What would you do if a long-lost distant relative died and left you a zillion dollars?
If you’re tempted to say something responsible like “continue working and invest for the future,” please go have 3-6 margaritas and then try again.
I’ll start.
Firstly, Frankie’s life really wouldn’t change hugely. We’d up the frequency of massages/chiro/acupuncture/etc and he’d get some more pro rides. But other than that, homeboy is already getting fantastic care from fantastic people. Maybe I’d get him some customized brushes, and we would build a custom saddle for both of us, and we’d also get dressage tack for the heck of it, and we’d go to a horse show every month. I don’t think he would really notice the difference (except the massages, he always wants more massages).
But Rich Me would get him some friends. A couple of them.
First off, Francis needs a mini. Either a mini donkey or a mini horse (or a mini mule?!). With a big fluffy mane and a sassy lil tail. This tiny little mini would come with us to shows, wander the farm, and provide entertainment to us all.
Francis would also get a little brother. A well-bred baby that shows potential for the upper levels. This fancy baby would go straight into the capable hands of AT to break and train and get show mileage with. I’d be the absentee mother that shows up periodically to torture the baby with hugs and kisses and ponying off of Francis, and when Frankie starts stepping down Fancy Baby would become my main mount. By that point AT will have trained Fancy Baby to be amateur-friendly as well as talented.
Francis would also get a short-term friend in the form of a lease. This lease will have recently been doing the High AOs/regional GPs, and is looking to step down to the 1.30m or lower. This Yearlong Pal will cart me around the open 1.20m and up and teach me about the bigger tracks.
Since Rich Me has two horses, Rich Me can get that much more saddle time (especially since Rich Me doesn’t have to work) and can compete in more rounds every shows. Then if the stars align and I can take Francis in the 1.20m, I’ll already have some experience and can help him out a bit more instead of both of us being green to the level.
And Rich Me has a whole lotta shows she wants to go to. In no particular order:
- Team Finals, wherever they’re held (maybe Tryon again?)
- Lake Placid because that stuff is GORG
- Vermont Summer Festival because ALSO GORG
- WIHS
- Penn National
- LGCT Miami (fun fact they have classes down to 1.15m, so you can compete there at a variety of levels if you qualify)
- WEF. Not the full circuit, but maybe the Great Charity Challenge and a few other classes.
- Upperville. Yeah, I know we’ve been a bunch. It’s still my favorite and Rich Me still wants to go.
BRB, gonna go buy a bunch of lottery tickets.
What does Rich You want to do?
hellomylivia 
laughing so hard here. LOVE THIS. OMG….the possibilities boggle the mind right??
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HAHAHA this is gold. I find myself thinking about this sometimes too. I could blow through a lot of money incredibly quickly, I think.
Also, Rich You will have to settle for another foal because Manny sold yesterday.
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NOOOOOOOO
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WE CAN MAKE ANOTHER ONE
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My husband plays the mega millions when the prize gets stupid big — I always tell him that if Bill Gates’ and Bruce Springsteen’s daughters can blow through their fortunes for their equestrian hobbies, we have NO CHANCE. #sorrynotsorry
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Hahaha when he saw the bill for Lake Placid, my fiance just sighed and said, “we’re never going to be able to buy a house, are we?” Ummmmoopssorry
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Hahaha love this! I’ve definitely thought of this. I’d probably move somewhere a lot more horsey, buy a horse property, get Amber a fun mini companion (she’s fascinated by mules and adores minis so maybe 2??!!) and then continue lessons 1-2 times a week and eventually buy myself a horse.
Hmmm. Pretty sure I’d need like 10 million because only one million I feel I’d burn through that right after horse property depending on where it was LOLOLOL.
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Right?! $1M goes so fast! Although a horse property is probably the one thing I wouldn’t get- I love where we board too much!
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I’d get the green horse that I’m in love with but can’t have because I need something broke this time and send him to my trainer for two years. Meanwhile I would also get myself a nice hunter AND jumper, and do all the shows I’ve been missing so much. And probably get a mini too. Everyone needs a mini.
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How could I forget this?! I would also clone Rio. Like 10 times.
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OMG I FORGOT TO ADD CLONE FRANKIE
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I’d have Juice at the same place for sure, but I’d have enough money to: get a nice truck and trailer, pay a helper groom, and do all the maintenance on both of us so that we could be more capable and show as often as is reasonable! And I could afford to have a pro (Bruce again plz) to event him more at Novice and eventually Training, and I’ll poke around BN with him and the 15.3 retired upper level eventer I’d acquire 😄
I’d also like a fancy Connemara cross for dressage but I’d probably just have my trainer show that one.
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Ooooh yes, I’d get a GP horse for AT to take in the big classes. I have a recently discovered love of playing owner and watching other people ride my horse 😉
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I have my lottery winnings all planned out!!!! I’d clone my horse Johnny (can you clone a dead horse if you have hair??? Damnit should of won the lottery 2 years ago!!) probably keep him a stallion b/c he’d have GORGEOUS babies and pay a professional to compete him at the upper levels (b/c no way in hell am I running anything over Prelim!) buy one of the 100+ acre properties for sale in my area, build a fancy breeding farm for Irish Sport horses and Connemaras and basically drink tea and look out my window of my lovely farmhouse inspired, energy efficient, cozy house at all the ponies playing in the field. Plus I’d have my own person riding horses and I’d probably go to FLA in the winter and play around down there for some of the winter. and I’d definitely buy Chimi his own personal miniature creature (horse, donkey or mule!) and make him hang out with it until he realizes tiny creatures are cool and not scary at all! Oh and I’d build a cute adorable XC course that is a nice intro to eventing for all the babies and anyone in the community that needs to school inviting questions. I’d have some options for bigger questions but mostly it’d be a nice inviting XC course b/c we don’t really have a good starter course nearby.
In addition to my own personal gain I’d buy all the properties that are on the various trail systems that are for sale (or have stupid owners) and put everything into conservation and trail easements so the trails and land will always be protected and the idiots who don’t understand that this is a horse COMMUNITY (aka you bought property on a TRAIL SYSTEM. With NEIGHBORS. KEEP THE TRAILS OPEN YOU ASSHATS) wouldn’t want to live nearby.
Sooooo when is this Zillionare family member going to leave me their money???? 😀
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OMG you totally have it entirely planned out! I love that idea of creating facilities and areas to share with other riders, you da real MVP ❤
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Rich Me will surpass millionaire status because Rich Me is a billionaire. Rich Me also wants a Manny. OR like 4 of them. Rich Me will also keep riding Eli because he is perfect and would clone him to see what he’d be like minus the track/god knows what before I got to him and then I could pull the wonky tooth early, too, if that turned out to be a congenital thing. Rich me has thought about this a lot …
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Ooh it would be so cool to see what’s nature vs. nurture. I def want a whole herd of Frankies.
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Right?!? Grumpy by design, or was it learned? 🤔
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Rich me would set up my dream eventing property and then build two houses. I would convince some lush professional rider to set themselves up there and work from there in exchange for turning me into a semi decent rider.
I would get a sweet schoolmaster horse to get up the levels, but I already have a nice baby horse and an even babier horse then that for breaking when the time comes.
I would also really love to use my spare non-working cos I am rich time to try and help re-train ex racehorses in larger numbers than I have done so they can find new homes post racing.
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Love these! And can’t wait to see what those nice babies do in the future 😉
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Hmmmmm…Rich Me would have a slew of horses…a 100 mile endurance horse…a novice level eventing packer…heck even a draft so I can learn how to vault! I’d sell my current barn and move to a place either next to a state park/state game lands/private trail system something with trail access right out my back door. Then I’d hire a barn manager to run the whole thing so I could vacation and not worry. Speaking of vacation…I’d finally do my dream vacation and ride welsh cobs across Wales. Ah…one can dream….
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Ahh vaulting is so fun! Can I add a draft to my list too?? Also good call on the vacation, I want to do an Irish horse vacation so badly!
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I’d def take a couple friends and trainer over to Europe to find my next ride (or 2). Pamper Mo a bit more. I’d also figure out how to move my old AT down here to be my personal AT. And I’d do freelance work while hanging out at the barn all day. Oh, and buy a house with a yard, and a maybe another dog friend for Reefy to play with so Thule doesn’t have to bother with him anymore.
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More ponies, more pups. I can totally get on board with this.
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Fun blog post! You sure sparked some great lists/ideas on other blogs. Here’s mine:
http://exploringdressagebiomechanics.blogspot.com/2018/09/zillionaire-me.html
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