Attitude is Everything

SmartPak sends out more than just catalogs. They also send out a guide for horse care. This guide has little articles in it, most include why adding supplements to your horses feed is important, but sometimes they are just good common sense. In the winter 2011 issue there is an interesting article on attitude, "Attitude Do's and Don't". Read my blog for very long and you know how important attitude is to me. Attitude is everything!
The main points of the article are:
*Do focus on the ride, Don't focus on the result.
*Do challenge yourself, Don't get discouraged.
*Do plan ahead, Don't worry if things change.

Nothing Earth shattering there really. Sometimes hard to follow for sure, but most certainly doable.

On Monday I had to put these in to practice. Corrie was not her nice calm self. It was the "other" mare. I am not sure what to call Corrie's alter ego, but she most certainly has one. Oh yeah, that face looks it can give you tooth decay, but she can be spooky when she wants to be. Corrie has been under saddle for about 2 years now, and honestly she was broke to saddle and then more miles were put on her to drive, so her riding experience is rather limited. She has always been an outdoor horse for the most part too. Noises on the roof or outside the arena are scary. On Monday it was water dripping off the roof, normally Corrie is not that sensitive, but on Monday she was.

She started out just being a tad spooky, but it built up. That end of the arena was off limit according to Corrie. She made that point very clear by backing all the way across the arena, ignoring my leg the whole time. I love that completely out of control feeling, don't you? That feeling when your horse is not listening to anything you have to say. Yeah that is how the ride started out. After getting a little compliance from Corrie, I hopped off.

Let me take a moment here to just talk about my feelings. I was not scared. At least not scared of coming off. That thought did go through my mind and I was a little nervous about that but honestly not shaking in my boots like I would have been a year ago. I was more nervous that I would create a bigger problem. I knew that this was a very important moment in my relationship with Corrie. I would either be teaching her how to get out of work or reinforcing that we have a partnership and need to work through these problems together. That is why I hopped off and called Sensei.

I asked Sensei to come out to the barn; I love having my trainer on site! After being called on no brainer things, such as, why are you still riding in a rope halter when you know that your horse is having issues. Oops. He just said those things that I know but help to have someone call me on. Like relax, which I did as soon as he was in the arena; or at least relaxed some. The problem with getting nervous is that my brain stops functioning as well as it should. I forget some basic things like breathing. Or that it is important to focus on what you want not what you don't want.

Riding around the arena I was called on that right away. Sensei pointed out that both Corrie and I were riding around waiting for an explosion to occur. We, and by "we" I mean "I," needed to just ride her through our fear. I am the leader and she needs me to tell her that it is okay by just riding her like I expect her to respond like she normally does. Of course that sounds all sunshine and rainbows, which we know is not always the case.

The second thing Sensei reminded me to do is to have a "plan B." What would I do if she did spook. In this case, as I was riding her in figure 8's around the I would pick up on the side rein. NOT pull back with both which would she would, or could, just run through if she was really scared. Plan B would change as I moved around, not the actual plan, just which rein I would use. Having a plan helped me to relax also. I knew what I would do if my plan to just keep her moving and working normally failed.

The ride ended with her working nicely off my leg at the end of the arena that made her nervous. She was responding like I would expect her to, nothing that would an observer would point out as being a stellar ride. But the ride ended with a calm rider and a calm horse, working together and listening to each other. That was a good ride.

Relationships

We are about to have another cold snap. I wanted to get out to see Corrie before that happened. When it is really cold I just don't want to be out in it. If it hard for me to breath, I figure it really isn't all that great for Corrie to try and breath harder either. So before that snap came, I managed to get a little ground work and spend some time riding her, bare back again.

As I have my pony time, I like to think. I was was not working on anything difficult, but I was having a difficult time walking around a barrel. The barrel was in a corner and I would push her into the corner and around the barrel. Once through the corner and pasted the barrel, she would want to drift to the side again. I had to work really hard to keep her on a line. We did several other line across the arena too. Always a having to ride every stride. Aways her wanting to drift and needed support.

My mind wandered back to Hope. How I would just think about where I wanted to go and that is where we would go. I had owned Hope for several years and we had been through a lot together. It is a was not that way in the beginning. My first ride on Hope left me in the middle of a field with my left stirrup as she ran back to the barn. It looks a lot of time, a lot of fall, a lot of fights, and just general discussions, before we were able to reach the point that we were just comfortable being with each other.

When I first had Corrie enter my life, about a year ago actually, she was just a horse I used in lessons. When she became mine there was such a feeling of joy. The new part of a relationship where all things seem possible. I had grand ideas of driving her around my neighborhood and up and down the trails. I had a lot to over come but I had my new pony and that was going to make all things possible. It's the the most wonderful part of a relationship, isn't it? When it is all still so new. I decided I don't think so.

It is like planing a seed in the spring. The thought of how that plant is going to grow and give us tomatoes in a few months. All a gardener thinks of as she waters and tends that little seed is what it is going to be. Then come the weeding, which really rather sucks. The work that goes into the tending of that plant over shadows the thoughts of the ripe tomato that will make the most perfect salad complete. Sometimes the gardener may wonder if it is all worth it. Then one day the signs of fruit appear. The little tomatoes and again we are excited of the prospect of the fruits of our labor. Then the day comes and we pick the most perfect tomato, and it tastes so good. Of course so much can go wrong between the planting of the seed and the final harvest of the fruit.

Reflecting on new relationships vs. old ones, remembering Hope, I realized how valuable the old relationships are. We can't just jump to the old comfortable partnership though. We must go through all the work. We must make that connection to our partner, fall off a few times, deal with the disappointments of dreams changing or even redefining our goals wot match our abilities. It is all part of growing together and to reach that point were we are just comfortable.

Corrie and I are in that work part now. We are learning about each other. We are finding out what makes each other tick, and although sometimes that is fun, sometimes it is not. But the work is worth it in the end. So although I had to keep after her, in my mind I was thinking ahead to the time when we will just be old friends.

New Years Resolutions

Okay so it is not the first of the year, but it is close enough. Closer to the front of the year than the back right?

Anyway, I had an awesome year last year. Going from being terrified to ride to riding my own pony bare back in a halter and lead. I also got out on the trail and actually had some pretty big spooks, ones that almost dismounted me actually. But we handled them and it didn't stop me from riding. Also learned to drive, a solid beginner, but still I am a driver. In fact there is only one goal that I did not meet last year, canter. It was not for lack of trying either. We almost got there but then had those lameness issues.

So for the new year I have some more practical goals.
1) Ride at least 3 times a week. For Corrie and for me. She is going to be 12 this year. For her own health I need to keep her moving. I also need to keep riding her. I love to ride as you all know but it is the getting out there and doing it sometimes, especially when it is blustery outside and I am trying to accomplish other things in my life. Even still this is an important goal to me.

2) That damn canter. Oh yeah, 2011 is the year to canter. I am going to do this barring any physical issues on Corrie's apart. There is no reason that I should not be back to cantering again.

3) Get that balance back baby! Okay, so this should before the canter phase but I really want to work on my balance. I have lost a lot of balance over the years but I want it back damn it! Riding Corrie bare back is one way, using a halter is my way of being kind to mouth. I am not know to use the reins for balance at all, but even still, don't want to start jerking on her poor mouth. Am also taking classes at the YMCA. These are helping a lot with my balance and general core strength. So this is more a feel and hard to define as a goal, but I think I will see improvements as they are made.

4) Rhythm. Some where over the years my rhythm has suffered too. Not just in keeping it but damn if I can get my correct diagonal without looking. How embarrassing it that at this stage of the game! I have noticed riding that I don't have that natural flow the way I used to with the gaits, the ones that comes from being in complete sync with the horse. Another one that will be hard to define, but I think once I can start keeping a track of the foot falls and maintaining a steady rhythm I will count this one as a complete. Or at least it will be time to set a new goal for rhythm.

5) Drive independently in my own space. Meaning in my own yard or in my little area around home. I want to harness and drive Corrie on my own. I had difficulties with this last year. I could do it at Sensai's but after a good spook that left me a little shaken in my skills I got nervous and didn't want to try.

6) Go on a group trail ride. I will have to bum a ride with someone but I hope that I can find some local people to go on a trail ride with and head out with them at least once this summer.

7) Not really a goal for me or for Corrie, but I would really like to get my city slicker friend up on Corrie. Why? because I want to share this thing that is so important to me with him. It is a totally selfish goal, but I hope I can pull it off.

Not sure these are the best goals this year. Little vague for my liking and so I might tweak them over the next few weeks. Still a good place to start, like seeing her at least three times a week. Of course the next time I have scheduled to see her is tomorrow morning and we are expecting a blizzard tonight. Guess I am just going to have see how that goes. If I can get out of the drive way though I will be at the barn!

Bareback

Oh is there any better way to ride than bareback?

I am not sure that there is. Especially on a cold day, when the warm of the horse's body radiates to keep yours warm as well. I love it. And with a haffie, I have a built in hand warmer. Just slip those cold hands under her thick double mane. Corrie is also blessed with a thick winter coat, a coat that only a true pony can grow. She holds in the heat so well, never have to worry about her getting chilled and she can keep me warm too.

Except for my feet. There is that moment when the ride is over and I just sit there and think about slipping off. Knowing that my cold cold feet are going to smart when they hit the ground. That is the time to just grin and bare it. It is also the time I am so thankful for my rock of a mare, who just stands there while I decided to slip off.

I admit that I have been bad about riding. Seems we have had more cold days that tolerable ones. Today was a tolerable day and so I slipped on over to see my girl. I am getting lazy as I am getting brave. I didn't want a saddle, and if I don't have a saddle why mess with a bridle. Warming the bit, naw, rope halter it is.

Besides my balance is still not what it should be. And although there is no better way to get your balance back than to ride around bareback I am trying my best to keep her sensitive to the aides. I wobble a bit here and there. Corrie is tolerate and sweet natured, I don't want to ruin her mouth by pulling on it so a halter works fine. We practiced walking around and moving off of leg pressure, which is hard to do as I am trying to keep my balance and not use her sides to do it. She is pretty sensitive all things considered and would really hate to teach her to ignore my leg.

It was a short ride. I am working out at the Y too. My legs are getting stronger but at the same time they are still sore. My inner thighs were launching a complaint almost from the on set. Still I was on my pony and we had a good ride.

To think just a year ago I was afraid to even sit on a horse. My the things that can change in a year!

I have award. I'll share that next time. Also need to set my goals for this year.

Thanks for all the support

I'm Still HERE

Oh I am SO sorry to all my reader for leaving you for SO long. And So long is really an understatement isn't it!

My life has had some amazing changes take place in it. I found someone to help me out of a rut and he really did. In the process I have been out living life. Something that I had not been doing for a long time.

I am so happy to report to you that Corrie and I are going strong. She is back at Sensai's for the winter. He has an indoor after all. That has been a blessing, although I must confess I have not been riding as much as I would like.

I have joined the YMCA to get some much needed exercise and gain strength. I have not been doing too hot on the weight loss front, but getting healthier is going really well.

Another draw on my time is a special someone. Special someone does not really close, although we do get together once a week. I am smitten I admit it! He has met Corrie and dubbed her Emo Horse. LOL. He was very upset that we forgot to bring her an apple or a carrot and we discovered that she does not like tic tacs.

This is just a short note to let you all know that I am alive and well. I will write a longer post soon. Promise!

It is what it is

I have been neglecting coming on here. I am so sorry. We have been doing a lot of stuff around the house and with Corrie here I have not be doing as much with her. Isn't that always the way. Anyway I wanted to share a little parable I heard recently about how we look at situations in life as we go through them.

A rancher had a nice place with a few hundred acres and 4 nice horses. One day his neighbor stopped by and commented on how nice his horses were.

"It is what it is, for good or for bad," replied the rancher.

A few days later a big storm hit and knocked out part of the corral fence. The 4 horses ran away. The neighbor again stopped by.

"Too bad about your horses," said the neighbor.
"It is what it is, for good or for bad," replied the rancher.

About a week later the horses returned and with them were four more mustangs.

"Wow those are some nice looking horse, how lucky you are that you have 8 fine horses instead of just 4," The neighbor commented.
"It is was it is, for good or for bad," The rancher said.

With the extra horses, though, came extra work. The neighbor had to help out.

"Man there is a lot of extra work now," said the neighbor. "We can't go on nice long trail rides anymore."
"It is what it is, for good or for bad," came the expected response of the rancher.

The neighbor's son needed a job, so the rancher hired him instead.

"Wow this is great!" said the neighbor. "My son is gaining so much experienced from training those mustangs and making a name for himself."
"It is was it is, for good or for bad," The rancher said.

Okay this story could go on and on. The version I heard and a few more things happen in it but I think you get the idea.

Weight Loss Wednesday: Accountability

I have been slacking in the weight loss area. First it got hot and was hard to exercise, and then I was always out at the barn and working with Corrie, and of course work picked up and I was doing a lot there. So ya know, things fall by the way side.

Unfortunately in this area of my life "things" are always popping up. I think I posted once before about Jillian Micheal book, in it she talks about three people you need to make changes in your life. One of which is an accountability partner. Just someone you are responsible to talk to to make sure that you are on track. I have not had anyone like that in my life for weight loss. So I found someone. So things should start getting back on track. It is really helpful to have that push from someone else. Knowing that I actually do have to tell another person if I screw up also helps.

I do have an accountability partner on the horse front, Sensei. On that note, I got a little lecture from Sensei when he came out for my lesson because I have not been working Corrie at home. Ya know I did do ground work for a few days and I rode her once. She has not even been here a week, but I was at the barn faithfully every day working her. Now I am slacking because she is here. I need to clean the barn and fix the fence and the ever popular, well I'll do work with her later. So I am going to be making more of an effort to work with Corrie too. If not I'll disappoint Sensei and he give me that disappointed father look. I really hate that look.

So if you are struggling to make a change in your life, my advice is to find that accountability partner. It can be a friend, trainer, partner, someone who is struggling with the same issues or not. Just find someone that you have to report to if you start to slack. Someone you can trust, someone that can give you that look or added guilt for not meeting your goals. It helps, it really does.

Pictures of the harness tomorrow, I was running late . . . more disappoint Sensei looks. So I didn't get them today.