Seven Deadly Sins

I am a little late to this party, but many thanks to Viva Carlos for the Mardi Gras inspired theme!

Pride - Seven great things/strengths in your riding life:

1. I have a fabulous lower leg.
2. I bust my butt daily.
3. I am fearless about loading my boys and driving them wherever I want.
4. I am an instructor's dream student.
5. I have a great instructor.
6. I am physically fit.
7. I have a healthy income.

Fox Hunting at Tejon Ranch

Envy - Seven things you lack or covet for you or your horse:

1. A dressage trainer
2. Local shows
3. A dressage community
4. A schoolmaster
5. Pasture
6. A saddle fitter who lives locally
7. A full-sized dressage court

Tina Hoover - awesome saddle fitter

Wrath - Seven things that make you angry:

1. People who won't educate themselves about their horse's needs
2. Snobbery
3. Pretense (which is like snobbery)
4. Know-it-alls
5. People who think their way is the only way (that's a know-it-all, isn't it?)
6. Leaving a mess at the barn
7. Changing things without warning me first (I have OCD issues)

Walk away ...

Sloth - Seven things you neglect to do or cut corners on:

1. I don't keep my truck as clean as I should (or my car)
2. My boys would appreciate more bags of bedding pellets each week
3. I should use the chiropractor more regularly
4. My feed buckets are disgusting
5. I should ride the trail a lot more often
6. I should wear more sunscreen at the barn
7. I never buy carrots; I just mooch them off everyone else

Greed - Seven most expensive things you own for your horse/riding

1. A three-horse living quarters trailer that is completely paid for
2. An F-250 Super Duty Truck with four wheel drive that's also paid for 
3. A Custom Revolution Dressage Saddle
4. A second horse
5. A Stübben bridle and two Micklems
6. Ariat Volants (for schooling) and Ariat Maestros (for showing)
7. A massive pile of breeches

Two horses … Speedy was a back up, then he was numero uno, and now he's on the DL. Hopefully he'll be back on the rotation before the end of summer!

Gluttony - Seven guilty pleasures or favorite items:

1. Spending hours and hours at the barn
2. Having all summer vacation to ride
3. Having two weeks off at Christmas to ride
4. Living only ten minutes from the barn
5. Boarding my horses at a private residence
6. Being able to ride by 4:30 p.m. every day after work
7. Having enough money to clinic or show whenever I want

Christian Schacht Clinic - February 2014

Lust - Seven things you love about horses and riding:

1. their breath
2. their smell
3. their strength
4. their gentleness
5. listening to them eat
6. the view between two ears
7. that they love us back

The view between Montoya's ears was always beautiful!