Three Day Adventures with Horses posted a great idea for a blog hop: What three words best describe your horse?
Opinionated
Anyone who has met Gem for even the briefest of moments immediately comments on how opinionated the mare is. Not only does she have an opinion about everything, but she also feels the need to express it. Oh, and she is always right by the way. It wouldn’t be so bad if she didn’t always seem to have the opposite opinion as I do. The jump is scary – it is the same plain cross rail you have seen a dozen times. I need to be going 10 mph – no you don’t Gemmie we are in an arena. You are stupid – no, I’m not Gem and that is just plain mean anyway. It doesn’t help that she is so dang smart as well, but it would be nice if she just went with the flow a little every now and then.
Honest
Gem tells it like it is and I never have to worry that she is being overly dramatic. A hang nail doesn’t cause her to be three legged lame. On the flip side, she also isn’t so stoic that she will keep going with one leg missing. I can 100% trust that when she tells me something is wrong, that it is. This fact was really helpful in the endurance world. I never spent time second guessing or stressing if she was off physically, mentally or metabolically. She’d tell me if she was.
She isn’t mean about anything and won’t pull a dirty trick, but she also won’t hand me anything either. I’ve had to work for every tiny minuscule improvement I’ve gotten from her.
Aloof
In your pocket, she is not. It took me three years to get her to open up even a little bit. Most days she still stands in the pasture and watches me walk to her. Some times she still runs and hides behind a tree. Rarely, she meets me at the gate with a nicker. She tolerates grooming and if she could roll her eyes I am sure she would every time I give her my bug hugs and lots of kisses. Mostly I annoy her with my affection. She isn’t a goof ball, she isn’t nerdy. She is just…all Gem all the time and I love her for it.
This was a lot of fun!
The Roaming Rider 
Love your relationship with Gem, not an easy horse. She has that look of eagles you see in racehorses.
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She isn’t easy but she is worth the effort. She will give me her all when I ask exactly right for it. I may not be as far ahead as I would be with another, simpler horse, but I’m better for it.
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Aw I love this ❤ she really does seem like a special sort of mare. Not easy to get to know, but certainly worth the effort! I did the "three words" hop on Isabel years ago, maybe it's time to revisit for Charlie? Hm…
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Oh..please do!!
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Love this! She cracks me up- especially remembering the time she tried to beat Pilgrim by cutting across the field since she couldn’t outrun him…and the looks she gave him when P JUST COULDN’T at the water crossings. I want to do this too, but can’t figure out which of P’s many personalities to describe 🙂
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She knew she couldn’t win a flat out race…I mean his slow and easy canter was making her gallop to barely keep up. Smart mare is too smart at time.
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She actually reminds me a lot of Macy. But, maybe less bitchy, lol! Glad you enjoyed the blog hop! She’s a special mare for sure!
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She isn’t bitchy which is her saving grace. I don’t think I could put up with biting or kicking or being nasty to other horses. It would be nice if she had a smidgen of the talent that Macy has though!
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love this and now i am off to blog hop about it for my next post…
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Can’t wait to read it!
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This is a wonderful blog hop. I enjoyed reading your choices.
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It was surprisingly easy to boil her down to three words. Gem is unapologetically Gem
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