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| PLZ TO INSERT SNAX IN MOUF |
It's been almost two months since my last show of the season, and I'm still finding myself in a bit of a lull. I thought that maybe I would feel "rested" by this point, but it's been a little tough to get motivated to keep working. I know that I need to be taking advantage of this wonderful fall weather (and not-frozen ground) for as long as possible, and keep up my normal training schedule, but I'm just still feeling a bit tired, and there is so much else going on at this time of year!
Last week we had some sporadic dressage rides and one lunge session in the chambon on Thanksgiving morning. I also discovered that one of the studs on the headpiece of my chambon is missing, and the leather girth loop has a huge tear in it where the rope runs through it. Ugh. I guess that's what I get for buying cheap equipment?
Dino had Friday and Saturday off as I was busy doing normal person things, and I finally climbed back in the saddle on Sunday afternoon.
We went out for a short-lived hack with Windows and his person, during which the humans discussed how we are just not feelin' it in the riding and training department lately. We KNOW we need to keep our horses fit.. but.. getting motivated is hard! Without competitions and lessons to look forward to, I have to admit that it's been a little challenging to find the drive to really work and focus on a goal during my riding time.
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| Unfocused? The answer is obviously to take more selfies. |
Today I made myself suffer through a no-stirrups dressage school, hoping that it would help me slow down and create good things at the walk before moving on to the trot, etc. My brain was still in FULL STEAM AHEAD! mode from the busy workday, and it took me quite a while to stop thinking frantically and creating tension in my body. But happily, by the end of the ride Dino was straight, and soft, and we had some very nice walk and trot work in both directions. It helped that I was relaxed and stretching up through my core, and sitting in such a way that gave him the space to move correctly. The left lead canter has been pretty good lately, too! The right lead is definitely heavier, but Dino has at least been consistently round in the canter, even if he isn't super light. I'm thinking that lots of trot/canter transitions and maybe riding squares at the canter may help us in that department.
What do you do when you have the riding "blahs"?
ugh the blahs... not my favorite! i try to shun those feelings of "well i *should* be doing such and such..." entirely, and just do what i want (or, don't do, as the case may be). hacking out or trails or fun cavaletti exercises or something else that's just brainless and a good time
ReplyDeleteI feel you. I don't have access to an indoor so this time of year, it's like I'm keeping my horse fit just to have a vacation soon. And my horse is AWFUL once the leaves are off the trees. He's quite certain dragons will run out of the woods at any second and light him on fire. Our rides consist of him staring at the woods, me trying to get him to bend in, and the shortest choppiest canter you ever did see. I'm kind of looking forward to our break soon! Of course that will last maybe a week and then I'll be begging for rides from all my friends with indoors.
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Riding blahs are hard. I actually tend to get them in the heat of the summer. I just embrace it as part of the cycle and we do random shit like hack in fields, dress up, take pictures and toodle, in whatever order I feel like on any given day.
ReplyDeleteI don't have time for the riding blahs now!! GAH PANIC DRESSAGE GAH NOOOOOOO.
I get the blahs every winter. Nothing like the dark and the cold to really motivate me to want to stay inside. I haven't experienced it just yet, mostly because the holidays = actually getting lessons and it hasn't really rained much. It's going to be really hard to ride once the rains start and I don't have access to a trainer. My last winter with Rico, I did a clinic at the end of November and that managed to give me a bit of a boost coming into spring.
ReplyDeleteYeah, my trainer is also in FL for the forseeable future, and quite honestly with Christmas coming up I don't have money for lessons right now anyway! So there is no one kicking my ass. Was going to jump with a friend today, but now it's raining. Gonna nap until spring, bye.
DeleteI usually take a week or two off when I get kind of 'blah'. Ponies don't seem to mind, I work on projects around my house, and I come back feeling refreshed!
ReplyDeleteI would love to just take a week off, but Dino loses muscle SO fast, and I know once winter really hits he's going to have several weeks off... so I really need to keep him as fit as possible while I can! :/
DeleteUm, I also have FULL STEAM AHEAD brain. It is hard! But Christmas halters make up for that :)
ReplyDeleteI had some blahs today, and ended up playing around with Murray on the ground and it put me in such a good mood! But yeah, blahs are just a part of the cycle, and sometimes ponies need a break too!
ReplyDeleteSlow Season is right. I think you usually have a good balance of keeping things fun for the both of you, sometimes the blahs are just cyclical.
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