1. Writing
2. Working out
3. Web Surfing (lately for my book)
4. Thinking'bout my MAMA's Docta
5. Throwing water ballons at people I'on't like....:o

In no particular order...

1. Thought provoking books/movies
2. The SIMS
3. Fashion
4. Tennis
5. Boys (*blush*)
6. Crafts

I ride horses. I live in Texas so there are stables everywhere and the most beautiful horses. I am enjoying learning about the different breeds and how the differences vary their riding styles. I am actually going to start preparing two horses for a show coming up in about a month or so, so I am very excited about that.

Any other horse riders/lovers?

You know its all love Pham! I got your back if Uncle Sam comes for you. But really, I'd love to read some of your work (if you don't mind sharing). :D

My hobbies:
1. Is sleeping a hobby?
2. Shopping
3. Cooking
4. Reading

Hello Phasad, I can't say that I'm a horse rider, although I have rode a horse on occasion. They are really smart animals.
Wow, you're going to start preparing two horses for a show? What's involved?
SC

Well, since I have just started riding these particular horses regularly, I won't be riding either of them in this show. My two friends who are professional riders and have shown horses before will be actually be riding this time. I will probably ride in a show next year, once I have built up all of my comfort levels and rapport with my horse which I plan to buy in the next few months.

As for what's involved with the preparation for the show, we will have to re-train the horses how to walk, trot, canter(run/gallop), stand, etc. (Both horses have been shown before but it has been a while). We will also have to prepare them physically so they look beautiful, train them to comply with commands, all that. It takes a lot, but, again, since they have competed before, they should be fairly easy to train.

I absolutely love it, and being in a stressful environment like law school, this hobby provides me with an outlet and allows me to focus on something else for a while.

You are right about horses being smart animals. Yes they certainly are!! That makes them more enjoyable to work with. The first time I mounted one of the horses I work with who did not know me and was kind of nervous, he bolted on me and I had to dismount. I jumped off and hurt my ankle. So while I was on the ground, the excitement caused a few other horses to head toward me, which was very scary since I was on the ground and they were so big. The horse I had been working with regularly, Mariah, kicked one of the horses that was about to probably trample me in order to protect me. I am eternally grateful!! Once you establish that bond with a horse, they will protect you no matter what and that's a great feeling.


__________________

In no particular order...
 

Getting the most out of my TiVo subscription
Reading and enjoying my book club
Networking
Feeding my internet addiction
Volunteering
Spending time with the love of my life

pardon a dumb question, but approximately what does a horse cost? does it depend on the breed, age/type of horse, where in the country you buy it?

This is by far not a dumb question. The cost of a horse does depend on all of the factors you mentioned above. Horses can range anywhere between $300.00 (from a slaughter auction) to $25,000 (a former racer or show horse that has been trained to do any and everything). The more intricate the breeding of the horse, the more you will pay for it because the breeding determines the horse's temperment and abilities. A good range in price for a first horse would be between $800 - $1,000. Anything less expensive than that probably has some problems and will need more work than an average person would be willing to put into a new horse.

You can buy a horse almost anywhere in the country. Nowadays, with the internet, people purchase horses from any number of services and go and get them or have them sent to the owner's location. This is not a good idea, however, since a buyer shoud definitely meet the horse in person and ride it a few times to see if the two are a good match before you buy it. This is, of course, if you are buying a horse to ride it. If you are buying a companion horse, that's different, but you should still see it in person so that you can see how it acts and what its temperment is. If you are in an area of the country known for horse breeding, like Texas for example, that's even better because the selection in infinite!! The midwest is also good, like Wisconsin. Other than that, you should be able to get one wherever you are if you really want one.

Wow, this is a cool thread. Once upon a time arts and crafts/baking/racquetball were my hobbies. Now, I'm pretty boring:

Reading
Shopping

Spending time with family
Shopping
Reading
Surfing the net
Trying to get organized

Abaici,
I'm a member of the "boring club" also, however, I haven't engaged in much reading for pleasure lately. ( I'm studying for my MFT test), shopping (bargin of course) is still at the top of my list.

1. Cooking
2. Reading
3. Computers
4. Poetry
5. Piano

Sphinxpoet

Bargain shopping is the only way to go!

I second that!