Tell me your horsey NSVs!
Okapi42
Posts: 495 Member
I know a lot of us are trying to get in shape for our horses - so you must have some little victories to share?
Today, Jackson took off in a mad gallop when I asked for canter, and my first thought was "hey, my bum no longer hits that seam on the cantle when he does that!".
Also, I tried him in his new Western pad today - I'd bought it to go under the treeless saddle because it's a little stiffer and will disperse the pressure of the girth straps better. They seem to bother him. I'd been hesitant about putting it on him because it's actually heavier than the saddle - but then I realised I'd lost more than it weighs since I started riding him, and tried it on. He seems to be much happier with it.
Today, Jackson took off in a mad gallop when I asked for canter, and my first thought was "hey, my bum no longer hits that seam on the cantle when he does that!".
Also, I tried him in his new Western pad today - I'd bought it to go under the treeless saddle because it's a little stiffer and will disperse the pressure of the girth straps better. They seem to bother him. I'd been hesitant about putting it on him because it's actually heavier than the saddle - but then I realised I'd lost more than it weighs since I started riding him, and tried it on. He seems to be much happier with it.
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My horsey NSV was actually getting back on one after 16 years. Granted, he's the size of a tank, but he's mine!0
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My most inspiring (for me) NSV has been being able to mount my 16 hand gelding without needing to climb up on a stoop first! I used the excuse that he's a big boy--it would be hard for anyone 5'3 to get up on him--but the real reason was that I had gotten so heavy that I no longer had the upper body strength nor the flexibility to get myself up on my own! I was having to jumping up on the fender of my trailer to get on--and you could see the glimmer in my Nacho's eye as he'd step away at the last minute just to mess with me. Brat! and gawd forbid I had to get off along the trail somewhere. Then I'd be looking around for a rock to climb up on or a hole to put my horse in to make him shorter. How humiliating is that??? YIKES!! I still have a long ways to go and it's only going to get better. But thanks to Yoga for helping with the upper body strength and flexibility, even just losing 15 pounds has made a world of difference.0
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I put on my winter riding breeches the other day, and I didn't have to dance and wiggle into them. I bent over and tied up my boots without getting cut in half, and it occurred to me, my breeches fit! I didn't feel like a sausage in them, they were just comfortable!0
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I need new, smaller jodhpurs and half chaps. Everything is too baggy and chafes :bigsmile:0
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I recently was able to ride again after 3 years of not riding. It was great!!! I didn't try to be a dare-devil or anything but it was just nice being back in the saddle again and riding around in the back pasture
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Hey, those all sound excellent! Congrats to Tracey and Sheila for getting back in the saddle -
And well done Bucky for mounting from the ground! Jack's only 15.2, and I still mount from a chair. I tell myself it's because it's better for him with a treeless saddle.
I'm sort of hoping I don't shrink out of my best jodhpurs...0 -
It is pretty easy zipping into my chaps and field boots!
what's NVP?0 -
Hey, those all sound excellent! Congrats to Tracey and Sheila for getting back in the saddle -
And well done Bucky for mounting from the ground! Jack's only 15.2, and I still mount from a chair. I tell myself it's because it's better for him with a treeless saddle.
I'm sort of hoping I don't shrink out of my best jodhpurs...
I use the tailgate of our pickup to get on EZ. He's 16.1!0 -
wow Buckeyhorsemom, thats great, what yoga did you do????? I am not able to get on my horse without using a mounting block. I would use one anyway as it is better for the horses back on a regular basis but I really worry in case of something happening out on the trail how would I get back on?
Part of the reason I started this journey was to be able to do more with my horses.0 -
Hmm, that's true, it is better not to put too much one-sided pressure on them. But still handy to be able to mount from the ground if needed...
Here's Jack in his lovely (but heavy) new saddle pad!
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I have had quite a few horsey NSVs over the past few months (non-scale victories -- I think that is what it means, and the "victories" part sure feels good!). Just as I was getting near my goal weight and feeling pretty fabulous (my horses were thanking me too), I tore up my knee pretty badly. After a month off to get the healing started, I found out I could not use a stirrup AT ALL on that side. So, I bought a great bareback pad and have ridden exclusively on that ever since. It is amazing for my riding in general, and I do almost everything now -- all gaits and transitions, poles (not jumps -- yet!), trail rides, and I have so far survived even the occasional spook and take off incident. I was so bummed when it first happened, especially after losing weight and feeling in great shape, but it has turned out to be a great development for my seat, control, confidence and communication with my horse. I hope to get back onto a saddle again one of these days, but at the moment, it's great without it.
And yes, stealing my skinny daughter's full chaps and zipping them up no problem was a total rush!0 -
Hey, that sounds excellent! I think everyone could benefit from more work without stirrups, but I'm too chicken to try at the moment...0
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Out trail riding several weeks ago, I was able to remount my 15hh horse from the ground. Granted, I stuck him in a rut in the road to give myself every advantage, but I was able to get back on without struggling, in spite of bad knees and being old.
Second NSV was being able to borrow a pair of size MEDIUM winter riding breeches from my daughter when I visited her last year. She got me my own pair for Christmas.0 -
Really wonderful reading all the NSV! Skinny Chaps!
Jugar, I could borrow a friends Parelli bareback pad. My challenge is that Sunny, like so many OTTBs, has a cold back. I have to sit practically on the withers and ask him to walk off, or he starts going down? I need to ask the saddler about that.
Does anyone know the cause? Or the fix?
I love riding bare. I hack out with reins attached to his fancy leather halter too!0 -
I'm afraid I need my stirrups because of Jack's tendency to bolt, but a treeless saddle works really well for me - you can feel the horse moving under you like you're bareback.
NSV yesterday: noticed that my body protector is hitting the cantle. Annoying, but a sign that it's sitting lower now!0 -
Really wonderful reading all the NSV! Skinny Chaps!
Jugar, I could borrow a friends Parelli bareback pad. My challenge is that Sunny, like so many OTTBs, has a cold back. I have to sit practically on the withers and ask him to walk off, or he starts going down? I need to ask the saddler about that.
Does anyone know the cause? Or the fix?
I love riding bare. I hack out with reins attached to his fancy leather halter too!
I know with some OTTB's they are full of anxiety and tension. This in turn can tense up their back muscles making it painful for them until it gets worked out. Lunging before trying to ride bareback may help to warm up and relax those muscles. It can also be overly sensitive nerves that run along the back in which case I am not sure if that can be worked out.0 -
My nsv would be when I went on a 10k endurance race on my ottb snd neither of us where remotely tired, before we used to get so out of breath that we'd be at the check points for at least half a hour catching our breath. It feels good to know I'm lighter in the saddle as well.0
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I find it amusing though that I'm trying to loose weight and at the same time put weight on my horse.
He suffered a nasty bout of laminitis june last year and we are only just managing to put the weight on now.0 -
Non Scale Victory but not horsey
Doctor halved my BP meds today. For three days I have been dragging! a MFP had the solution!
I dropped my pain med, cuz no pain!0 -
That's amazing! I'm sure it counts as a horsey NSV, too, because no pain will make you a better rider 0
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wow Buckeyhorsemom, thats great, what yoga did you do????? I am not able to get on my horse without using a mounting block. I would use one anyway as it is better for the horses back on a regular basis but I really worry in case of something happening out on the trail how would I get back on?
Part of the reason I started this journey was to be able to do more with my horses.
Thanks for the encouragement! I still use a mounting block when I can, but it's just great to know that I can get on without one now! and it just keeps getting better. On Sunday I had my left foot in the stirrup and my right foot flat on the ground and I was balanced and comfortable (and Nacho even uncharacteristically stood there patiently and let me soak up the experience)! I actually went up and down 3 times just to make sure it wasn't a fluke! It was such a cool feeling! and to think it's only going to keep getting easier--now that's motivation!
In answer to your question about what Yoga I do, I've been rotating DVD's of Jillian Michael's Yoga Meltdown and Rodney Yee's Power Flexibility and Strength videos. R.Y.'s are much more "beginner" geared and not near as intense as J.M.'s, but still a great 30 minute workout. J.M.'s meltdown is a killer to get through (only 30 minutes!)--and it was actually my first experience with Yoga. I got this DVD 2 years ago and I about died the first time I did it. But I did it and I kept doing it, and mixed in other DVD's and live classes over the past couple of years. Even now, Meltdown is still a challenge, but wow, every time I finish I feel like I can do *anything*! Tonight I start a live class with a new instructor and I can't wait to try something different. I'm sure I'm going to locate new muscles I didn't know I had. 0 -
Riding lesson today. Jack was acting up, so the instuctor got on for 5 minutes (she mounted from the ground and rode him beautifully, unlike me, I might add.) But she complained about feeling pinched in my saddle...0
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Today's horsey NSV: When I bought my body protector in December, I had to go with the large one because of my chest size, but the velcro at the waist barely covered the red bits. Now, the two straps almost meet in the middle - there's about an inch left between them.
I've gotten used to wearing a body protector now and wouldn't ride without one - so when I get to my GW, I think I'll treat myself to one of the Airowear Outlyne ones or similar, because they're cut to fit around breasts...0 -
Non Scale Victory here as well! I ride this odd German saddle, the Trekker Flexible, which is treeless and has lots of adjustable options. Yesterday, I moved the cantle closer to the pommel, in other words made the seat an inch smaller.
Rode it today for a quick trial of the new seat size, and I love it! I don't feel like I'm swimming in the seat, and I'm not behind when my pony picks up speed. I even popped a few jumps (aka fallen logs) and didn't feel the need to grab for mane or pommel. It's like, it just fits really great now!
I don't know the exact seat size, but the manufacturer says max seat size is 18 inches, which is where I'd left it when I got it. Could it be possible that my but sits well in a 17 inch saddle? I may go to the consignment shop just to find out what seat I'm riding now. I know one thing with confidence, it's an inch smaller than it was last summer!0 -
Hey, that's a great one! Congrats!0
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I have a couple -
I am actually getting stronger again - able to post the trot and really school my horse for more than 10 minutes.
I had to get off my horse on the trail the other day and ground mounted with no rock or anything. Lonesome is 16.1. I haven't been able to ground mount in a long time. I use the mounting block anyway just because I am a big girl and he is an old man but it was nice to be ABLE to get back on without hunting for a low spot.
I am finding my confidence in the saddle again. I was a good rider at one point but my brain and body forgot that I was a good rider. Both my brain and my body are coming together again and I am realizing that although I still have 45 lbs to lose to get to where I was when I was really confident, I am still a good rider, just a out of shape and a little rusty. My newly discovered confidence has made me enter in two shows coming up in May and June and my first western dressage (totally new to me) show coming up in August.0 -
It's happened so gradually that I almost haven't noticed, but I'm also able to ride at the posting trot for lots longer than I could when I first got back to riding about 6 months ago. I had NO core strength and NO stamina--cleaning paddocks, trundling the muck cart to the pile and back (the downhill is almost as hard as the uphill), walking all over, and riding has made all the difference.0
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Mine is more of a NSV for my horse. She has been quite chunky all winter until the past month or so. My barn manager put all the pasture horses on a diet beginning of April and oh what a difference!
Lily has a very unbalanced canter...racy and unable to hold herself up through her corners. Well the last time I rode her we did a nice, slow, calm 20m circle at a canter! No racing, I wasn't having to hold support her she was doing it all on her own! Go Go Lilybear!0 -
It's happened so gradually that I almost haven't noticed, but I'm also able to ride at the posting trot for lots longer than I could when I first got back to riding about 6 months ago. I had NO core strength and NO stamina--cleaning paddocks, trundling the muck cart to the pile and back (the downhill is almost as hard as the uphill), walking all over, and riding has made all the difference.
Yes, I totally don't get those people who claim it's not a "real" sport because all you do is sit there. It's good for both cardio and strength!Well the last time I rode her we did a nice, slow, calm 20m circle at a canter! No racing, I wasn't having to hold support her she was doing it all on her own! Go Go Lilybear!
Go Lily, but also go you! She didn't get there by herself, and you stuck with her even though she was difficult. Well done.0 -
Ladies: check your stirrups! I had to adjust mine today - the barn owner pointed out that they weren't right anymore because my thighs are now smaller...0
