What would I do with a few million bucks? It's nice to dream, so that's what I'm going to do on this rainy, cold, icky day. Dream a little bit about spending money I don't have and will most likely never have (gotta play to win, right? I don't play.).
We're going to assume I paid off all my outstanding bills and the mortgage before I get to the play money.
First and foremost, a new truck:
And of course, a new trailer w/ kickass living quarters to go with the new truck:
Then, a new Marcel Toulouse Premia jumping saddle and Stubben Maestoso dressage saddle :
Lessons with Walter Zettl:
Ingrid Klimke:
Bruce Davidson:
and Pippa Funnell:
A lifetime membership to the Ft. Leavenworth Hunt and I'd set up a fund to make an annual trip to foxhunt in Ireland:
I'd also like a few more of these:
A couple of these:
And a few of these:
One of these for relaxing sore muscles after riding all my horses:
And finally, a climate-controlled cellar filled with these to go with relaxation sessions in my hottub:
What would you do with a couple million if you had it just lying around?
Weeeee! I love this post!
ReplyDeleteYour ideas are great, I'd personalize just a bit...
A full fledged farm, not just the farmette like I have now - will need room for all the extra equines... lots of rescues and donkeys(!) + space to grow my own hay. :)
I'd set my trainer up for life. She's really suffering in this down economy - perhaps she could run the full fledged farm for me when we're not traveling the world updating our dressage education lol!
Pretty much the same as you,-with different horses and trainers- only I'd add an indoor arena, forget about the wine cellar but build my husband a fully equipped shop, and get all my extended family out of debt.
ReplyDeleteI know where you can get the Gypsy Vanners. I have dibs on 3 of them, lol. I'd buy a nice little farm (a couple hundred acres should do) maybe a couple more mustangs (Hoy's made my life interesting, and fun)girls would be set for college, get them a couple horses of their own, new saddles all around. couple of dalmations, (Pyrrha was a helluva good dog, she spoiled me) before all that tho, I'd head to England, Scotland, Wales for riding treks/tours. Take the girls and go spend a couple weeks over there doing the tourist thing. take a couple friends to do the riding treks with me. get another vehicle for hauling farm stuff. maybe be nice and give some of the money to friends/family (see how my friends come first-but it'd have to be a really big payout) then after all that, I'd see what was left and spread it around to some worthwhile causes and put the rest away to take care of all those pesky maintainence issues that would come up.
ReplyDeleteI'd have to get my Friesian too.
OH JENN!!
ReplyDeleteThis was a perfectly wonderful "if I won" dreamy post!
I have thought about it wayyy- too OFTEN!!I do love your choices too. Think I'd love to ride with Mary Wanless as well.
I have an 80 acre plot all picked out and a another 10 acrea with Log home in the country by trails picked out as well.
The IN town 80 acres, would be for the fantastic Indoor & Clinics + the arcerage is perfect for an Outdoor Cross Country course.
The Log property would be for my man and I and r&r for our horses. There is a pretty little running creek for them and us!
Nice to think of those again, thannks!! I'll buy a ticket tomorrow! I play randomly..if I remember!
Wonderful POST!!
ReplyDeleteI would buy a couple more beautiful hunter horses. Ones that will win the hacks and are brave enough for the big hunter derbies. My dream farm with a huge barn 25 stalls attached indoor, tackroom and groom/wash stalls all heated. Airfoot footing and a HUGE outdoor ring for the summers. A grass field with hunter derby jumps! A little 8 stall are and foal barn surrounded by fields in the back. Then the house of course.... Oh and maybe a fancy stallion too.....
My true hunter princess dream :P
:)
A bit more land and a nice arena and barn. Of course, I'd want to have a nice truck and trailer, a furnished tack room, oh, and yeah...someone to keep it looking nice while I'm doing what I want to do with the horses!
ReplyDeleteLove it! I may have to write my own post (attributing you, of course) on what I would do.
ReplyDeleteMany of the same things, of course. And would I still work? Oh, tough decision.
Hee hee! I'm glad you guys enjoyed it...I had a blast dreaming for a little bit. Of course, there are a few more things I'd add, but I didn't want it to be a neverending post. A tractor, manure spreader and new barn would also be top of the list.
ReplyDeleteOh, and the 20 absolutely beautiful wooded/meadow acres next to mine...the acreage is PERFECT for a cross country course.
It's kind of funny how horse people tend to dream along the same lines...we don't want mansions or French chalets or Lamborghinis, we want horses and horse stuff! I knew I surrounded myself with horse people for good reason!
Jenn,
ReplyDeleteThe first ANSUR saddles were more"bareback"saddles. The original is the"classic" . Julie has one at my stable...if padded right, is nice but has no twist...you have to be really balance d.
The one I'm getting, has the"flex core"structure inside, resembling a tree .its flexible, absorbs shock...and has fit Warmblood s to Thoroughbreds- And can flex instead of be a solid wood mass that if moves in one area, pressure s another.
I really can't afford top get a new saddle, everytime she changes! read Carole's about us, Bronze.
Well, since there is already a racehorse (ex-) at the barn...I would definitely pay our mortgage and put the rest in the bank or whatever until I thought about it. And rule #1, DON'T TELL ANYONE. hahaha Oh, definitely a housekeeper and as-needed cook.
ReplyDeleteI think I'd do pretty much the same thing as you. Love that trailer and of course a trip to Ireland/Scotland a few times a year would be nice and a hired staff to do my bidding...
ReplyDeletePay off mortgage, buy a few more adjoining acres, pay a ranch hand year-round while we; semi-retire, and travel/camp/trail ride with the horses and mules.
ReplyDeleteSorry I don't have pictures to post. I love your ideas. You would certainly move to the west coast too??? Right????
I do this sometimes but I get myself all excited like it could really happen and then I get disappointed I am really just another broke slob. I'm such a goof.
ReplyDeletePay off EVERYTHING... buy more land with good fencing and water rights (it's DRY out here!), new truck, barn/indoor, clinics and trainings, bigger house - not huge, just a bit bigger... (ours is just 900 sq ft. with 2 humans, 4 dogs and 5 cats...)... farm implements ... oh it could go on and on...
@Kathy...I might move closer to the west coast...Montana, Colo., Wyo., Utah and Oregon are possibilities for sure!
ReplyDelete@Shanster...I know, you and me both. But it's fun to dream!