Ugh, I can't seem to remember to write anything here on a regular basis, so guess it will have to be when I find the brain cells to remember.
Been fairly quiet around here lately, went with Sabrina and Lily to look at a horse last weekend. He was a bit on the underweight side, bay Arab gelding. A good size for Lily and Sabrina. The young lady who was riding him got him to hot too fast and he ended up tying up. He was hurting so badly but was a brave little guy. Didn't so much as react badly when I massaged his hip/stifle area. We talked about it and while we really wanted to just get him out of the situation he is in, there is no way to know for sure that he will still be suitable for Lily after he has gotten fattened up and muscled, he may turn out to be a lunatic. There is time and we have several more to look at over the next couple of weekends.
I took Charmer out to Harmony Grove Farm yesterday. Marilyn was supposed to go with me but she had tripped over hay strings the night before and bruised her hip. We got there and unloaded, walked around a bit and then went to tack up. All good so far, I put him in the round pen for a few moments, just to see if there was going to be any freaky moment. All good. Got on and he started with the spooks which makes me start to tense and hyperventilate. It takes about 20 minutes for both of us to relax, for his ears to start coming to back to me. Did a little trotting because by this time he was hot and sweaty. 30 minutes total, not too bad. Going to head back out in the next couple of weeks just to get more comfortable. Want to take him to a couple of other places as well over the next few months. Need to get him and me settled so that we can show again. Hoping to be able to show some this spring and summer but unless I find a real job that pays I won't be able to do much.
I joined a weight loss challenge, I weighed today as an official part of the challenge. Let's just say it was NOT pretty. I have to do something about this weight, I am going to be more diligent about eating better and walking more. I need to find a strength training method that will work with no gym. I think there might be something on youtube or sparkpeople. You can find all sorts of thing on both of those websites. My goal is to lose 15 pounds between now and the end of the challenge, which is April 15th. That is 2 1/2 months, should be doable if I make and stick with a plan. I wish that I could find some folks to walk with, would make it so much easier to be motivated. I need to just suck it up though, there is a woman that walks with her husband along the road near the barn. If she can do it alone in the rain then I need to quit bitching about it. Just do it!!!!!
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Friday, January 11, 2013
11 Jan. 2013
I rode my pony today, there was no one at the barn so I had to text Mom to let her know. He was a bit snarky at first, took about 15 minutes to warm up and get working. Once I got him thinking he was better but we still have a ways to go. It is still taking too much work to get him going. I sometimes think that he is just a squeeze away from blowing up. I hope not cause it will not be pretty, I will come off.
Once I got him going, we were doing really well, working on moving forward. Lots of transitions, circles, changes of direction, it really helps to get his mind on working with me. I am so close to getting a canter, I think that he is going to give it to me occasionally, especially after a halt/trot transition, it feels like if I asked for it he would give it to me. I am just too scared to ask, hoping Marilyn will be up to getting on him tomorrow or the next day. I wish I could do it.
The 4H Horse Club fun day is coming right along, got a couple of confirmed presentations and supplies coming. Should be fun. Going to get the kids involved in setting this up and running it.
Once I got him going, we were doing really well, working on moving forward. Lots of transitions, circles, changes of direction, it really helps to get his mind on working with me. I am so close to getting a canter, I think that he is going to give it to me occasionally, especially after a halt/trot transition, it feels like if I asked for it he would give it to me. I am just too scared to ask, hoping Marilyn will be up to getting on him tomorrow or the next day. I wish I could do it.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
9 Jan. 2013
It has been a few days since I have updated....not much has happened thankfully.
I rode Sat, had a really good ride with everyone at the barn. The arena was full, 6 horse total. Charmer couldn't decide who to look at. Finally got it together and started paying attention to me. We joined the lesson that was going on. Exercise of the day was a figure 8, walk it then trot it. I liked it so much that I have been adding it to our work. I got forward movement, there was still cranky paint but it was better. Today's ride was wonderful. More forward than cranky today. Worked on the sitting trot, I always transition down in a sitting position and hadn't worked on him continuing through until today. He kept asking now stop, what about now, now, now? Did really well, getting so much more connected. I was even so comfortable that at the end I was leaning on him with my arms crossed over his withers. At one point I reached up and was scratching his ears.
I TRUST MY HORSE. And I love him so very much.
The 4H Horse Club is an experience, it is fun. I am enjoying learning how the organization works in Carroll County, horses are a distant second to the cows. That is something that will never change so we are going to have to work around it rather than try to take it head on. I am having a problem with one of the parents, her and her daughter are unsociable and rude. They are just there because in order to show at the state show they kids have to participate in the club activities. This is a new rule this year, they do not like it at all. Too bad so sad, only problem is they are making it difficult to do anything productive in the meetings because they want to protest and drag out everything. Oh well, we will deal with them as best we can and do our thing.
Richard A. G Watson will be back at the end of Feb. I wasn't going to be able to ride since I do not have a job. I told Penny (the organizer/supporter) this and she said that was not acceptable. I am now going to have to work for her to earn it. I do not mind one bit, I am just so excited about being able to ride with him again. I hope to show him how much we have improved and am hoping he can help get me over the cantering roadblock. It is totally my block but I am not sure the best way to crush it.
I rode Sat, had a really good ride with everyone at the barn. The arena was full, 6 horse total. Charmer couldn't decide who to look at. Finally got it together and started paying attention to me. We joined the lesson that was going on. Exercise of the day was a figure 8, walk it then trot it. I liked it so much that I have been adding it to our work. I got forward movement, there was still cranky paint but it was better. Today's ride was wonderful. More forward than cranky today. Worked on the sitting trot, I always transition down in a sitting position and hadn't worked on him continuing through until today. He kept asking now stop, what about now, now, now? Did really well, getting so much more connected. I was even so comfortable that at the end I was leaning on him with my arms crossed over his withers. At one point I reached up and was scratching his ears.
I TRUST MY HORSE. And I love him so very much.
The 4H Horse Club is an experience, it is fun. I am enjoying learning how the organization works in Carroll County, horses are a distant second to the cows. That is something that will never change so we are going to have to work around it rather than try to take it head on. I am having a problem with one of the parents, her and her daughter are unsociable and rude. They are just there because in order to show at the state show they kids have to participate in the club activities. This is a new rule this year, they do not like it at all. Too bad so sad, only problem is they are making it difficult to do anything productive in the meetings because they want to protest and drag out everything. Oh well, we will deal with them as best we can and do our thing.
Richard A. G Watson will be back at the end of Feb. I wasn't going to be able to ride since I do not have a job. I told Penny (the organizer/supporter) this and she said that was not acceptable. I am now going to have to work for her to earn it. I do not mind one bit, I am just so excited about being able to ride with him again. I hope to show him how much we have improved and am hoping he can help get me over the cantering roadblock. It is totally my block but I am not sure the best way to crush it.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
2 Jan. 2013
There is a post going around facebook about putting one good thing in a jar and looking at it at the end of the year, I am going to write a blog post everyday instead. Or at least a couple times a week. My good thing for today is that I got to ride.
I got to ride today, it was cold and cloudy but not windy. I let Charmer zip around the arena for a few minutes to let off some steam. I took a dressage whip with me but figured that I wouldn't need it since it was cold and he would be forward. It turns out I should have taken it. He was a lug, ears perked at everything but what I wanted him to do, the dogs were going to eat him. We walked for about 10 minutes to get good and warmed up then started trotting. He was such a jerk, wouldn't keep trotting, would stop mid-stride which puts me off balance. Need to get stronger abs. I couldn't seem to get balanced with him, I just felt off. Once I got warmed up I felt better. Not sure if it is due to not wearing my tall boots or what. My saddle is pitching me forward, going to have to figure out how to fix it. There is no way that I can afford to buy a County, as much as I want one it is just not going to happen.
I got a response about the archives certificate program at East TN college, I am going to apply for it. Hopefully will be able to start in the summer. That would only be a few months of no learning. I think that I could do that, I can always read.
I got to ride today, it was cold and cloudy but not windy. I let Charmer zip around the arena for a few minutes to let off some steam. I took a dressage whip with me but figured that I wouldn't need it since it was cold and he would be forward. It turns out I should have taken it. He was a lug, ears perked at everything but what I wanted him to do, the dogs were going to eat him. We walked for about 10 minutes to get good and warmed up then started trotting. He was such a jerk, wouldn't keep trotting, would stop mid-stride which puts me off balance. Need to get stronger abs. I couldn't seem to get balanced with him, I just felt off. Once I got warmed up I felt better. Not sure if it is due to not wearing my tall boots or what. My saddle is pitching me forward, going to have to figure out how to fix it. There is no way that I can afford to buy a County, as much as I want one it is just not going to happen.
I got a response about the archives certificate program at East TN college, I am going to apply for it. Hopefully will be able to start in the summer. That would only be a few months of no learning. I think that I could do that, I can always read.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
A New Year, A New Me....
hopefully anyway. I am going to do my best to make some changes for the better. I wish to make changes that reflect the kind of person I am and who I want to become. Living in my parents house at almost 40 was not what I had in mind as a child. It can't be helped at the moment due to circumstances. It isn't terrible, just an adjustment on all our parts.
My first wish is to become fitter so that I am a better partner for my Charmer. By changing how I eat, eating smaller portions and better types of food I will become healthier. Starting small is going to be the only way to manage it. I have to be able to sustain the changes alone, changes to how and what I eat are going to be easiest at first. I have no one to workout with which is going to be my biggest problem. I downloaded a couple of aps to my cell phone to help keep track, will see how they work. I wish that I could afford to join a gym so that I would have a place to go to work out, makes it more of a concrete item on the schedule if I have to go somewhere. I could also possibly find someone to work out with, to keep me accountable in person. Sparkpeople is really good but having someone within touching distance would be so much more helpful to keeping me on track.
My second wish is to show Charmer this year, several schooling shows and then a rated show in September. There is a rated show at Poplar the weekend of my birthday. I will not show there unless we are going at least training level, preferably first level. I also wish to go to a couple of lessons/clinics with Richard. I really want to improve and he is so wonderful.
Those are my only goals for the year, I think that is plenty. I will write it all down and post it near the door so that I can see it every time I come and go. I have to break it down into smaller workable goals, a plan so that I leave little to chance. A plan so that I have a road to follow.
My first wish is to become fitter so that I am a better partner for my Charmer. By changing how I eat, eating smaller portions and better types of food I will become healthier. Starting small is going to be the only way to manage it. I have to be able to sustain the changes alone, changes to how and what I eat are going to be easiest at first. I have no one to workout with which is going to be my biggest problem. I downloaded a couple of aps to my cell phone to help keep track, will see how they work. I wish that I could afford to join a gym so that I would have a place to go to work out, makes it more of a concrete item on the schedule if I have to go somewhere. I could also possibly find someone to work out with, to keep me accountable in person. Sparkpeople is really good but having someone within touching distance would be so much more helpful to keeping me on track.
My second wish is to show Charmer this year, several schooling shows and then a rated show in September. There is a rated show at Poplar the weekend of my birthday. I will not show there unless we are going at least training level, preferably first level. I also wish to go to a couple of lessons/clinics with Richard. I really want to improve and he is so wonderful.
Those are my only goals for the year, I think that is plenty. I will write it all down and post it near the door so that I can see it every time I come and go. I have to break it down into smaller workable goals, a plan so that I leave little to chance. A plan so that I have a road to follow.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Oh the changes that have been made over the last few weeks. Some good and some better.
I have moved back home with my parents, not exactly where I wanted to be when I was almost 40 yrs old but it can't be helped at this point. I have been living at the barn for a year and a half, it was good the first few months but as they started being more dependent on me to do all the chores it got stressful. What with trying to graduate with my BS in anthropology and work in addition to all the barn stuff and lessons I was a stressed out crabby bitch. I never got to ride, which is tragic. My horse had most of the last 2 years off. He has enjoyed it, I did not.
I decided that I had to start riding again, it makes me happy. Well, my horse has other ideas about being put back to work. In fact he was told me in no uncertain terms that working sucks. I started taking lessons with my previous trainer. Things were going pretty well. I decided to go to a clinic with a fancy trainer at a local barn. Not sure what possessed me to do it though, had no real business going at the level we are currently at. We went anyway, he was a LUNATIC on the Friday night before my first lesson. Running, bucking and rearing, so big and high that I had never seen him do. Didn't realize that he could get that bulk up off the ground like that.
My goal for the first lesson was to just get on and walk around the arena without throwing up on my horse or the trainer. It was close there for a bit but the trainer, Richard A. G. Watson, was great, put me at ease as best he could given my nerves/fears. He even had us trotting by the end of it. I was thrilled, we did not learn anything new but by getting on and walking around and then trotting I won the lotto. Every time I went around the corner at one end of the arena I could hear all the railbirds telling me to breathe. They all had my back and were pulling for me. I had not felt that much support in a very long time, it never occurred at the old barn.
I am happy with the move, Charmer has a girlfriend in a little Welsh pony mare named Maggie. She is a fine little mare. I have "free" time, with only feeding one horse I have time to get school work done, hopefully this will allow me to be able to pass this semester. As a provisional student I have to make B's in all my classes. I think that it will take a miracle of epic proportions to pass my Civil War class. I am going to attempt it but I may have to research other opportunities in getting a higher education.
I have moved back home with my parents, not exactly where I wanted to be when I was almost 40 yrs old but it can't be helped at this point. I have been living at the barn for a year and a half, it was good the first few months but as they started being more dependent on me to do all the chores it got stressful. What with trying to graduate with my BS in anthropology and work in addition to all the barn stuff and lessons I was a stressed out crabby bitch. I never got to ride, which is tragic. My horse had most of the last 2 years off. He has enjoyed it, I did not.
I decided that I had to start riding again, it makes me happy. Well, my horse has other ideas about being put back to work. In fact he was told me in no uncertain terms that working sucks. I started taking lessons with my previous trainer. Things were going pretty well. I decided to go to a clinic with a fancy trainer at a local barn. Not sure what possessed me to do it though, had no real business going at the level we are currently at. We went anyway, he was a LUNATIC on the Friday night before my first lesson. Running, bucking and rearing, so big and high that I had never seen him do. Didn't realize that he could get that bulk up off the ground like that.
My goal for the first lesson was to just get on and walk around the arena without throwing up on my horse or the trainer. It was close there for a bit but the trainer, Richard A. G. Watson, was great, put me at ease as best he could given my nerves/fears. He even had us trotting by the end of it. I was thrilled, we did not learn anything new but by getting on and walking around and then trotting I won the lotto. Every time I went around the corner at one end of the arena I could hear all the railbirds telling me to breathe. They all had my back and were pulling for me. I had not felt that much support in a very long time, it never occurred at the old barn.
I am happy with the move, Charmer has a girlfriend in a little Welsh pony mare named Maggie. She is a fine little mare. I have "free" time, with only feeding one horse I have time to get school work done, hopefully this will allow me to be able to pass this semester. As a provisional student I have to make B's in all my classes. I think that it will take a miracle of epic proportions to pass my Civil War class. I am going to attempt it but I may have to research other opportunities in getting a higher education.
Friday, April 6, 2012
7 April 2012
It is amazing how time flies, hadn't realized how long it had been since I last posted anything here. Too sleepy to post much right now but will at least get a start on the adventures over the last year.
I lost Buggs in Jan this year, the second worst day of my life. He coliced so badly, was in so much pain that he couldn't walk. Finally got the vet to come out (had to call a new vet, my regular vet would not call back), he gave him a little sedative and put a tube down his nose for fluids. Buggs walked about 10 feet and collapsed. I could not let him suffer any more, I made the only choice that was possible. I had to take the best care of my love and that meant I had to let him go. I cried for several days, it has gotten better, only cry when I have to verbally tell someone what happened. If I think about it too hard then I want to cry.
Charmer is huge, grown to 17.2, turned 8 in March. Has had most of the last 2 years off, with me back in school it has just been too hard to find time to ride. I started him back in Jan, got him ready to show and we went to Poplar in Jan. Never even got into the arena, he spooked in the warm up and tossed me to the ground. Ended up with a slight concussion, was not feeling up to getting back on. Which was a bad thing, because now I am a little nervous about riding him. I have started him back with lunging and riding when I can. He is not retired darn it, he is a young horse and is going to be my grand prix horse if I can just get back to riding and get over the canter depart issues.
The end is near for school, got 2 weeks left. I am ready to get done but also not ready, feels weird to not be registering for classes. I hope to go to grad school next semester, need to get all the required paperwork into the school. Dr. McCleary told Andy to tell me that I needed to get my application in.
Ok, thats it for now, off to bed, have to feed in the morning (actually it is morning already but need to sleep).
I lost Buggs in Jan this year, the second worst day of my life. He coliced so badly, was in so much pain that he couldn't walk. Finally got the vet to come out (had to call a new vet, my regular vet would not call back), he gave him a little sedative and put a tube down his nose for fluids. Buggs walked about 10 feet and collapsed. I could not let him suffer any more, I made the only choice that was possible. I had to take the best care of my love and that meant I had to let him go. I cried for several days, it has gotten better, only cry when I have to verbally tell someone what happened. If I think about it too hard then I want to cry.
Charmer is huge, grown to 17.2, turned 8 in March. Has had most of the last 2 years off, with me back in school it has just been too hard to find time to ride. I started him back in Jan, got him ready to show and we went to Poplar in Jan. Never even got into the arena, he spooked in the warm up and tossed me to the ground. Ended up with a slight concussion, was not feeling up to getting back on. Which was a bad thing, because now I am a little nervous about riding him. I have started him back with lunging and riding when I can. He is not retired darn it, he is a young horse and is going to be my grand prix horse if I can just get back to riding and get over the canter depart issues.
The end is near for school, got 2 weeks left. I am ready to get done but also not ready, feels weird to not be registering for classes. I hope to go to grad school next semester, need to get all the required paperwork into the school. Dr. McCleary told Andy to tell me that I needed to get my application in.
Ok, thats it for now, off to bed, have to feed in the morning (actually it is morning already but need to sleep).
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)