Random Thoughts about Horse Riding and Showing in 2020

 2020, it's been a year of ups and downs, panic and fear, suffering, trepidation, patience, kindness, happiness and that is just from horse back riding.  I learned new skills, techniques and got  out of my comfort zone which gave me excellent foundation for the two shows I participated in the latter half of the year. I spent the first half of the year on injured reserve. I tore my Achilles tendon on my left foot at the 2019 End of the Year show and spent about 4 months recovering from that. Instead of riding Silver bareback I rode him in my dressage saddle  without stirrups. I wasn't going to give up actual riding for 4 months. So i "schooled" dressage for about 6 weeks, mainly sitting trot. I got brave and cantered a few laps.  
it was time well spent as I just got to fool around with my horse and watch my kids ride. My daughter had to sit out the last couple of horse shows in 2019 because of "growing pains", it's a real thing. Her muscles and tendons/ligaments had not caught up with her bones, so she was in a lot of pain. 

We were lucky our state and county considered horse back riding exercise. We were able to go to the barn several times a week. We got exercise but most importantly we got human contact from outside our family. We got to socialize! Very important for everyone to socialize.  Horse people know how to distance socially especially around horses, if you don't maintain proper distance, there is a fairly good chance your horse is going to kick another horse. Maintain at least one adult horse space, or two ponies space from each other. 

I was released for riding in June, yay! Just in time for hot weather. I still had to be careful with not over stretching my left leg. It's not easy remembering not to put your left heel down while riding especially when it has been so ingrained over a lifetime, but pain was a quick reminder.  I used my 3 foot tall mounting block to get on and off the horse while injured. And now my horse now walks over to the mounting block at the end of the ride.  It helps both my aching knee and feet not to slam down on them.   

AFter slugging, er, I mean riding through the hot, humid summer, I was ready to start competing.  But my trainer does not like to show in the summer, too hot and humid. It's hard on both horse and rider.  My husband decided to go to his second competition this year in October. Everyone in my family was riding in the competition but me. I didn't bring any show clothes because this was my hubby's time in the show ring, not mine. Well, I regretted not bringing any show clothes because the division he was in didn't have enough riders in it, so I got up early Saturday mornin, drove to Dallas from Tyler and returned to the Tyler Rose Horse Park late Saturday morning, so I could ride in the division.  It was well worth it, the fences just came so easily. We got all our strides and even our lead changes. Silver was like point me in the right direction and I'll make everything happen. And it did.  It was a two day show but it was the best ride I had ever had over fences in that division.  We didn't do as well on the flat. My husband beat me on the flat!  But I won Champion of the Rusty Stirrups division. 

The end of the year show proved to be a bit more challenging for Silver and I. Even my husband had trouble with Scout. Scout seemed to decide that he was going to go fast over the course. I'm proud of my husband for staying the course and not giving up on his horse or the show. 

the last day of the show, my husband and I entered the 18" equitation classic. I was scared to death. My earlier hunter rounds were terrible in the Rusty Stirrups division. I could barely get Silver to move faster than a tranter and he practically crawled over the fences, even the judge was telling me to use more leg - true story. I pushed through my anxiety about the Classic and ended up third, true I was beaten by an 8 year old but I had a lot of fun in the ring. I got Silver off my leg and I was determined to make every fence and lead change work. No trantering and crawling over fences for us, baby!

So after analyzing myself this year, I realize the longer I wait for a show, it seems the worse I do. My trainer will enter me into a division on a lark and I usually do well. I believe I am over thinking it and scaring myself. I won the Rusty Stirrup division because I wasn't there to win, only to help fill up the division. The end of the year show, I was there to win and the pressure I put on my self caused me to not do as well as I could. Perhaps I should drink a couple of sips of whiskey before I enter the show ring. I'm not sure how to relax during a competition. If showing is about having fun, why do I want to barf?

When Silver is balanced, collected and uphill, all our spots to the jumps become effortless. I have to remember to sit back, half halt when necessary and wait for the jump.  I like to jump ahead and "help" Silver jump. I need to remember it's his job to jump it, it's my job to get him to the right jump and patiently wait. And my helping him, actually hinders him. Sunday told me to work on getting him off my leg and not get behind it. which is really a nice way of saying, stay in rhythm with your horse. Be connected, be one. 

Riding on the Lunge line

December riding Lessons were spent on a lunge line. I was quite apprehensive at first, even though the time I had spent with Kai Handt 25 years ago was on a lunge line.
Once I got used to not having reins to depend on for balance, she started me holding my hands on my hips, I progressed to hands on my helmet, which was annoying because the headband I was wearing to keep my ears warm in the 35 degree weather would slip into my eyes. But that's another story.
As I progressed each week, the lunge lessons grew harder, not only was I holding my arms straight in front of me (zombie arms), roller coaster arms (straight up), out to the side but I was twisting to the outside and the inside with each of those positions at the trot.

A couple of days before Christmas, she had me ride with my arms above my head at the canter and twisting inside/outside, it was the most incredible feeling. I think she thought I was petrified, but I felt like I was flying. At first, I was nervous, but I realized Silver was not going anywhere but in a circle. I wasn't going to come off. So why was I worried?  Head up, eyes off the sand, looking ahead, stay balanced, canter, hold you arms up and twist to the right, now to the left.  This has seriously been the best abdominal work out ever!  I was sore for a couple of days which has really made me more aware of my lack of abdominal strength, so I'm constantly engaging my abs instead of letting it all hang out. It's been almost 7 years since I had the twins and I'm ready to get serious with my lack of core strength.

So two days after Christmas, Kelsey has me back on the lunge line with the EquiCube - a 5 pound rubber block with handles. So zombie arms holding the Equicube in front of me at the canter - I wanted to throw it at my trainer - I'm so weak.  Then she had me hold it over my head at the canter. I wondered if my helmet could handle the weight as it crashed on top of my head from my weak arms. I don't know the answer to that because I mustered all my strength to keep it above my head, it was akin to a military press. 7 hours later I can really feel it in the top of my shoulders.
And much to my surprise, I got to ride Silver with my reins!  And over a course of a month, riding on the lunge line has developed my core and given me increased stability. He stumbled and I remained balanced.  He started off at a slow canter and increased his speed and not only did I stay on, I remained balanced in the saddle and was able to transition to a beautiful stop while remaining balanced.  I was balanced, he was balanced.

I came away with a new realization today. I know that my feet pronate and this is a problem when I ride as my heels are in contact with the horse instead of my calves. But this month has really emphasized my foot/calf/leg position. Today I realized when I really turn my toes in towards the horse, my whole leg has to work, I can really feel my thighs working to stay balanced. A long time ago, a respected horsewoman had said riders shouldn't use their thighs to hold on to the horse especially when bareback. How the heck am I going to stay on then?  I think she meant to say, the whole leg is supposed to be connected to the horse, not just the thigh.  She was talking about the "ride a buck" bareback class. It's easy to keep the buck  under your thigh when walking and in the sitting trot, but not as much posting or cantering. But I digress..

I told my trainer I hoped we could continue the lunge lessons in the future because I can really feel my core working. It also helps me get over whatever fears I might be harboring about my beautiful grey gelding. That fall in July really set me back - no pun intended - in my riding.

Riding Lesson 3rd week October

Tuesdays riding lesson lasted about 10 minutes when my horse stumbled and started limping. I really felt bad trotting him so my trainer could see that he was in pain.  Fortunately for me, Laurie MacDonald, dressage enthusiast and saddle fitter extraordairie was at the barn. She came to fit some saddles on horses. My old Crosby, my precious saddle that I have loved on for over 20 years has been pronounced by Laurie as well as my trainer Kelsey Magid and Di Hopkins as being too small for me. As in, I should have never purchased it, it never actually fit.

The saddle I bought when I purchased Silver is an Equitation saddle and the fit was a little snug for mommy body. So I went on ebay and purchased a saddle, the morning I make a bid on a black Courbette Lemetex Husar, Kelsey tells me about a Crosby for sale in a Facebook Tack Trading page. So I bought the Crosby off Facebook and I won the ebay auction for the Courbette. Now I have 4 saddles, which one fits? Hence, Laurie's visit to the barn.  The equitation saddle fits Silver, but doesn't position me so well on him and it makes his back sore. Get rid of that saddle! No one needs a sore back. I think it makes my back sore, too!

The new 18 Crosby fits really nicely and my hips really open up at the walk, which means he opens up. Kelsey said when my hips start to swing in the saddle, he lifts his tail, expels gas - does this mean he is a gas powered pony- and rounds his back. I noticed in the Equitation saddle it was harder to loosen up my hips when walking. The Crosby is more open and a flatter type saddle so my legs and hips swing easier.

The Courbette is too narrow for Silver. What a bummer! I've always wanted a Courbette. I was disappointed to find out Courbette had been purchased by Stuebben a couple of years ago. Which explains the lack of Courbette's on the market.  So I'll condition the leather on the Courbette and resell it on ebay. I'm sure someone will like it for their narrow thoroughbred. Apparently, Silver is built more like a warmblood than the OTTB that he is.

On Thursday, I got to test ride my newly fitted Crosby on Silver. He seems to like it. It fits better over his shoulders and I can use my hips on the flatter/looser frame. Once I loosen my hips, he loosens up. What a concept!

I wore new riding breeches to my lesson, well that was a mistake, because they were way too big on me and caused rubbing in wrong places. Ugh!

It had rained early in the morning, so the arena was wet, which concerned me. I was worried that Silver would slip in the mud, even though Kelsey assured me it would not.  She has been working on me not "forcing" my heels down. To put my weight on the ball of my foot and not put the weight on my heels - this is the exact opposite of what I have heard for most of my riding life -  This new way of riding is called "balanced riding" - and you thought you were already balanced, right?  It totally befuddles me. Actually, it wouldn't be so hard to do, if I wasn't constantly trying to point my toes into the horse. I pronate, which means I ride in ballet's first position, my heels are digging into the horse.  Actually, my back of my leg is on the horse, instead of the side of my calf. I know I accomplished the side of my calf during Thursday's lesson because I have an ugly bruise on the side of my calf. And when I squeezed my legs, I could really feel it through my calves and thighs. I haven't been saddle sore in a couple of months, since I started riding "balanced"

I kept having problems on Thursday, I'm still not entirely sure what my deal was, if it was the wet arena, the wind that seemed to be freaking out my horse, that I wasn't on my a game because of allergies, the new saddle, the too big pants...my trainer has to be part psychologist to get me over my blocks. I kept losing my right stirrup and felt like I was unbalanced, I felt like I was all over the place and worried that I couldn't stop the horse. He never ran away with me, I was always in control.

She told me, "it's not him, it's you."  Well, that hurts to hear, I'd rather it be him, than me. But I can accept responsibility of my actions...I might not have understood why I was doing certain things with him, but I was always in control.   I finally told her, I can either point my toes inward or I can balance on the balls of my feet, but I can not do both at the same time. It's too much today.  So I am working on pointing my toes inward and keeping my heels off the horse.

We did some canter work where I bent his head in just a little, he would give and then I would release and push him forward.  I am constantly taking up my reins when I do this at the trot. I couldn't figure out why we were doing this at the canter. Part of it was to stay in control and  the other part to create/maintain suppleness of the horse.   I should probably give myself a break, I've cantered three or four times since I had my flying dismount in July - that could be freaking me out, too.
I'm hoping to go to a rated horse show next Sunday. I'm overly ambitious! So next week, we will start working on jumping. That fall really started me on a different training direction.  I need to build more self confidence in the saddle. And maybe get a pair of breeches that fit!

Flying Emergency Dismounts among other things

I had a minor riding setback this summer, when the horse I was riding, spooked and I had to make an emergency flying dismount.  It was the best canter I had ever had while riding Silver, when suddenly the horse in front of us spooked. Suddenly I saw my feet in front of my face.  Feet should decidedly not be in front of your face when riding, so I knew it was time for a flying dismount... I landed with a thud on my back in the wet arena sand and immediately thought, "I am way too old for this crap!"  I managed to get onto my hands and knees and sorta crawl away from the horses but it took me what seemed like an eternity to actually stand up. I had to "climb" the arena fence until I could straighten up. Then it took another 20 minutes until I was able to get on Silver.
I watched the rest of my class enjoy "pony camp" and then I trotted a couple of laps around the arena, cantered over a low fence and I was done. My back was killing me!

To shorten the story, I purchased Silver in August but didn't ride him for several weeks until I felt like I could ride without pain or actually get on him without pain.  So I decided to curtail jumping, mainly because I didn't feel like I could actually canter until the sciatic pain stopped.  My trainer and I worked on dressage, suppling the horse, bending, half halts, sitting trot and posting trot. I went to a horse show over the weekend and had just started cantering the previous Tuesday. It had been over two months since I had jumped anything!

While I was recuperating from my mishap, I designed some new jewelry for my Etsy shop, vowangems

Blue Green Aquamarines on hand forged sterling silver ear wires

Copper Rutilated Quartz and Carnelian Rosary Chain Dangle Earrings

Garnet and Fire Opal Sterling Silver Dangle Earrings

Titanium Blue Drusy, Garnets and Bali Gold Vermeil Dangle Earrings 

and one of my favorite necklaces: 

Silver Drusy Tassel Necklace