Nominations are now open for the ESMAs — the Equestrian Social Media Awards, now in their third splendid year.

My mother would have called this shameless, but I’m going to ask anyway:  would you nominate me?

If you enjoy hearing my raves and rants…what inspires me and what I think might inspire you…training tips…periodic suggestions on how you can spend even more money on your horse habit, and if you enjoy the visual feast I try to put on your plate to accompany all the words, please take a moment to nominate reflectionsonriding.com as Best Blog (#17).

The ESMAs ask that you say a few words when you do.  My advice is: don’t hold back (something that’s also good to remember when you’re in the saddle).  Only those nominees with unique “supporting statements” will go through to the second round of judging.  Winners will be selected from among the finalists through public voting on the ESMA site (25%) and by a panel of experts (75%).

It’s always good to let your voice be heard.  As a blogger, I’m always putting my voice out there to be heard, but that’s not why I began blogging.  It was a way to keep horses in my life when I could no longer ride or train, after breaking my back in a riding accident (luckily, I could still teach as long as I kept a safe distance).

I’m back in the saddle now and continue to blog because I love it.  It’s hard for me to find time to post daily any more, but not a day goes by that I don’t think of something I’d like to share with you.

If something I have shared has touched you or taught you, inspired you or intrigued you, made you laugh or made you think, the ESMAs are a way to let others know where you go when you’re in cyberspace, and what you find there that matters to you.

By the way, if you’re wondering what you can say about your nominees, it might help to understand what the ESMAs are looking for.  Here are the criteria by which the competitors will be judged (they have yet to call it the Five I’s):

Innovation – are they thinking outside the box?

Individual – is their content original?

Inspiration – are you compelled to act, buy or share?

Interaction – do they involve fans/followers and encourage discussions?

Information – is it accurate, interesting and useful to their audience?

As always, thank you for listening and for coming to visit.  And thank you for nominating me, if that’s what you want to do.