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Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Winter blues

Well it is officially winter here in Arkansas.

That doesn't necessarily mean it is cold.... but wet. Very, very, very wet. I mean the you-have-to-have-scuba-gear-just-to-feed-your-horses kind of wet.

The pasture is a lake.

The arena... well... what arena?? It's more like a big, huge, and expensive mud hole.

So, sadly this means no riding. I've been averaging about one ride per week)-:

My lovely young horse is not getting much attention and he sure is sad about it. We put up a round pen so I try to get out and work him a few times a week on ground manners. But the past two weeks have been to wet to even do that.

My roommate is dating a guy who has been an athletic trainer before and came in last night with an slightly disturbing announcement. We are starting a new daily routine, working out. I just stared at her.... looked around to see if someone else was there, because I know she is not talking to me... lol. The only working out I do is riding.... sigh... not anymore.

I know its a good thing.... but I don't really have any motivation to work out. Roomie said to look at it as training so that when February comes I'll be in great riding shape. Then she added so that I can ride Romeo training level in the March show... hahaha.... me and Romeo show training level??? I'm not even sure we can do intro at the March show. I told her I was aiming for May. Now JB and I could do training level in March. Romeo and I are still working on flexing and rhythm. We still have a long way to go, especially if we are unable to ride very much over the next 2-3 months.

So, tomorrow begins the 30 day challenge. She knows the only way to get me to do this is to appeal to my competitive side. 

It's not a huge challenge... we only have to do something for 20 minutes. It can be riding, walking, or an exercise video. The goal is to make it a point to exercise everyday, then come January we will get more specific. My guess is trainer man is making us a workout schedule./-:

I love winter and cold weather but I am ready for it to not be so wet. Although I will take wet over horridly-hot-as-hell weather any day!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Yes I am still riding, just not writing lately

Sooooo.... I have been a terrible blogger over here. Not so terrible on my other blog but non-existent over here.

Sorry!!

So much to tell...... so little time.

I have been riding my roomies horse JB for the last month. Pretty much stopped riding mine. A much needed break and training time.

My roommate is an excellent teacher and JB is a terrific school master. He has been helping me develop my seat which was terrible. Also working on my hard hands learning not to ride with them.

It's amazing what happens when you have a good teacher... one is seeks to find the source of the problem not just fix all the results of that problem. I have taken lessons forever and it has very much puzzled me why my seat was so bad and how come I was riding so terribly. After weeks of teaching me and many conversations roomie and I have come to some conclusions.

First is that the trainer I have been riding with since I was little had evolved a whole lot in the lst few years (years I have not been taking lessons). When I was taking lessons as child they were a jumper barn turning dressage so the type of seat they were teaching was much different.

2nd is that unfortunately the trainers I have had always addressed my hard hands but never my seat. They did several adjustments with my leg placement to try to "fix" my hands when all this time it has been a seat issue. Thankfully my roommate has different training and is very "seat aware" she knew the first place to go was to my seat. And guess what??? I know have quieter hands and quieter legs!!! Who knew!!!!

What frustrates me is that it has taken this long to find someone who was knowledgeable and willing to find the route of the issue.

I have always had the drive to ride and compete in the sport of dressage but have always been written off as a hard rider... no natural ability.... there's no way she can learn this.

It hurts to here that these things that were said because I am a very teachable person who has always taken riding and caring for my horses seriously.

My roommate is also confused by these things because it hasn't been very long since she started teaching me.... and folks she has spent 2 evenings in that last 2 months giving me pointers (not lessons). She will tell you and tells me often that my improvement is outstanding!!! I take what she says and think on it and work on it till I get my brain and my body to do it.

My seat is sooooooo much better and I feel so much more secure on a horse. I have seen such an improvement in the way my own 2 horses respond too.

I can't wait to see where Romeo and I are come spring and can't wait to get in that show ring and prove to everyone that I have what it takes... and a stinking awesome horse to boot!!!!!