IRL July 2015 (Life is very good)
| July 29, 2015 | Posted by Melinda under Mel's Life, Pregnancy |
Photo courtesy of Aurora at Redheaded Endurance
Every time that I think about bringing Farley back from Aurora’s and switching her out for MerryLegs I just can’t bring myself to do it yet. Farley is getting such a better work out up there than she ever would down here (hills!) and she’s so much happier being on pasture with friends. Extra time up on pasture past the initial month I had planned on won’t hurt her one bit. I feel like she’s just now settling in with Aurora’s fillies and honestly MerryLegs is soaking up every second that I can give her here. Eventually I will have to switch them, but I figure it will feel right when the time is right.
July: one 6 mile trail ride walk/trot
MerryLegs
As usual there is always time to get the things done that I really care about, however how to split up that time effectively is the main challenge, even with my philosophy of “pay myself first”. There are a million ways to get distracted around the house and before I know it a day or a week has been wasted.
I found that the hour or two most days of the week I was carving out that allows me to spend time and ride Farley wasn’t allowing me to do more than groom and handle ML from the ground. To get on always felt like I was rushing – either I or the horse wasn’t the right frame of mind and it didn’t feel right. I’ve made a pact with myself that when it comes to ML, I will not proceed to the next step unless it feels absolutely right at that moment, even if it’s something we have done before successfully. I will not take for granted that she will allow me to step into that saddle and move forward quietly. I will wait until the time is right.
But I was feeling guilty because it seemed like the time was NEVER right.
I HATE guilt, especially in activities that are suppose to be fun. Guilt is a red flag that something is not right and something needs to change. Guilt is not something that should exist long term to justify actions. If it keeps popping up, something is WRONG.
Funder mentioned she was going to try and devote a half day to her horse and I decided to try it. Once per week I’d make the stable an “event” and see what happened.
It turns out that’s exactly what I needed. Which is how I found myself almost 7 months pregnant riding ML in the arena.
Not being rushed, I had time to put away tack that was still in my car from the ride the weekend before (finally!) and armed with the knowledge that I could be at the stable for 3 or 4 hours, I put ML into the roundpen. After 5 or 10 minutes she looked like a horse that I felt good about saddling.
I didn’t even think about putting a foot in the stirrup because that caused a surge of adrenaline – one thing at a time.
I put in her in the big arena for some saddled free lunging – it’s usually at this point I decide I don’t want to ride….but that day she looked like a horse that I could at least get on from the mounting block and sit on.
So we did that.
And she was so good that we went for a little walk.
It’s been a couple of months (? I think beginning of May, but there might have been one ride in June) since I’ve actually gotten on her and walked around and she was absolutely perfect. Makes me think that like Farley, eventually she’s going to be a horse I’m going to be able to let sit and then hop on and go which is something I love about Farley.
I still had hours to spend, so she got tied up for a reminder in patience while being tied….while I went swimming.
Then she got a bath (that lasted until she was licking, chewing, soft, and relaxed), and a rear hoof trim in the round pen.
Last but not least I dug out the measuring tape…..15.1 hands!
I couldn’t feel better about how the day went and any guilt about whether I’m on the right track with this horse has been completely banished. Eventually I hope I can channel my “all the time in the world” attitude to my shorter visits during the week, but for now I’ll think of these sessions as the horsey equivalent of my “long run” days. I make them a priority, plan them, and then adjust my schedule as needed to accommodate them.
July: in addition to the long day above, we’ve been doing lots of ground work and handling, and going on walks out on the trail.
Mel, Tess, +1
While some days it seems like a stretch to call what I’m doing “rider fit”, I’ve managed to put in at least a 3 1/2 mile walk every day. Tess is INSANELY happy by this turn of events. In addition to walking, here’s what else I’ve been up to:
- 26.4 miles of running (with walk breaks) over 7 runs
- 1 session lap swimming
- 3 sessions of aqua jogging that lasted 30-45 min each
- 2 hiking trips. One on the WS trail that was self-imposed walking only, and the other one a couple of days ago that turned into a 6 mile run/hike because I felt so bouncy and good. Even though it was 103 degrees. Even though I forgot my ipod and had to run in silence. Oh you need pictures?
Apparently when it’s 103 degrees outside the reward is the trail ALL TO YOURSELF.
Too many rattlesnakes up here this time of year to trust Tess off leash. She stays on trail and auto heels when she sees another person or horse, however all it takes is one bound 1 foot off the trail to get bit. And since my anxiety is a bit high right now since she was almost a coyote menu item last week at home, she stays on leash for my sanity on this run. Still loving my orange mud pack. It’ts the only thing I have that fits equally well both before and during pregnancy and it’s the pack I find myself grabbing for runs, rides, and shorter hikes everytime.
I know this trail really well so did it in reverse of what I normally do so that where the shade versus exposed parts of the trail matched up with the horse troughs that I could Tess down in.
A note to any coyotes reading this blog: this is not a menu item. This is my dog.
I find the CA foothills so gorgeous, even in the middle of summer. It’s a hard to capture in photos – how the gold of the grasses contrasts with the oak trees and everything fades to these pastel colors. I know it’s not green and lush like a tropical rain forest, but it’s still as beautiful as it is in spring time when it’s covered in wild flowers to my eyes.
It was a good run/hike! I didn’t fall, I got plenty dirty, and not having my podcasts or music didn’t end up bothering me at all.
This is getting posted a couple days early since Tevis is coming up this weekend, where I’m volunteering for the webcast (and earning a volunteer tshirt!). Beyond another aqua jog session and more walks (with Tess or MerryLegs), I don’t expect to add significantly to what either me or my horses have done so far this month, so figured you didn’t mind if it was a bit early :).
My run hike was actually yesterday. I didn’t know that I would go ahead and post this and so I said a couple of days ago up above assuming I post this at the end of the week.
In the picture of my dirty legs is my favorite pair of running shoes. I’m so sad that the manufacturer discontinue this model. They replaced it with something that doesn’t fit my foot quite as well. And everyone is out of my size of the discontinued model so I guess I’ll just have to treasure them while I can. Running in them yesterday on a semi technical trail just reminded me how well they perform for the shorter mileage runs.
You are looking good, your ponies are looking good, your dog is NOT looking delicious. All good.
Your writing has this tone of utmost happiness to it lately – love it! Love the pictures; I can totally get where you’re coming from on the beauty of the golden grass against the oaks, too!
Happy summer to you – and stay safe from those fires!!
Being out of school and making the choice to work part time as a LOT to do with that I think. I was really burnt out by the hours required in clinical year among other drama, and commuting an hour each way for four years. Just the simple pleasure of receiving compensation for hours worked, and being able to clean my house, cook, ride, run, hike, and run errands is extremely fulfilling right now.