DEFLATION

 

Don’t let anyone tell you running is good for you, lies, LIES I tell you!! A few weeks ago my legs were feeling a bit tight, nothing major, but still annoying me. I got up early to go for a run before college. I thought that’ll help me wake up and feel fresh for my class. I did a few stretches and I used my foam roller after to try and decrease the stiffness. It didn’t work. Since then, I’ve been yoga-ing, taking Epsom salt baths, taking turmeric, foam rollering, but it’s only gotten worse. I’ve still been able to ride and yoga has given some release, but not enough.

Mane pulling in the sunshine

Paddy’s day arrived and it was a cracker of a day. Sun was shining and there were no clouds. It wasn’t exactly warm, but it wasn’t cold either. A goldilocks kinda temperature if you will!

Grassssious

Today was lesson day. I was really looking forward to it, because frankly, there is nothing else going on apart from work and home. 

I could see that it was going to be a thinking kind of lesson because Seamus had poles out everywhere. Eek. There were canter poles to begin with, the idea being to get a nice steady rhythm. Hah. ‘Nice’ and ‘steady’ we were not……he was a little fresh and excited and I immediately fell back to bad habits. Hands were used rather than voice and all of my body. My reaction forces a reaction from him, which is to get more agitated. Not a great start. I didn’t eventually get control of myself (cos let’s face it, I was the issue) and it became more relaxed (not fully relaxed, just more relaxed).

Then we moved on to a circle of jumps around the arena, with ground poles on either sides of the jumps. Not big jumps, as Seamus says ‘you could jump them yourself on one foot’ (I could not, but maybe with two!). That started a little speedy and jerky, but eventually got a bit nicer. When we did it on the other rein it was much much nicer. I felt we had gotten our rhythm a bit more.

Then we moved on to a 2 stride double with a canter pole 3 strides out and one 3 strides after. This was a bit rushed. I was pushing him when we got to the jump. I got a lovely light canter coming in but subconsciously pushed him at the fence. Eventually it got better but between the two jumps was still a bit rushed. We added in another double after this one, a 1 stride. This I could not get. My approach was rushed again. It was like starting the first double again. Eventually I got the approach nice and light but still pushed him at the double. The disappointing thing for me was I could not feel myself pushing him. As much as I tried to relax, look ahead, stay nice and light with my hands, I was managing to push him. That was deflating. If you can’t feel something you can’t fix it. That’s hard to take. 

You always need to finish with positives. Cu Chulainn was great, he did everything I asked. I don’t think he touched a pole. We did get our lovely light approach and that felt great. But, that niggling feeling was still at me. It’s hard not to carry the negative home and focus on it. Uck. Humans and our over thinking brains…….

I gave Fred a quick spin after. I did some of the poles in trot and changing rein and then in canter, again changing rein each time. He actually felt great and enjoyed the good surface and different work. I would have liked to ride him for longer, but my body wasn’t up to it. I knew that I would suffer after riding today, my legs were ridiculously tight and I’d had to take a nurofen plus just to loosen up a bit. Not ideal and I don’t advise this for others. Normally I’d have had a deep tissue massage from my masseuse (sounds fancy) but he’s not allowed be open. I’ve rang a physio for an appointment, so fingers crossed.

Rusty waiting for his dinner

In the meantime, the boys are really getting the hang of long reining and the stretch they are getting is great. All I can see is their withers! So, I can’t wait to see how their booties will look after a few weeks. Here’s hoping for a decent Kardashian one!

Long rein mode

Now, don't 'get me wrong, we all know that life with horses is full of highs and lows, whether you compete, are a horse owner or even just ride regularly in a riding school. But, without the lows, how would we feel any highs?