Riding Lesson # 8: MUCH better day!

Thanks so much for the encouragement. I am all about being positive, but sometimes we all get a reality check right? I guess mine just bounced yesterday. It happens to all of us doesn't it?
Today was a better day. I went out and asked Sensei for another lesson this week, not something I can really afford to do very often but I needed a boost and I wanted to know we were moving in the right direction.
I wanted to have him help with some issues with Corrie, he has never seen me ride Corrie. She, of course, was on her best behavior. I was almost begging her to do some of the behaviors that we have been struggling with, not that we were perfect and Sensei found some key points we need to work on, well I have to work on. Which I honestly think is a positive reflection on the bond we are forming and improvements we are making. Both of us are getting in better shape. I still feel a bit uncoordinated and so does Corrie at times.

I mean looks at her, she is a bit of a hippo right now. lol

I really have a lot of you to thank. Your blogs have encouraged me and opened my mind to new ideas. You guys have shown me all the fun riding is which was really motivation to get back at it, I have lived vicariously though so many of your blogs. Not to mention all the positive and encouraging comments. Thanks guys!

Trotting

Last Thursday I had another riding day. I rode Drew again. Good horse, man I wish I had enough money to buy him. He is the type of horse I need. Nice and calm but responsive. He has been trained by R. so he is really nicely trained, not a dressage horse, but excellent foundation to go on and do whatever I would want to do. Drew has been show extensively in 4H, used in drill teams, knows now to drive, and great on the trails. Unfortunately costs more than I have right now. Isn't that always the case?

Anyway, I was a little embarrassed that I did the whole lesson walking again. I have to admit, happily though, that it is getting boring. I just realized that I have not been preparing my mind for the next step. I have not been visualizing a trot, I have not been really thinking beyond walk.

Why?

Well like yesterday looking at Zoe's behavior, I had to stop and think about my own. When I fell off Abby she was trotting. Seriously that was it. But I couldn't stop her. So that is my fear. If I trot I will be able to stop Drew? I think I know that I can. Rationally I know that I can. I can make him halt, back, turn on the forehand, turn on the haunches, and side pass. Now it is pretty silly to think that I will not be able to handle the transition from walk to trot. Right. . .

Well I have two weeks to prepare myself. Next week I will drive and then, God willing Drew will not be sold, and I can trot him.

I do feel that little bit of fear that he will sell before I can trot on him. Someone is coming to look at him this week I think. After he sells it will be Corrie and I will have to gain confidence on her before trotting. Not that I am not gaining confidence overall, but I just need to gain some on one horse right now. So I want to trot Drew before he is sold. That means if he is not sold in two weeks. I trot.

Now off to visualize soft trotting transitions and anchoring the relaxed feeling. . . oh I have not told you about that. I will do that after Sunday Stills. Promise.

"Do or Do not, there is no try"

Master Jedi Yoda wisely told young Luke Skywalker that in Return of the Jedi of the Star Wars movies. I was young at the time. I did not get it. I had always believe that trying was a good thing. We should try. Right?

It is not for lack of trying that has kept me off my horses. I tried a lot. I tried ground work and tried getting ready for a ride. Heck, I even got on Abby and tried to ride her. I was trying my heart out. Same could be said for weight loss. I know all about different diets and why so many of them don't work. I understand the role that exercise plays in weight loss. In fact a lot of my goals in life go unmet, even though I try so hard. I didn't understand Yoda.

Then thanks again to Jane Savoie, I learned that I should not try. Just as Master Yoda says, I should do it. If you tell yourself that you will try, what you are really doing is giving yourself an excuse to fail. "Well I tried and I couldn't." "Well at least you tried." Perfect, I tried and I'm off the hook now. My conscience is free because I did my best. . . well at least I tried to do my best.

Luke: I can't believe it.
Yoda: That is why you fail.

Why did I try? Because I didn't think I could succeed. I don't say I am going to try to drive to work. I know the way and I know how to drive a car. I don't have to try and drive to work, I just do it. A few weeks ago was a different story though, we got a lot of snow. The roads were bad. As I was leaving I was asked, "Are you going to work?" I replied, "I'm going to try." I did not know what the roads were going to be like or if I would succeed in getting to work or end up in a ditch.

All this goes back to positive thinking. If I try I am admitting I might fail but if I just do it, I am assuming I will succeed.
I am not going to try and see Kinsey this week. Nope. I am going to see her.
I am not going to try and trot on CJ this month. Nope. I am going to trot CJ this month.

Even saying, "I am going to trot CJ," my stomach gave a little lurch. I didn't feel anything when I said I would try. "I am going to trot CJ," is a much more powerful a statement. I don't have the out of saying, "Well I tried." It is assumed that if I say I am going to do it that I will. Even my brain realizes this and frankly the more I say and write, "I will trot CJ." The less my stomach lurches and the more confident I feel that I can.

"Try" has been put on my naughty word list from now on and we learned that Yoda really was wise.

May the force be with you.