Here4Ponies Member

Maintenance projects are still exercise. Moving tree limbs and yard waste from storm clean up reacquainted me with some muscles I haven't used in awhile. Don't discount what you're doing just because it isn't formal, planned exercise. I'm glad the break from riding helped remind you of why you ride in the first place. We…

Went to a fitness for riders demo session lead by a local Grand Prix rider who is also a personal trainer. She suggested 3 cardio sessions and 2 strength training sessions per week for dressage riders. Got some good feedback on what I need to work on. Unfortunately, I used her suggestion (and my soreness from the session)…

Kids are back so I'm done catsitting. Most of the clean up is done - at least we have an intact fence now for our dog. The rest of it will take a few months to work through as we chip the debris into mulch. The storm highlighted a few house maintenance projects we can't put off any longer (caulking windows, for example),…

WOW! I am so jealous of you @crimsongrey ! I'm not a jumper or eventer but Denny's resilience and constant push to do better is inspiring. I would love to just audit a lesson or clinic with him. I love that he values a variety of breeds and disciplines. He's a true horseman.

I follow Denny Emerson on Facebook. Hearing what that cantankerous old man is doing, reading his stories of learning and succeeding with (quite a bit) less than the best, inspires me to keep working at what I love.

Work audit - done Daughter's wedding - done Clean up storm damage to yard - yeah, about that.... This week won't include gym time or much riding. My daughter is away on her honeymoon which means I'm spending my lunch taking care of her kitties. I only get a 30 minute lunch but her apartment is 45 minutes away, round trip,…

@Shron123 sounds like a good plan

Awesome loss! Would your husband agree to letting you call before you get on and again when you get off with a time limit? I'm only able to ride at night because of work which means I'm sometimes alone at the barn, especially in the cold darkness of winter. I call my SO just before getting on then again immediately after…

Had a great weekend riding and teaching. The OTTB is growing up and really showing me he might actually someday be a real dressage pony. The Western pony continues to impress me and my trainer (and she doesn't even like him!). We've been working on his canter because he doesn't canter naturally. I was rewarded this week by…

My SO is an enabler, too. To be fair, though, so am I. :smile: I need to make healthier food choices and I need to make time for the gym at least three times a week. I feel better when I eat better (more protein, more fruits/veggies, less flour) and I know the weight training is helping my riding. I get overwhelmed and…

no gym yesterday -- apparently the whole complex is having issues with a main line sewer which means no bathrooms I did ok with food but overate. Two awesome rides last night. The OTTB was soft and listening so I was able to work a lot on myself. I finally had enough time to ride the Western horse. I opted for bareback…

Tuesday Not much good yesterday. Was late getting out of the house which meant traffic was exponentially worse which meant gym time would have been reduced to just 15 minutes so I deemed it useless to try and went straight to work instead. Morning workout skipped. Spent lunch running errands so grabbed fast food to eat in…

Yesterday Morning: Strong Curves week 3 workout A Evening: rode the OTTB in an AP saddle. Wow! do I miss the deep seat and massive thigh block/knee roll of the dressage saddle. I was all over the place. New respect for those of you who jump. He did very well, actually went better in the AP than the dressage so I'm going to…

I understand so well I could have written your exact post word for word. Thank you for saying something I'm usually too afraid to admit to, even to myself. New day, new choices. You are strong and you can get through this. I'm cheering for you. :)

How was the clinic @showjumper ? Its the no-stressing-over-things-left-undone I struggle with most -- at least that's what my BF says. I'm a dressage rider ( = Type A Obsessive-Compulsive Perfectionist). I've decided to just focus on activity and eat intuitively. I still make and pack food for the day so I avoid the Taco…

BF and I enable each other, for better or worse.... snuggles, bourbon, popcorn, cheese, ice cream OR up at 5am for a gym workout and tracking our food all day

Good job @showjumper ! My goal overall is 3 strength training sessions a week, 2 cardio sessions a week, and 5-8 rides (I work with 2 horses) a week. I have a riding lesson 2-3 times per week. I've decided calorie goals are just too much right now so I'm focusing on not eating food I didn't bring from home. I big batch…

following to see how you do it.... I have similar expectations of myself but rarely meet them.

Yup. Sounds like being a mom. Fortunately puppies grow up faster than children. Imbalances like this are hard. Sounds like you are doing the best you can in the moment and, really, that's all anyone can do. You'll get back to it. Don't give up.

One thing horseback riding is great for -- increasing pain tolerance! Hang in there.

@crimsongrey how's it going?

I'm sorry to hear about your aunt passing @SharonAnderegg . Emotional/stress eating is so hard to end. Sending positive thoughts your way!

Ugh! Nothing like a jig to turn a trail ride into a test of patience. Is this normal spring time behavior?

Did two things last night I haven't done in awhile. 1) Cantered the OTTB, and 2) Jumped the Western pony. Haven't cantered Havi in almost a year because his NO! attitude was too strong and his way of enforcing it too athletic for me to sit. He's finally cooperating (he might even like me now :smile: ) so I asked for canter…

Girth might have been pinching him, rather than being too tight. I had an Arabian who did not like a girth with elastic all the way through. My OTTB prefers fleece girths and will tell me he doesn't like anything else even if it's baaaarely touching him. Might also be saddle fit has changed over the winter or his withers…

Havi, 7yo OTTB. My dressage pony. It's taken me a year to get his trust and cooperation under saddle. Last few lessons have finally been missing the NO! I don't wanna! attitude. He's still a pain to groom. Literally jumped into the air last night to get away from me trying to remove the mud from his coat. PJ, 17yo Painted…

Awesome story @SharonAnderegg ! My SO and I got to see the 2017 FEI Dressage World Cup in Omaha, Nebraska this weekend. One of the demos was a para-dressage rider who lost her right leg above the knee to cancer. Truly inspiring to watch her ride movements I can't do (yet!). Stories like yours, and hers, give me no more…

Back after a nasty month of work and getting caught up. @showjumper do you have a new horse? @tmcoyle that buckskin baby is gorgeous! Work has had me too busy to ride much lately, even had a full week of absolutely no barn time. It's rare for me to go more than a day without at least petting some noses. I'm a bit of a…

Better than my coming 8yo @tmcoyle! He was so bad outside with the nice weather I had be lunged for my lesson. All about Forward! Yes, I can put my legs on you! No, you can't runbuckplay! Love the great weather but it does make for interesting rides.