losing his entire hoof to abscesses (its in a cast, and he has been dubbed the Miracle Horse and Mascot of the nearby Equine Hospital as this began with a founder back in June/July), and give him the wonderful LONG life of luxury he deserves.* Develop a partnership with my mare that will grow into the trust and dedication to one another that I’ve had with my gelding his entire life.* Show my mare, extensively trail-ride my mare (my fave thing to do), take her to the beach (I lived in Galveston with my gelding for a couple of years and rode on it daily). Doing the Tevis trail in a backpacking manner over a few days would be AWESOME.* Get my horse/counseling program back up and running (EquiJourneys.com)* Finally, own land I can call home where I finally can have my horses in my “backyard” and look out on them whenever I wish.(and too many more dreams to even list at nearly 2am, LOL!)
Another fun one to add to your list – don’t just ride a gaited horse, try a SPEED RACKER in a cutback saddle with slidey black pants on! It’s awesome!!
Great thread! I have a few things I’d love to do with my horse. I really want to take my horse swimming somewhere. I swam some horses as a kid in Georgia and it was so much fun, and my horse LOVES sloshing through puddles with me, so I think he would have a blast swimming. I also would love to take him camping and do some trail rides. I might be able to combine these two and do them at some point, because I just found out there is a lake not too far north of me with an equestrian campground! Each campsite has two horse pens (uncovered so will have to wait until the summer for nicer weather) which is good because most campsites I’ve seen just have a place to tie your horse overnight, which I would not want to do (while I’m more the motel 6 type, he’s more the Ritz type =P Don’t know how he could have gotten that way…). Also, not on my own horse, but I would love to take a lesson on a well trained cutting horse. With my horse, I think a chance to do a clinic with Steffen Peters would be amazing; he’s the best FEI dressage rider right now in my opinion and he seems to be a really great teacher, too. One thing that’s not on that list that I think should be is to take your/a horse on a carriage trail ride. I never thought I would enjoy driving, and by all means it’s not something I’m super passionate about, but I’m really glad I got the oppurtunity to learn because it is really fun and relaxing to just hook up your horse, climb in the cart, and trot through a trail in the woods [insert Little House on the Prairie music here] with your dog or barn cat sitting in the seat next do you. You hear the crunch crunch of leaves and you get to watch your horse trotting in front of you and it’s actually really cool. My current horse was just started in driving before I bought him, and I have never been able to get him a cart and harness so I just keep ground driving him with the surcingle and hopefully one day I can afford to get him started in driving!
The most fun I’ve ever had in my life so far was the time I went camping on the beach with my horse (and a bunch of friends and their horses). There’s something amazing about waking up and taking a bareback trail ride in your pajamas.One thing I definitely want to do is ride with my boyfriend. 4 years and we’ve still never done that; he’s been on my horse with me leading, but one of these days, when there’s more money and we own our own property, he’s going to learn to ride and we’ll go out together.
Well, I’ve done the ‘flying down the racetrack’ but it was on a rotund little Exmoor gelding, rather than a TB. I think he could have quite happily ducked under the starting gate. *g*
I’ve done many of the list, but I would add one: galloping across the African savanna with herds of giraffe and antelope. Horseback safari is one of the coolest experiences I have ever had, and nothing is more thrilling than feeling like you are part of the wild herd tearing across the grasslands of southern Africa. At the place I stayed, we played polo-crosse at the lodge in between rides out into the bush, and they had a huge herd of really nice TBs and arab-crosses.
I would love to ride a gaited horse, go swimming with my horse and gallop across a beach!
Great topic: I’ve been so lucky with horses! I don’t remember a time before riding! And, at age 50, I had a great bucket list experience this past spring – seeing the Royal School of Equestrian Arts in Jerez, Spain. I would delete the tourist trap Vienna school and recommend the Spanish one, which is the original and oldest home of the military style (other than Greece!). And the OMG horses there – where do you think the Vienna horses came from, anyway? Andalucia in general is horse heaven – I would live there if I could. I do, however, live near a beach where I can ride, with public forest trails all over. I shovel poop to my heart’s content. I don’t dream of winning competitions, just of having happy rides on happy horses. I want to be physically able to ride to the last day of my life, so I wear a helmet and don’t push it. I have seen winter European showjump competitions in huge indoor stadiums that were SOLD OUT – I wish to see something like that happen in the States! I had on my list to get my children riding; thank you Pony Club for that one. I have ridden a gaited horse for 25 years and I’m still not sure what I prefer – having 3 very different horses is heavenly – I actually miss trotting sometimes. My bucket list would include owning or sharing something like a CoverAll arena, possibly starting a neighborhood association and having it work well for all involved (Northwest winters and all…) I want to try an Endurance ride, and learn combined driving (I don’t know how to drive at all!). I want to ride in a top of the line saddle so see what the fuss is all about. And a chance to ride in a race would be breathtaking. Oh, riding at least once while slim, rich and fit – that would be OK as well.
The only thing that I want to do with my “Hoss” is to ride him on the trails in Southern California for at least another two years. I have had a lot of heart trouble in my past and I am afraid that it might catch up with me sooner than I expect. I have had “Hoss” now for a year and he is growing into a well mannered young man, thanks to my Daughter’s training.To check out the progress with him and other things please visit my Web Site http://www.HorsesDIY.com. I have a question: Would you like a “full size” decal of your horse that you can put on any wall and move it around if you have to? How about a lite, clear fly mask for half the cost of the ones that are available now? Or a poop rake attachment that lets you pick up the popcorn sized poop in your stall that attatches to your existing rake?These are things that we will be offering on the site early next year. Happy trails.
A friend of mine went on one of those riding vacations in Ireland and it sounded amazing. She and her friend were given two horses, a map and a gooddbye. They rode alone across fields and moors all day, and had to find their overnight lodging stops. They were sometimes little inns, and sometimes people’s houses. This was nearly a week long. She said the horses were super, and they were unflappable. At one point though, she and horse got mired in a bog! They had been warned about that, she called it ‘irish quicksand’ because it’s hard to spot visually and it’s nearly as bad. She said it was very frightening but the horse managed to get himself out. I think that’s just incredible… you would never be able to do such a thing in the US…. imagine the liability insurance! My one wish is to show at least once at FEI level dressage. Just gotta pick that winning lottery ticket…
Wow, I’ve actually managed to complete 14 off that list, and I’m only 22. Anyone up in BC who would love to gallop across the beach should check out the Vintage Riders charity trail rides… I’ve participated in one and was allowed to gallop across 3rd Beach in Stanley Beach! Of course, number one on my bucket list is to actually own my own horse… and go on an real, non touristy, cattle drive ( I already have the cowboy boots:).
I’ve been to the Spanish Riding School and it was AMAZING!!! However, I didn’t see the majestic, white stallions. Well… they were majestic and they were stallions, but they were a still a dark dapple gray. When I went the tickets to the main performance were very expensive, and sold out several months to a year in advance. However, you could pay about 30 Euros (this was 6 years ago) and see the horses train. Training sessions are open to the public everyday and are really cool (if you’re a horse person and you know what you’re watching). Having seen the traveling Lipizzaner show in the US already (which doesn’t really count when talking about THE Spanish Riding School), it was so much more special to me to get to see the young horses working. We even saw those flawless horses spook! So if you find yourself in Vienna and it’s too late or too much money to get tickets to The Big Performance, you can still go to the school and see the horses work.
Glad to see someone else (mabelicious) who also knows Horse Holidays in Ireland!The ones I haven’t done:
4. cattle work: If team penning counts, then yes. Otherwise no.
7. see the Lipizzans in Vienna. Saw them when they toured Chicago, but not in Vienna
8. sliding stop on a reiner. I once boarded at a barn where a reining trainer was at, but it never occurred to me to ask her if I could hop on one. Damn, there went my opportunity…
9. take a riding lesson from an idol. Okay, does it count if I took a clinic with Pat Parelli, only to find out that I hated everything he had me do? Does it count if your “idol” wasn’t really an idol after all?
11. gaited horse. I don’t know … I’m old school and just can’t get over how “goofy” it looks to me. Jaded by years of camping alongside these people and seeing them spend all their time gaiting up and down the camp roads “showing off” and seldom actually going on the trail.
17. master the sitting trot. After all these years of riding, you’d think I could do that by now…
21. wake up to a whinney every morning. I have always boarded, so no horses to greet me in the morning.
22. fly down the track on a TB. Would LOVE to do this. I used to breeze a racing QH down a dirty road for exercise for his trainer. Count?
I was pleasantly surprised at how many of those things listed I’ve already been able to do. I’ve ridden several Tennessee Walking Horses and I rode a $10,000 Peruvian Paso mare that was gaited. What a smoooth ride. I had a chance to ride an Icelandic that would “tolt” and a reining horse that could spin well, but chickened out (was pretty inexperienced rider back when the opportunity came up). I would like to ride in the Chief Joseph Ride with my Appy mare. I still want to go on a cattle drive. I have done turn back for cutting, but nothing major. I’m hoping this next Summer to do a cattle drive now that I live in Idaho. Many ranchers would welcome the help with actual cattle drives around here. Looking forward to trying my hand at endurance this next year on my BLM mustang. Maybe a goal should be to do a 100-miler someday?
Forgot to mention……..rode sand dunes on the Oregon Coast. What a BLAST that was with all the hills, twists and turns in the dunes. And, of course, we galloped along the beach and then saw some bald eagles. It was AWESOME!
I’ve had a personal one-item bucket list since I was a teenager several decades ago: own my own horse, after spending so many years exercising other people’s . Finally got my act together & took in a horse from my favorite breed rescue last year.
Not to sound corny or anything, but even though it’s been a year, every time I hear somebody at the barn say a sentence that includes the phrase “your horse”, every time I go into TS & make a mundane purchase like fly spray or Hooflex, every single time I mount up, there’s a brief couple of seconds in which I actually start to cry. From the sheer joy of it.
Of course, before I got her, I also used to go into any tack or feed shop I happened to drive past, open up a bottle of fly spray or hoof polish, close my eyes, breathe in the scent of it, & instantly transport myself back 30 years.
Too wierd, ladies?
Now THIS is a statement that all of these fugly breeders should read and learn something from. Owning a horse should be a privaledge, not a right, and it is something that should be cherished. Anyone who thinks your post sounds corny, has no business having a horse.
I know EXACTLY how you feel.
Your comment about made ME cry! I have no doubt that I will act the exact same way when I finally, finally have my own horse. I’ve only dreamed about it since I was two years old… At this point, I am telling myself it will happen after the kids are done with college (6 years). For now I have to settle for taking care of and adoring my “mini-horse,” which is what I call my beautiful doggie. I have been known to cry from joy when purchasing things for her!
(Having an English Springer Spaniel was another very old dream, so she’s very special)
My personal bucket list starts with having my own horse, of course. The next item would be going on a really fab horse vacation. I’ve kind of done one, already: at age 16 I spent a wonderful two weeks riding at the former Girl Scout ranch in CO, including a week-long pack trip. But I want to do a “real” one in Europe. Don’t know if I’m brave enough for the “here’s a horse and a map” trip, but maybe chateau to chateau in France?
As far as the list here, I feel blessed to have done 15 items. Seeing the Lipizzaners in Vienna at the Spanish Riding School was a lifetime highlight, as it would be for anybody who’s read “White Stallion of Lipizza” about 100 times. There are plenty of blue ribbons around my house, with my two favorites on display. One I earned in Sr. Equitation on the Flat at one of my last 4-H shows, beating all the “mean girls” despite completly blowing a canter depart on the nutty OTTB I was riding (the judge said later she was impressed how I handled the explosion). The other I got in my first horse show as a re-rider, 20 years later. I was on a pony I’d sat on for the first time 5 minutes before the over-fences class; we bonded instantly and he became my special guy, despite me being a mere once-a-week lesson student. That one is priceless to me. Yes, I could still ride!!! (And will again, when I can afford to get back to it in a few years)
Would love to ride a gaited horse (I keep threatening to take just one lesson at the Saddebred barn down the road, despite my aversion to their training methods), and will definitely make it to the Derby one of these years.
Thanks for a great topic, Fugs!
My bucket list:
1. Teach my horse to “bow” so I can get my fat ass on without having to get on a stool when bareback.
2. Get a sleigh, so I can take my family for a sleigh ride on christmas. Picture it….sleigh bells, hot chocolate in thermos, run around and pick up the neighbors. Wouldn’t it be awesome?
3. Take all summer and haul my mares to every barrel show I could find. Basically be a rodeo bum.
4. Have my very own 200′x200′ indoor riding arena, with nice fluffy beach sand turf. Poles and barrels set up always.
Well for me right now just getting back on horseback would be good.
But from the list I’ve ridden bareback (on a Shetland pony when I was about 10 XD) and I’ve fallen and gotten right back on (when I was about the same age, and then several hours later realised I had a sprained wrist, ouch)
What I’ve done:
1. Gallop on the beach.
I WALKED on the beach at Malaga (I think) on an old Andalusian when on a high school Spanish Club trip. A hot German guy tried to pick me up. I too want to do the Ireland horse vacation someday…..
2 Win a blue ribbon, even if it’s for the egg and spoon race! Yep, though the 3rd place I won at the State Fair meant far more than any other trophy EVER, because of the year I’d had.
3 Enjoy an evening of equestrian theater… I’ve seen Medieval Times, it was really well done. Saw Rugged Lark’s farewell performance at Congress, and even though I don’t think he was “all that” dressage wise, he seemed like a very loved, happy, willing and workmanlike guy.
5 Jump! From crossrails to cross-country obstacles, experience the thrill of soaring over fences. Yes, though too chicken to go over 3′. Jumping oil drums was always my favorite.
6 Fall off and get right back on again. Conquering fear is empowering. My instructor told me that I couldn’t call myself a horseman till I’d fallen off at least 25 times. I achieved it!
12 Watch the horses come through the Head of the Lake on cross-country day at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. THAT WAS FREAKIN’ AMAZING.
15 Tackle a trail accessible only by horseback and enjoy the view. Camping & trail riding with friends: it doesn’t get ANY better.
16 Take your dream vacation on horseback. See #1.
17 Master the sitting trot. Sort of, on the horse I loved the most.
18 Ride a fine-tuned horse in your discipline of choice, be it dressage schoolmaster or barrel champ. I did take lessons on an amazing old dressage horse – all you did was point your hip, and he’d go there. Beautifully.
23 Meet one of your favorite famous horses in person. I met For The Moment at the Pan Am games in Indianapolis. He was a goofball at the washrack!!!
24 Ride bareback, bridleless … or both! It’s how you achieve #25 when you get to a certain point with your horse….
25 Share a bond with your horse that’s deeper than words. You think “trot” and there you go….
So that’s 13…. halfway there… I don’t care about the Derby – it makes me sad, really.
TO DO:
I would love to own my own horse property someday and be rich enough for a resident experienced horseman to muck stalls and teach me stuff. This would be adjacent to Brown County State Park, or a mountain trailriding paradise….
Foxhunt – someday, if I ever got fit enough, got back into jumping, and owned the right horse/clothes…..
I’d love to ride a couple of different quality gaited horses someday. I might even convert….
Take a nontraditional breed horse all the way in dressage.
Endurance riding.
Learnlearnlearn.
Rescue an OTTB.
Riderideriderideride.
Re-reading the list here, and Catty’s wishes, reminds me that I forgot a couple: I HAVE foxhunted, twice and that experience was ABSOLUTELY on my list!!! I certainly cried with joy then. The hounds, the red coats, the crisp air, the revved up horse – it was all so beautiful it hurt. (Too bad I was only allowed to hilltop – I am still kicking myself for not going over the last jump anyway) Being an actual member of a hunt is still on my list, although I sincerely doubt I’ll ever be able to afford that. Maybe just capping in sometimes will suffice.
And I would looooove to ride in a costume class someday… that just look way, way too fun.
P.S. The pony I won the blue on as a re-rider: Lost My Marbles, of course! Grey/white Pintaloosa, 14.3 hands of bad attitude, my friend. Now retired due to navicular. I sure do miss you, you little stinker!
Errrr… make that 14.2 hands! Unlike some, I DO know how tall ponies are supposed to be!
HOW CAN I FORGET:
I want to attend some events at the World Equestrian Games.
Hell, I live less than 150 miles away…..
I’m fully expecting something in my stocking.
well, I’ve been fortunate too as to been able to have done over half them things on the list…and here’s one that other people might have done, maybe not, but thought it was worth mentioning…
being into cutting horses, I’ve always had them 14.2 hh, quick as a cat, wants to cut anything that moves kind of horses…well my mom works for a guy who breeds and shows Percherons…and what a change it is to not only drive a team from sitting on a cutting horse…but to drive a 6 horse hitch!…the raw power that comes through the reins…TOTALLY different feeling and something I recommend for ANY horse person to try if they have the chance…
OT, but this ad is just… wow. http://saskatoon.kijiji.ca/c-pets-livestock-for-sale-DAPPLE-GREY-GELDING-W0QQAdIdZ172536883
“2 YR OLD GREY GELDING
TURNING 3 IN THE SPRING
SADDLE BROKE
CAN BE RIDDEN BAREBACK
HARNESS BROKE
EASY TO WORK WITH
THOROUGHBRED CROSS PERCHERON
$2,500.00″
Poor horse… 2 years old and already broke to ride and drive.
Horse Bucket List? One item: own a horse.
I’ve done 23 of the 25 items – I live in Fla (ridden on the beach many times there as well as Acapulco), have done 14 riding vacations around the world (Australia, Ireland, Portugal, Hungary, Canada, & US), visited TB farms in KY and petted Unbridled, Danzig, and Mr Prospector, been to the KY Derby twice, competed for many years, had my share of falls and injuries, saw the Lipizzan stallions in Vienna, own a gaited horse, had a TB many years ago and raced him in some cornfields (not a racetrack – but close enough), grew up riding bareback, have ridden many trails in Wyoming and Utah that were only accessable by horseback and found Anasazi dwellings a 1000 years old to explore at the end of the canyon in Utah. I’ve been lucky to have horses in my life for 43 of my 51 years and they have given me more joy, love, and companionship than most humans have over the years.
The things left on my bucket list include riding in all 50 states (15 so far), continue seeking out beautiful places to ride and camp all over this country, and finding more good trail riding partners to camp with. MY current mount is a Spotted Saddle Horse (gaited) and he’s a wonderful smooth ride and is becoming a fantastic trail horse to spend miles and time with in the woods.
anyone from OH.
http://huntington.craigslist.org/zip/1492550431.html
15/25 at 13 years old isn’t too bad. I’ve gotten to ride a top horse in my dicipline, Chagall. Hunter Champion. Love him to death. I have an incredible bond with my mare
I would like to take her to a beach someday and ride her around, but does splashing in a riverbed count?
Long time reader, first time poster.
This is off the subject matter, but here’s an interesting article;
(“The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) yesterday announced the delay in implementing the new Equine Prohibited Substances List, and accompanying regulations. These will allow low doses of three non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, such as bute, and three other commonly used drugs, to be permitted during competition.
The decision taken at the FEI general assembly in Copenhagen to adopt the so-called ‘progressive list’ caused uproar — and continues to.”)
There is a petition available, which I have already signed. Just wanted to pass along the info.
Interesting topic.
Let’s see… I want to 1) ride tack-less on a beach, 2) try sidesaddle, 3) Go on an all-day trail ride in the mountains, (4 swim with my horse, 5) rescue and rehab as many horses as I can, 6) Train my draft gelding to at least level 3 dressage and compete with him, and 7) own a dead-broke schoolmaster that I can trail ride bareback and take anywhere.
Well, I have done all but 5 of these, I haven’t had the opportunity to ride a sliding stop, or work cattle, but it sounds like fun! I haven’t ridden a TB on a track, but have ridden in many unsanctioned races, LOL! Probably will never go to Rolex or the Derby, no loss. What would I add? I want to do a flawless freestyle dressage exhibition on my horse. We went to Scotland and rode a week in the mountains on our honeymoon, but I want to ride more places, like Spain and Ireland. I want to take my husband horse camping (he has never done this!).
Just wanted to add that swimming a horse in a lake is really alot more fun than riding on the beach. The reality of beach riding is most horses are terrified of the waves and just can’t understand why the water moves so much. I had a QH that I took 5 times and never got him in the waves. Took my SSh gelding last May and it took about 45 mintues of coaxing and encouraging him to get his feet wet, then he gradually got better and better. Most horses will not canter along the sand, they just won’t do it. It can take alot of time and patience. I prefer lakes and my geldling is a great swimmer as he stays level and doensn’t panic. They come out cleaner than any bath since it really rinses away all the dirt, sand, etc
Actually, if my daughter turns out horse-crazy, I’ll be pretty darn happy.
Cathy, I will lend you a Native Costume that DOES NOT have a “bare midrif” None of mIne do! Green & black; blue black white & gold, partial imported; purple, grey, old gold partial imported. Loads of fun!!! (If you can sit a dressage saddle at a canter you can ride my semi retired show mare!) Have even competed in a cast and Won! (chipped and cracked an ankle eight weeks of the National show and went to a local show next weekend and won! Was already qualified for Nat. Went to state fair after that in the cast pissed off the Class A judge, settled for second as did not need to quaalify and then went to Nats without the cast.)
Have done a majority of the things on the list. Have seen the Royal Lipizzans and the World Tour group. Both based in the USA numerous times. Have five boxes of slides ot the Royal Lippizans in their show and during their schooling on a lay over 1/4 mile from my house and they even came to visit MY Arabians. ( Many years ago) Photographed the showing in NM in March. Have used some of the prints to show in competition as they came out super with “available light”. Have shown to National Level and made judge’s cards on a home bred-owner-trained-and-shown… as in NO Trainer. I ride as an Ammy.
Would like to go back to Nats or SH Nats and go at least top ten. Would like to do same in Native Costume, ON A SPORTHORSE TYPE. Have done cutting on untrained mare, showed reining and placed; showed trail and have shown at Regional level. herded cattle on a green broke mare in a bozal who went to US Nats the next year in Ammy and Open NC. Herded cattle in Wyoming and had my photo taken by tourists as we took the herd down the “main” highway moving from pasture to pasture. Herded cattle in the dead of winter on horseback….talk about cold toes! At something like 10 degrees F.
Rode on the beach in high school and my top dream is to take my band “home” to Nor-Cal and ride the beaches again!
Have had lessons with the gold medalest from Hungary, Charles DeKuffy; audited Katren Schulter, currently ride at second level. Have watched demonstrations by Jose Luis Perez, Mexican Gold Medalist for the Mexican team at 1968 Olympics. He lives and trains in NM. Rode and shown to Col.Roberson
Have not been to Europe, but don’t have a desire to go either ( would mean I would have to get on another airplane!!)
Own my own place (which is for sale) and can hear the horses calling if brekfast or dinner is late! LOL. Have been in the stall all night with a sick baby. Have been there for the delivery of several foals and have the foaling on video. Have started several from scratch as foals all the way to the National ring. Have ridden gaited horses in schooling settings, what a hoot! Have shown a friend’s nearly gaited half Arab and won to qualify for Nats on a Jr. horse. Have ridden the mountians and forests; in the desert, redwoods and along the beaches, alone and with friends in the summer, driving rain ( ah, to be young and foolish again) and also in the snow.
that is all I can come up with at the moment. also have sustained some serious falls, including broken bones and gotten back on to ride the same horses again.
D.
That’s a fun list… I’ve done all but 16-take a dream riding vacation, 22-riding a Tb down the track (but I’ve been run away with by more than a few, and have worked sales at Keeneland, so does that count?) and sort of 17, because I have a decent sitting trot, but in NO WAY have I mastered it. Oh, and when I went to the Spanish riding school, I only had one day, and it was only one of three days in that quater of the year that there were no practices or performances; I went through the museum, and you could see down into a few os the stalls, so I technically saw the stallions
100 Mile Endurance Ride finish, in excellent condition. And I’ve always wanted to ride the length of the Pacific Crest Trail – our horses and a pack horse, camping, riding, have a friend meet us with the trailer at certain spots to refuel
We had actually started planning for this, but finances went into the gutter and the whole idea was put to the side, at least for now. Thankfully my mare’s young and I’m sure I can still get this done in the next few years – even if I only eat hotdogs the whole way!
I love this topic. My horsey bucket list is probably in the hundreds now, but only a handfull checked off. I think my favorite experience so far was being able to race my Arab gelding (when he was young and fit) in knee deep loose sand against our TB and QH stablemates, and kicking their butts. I have read that Arabs have a special ability/build to move through the sand without sinking but actually getting to try it was awesome. My buddies were shocked too. My boy was a powerhouse when he was young and this is one of the few times I had the guts to completely give him his head and let him run his heart out, and it was such a rush.
I’ve done 9 on the list.
I’d like to gallop on the beach, ride a nicely trained reining and or barrel horse, do a horseback riding vacation, WATCH polo, go bareback sans bridle & especially add RIDE to #20!
I was happy to see that I too have done most of the things on the list. Most of them about 20 years ago, when I still could thank goodness!!
My list would be:
– ride a baroque horse, like an Andulusian
–learn to do the piaffe and passage (on above horse? sure!)
–ride a 5-gaited saddlebred. I rode a friend’s three gaited horse, once, for a few minutes, it was a blast. For a dressage rider, getting your hands way up in the air like that feels wicked! I love the complete artificiality and showiness of saddlebreds — don’t ever want to own one, but it would be fun to try it once.
–go back to the Louisville saddlebred world championships. Did it once, had an absolute blast.
–breed a fantastic warmblood that had breathtaking movement and suspension
–go as a hilltopper with a hunt (I don’t like jumping, but it sounds awesome to see something like that in person and gallop around)
My meeting a famous horse story is about 30 years ago, I took a trip to Florida and visited some Arabian farms … I got to see the National Champion stallion Asaad … I have never in my life seen a more beautiful horse, before or since. He was like a living statue. Every vein stood out on his neck just in the stall, his skin was so thin. I think it was just one of those moments (and I was a young girl), but he was so regal and seemed like no one could even own such a creature.
I also missed the Lipizzaners when we were in Vienna because it was August and they are up in the mountains then. Bummer.
Very fun reading all the posts-and enlightning too! I’ve gotten to do almost all on the list plus more. Thing is, I have always been mad at myself for not “perfecting” one single breed/disipline. But thinking about it now, makes me feel lucky to have just tried it at all!
Well so far I’ve ridden on the beach, but I haven’t galloped, I’ve won a blue ribbon in a schooling dressage show, I jump, fallen off and gotten right back on, saw the Lipizzaner stallions from Austria, I’ve ridden a Morgan, but I’m fairly sure she wasn’t a gaited Morgan, I’ve gone trail-riding, I’m sure I haven’t mastered it, but I’m fairly good at the sitting trot, I’ve ridden bareback, and I share a close bond to Savannah, one of the horses I ride (the other horse I ride is the bane of my existence). 10ish out of 25 is pretty good by me! I’m only 17 and I’ve only been riding for 5 years, so I feel fairly accomplished haha. I’m not really a racing fan, though, so I’m fairly sure I will never attend any of the Kentucky Derby things. It’s not so much the ‘oh, it’s so cruel’ thing, I know there are good horse owners, trainers and jockeys out there, it’s just boring to me, haha. And if I ever get another blue ribbon it will be in a schooling show, I have no competitive interests.
Hopefully I’ll be able to have my own horse someday and completed (or complete as much as possible) with them by my side (or under my butt….).