Written in Hoofprints - Equestrian's diary

Hello my beautiful equine lovers :) Every once in a while I like to talk about that may be unrelated or indirectly related to the equestrian world. This is one of those indirect posts. First I want to focus on the idea of horseback riding injuries. I have heard some equestrians say that you are not a "true rider" until you fall a certain amount of times. Although personally I don't agree with that it is undeniable that horseback riders become injured on average more often than participants of any other sport. Some experts even claim that horseback riding is the most dangerous sport out there due to its unpredictable nature. The truth is riders fall. Sometimes it is the riders fall other times a horse may spook but riders fall and riders get injured. Unfortunately many people realize just how risky riding can be and quit before they can really understand the benefits. Bottom line is if you really love horses and this sport you will get back in the saddle when you ar

Hello my fellow riders! I decided to post my outfit because I thought it was cute that me and Baron were matching today. :) Pants: Kerrits Performance ridding tights in Buff Shirt: Old Navy Men's camo shirt Chaps: Tough-1 Breathable Half Chaps Brown Shoes: Ariat Lace up Paddock Boots

Hi Again!!!!! Long time no see. I took a break from writing this blog as there have been many things in happening in my life over the past month that required a lot of my time. First and foremost I have finished my A&P I class with an A while maintaining one full time and two part time jobs AND riding one to twice a week. *Insert exhausted emoticon here* 😤 As for riding I have been doing more work with Baron finally getting him to respect my cues. I know I haven't posted much about Baron yet so here it goes. Baron is a 16 hand 17 year old, ex-dressage Gray Warmblood. He is a lesson horse at the stables I'm currently at. I'm very excited to be riding him because I feel like he allows me to get back to the basics. His cool temper allows me to focus more on my composure and less on freaking out and hoping to god I won't fall. I have had my share of really bad falls and injuries in the past and at 22 I can longer afford to be getting hurt and being out of commi

       When I was younger I was a fat kid. Not the chubby cute kind but the kind other kids laughed at, and didn't talk to, and even threw sand in their face. I had a tall heavy frame accentuated by my grandmother's love of spoiling me with candy and chocolate. I liked food. I liked food a lot.         It wasn't until 6th grade that my body image took a toll on me. I was in middle school and I wanted nice clothes and maybe even a boyfriend. So I did the only thing I could. I stopped eating, I had my parents drive me to the gym most days, I even took diet pills. I went from a Size 16 to a size 8; from 210 lbs to 147 lbs. in less then a year. The kids in school loved looking at me. Those who I haven't seen in a while congratulated me on my new appearance and my fashionable clothes.         But they didn't know that I was always hungry. They didn't know I would crack and binge eat then force myself to throw it up in the toilet. To them my suffering was  me getti

1. Horses are Expensive          If you love horses you know that riding is one of the most expensive sports out there. Even if you don't have your own tack the apparel itself will put a dent in your wallet. Riding shoes start somewhere around $100 and go upwards from there. Good pants will start at $50. Then you have to buy a helmet, gloves. Some people buy half chaps and other accessories.           Eventually you will want to have a saddle that fits you complete with pads, girth, etc this will cost you upwards of $1000.           The cost of Riding lessons varies by state. In New Jersey I've seen it cost $45 per 30 min but I also have seen it cost $75. It all depends on where you ride, the experience of the instructor, and the quality of the lesson horses.          If you own a horse you know that buying the horse is not the problem. You can buy a good horse for $2000-7000. It is a one time expense that seems large but is minuscule compared with the $400-1000 a month you