Truthful Tuesday

 

Soooo... I had the opportunity this weekend to clinic with Nona Garson at the winter barn, and... I didn't take the opportunity. For one thing, I don't really have the cash in the budget at the moment. But also, I just didn't feel like we were in a place to really get the most out of it. If I were to ride in a session, I would have liked to do Al. But we weren't sure what the weather was going to do, and likely we'd have been riding indoors. You all know by now how things are with Al in the indoor... Not ideal. On the one hand, I might have gotten some new tips and tricks to deal with his behavior. But on the other hand, I might have wound up being THAT girl in my group. I don't ever want to be the one that takes up all the time because her horse is being difficult. As it turned out, what would have been my section did get to ride outdoors on Sunday. So I did have some mild fomo. I was able to audit that class though, so it wasn't a total loss of education. 

Could I have ridden either of the other two horses instead? Yes, I could have. Eros has very strong opinions about lengthy lessons however, and truthfully, the fun would have been all used up after the first half hour. And I haven't been jumping Shiny all that much lately, so I felt it would have been longer than is fair to her (classes were just about 2 hours long). And if I'm being honest, I have to be more careful with where my money goes, and I just didn't really want to spend that much to lesson anyone but Al. That's where the funds need to be directed at the moment. 

So that's my confession. I chose not to take advantage of a great opportunity because I decided instead to be financially responsible. I did the adulting. How boring.

Truthful Tuesday

 

Being a sentient human is so weird, isn't it? On the one hand, lately I've been feeling a little unsettled. Like I could use a break from the same old thing every day, ya know? But on the other hand, when the opportunity arises to do something else (for example, go visit my dad in Florida for a week) I feel like it's too much to deal with to get the horses and doggos situated and I'd rather just not. Like, pick one human! Do you want a break from the everyday or not? Sheesh. 

It's the same with the prospect of showing for me right now. Like yes! I am DYING to go do the thing. But all the unknowns (and my somewhat empty wallet) keep me from committing to anything. Like which horse would I take? Will I have the help I need? WHAT WILL HAPPEN?! I haven't ever taken any of my horses anywhere other than the boarding barn and my house. So I have NO idea what to expect from them. Probably I should just take Shiny to the first one. She's pretty much always the same pony and is generally pretty well behaved. Save for the kicking out in the canter transition... But I'm prepared for that nonsense. I almost feel like I need my own personal trainer for the first outing. And maybe a therapist too... Ha! I mean that couldn't hurt. 

So yeah. That's today's confession. I'm both tired of the same old, and also a bit of a deer in headlights when it comes to doing something about that. Any of you ever feel this way? What did you do to handle it? I think for me, I just need to DO the thing. Perhaps it's time to make some lists, get organized, and pick something to do! (And also get some braiding work so I can pay for said thing.)

Truthful Tuesday

 

Meh. Guys. I hate this time of year. It's been cold, windy, and either overcast or raining for the last I don't know how many days. It hasn't gotten into the 60's for days either. So it's the worst possible time to have a an empty trust bank. 

So that's today's confession. That silly little unplanned dismount the other day has gotten into my head.

Some might suggest I should stop watching the video on repeat, but like... it's a great video! My viewings are 100% pure entertainment, I promise. I mean, you guys saw it last week. It's gold!

What's frustrating is that it wasn't a big deal. Al spooked and I didn't. I didn't get hurt. (Though I have a very nice bruise on my right ass cheek.) It wasn't a thing at all. I know why it happened mostly. But for whatever reason, it completely emptied my trust bank with Al. 

He's always been a spooky horse, but he's always taken me with him. That's the first time he spat me out. And I generally like to think I'm a pretty good clinger, but that happened so fast, by the time I realized what was going on it was too late to save it. He's been spooking at that entire long side since the weather changed. 

But I'm not one to let these things get the better of me. We're working through it as best we can given the crappy weather conditions. Am I riding in draw reins? Yep, sure am. Listen, I think sometimes you need to do what you need to do to be safe. And if draw reins can help prevent the spin, then that's what I'm going to use until I can trust that Al's head is screwed back on straight. They had the weekend off due to weather (really starting to miss that indoor ring at the boarding barn!) but yesterday, he was an angel. Despite the crazy wind, cold temps, and two days off. We used only 3/4 of the ring. And I had draw reins on. Not tight. Just tight enough that I could catch him if he tried to spin. He really only thought about it once. Which is pretty par for the course with Al. (That's the Jamp in him.) So I'm hopeful we're back on the right track. It's currently pouring rain here, and should be wet all the way through tomorrow. So not sure how much riding we'll get done. I don't mind riding in the rain when it's warm out. But when it's cold.... Meh. Not so much. 

I'm also really lucky to have Eros and Shiny to help me get my confidence back. Shiny hardly ever spooks, and Eros USUALLY warns me well ahead of time if he's feeling spinny. 

I know most of you have been here. What are you best tips for getting through these rough patches?

Truthful Tuesday

 

Phew. After last weeks turmoil, I'm reluctant to admit anything anymore... But this is my space to talk about my experiences and feelings so fear not! Truthful Tuesday is here to stay. Today though, I am going to use this space to share my background again. I think it's only fair that my new readers learn a little about me, and perhaps why I think and do the things I do. This is an abridged version. There were lots of horses and rides that happened amongst what I'll talk about today. But these were the highlights.

I'm 41 years old. I've seen and done a fair amount. As a kid, our family business was in its fledgling years and I started in horses on the lower end of the spectrum. I took lessons for a couple of years, then leased a lesson horse for a summer. 

Bear With It and 8 year old me in a school horse show

After that summer, a family friend had a horse for care lease available, and so I leased that horse for a year. 

Hershel, with my at 9 in Maiden Fences

After that year, I got my own horse. 

Comedy Act and 10 year old me in the Children's Hunters

He was a four figure older horse, who taught me a ton, and was the cutest thing ever. I only had him a year, as he was an amazing teacher and we were both ready to move on. And that's when I got my first green horse. 

Just Humour Me and 11 year old me doing a jumper class
for extra ring time. He was coming five here.

We had a tough first year learning together, with lots of ups and downs. But by the end of that year, we really had our poo together and were winning champion or reserve pretty much every time we showed. (Mostly thanks to my horse, I know where the credit goes.) He turned into an AMAZING hunter. He showed up through the 4' division with pros like Leslie Howard and Molly Ashe-Cawley. They only rode him at the shows though. Most of his training I did myself, with help when needed along the way. And of course with good eyes on the ground to help me. No one does anything alone in the horse world. Together, Just Humour Me and I managed to qualify for indoors five years in a row and even went to Devon in 1997. 

Just Humour Me and 14 year old me at Harrisburg
in the 3'6" Junior Hunters

Just Humour Me and 17 year old me at Devon in
the 3'6" Junior Hunters

We always had to manage Bud (aka Just Humour Me) carefully as he was prone to colic episodes. Back then we didn't know as much about horse's tummies and we never knew we should scope him to see what was going on. I took Bud with me to college in 1998, and sadly that October I lost him to what we thought was colic, but turned out to be an enterolith that had caused an impaction. I kept pushing on though!

I got my jumper Cosmo that following spring. I had shown the jumpers with a really incredible little mare the summer before I went to college, but Cosmo was the first jumper I owned. We spent a year in the high adults before moving up to the low A/O's.

Cosmo with a 20 year old me in the low A/O jumpers

Cosmo was the toughest horse to ride that I've ever had. He was very honest and would jump fire, but he might jump it with his legs hanging down. We didn't have a lot of clean rounds, but I learned a lot from him. After college, he was having some soundness trouble. We tried and tried to troubleshoot it, but at the end of the day, he needed to step down. So that's when Ontario (Rio) came into my life. 

Ontario with a 20 something year old me in the low A/O's. 
(I'm not sure what year this was.)

Rio and I were successful in the jumper ring, winning some decent classes at the 1.30 height eventually. We also dabbled in some hunter and equitation classes. He was a winner in every one of those rings. Even finishing in second place at our local medal final one year! 

After Rio, I continued riding and showing with Jampy. We did the high adults for a year, but needed a reset and started showing in the hunters and equitation instead. Jamp excelled in the equitation ring, and so that's where we stayed. And then he got older and eventually my riding time was less and less as I cared for my older horses. I've been trying for six years now to get back to the show ring. Along the way, I've gotten pretty rusty, and am not really the rider I was back then. I hope to be again, but it's hard to get an older body and mind to do the things they did when they were young. The more practice I get though, the more it's coming back! And just because I'm not in the same place physically, I still have all the knowledge that came with me on this journey. 

Aside from my time in the saddle, I have plenty of equine experience on the ground too. I worked in the equine industry as a groom and braider in college. After college I was a barn manager at a stable that housed 64 horses. 44 of them were donated school horse, so there was a lot to manage health and soundness wise. When I left that job, I decided being an equine professional was not something I wanted to pursue. I certainly could have been at that point in my life. I was riding the best I ever had and as many as 10 horses a day (but usually 4-6). Instead, I opted to join the family business and keep myself in the amateur rings. 

And so here I am. I bring with me all these years of experiences. The successes and failures. I know what works for me and what doesn't. I know when I need help. I know I can't do everything myself, and that I'm not a horse trainer by trade. But I'm not one to blindly do what I'm told if I don't think it's right or it's not working for my horse and I in the moment. That doesn't mean I think what I'm told is wrong. It's just not the right thing in that moment in time. And that's perfectly okay.