Coming off of a long weekend is always tough. You feel a little foggy and not quite yourself. It takes a moment to settle back into your weekday routine and focus on things that need doing. This weekend was full of activity after a lot of rain the week before. On Saturday, Deanna came by…
Tag: training
Dynamic Training
I talked about burnout last week and how those little flickers of success can be enough to keep you going through the grind. Last week, we finally had a significant breakthrough, where Kiss really started to get more balanced and relaxed into the work. She really gets into the work and enjoys it, once you…
Connect, Flicker, Hope
I guess I’m the type of person who can burn out easily, in that, I don’t like to hammer and hammer on a project or a challenge and never see any progress. I like to see the fruits of my labor at some point. I’d say I’m above average when it comes to patience, but…
Progress Can Be Microscopic
Supposedly former US President, Theodore Roosevelt, once said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” And back then, they didn’t have social media! That saying is one of my favorite things to repeat to myself. These days, it’s hard not to look around at what other people are doing, at how their horses are progressing, and…
Dressage is Hard, Y’all
Back in the 90s, I learned to ride with a dressage foundation. What that gave me was a great perspective on feeling the horse, responding to them, and being effective with my aids. As time has passed over the last 30 years or so, the learnings and the sport have evolved. Because I didn’t really…
Infinity Challenges
The weather for yesterday’s lesson was a relief. The sun, clear skies, and lack of wind turned the day before’s panicked and spicy “drinker of the wind” into a relatively plodding half draft horse. She was way more focused on me and really enjoyed the work we were doing – even though it was hard…
Wind in The Trees (And in Our Sails)
Riders with sensitive horses know there’s a certain kind of weather they don’t love: the chilly, blustery day. Especially when they have to ride in an outdoor arena. Especially when that outdoor arena is surrounded by all sorts of trees and rustling bushes and mare’s tail. Especially when that outdoor arena is surrounded by other…
Balance, ‘Crazy’ Horses, and The Mind-Body Connection
I used to work in a toxic job situation. No matter how long I worked, teams I motivated, mountains I moved, or innovations I introduced, the only times I got recognized were when something went wrong. Figuratively, I walked on eggshells. Physically, though, that manifested in frequently waking up with a painful, stiff, and immobile…
Re-Riding Lessons
My friend and the owner of the stable where I board Kiss, Bevin, is a great student of life. She is always learning, seeking knowledge, looking to improve. Along with her groundwork and Straightness Training lessons from our mutual trainer, Deanna, she also started taking Dressage riding lessons to work on her equitation. And, of…
Slow and Steady
Speed and agility have never been my thing. Some people live for doing things fast, the adrenaline of it. Some folks love to leap out of bed at the absolute last second, throw themselves in the shower, and spill coffee on themselves flinging their still-soaked and recently clad bodies into their vehicles while they go…
Equicurious 