The "Un-Bucket" List

Today is my birthday. I don't have a wish list. There are a few things that I'd like, of course, but really, I am good. I live an unbelievably blessed life and feel that I have gifts enough in my adorable husband, goofy dog, and 
super awesome horses.

Mary Baker Eddy says in her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, "Are we really grateful for the good already received? Then we shall avail ourselves of the blessings we have, and thus be fitted to receive more."

Here are 50 equestrian things I am grateful to have already done.

1. I've owned many horses (quarter horse, Arabians, Welsh/Morgan).
2. I raised a foal from birth to two-year old.
3. I've ridden 100 miles in a single day (5 times, actually).
4. I've swum with my horses in the river (on their backs and holding onto their tails).
5. I've galloped on the beaches of the Pacific Ocean.
6. I've been Fox Hunting.
7. I rode for a week in Ireland.
8. I've owned horse property.
9. I've galloped bareback, a lot.
10. I was a rodeo queen.
11. I've ridden horses in the Canary Islands (Spain).
12. I've held the reins of a carriage horse (in Seville, Spain) as it walked down the road.
13. I've watched the Lipizzaners perform.
14. I've ridden my horse in a parade.
15. I rode my horse 200 miles in Death Valley.
16. I've ridden in the moonlight, many times.
17. I've ridden in the Redwood forests of Northern California.
    
18. I've jumped a redwood log.
19. I've hauled my gooseneck trailer through Los Angeles's traffic.
20. I've bought a brand new saddle.
21. I've bought a really nice dressage saddle.
22. I've shown in a championship class and won.
23. I've won TWO coolers.
24. I've ridden a horse in Belize.
25. I've ridden a horse in Scotland.
26. I've been horse camping (too many times to count, actually).
27. I've helped euthanize two horses. One was mine (not too grateful about that).
28. I've had two of my horses die (not too grateful for that either, but it was a part of horse ownership that taught me a lot).
29. I've bought a few horses.
30. I've sold a few horses.
31. I've had a couple of free horses.
32. I've given away a horse.
33. I've had lessons from an international trainer.
34. I've won three neck ribbons, although one was for eighth place.
35. I've "ridden" a HUGE draft horse. He belonged to a friend who used him to pull her carriage (she just led me around on him).
36. I've been to the horse races.
37. I've been to Craig Cameron's Extreme Cowboy Race.
38. I've seen Julie Goodnight, John Lyons, Monty Roberts, Pat Parelli, and a few others do their thing in person. 
39. I've bred a horse.
40. I've earned my USDF Training Level Rider Performance Award.
41. I've been the Introductory Level Champion of a California Dressage Society chapter.
42. I won a dressage pad from Riders4Helmets for a story I wrote.  
43. I've ridden in the snow (which is hard to do in California).
44. I've ridden endurance rides in a halter.
45. I've competed in nearly 80 AERC Endurance races.
46. I've seen (and touched) the Budweiser Clydesdales.
47. I saw the broadway version of War Horse at the Ahmanson Theater in Los Angels.
48. I've owned TWO living quarters horse trailers (the first one was stolen).
49. I've bought hay by the ton.
50. I own an OTTB who was imported from New Zealand.

There are certainly other things that I hope to do some day (go to Churchill Downs to see the Derby in Person, ride in other countries, better my riding, etc.), but it's hard to ask for more. I have truly been blessed in this life. 

How about you? Are you grateful for the good you've already received? Do you have a list of things you've been blessed to do? Share it!