We've been at the boarding barn for a week already. It's been nice seeing all my friends there and mostly everyone has been really welcoming. Which is so nice. Of course there's always the inevitable "you're not good enough" digs from certain people... But whatever. I'm choosing to ignore that stuff this year. I know what I've accomplished with horses. I know what I'm capable of. Don't need anyone else's approval.
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| Why, yes, I DID qualify for and show at Devon with my junior hunter. And also yes, he was an appendix quarter horse in a field of warmbloods. |
I'm really excited for my first lessons tomorrow! I'm doing an 8:30 with Shiny and then a 9:00 with Eros. Which will be a little tight, but I'm riding with the lady who mostly teaches the little kids and she has a break after my two lessons, so she was okay if we ran over time a little. (Obviously it takes a few minutes to pull tack off Shiny and tack up Eros.) I LOVE riding with this trainer. I've known her since I was a little kid, and she's actually semi responsible for me taking in Ducky all those years ago. (I've forgiven her for that... Lol! KIDDING!) I have several things I like about riding with her. She's known me all those years, so she knows that I can ride. She's not looking to change everything about me and my horses, but rather offers helpful advice for how to make things better. Unless I'm doing something horribly incorrectly, I'm not looking to be made over at this point in my riding. I've had wonderful trainers throughout the years and my basics are relatively solid. It's my confidence that needs support. And she's great about that. She also listens to what I have to say about what I think I'm feeling and works with me in that way too. So yeah. I'm excited!
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| Ready for more of this! |
Things have been going just fine with everyone so far. We had beautiful weather this weekend and got to enjoy the enormous outdoor ring. They all are feeling pretty great. We didn't jump at all last week. I wanted them to settle in and get used to the change in footing. Better to ease into things in my opinion. Al had a flat training ride today. He had his feet trimmed and the rest of his shoes pulled this weekend, and he's adjusting well to the barefoot life. The quarter crack is dormant for the time being. Not bleeding and he feels pretty sound. So fingers crossed it will grow itself out! My ride on him yesterday was his most relaxed in quite some time. We'll see what we have tomorrow. The trainer here is big on horses moving VERY forward ALL OF THE TIME so he may be a little edgy tomorrow after his ride today. It's not a bad thing for him to have that ride now and then as he can get sticky off my leg. I like a nice medium pace for general flat work, but do expect them to move off my leg when asked. Work in progress with Al. I'll probably start lessoning with him next week. I just want to ease back into jumping so we don't aggravate the foot.
That's really about it from here this week. Hopefully more to report next week. And maybe a more positive sounding post. I am trying really hard to not get pulled into the negativity this year. WISH ME LUCK! Cause I'll need it.
I’m always surprised about how people need to give digs. It says more about them for sure. I’m looking forward to hearing about your training this winter
ReplyDeleteI think it makes then feel better about themselves to put someone else down. It's not a nice quality in a person!
Deleteso Remus has had a quarter crack as long as I have had him. I do have shoes on his front but it will NEVER GROW OUT so i live with it. :) Good luck on Al's growing out. AND so glad you are getting settled in at the winter barn. Drama is always drama at those kind of barns so ignoring it is best (and so much easier as an adult than a teen hahahah) have fun!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think sometimes they just have to live with it. Which he was doing well all winter, but this summer he was on and off lame on it. Just want to avoid that part at least! But if it hangs around and doesn't bug him... I'd be okay with that too!
DeleteYou're right about the drama. Just a lot of people in one place with a lot of opinions. I'm going to try very hard to keep out of it all. We'll see how it goes!
Omg, I just had a talk about the "you're not good enough" digs with my trainer. One of her other clients is feeling really intimidated by the $$$$ horses in the other trainer's program, and it's been hard convincing her otherwise. No one in A's program thinks that way, which I love, and honestly who gives a crap what other people think.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think it's harder for some people to accept that there will always be people around with more expensive horses. But who cares? My horses were pretty inexpensive compared to most anything at the boarding barn, but you know what? They're just as nice. And my horses don't know what they cost anyway. As long as you have the right horse under you for your needs, it doesn't make a lick of difference. I hope your other boarder can figure out how to accept that. She'll be happier for it!
Deletegood lord, what does "good enough" even mean in the context of .... horses, of all things??? yeesh... so awesome that you have this instructor that you really click with and who is on the same page. honestly that's so hard to find these days...
ReplyDeleteIt's so great! I really do appreciate having options.
DeleteAnd in this case, "good enough" means I ride too slow. Because I don't trot my horse off their feet the entire time I'm on their back. I let them warm up slowly if they want, but they don't like that there. And apparently that's all that is seen. Not the rest of my ride when we trot forward, collect, extend, etc. It's silly. I'm confident in my flat skills, so while it's pretty insulting that someone thinks I'm not good enough, I know it's not true. I wouldn't trust me to school someone else's horse over fences, but I sure as hell can flat one just fine.