Seven Deadly Sins Blog Hop

Huge thanks to the amazing L. Williams over @Viva Carlos for coming up with this fab blog hop idea!

As usual I am more than a little late to jump on the bandwagon as it is now Ash Wednesday & no longer Pancake Tuesday...although we are finishing off yesterday's pancake batter this evening - so it still counts in my book!
Well that and I haven't managed to ride either of my girls since Sunday, so I sadly have no ponio news to share; besides spring seems to have sprung weather-wise & I have been unable to take advantage of it, bar to turn the happy girls out at lunchtime...which is no bad thing as without my lunchtime dash to do so - I wouldn't be able to see them at all at the moment!

Back on track with today's post; the 7 Deadly Sins Blog Hop - Equestrian Edition!

Can't beat Cool Runnings for motivation - Google Images

Pride

Seven great things/strengths in your riding life

1. Two wonderfully forgiving horses
2. Great "horsey" friends (on- & off-line) & support network of understanding friends outside of horses
3. Wonderful family who take an interest but aren't over-bearing/-involved
4. Strive/Will/Desire to be better & continuously improve
5. Living 10 minutes walk from the yard
6. My forever job to help keep the horses & myself in the style we have become accustomed to
7. I feel great pride in my accomplishments with Kika, we have (knock-on-wood) bounced back from a dark place.

Envy - Google Images

Envy

Seven things you lack or covet for you or your horse

1. More Monies / Unlimited Funds - I really should play the lotto as that's the only way that is ever going to happen!
2. Properly fitting saddles for the girls & me
3. Financial ability & confidence to show over here
4. Access to lessons & clinics to help us improve
5. 2-horse truck to drive with my "normal" license
6. I envy those with solid Riding Positions, need the aforementioned lessons so people can continue to shout at me to keep my heels down, shoulders back, back straight & look up etc
7. Osteo/Physio/Chiro for myself...the horses want for nothing, yet I'm probably bent like an S-hook in the saddle

Sticking with unicorn + fantasy theme of post so far...Rage - Google Images

Wrath

Seven things that make you angry

1. Animal abuse/mistreatment
2. Bad manners - I don't require a full blown conversation from other yard users, but if I greet you - I don't think a simple "hello" back is too much to ask for!
3. Arena sharing etiquette - respecting distances and awareness of other arena users. (Apologies, I know I go on about this a lot - pet peeve perhaps)
4. My inability to keep my heels down & head up makes me angry - personal frustration that I am STILL making these errors
5. Costs - why does everything equine-related cost so much?!
6. People not wearing helmets when riding - yes it's your head, but other people care about that head...think of others & what a poor example being set

Poopa Scoopa

7. Filling a wheel-barrow/Poopa-Scoopa thing and not emptying it for others to use after you...again probably ties into earlier manners issue; but get's my goat enough to get it's own slot on the list.

Sloth

Seven things you neglect to do or cut corners on

1. Tack cleaning; I love cleaning all the leather things on a sunny day...but sadly there are never enough sunny days nor time for me to clean gear after every ride - although I really wish I could as I find it so therapeutic!
2. Saddle pad laundry - it's really starting to pile up with two horses! I wish my yard had a washing machine I could use - needless to say the folks aren't thrilled when I "borrow" theirs...might have to invest in an extra one for my flat/basement...
3. Thorough grooming - only happens for my girls on weekends, weeknights they get quick body brush, hooves picked out (before riding, rarely after if in arena) and if they are very lucky mane & tail
4. Pulling Kika's mane, she's not a huge fan of it and i don't have time to keep it as short as I'd like...right now it's in dire need of tidying up.
5. Cleaning my girls stables in the evening - they are cleaned in the mornings & the girls are turned out most of the afternoon/evening. If I have the time to ride and/or there is no clean straw within easy usage distance, I don't clean the stables again
6. Walking around the front of my girls, I am lethal at walking behind them when they are tied & will probably get kicked some day for my laziness
7. Bit cleaning, I do rinse each girls bit after every ride...but if it is cold I don;t get my fingers wet making sure they are properly clean

Greed

Seven most expensive things you own for your horse/riding

1. Kika
2. Nancy
3. Annual Board & Insurance for both
4. GP Saddle
5. Dressage Saddle (second hand)
6. GPA Helmet (although I bought that on super sale)
7. Horseware Rugs (Although also always bought on some sort of sale/discount)

Horses = unbridled joy - Google Images

Gluttony

Seven guilty pleasures or favourite items

1. Both horses are my guilty pleasure, just getting to see them brightens up my day
2. Whickers/Nickers when I arrive at lunchtime to feed/turn them out
3. Horsey smell - not manure, you know what mean off their coats, sawdust/straw/hay etc etc
4. Hearing nice things/compliments about my horses
5. Horsey friends on- & off-line; you guys are inspirational
6. Mane & Tail Spray
7. Being able to turn my horses out more or less 24/7 for their & my well-being

Happiness = Horses - Google Images

Lust

Seven things you love about horses and riding

1. The equine community/camaraderie & friendships - horse people just get it!
2. Mental, physical & emotional benefits of being outdoors and caring for something other than oneself
3. Continuous learning curve
4. Mentioned above in Gluttony, but cannot beat that horsey smell for feeling like I'm home/all-is-well-with-the-world
5. Improving & getting things right - feeling that lightbulb moment when it just clicks between horse & rider, no better feeling in the world
6. Keeps me active, out of the house and out of trouble
7. I just love horses, always have (see Friday Flashback posts for baby-me riding pics) and think I always will

Thank you so much L for coming up with this fab idea for a blog hop, if you don't already follow her awesome blog - you really should!
You are totally missing out on all her epic'ness!

PS: Am totally having a brain-fart and cannot figure out how to get blog-hop code to appear at the bottom of my post. If a more tech-savvy reader could help me out with this, I'll be eternally grateful!