"Oh, you ride a horse?"

So, I recently had to go to visit a cardiologist where I had to get a halter monitor, do a stress test, an ECG, an ultrasound/echo... you know, all those really fun tests that everyone always wants to take on an average day! (... not.)

As I was jogging on the treadmill, after being paraded around the clinic in my sports bra in front of multiple little old ladies, the cardiologist came in to talk to me. He asked me about my exercise routine and I confessed that in the last month I haven't been working out at the gym much because of school and the new job, but that I ride once or twice a week, whether or not i'm busy.

To which he responded, "oh, you count that as working out?" and his stupid assistant giggled.

Me: "Yep, I do. But I know I should be going to the gym more regularly as well."

Him: "Is it really working out to sit on a poor animal, who is doing all the work?"

Me: ... at this point I was getting annoyed at stupid british man.

"Ha-ha-ha, yep, clearly you've never ridden a horse!"

Him: "Yes, it must be very hard work to pull on their mouths as they go around."

...

what do you even say to that?

It's not like this is the first time people who ride have been told that our activities are not a sport, and that the animal is doing all the work, etc. etc. But at the same time what really annoyed me was that this is a CARDIOLOGIST, concerned with my heart, basically telling me that my physical activities are menial... Shouldn't he be encouraging my active, healthy lifestyle? Apparently not, apparently his big heart-studying brain lacks any sense of intelligence.

In the end, the trip to the heart doc was a very trying test of my patience. Mainly because i'm 100% fine and my general doctor is an idiot who just loves to ship me off to specialists for no reason & those particular specialists loved to tell me how stupid it was that I was there, but then proceeded to put me through all the tests anyway... all the while being general stupid-faces.

However, there is a new tumblr that i'm loving... Equestrian Memes.... and they have quite a few hilarious horse relates memes.

So, in response to that stupid doctor...

Riding Diary: 10

Horse: Quizzie

Time: 1 hr

Ride: Quiz makes me happy. Our ride went really well, we didn't do anything too out of the ordinary. I thought she was loping out nice and slow to begin with. I had rode on Sunday (my lesson was yesterday - Monday) and didn't do much, just a lot of slow, calm loping and hanging around and I think it helped. She wasn't tired, but she felt a little more focused, and a little less frazzled, or, one the other hand.. a little less ready to race around the arena at mach speed.

My trainer put down poles and I had to really focus on keeping my body aligned, and my chin and eyes up, and straightening her out over the poles. I kept coming off the rail too soon and then arcing her over them, causing her to rush through. After we slowed it down and I worked her through them at the jog I think I got more of a physical feel to what I should be doing. Sometimes that really helps for me, I like to think things through, and then physically map out what I should be doing. This method generally helps me gain some physical memory for next time. Nothing feels better than your body just doing what it should be doing without you having to really think about it. Y'all know what i'm sayin' over here?

Anyyyyyways... For example, when I finally figured out the poles, I mentally remembered the leave more time on the rail, then physically picked up a bit of a bend and then remembered to physically straighten out my hands and let her go through in more of a straight and forward fashion.

After all that loping, poor baby was a sweaty puddle, and we finished up with more of my fav. the slow jog. I think that perhaps when I am older I will just be a "slow jog trainer", as it seems that is all I have been doing for the last two months.

(I'm only being sarcastic, I truly don't mind the slow jog. I honestly truly don't mind anything about lessons - no stirrup work; love it. slow and steady; love it. fast and checking back; love it.)

After a big long lesson Quiz went beautifully on a nice loose rein and around the rail we went. My trainer commented how improved I keep getting, AND how well I've done with Quiz. Big smiles all around.

For Next Time: For the first time I'm back to my old - how much is too much contact/checking back? issue. I always just assumed my trainer wanted me to keep a bit of a contact but she doesn't if Quiz doesn't need it, so, I want to work on a lot more loose rein stuff. Reeeaaaalllyy releasing when Quiz slows down and backs off, but on the completely other side of the coin, really being forceful and checking her back when I need too. I also need to remember to do a momentary heavy-check before the poles to get her really soft and easy going over them.

ps. Like my new header? Thoughts? Comments? Concerns?
--> Trying to figure out this whole "blogging" thing slowly but surely.

The Season of Spending: Attire!

... to continue on my series of "Louisa, why do you spend so much money all the time you big idiot?!"

A friend & I got these shirts (Panhandle Slim's) together, we plan to get them customized with the name of our ranch down one of the arm (Wrangler shirt style), and the logo on the back. Possibly with our job titles on the other arm? Not sure yet.

I'm very excited, we're already planning the photoshoot and perhaps trying our hands at blinging out some tack?! (Obviously that will be featured in said photoshoot). Pictures to follow!

Anyways.. this brings me to another point, finding plain wrangler shirts for women is THE HARDEST THING IN THE ENTIRE WORLD at any of the western stores in Calgary. I don't want Wrangler & Jack Daniels. I don't want Wrangler and Justin Boots (... or whatever). I just wanted Wrangler. I also don't want to have to wear a man's XS that still makes me look like a child attempting to dress in big boy clothes.

Impossible.

This is a Rock 47 shirt, I got a wicked deal on it - like 50%, it'll be a nice summer shirt - loose and sheer.

The white may be a deal breaker though... I'm not exactly the tidiest, cleanest person in the world.

Finally, because I love looking like cowgirl barbie, (hahaha.. only kind of joking) a Justin hat with camo-ventilated back. This hat was super cheap though, and it'll beat my pink rhinestone John Deere hat I sometimes sport in the summer...

It's fun, to be a redneck idiot sometimes.

Riding Diary: 9

Horse: Quiz

Time: 1 hr

Pre-cursor to Ride in which I ramble about nothing: ...I have some stuff going on that has been severely messing with my head as of late. (Blog post to come about that one of these days) So, along with being an emotional, unstable wreck at times... I'm in the centre of hurricane midterms, quickly approaching the Tsunami otherwise known as Finals, more specifically... term papers. & to top it all off, I started a new job and although it's easy-peasy-lemon-squeezie, i'm now busy Thursday, Friday & Saturday evenings. I'm busy and I'm sad and I'm in a bit of a mess.

So, what does this have to do with my weekly lesson you ask?

Well, I rode Wednesday than bailed Saturday because I felt sick, and knew that I had to be "responsible" and study. (Even though, in times like these I am prone to mentally shutting down and doing absolutely nothing) So, once Monday had rolled around I was feeling all stressed out, and was worried that my mental state at the moment would really affect my riding. Plus, it felt like I was lacking in Quiz-Louisa time.

Good news is that going riding was probably the best thing for me. As always, spending time in silence with horses can cure a lot of my mental mania. I got out to the barn earlier than usual and Quiz had been rolling in our new-found springtime mud (apparently she only rolls on her left side). So, I spent some decent time featuring a curry comb and the shedding blade and got her nice and shiny clean again. I actually love grooming, it's just that mental down time for me. I like picking and fussing and brushing, zen time.
Now, without further ado.. the actual ride..

Ride: So? Remember all that talk about my own mental mania, apparently Quiz had some too. Usually she's a little feisty to begin with but she would not check back at the jog or lope for me. I've never had to use so much rein on her to attempt to get her to check back and relax into the gaits. Furthermore, if I left the small circle and attempted to lope or jog the rail she would shut down when I asked her to check back and either stop, or walk. My trainer attributes this to the fact she has a foundation of reining training, and that when they got her she was used to doing extremley fast, small circles, and not a lot of long, rail-style loping. Still, nonetheless, I can sense it's frusterating for her, and it is for me as well.

My trainer got me to lope her in a small circle, for every half a circle we would lope, for the other half I would transition into a jog and back again. She explained to me that attempting to check Quiz back with just reins was clearly not working and that she was getting too tough on the bit and that this exercise would help her understand the point of checking back, while also asking her to work with the bit, not evade, or push on it. It seemed to help and Quiz was better to check after that... but still not great. I'm not sure if it's me, I'll ask her to jog from a lope and more often than not she either screeches to a halt, or breaks down right into a walk. I suppose that's a sign that I need to be using more verbal cues with her, and then asking for specific actions in more consistent ways.

Other than our issues with checking back, Quiz didn't have as big of a stop as i'm used to with her. All of a sudden she was evading and leaking out of a stop, so i'd back her after stopping.. but by the end of the lesson I still wasn't feeling like she was 100% stopping like she usually does.

I also have to watch my position at times, when loping a circle I tend to let her cut in, thus causing her to speed up and cut corners. We've figured out that when asking her to lope I shouldn't cluck to her, it causes her to rush the transition, so I've been working on asking in a more calm, non-verbal way. Also, again in those damn circles, I drop my shoulder and kind of angle into the centre of the circle - I need to focus on sitting up straight, with evenness in my body. Finally, when asking for a rollback, for example a rollback to the left, I'll drop my left hand/rein halfway through the turnaround, I need to keep both hands more consistent.

This was the first lesson with Quiz where I felt like our communication was really off. I can't help but wonder if my riding, with the addition of my mental state was causing this hurried, gross mess that was the outcome of our weekly lesson... it can be a bit of a confidence blow.

Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, keep riding, keep learning. Everyone, including horses, have their bad days.
For next time: Work on checking back without shutting down (utilizing different methods such as the circle jog-lope technique), and focus on keeping an evenness in hand and body posture while loping circles.

Most importantly, leave the stress and agitation of life in the truck before entering the barn. =)

A Glimpse: 1

a little glimpse into my life lately...

Little Miss Quiz in an XL cooler after a sweaty ride today... isn't she the cutest?!

A piece of an email I received yesterday, very bittersweet.

Today, much like every other day...

... I am thankful for growing up in summertime heat, amongst trees that touch the stars at night, horses that are always accepting of hugs, cuddles and kisses, and people that have shaped the person I am today.

A very little me, riding a very big (and at times, very scary) Minnie.

Here's to good 'ol boys, who still jump logs & crow hop at rivers, just to make little girls laugh.

A favourite quote that Lisa Mallory wrote and taped up in one of the dorms,

"for all that has been and all that soon will be, I saltue the people that continue to enhance the vibe and dream that encompasses this place. Heaven is hard to find, and even harder to keep."

Here's to fires that threaten to burn down buildings, and nearby trees

generally, here's to the insanity of summer

& of course, as always, the boy that stole my heart and his goddamn crazy eyes.

To lifelong friendships.

To a sky that has captured my imagination, and all my dreams.

& to so many miles in the saddle

... and here's hoping, and praying, and dreaming, and wishing for many, many more.

Today, I am trying to remember to always cherish the people dearest to you, and the time you have at the places you love.

The Season of Spending: Belts!

So, I got a job (non-horse related) because the other day after going on what seemed like a year-long spending-spree I realized that my bank account was getting closer and closer to the red, and although I have two small, one day a week type jobs, that just aint cutting it - so, I got a third! (but this one is 3 days a week, so a little more on the serious side)

I'm going to make such a wonderful wife one day. :) Now taking applications for a man who will allow me to spend all our money on horses, and things that have to do with them. And clothes... and definitely cowboy boots, (and all other types of shoes that exist) Appealing? I know!

So, I thought I should probably document all the spending i've done in the last couple of months here... *disclaimer* this spending wasn't all in one day - i'm not that insane!

So, first up is belts..

Belts:

So, there is this random little liquidation store by my house and the other day I went in just to check it out. Uhm.. they have Wrangler and Rock 47 by Wrangler belts there... for 9 dollars

They also have (cheap) belt buckles for... 5

and plain leather belts in black and brown for... 3

... my mouth was on the floor.

(My mom got this for me, because as I have mentioned she is the best! But I bought the black belt to go with it. I had it on the brown belt two pictures up but it looks way better with black)

I'm obsessed with this one, blingy bling bling.

This belt buckle is ridiculous, but I think it's too perfect not to have, it's MASSIVE. Plus I bought two for two friends of mine so we can be matchy-matchy with our redneckness.

So this is one is a little over the top for me, but I tried it on with a plain black tank top and dark jeans and actually really liked it, so we'll see if I ever end up wearing it.

Now that I know I have the mecca of cheap belts beside my house I'm thinking of trying my hand at blinging out some stuff. I know you can buy pretty cheap swarovski crystals and conchos wholesale online, it might be fun to play around with some stuff and bling it out.

... I sound like a barrel racer.

Stay tuned for more stupid spending habits!