Dave, one of the guests on this boat, is an avid buyer of lottery tickets. In fact, he'd just won $1000 on a scratch ticket on Friday. As often happens when we get together with Dave, we start talking about what would you do if you won the Megamillions or another big lottery. My standard response is move to the San Juan Islands, buy a house on acreage with a barn and waterfront.
My thoughts drifted not just to the lottery, but to what I'd like to do while I'm still young enough to do it whether or not I won the lottery. Since this is a horse blog, I wanted to gear it toward equestrian-related items. So I gave it some thought. What kinds of horsie things would be on my bucket list, or the things I want to do before I kick the bucket.
- I want to ride a Grand Prix dressage test.
- I want to earn my USDF Bronze Medal, and maybe the Silver.
- I want to ride a cutting horse. (This has been a life-long dream of mine.)
- I want to try cow penning with my 17-1 hand warmblood mare and live to tell about it.
- I want to be able to get my horse round and through on a consistent basis.
- I want my husband and I to both have some nice trail horses and ride all over the Olympic Peninsula.
What about you? Do you have a "horsie" bucket list?
I would have to win the lottery first - but I'd love to buy a yearling Thoroughbred filly with good SOUND racing bloodlines (in other words, her sire can't have been retired at three with an injury), get my trainer's license, and race her. Would absolutely love to do that someday. Probably won't get to, but dreams are fun!
ReplyDeleteThis is going to sound a bit unambitious, I'm afraid, but my goal for the next decade is to keep doing just what I'm doing--enjoying riding the trails on my gentle horses with my son and our friends. I truly love this and don't feel the need to be doing something more.
ReplyDeletePerhaps I'm this way because I fulfilled the goals I had as a young woman--I worked for professional horse trainers, showed cutting horses, competed at team roping (and have a few buckles that I won in my closet), and horse packed many times across the Sierra Nevada Mts. Now, it seems, I've come full circle and my goal is to enjoy trail riding near my home (and stay in one piece so that I CAN continue to enjoy this). That's my goal.
Hmmm, let's see. Like you, I'd also like to ride a Grand Prix test, so I'd buy a fabulous Grand Prix horse and have lessons every day with my trainer. I'd also buy a couple of other younger horses and enjoy working with them (with my trainer of course). I'd definitely have a few comfortable, sure footed horses to ride out into the countryside; hopefully my husband would be coaxed into riding out with me. I'd buy my nieces ponies of their own and pay for their upkeep and training. Oh, and I'd definitely buy a lorry to transport my horses and no longer have to worry about reversing with the van (trailer) hitched to the back of the car! I'd probably also buy a big equestrian property, possibly a little further south as Swiss weather isn't exactly fabulous. Of course, I'd do a lot of things to help the people I love with my lottery money. Yes, it's fun to dream!
ReplyDeleteMy horse lottery dream? 1. pay off all debt 2. build a beautiful, sound, huge hay barn and tons of hay to fill it! 3. outdoor lights for fall/winter when I want to ride and it's too dark! 4. fancy arena footing out of the latest magical material and someone to keep it completely weed free and groomed at all times 5. trip to Europe to watch all the cool horse competitions 6. Germany trip to watch some of the young horse sales 7. lessons every day and riding every day with no day job
ReplyDelete8. I could buy full seat breeches whenever I wanted vs. having to save and plan 9. same with boots and tack 10. entering shows when I wanted to vs. having to budget or pick and choose 11. going to clinics when I wanted to vs. having to budget 12. go to Florida and be a working (wait I'm rich... never mind the working part) ahem - student with Jennifer Baumbert and train for a few of the grossest CO winter months...
Mostly to ride much more and become better than I am....not to compete at any level but to feel confident and comfortable and knowledgeable with whatever might come my way.
heeeeyyy.... I think I could get used to this sort of day dreaming! grin.
What a fun question!
ReplyDeleteRide the Tevis. Learn to jump and go on a foxhunt. Learn to work cattle and try a cow sport.