My apologies for the blog silence this week, but for some reason my motivation to ride took a serious nosedive and I'm not sure why. I guess I feel a little stuck and don't feel like I'm improving which is totally ridiculous. Of course I can't improve if i don't ride! /end rant at self for stupidity.
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| Watching over me as i had a sit down |
I am hoping I can organise a week off work in either October or November (more likely) for lesson bootcamp if the new trainer can take me for two lessons a day & ride each girl once with tuition for a whole week...we'll a working week, so 5 days.
In the mean time I hope to be able to schedule a lesson every two weeks so that I (a) have something to look forward to & (b) have something to work on & (c) someone to hold me accountable.
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| My extra curricular activities |
I only got back into the saddle Friday evening after Mondays adventures and rode Nancy last night. We worked on walk & trot, but i think i only managed to confuse and annoy her as she curled in on herself - so i worked hard today not to harass her and was rewarded with no curling & a fab spin on a lovely adjustable pony. Now if only I knew what exactly it is that I am doing wrong & what i did differently today - maybe I could get somewhere more conducive to riding better.
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Little Miss Innocent swears she doesn't know where scabs on her neck came from ...
I knew all along, she is such a Scallywag with her patented butter-wouldn't-melt look |
Kika and i got reacquainted saddle wise today and she was super. All three of us were well sweaty after our adventures so both girls got hosed off and by consequence i got nicely (*sarcasm*) refreshed also. Turned them both out and snapped the photos accompanying this post as i got to work on my equine extra curricular activity ;-)
My "baby" sister is back until Wednesday so hopefully we can coordinate a couple of outings so she can get some media of me in the tack so that I can see what other nasty habits i need to work on ☺
Love that first picture. Makes me giggle.
ReplyDeleteMe too, I was just sitting by the gate having a drink break mid-poo-picking and she came over to snuffle at me - she is such a sweetheart.
DeleteKika also came over but wasn't overly impressed that I'd no treats for her...You can see what she did from last photos ;-)
I lose my motivation sometimes too. Sometimes our brains/bodies need a break! Don't beat yourself up :)
ReplyDeleteThanks KR, good advice shall try to keep it in mind.
DeleteLittle tidbit here: Try to pick one or two things to work on each ride. Like shoulders back and forward trot, or steady/strong/giving hands and eyes up, etc. I think the horses can feel when we get flustered by thinking of ALL THE THINGS and then they get flustered. So start with just one or two items on the mind and if one feels really solid then shelf that thought and pick one new thing to think about. Often if we can to a couple things really well the horse will meet us half way and do some of their things really well. Fingers crossed for a week of lessons, how fun that would be!
ReplyDeleteThat's a very good tidbit, thanks lady! Shall try to deploy those tactics today ☺
DeleteSometimes you just need a mini break to find that motivation again. I take them and refuse to feel guilty about it :) Glad you had a good ride!
ReplyDeleteI like your style T ☺
DeleteI feel considerably less guilty about it when my girls get turnout teehee
Hey, if nothing else each ride counts for increased endurance right? See, you are improving every ride. ;-)
ReplyDeleteLove a good sunny-side-up-silver-lining ☺☺
DeleteThanks Jess *hugs*
It's really easy to get frustrated and lose motivation without a trainer around, I can totally relate. I think that you are really on track with the lessons every two weeks to help with the daily riding. I don't know if this will help or not, but when I lose motivation, I read a lot of training books or watch videos. It helps give me ideas of things that I want to try and something to get excited about aiming towards :)
ReplyDeleteI have been meaning to dig out my 101 schooling tips and keep forgetting. Thanks for the reminder ☺
Deletethat lesson 'boot camp' idea sounds really awesome - hope it works out for you. i'm a bit lost without regular lessons too - they help me figure out what to work on, but also help me understand that setbacks and plateaus can just happen - they're not necessarily the rider's fault. good luck!
ReplyDeleteThat last point of yours is so true and one that i often forget - thanks for the good wishes. Hopefully i can find the funds to make it work...Birthday/Christmas gifts to myself perhaps
DeleteI hope your lesson boot camp scheduling works out! What a great idea :)
ReplyDeleteThanks i hope so too!
DeleteFingers crossed
Definitely don't be too hard on yourself and hoping you are able to get the lesson boot camp you want!@
ReplyDeleteI gotta be hard on me or we'll just end up putzing about for another 12 months. Sadly none of us are getting any younger - fingers crossed we can start getting better ☺
Deletebutter-wouldn't-melt is such a lovely britishism. (and the editor in me loves that you hyphenated it appropriately!)
ReplyDeleteIs that not a saying Stateside?
DeleteMad what gets lost in culture chiasm ;-)
I feel you on the no motivation thing!! I hope yours comes back quickly.
ReplyDeleteSlowly getting there, I hope yours picks up too ☺
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