Easy Monday

Had a light hack today on Louie. Karley got off earlier so we got to ride and, cool, grain, etc all before it was dark out. Such a nice change. Louie was a good boy. I kept one ear bud in and tried to work on loosening up a bit, letting the reins out a bit, lots of circles and not a ton of posting so I can still survive my lesson tomorrow.

Ok, because I did say I'd post video... for your viewing entertainment, video of my jumping last week. I'd like to think it gets a little better by the end. I am still amazed how different riding over that jump and how it looks from the ground. I can see why my husband doesn't think the jumps look that hard when watching the video. I am also amazed how much air I can get out of the saddle and still stay on, lol.

The sound of music

Just curious what music others listen to while riding. I've started thinking that may help me quite the internal voices a bit and let me relax while riding, but I'm not sure what to listen to. I tend to listen to angry rock or techno/dubstep at the gym, but neither seem well suited to riding.

Hopefully I'll ride Mon, lesson Tues, work Wed-Sun


 and on a non-horsey note:

SF GIANTS World Series Champions!

By dawns early light

Now of course since my little one is sleeping more at night, I am getting insomnia. It actually kind of works well, I can at least get some of the quieter chores done while baby and daddy sleep (although I got quite the confused look this am when my hubby found me up and doing laundry)... back to horses...

Indy  has no problem with the early mornings as long as
 there's no screaming baby involved

Last week- Usually I hack on Mondays with Karley, but since she was sick , I brought my boys and rode pretty much alone in the indoor. It was really nice light workout (which if I had known lesson was canceled Tues I would have done a bit more). Louie listens well undistracted and I worked on not falling apart at transitions. I find I am floppy and stiff at the same time, simply a byproduct of still recovering muscle tone and nerves (whether I admit it to myself or not). I think (hope) as my muscle tone rebuilds I will start to trust myself more and relax (I'm sure much to Louie's delight).

Handsome, albeit fuzzy Louie

Then lesson night was moved to Thursday, which is a hard day for me to make since I work the night shift before and after, making a 6pm lesson push right up against important things like eating before work. It was a cold but clear night so we rode outside. I had been feeling off but got super dizzy while riding, so I was shamefully relieved to feel like I had a valid excuse to not jump. I give so much credit to the ladies I ride with, not everyone will just chin up and jump in late dusk lighting by the light of golf cart headlights with horses cutting out in nearby pastures. I also got the "next time you jump, no more excuses" from my trainer. I knew it was coming, I needed her to demand it.

This week I was super sick from that Thursday night (at work fun, fun) until well, I still feel crappy, but better. I decided not to ride Monday so just had lesson last night. We dragged the jumps up into the indoor and our trainer set up a little jump, but with ground poles  and wings of sorts etc, making me feel like the horses were going to hopscotch up to the jump. The funny thing is, I'm not scared of the jump, its the landing/ lead change after that get me.  I FINALLY put my big girl panties on and timidly made my way into the line up. After Karley and Henry cautiously made their way to and over the jump Louie and I took our turn. I must say he was a bit confused  and I was tense so he let out quite the leap at the end, rocketing me up and off balance. I was all over the place, too far in front of the vertical beforehand, leaving me lurched forward after. I got better after a few jumps (being denied water or stopping until I was told) I was finally able to relax a tiny bit allowing me to sit back. I have some not so spectacular video I will post soon. Louie looks so beautiful, I forget just how great he looks from the ground.

I feel in no way cured, or back to even the very novice level I was before baby, but at least I know I can get bopped all over the place, and I stay up there. (Not saying I can't or might not fall, but that I at least have better control than I thought). I wish others rode tonight, but since they don't will try to get  a fast hack in on Thursday. ... baby steps... baby steps...

In need of a change?

I've been in kind of a funk lately with riding. I lost my desire (resolve?) to jump, and flatting only goes so far when you are constantly feeling like every inch of your frame is out of place. I can feel my muscles returning, which means I will continue to ride better, but I just haven't been 'feeling' it. I still love being around horses, the smell and sounds comfort me, but I drag my feet when going to ride, and only half-heartedly put effort into it. So I have been walking around for the last week or so thinking of the first line of the Shakespeare quote:

"Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this son of York;
And all the clouds that low'r'd upon our house
In the deep bosom of the ocean buried."

It is so misquoted that even in my mind, I was using it wrong. It really is about things beginning to go right, that after a bad time, things are looking up.  Once I spilled my unsettled thoughts to my husband, I felt a little better. I tend to bottle my deeper thoughts and feelings up until I'm all wound up. I always am looking for something else, more school, different car, (window) horse shopping, I guess I should have known that when my current H/J style of riding began to feel tough and a little redundant I would start getting restless. I do miss riding western, and after listening to my coworkers, trying dome cutting or reining sounds like such a fresh change. Not by any means do I think it would necessarily be easier, just different.

Really I think its just growing pains of sorts. I am a mom now, which leads to sleep-deprivation, backache, and guilt. I feel bad leaving my boys to go ride when there is always so much to be done around the house. I also think this crazy weather (really, high 80's in October?!) has me feeling unsettled anyways.  But lets be real, I have no intention of leaving the barn I'm at, and unless I win the lotto and get a horse, I'm gonna stick with what I'm doing right now.

Best laid plans...

I am so ready for fall. I am ready for sweaters and boots, and warm spicy teas. I am not a fan of super cold weather, or rain, but I love early fall, when it cools off, and the first rain makes the world feel just a little more clean.

But alas, mother nature is not ready to give up the blistering heat of summer just yet. It just feels wrong to have hundred degree days in October.


So last week I only rode Monday, and that was just basic hacking in the arena. After that I felt horrible all week, and since I can't afford time off work, I figured I better take it easy (boo).

How our arena felt in this heat

So far this week I just lunged Louie on Monday, no one else was riding while i was there, and it was nasty hot, we both got a fair workout in the round pen, and he got some grooming love and his beloved grain.

Tonight we had a lesson. It was still sticky hot, but at least we had a breeze as the sun set making it livable. Since Louie had already been hacked in the am, I didn't lunge him and hopped right on. He was a little fussy at first, but he's a big puppy dog overall. I didn't jump today.. a million lame reasons.... Got to watch the others all jump well, cool Louie off, and walk Louie back to his home in the near dark. I would love to make it out tomorrow and Thursday, but I don't know if my muscles and family will allow it. Trying to keep my mindset positive (not my strong suit) and just roll with it all.