Winter Motivation

Well here we are. It’s 2019. A new year, a new start.

Or so I would have liked to believe. Last week I was all set for the weekend, I planned to do a clean out and

organise myself, inside and out (i.e. the stables and my room!!). But the universe had other plans.

I am fending off a cold at the moment, I’m not snotty or coughing, I’m more at the tiredness end of a cold,

full comatose at night and waking up all clammy. Therefore, my energy levels weren’t what they should be.

With both horses being in at night, there is a certain amount of work involved daily. In particular, duties

you have to do, without fail. Mainly feeding, rugging/derugging and mucking out (although I’ve given

this a miss on occasion).  Although having the horses at home, on my doorstep, is wonderful, there are

certain negatives too. These are a lack of electricity and consequently, no lights. I have solar lights and

one light in the stable, but it’s difficult to do anything more than the necessary in the evenings. Because of this,

I have a load of jobs to do at the weekends. One of these is usually a good muck out, which takes forever.

I took this just before I got into my car one morning. See how dark it is!!

My ultimate priority this weekend (bar mucking out and feeding) was to ride. I wanted to start the new year

a fresh and start the fitness plan I’ve made for them (it’s nothing exciting). So between mucking out, riding

the two, eating and feeding all the zoo, I was zonked and it had gotten dark. On the bright side, it was a

fabulous frosty morning – the first in a long time and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The dogs came with me for a

hack on Fred and we took some pics along the way.

First thing Saturday morning

This winter has been one of the darkest, in my opinion, in the last few years. Since I’ve had the horses at home,

I’ve managed to ride before work during the winters for at least November and then again in January.  I don’t

have the luxury of an arena, I can only ride on the roads or in the field if it’s not too mucky. But this winter it

has been impossible. Even by the time I have all the animals fed and the horses rugged and put out, it’s still too

dark to ride in the mornings. Most days it barely even brightens up, so even if I managed to get out during the

day it’s still miserable out there. Although it’s been dry in the sense that it hasn’t been raining lately, it’s been

ridiculously humid and the condensation everywhere is immense. You’ll notice on any leather items you have

a nice green mould appearing, even if you use them frequently. The dream of having an insulated/heated tack

room……..Ireland is atrocious for dampness. It gets into your soul (I’m joking, but seriously it can feel like it!!).

This winter it’s really hit home how people can suffer from S.A.D. I mean everyone seems to have some form

of it. I get home in the evenings and do the animals first thing, then eat and then flake on the couch. Zero

energy for anything bar Netflix. It’s a catch 22 of not getting enough fresh air and not having the motivation

to get the fresh air……

One of us got motivated enough to have their first EVER ride on a horse on the fabulous Sir Fred!

Those days when I take a walk outside during my lunch are noticeably better. But yet it’s not engraved in my brain that this has an affect. The heating is on at work even though it’s not cold. I’m a firm believer in that you should never be able to walk around in a tshirt/light top indoors in winter. You should at least have to wear a jumper. What I mean by this is that you shouldn’t have the heat up so high that you are that warm. It’s not good for you and it’s no wonder everyone has a cold or is smothered with something.

How do you manage the winter?! Answers on a postcard please……….