about Horses

Frequently Asked Questions

1. QUESTION:
   what are some horse fun facts?!?
   anything about horses! give me some interesting facts about horses! thank you!!(: ahah

   • ANSWER:
     here's just one:
     ancestors of the horse had 3 toes, and they gradually lost them as they evolved, but one of these toes moved up the leg over time and became the chestnut, or the little pad of skin on the inside of each of their four legs.

2. QUESTION:
   Name a really unusual or interesting fact about horses that most people don't know?
   Just for fun Most interesting one gets best answer<3

   • ANSWER:
     Horses don't know they can breathe through their mouths...they'll only do this when they're totally distressed.

     Horses don't have a vomit reflex.

     Horses have 'ramped' retinas, so move their head up and down to focus on near and distant objects.

     Horses can't see where they're putting their front feet (so it's your fault when you get your toes trodden on!).

     Horses will turn an ear in the direction they're looking.

     Before birth, foals legs are joined together by the chestnuts.

3. QUESTION:
   Do you love horses? HELP?!?
   I need to know some fun, funny, interesting or amazing facts on horses, i have 2 but everyone seems to know some cool stuff about horses so plz share?

   • ANSWER:
     1.Most foals are born at night under cover of darkness and away from prying eyes and possible danger.

     2.The best time of year for a foal to be born is in the spring

     3.A newborn foal can stand up within an hour of being born

     4.When first born, foals cannot eat grass because their legs are too long to reach it

     5. Oldest horse ever was 62 his name was old billy

     6. smallest horse ever was a stallion he dtood 14 in. tall and was only 20 lb.

     7. tallest-heaviest horse was 7 feet 2.5 inches and weighed 3360 lbs

     8.There is 3 horse years in every human year

     9.The world's horse population is estimated at 75,000,000.

     10.The average lifespan for a horse is around 20 - 25 years

     11.There are over 350 different breeds of horses and ponies

     12.The "OLDEST" horse ever to give birth was a 42 year old Australian brood mare

     13.The average horse's HEAD WEIGHS 11.84 pounds

     14.A horse's "HEART WEIGHS" about 10 pounds

     15.You can tell how old a horse is by how many teeth it has

     16.Did you know that in the old black and white films, when the script said that a horse was to be shot, they really did the shooting on screen

     17.Horses can communicate how they are feeling by their facial expressions

     18.Horses can drink up to ten gallens of water a day

     19.Horses expend more energy lying down than they do when they are standing up

     20.Horses cannot vomit.

     21.Horses cannot breathe through their mouths

4. QUESTION:
   A Horse Question.?
   Im looking for the best interesting FACT about horses, just for fun....

   P.s- Must be true

   • ANSWER:
     Horses have two sides to there brain. what you teach a horse on one side you have to teach the same thing to the other side. for example sacking out a horse you have to do this to both sides of the horse so they learn it is ok

5. QUESTION:
   6 questions for fun.. if you're bored? horse lovers what about you? questions for fun...?
   1. what's the (show name, registered name and and what you call them) name/sex/breed/age/how many hands of your horse or the horse that you ride?
   2. what's does your horse look like (pic)
   3. how long have you been riding? what do you ride (english, western; hunter, jumper, dressage, barrells, parrelli)
   4. what got you into horses? and why do you love them?
   5. what's your favorite horse website (can be a game, place to buy horse stuff, chat, facts about horses anything!)
   6. any facts you find interesting?

   my answers:
   1. my pony is a 15 year old qh mare at 14.1 hh. her show name is Tickle my Fancy, her registered name is PeppyDell Snickers, and her regular name is Snickers.
   2. this is all her: http://www.flickr.com/photos/39821419@N06/page2/ and you can look at the other two pages (that's me in all the pics with her) and the others are of my dogs...
   3. i've been riding for 9 years. i ride english hunter.
   4. when I was little, I had medical/health issues and i did therapeutic horse riding. I quit after a few years (well the barn shut down…) and so a few years later.. when I was like 9 I went to a horse camp and fell in love with horses. It was really for the people at the school (like competition in which I didn’t wanna do) so I switched farms and was at a farm for five years until I started getting competitive (that was when I was 14… when I switched the third time).
   I love horses because they are my life. Without them, I don’t know what I would do! They make me happy and teach me so much! They also help me get stronger (physically and mentally) speaking that I have physical problems but I am a really good rider… i work my way through it… horses are every part of my life as are my best friends (they actually love horses just as much as I do!) and horses are my best friends too for I can trust them not to tell a secret or anything!!!
   5. idk what my favorite website is. It used to be howrse/horseland/horseisle but then I grew out of that. I was hoping I could try some of you guys websites!
   6. - did you know the oldest horse ever lived was named old billy lived for 62 human years!!!
   - did u know that horses can’t throw up? And they only sleep for 2-3 ½ hours a day!

   • ANSWER:
     Okay, Im bored. I'll bite.

     1) Wow that's a lot for just number one! Well his show name is Miakoda Night, I call him Koda (he is unregistered). He is a gelding, a Quarter horse/Paint horse cross (solid), 8 years old 16 hands.

     I also have another horse. Show name Sigil of Zoso, but I call him Zoso. He is a gelding, 8 years old also, Mustang (MWHL papers), 14.3 hands.

     2) Koda: http://i414.photobucket.com/albums/pp228/Meagk78/Koda/2008_0920Morepics0012.jpg
     Zoso: http://www.flickr.com/photos/meagan_kay/3616948921/in/set-72157619609509940/

     3) LOL parelli is a discipline now? Anyway, I ride western, english, and bareback. I like it all. I have been riding for 14 years (since I was 4)

     4) I don't know honestly. None of my family rides. I guess I just felt drawn to them. Why do I love them? Words cannot say.

     5) Here! LOL but besides that Fugly horse of the day!

     6) I find all the color genetics just fascinating for some reason. A sidenote interesting fact: According to Yahoo I have 11 spelling mistakes right now, all of which consist of my horses names and the word parelli, lol, and MWHL (Missouri wild horse league). And of course explaining that upped it to 14 mistakes. Better quit now! haha

     Edit----

     Lauren, why would they not be able to go upstairs? I just dont understand.
     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGdhu9tBV6s

     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkLeOdwJvGg

     I just had to know for myself so I searched youtube lol

6. QUESTION:
   FUN QUESTION!!! ....im bored!!?
   http://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CPP7LjnMEdM/SkE5mwW0RpI/AAAAAAAAA9Y/Bn1gsjcqx0s/s320/mr_ed3.gif&imgrefurl=http://americaswhiteboy.blogspot.com/2009/06/13-other-guys-named-ed.html&usg=__mKiv6Evj5Hnn1clPicmc5fa3z8Y=&h=300&w=235&sz=16&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=EDskIyvO6in0_M:&tbnh=172&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmr%2Bed%2Bthe%2Btalking%2Bhorse%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1026%26bih%3D654%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=142&vpy=249&dur=488&hovh=240&hovw=188&tx=57&ty=117&ei=n_OlTI-xEsjKjAfEhI2sDA&oei=fPOlTLjCIcqBswaThcWsCA&esq=7&page=1&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0

   who will be the first person to guess what this horse's name is??

   just incase there is a tie, the person that has the most interesting fact about the horse wins!!!!

   • ANSWER:
     That would be Mr. Ed!! Apparently a string was used on his lower lip to get him to "talk". and later he just caught on to moving his lips when someone in the scene stopped talking!

7. QUESTION:
   One tip about the horse or horse health/management?
   Thought this would be just a little bit of fun for us horsy people

   If everybody who reads this question puts ONE interesting tip/fact that they know about horses, their health and ownership, or even riding (basically anything at all!), we can all come back and look at the answers everybody else has put. Then, everybody will learn something they didn't know before ^^

   Try not to put the same answer as anybody else, but of course it can't be helped if you answer at the same time :p

   I know this should come under Polls and Surveys but in that section we wouldn't get the people with the right interests!

   Enjoy!

   • ANSWER:
     This one's kind of interesting:
     Most house insurance companies also offer damages insurance for horses (like if they get on the road and cause an accident or something) for a nominal fee (around dollar per horse per year) as a write-on to your original contract with them if you ask, and this will protect you in the chance of an accident even if your horse doesn't live on your property.

8. QUESTION:
   it always about the damn horses?
   most of my life is horses.im 16 now but for the last 14years it was horses, nothing but horses. my mom is obsessed with them and the farm. what she finds 2 do down there for hours every day is beyond me. when i was 15 i made friends with these boys who raced dirt bikes. i never really interested me i sticked to the horses. then my uncle let me have his 4wheeler bc he moved away. twice a week i rode it to keep it working, then i began to get really good. after awhile it became alittle more 4wheelin alittle horses. by the time i turned 16 i was the best, beat my friends,flying through the feilds and everythin else. my mom started 2 get angrey bc i was hardly down in the barn. BUT i did chorse, moved hay, groomed a horse or 2 once in awhile. then a friend suggested ATV racing, i was all over that. and 2 race u gotta get really good, so every nite i practiced. my mom bought me the stuff i needed, but wen ever we went 2 a place 2 get gear she ALWAYS said something about the horses, it bothered me, but yet i said nothing. to keep her happy. the other day i told her i was goin 2 ride my 4wheeler, she said don't u wanna ride sasha(my horses name) i said no. she flipped out. then finally i came clean. i told her it was hard 2 have interest in something wen ur forced to do it and/or had fun of. she did understand.she said if u feel that way don't bother comin home. then she walked off mumbling how she should have made me ride everyday, bc one of her friends kids is a olympic champion. (like i really give a shit her friend does) now she still mad at me. and she's tellen EVERYBODY how i only care about one thing. and wen IM IN THE SAME ROOM TOO! ive done everything 2 make up for the mistakes. she still make me feel like crap, she RUBS in the fact how her friends daughter is winning medals, that im such a terrible kid. hell im even trying 2 get As and Bs.
   1) what are some of ur opinions?
   2)what can i do 2 make i better?

   • ANSWER:
     Express your concerns to your mother. Just say that you would like for her to respect your interests and preserve her opinions on certain things. Understand, though that she has a right to an opinion and can express as she pleases. I am sure a middle-ground can be achieved.

9. QUESTION:
   Hurry Hurry waist no time before it's cliche!? I've taken the time to put this up here for fun so please read.?
   Hello all young writers. I'm a publisher by the name of Carolina ( would prefer not to give away my last name at the moment) and I've noticed a lot of young people are really into teen romance between magical or half magical creatures/humans.

   Now the first things you wonder when you write a story is " Is this cliche?" I'm here to tell you what is and what isn't. Being a publisher I see a lot of these. By the way just because it's cliche doesn't mean you can't pull it off. I just though of posting this for fun don't be rude now. Do you think this is interesting?
   P.s. I may post this again for fun. I find the writer son here interesting

   Vampire~ Yes overused though believe it or not but if your able to pull it off totally originally then it may be published but it's fifty fifty. Wouldn't consider using vegetarian vampire's though. Maybe this is a blood eater who can kill off 4 blondes in less then 3 min. Maybe a girl is the victim of a vampire
   but before sucking her blood something comes over the vampire. Who knows.

   Mermaids~ Not at all I would love to publish underwater love.
   It seems original at the moment as long as it's not like the little mermaid. Imagine love in a new world underwater. Your mermaids don't have to have tails maybe webbed feet would work. Be creative. Also half mermaids are good to like for example a girl is half mermaid in fact the only half mermaid in her clan. Her mother tells her to be careful when she's in the surface world but one day she falls in love with a boy and tells her secret. Also consider selkies, kappas, and other fantasy sea creatures of the ocean

   Werewolves~ Yes cliche though like vampires you may be able to make it work. If you only want were wolves because of there shape shifter abilities try just making your character a shape shifter. The traditional full moon transformation has been forgotten especially with twilight.

   Elves~ I've seen none of these so far sad to say. Would love some elven stories. Just like vampires, witches and wizards hiding pointed ears in far easier then anything else that way the character will be able to interact with humans. ( Elve eyes can come in many colors like red, gold, blue and also hair like white, orange, blue) Elves are also considered smart.

   Centaurs~ Trickier to pull off especially in a all human world but if you can work around it then sure.
   Being half horse this story may take place in an alternative universe. Which would be far better. I believe we just don't have enough stories about centaurs besides greek mythology.

   Angels / fallen angels~ On the tip of cliche but we still love and appreciate these kind of stories ( one of my daughters is currently writing about angels, demons and physics) Remember to explain how the angel died unless your character is half angel. Fallen Angel wings tend to be a gray color while angel wings are dove white then again in your story angel wings can be any color maybe their blue in your story. For a story where angels interact with humans I would recommend guardian angels or messenger angels.

   Demons~ difference between fallen angels and demons is that demon wings usually look like bat wings and demons have horns. These stories are slightly amusing a bit cliche. In the bible as I believe demon's are more of Satan's henchman and Fallen angel's are people who where once alive who committed too much sin. It would be interesting if an Angel and Demon fell in love also note that some Demon's are shape shifters (like Lucifer being the snake in the Garden of Eden)

   Fairy's ~ I've seen none of these so far so it's not cliche. Would love to see some though. Maybe a girl goes into the woods gets lost and meets a boy who is half fairy. I wonder how the girl would feel about her new crush being half fairy maybe her dads a scientist and she doesn't know wanting to be a scientist herself whether to report the boy or keep him a secret. Stories like these are intriguing. And fairy wings don't necessarily have to look like giant butterfly wings,

   Witches and Wizards~ After Harry Potter people stopped writing these well I think it's safe to have more witch and wizard stories don't you think? Of course the whole storyline has to stay as far as Harry Potter as possible so no Hogwarts. Still stories about witches and wizards are cute especially since it's easier to remain hidden and disguise a wand in normal society then a pair of angel wings. By the way back then just like vampire slayers there were witch finders all witches that were found where burned

   Physics ~ Yes would love some of these. On the tip of cliche but still who doesn't love romance between a mind reader and healer? Physics are very interesting to right about they're like super heroes without the costumes. And once again magic powers are easier to hide then a fish tail.
   Gods~ Well these would be trikier to write about you'd have to do a ton of research. But if a person is half god say Son of Hades. He will probably half some not all of Hades powers same for other stories. These are more like physic stories depending on which god or goddess.

   • ANSWER:
     Thanks for the info but what about the Gods specifically?

10. QUESTION:
    20 points hurry plz!?
    1. In order to impart good advice to readers, the narrator of “The Fish I Didn’t Catch” __________ . (Points : 3)
    includes guidance in the last paragraph of a standard persuasive essay
    passes on helpful tips as he narrates something that happened to him
    drops bits of information into a humorously exaggerated poem
    writes a poem with striking images that communicate his ideas

    2. In “The Fish I Didn’t Catch,” the narrator loses his fish. However, his uncle makes a comparison that helps teach the narrator a lesson. Which best summarizes the comparison? (Points : 3)
    The narrator’s boasting about the fish is like a proverb the uncle invented about fishing.
    The narrator’s boasting about the fish is like the time the uncle first caught a fish.
    The narrator’s boasting about the fish is like an older person being overly proud of something that has not yet been done.
    The narrator’s boasting about the fish is like a child losing a marble or breaking a doll.

    3. What suggests to readers the powerful impact that the events of “The Fish I Didn’t Catch” had on the author? (Points : 3)
    the author’s vivid recollection of an event that happened in his childhood
    the author’s persistence in learning to fish from his uncle
    the continued disappointment of the author, even as an adult, that he lost the fish
    the author’s dislike of fishing as an adult because of what happened to him as a child

    4. What weakens John Ruskin’s argument in his essay called “Work"? (Points : 3)
    examples drawn from real life
    uses of logical fallacies
    appeals to logic
    appeals to readers’ emotions

    5. Writers make emotional appeals when they try to persuade readers by including _________ . (Points : 3)
    illogical claims or overgeneralizations about opposing positions
    facts, statistics, and logic that support their positions
    expert opinions that agree with their positions
    imagery and description that may influence readers’ feelings

    6. Read this excerpt from "For Want of a Horseshoe Nail":

    Before the king could rise, his frightened horse had galloped away. The king looked up and saw that his soldiers were fleeing in confused retreat, and that on all sides Henry's troops were closing in upon him.

    The language that Baldwin uses in this text helps __________. (Points : 3)
    capture the panic and disorder of battle

    capture the confidence and hope of the king

    capture the sadness and regret of soldiers

    capture the fun and frivolity of Henry's personality

    7. Joseph Addison, in his essay titled “Argument,” advises people not to become angry while arguing because anger is evidence of __________ . (Points : 3)
    a lack of emotional control
    a desire to learn the truth of a matter
    a strong ability to reason logically
    overconfidence in one’s position

    8. “Argument,” by Joseph Addison, is a traditional persuasive essay. What technique does Addison use to explain and support his position? (Points : 3)
    He makes readers laugh with comic exaggeration.
    He employs fallacious reasoning and plays with readers’ emotions.
    He includes imagistic, sensory language.
    He argues logically and provides supporting data.

    9. What general advice does Rudyard Kipling offer readers in “If”? (Points : 3)
    Strive for your personal best without becoming conceited or proud.
    Seek your career widely, trying many options before settling.
    Behave with others in the way you want them to behave with you.
    Listen to the guidance of others, but follow your own dream.

    10. Which of the following is not a type of hook that is often used in persuasive pieces, such as the poems "If," "Can't," and "Perseverance"? (Points : 3)
    a surprising statement or fact

    an interesting question

    an unusual comparison

    a thesis statement

    11. What does the speaker in Langston Hughes's poem, "Mother to Son," mean when she says, "Life for me ain't been no crystal stair"? (Points : 3)
    The speaker has never had a crystal staircase in her house.

    The speaker wishes her life were more like something in a fairy tale.

    The speaker's life has not been grand or easy.

    The speaker is bitter and angry about her life.

    12. Robert E. Lee and the speaker in Langston Hughes’s poem both advise their children to __________ . (Points : 3)
    responsibly follow rules at all times
    maintain a positive outlook
    carry on through difficult situations
    keep the promises they make

    13. Who is most likely the intended audience of “Rebecca” and “The Story of Augustus”? (Points : 3)
    grown-ups
    parents
    teens
    kids

    • ANSWER:
      You will get nowhere in life.

11. QUESTION:
    english first and best answer gets 10 points?
    1. In order to impart good advice to readers, the narrator of “The Fish I Didn’t Catch” __________ . (Points : 3)
    includes guidance in the last paragraph of a standard persuasive essay
    passes on helpful tips as he narrates something that happened to him
    drops bits of information into a humorously exaggerated poem
    writes a poem with striking images that communicate his ideas

    2. In “The Fish I Didn’t Catch,” the narrator loses his fish. However, his uncle makes a comparison that helps teach the narrator a lesson. Which best summarizes the comparison? (Points : 3)
    The narrator’s boasting about the fish is like a proverb the uncle invented about fishing.
    The narrator’s boasting about the fish is like the time the uncle first caught a fish.
    The narrator’s boasting about the fish is like an older person being overly proud of something that has not yet been done.
    The narrator’s boasting about the fish is like a child losing a marble or breaking a doll.

    3. What suggests to readers the powerful impact that the events of “The Fish I Didn’t Catch” had on the author? (Points : 3)
    the author’s vivid recollection of an event that happened in his childhood
    the author’s persistence in learning to fish from his uncle
    the continued disappointment of the author, even as an adult, that he lost the fish
    the author’s dislike of fishing as an adult because of what happened to him as a child

    4. What weakens John Ruskin’s argument in his essay called “Work"? (Points : 3)
    examples drawn from real life
    uses of logical fallacies
    appeals to logic
    appeals to readers’ emotions

    5. Writers make emotional appeals when they try to persuade readers by including _________ . (Points : 3)
    illogical claims or overgeneralizations about opposing positions
    facts, statistics, and logic that support their positions
    expert opinions that agree with their positions
    imagery and description that may influence readers’ feelings

    6. Read this excerpt from "For Want of a Horseshoe Nail":

    Before the king could rise, his frightened horse had galloped away. The king looked up and saw that his soldiers were fleeing in confused retreat, and that on all sides Henry's troops were closing in upon him.

    The language that Baldwin uses in this text helps __________. (Points : 3)
    capture the panic and disorder of battle

    capture the confidence and hope of the king

    capture the sadness and regret of soldiers

    capture the fun and frivolity of Henry's personality

    7. Joseph Addison, in his essay titled “Argument,” advises people not to become angry while arguing because anger is evidence of __________ . (Points : 3)
    a lack of emotional control
    a desire to learn the truth of a matter
    a strong ability to reason logically
    overconfidence in one’s position

    8. “Argument,” by Joseph Addison, is a traditional persuasive essay. What technique does Addison use to explain and support his position? (Points : 3)
    He makes readers laugh with comic exaggeration.
    He employs fallacious reasoning and plays with readers’ emotions.
    He includes imagistic, sensory language.
    He argues logically and provides supporting data.

    9. What general advice does Rudyard Kipling offer readers in “If”? (Points : 3)
    Strive for your personal best without becoming conceited or proud.
    Seek your career widely, trying many options before settling.
    Behave with others in the way you want them to behave with you.
    Listen to the guidance of others, but follow your own dream.

    10. Which of the following is not a type of hook that is often used in persuasive pieces, such as the poems "If," "Can't," and "Perseverance"? (Points : 3)
    a surprising statement or fact

    an interesting question

    an unusual comparison

    a thesis statement

    11. What does the speaker in Langston Hughes's poem, "Mother to Son," mean when she says, "Life for me ain't been no crystal stair"? (Points : 3)
    The speaker has never had a crystal staircase in her house.

    The speaker wishes her life were more like something in a fairy tale.

    The speaker's life has not been grand or easy.

    The speaker is bitter and angry about her life.

    12. Robert E. Lee and the speaker in Langston Hughes’s poem both advise their children to __________ . (Points : 3)
    responsibly follow rules at all times
    maintain a positive outlook
    carry on through difficult situations
    keep the promises they make

    13. Who is most likely the intended audience of “Rebecca” and “The Story of Augustus”? (Points : 3)
    grown-ups
    parents
    teens
    kids

    • ANSWER:
      LOL do you actually think someone is going to do your homework for you for 10 points? Especially when this homework involves reading several stories. Concentrate, do your own work, and you won't be in this situation anymore.

12. QUESTION:
    Engish best answer get 10 points?
    1. In order to impart good advice to readers, the narrator of “The Fish I Didn’t Catch” __________ . (Points : 3)
    includes guidance in the last paragraph of a standard persuasive essay
    passes on helpful tips as he narrates something that happened to him
    drops bits of information into a humorously exaggerated poem
    writes a poem with striking images that communicate his ideas

    2. In “The Fish I Didn’t Catch,” the narrator loses his fish. However, his uncle makes a comparison that helps teach the narrator a lesson. Which best summarizes the comparison? (Points : 3)
    The narrator’s boasting about the fish is like a proverb the uncle invented about fishing.
    The narrator’s boasting about the fish is like the time the uncle first caught a fish.
    The narrator’s boasting about the fish is like an older person being overly proud of something that has not yet been done.
    The narrator’s boasting about the fish is like a child losing a marble or breaking a doll.

    3. What suggests to readers the powerful impact that the events of “The Fish I Didn’t Catch” had on the author? (Points : 3)
    the author’s vivid recollection of an event that happened in his childhood
    the author’s persistence in learning to fish from his uncle
    the continued disappointment of the author, even as an adult, that he lost the fish
    the author’s dislike of fishing as an adult because of what happened to him as a child

    4. What weakens John Ruskin’s argument in his essay called “Work"? (Points : 3)
    examples drawn from real life
    uses of logical fallacies
    appeals to logic
    appeals to readers’ emotions

    5. Writers make emotional appeals when they try to persuade readers by including _________ . (Points : 3)
    illogical claims or overgeneralizations about opposing positions
    facts, statistics, and logic that support their positions
    expert opinions that agree with their positions
    imagery and description that may influence readers’ feelings

    6. Read this excerpt from "For Want of a Horseshoe Nail":

    Before the king could rise, his frightened horse had galloped away. The king looked up and saw that his soldiers were fleeing in confused retreat, and that on all sides Henry's troops were closing in upon him.

    The language that Baldwin uses in this text helps __________. (Points : 3)
    capture the panic and disorder of battle

    capture the confidence and hope of the king

    capture the sadness and regret of soldiers

    capture the fun and frivolity of Henry's personality

    7. Joseph Addison, in his essay titled “Argument,” advises people not to become angry while arguing because anger is evidence of __________ . (Points : 3)
    a lack of emotional control
    a desire to learn the truth of a matter
    a strong ability to reason logically
    overconfidence in one’s position

    8. “Argument,” by Joseph Addison, is a traditional persuasive essay. What technique does Addison use to explain and support his position? (Points : 3)
    He makes readers laugh with comic exaggeration.
    He employs fallacious reasoning and plays with readers’ emotions.
    He includes imagistic, sensory language.
    He argues logically and provides supporting data.

    9. What general advice does Rudyard Kipling offer readers in “If”? (Points : 3)
    Strive for your personal best without becoming conceited or proud.
    Seek your career widely, trying many options before settling.
    Behave with others in the way you want them to behave with you.
    Listen to the guidance of others, but follow your own dream.

    10. Which of the following is not a type of hook that is often used in persuasive pieces, such as the poems "If," "Can't," and "Perseverance"? (Points : 3)
    a surprising statement or fact

    an interesting question

    an unusual comparison

    a thesis statement

    11. What does the speaker in Langston Hughes's poem, "Mother to Son," mean when she says, "Life for me ain't been no crystal stair"? (Points : 3)
    The speaker has never had a crystal staircase in her house.

    The speaker wishes her life were more like something in a fairy tale.

    The speaker's life has not been grand or easy.

    The speaker is bitter and angry about her life.

    12. Robert E. Lee and the speaker in Langston Hughes’s poem both advise their children to __________ . (Points : 3)
    responsibly follow rules at all times
    maintain a positive outlook
    carry on through difficult situations
    keep the promises they make

    13. Who is most likely the intended audience of “Rebecca” and “The Story of Augustus”? (Points : 3)
    grown-ups
    parents
    teens
    kids

    • ANSWER:
      5. Writers make emotional appeals when they try to persuade readers by including imagery and description that may influence readers’ feelings.

      11. What does the speaker in Langston Hughes's poem, "Mother to Son," mean when she says, "Life for me ain't been no crystal stair"? The speaker's life has not been grand or easy.

      12. Robert E. Lee and the speaker in Langston Hughes’s poem both advise their children to
      Do their own homework!!!

13. QUESTION:
    How does my biography essay sound?
    thanks for checking! im in eighth grade so this may not be all that great! tee hee!

    Fred Astaire

    Can you imagine a male dancer with so much grace, talent, and success? Well I can, and his name was Fred Astaire. He was born to dance! In fact, when he was a young boy, he put on his sister’s dancing shoes and immediately started to figure out how to dance. Fred has an amazing story, a positive attitude, and a few interesting and odd facts.

    Fred Astaire was born on May 10, 1899 in Omaha, Nebraska. His birth name was Frederick Austerlitz. His father was an Austrian immigrant and his mother was a German immigrant. Fred’s younger sister, Adele, took dancing lessons, and Fred soon joined her at the age of five. When he was seven, Fred and Adele began a vaudeville dance act. They went on Broadway together in 1917; their first show was called The Nine O’clock Revue. In 1922 the siblings went to perform in London. After their London tour was over, they returned to New York City and toured the United States. The Astaires then went back to London. During a party, Fred met his future wife, Phyllis. In 1932, Adele retired from the stage to get on with her life. Fred continued to perform. He got married to Phyllis in 1933 and began his Hollywood career. They had two kids, Fred Jr. and Ava, and Phyllis’ son from a previous marriage, Peter. In Hollywood, Fred was in thirty films. Ten of them were with his most well known dance partner, Ginger Rogers. He also performed with Audrey Hepburn, Cyd Charisse, Eleanor Powell, Judy Garland, and many more. Phyllis died of cancer in 1955. Fred retired in 1971 after 65 years of singing, dancing, acting, and playing the piano. In 1980 he married Robyn Smith, a horse jockey. Fred Astaire died in 1987 from pneumonia.

    Fred Astaire was a regular height but was always much shorter than his sister in their earlier performances. He was thin. Fred always complained of his jacket being to short and his hat being too tight. Fred was also very social. When he attended parties with other actors and dancers he quickly made friends. Fred was very close with the famous song writer, George Gershwin. Even as a child he was very friendly and was acquainted with children dancers. He left behind a great legacy. He changed the way we see music today. He is a talented and well known dancer.

    There were some interesting things about Fred Astaire. When he married Robyn Smith, he was 80 and she was about 35! As a child, when he lived in New Jersey, Fred and his friend would often climb up to the roof of their apartment building and drop stones and water on pedestrians for fun. They would also shoot the light bulbs off the signs a couple streets over with a riffle! Fred Astaire may be a professional singer, but he never had training or voice lessons. He also performed in front of the King and Queen of England and the Prince of Whales.

    I chose Fred Astaire because he is an amazing person. His dancing skills are incredible! Though he did not do anything extremely important, he was still very interesting and left behind a legacy. Some one may someday follow his footsteps. People my age should know who he is. That way, his talent will be passed down for generations and his music will be appreciated forever.

    • ANSWER:
      It sounds just great! His talent was dancing so wonderfully but I never heard of "his music" so I would take that out. I'm old so I know he didn't write any music. Your writing is really exceptional. You are very smart and should get the highest mark possible for this biography.

14. QUESTION:
    If you cut yourself, are you necessarily depressed?
    There doesn't seem to be a lot of information on this out there.

    So. Here's the deal. I cut myself. No, I am not "emo"; in fact, most people would describe me as "preppy" (polo shirts and skirts, horse-back riding, going to an Ivy League school next year, etc.). Yes, I know it's not healthy. Yes, I know I could get hurt. No, I'm not trying to kill myself. As a matter of fact, I studied diagrams of the human body, looking for veins and arteries so I would know where it is relatively safe to cut myself without worrying about cutting anything major. No, I don't cut deep enough to scar, but I cut myself often and the cuts are pretty deep. Yes, I do clean the cuts and keep them from getting infected. No, I'm not going to tell anyone. And fun fact: I cut on my left upper arm and my right hip. If you cared.

    But anyway. To the question. I'm pretty dang sure I'm not depressed. I lived with a depressed person- my brother, who was/is suicidal- and I know what it looks life. You want to die, you think life is pointless, you feel worthless, you lose interest in life, you sleep all the time, feeling empty of emotion, you might even try killing yourself. NONE of those fit me. As weird as it sounds, except for the cutting, I'm pretty happy with my life. Sure, I've got problems in my life- like dealing with my brother's suicide attempts, for none, and dealing with my own epilepsy- but I am definitely not suicidal, and my life is extremely valuable to me. I do things with enthusiasm. I feel emotions very strongly- I get mad, affectionate, excited, upset, etc. all the time. So I am pretty positive that I'm not depressed.

    I guess the reason I cut is... well, first I did it out of curiosity, after I found out that a friend of mine, a younger friend, cuts. It was stupid, but I tried it, and it just calmed me down. It's almost like a habit now. Some people bite their nails, even though they know it's gross and makes their nails ragged. Some people pick at threads on their sweaters, even though they know it'll make the sweater fall apart. I cut myself, even though I know it's not very healthy. And I guess I keep doing it because whenever I have a bad day, it's my way of getting over it. It sort of clears my mind, so if I get in a fight with my friend or whatever, I'll cut myself, and then it's as if it's done with, and I don't have to worry about the fight anymore, because I've moved on, and then I can get started with my homework or my extracurriculars and not dwell on it. I also don't think I do it for attention or anything. My epilepsy gets me plenty of unwanted attention, and besides, like I said, I haven't told anyone and have no plans to in the near future. Again, it's not because I'm sad- it's just because it helps me focus on the present instead of worrying about the past, and because it's become a habit. But I honestly don't feel depressed. I show no signs of depression.

    So why do all the websites pretty much say that if you cut, you're depressed? Am I just the weirdo exception to the rule, or am I simply in a minority? Are there any resources that explain that cutting and depression don't necessarily go hand-in-hand?
    But see, I wasn't abused, I'm not depressed, I'm not doing anything for attention, I don't have anger problems, I'm not made fun of at school.

    • ANSWER:
      "It was out of curiosity."
      "It helps me focus on the present and not the past."
      "It's become a habit."

      Get help for the habit thing...I get that you were curious. (I did once because I was, too.) The worrying about the past seems like a good chunk of it. You aren't weird, just a minority. Not that it's bad, just get help for yourself and stop hurting your body.

15. QUESTION:
    Some one who is good at english and grammar and has good ideas, PLEASE HELP ME!!!?
    Somebody please help me with this. It's an assignment for school; we were supposed to write a personal narrative for english, and it's due tomorrow! Please, some one read the story and see if you can give ma a title for it that'll "catch someone's eye" as my teacher says. A title that would make it seem interesting to someone (although the story might be a little boring... Okay, FINE! Extremely boring!! T_T *tears*). Also, can someone proofread it for me and tell me if there's anything that I should change? Thanks!!! (I'd say "I owe you one" but wouldn't know you people.Heheh. XD). Oh, and I forgot to tell you: I didn't finish it yet... But you still might be able to come up with a title. i can't right now, because my brain is completely fried. I blew a circuit trying to think of a good title for this for the past hour... T.T Okay, here's the story:

    “Oh, no. No way are you even going to get me onto that thing,” I said.
    “Why not? It’s so fun!” my cousin replied. “You’re such a scaredy-cat!”
    “Yeah, I know I am. But either way, you are NOT going to get me onto that swinging boat of DEATH!!”
    My cousin, and I were at Seaside Heights in New Jersey during summer vacation. It was a boardwalk by the beach. We bought some tickets for the carnival that was always there, and we went around looking for a fun carnival ride. While the both of us were running around looking for one to ride, my cousin, unfortunately, found this kind of thrill-ride. It was sort of like a boat attached to an axle that, when turned on, would make the boat swing side to side until it was going almost sideways, vertical, 180°!! Then she just had to try to make me get onto that thing! What was she thinking?!
    “Come on, just try it!” she said, still trying to get me to go on. “I guarantee you, you’ll love it! Or at least you’ll just like it…”
    “I already said, ‘No.’ ”I replied. “And that’s the final answer. Period.”
    “Please?”
    “No.”
    “Please?
    “No.”
    “PLEASE?”
    “NO!” I shouted. “How many times do I have to say it?! No, no, no, no and NO. Is that enough for you?!”
    She fell silent. Ugh, I thought. Finally, some peace and quiet. I walked away form the swinging boat ride. She followed quietly behind me, walking so softly that hardly any sound was made. Not that I would really hear it, anyway; the boardwalk was crowded with people here and there. So the both of us walked around looking for something else to ride, not one little noise coming from us.
    It was only when I found another ride that I started talking again.
    “Hey,” I called to her. “Why don’t we go on this one?”
    She looked up at where I was pointing. I have absolutely no idea what the ride was called, so I’m just going to describe it to you: The ride was somewhat like a humongous merry-go-round, except for the fact that it had swings, not colorful, plastic, life sized horses. It also didn’t stay at the same height. When the carnival workers turned it on, the ride would start spinning, and the top where the swings were attached to would rise up about two stories in the air. While it was spinning in the air, the people on the swings would start to slant sideways because of the speed the ride was spinning at. It’s really not all that fast; it was probably going at about five or seven miles per hour.
    “Sure, whatever,’ she replied.
    “Um, are you okay?” I asked her.
    “Yeah!” she suddenly shouted with a huge smile on her face. “I’m just dandy!”
    I jumped at the sound of her voice, and her sudden optimism. Then I gulped at the look on her face.
    “Um,” I said shakily. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
    “Yup!” she said. “I feel happy as a clown!”
    “Okay…”
    We got on line for the ride. The sign next to us said that it cost six tickets for each person, so I took out our ticket book and ripped out twelve; six for me and six for my cousin.
    Oh, but, uh, the story is about the ride that I first described, the "swinging boat of death" thing? Sorry, I'll add the rest of it soon...
    Okay, here's the rest of the story:

    After we got to the front of the line and gave the man at the front our tickets, we got onto the ride. Now the freaky thing is that while we were on the ride, Sammi’s face had no expression at all, none, zero, zip, zilch, nada, nothing. It was like she was dead. I had a feeling that she was probably bummed out about me not going onto that ride that she had said was so “fun.” So after we got of the ride, I said, “Okay, fine. I’ll go on that stupid ride with you if you want.”
    She smiled and said, “Really?!”
    “Yeah, sure. Whatever floats your boat.”
    Then she hugged me. Hard.
    “Yes!” she shouted. “Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, tha-”
    “Okay, okay,” I said, cutting her off before she went on and on like a mindless idiot. “Let’s just hurry up and get this over with.”
    Then she dragged me over to what would be the cause of my death and gave the ticket man sixteen tickets; it cost eight tickets for each person for this ride.
    When we go on, she was about to make me sit all the way at the end of the boat, which was obviously where the highest point on the boat was when it swung. So I pulled back and said, “Hey, hey, hey, um, why don’t we go sit in the middle? That’s where the least highest spot would be when the boat starts swinging! How about that?”
    “I want to sit at the end, though!” she said. “It’s the most fun of all the other places!”
    And it’s also the most deadly of all the other places, I thought to myself. Well, maybe only for me, but still!
    “Ugh, all right fine,” I said, raising my hands up in the universal “I give up” sign.
    When all the people that had paid their tickets for the ride had sat down, the safety bars at the top of the seats came down over us and locked into place. It was then that I knew that I was past the point of no return. The only thing that I had on my mind then was if Sammi would think of what she did wrong when she goes to my funeral.
    When the ride started, I had my eyes closed so tightly that it probably looked liked they were fused shut. First, the only sound I heard was the hum of the machine swinging us from side to side, and the only thing I felt was the cool ocean breeze. But as we starting singing up higher, and coming down faster, I also heard screams; one of them was mine. Possibly the only one on the ride that wasn’t screaming their lungs out was my cousin; she was laughing. How is it even possible, I thought, that she isn’t even screaming a bit?! From then on, all I heard were screams and shouts, and all I felt was the wind hitting my face.
    After a few more swings, the boat started to slow down, more and more on every single swing it made. Then finally, it stopped. When I didn’t hear anymore screaming, I swear, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven, to a place of peace, quiet, and tranquility. But then I heard Sammi saying to me, “Angel, the ride is over. You can open your eyes now.”
    I swallowed.
    “I-I’m a-l-live?” I managed to stammer out.
    “Yeah, your head didn’t get blown off by the wind or anything.”
    I slowly opened my eyes, and as I did, I saw the other empty seats in front of me.
    “Hey, come one!” I heard someone shout. It was the ticket man. “Your turn’s over, you have to get off the ride!”
    Then I let out a breath of relief; I really was alive. I stood up and tried to walk away, but I was pulled back by something. I looked down at my hands and saw that they were frozen stiff around the bar attached to the back of the seat in front of me. I must’ve been holding onto it so hard that my fingers are literally stuck around it, I thought to myself. I peeled my fingers off the bar, one by one, and when my hands were free, I slowly walked off the boat and down the steps to the ground. Then I walked away with my cousin.
    It was only when I was drinking a bottle of water that I realized I was shaking.
    Not shivering because I was cold of something, but I was shaking of fear because I was so scared on the ride.
    Then I told my cousin, “Remind me to never be persuaded by you to go on a ride like this ever again."
    The End

    • ANSWER:
      try "twelve ticket ride"
      i know you're from the internet generation, but you get in line for a ride, not on line.

      i liked the story, you are very descriptive , i felt like i was there

16. QUESTION:
    What is up with western pleasure?
    **I want to first clarify I am NOT insulting western pleasure or western disciplines at all... I am merely trying to learn more about them**

    So I was watching some WP videos on Youtube today and like OMG it looks like those horses have broken all 4 legs and are still being forced to move! No offense, but it looks PAINFULLY slow. Just look at this!:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stEgqgnbC4M

    Why is that desired? That doesn't look like a lot of fun to me. I think I can get Dakota's (or even SAVANNAH'S for that matter) trot way faster than their lope.

    And wouldn't going this slow (which in my opinion CAN'T be natural) be painful for them? I don't mind the low headset at all (I think that just shows an obedient and relaxed horse) it's just the gaits that bother me!

    So any info on WP in that way is well appreciated. I'd like to clarify again that I am NOT bashing your discipline guys, in fact I am so interested in it I took the time to write this and took 5 points.

    Thank you!
    Thanks for answering Amber I guess if you enjoy going slow and steady it's a great discipline for you, but I am just the type of person who needs to go fast lol. One of the reasons I switched to English a long time ago
    Yes Road Apples, I'm not going to be a big fan of it no matter what answers I get here.

    Another thing I would like to ask, could the horses be drugged? Is that a common occurrence? I just don't foresee a horse wanting to go that slow, no matter how hard you tried. Oh well, guess I'm just around English horses too much...

    • ANSWER:
      I am not afraid TO insult WP!

      I think it is terrible and the winning horse in the video was certainly in a four beat canter. It was never collected, or every using its hocks.

      LIN might say that you needed a horse that was comfortable to ride when out checking fences for 14 hours - all can say is that if you had a horse that was moving then the job would be done in four and not fourteen.

      I have watched many video's of these horses being ridden and can truthfully say that I have yet to see one where the horse looks as if it is enjoying itself. I would really love to ride one just to take it out, give it a few kicks and send it forward so that it can move as a horse should naturally move.

      The stating that 'they are being bred to move this way' does not make it correct. I bet that when they are foals you do not see them moving so slowly and in a four beat canter.

      This is one of those events that has become out of hand, I bet that twenty years ago the horses did not move in this way, that it has become a competition of 'my horse can move slower then yours' and, it could be stopped if the governing body made a rue that the horses should be tracking up and display a three beat canter.

      If cars were taken off the road and we had to rely on horse power how many people would want something to ride or drive that moved that way? Heck, it would take a day to get 15 miles.

      To me it is bordering on cruelty.

17. QUESTION:
    Do you think these ideas would generate much interest?
    I have two horse-related things I am considering doing once our barn and outdoor arena are built, but I was wondering if you thought they would generate much interest.

    The first would be half-leasing our sweet old Swedish Warmblood mare. She is 27, about 16hh, sane and sound. She is not lazy, in fact she really enjoys going, but easy to hold back. Completely safe and easy to handle on the ground. She has former dressage training, but it has been many years since she did that. Currently we just do some basic hunter flatwork with her and trail ride.
    Ideally I wanted to lease her to a little kid who wanted a safe older horse to trail ride or show (hunter under saddle, ground poles/crossrails, showmanship, etc.). The lease would include riding time 4 days a week, plus the option to trailer off-property to trail ride or show her.
    The facility where she would be kept would have a barn with heated/air conditioned tack room, bathroom, wash rack with hot water and grooming stall with heat lamps. It would also have an outdoor arena with some jumps or pasture to ride in and is about 5mi away from local trails.

    Do you think kids/parents would be attracted to this sort of lease? What do you feel would be a fair price per month?

    My second idea is to hold a small horse show for charity. If anyone has ever seen the Pony Hunt Teams at Devon, I wanted to do something similar. The show would have classes for hunt pairs or hunt teams (of 3 riders), and divisions based on fence height. For example:
    18" Crossrail Hunt Pairs
    18" Crossrail Hunt Teams
    2' Hunt Pairs
    2' Hunt Teams, etc.
    It would be a charity/fun show for a horse rescue or humane society, hopefully something that could be held annually, but do you think many people would come since the classes are a bit limited in variety?
    I was hoping I could attract some of the more western/HUS/casual trail type riders to give it a try as well by making it very casual, no hunt coats needed, costumes and themes encouraged, etc.

    • ANSWER:
      A charity show is an excellent idea, but planning a show takes lots of time and organization.

      The first thing you want to do is contact the charity you want the proceeds donated to. A nice idea is to have them have a stall at the show where people can offer further donations. If it is a horse charity you can have a spot where they can donate tack, feed, and other equipment. A nice thing to do, if you have the space, is to invite them to bring along a few horses that are up for adoption. Set up a paddock to put these horses in where people can view them.

      You will want to have a few small prizes for the winners of the classes. You can chat to local tack, feed and horse supply shops and ask if they will be willing to donate small prizes. You can also offer them a stall spot if you have the space. Other shops can have a stall at a small fee or they can donate prizes.

      You will want to broaden you classes so you have more people entering. Try some fun gymkhana games like bending poles, sack races, potato race. You can also have a best walk and trot. To further encourage the costume and theme idea you can offer a prize to the best dressed in different categories. These can be children's, juniors and adults etc. For this you will need someone to do the judging.

      You will also want to add a few normal jumping classes, for this you will need a course designer, someone to announcer the riders, a PA system or bull horn will be required as well so the announcer can be heard. A scribe to write down every ones times. We incorporate fun jumping in our shows. Two classes that we do, the first is a grid of 6 jumps 1 stride apart, each person jumps the grid in turn, after each round it goes up 3". If any horse or rider knock a poll, have a fall or refusal they are eliminated. The last person standing wins. You can have a height limit to be safer. The other one is a single jump with the same rules. last person standing wins. If there is a tie at the height limit, the jump goes up once more. If both riders clear it then they share first place.

      You will need to organize a course designer, judges, stewards, announcer, refreshment stand, scibes, people to pick up and help move jumps, a medic. Mot of these will cost money. Try encourage them that it is for a charity and they may give you a discounted rate or not charge. (If they aren't charging it's nice to give them a small hamper with some chocolate or wine or something in it)

      You need to work out your basic expenses and what to charge per class. Take 50% of the class fee and divide it by your total expenses. This tells you the minimum amount of entries you need in order to cover your expenses and make a profit for the charity.

      You will need to take into account advertisement, paper for show entries, rosettes (we made certificates on colored paper or card fitting two on an A4 page), any helpers you may need to pay.

18. QUESTION:
    Am I asking too much of my daughter?
    She is four, will be five in April, and has been taking riding lessons for about 2 1/2 months. Ever since she was a little baby, she has ignored all of her other toys, stuffed animals, etc. except for her stuffed horses. I never pushed this on her, but she has developed a very strong love of horses. (Ok, I did push her once, for her first pony ride, but that was only to get on, she was squealing with glee as soon as the pony took his first step.)

    Her riding has been progressing very well, and "Santa" has gotten a saddle for her for Christmas. My only real problem is, most of the ponies she rides have attitudes, and that makes her nervous (you know how ponies can be..) There is one horse available for her to ride, but she doesn't like to trot him, as he's over 17hh, and she has learned just how far down it is from 13hh.

    I would love for her to be able to show by spring, and she says she wants to. She jumps at the chance to even look at a horse, so she still loves riding. In fact, she was proclaiming at the end of her last lesson how much she loved riding, "because it's so much fun". She has a very natural seat, and has learned a number of leg cues exceedingly quickly, but am I asking too much of her to keep it up? She gets nervous and nearly cries at every pull of the reins, or slight pinning of the ears (at the riding instructor or me, for keeping him in line). She can do it, and is wonderful when she does. One pony she rides cannot be controlled by 14yo's, but she guides him BEAUTIFULLY until he starts pulling the reins. When her riding instructor and I ignore them in the ring, we have witnessed her pulling off even a perfect figure 8.

    Should I have her take a break, or am I right to keep insisting that she ride? Like I said, she does love it, but gets very apprehensive during the ride if her pony is being naughty. I don't want to over-do it and be that "show mom" that everyone hates, but I do want the best for her, and to nurture her interests. I know she gains confidence with every lesson, but it is hard for me to watch her get so frustrated during her lessons.
    We keep her lessons fun, more of games than anything. So far as showing, I was thinking leadline class, nothing too heavy, naturally, But like I said, she says she wants to, and at least in leadline class, everyone walks away with at least something. I think that would be a good experience for her. One of the naughtiest ponies she rides is her favorite. She does ask to ride him, and even named her latest stuffed horse after him. She has no fear of actually riding, it's mostly when things dont go as she planned (ie: pulling the reins)

    • ANSWER:
      Hmm I can see both sides of the coin in your situation I have 4 girls under 7yo and they all ride, my youngest is 2 1/2 years old.

      My girls have grown up with horses and I am lucky enough to have my horses on our property. So they have been around them in one form or another since birth. Early on it was just being led around on my big horses and sitting up with me. In fact we did not buy a pony until my oldest girl was 3yo.

      Unfortunately with ponies (as you have pointed out) many of them do have attitudes. I learned a lesson very quickly with my oldest girl, if they have a bad experience, they can loose their confidence VERY quickly and it is then very hard to get back.

      When my oldest girl was 4yo she was being led on a 10hh Shetland pony, he was pretty toey and normally she laughed, asked for trot and thought he was the best thing since sliced bread. He reared up one day and hit her in the face with his head. She got a blood nose and obviously was very shaken. After that day she refused to get back on him for over a year.

      She was happy to get on the big horses, but the ponies freaked her out. She still talks about that happening like it was yesterday. Even though she had previously been riding independently, I had to take her back to baby steps and just get her to sit on a pony and not move. Heaps of praise and obtaining very small goals each time, until she was eventually ready to trot again - this took over a year, I never pushed her.

      Both of my older girls are confident (now), but they lack the skills, seat, strength of leg and ability to make a naughty pony do as it is asked most of the time. Ponies figure this out very quickly, this results in frustration for your child and ultimately ends in tears.

      The clever ponies just stand and refuse to move. Now I have given her a crop, just holding it is enough to make them walk or trot when requested from little legs.

      I always took what ever measures I needed to hopefully get a successful outcome. Depending on the day I used one or several of these methods, like keeping them on a lead on a naughty or new pony. I understand it is hard in a riding school situation because you don't always get a choice of pony.

      I use a "grazing rein" when necessary, it stops the pony trying to eat grass where the child cant pull the ponies head back up. I walk in front to let the pony follow me (off lead). I have the pony ride with another pony to keep it calm and let if follow the other pony. I ride the pony myself to ensure they are educated and learn to be responsive.

      I do what ever it takes to make sure my girls have a safe and just as importantly, positive ride and experience. A stressed child is not learning effectively.

      Nearly all ponies will have an issue of some sort (lazy, toey), and all of them are super smart at knowing how to get away with not doing, what they don't want to do!

      I think you need to take the pressure off yourself and off your daughter (even though she does not know it is there yet). I had no intention of showing with my girls, they had always been happy to ride around the paddock and it had never been a topic I thought of.

      However my oldest girl was reading her horse books and asking questions. I asked them if they wanted to go to our local show in the fun ring to see what it was all about. They were very excited at the prospect.

      You can show successfully with a 4yo child You need to practice heaps on the lead. Kids that young will probably require a led on the pony, the judges don't expect the child to be "riding" the pony independently. You need to get the pony working well (ours are on voice commands) so you can walk, halt and trot when required. You will learn that the pony often matches your stride, so practice running fluidly beside the pony.

      The judges just want to see the child sitting up, rising to the trot and holding the reins in rider classes (practice rhythm by saying up, down, up down). If you enter breed or classes judged on the pony, then they just want to see the pony is quiet enough for a child to ride it (on the lead).

      Our first show was just about letting the girls see what a show was like. They both placed in their rider classes and where thrilled to get a ribbon. Then in the ridden pony class (judged on the pony) they got 1st and 2nd. It was very exciting for them to take their ribbons to show and tell

      The next show was their choice, I gave them the option and they wanted to go. They got a handful of ribbons each, ranging from 1st to 3rd. More show and tell.

      Go with little expectation and anything on that is a bonus. We found it a fun family day that our whole family could enjoy.

19. QUESTION:
    Question about being bucked off...?
    I got bucked off for the first time today, and I reacted in an interesting by all other standards, way. So, here's what happened:
    We were just having some fun during a lesson, because it might be my friends last one, so we were doing gymkhana-ish stuff. we did this variation of easy pole bending where you weave down, turn tight, and wave back. Well, my horse is not very god a turns..in fact, hes pretty stiff, so we went around, I asked him to canter and he just..bucked! He was obviously frustrated with having to turn, i think it was just..he hasn't stretched that way in years! Any way, so I sort of somersaulted off, landed, felt perfectly fine, stood back up, grabbed him and told him "good boy to soothe him. I know that sounds weird, but I'm in to natural horsemanship, and I really agree with the quote "Whatever happens its always the riders fault" so, i felt like i needed to apologize. So my question is, how would you react if this happened to you? And maybe more importantly, how would a natural horseman, say, an avid parreli-ist react if their horse bucked them off?
    Thanks in advance!
    By the way, it's winter here...so he kind of dd have a good reason to act fresh.
    Don't worry, i did get back on.
    I know I probably could have limbered him up a little more, but it was in a lesson I probably should have loosened him up more first, but it's not like I really could have prepared him much. I've never done gymkhana before, and it was in a lesson, and I didn't know that we were going to do it until like five minutes before!

    • ANSWER:
      While it is true that most accidents could be avoided due to rider error, that does not give a horse the right to buck you off. In the case, you needed to prepare your horse more that day or over the course of days to weeks if he had not done something for a while that required a good deal from him. However, whether you feel to blame for the situation at hand or not, one should never praise a horse for bucking you off. You should get back on yourself and work on either the exact same thing or something at least similar to it until you end on a positive note for the both of you. Of course, if you are not able mentally and/or physically able to do this yourself, you should have someone else do it. I understand the wanting to be a partner with your horse, but you need to understand and practice what is best in the long and short run for the both of you. The best apology for your horse would be to learn from this, not ask him to do something he is not ready to do, and at least insist he tries to do what you were asking - even if it is at the walk or trot instead of canter.
      All the Best!

20. QUESTION:
    how do i get her to stop being so over the top :@?
    basically my friend who i love to bits is really starting to annoy me now because she used to ride my little sisters pony about once a week but my sister isn't interested in riding really and would rather just come up the stables and play with the other kids and not actually ride or muck out or anything. but my friend wanted us to keep the pony because she cant afford to have another one but she likes riding her but im not going to keep a pony which i cant really ride all the time, and to be honest my friend is a little bit big to be doing it all the time as well, just so that she can ride her once a week. so we loaned her out to my mums friend who has two little kids who are 4 and 1 and they absolutely love her to bits and she has the most beautiful home in a massive deer park being looked after by people who have huge amount of experience with horses and used to have a team of horses used for weddings and the people have done a lot of parelli training and stuff like that. and now my friend everytime wont stop going on about it and saying that she could look after her better and that she can ride her more and have more fun and asking if she can come and going on about the fact that she didnt come and visit her with me, which isnt really my choice. im not exactly going to invite my friend to the house of my parents friends who i dont even know that well when they have invited us to come and have dinner with them and are cooking their venison for us as well as letting me see their arab because i might possibly look after it for the summer when they go sailing for 6 weeks.

    • ANSWER:
      Just tell her to shut up. What's done is done. It wasn't her choice to make, it was yours. She was too big, and to be honest, she was freeloading off of you for a long time. Also, tell her that the pony is in the best place possible with top notch care and a family who loves her. If she wants to ride that bad, she should take lessons. I'm sure her family can afford one lesson a week, and if they can't she should muck stalls to pay for it.

      Or you could just tell her that you can't afford to keep her when she isn't being used and you can't afford to allow your friend to ride for free. That might be nicer to start off with, but if she doesn't listen, just tell her the top part.

21. QUESTION:
    Relationship help ASAP please?
    Me (19) and my girlfriend (20) have been together since march or something this year. I'm from Norway, she's from Thailand.
    She has many Thai friends in Norway, that she likes to hang out with, and go to parties with.
    I do not like to party at all, and when 90% of the people in these parties choose to solely speak Thai, and not Norwegian, even though they're able to, it's very easy to feel left out, and very uncomfortable. And as soon as we meet some of her Thai friends, wherever we may be, or we walk into these parties, it's like she forgets me, until she's leaving or something. This is why I choose not to go. My girlfriend doesn't seem to care one slightest bit about me being uncomfortable with her partying, and then I have to see the pictures of that party the next day about how she put everyone's phones in her bra to take a picture, and kept them in there for about 10-20 minutes. I thought this was an area only I was able to access, but the fact that she's doing that, and through that, making a little show for everyone about her breasts, in an area where there are many guys, to me seems like she doesn't care who's able to get a little peek. She's pretty short, so she likes wearing short dresses to make her look tall, but this is also to show everyone her big thighs and hips, in tight dresses.
    I thought her other sexual areas, also were just for me, but it seems like she doesn't care at all and goes around showing herself off to everyone.

    I asked her to come with me to this dairy farm (she loves animals), where we'd see pigs and horses and cows etc, and she wouldn't be a third wheel of anything. It would be just the two of us and we would have a lot of fun. She refused, while it was only 4 PM. She said she was tired and didn't feel like it. I tried to convince her, but she just kept refusing. 11 days later, at 10 PM, she was tired as hell, and wanted to go to bed. She told me she was going to bed soon, but before she could, she got the question from someone (a couple) if she would go play pool with them. The couple asked around if anyone wanted to come. She said yes. She was tired, but still said yes at once. She asked me if she could go, I didn't want her to, but she left anyway. Later that night, she's out drinking too. She refused me, ten times, because she was a little tired, but while drop-dead tired, she accepted to go out that late. They also started drinking that same night and she went to bed around 6 AM, or later. Why would she do that? Many signs similar to this, has come up of her not wanting to hang out with me, and that she has a wayyy better time with others than with me. She has been generally refusing to hang out with me, wanting to be with her friends instead, even though she lives with them, and has no job. She's able to be with them all day long, and then when I'm finally off work or school, she refuses just like that. I understand that her friends is a whole gang, which has the same interests as she does + the more the merrier, and she can speak Thai to them, which probably makes her feel more at home, but this is far from within reason. At the beginning of this relationship she didn't care at all though. She chose to be with me most of her time, even though she had less time to spare. Now she's hanging out with them 24/7, both weekdays and weekends.

    There was a misunderstanding when I was very hurt by something she did, so I told her, and she thought I'd broken up with her when I didn't, changed the status on her Facebook account to single, and didn't talk to me. She's been telling me since then that she's not ready to talk to me, or see me, yet, but she was fully ready to go to a party and act crazy, get drunk and put everyone's phones down her bra and even let her friends take a closeup picture of this, and use the rest of the night to show off her curves. What is up with that?

    Yesterday, when i got home from convincing her to talk to me again, I saw the pictures on Facebook again, and she was letting this guy put her arm around her neck and hand on her shoulder, and she was smiling like hell. There were no intentions either way, but I started crying, feeling replaced, and once again reminded of how much fun she's easily having without me and how she'd rather choose to hang out with anyone else but me. I called her, because I needed to talk to her about this. She didn't care much at all, and after 2 minutes hung up on me.

    I'm tired of having to practically beg her to be with me, and then walk around in town to see someone from Thailand, and be forgotten just like that.
    We used to ask each other out all the time, and it was more or less an "of course" that we were going to hang out with each other.
    I don't see the point of her being with me, when she's all okay without me. She still chooses to be with me, but chooses n

    • ANSWER:
      wow im so sry i think u should just keep ur head up and find sum one who will Truly love u back like u love them

22. QUESTION:
    Do you think it would be good or bad for business to write a vampire book during the rein of 'twilight'?
    It didn't suddenly hit me one day to become a fan of the 'vampire' world, though I can say that I've had a genuine interest in them. When I was younger, people didn't really give a hoot for vampires, but now all of a sudden, with Twilight going on a rampage now, anyone and everyone adores or despises vampires!

    I wasn't originally planning on writing a book with Vampires in it, especially now with Twilight out... I'm not sure where to lean though- would it make it easier to get buyers due to the fact that its a vampire book, or would it give the opposite affect?

    I've never actually read through all of the Twilight series- I considered it at a time, but then when just about everyone I knew, including some of my parents' friends and siblings, began obsessing over it, along with the reviews on the character, writing, and plot quality... Well I decided to just forget about it! I find it rather unbelievable that it got so popular so fast, along with its development into a movie. I'm not saying its necessarily terrible, but it doesn't deserve as much credit as it has been given.

    Anyhow, this all goes to say that I wonder whether or not its safe to write about the topic- despite many differences it would have, people would say it was because of this 'twilight frenzy'!
    It's given me mixed feelings about it. It doesn't help that certian friends of mine have hounded me for the idea, saying 'vampires are stupid and you don't need to write about it... Except if it's some old, ugly vampire that is misunderstood', along with others giving the 'I don't know about that', due to the fact that they just aren't too keen on the blood-sucking creatures, along with any other beings that are usually involved. Though I can see this being from their views as Christians, just seeing it as occult, I myself am a strong Christian and don't find anything wrong with a fun fiction story, as long as it isn't 'dirty'. (Such as Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings).

    I don't have much for an idea yet, though I do want it to have action, adventure, fantasy, romance (due to the fact that I'm a sucker for a good love story), etc. Of course, for the romance I'd want it to be a bit more realistic- all that book 'romance' such as seen in Twilight really isn't 'true love' as the fans love to say (lust more likely). Here is just a bit of writing I jotted down.
    --------------------------------------------------

    *things to take note*

    -This is in a different universe/reality

    -It is set during a time with little technology, such as the fact that they still use horse and buggy, swords and shields, bows and arrows, etc. Though some more advanced technology may be introduced.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------

    Vampires are finally out to conquer- not each other, but all other races... At least so it seems. For the most part, it isn't that they are out on the rampage to get this job done, but rather that they are doing what they do to give themselves more convinences.

    At this time, they have a ruler called the 'Overlord' (perhaps the name of the book). For as long as they could remember, they had a ruler named Adalhard, who was the second to be acknowledged as the leader of the Vampires- Also the one who united them together the most. An answer to whether or not he still exists is questionable, though now there is a new ruler- his son Alastair.

    It doesn't mention either, how long Alastair had been reining, though it seems like the majority of the vampires are agreeable with his rule- whether or not that makes him young or old is still questionable as well. Waring upon different civilizations, they are being seen as a true threat to one of the greatest groups- the humans. These humans however, have different distinct things that set them apart; some of these differences seen as valuble in the eyes of the vampires. One region in particular they had been attacking were known to have one of these 'valuble' gifts, though few out of the many people actually contained it at this day and age. When one of these people are found, however, a young woman (starting age is yet to be determined...), the vampire soldiers bring her back to King Alastair, who soon finds interest in her (though not in a romantic fashion). He then makes a deal with her people- he would stop the attacks on their region in return for the girl.
    With this deal being set, the girl is then kept at the Vampire court, clueless to what is going to happen to her. *That's as far as I went for the girl (which isn't far) though I went farther for Alastair.

    Alastair's mother was human- his father, having a soft side for humans, didn't give her the virus. Unlike what you may be thinking, this doesn't make him a 1/2 breed- in fact, the only way for Vampir
    Vampires to "reproduce" more Vampires is by giving people the virus by injecting them with their fangs. This being said, the only reason why Alastair is a vampire and a legitamit heir to the throne is due to the fact that his father bit him.

    One of the main antagonists of the story is his brother (yet to be named), who is actually much older than him, and has a mother who is also a vampire. Because of this, he is trying to lay claims to the throne. On the other side, Alastair holds a claim, though he is in fact younger by perhaps hundreds or even thousads of years (is quite possible that he is actually in his 20s), he was the only offspring known to have been turned into a vampire by the King himself. That being said, many see Alastair as the legit heir to the throne, if it's to be judged by his lineage and how he became a vampire. (sorry there- cut me off above! Wish I had a bit more characters to use to write a few more details... but ALAS! I don't)

    • ANSWER:
      I understand what your thinking. I think that would be a good story. Personally I don't even consider twilight as a REAL vampire book. I mean come on sparkling vampires? Wtf. I love stories about vampires, I always have. I'm not going to let twilight affect what I read. I think if you really want to write a story about vampires then you should. Just make it unique and original. Make it well... real. There can never be enough good stories about vampires. Some of my favorite movies are Blade, Underworld and Queen of the damned. One of my nephews was even named after Blade.

23. QUESTION:
    My mother is Mentally ill and refuses any medical help what can I do?
    I am 18 and my brother 19 and she was admitted to a mental health hospital back when I was around 10ish. She took medication up until I was about 13 and ever since she has refused to take any medication. I cant get her in a mental health hospital again because to do so she has to agree to go there with this stupid law, and most people with her type of illness will NOT agree to go into a hospital.

    Yes so I am 18 and the sad part is that I really do not have a life because of this. I stay at my dads for week days for college/job and friday to sunday Im at my mams. While all my friends are having fun at the weekends Im stuck at my mams. I cant stay at my dads on any weekend whatsoever because she freaks out and comes looking for my dads house( she doesnt know where he lives because shes unpredictable)

    Recently she has been buying animals and outrageous things that an 18 and 19year old boys would not be interested in but she just carrys on and thinks that we are much younger. Things such as a dog, 2 cats, 2 budgies, Mouse and now shes talking about a Horse! All she ever talks about is my dad in a negative way because he was the one that got her into the mental hospital the first time which was definatly the right decsion. When ever you try to reason with her its like she doesnt even take on board a word in which you have spoken as she continies with her view.

    Its not as though I can just move out and get my own place to stay all the time either with prices of places and the fact im a student looking to go to university in 2 years time.
    What are my options I want to help her because she is making my life hell, like I say I never go out with friends on a weekend maybe 3-4 times a year max I get to see friends on a weekend, its hardly a life. I get asked to go to town on a night out almost every week and i hate having to turn everyone down they must think im just anti social or something

    Thank you alot for reading this and I hope I can find the help i need.

    • ANSWER:

24. QUESTION:
    What do I do after leaving all my friends?
    Im sorry for the extensiveness of my question, but some things require a long explanation. Some helpful information about me would be the fact that I'm in high-school, 16, and live at home with my parents.

    Ok, so pretty much recently I stopped hanging out and talking with all my friends. Why? Because all we ever did was smoke, do drugs, party, and nothing else. They disillusioned me into thinking that being disrespectful and getting messed up was the best thing I could do. After 3 years, I realized that my "friends" were actually just people who didn't understand the concept of living. All of them talked about people in ways I did not like, such as the fact that they referred to women as bitches and hoes, and otherwise did not care about them at all unless they were in their bed. Or how they would make fun of a retarded, fat, ugly, or crippled person just for the sake of a laugh. I on the other hand have always been quite respectable and treated people with an understanding that can not be surpassed. It's impossible for me to get mad, nor do I have the ability to foster any hatred. I went through a period of enlightenment that helped me to see the world. I began questioning myself and everyone around me. Questions like, if you're happy and you're enjoying life, then why do you want to change your state of mind by drinking, smoking, popping pills. Only to find yourself feeling depressed, and the complete opposite of being happy. And if you're not happy, then why are you searching for it in something that will only make you lose interest in ever looking for it. And after a while there began to be signs, lots of them, so coincidental that it should be said to be impossible. I began to resent my friends, and eventually stopped talking to them. The signs made me realize that I needed to change my life. Of which led me to where I am now, but when you discover the answers you're looking for, new questions quickly follow.

    - What do I do now? No friends and in need of some new ones, preferably people who have like minded ideals.

    - How to turn my boredom into something constructive.

    - How do I start getting involved with my community through volunteering and other work that can help the people around me.

    - I've became interested in going to church, and participating in youth groups. How do I go about finding the right one. How do I tell my parents I'm going to church, and I don't want to go with you. (We haven't gone to church in a while and me going to church would make them feel obligated to go, but I'd rather not go with them.)

    - How can I get out of the house and start enjoying life. Like learning how to ride a horse (how do I go about doing that?)

    - What are some things that make you smile, and otherwise put you in a good mood. Simple things, like seeing a baby laugh ( I need help in opening my eyes towards these sorta things, rather than just dismissing them as things that happen all the time.)

    - How do I show people what it means to live, when they don't want to listen. (If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don't like, and like so many things we don't do.)

    • ANSWER:
      I am exactly like this with no drinking/smoking or the party type. Trust me, there are actually plenty of kids out there who do not do that stuff. A lot of people my age around here do that stuff though, and it irks me. Even though i do not do that stuff, i still get along with people who do, just don't really hangout with them but they are my friends. My good friends do not do all that stuff though. Just be friendly with new people and see what their interests are.

      Being in a small city with NOTHING to do i often find myself bored, even on some weekends sometimes. Watch some movies, or watch your favorite sports teams, etc. You could end up hooked watching some movies or TV shows that make time fun and pass by. Video games are fun, and could even make you meet some cool kids through online play! Me and my friends end up getting hooked and playing for hours some nights lol. Even just searching the Internet or facebooking it up can kill time. Start poke wars with people, haha.

      Once you have a license, it will be easier to just get out and enjoy life. Like go out and drive around, or stop at a mall and shop some even if you do not go with your friends. One thing that made me smile is helping people out with problems and seeing them happy and smile again. Idk, it just made me smile and trust me, some people just do not appreciate life at all like you said, they don't listen. You have the right mindset though my man. Keep it up and youll go far in life. Sorry i did not answer the church questions, i don't make it to church much often myself. I just have a lot of personal experiences with friends letting me down and such. Good luck!

25. QUESTION:
    EDIT THIS PLEASE???? ?
    Edit this pleaseeee! If you don't edit the whole thing then please try to edit some of it (like maybe 1 or 2 of the paragraphs?)
    THANKS VERY MUCH IN ADVANCE!

    The novel that I’m using to do my character sketch is called The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. The story is about a group of boys that are in a gang known as the Greasers, who throughout their teenage lives, experience plenty of good and bad moments together, including trouble with their rival gang of rich kids - The Socs. The Greasers include Ponyboy, Sodapop, Darry, Dally, Two-Bit, Johnny, and Steve. All of the boys have great character traits, but I’ve decided that the character I’m going to discuss is Sodapop Curtis - the handsome, understanding, unique, and sensitive one.

    Throughout the story it is mentioned that Sodapop is the most handsome of the group. Along with this, Sodapop is also said to be very slim with nice facial features. His face is both finely drawn and sensitive, and he has his dad’s eyes. They’re dark brown, lively and dancing. They may appear sympathetic one moment, and blazing with anger the next. Sodapop’s hair is silky, straight, long, and dark-gold in colour. He styles it using a comb and plenty of grease just like all the Greasers do, which is how they got their gang name in the first place. According to Ponyboy, Sodapop has looks like a movie-star.

    The first characteristic of Sodapop is understanding. One example of this is how Sodapop acted as the glue between his 2 brothers, mainly because he understood both of their opinions, views, and sides. He understood that Darry often yelled at Ponyboy and worried way too much about him, and he also understood that Ponyboy hated being yelled at, but he did do some bad things that deserved discipline. Another example is how when Ponyboy and Johnny ran away, Sodapop sent a letter for them saying how we wanted them to return home, but was very understanding to the fact that they couldn’t or else Johnny might get hurt. Also, when they eventually arrived back at home, Sodapop wasn’t stressing and questioning them (unlike Darry). Instead, he dealt with the situation calmly, mainly because I think he understood why Ponyboy had ran away in the first place. It was because Darry hit him, and Sodapop had always understood that Darry had a very bad temper. The last example is how Sodapop would spend plenty of his time trying to understand the problems that others were having. An example of this is when he helped Ponyboy to understand that Darry truly did love him.

    The second characteristic of Sodapop is unique. One example of this is how he was always happy with his life, which was unique from all of the others. What’s strange is that even though he didn’t have an education due to his dropout from school, and he was employed at a gas station where he spent mostly all of his time, he was still a “happy-go-lucky” kind of guy. Another example is how Sodapop was the only one out of the group who was sensitive, and who didn’t smoke all the time for just any reason, but only for the reason of being stressed or to look tough. The last example is how Sodapop had very strange likings and interests. Some of these include how he liked grape jelly on his eggs, how he liked to fight only for the excitement and fun that he thought came with it, and how he enjoyed making weird and surprising food such as green pancakes.

    The third characteristic of Sodapop is sensitive. One example of this is how when Mickey Mouse, Sodapop’s horse he’d owned and loved very much as a kid, was sold, Ponyboy stated that afterward, Sodapop had cried for a very long time. This really expressed his sensitive side because quite often, people wouldn’t think that a tuff Greaser like himself would show his emotions over the loss of his pet horse. Another example is when Sodapop was very upset because Darry and Ponyboy had been fighting once again, and this time they were trying to make him pick a side. Since he couldn’t take it any longer, he stormed out of the house. Soon after, Darry and Ponyboy followed. When they found him, the three boys lay in the grass and discussed the problem. Eventually, Sodapop began to cry a little. At this point, Sodapop had expressed his sensitive side yet again.

    • ANSWER:
      "styles it using a comb and plenty of grease just like all the Greasers do,"
      Change that to:
      "styles it using a comb and plenty of grease just like all OF the Greasers do,"

      "The first characteristic of Sodapop is understanding"
      Understanding an adjective. A characteristic is a noun. So change it to:
      "The first characteristic of Sodapop is being able to understand"

      "understood why Ponyboy had ran away"
      change it to:
      "understood why Ponyboy had RUN away"

      Just a few grammar issues.

26. QUESTION:
    What would be a good sport for me?
    Hi! I am fifteen years old, overweight, unfit and lethargic-I really want to find a sport to get in better shape, but so far I haven't been able to find anything I enjoy. I don't like team sports like football or basketball because I don't like the idea of lots of people depending on me (everyone knows not to pass the ball to me in PE) but I like having someone to talk to otherwise I get bored. I am quite violent and competitive, but I don't take part in competitive sports because I get embarrassed, always lose and I am a really sore loser! Also even though I enjoy sparring I am not very good with pain... (Alright I admit I'm a big baby!)
    I tried a karate class, but I quit after three lessons because all we did was kata with no sparring and whilst I liked the philosophy I did not like all the rules and how disciplined it all was-I was really bored and felt like an automaton. It was all work and no play. Another problem is that I get embarrassed if I am not good at something the first time and tend to lose my motivation and quit.

    I used to play tennis but I was not very good and found it boring, I hate badminton even more. I used to enjoy trampolining but I got sick of it after a few years and when everyone else quit the class I had no one to talk to and got bored again! I like the "feel" of cycling but I get bored cycling around the same old places and I don't like cycling with other people because I prefer to do my own thing when cycling. I absolutely hate hiking and walking up hills, and I hate the gym as well as I find it really boring even when I go with friends.
    I want to find something fun and engaging that will also help me get in shape-I am quite geeky and into RPG games like Zelda and adventure books and would be interested in learning to use a sword as a hobby, but I am worried about it being like the karate class and also my mum doesn't want me to do anything "violent". I also like the idea of parkour or free running (not being bound to set paths, being able to move my own way, as well as the fact that both are not very popular sports in my area so I wouldn't feel hemmed in by other people) but I do not know where I could go to learn and also apparently you have to be incredibly fit to do both and that it can be dangerous, and once again I am anxious about the "automaton" mentality I encountered in Karate. I love animals and would love to do horse riding, but we cannot afford lessons.

    I really can't think of a sport that would suit me, but I get the feeling there must be one out there. I'm also going to be moving up to fourth year now and I can't do a sport that will take away too much from studying time. Someone please help me as I don't want to be another overweight bum who just sits all day on the computer, but I simply can't come up with something that would hold my interest for more than ten seconds without being too expensive... I am a girl and I am into books, video games, animals, exploring, drums and jazz, pop punk and punk rock music and I'm a goody twoshoes not very good at taking risks if that makes any difference (apparently it does but I'm not sure).
    I also meant to say I don't like things like dancing-I feel awkward doing it and don't really enjoy it or see the incentive.

    • ANSWER:
      Hey,
      You sound a lot like me
      I just started to be more active, Did you know an hour doing housework burns roughly 200 calories?
      I don't really like sports much, but i've started walking and i've already seen the benefits! However as you say you don't like hills...here are a few suggestions that you haven't mentioned...La-cross, Handball, Football, Netball, Swimming, Boxing, Kick Boxing, Archery, Skiing, Fencing and Sailing. There are many, many sports out there, you just need to find one you like! Even if you don't like the sound of doing a sport, go try it out, as you never know! If I were you try typing sports list into google and see what comes up

      -And, side note: Since you love Horses, why not try and volunteer at a local shelter, you never know you might be allowed to ride them sometimes!

27. QUESTION:
    How should i put my life back together?
    Okay, so this is a very long story spanning over four and half years but i'll try and shorten it best i can.

    I'm almost 18 now and nearly five years ago I was at a private school with a few close friends and was liked by almost everyone, an A* student seriously going places.

    Then for a reason i can't explain even now I started suffering from clinical depression which just got worse and worse. I lost all my friends, left school to be homeschooled, my family distanced themselves from me and i constantly self harmed and eventually attempted suicide.
    After this I had therepy and got better, not perfect, but better (remember this is spanning over almost 5yrs) especialy when I got a horse.
    The problem is now i have been left shy, i can talk to people if they talk to me but i'm generally not the one to start the conversation. And I can't seem to make friends, I'm nice, kind, fun and never bitchy but for some reason people just seem to misunderstand me thinking i'm two faced (which could be possibly from the fact I lie about not having any friends, saying I go to parties and get guys interested in me, like a normal 18 yr old girl), judgmental or they just think of me as the smiley strange girl whos good to have the odd chat to but thats about it.

    All this is starting to depress me again and i just can't seem to click with anyone with out them misjudging me. I just don't know what to do any more so I thought somthing impersonal like this may help.

    Thanks for reading. x sorry about the spelling i'm tired

    • ANSWER:
      Depression is a very hard thing to get over. I suffer from it myself, and I am in no way the life of the party. But as long as you are charming to the people that do come up to talk to you, you will eventually be viewed as the sweet quiet girl. I am very quiet, but all my friends and aquatint's think I am the laid back cool chick.