It’s my burfday.  I’m 30.

I kinda thought I’d have a lot more about life figured out by now, but I don’t.  That being said, I have more figured out than last year and I’m slightly less worried about the rest.  Progress?  Maturity?  Maybe something.

Either way, I did a 30 before 30 challenge on this day a year ago.  Time to officially review how I did!

Note – if you want to skip the boring list and go straight to my 31 challenge *which I need reader’s help with* just scroll to the bottom of this post!

30 Equestrian Things I’d Like To Do Before I’m 30

1. Save up and buy a saddle I really love and covet. Well, I did buy a saddle…
2. Jump 3’0″ – Jumped 3’3″!
3. Show in the jumpers Loved the jumpers!
4. Canter bareback – I almost did! Then I realized I forgot a buck strap and chickened out.
5. Take pictures of Simon galloping in the pasture
6. Go watch a horse race – Went to Retama Park
7. Go fox hunting
8. Go cross country schooling – Went in January!
9. Show dressage? – Had plans for this, but unfortunately lost my ride.
10. Go watch/photograph at a major AQHA show – Stupid busy October and stupid “paying my bills” instead of going to see Tracy and QH Congress
11. Get a fancy Delacoeur bonnet… with sparkles – Learned to make my own!
12. Paint a model horse to look like Simon – Pure laziness led to this not happenign
13. Reach 500 SMTT Facebook fans – Accomplished!
14. Interview a BNR/BNT for the blog – Interviewed Richie Moloney!
15. Ride Simon bridleless – Wasn’t hard at all!
16. Win champion – This one is iffy.  I won both 2’3″ jumper classes at the LOPE show which would normally make me champion… but they didn’t give out champions for jumpers
17. Get (another) equestrian tattoo – I’m a chicken, plus poor.
18. Compete in a hunter derby – 62 on my first derby!
19. Braid Simon’s tail for a show – Planned to, but then was like “meh”
20. Go to an A show – Hahahhahaha I can’t get around local apparently
21. Go to any show and not be nervous – Overcame nerves and ended cool as a cucumber
22. Visit WEF again – Went for Week 10
23. Invite a non-rider to the barn to visit & ride Simon – Techincally I invited many people.. but no one showed up
24. Throw Simon a birthday party – His 8th Birthday Party
25. Compete in a “special” class at a horse show (not short bus special either) – Counting my two hunter derbies this year
26. Keep this blog active – Check!
27. Meet more equine bloggers in the flesh – Met Andrea and Emily!
28. Stay within my horse budget for the year – Even with unexpected things happening, I ended the year with no credit card debt
29. Try to ride different horses when the chance allows – Have ridden a bunch!
30. Continue to work on my partnership with Simonpants – Always a work in progress, but so nice to have a consistent, good minded horse to ride day after day

All in all, I accomplished 19 out of my 30 goals.  That’s over half.  I’m pretty okay with that, since some were completely out of my control.

So what about next year!?

I’m not going to do the same list of things to accomplish, but I do like the idea of a “Birthday Challenge”.  To ring in my 30’s, I want to do a photo challenge!  This is where you come in:

Please write in the comments an equestrian photo you would like me to take within the next year.  This can be a discipline shot, specific color of horse, etc.

I’m going to go through all the comments, and pick 31 to make as my photo challenge before my 31st birthday.  So, send me some items to photograph folks!

You may also like:

30 Things To Do Before I’m 30 How to Celebrate the Sound Horse’s Birthday 31 Photos Prior to 31 Nerd Horse Turns Nine Blog Hop – Equestrian Bucket List