The Magical Pony 7 Deadly Sins Blog Hop

I love lists.  I love ponies.  I love lists about ponies!

Pride
Seven great things/strengths in your riding life

1. My awesome pony who is game for anything
2. My trainer, who has been the greatest help to me overcoming fears and "really riding" my boy
3. My supportive boyfriend.  I've known girls who have guys that are jelly of their ponies.  Seriously?  Jealous of a horse?!?!  Crazy.
4. My own obsessive/compulsive brain that has fixated on horses since I was little, without it, who knows if I would've stayed the course
5. Being in shape.  I didn't realize it when I was out of shape, but being in shape really improves your riding all on its own.
6. My ability to recognize, and maybe over-analyze, my weaknesses.
7. My tenacity in overcoming the weaknesses noted in #6

Envy

Seven things you lack or covet for you or your horse

1. A leather version of my current wintec dressage saddle.  I don't need it.  But I wantttts it!  (bates isabell)
2. A truck and trailer.  Again, not necessary, and I can't afford it, but it'd be nice to have so that I didn't have to look for rides to everything.
3. The finances and time to audit more clinics or lessons (also, more clinics would need to be held in the Denver-metro area).  Hell - for that matter - partcipate in said clinics or lessons!
4. The knowledge (or a person who wants to pass the knowledge on) of how to ride around a cross-country course.
5. New show clothes (including a new helmet because mine got junked out by a family of mice this year... grosssssss)
6. I wish I could NOT have adult ADD when there are several people in the arena with me.  God my riding sucks when I'm surrounded by other moving objects.
7. A beautiful, thick tail for my pony.  Refer to post about his mullet-skunk tail.
   
   

Wrath

Seven things that make you angry

1. Horse people that share their opinions with me about me or my horse when I never asked for their opinion.  Drives me bonkers.  I just nod and smile and then completely ignore them.
2. Mice in my tack trunk (happened once this winter, there was a family of 15 living in there), totally tramautizing.  I now kick the crap out of my tack trunk everytime before I open it.
3. Wind!!!
4. Clinton Anderson clinics in the wrong hands (when used by someone who already knows what they're doing with horses I think some of the techniques can be valuable, but in the hands of the wrong person it can just be brutal and mean)
5. When people watch me ride without saying anything at any point.  It just makes me so squirmy.
6. When my horse destroys a blanket or sheet (happens a lot)
7. How my lunge line always gets tangled when I hang it up (how does that happen?!?!)

Sloth

Seven things you neglect to do or cut corners on

1. I never clip my horse's whiskers.  He winds up looking like an old man until my friend Laura comes out, and then she'll always do it.
2. Sometimes I'll lunge Gavin and hold my dog on a leash simultaneously so that I get to exercise them both (they're both cool customers about it)
3. I never wipe off my boots or tack (shame shame shame)
4. I need to return a girth I bought from Dover, but am too lazy to go to FedEx
5. I just shove my coolers, fly sheets, etc in my tack trunk rather than trying to fold them neatly
6. I like my pony to always wear a sheet or blankie so I don't have to spend so much time grooming and he's soooo shiny!
7. I've stopped trying to properly loop my lunge line since it just tangles up anyways 

Greed

Seven most expensive things you own for your horse/riding

1. My horse, his trailering out to Colorado and his initial training.  I don't even want to think about the cost.
2. My Wintec (I'm pretty thrifty about tack).  I bought it new, so I think it was $1200
3. My new Tredstep Raphael boots ($500)
4. Blanket/sheet collection - Rhino Wug, Rambo Flysheet, Mio liteweight sheet ($500)
5. My Pink Equine bridle ($150) - pretty with purple rhinestone headband.  Gavin looks very feminine in it ;)
6. My barely used Silverleaf cob-sized bridle $150-ish.  Trying to sell for $75 (if anyone is interested)
7. Fleck whip - costly beating stick that I just have to hold to instill leg respect.  Gavin doesn't get spanked often. 

Gluttony

Seven guilty pleasures or favorite items

1. Spending the entire time out at the barn primping my horse.  It doesn't happen often, but when it does I enjoy it.
2. Having the indoor all to myself
3. Freshly trimmed hooves, and being told by the farrier that Gavin has wonderful feet
4. Having people tell me how cute, sweet, etc. my boy is (I try to act cool, but I love hearing it)
5. I do love my boots (they're almost totally broken in now)
6. Taking off his blanket and having him just being glossy and clean underneath
7. Watching my trainer ride Gavin (terrible I know, but I just get to sit and admire)

Lust

Seven things you love about horses and riding

1. I love how I feel when I'm at the barn.  I get to just focus on the horses, and feel more comfortable in my own skin than I do anywhere else.
2. I love hugging my pony
3. I love how I feel after a really good ride - just super energized.
4. I love when I'm saddling him and he turns his head around to inspect my handiwork with those sweet eyes.
5. I love the idea of constant, and never-ending improvement that riding offers
6. I love the camaraderie you get with other riders, it's quite a community!
7. and mostly I love horsey kisses on super soft muzzles.