10 week horseback riding challenge

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Replies

  • lkirchner82
    lkirchner82 Posts: 32 Member
    I rode yesterday and spent most of the weekend at the barn with my senior boy. It has been just gorgeous around here.
  • Shoebacha1
    Shoebacha1 Posts: 2,113 Member
    I have yet to start my 10 weeks. Work is just not allowing time or energy for riding, but should be close to normal again after this weekend. Lucky for my horse, I pay a lady at the barn to ride him twice a week for me so when I finally do get to ride again, he is already legged up.
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,513 Member
    Made it out yesterday for ride number three for me. My girl was just lovely. We're going to a clinic in two weeks, so hopefully she will keep it up!
  • Shoebacha1
    Shoebacha1 Posts: 2,113 Member
    I will be riding this Sunday. NO exceptions. I have to work, but I will ride before I go in. It is my day off so I can go in anytime, so I will ride first so there are no excuses. This will be week one for me. I am committing myself to the other 9. Even if all I do is jump on bareback in the arena for 10 minutes. I will have husband take pics so I can update my profile pic to show my 9 pound lighter self. Wonder if Avalanche will notice? :)
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,513 Member
    I rode on Saturday, but wasn't sure if anyone else was still here. :)

    I am taking my girl to a clinic this weekend, so I will get rides 5-7 before the end of the day Monday. Hopefully, I won't have to teach her to swim in this lovely spring weather.
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,513 Member
    edited May 2016
    I rode both yesterday and today. Had to drive home through severe storms. :(

    But my girl has been lovely and I have some new "tools" to use when she isn't. I love watching her make the right decision on her own. <3

    ETA: And my Fitbit loves clinic! Lol!!
  • Shoebacha1
    Shoebacha1 Posts: 2,113 Member
    I am sick with the flu, worked til 4 am Saturday. I did not get my ride in as planned. :(
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,513 Member
    I am sorry to hear that. :( I hope you heal up quickly and can return to riding.

    I did the third and final day of clinic today. We rode for almost two hours straight. My feet ached when they hit the ground, but my girl was good. Well, she gave us a little drama, but there's not much point in going to a clinic if you are only going to do stuff your horse already knows!
  • Shoebacha1
    Shoebacha1 Posts: 2,113 Member
    Feeling better, other than drowning in mucos. Cant wait for Sunday. If I am up to it, I might ride Tomorrow. If i can go to Zumba and skating Thursday, I can get a ride in. We will see tomorrow at 4. LOL
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,513 Member
    Awesome! I just got back from the barn. Did the same stuff we learned in clinic. Got a whole lot less drama doing it at home in her usual arena. I wanted to work on canter, but she gave me the prettiest, quietest, roundest trot she's ever given and I had to call it a day on that. Plus it was her dinner time, so the fact that she was willing to work at all made me happy! She's been ridden five days in a row now. I'm surprised she isn't on strike yet!
  • jolly42312
    jolly42312 Posts: 1 Member
    I'll ride once a week for 10 weeks if my horse doesn't go lame before I do!
  • FromHadesWithLove
    FromHadesWithLove Posts: 104 Member
    It's strange, the same thing happens to me. I used to go and ride almost everyday back when I was boarding but now that I've got them on my own property and they are right there next to us all day I just don't seem to find the time to ride.

    I'll definitely take on this challenge though, it's a good one!
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,513 Member
    FromHadesWithLove wrote: »
    It's strange, the same thing happens to me. I used to go and ride almost everyday back when I was boarding but now that I've got them on my own property and they are right there next to us all day I just don't seem to find the time to ride.

    I'll definitely take on this challenge though, it's a good one!

    I used to think the cost of boarding was outrageous. Then I kept them on my own property for a few years.

    Worth. Every. Penny. :smiley:

    Rode yesterday. Riding today. Hopefully tomorrow. I feel like I'm cheating since I had the week off. I've ridden 5 times this week!
  • WranglerMichelle
    WranglerMichelle Posts: 529 Member
    Okay, a friend of mine directed me to this thread, so I just wanted to pop in and introduce myself. :smile: I don't currently own a horse, but I volunteer at a ranch at least once a month. This fall, said ranch is possibly going to be selling me my training project from several years ago - a 20-ish-something Thoroughbred gelding who spent most of his life in a feed lot - so if you have this challenge again later on, I might be able to join in! In the meantime, I just wanted to say hi and that I'm always accepting friend requests from fellow horse people. :wink:
  • Shoebacha1
    Shoebacha1 Posts: 2,113 Member
    I finally got a ride in! I sold my rescue gelding on Friday. He went to a new loving FOREVER home. Sunday, I rode both of my boys. Sky has not been ridden or even caught for that matter, in two months. He did beautifully, bareback! After round penning the buck out of my Avalanche, we trailered them 2 miles down the road to Boomer Lake Park (A lake with walking/biking trails and frisbee golf in the middle of town). We crossed roads, passed bikes, traffic, geese, kids, and crossed a couple of bridges with no trouble. They were both such good boys. They both got baths and got their stall runs scraped by the tractor and got a trim by the farrier. Sore today, but so worth it. Cant wait to ride again. Hoping to get home in time tonight to be able to ride since I leave for California Saturday morning to go see my grandpa for his 90th birthday.
  • futurecowvet
    futurecowvet Posts: 19 Member
    I can't join in at the moment since I don't have access to a horse. That said if anyone is in the Manhattan, KS area and is looking for a riding buddy/knows of a place willing to put up with a forever changing 4th year vet student's schedule (it changes every week) PLEASE let me know. Horseback riding was my go to for staying in shape and I'm trying to get back to where I was when I was riding 2+ horses 7 days a week on my high school equestrian team/4-H and lessons 5-6x/month. Been riding since I was 9, owned horses since I was 11 and have experience with mares, foals and stallions of different breeds and training levels (I've had my fair share of getting on a horse for an old "lesson" barn and having the owner walk up after I get on and go "by the way... we don't really know if this horse is actually saddle broke yet, he's brand new and we want to see if he'll be a good lesson horse.")
  • Shoebacha1
    Shoebacha1 Posts: 2,113 Member
    I am a 4 hour drive from you. If you ever have a day to relax and want to take a road trip, I have 2 horses. :)
  • Shoebacha1
    Shoebacha1 Posts: 2,113 Member
    I have decided that when I have lost 50 pounds, half of my final goal, I will buy a new saddle and tack set. :)
  • Shoebacha1
    Shoebacha1 Posts: 2,113 Member
    As a reward for my first 20 pounds, I have decided I am going to buy myself a kayak! Not only will this be fun for down time on camping trips with my horses, but will help me get the next 20 off. My husband and I are going to get lots of use of this - exercise, sun, fun and FISH! Gonna tie that baby on top of my horse trailer and make a weekend of it to celebrate. Loving life right about now.
  • Shoebacha1
    Shoebacha1 Posts: 2,113 Member
    Left work at 9p, back at 4a. This means I will get off in time to get one last ride in before I leave for Cali in the morning. Happy Friday guys, hope you and your horse kids have a great one!
  • Shoebacha1
    Shoebacha1 Posts: 2,113 Member
    Got back from California Saturday. Got a nice long bareback ride in yesterday. All that trotting has my legs groaning today. Hope to get a ride in tonight after my workout and grocery shopping. If not, tomorrow for sure. This 10 week challenge will be a piece of cake now!
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,513 Member
    I had to skip a week due to the weather, but I went back on Saturday and oh, am I feeling it in my legs!
  • Shoebacha1
    Shoebacha1 Posts: 2,113 Member
    Tell me about it! I could barely walk when I was done. Glad I went for that 3 minle walk with the dogs afterward or else I would be in poor shape today. Gonna have to ride with a saddle today!
  • Shoebacha1
    Shoebacha1 Posts: 2,113 Member
    Didnt get my ride in yesterday, but I did get a workout video, grocery shopping and meal prepping done. Now, with exception of tonight, I will have time to ride anytime this week! Goon get my trailer cleaned up and organized this weekend since I am getting my truck back from the shop, and hopefully go to the lake and camp out before it gets too hot.
  • Shoebacha1
    Shoebacha1 Posts: 2,113 Member
    Got a nice long ride in yesterday on Avalanche. Was worried it was going to be a rough ride at first. Soon as he got in the round pen he was bucking, farting and running full throttle. But, once I got him saddled and in the arena, it was all smooth sailing. He is so much fun. He is my speed horse, and Sky is my okey doke horse. Was certainly a work out. Hosed him down and let him graze a bit. Soon as he was back in his run he went from a sparkling gray to a deep brown. Oklahoma red dirt is hell on keeping white horses clean.
  • lkirchner82
    lkirchner82 Posts: 32 Member
    I haven't posted in quite some time, but I don't think I've missed a week yet! My sweet senior boy has been feeling pretty good, so I have even been able to hop in him and meander around the farm a bit. Happy trails, everyone!
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,513 Member
    It was too hot to ride yesterday, but I made it out to the barn for a professional saddle fitting! We have a new saddle, custom fitted to my girl to try out this weekend. I am unreasonably excited. We'd been using a folded up towel to adjust my old Stubben, but it really wasn't right for her. Or for me as it turns out!
  • vczK2t
    vczK2t Posts: 309 Member
    I want a horse, then i would be riding him/her as often as possible.
  • Shoebacha1
    Shoebacha1 Posts: 2,113 Member
    It has been VERY hot AND humid. We both were dripping sweat before he was even saddled Tuesday. Hoping Saturday is not too bad. I always make sure to give them a thorough cool down and hose them down. I now have a regular Saturday riding buddy, so Saturdays, no matter the weather, she is coming over to ride with me after Zumba. Thank God for indoor arenas!
  • Shoebacha1
    Shoebacha1 Posts: 2,113 Member
    Yay! Week two - Success! Rode each horse for about an hour this weekend. So glad I had my barn manager ride Avalanche for me for a while. He is so much more fun to ride. Instead of fighting him the whole time, we actually get to enjoy the ride. So much more responsive, and lazy Sky was feeling good this weekend and we got into a full gallop! He is slow, but it was still exhilerating.
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