This is the story of 2016, hopefully it will a long story....at the moment I have a horrible feeling it may be a short journal.
Here I sit, haven't ridden for 6 weeks, found out this week I have a chest infection, that explains the 3 weeks of coughing, so now wiped out by the antibiotics, Oh joy. Add to that my usual nerves, self doubt and winter blues this does not feel promising:icon_rolleyes:
Intros, for anyone who doesn't know us...
Me, older, nearly done with my 50's, rode a lot as a kid, young person and young adult, then stopped for a while. So adult re rider, who was doing well until my body and my confidence both took major damage in a fall in 2013. I have been carried back to (nearly) full confidence by a fantastic horse The Awesome Mr Gibbs, who is my rock, but sadly he does not do well at dressage, and he suffers from heaves and struggles at shows.
last year I leased a great gelding to show, but he was sold just before the last show of the season, but he taught me a lot, a great step up from Gibbs.
Shortly after Troy left I was called to the barn to try out a mare they had there, she had been brought in for a trial, but not suitable for a school horse. My first instinct on seeing her was HECK NO, red headed, high headed, see the whites of her eyes mare, WHAT IS MY COACH THINKING? Then I rode her, and I think I was a little in love three strides in. So Fergie became mine, she is a 15 year old, Belgian x Morgan/QH. She is actually well broke, has lots of buttons installed, but has had two years off and isn't that keen on starting work again. Her main issue, she was ridden in draw reins, we think, by someone who did not understand how they work, so she was very over bent to start with.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q5uAAZVjwY
After some work she is a lot better. Now to share a video that shows how far we have to go...no critique needed, I know where the holes are, and......this was my last ride of 2015 on her, the weather was bad, and for the first time she gave me real trouble, I couldn't get a lope transition out of her, she was rushing and threatening to buck through it, so my coach had called the guy riding her in the first video, to come ride her for me, she grabbed this pic as i was riding her waiting for him to come. For me quite a low point, I was tense, worried, and it shows, and she isn't that happy either, BUT actually I think she is going a lot better here than the first video, still quite the journey to make I know, but getting there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrVHDUEMXMY
Anyway, that is our start point, she was bought to be my Level 1 horse, but I think we will be starting with Basic and Intro, at least at the first show, then if we are ready we can move up during the year.
I guess you have already noticed that I am a plus size rider, really don;t want to be, have been battling this all my adult life, and trying really hard now to get fitter and lighter for the up coming season, step 1, have got back down to pre Christmas weight....just got to keep it heading in the right direction
Fergie, The Valkyrie
Here I sit, haven't ridden for 6 weeks, found out this week I have a chest infection, that explains the 3 weeks of coughing, so now wiped out by the antibiotics, Oh joy. Add to that my usual nerves, self doubt and winter blues this does not feel promising:icon_rolleyes:
Intros, for anyone who doesn't know us...
Me, older, nearly done with my 50's, rode a lot as a kid, young person and young adult, then stopped for a while. So adult re rider, who was doing well until my body and my confidence both took major damage in a fall in 2013. I have been carried back to (nearly) full confidence by a fantastic horse The Awesome Mr Gibbs, who is my rock, but sadly he does not do well at dressage, and he suffers from heaves and struggles at shows.
last year I leased a great gelding to show, but he was sold just before the last show of the season, but he taught me a lot, a great step up from Gibbs.
Shortly after Troy left I was called to the barn to try out a mare they had there, she had been brought in for a trial, but not suitable for a school horse. My first instinct on seeing her was HECK NO, red headed, high headed, see the whites of her eyes mare, WHAT IS MY COACH THINKING? Then I rode her, and I think I was a little in love three strides in. So Fergie became mine, she is a 15 year old, Belgian x Morgan/QH. She is actually well broke, has lots of buttons installed, but has had two years off and isn't that keen on starting work again. Her main issue, she was ridden in draw reins, we think, by someone who did not understand how they work, so she was very over bent to start with.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q5uAAZVjwY
After some work she is a lot better. Now to share a video that shows how far we have to go...no critique needed, I know where the holes are, and......this was my last ride of 2015 on her, the weather was bad, and for the first time she gave me real trouble, I couldn't get a lope transition out of her, she was rushing and threatening to buck through it, so my coach had called the guy riding her in the first video, to come ride her for me, she grabbed this pic as i was riding her waiting for him to come. For me quite a low point, I was tense, worried, and it shows, and she isn't that happy either, BUT actually I think she is going a lot better here than the first video, still quite the journey to make I know, but getting there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrVHDUEMXMY
Anyway, that is our start point, she was bought to be my Level 1 horse, but I think we will be starting with Basic and Intro, at least at the first show, then if we are ready we can move up during the year.
I guess you have already noticed that I am a plus size rider, really don;t want to be, have been battling this all my adult life, and trying really hard now to get fitter and lighter for the up coming season, step 1, have got back down to pre Christmas weight....just got to keep it heading in the right direction
Fergie, The Valkyrie