Procrastinating, obsessing & and begging my way to a chicken casserole...

Not much to share in the past few weeks. The weather has been crappy most weekends and therefore I was stuck inside doing chores and filling up the freezer with home cooked meals. Which is not so bad considering how pleasant it is for me and my family to come back to a clean, chicken-broth-apple-pie smelling home. But be that as it may, I missed the horsey time badly...

Today is a glorious day in eastern Canada: with 13 degrees (celsius, you can resume breathing), not a hint of wind, not a clowd in sight.But I've got work to do, a report due tomorrow that I need to work on. So I'm here sitting at my desk, riding my laptop instead of Meeka or Monsieur. I've actually opened my document in an effort to convince myself that I was actually going to work on this. But the patio door open, the bright warm light and cool air of this autumn day, all are calling me to unplug everything and go. Go pony-up.

It's become an urge, an obsession, to the point there's nothing I can do but think about how it would feel to be riding today. I've not been helping myself, you would say if I told you that all of this week's reading was about horse riding: Masters and masterclasses, Horse & Rider (I loooove the UK edition), and another book on jumping. Ahhh, to hell with this crappy research, I'm going to the barn. My boyfriend is gone to work and is going to come back to an empty house... hopefully he's going to cook ME one of his succulent meals (you know what, he's such a gerat cook he actually managed to teach me one or two things in a kitchen, I would never have thought that possible coming from a regular guy).

I think I'll call him up and order a chicken casserole... And maybe (just maybe) I can work a little after that... :)

Yep, I'm back !

It HAS been a long time, has it? So much so I barely remember how to upload a new post. But tonight I felt the need to share with you all that has been happening since I last told you about my horsey life.

It has been two years now since I started riding, almost day for day. And my, how much I've gained from it all. What was then something I was dared to "try" is now a full blown passion. I just cannot imagine not riding for more than a week.

Since budget is now an issue with the new home and all (yeah, the infamous move), I have accepted the generous offer of a friend to give me lessons in exchange for a little help in terms of barn administration. Yay! She had never tought before so she told me we would start from scratch, review all the basics: position, transitions, deepness of seat, steadiness of hands, all that stuff you really have a hard time grasping & appreciating as a beginner but the value of which you really recognize as a more seasoned rider. But somehow, most probably to please my eagerness to learn new moves, stuff that my previous teacher had quickly moved away from when I started to beg for more exciting challenges than just staying in my saddle. My fault!

So we worked on all the above for a few months. Woah! I can barely recognize myself now! I am the queen of confidence, so much more secure in the saddle, my hands are fixed, my seat a lot deeper and more supple, and my position pretty much flawless (except after a jump, where things usually get a little messier...)

However, things are going great, I still looooove riding. To the point I wish I could make it a carreer, well maybe not as a pro rider, but at least something that would keep me around horses every day. It's ok to dream, isn't it? I'm even considering buying my own saddle. Does anybody have advise when it comes to buying a saddle when you don't actually own a horse? Any models more adaptable? Let me know!

And the new house? Ahhhh! F-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c! I wish I had done it before (even if it never would have been possible). And since my boyfriend pretty much moved in with me the same day, it's a 2 for 1 happiness combo special. Yeah, for those of you who have followed this blog for a while well... the cow-boy is back, he's never really gone that far.

Anyways, I have missed this little horsey community. I'm going to try to resume writing here and read about you guys more often now that my life is back on tracks.

Cheers!

M.I.A. Blogger (that would be me...)

Guys, I'm moving... I wish I had more time to post, but unless you want to read about packing countless boxes of books, numerous adress changes, booking movers and other similarly fascinating stuff, you'll have to cope (she says, humbly) with another few weeks of reading something else than my horsey ramblings.

Are you going to be ok??? (Again, you've got to notice the modesty here...)  ;-)

I'd loooooove to hear about you though. 

A note to Dea: Are you on Facebook Dea? I see you come by but, poor thing, you have nothing more to read. When are you going to have YOUR horsey blog so that I can read about you once in a while? (Thus the Facebook question...)

Anyhow, I need to get going. Hopefully my next post will not be so far along and will include SOME new riding insights. 

Cheers!

Next time I say all is perfect...

... please gag me with a sock!

Ok, first of all, the BF is gone. That's it for that. Back to square one!

Then, Angie, the mare I had a half lease on, has been put on foal duty and inconspicuously moved from the barn before I could even say goodbye (and before the end of my half lease term...dammit!). And since I had gained a tremendous amount of confidence riding her, I'm a bit anxious (being the queen of anxiety and all...) that my next ride won't make me feel as bold and confident as she used to. So here again, back to square one!

So today, I was introduced to Lexie. My first reaction: gorgeous!!! She was very sweet while I saddled her and I thought we would make a great team. Well, not so much...

First of all, a few minutes after my lesson started it started raining very hard, and a barn being a barn, full of creaks and squeeks and wistles when it's windy, Lexie started spooking. Real bad! I must admit, I'm just not used to that. I managed to stay in the saddle (my only achievement in today's lesson) but did not enjoy the feeling one bit. So I became nervous...

And from there downhill. The canter was awful, I held her way too tight because I wanted to be in control of the NEXT spook, and when Cynthia told be to let go of her mouth, I lenghtened the reins which made me feel even less "in control" but she just meant to keep a soft hand in contact, to stabilize my hands. And there I was, trying my best (as Lexie was doing probably) but making her more and more frustrated with me, which in turn made me more and more nervous. We were spiralling downwards uncontrollably... End of lesson, by coach decreet. And was it ok with me!!!

So to reconnect with the equine species, I spent a few minutes in awe, looking at a 6 days old Halflinger foal that was born last Monday. Soooo cute! She's in the video as well, right after a few seconds of how I look when my confidence has been shaken and when I ride a horse that doesn't appreciate my "technique" so much...

Well, Cynthia told me we were not a match made in heaven anyway, and next week, I'm going to have to try another horse on the school roster. I do miss Angie already, and Meeka too. But I'm going to keep my hear open for another horse, and see what he or she has to teach me. 

Lexie? She taught me horses aren't all equals, which is also true of men or women for that matter, and that you can't force some relationships if they're just not meant to be. 

Did I tell you the BF was gone? Well then, I rest my case.

My very first "obstacle" course

If "X"es and slightly elevated poles count as obstacles, then today I cantered my first course. 2 weeks ago, I hadn't even accepted the idea that maybe one day I would jump, 3 weeks ago I was scared of flying changes and found them very unsettling, plus the infamous canter issue everybody knows about...and voilà! All in the same minute or so, over and over and over. Woot Woot!!!

Thanks to Cynthia for pushing me, even when I'm scared, because she obviously believes in me more than I do (plus I could not dream of a better coach), to my devoted 10 years old camera crew, my son Guillaume, for his love and patience... And thanks to the lovely chestnut Angie, Queen of flying changes, for having a brain when I don't.

J-U-M-P-S !!!

I knew she had a plan, but I had no idea it would unfold that quick. Yes Ladies and Gentlemen of the blogosphere, Cynthia won the fight and I... JUMPED!

I guess I could have called this post "bragging session #3" but I thought it did not express exactly how I feel. In fact I don't event know IF there is a way to express the joy and gratitude that inhabits me nowadays. What a wonderful feeling to have things effortlessly fall into place (well, come to think of it, there WAS some effort involved before it became effortless...) What a great sensation comes along with pushing my boundaries, leaving aside my preconceptions about myself and to just believe, for a moment, that I can be way better than I ever gave myself credit for. 

I still can't believe it... I jumped! 

I am no Eric Lamaze yet, it was just an X, but it was still a jump. And I was on the horse (and remained on the horse which is itself is an accomplishment). I was solid in the saddle, was not shaken nor surprised by the following flying change, I even cantered a little victory lap, extatic, just like I had just won a gold medal for showjumping! Me! Of all people (well, at least those people who were afraid of cantering just 3 months ago!)

And that happened after 15 minutes of intense work to put the horse on the bit, then extensions and collections, shoulder-in, serpentines and flying changes. A year ago, I had to walk for a while after every 5 minutes of trot as I was so out of breath. Today, I did all of this with only 2-3 resting periods of a minute or so in an hour. Geez! Does that mean I'm becoming athletic???

Come to think of it, I think today I jumped more than an X. I think that on that very first leap, I left behind the idea that I could not possibly be young enough or good enough to be sporty. I think that in the arena dirt is now laying my misconception that I could not possibly be passionate about any sport, that it was just not for me, that my challenges had to be something "intellectual" or I could simply not perform. 

But hey! Not only am I now passionate about that SPORT called horse riding (and I know none of my readers will challenge me by saying the horse "does all the work") but I am looking forward to the next round, the next challenge, the next jump over my mental barriers.

Cheers everyone!

I'm speechless. Still, I have to tell...

All is well. That's why I haven't been posting. All is too well. And I'm just not used to it!  Great health, great new job, great new barn, great new horse, great new horse-owning cowboy-looking fun-loving man, and soon to have a great new house of my own... What more can I ask for, really?

No, I mean... really???

I'm just speechless, still, I had to tell.

And with regards to things pertaining to horses, I have been making tremendous progress. My days of canter fear are long gone as I now turn sharp corners confidently, work on (and sometimes even succeed) flying changes and cannot wait to go riding with the new BF who's more of a "let's hit the trails and get all muddy for a weekend" kind of a rider. I guess I'll have to give the western saddle a try now... any advise?

During my lessons Cynthia recently had me trot over poles in suspension with my eyes closed and my arms flailing in the air, airplane style. Me???? Who would have thought I would ask for more? And she very inconspicuously is pushing my limits one lesson after the other. I loooove it.

I cannot wait for sunday... In fact, I cannot wait for any day now... 

Cheers!

Bragging session #2

What I haven't told you yet is that I had the opportunity to take a half lease on Angie. And I did! I am soooooo proud! This suddenly allows me to ride 3-4 times a week. And as I was saying, the two last times I went, I was by myself, experimenting, pushing my limits, decidedly pushing way beyond my comfort zone. 

Not that I do anything foolish, but the simple fact that I feel responsible for the horse and the barn, for my own security, for choosing the order of the exercices, for evaluating my position and success rate without having anyone hinting on anything is something brand new for me and I believe will help me grow in confidence and overall as a rider.

Today, class was particularly difficult. We worked on my position, I think I had focused more or the horse's movements lately and my body alignment had suffered a little over the past few weeks. I was also told that Angie's conformation versus my body type makes my position a little less accurate than when I was riding Meeka. So there's another challenge for me, opening up those hips and lowering those heels until I only work with my calves and my legs are completely fixed. But over the course of this only lesson, I already felt a difference and at least, I know better know how to assess my position (so far: if it hurt my adductors, It's pretty darn perfect).

This arena is so much smaller than the previous, I would say about half the size. So you do have to ride quite differently. The footing is also a lot deeper, so between this and the corners that come way faster than they used to, Angie needs a lot of leg support. For these reasons, among others, It seemed a little more difficult to canter today and I became a bit nervous. Cynthia decided to try and change my mind by teaching me how to do FLYING CHANGES!!!! I was so happy!

It was not difficult at all, mainly because Angie is a pro. What I found the most difficult was turning the infamous corner that was fast coming right after the "jump" and that we cut cantering with a pretty sharp turn. The good news is that I managed to stay in the saddle even if I was jolted around a little. Boost in confidence but new surge of apprehention. I'll deal with it, I so love to feel the progression in my riding skills. 

I also love the fact that I think I figured out (even if she has not said so) that Cynthia has a "plan". I think she wants me to get somewhere and that all that I do, all that she teaches me has a sigle purpose: get me to jump. I don't know if I will, but she certainly got me thinking enough so that now, I kind of hope that I will! 

I guess we'll see! ;-)

Bragging session #1

I am just back from the barn. Tonight, I was there all by myself. Indeed, somewhere around 15 horses, and little me. The chomping of hay, the swishing of tails, the eventual whinney and roll in the straw, the musky smell... how in the world did I get so lucky???

Well, a good look at my paddocks provided some hints : they used to be nice and shiny and now, they have this telltale wear around the edges. What used to be stiff leather is now supple and soft as skin. I now own four pair of breeches, some with knee patches, and even a full seat and now have personal preferences whereas just a little over a year ago I didn't have a clue and chose with colour in mind instead of functionality. So here's my take on what happened: one lesson at a time, one ride at a time, with patience and sometimes even stubbornness, I became a true rider!

What a precious gift I gave myself in choosing to ride and in being persistent.

Tonight, I wanted to practice having softer hands and properly bending corners. But Angie and I also did some shoulder and haunches in, serpentines, figures of eight, and even walk to canter on both leads and the dreaded down transitions... who would have thought? In september of 07, when I first saddled Easterner, the huge bay gelding I used to ride, I was nothing short of terrified and now, I am full of confidence and doing all of this by myself! Yes, ladies and gents, without the careful instructions of a coach (not that I don't value mine's input when she's there, aaaaall the contrary!!!)

I am so grateful! I just had to tell.

I'll be back for bragging session #2, so much stuff has happened it doesn't even fit into my head, let alone one skimpy blog post. ;-)

Cheers!

On how changes come about

Sometimes, embracing change can be quite a challenge. Especially because change always seems to hit you in bundles. Change can also mean stress in some cases, loads of it, and I must admit I've had my fair share recently. But change can also be beneficial if you remain open enough to see the goood through the fog of dread.

It was yesterday that I was handed the latest installment of my 2008-2009 "you either ajust or abdicate" life plan. It was also my first lesson in about a month.  And  in the meantime, some disagreements between the barn owner and the coaches led to a conflict, which as a result led to Meeka not being on the school horses roster as of January 1. They usually loaned her from the BO... not anymore. 

I have been riding her for a year now, we were starting to be a team, and I would not say it breaks my heart but it certainly makes me sad not to be able to ride her anymore. Then coach introduced me to Angie. 

She's a beautiful chestnut mare with a frizzy mane of the likes I had never seen. Towering over me with her 16 something hands (I know, I'm not very tall) she has a very soft expression, almost benevolent I would say, which earned my trust and affection at once. I saddled her up and off we were to the arena, which felt more like the freezer compartment of our current refrigerator/barn. Both Angie and I were blowing clowds of mist as I was hopping in the saddle and I had a sympathetic thought for Cynthia who has to teach in these deep-freeze conditions. 

The lesson in itself went pretty well. But I will definitely need to make some ajustments to the way I currently ride. In fact, I will probably need to take a huge step up. Fist of all, Angie is much more sensitive in the mouth. That means no pulling anymore, not even the faintest jerk or there will be consequences. Oh! Really? Meeka was half Clydesdale, so if you didn't pull and/or jerk, she simply didn't seem to feel anything. She was quite forgiving, in fact, so it was reassuring for the beginner that I was, but now, it seemed I have moved from a rugged all wheel drive to a more nervous and energetic sports car. Yikes!!!

Also, I will most probably need to RE-overcome my fear of canter. Why? Well, when I said energetic, I meant it. She barely needs leg support. Remember the Kyra Kyrklund kick-sled principle? Well just one push and this sweetie will slide for a good long while! But in return, when she's all revved-up, she will have much more initiative than Meeka did. "Wanna play? Wanna run?" Errr. Sure... But can we slow down a bit? I had a little panic moment on the canter when I realized we were heading for the barn entrance full throttle and my infamous heels were not down. **sigh**  With Meeka, sufficed stopping the leg aids and she was more than happy to slow down to whatever, But with Angie... two words: kick sled!!! 

I did succeed in making her stop, but for the first time ever, I heard myself signifying my discontent with a well rounded "Wooooooooaaahhh!" that would have sounded great in one of John Wayne's western flicks but not so much coming from a dressage rider, rookie or not. Right?

Anyway, this change will be good. I will miss Meeka and her temper, I will miss her strong, reassuring presence and her good looks, I will miss rubbing her nose until she falls asleep on the chains, I will miss her nice feathered hooves, but I WILL welcome Angie for all that SHE has to teach me now. 

So here, as everywhere else in my life right now, I agree that I need to step out of my comfort zone. And you can count on me, with Cynthia's help, I will find out how to make the best of it.

Riding the wave

I know, I've made myself scarce lately. I've been hit hard by the "real life" tidal wave and I've been busy surfing it for the past month or so. Nothing bad, all the contrary, but any stress, be it good or bad, is still stress, right? 

So now that it's official, I'm happy to say I've landed a great new job and started last monday. Everything going smoothly so far, but the learning curve is proving to be quite steep. So I'm hanging in there. But all that that recruiting hubbub plus the siberian sub-zero temperatures we've been having over here kept me in check. As a result, I've neglected both my lessons and my blog.

And since this week is going to be just as cold, I just might have to skip my lesson again: the barn is neither isolated nor heated, so aside from being very uncomfortable for me, it becomes almost dangerous for the horses. The good news is the whole riding school is moving to another barn about a kilometer from my home (Woot, Woot!). This new place is heated and also (or so I've been told) has hot showers and a restroom that doesn't conpicuously flush in the manure carrier... So I cannot wait for February!

On the downside, it's still is a mystery to me whether or not Meeka is going to follow, so I'm holding my breath, crossing my fingers and preparing for the worse case scenario. I would really hate having to say goodbye.

And before I offer you all my season's greetings, I wish to tell you that it is always a pleasure to read your numerous blogs, all so very enlightening, so please continue sharing your experiences, it's great learning for beginners like me. And I do wish you a wonderful year 2009 and the greatest success in all your horse related endeavours and adventures.