Don't want to lose track....

[LC Sponge]

I'm lossing track of the miles that I'm putting on my hiking boots.

Up to this point I have recorded the following:

Aug 2001 - 60 k 37.5 miles

Sept 2001 - 50 k 31.25 miles

Oct 2001 - 51 k 31.88 miles

Nov 1-18, 2001 - 85 k 53.13 miles

[YogaBuff]

Whoa, I'm tryin' to convert k's to mi's to get an idea how much you've trekked this mo., SO FAR. Is my algebra just really bad?? (Mr. Baade in 8th grade thought so :D ) or did you do almost 141 mi. in 18 days??????

YB prostrate on ground, facing north ( the way people face mecca in the east) chanting aaaaaaahhhhhhh in the direction of the great LC SPONGE.

Good grief girl, when you do these weekend hikes, how far do you go in one day??OMG

yb

[firespirit]

LC Sponge

Wow and Cool just don't seem to do you justice, but they are all I got right now :hyper:

YB prostrate on ground, facing north ( the way people face mecca in the east) chanting aaaaaaahhhhhhh in the direction of the great LC SPONGE.

YogaBuff I'm right there with you--think it will help any :q:

[LC Sponge]

You guys crack me up! There must be more oxygen goin' to the brain over here in the locker room.

km - 2.2 = mile - 1

I've edited message number 1 to give you the translation.

Kilometers are the ONLY good thing about the metric system. It looks longer :)

I live in the country and I hike through conservation areas, along old rail beds, or on country roads.

My longest in one day was 18 km. (8 miles)

Have a good one, my fellow heavy breathers. ;)

[YogaBuff]

Oh, wow, I must have been doing it totally backwards. Can you believe my two sons are math wizards, in calculus and geometry, etc. They PEER tutor. Obviously something they get from hubby!

Actually I LOVE metric-- knew it pretty well when I was a nurse, but we didn't calculate dosages in k's. I was going, like, OK--if I ran a 5k once and that's 3.1 mi............I'm such a dummy.

Still that's a lotta hikin'. The country would be nice. We live in the suburbs, but poochie and I head down to an old fort from the War of 1812, it's next to a river amd is fairly 'rural'. Nice.
yb

[LC Sponge]

Ahh a fellow dog lover - what kind of pooch?

I've got an old german shepherd - she must be 9, but she's getting up there. She kept up on the 12 k hike yesterday, but she sure slept well. She occasionally does a toe drag thing, that my dh says is a sign she may have had a stroke.

Dog #2 is a rottie rescue from the humane society. Probably found his way there because he is a RUNNER. We put in underground fencing as soon as we got him and that's held him nicely. When he got back from the 12 k yesteday, all he wanted to do was play - just a warm up for him!!!

Have a spectacular time at the huntin' cottage - what a great way to spend Thanksgiving! I envy you the rural experience (what am I saying, I just threw more logs into the wood stove ;) ) ok - the EXTRA rural experience. PS good luck on the hunt. We don't hunt ourselves but we let a neighbour bag a deer on our property this year, so he delivered a bit of venison today as a thank you.

[Ruth]

Hi Spongey,

You may be thinking of pounds not distance, 2.2 lbs = 1 kilogram and 1 mile = 1.6 km; and yes, I was a good math student. I can do the lbs/kg conversion in my head, but have to rely on the 50 mph = 80 kmh (memory not multiplication) to figure out distance.

Your mileage looks good. When you wear those hiking boots out, you'll be able to tell the world what kind of mileage we can expect from our hikers.

TTFN,

[LC Sponge]

Ruth - you are a goddess. No word of a lie.

I can't believe how assinine my calculations were. Thanks so much for putting me on track - not to mention there's more miles in that first post now :D

[missydog]

LC,

For some stupid reason I put this question to you in my journal, of all places. You have a better chance of reading it here, I would think. Anyway, I'd just like to know if, when you got close to goal did you end up having to cut calories at all to finally reach your goal. Or did you sincerely stay on your Way of Life, oblivious to the slowdown in your weightloss. I suppose I could do either one, and there are some -- ahem -- kind of fanatical types around who think you need to eat 100 times your weight in calories, etc. etc. Anyway, since NO ONE can speak with more authority than you about reaching goal, what is the story?

Thanks a bunch :)

--Missydog

[missydog]

LC,

Oh, I just found your reply in my journal. Very sensible. I find I am eating between 1400-1500 calories a day to lose, and I think I might even take it lower than that, say to 1350. I'll see.

By the way, I love your image of the plane coming into land. Gives kind of a noble slant on the weightloss slowdown.

Thanks,
Missydog

[LC Sponge]

Hey, are you kidding? - I'm one of your biggest fans!!! I got your question sure enough!!! My answer's in your journal :)

[LC Sponge]

Aug 2001 - 60 k 37.5 miles

Sept 2001 - 50 k 31.25 miles

Oct 2001 - 51 k 31.88 miles

Nov 1-25, 2001 - 93 k 58.13 miles

Made it out for a 5k run this morning before the rain started. Which is pretty good considering I haven't done any serious exercise since last Sunday.

It's November 25 and the temperature outside was 16.6 C at 7:25 a.m. when I started out. That has got to be some kind of record. Hope to do a hike this afternoon, but it's pouring out right now- If I make it I'll update this entry. Until then - I'm baby quilting :) - Made it out for a 3k walk (still raining :( )

[YogaBuff]

Hey, Sponge, the cabin was nice, the weather too warm for this time of year, hubby and BIL got one buck each , and my sons got zippo. They saw lots of mamas with babies, but we never take mamas with babies :eek: . We aren't out to eradicate the species. And they NEED their mamas.

I can't believe you're down to 141.5# already!When (and how) will it end? What -if anything- are you doing to slow your loss and stay at goal? Questions pour into my head.

Well, a freezer full of venison, and we;re having fish tonight. :rolleyes: Go figure. What does that chef of a husband of yours do with fish?

YB

[YogaBuff]

P.S. We have a yellow lab named Bear. He's 6 yrs. old, and could run WAY further than me. He makes me feel like we're having fun out there.

YB

[LC Sponge]

Hey YB - welcome back to urban society!

Congrats on the deer. It's always nice to have a full freezer at this time of year - it's something that gives great comfort, and will again when February winds blow.

I'm letting my weight loss do what it wants. I'm trying to shift my attention to physical fitness as a main focus. It takes some turning of the periscope tho - that sucker is fixed on the scale something fierce!

Was lucky enough to have lunch with Nat, Lisaf and Muse yesterday (and Nat's beau), and all the Body For Life talk got me really thinking. Nat loves the program and it's doing well for her.

I'm off to northern Ontario for 3 days on business, leaving tomorrow morning. I may have to pick up the Body For LIfe book and give it a read.

Oh yeah - almost forgot to log todays hike - 12 k. First hike this month :)

[YogaBuff]

LC,

I, too have been reading about Nat's BFL. I log in on an exercise forum where people talk about it quite a bit. Also following what TrainerDan has been telling Missydog about CKD. Am learning a lot, but some of the info's all mushing together, and I'm getting Info-overload sometimes. :daze: I'm a KISS (keep it simple stupid) person I guess, probably cause I'm gettin' too old to remember all this stuff. :p

Want to read BFL and more on CKD, but with trying to re-learn French(a promise to myself) and my kids schedules (my 15 1/2 yr. old 'baby' is taking drivers ed, and the boys have numerous activities), and this being the Christmas season, well....

Read your story in the success section! Very inspiring. I'm an ex-smoker myself (quit 24 yrs. ago) and that was the start of the yo-yo dieting that got me at this weight. Glad you wised up so much quicker! :)
YB

[missydog]

LC,

If anyone wants to buy a Body for Life book at half price, I've got one in perfect condition that I don't want anymore (I'm totally happy with my CKD regime).

And YogaBuff, I can't believe this new coincidence, but I too am trying to relearn the French I've forgotten from when I lived in Paris 25 (!) years ago. It's one of those "promise to myself" things for me, too. I actually got a degree in French from UCLA, but have lost touch with it for many years.

Missydog

[LC Sponge]

Yoga Buff - kill 2 birds with one stone - get a weight training book in french :) I'm also a KISS person - a video or television exercise program to follow makes my life so much easier. I have a stretch lady who comes on at 6:00 and a weight training lady who comes on at 6:30 - so a good workout for me is stretch from 6:-6:15, treadmill from 6:15-6:30 and then weights from 6:30-6:45 - then get ready for work.

Missydog - I am just going to dig out some of my old weight training books and work on my own schedule. I find that reading these books, there is no *new and improved* way to do a bicep curl so why invest the money? I looked at the BFL book ($40 up here) and decided that I'd rather have a new quilting book.

Have a great day both of you.

[Natrushka]

Spongey, I just found this webiste www.half.com they have everything; and it's all... well at least half off (if not more). They're advertising protein power for .75 cents.... I'd imagine they'd have BFL pretty cheap too.

Nat

[missydog]

LC,

Good for you for going with the tried and true methods of working out. I recently came to the same conclusion myself about investing in one new exercise/diet book after another! There are probably very few new things to be said, once you've read DANDR, Protein Power, The Zone, Schwarzbein, The Glucose Revolution, all the myriad websites pertaining to these, and on and on. And those pretentious HARDCOVER books really put a dent in my pocketbook. So you can't blame me for checking to see if you'd be enough of a sucker to want my BFL book (one of my biggest wastes of money). It would have been enough just to read it while standing up in the bookstore and then to put it back on the shelf, LOL!

Have a great weekend.

--Missydog

[LC Sponge]

Nat - thanks for the tip :) - you, my dear, are a "specialist" when it comes to your program and that's amazing . I totally respect the dedication and intricate and intimate knowledge you have about lowcarbing and body building. Anything you set your mind to, better WATCH out !! ;)

Alas, I am a generalist (Missydog can relate).

When generalists compare things the identify the similarities, where a specialist identifies differences. It's not a matter of 1/2 full or 1/2 empty, as there is no right or wrong.

Missydog - (when I *say* your name in my head - I say Missah-dawg - hope you don't mind :) - I have said on more than one occassion - there is only ONE low carb way of eating - with many, many angles. When any topic becomes HOT (read 'money-making'), there will be copycatters out there all over the place. Not that they are misled or misleading, just that they have hooked their lowcarb twist onto the lowcarb STAR and are getting rich - quite frankly - and more power to them. I'm waiting for the first bag of low carb dog food.

Takes all kinds to make the world go round doesn't it? :)

PS - Missah-sly-dawg - HA "sell" me your used book?? LOL You can't kid a kidder - If I'd wanted it, I'da convinced ya to send it to me free and postage paid. :D Hang onto it, you may luck into a table with one short leg.

[missydog]

LC,

Wait no longer. I recently saw an advertisement for a low-carb cat diet food-- how to make your feline go low-carb!

Missydog

[Natrushka]

Originally posted by LC Sponge
When generalists compare things the identify the similarities, where a specialist identifies differences. It's not a matter of 1/2 full or 1/2 empty, as there is no right or wrong.


*lmao* You're also the consumate diplomate, Madame Sponge.

Nat

[LC Sponge]

{{{{courtsey}}} Why thank you, your highness Queen of the bench press ;) - comes from working for the government.

Missydog!! That is way too funny - cats are carnivores. They eat low carb anyway.

Putting "low carb" on a can of beef-by-products, is like slapping a label on prune juice: "Now Comes In Black!"

[LC Sponge]

I want to start keeping track of my dressage training sessions.

I've had 2 so far, my schedule is currently 2x per week (Wed and Sat). I consider those days to be lower body workouts so skip any other workout other than cardio (if that) on those days. Worked primarly at walk and posting trot. General dissection of position part by part and rebuild correctly. Analysis of what I do and how to correct.

My shopping list for my lower body at the walk is:
Learned behaviour of turning toes out and using heels as the leg aid. However this opens up the knee and contact is lost, whole leg is shifted forward. To much emphasis on heels down. Leg shoots forward in transition to halt.
Correction: Leg aid is the calf and should not be seen from the ground. Consider my heels to be pointing straight back (not down) and out the rear end of the horse. Flare heels out. Sit on my sitting bones in the middle of the saddle. Lead with the sternum. Aid to walk from stop is inside leg only. Quiet with lower leg in all transitions.

My shopping list for my upper body at the walk is:
Learned behaviour of breaking wrists to shorten reins. Alters position of arm, shoulder and stick.
Correction: Follow the horses mouth with my shoulder, not hand. Elbows, shoulders and fingers flex, wrists don't. Hand, arm and shoulder position is likened to holding a bale of cotton in front of me. This will keep thumbs on top and stick across upper leg. Aid to slow speed is outside rein only. Draw hands to diaphram to maintain line to mouth.

Overall at walk: keep the straight line from ankle, thru hip joint, and shoulder.

My shopping list for posting trot is:
Learned behaviour of posting outside horses' motion. Defeats purpose of posting trot being energy saving for rider. Tendancy to lean too far back when trying to stay "straight". When left behind, wrists break to catch balance.
Correction: Moving smoothly in transition up and down. Posting big to avoid that multiple "beat". More forward sitting. Hold hands higher. Practice posting with a prop (stool or chair)- feet on ground, knees touching prop - post without moving knees away from or bumping prop. Quads are used to post.

Overall at trot: overcompensate by putting weight on left side, shift entire balance to left side - don't just lean, think of right stirrup as non-existant or spagetti. More difficult for me to work going to the left. Horse doesn't bend as well (me or horse?)

Overall general: Think in the NOW, don't think ahead. What is the horse doing NOW. Ride him in the NOW. Memorize how things FEEL not how I think they LOOK. Get my body organized. Strengthen lower leg front and ankles. Strengthen abs and back. Concentrate on having NO effect on the horse when no communication is necessary. Never give a second aid (and certainly not in the same intensity) if the first was ignored. Use a different aid. Click or stick.

Learned you can pick out all four hooves from the same side of the horse. Cool.

[LC Sponge]

Hand positions under scrutiny! So important to lock thumbs on top of rein. Didn't break my wrists tho. Gee is it possible I only have to be told "once"? Must hold my hands higher and together. Somewhere along the learning road, I was never graduated from still hands in front of the saddle, to hands that can prove they will work independently from the rest of the body. So it's coming to me fast. Have to work on keeping the horse from falling in and falling forward. Bit contact, equal rein length, hand position, half halts, propulsion from behind, and proper bending is important here. Love the "look" of hands held high in classical dressage.

Told to read everything, question everything.... "Until you can tell your instructor to %&$* off, you are nothing."

Another point is to allow my upper arms to work away from torso. Further is to not allow the horses gaits to deteriorate. That as soon as I sense it, a correction (not aid) is necessary. Mostly a problem in the walk on the buckle end.

Worked on circles and bending at posting trot. Primarily for hand position. Executing enough inside rein aid to tell the horse to turn, but not so much as to cause him to fall in. Outside rein aid should "think" about turning left to keep the horse balanced and not over-bent. Ride with whole body, can't let the overall communication break down and focus just on the rein aids.

Leg position was near perfect the whole time. Better on my transitions, only had to be told once to 'live in the now' going from trot to walk. Walk to trot is perfect. Body position didn't favour right side. I ended the session without ever feeling overly tired on one side (right) of my body.

Funny story tho, my jacket and vest, not well hung on a jump standard, (live and learn) slid off and startled my horse. As he shyed sideways and my seat became unbalanced, my first thought was 'quick - assess do I fall or not'. What a cool thing when, even after years, the correct response kicks in. My instant decision was that the horse was not so unbalanced and neither was I, that I couldn't correct the situation and stay on - and without "hanging on his back teeth" as my coach so well put it. :) If I had fallen, the blessing was that it would have been to the right (whew) the bad news is that the horse is 16.2.

Next session will be spent on riding the rear end of the horse. Chris says that even tho my hand position is not yet habitual, that we need to get the hind end engaged in order to help my hand position and 'keep Marlow's spotty nose from dragging in the dirt'.

Intersting discussion with Chris about Monty Roberts.

Another interesting dicussion, horses are now backed and started but the walk is only on a long rein. No rein contact at the walk is done until the horse is 5 or until after the canter is well underway. Contact at the walk, causes a horses gas pedal to become blocked.

[LC Sponge]

Today was a 6 lightbulb day.

Proper upper body position. First, imagine my 6 inch collarbones, being 7 inches long - not 8, 7. Then imagine standing with my back against wall. Bottom, shoulder blades and head all touch the wall. Now, make the pocket of space between my neck and the wall - smaller. Realize that to do so, I have brought my chin in, and the place on my head that is now touching the wall, is lower than the initial spot on my head that was touching. It has also affected my rib cage and how it "sits" in my torso. Remember this position and practice this vitual positioning in reality and in my mind. It is the correct position for classical dressage. Long in the neck and relaxed in the arms, not overly straight in the back.

Open up my line of vision to include horse's withers, neck and head and see these parts as a whole single unit. Once I did that, my aids became second nature. I "saw" the horse as a "whole" and was able to use all my aids to execute 2 perfect half passes at the posting trot. One right after the other. I liken it to standing on the back of a tobaggan and holding the rope so that the front of the tobaggan comes off the snow. The swinging of the tobaggan is much like the motion of the front end of the horse when the hands are used correctly.

Further to that, envision that my hands do NOT move independently of each other, but rather are 2 sections of a single unit. Shifting both hands to the left while going to the left, caused the horse to bend perfectly to the right. Using the inside leg aid as well, put me in the following rhythm: sit + leg, rise + hands = half pass. It was remarkable. I nearly cried.

Metronome: the post is not a 1, 2, beat, it is a 1, 1, beat - like a metronome. Up - down - 1 - 1.

Instead of using the leg muscles to rise for the trot, use them to return to the saddle. By focusing this way, my sit beat became more spongey. I am now using my muscles to help me RETURN to the saddle, not get out of it. I'm gentler in the saddle for it.

My transitions were very good today. I kept in mind that my femur must roll inward for my lower leg to maintain good position. This puts my thigh flat against the saddle and my toes face forward.

To work on: - gotta work my quads more. The stronger they are the better I will post. Also gotta do more yoga. My upper body strength is really paying off. I was more balanced this time too. I am using my left side more and being more concious of being balanced on the horse, and keeping the horse balanced.

Buy the book "The Dressage Formula" by Eric Herbermann - recommended by my coach.

What a great session!!!

[wbahn]

Sounds like you had one of those High Points that Bill Phillips talks about. When everything just comes together - almost magically. Hope you can hang on to the lessons learned - sometimes that's the hard part.

Keep it up!

[LC Sponge]

Zen teaches that unless you come to a learning experience with an empty cup, it cannot be filled. No matter how much I "know" about the equestrian art of dressage, I must go to each lesson knowing nothing. Only then will I learn.

Retention is of course, a matter of course, I hope. :)

[LC Sponge]

Focus tonight was on my hands and seat. Did an exercise called 'waltzing trot' - a trot counted to a 3/4 beat. First you count the posting trot to a 1-2-3-1-2-3 beat, then you descend to the saddle only every 3rd beat. It's to overcome counting to the 1-2 beat and putting emphasis on one or the other and it 'shows' you how you should be returning to the saddle. As before, the trot is really a 1-1 beat with NO emphasis being put on either beat. And because the exercise has you 'standing' in your stirrups for a beat, you return to the saddle MUCH more gently.

Did a second exercise where I purposely raise my hands every time I return to the saddle and lower them as I post. This is to define the disassociation between my shoulders and arms from the rest of my body. Good thing I can walk and chew gum at the same time, I found both exercises fairly easy, and extremely enlightening. He did tell me that my hands were 60% 'there' already.

Half pass at the walk.
Lecture on balancing a jumping pole on its end, and how once the perfect balance point is achieved how only minute adjustments with finger tips are required to keep it standing even tho the pole weighs about 40-50 pounds and is about 14 feet long. I executed a perfect half pass just after (good timing) and was asked to notice now I used only minute aides to get the horse to continue. Chris referred to it as "no aids" riding. And that ALL exercises should be ridden this way. But in order to do so, that perfect balance point much be reached and maintained so that the lightest touches are required to speak to the horse. That way there is no over-correction/under correction being done. Makes good sense.

Dressage is about 2 things - building the horses strength and learning to 'ask' him to do the things he does naturally anyway. The punkiest cart horse, if put in a stall and fed oats for a week, can be released in a paddock and the first thing he will do is put his tail in the air and execute a perfect shoulder in the full length of the paddock. Young thoroughbreds will execute all the airs above the ground when out running lose. The passage is executed beautifully by a young arabian who is paddocked near my house, every time I walk past with the dog. The problem is, that humans never ask for the same thing in the same way on a consistent basis. If our brains were able to ask for and our body deliver EXACTLY the same aids, at EXACTLY the required time, in EXACTLY the same manner each time, a Grand Prix dressage horse could be fully trained in 3 months.

My saddle arrived today. It is gorgeous. Told Chris and at first he looked stricken (who buys a saddle BEFORE they buy a horse?? and WORSE who buys one on e-bay??) but he calmed down when I told him it was a brand new Wintec with the Cair system and totally adjustable gullets. He's heard excellent things about it but has never seen one. I'm taking it in next Wed with all the literature on it. With any luck he might let me use it on Marlow once or twice so I can get the feel of it. I use one of his saddles which is a $3500 (so outrageous!) air bag system saddle, and since he is keen on the air bags, he might let me use my Wintec although it has 4 airbags and is non-adjustable. Which is probably ok since it is totally synthetic.

My next lesson is next Wed since I'm going away.

[LC Sponge]

My instructor pegged me (correctly) as a type "A" personality and further went on to inform me that my "intellect is a terrorist". Because of this I become 'overfocussed' on individual things, instead of diversifying my awareness to all parts of me and the horse. I don't let things happen, and I don't experiment. I demand perfection from myself, and immediate too.

He is absolutely right.

He told me to allow my intellect to be distracted while I learn how to ride.

To help me with this, he is making more use of a particular teaching style of his where he tells me to be aware of something, instead of directing me on how to do it right - that way my intellect is trying to figure out what is "right" while the rest of me works on how it feels thereby 'discovering' what is right. He is truly very clever.

Relaxation is a natural state - for the rider and the horse. It can't be forced, or learned....it must be discovered.

Sitting trot tonight for the first time. He was thrilled with my sitting trot - I do believe he didn't think it would be as good as it was. Noted quiet lower leg, good pelvic rock to the trot. Marked improvement over last week at posting trot and transitions. Took the stick to old Marlow tonight. His spotty nose was in the dirt and he "forgot" inside leg. Earned me more brownie points. A rider who rides to the horse, not the instructor!

Showed him my Wintec saddle. It will take some time before a stoggy British riding instructor can accept an Auzzie synthetic. Blimey. :)

[LC Sponge]

Well there's something to be said for clearing the mind before setting about to learn anything. I was a bit rushed when I got to the stable, Marlow was covered in mud, I didn't get my stretches in. It's important for me to make time for these things if I want to get the most out of my sessions.

Worked on the circle today, exclusively. Mostly at the posting trot. Discovered a couple of things. Riding arenas cause a rider to get lazy. The horse turns when he gets to the short end, he has no choice. But when you are riding a circle, you have to be precise with all your aids all the time. There is no visual cue for the horse to follow. Big revelation.

The other thing is this, the inside leg refers to the bend in the horse, not the direction he's going. Worked on circle to the left in a right bend, ergo my inside leg is my right leg. This type of exercise is wonderful in getting to fully understand the impact of all the aids- even the quiet ones.

The boys in Vienna never shift their weight to cause them to fall in when doing a circle. Their composure stays very much straight. All that crap I was taught by instructor-wanna-be's all my life about using the inside leg to get a horse to bend needs to be whitewashed from my hard drive. THAT is going to take a lot of work.

Also learned there are often no wrong answers to some questions. Exemplified today by Chris with the "Do what I do" demonstration.

Most riders approach a jump with a "braced for failure" approach, recommended reading "Zen in the Art of Archery".

Was totally encouraged to "experiment" today - found it totally frustrating. My mind was not open to it.

[LC Sponge]

Today's theory was about using leg yielding, and hands to get the correct bend in a horse who tends to overbend to the left (most horses are concave in the right and convex in the left) on both the right and left rein, in both the circle and the full arena. By "correct bend" I mean the bend that I want. Worked at bending to the inside, going straight and bending to the outside.

Head position and the utilization of the right rein, by jostling it a bit and then releasing the tension when the horse's head drops. All the while keeping the pressure on the left so that I don't get an over-flexing to the right. To maintain a roundness of the horse's back.

Theory on how the horse's feet are placed when the horse bends. That the outside leg stays 'on track' and the inside hind comes under the horse's spine.

Leg yielding exercise to get the horse to move straight away from my leg in the positioning of the half pass, but at times when I simply need him to "move over" when perfecting circles etc. Had to work on riding the horse in the short end of the arena and use all my aids, not just allow the horse to make the turns. Had to come off the sides freqently and then move the horse by leg yielding back to the outer track.

To work on: The concept of effort without tension. Consider this when I am working on my yoga. Find the energy without forcing. Moving a horse away from my leg should be a matter of creating an opening for the horse to go through, then asking him to go through it, rather than forcing the horse to move into a "frame".

How this came about: At the sitting trot with leg yielding I go through alternating periods where my arms become inflexible (when I am giving the leg aid) and then float (when I am not). They should float all the time. Not as evident in my posting trot. I may be working on to many things at once. Haven't done a lot at the sitting trot so perhaps I should spend more time focussing on that before I work on the leg yielding.

The book I have ordered still isn't in. I'm starting to chomp at the bit.

[tamarian]

This is interesting. Never thought riding is that technical. Thanks for sharing this with us spongie :thup:

Wa'il

[LC Sponge]

Hi Wa'il - yes - if after I ride, my head hurts more than anything else, then I know I've gotten a lot out of the session. :)

Today the exercise was concentric circles. Two of them. Beginning in the inner circle where the horse's natural position would be to have head and shoulders on the track of the circle, and his hind outside of the circle, move to the outer circle without changing his angle or bend, so that he arrives at the outer circle with his full body at once.

He's got me working the back end of the horse in the last few sessions. The reins only brake, steer and control the head and shoulder position. The legs control the gas pedal and the position and direction of the hind end. So when working this exercise, I am continually working the gas, brake, steer left, steer right with the front and steer right, steer left with the rear of the horse. These minute adjustments made continually and quietly lead the precision of classical riding.

Once I opened up my awareness to the full horse, it became easier. It was only once I relaxed and stoping micro managing my riding and freely 'rode' the horse was I able to do the exercise. I need to get MY spotty nose out of the dirt (forget Marlow's!!) and start riding at a "higher level" in my head. My problem is that Chris details the theory portion of the session to such a degree that I am still "stuck" in that detail for the duration of the session. It is only the following session, after I have had a chance to digest and internalize what he has told me, that I am able to functionally do it. He is an amazing communicator tho. He can really "draw" a picture. He told me to start thinking about turns on the forehand when doing the exercise. That image helped enormously.

This concerns me. I am not sure if what I need to do can come naturally or is only learned. Or if it does come naturally am I "blocking" it because of my nature to detail and compartmentalize everything? I also believe I am a very hands on person anyway. I need to practice something over and over in order to really learn it. Once I have it, it never goes away.

I still have to find reality ways to learn "effort without tension"

The other 'correction' we worked on today, is that when I am on the right lead I need to post at 2 oclock and 8 oclock. On the left lead I need to post at 1 and 7 in order to be straight and post correctly. Once he gave me the "visual" of the clock face, it was easy. It's all about being heavier in one stirrup than the other and keeping straight over the horse's spine and not falling in or out. The rhythm of my posting was improved considerably and FELT marvelous as a result.

I did an hour yoga before I drove to my class, and lots of stretching before I got on. It helps my suppleness greatly.

Marlow is an amazing schoolmaster. He is so well trained, agreeable and yet so sensitive, that he allows you to learn without arguing with him.

[Homegirl]

Hey Sponge,

Just popped in to see what you are up to at that hoity toity ridin' the range school ;) .

Have to agree with Wa'il. I never realized how technical riding can be. But it sounds like you are really enjoying it and are really focused on what you are doing.

Had to laugh about your instructor giving your intellect something else to do while your body is learning how to open up and be aware of the horse and how it feel to execute something. Reminds me of ME learning my Belly Dance isolations. I too am a type A personality and tend to be concentrating so hard that I forget to let go and just feel it and go with the flow . . .

See ya around!

[LC Sponge]

Great strides tonight. Worked outside for the first time. Makes for a more forward horse. A bit spooky - in between nest building, pigeons are known to carry horses off by their withers, doncha know. Marlow settled down finally and gave me good concentration.

Review of the "quiet ride". Horses are such noble creatures that we owe it to them to ride with quiet poise and elegance. Practiced "silent" down and up transitions for trot-walk-halt. Leg position near perfect all session. Floating hands at the sitting trot coming along VERY nicely - owe it to watching the back of the headband of the horse while opening up my vision. The boys in Vienna never take their eyes off the headband and still manage not to run into each other :) My eyes have to FIX there but I need to see all that's in my perephrial vision, not the headband.

Kept my hands in excellent position and executed a collected walk worth "an 8 or 9 in competition" (!) Got a nice roundness, even with the pigeon distractions and good bends. Worked on my 1-7, 2-8 posting trot and did well.

Sitting trot need to work on the suppleness in my lower back. Not getting the full range in my pelvic tilt that I need. My belly button needs to be more active in following the horse's movement.

Chris teaches classical dressage for hot blooded horses. That is, a quieter seat than what is required on Lippizaners and other warmbloods. Thoroughbreds and arabs would not achieve the rounded back required if the seat aid was too active. They would cave in and "turn upside down". Warmbloods are more muscular and can handle a "heavier" aid.

Picture hand position where both hands carry a longe whip, and a 3rd stick clasp under each thumb. To maintain the "A" of those whips is to ride in the correct hand position.

A quiet horse, perfectly ridden, is not to be mistaken for an easy horse and a lazy rider. In fact usually the opposite is true. The goal for the rider is to develop a horse, who requires less and less correction and aid while executing any given exercise. The boys in Vienna will execute a half halt up to 400 times in a 40 minute session. Chris will execute 3 or 4. Chris considers a half halt, anything you do to wake the horse up or to get more vertical from him. I've seen him do them, - 3 pulls on the inside rein and 2 taps with the whip as soon as he starts in the walk. Marlow comes alive. Basically that type of half halt says "come on, I'll not be nagging you through this, get ready to work with me!"

The minute adjustments to precision ride, should be the result of the rider constantly assessing the position of the horse. Nobody gets in a car and holds the same wheel position all the way down a highway, no matter how straight the road. Constant minute adjustments are required to stay the true line. Same for a horse. Worked on utilizing my leg yeilding to gradually go from a small inner circle (where Marlow was forced to think about something other than the pigeons) to a larger outer circle (taking several rounds to do it) where we worked on sitting trot.

(Hi Homegirl, thanks for stopping in - glad to see we suffer from the same "ailment" ;) )

[LC Sponge]

Outside again. Marlow saved his spookiness to a put-on near the end of the session. He just really wanted to fly through the air. This horse loves to jump and sometimes sulks if sessions don't involve jumping (and of course, mine never do ! :) )

Mostly a review. Worked on transitions, concentric circles, transition changes. Discussed how the aids are administered between a) stop to walk and b) stop to trot. If the aids are to stay quiet and minimal, then how to communicate the 2 different transitions to the horse?

Asking the horse to go from the stop to walk then to trot involves one aid delivered twice = inside leg. Gradually those aids fall closer and closer, until you ask the horse to go forward to walk from the stop, and as soon as you feel the forward motion, ask for the trot. It becomes 2 inside leg aids given immediate, one after the other. This is the building block approach to learning. Same with flying changes. The flying change is just the ability to move off in the canter using different leads. Once a horse is trained to move out on the correct lead based on the aids given, then to ask for a change of lead is a no-brainer, and it is irrelevant what speed or gait he is doing at the time you ask for a right canter. If he happens to be doing a left canter when you ask for a right canter, he will execute a flying change.

The only movement that is the exeption to the rule is the traverse where the leg aid is far behind the girth, and there is no build up to this exercise. However a horse should be far enough along in his training to accept this new exercise.

My book "Dressage Formula" finally arrived from the UK. However it is damaged and had to be returned. But not before I read the first chapter.

Things I learned this week from lessons and the book the were the most significant are:

The "seat" is a three point bone contact with the saddle. The 2 seat bones and the pubic bone form the triangle on which you sit. And you sit as though you had lead-lined underwear - deep and full - like cling wrap over the saddle.

The rider's shoulders follow the facing angle of the horse's shoulder and the rotation to follow a bend happens at the waist as if you were on a piano stool. The seat doesn't change. If it does, you cause the horse to fall in.

There are 3 windows in front of the horse - one directly in front, just to the left and just to the right. Those are the only "windows" the horse goes through in a forward gait.

The front of the upper body from the pubic bone to the throat should be 'long' - not punched out, but rather billowed like a sail, and without caving in the lower back. Riding a horse is the only exercise that does not require you to lift your ab muscles. It is the shape of your upper body (likened to a puppet being held on a string by the center top of the head) that allows all other parts of your body to 'fall' into the correct position.

[LC Sponge]

Well! Today was "take everything you know and get on a new horse". I scored high points. Mario is a 16.1hh quarterhorse with an odd number of legs and a heart of gold LOL. I managed to work through ALL of his quirks (and there were many, he's known as the "goofiest horse anybody's ever known") and stay organized and keep him on track. He is the exact opposite of Marlow. A mouth of butter and flanks of steel, and yet he responds to soft leg aids. Very peculiar horse. He does "cow pony dressage".

However he will be the horse I learn on as we cover the canter. Then I'll go back to Marlow as his canter is much more "unworked".

Chris asked me if I wanted to also cover jumping. I hesitated. I used to jump a lot. I went from jumping to western riding. The reason I returned to classical dressage was to 'ground' myself back into a more elegant way of riding as most show jumpers are sadistic wackos, and I'll never go back to the harsh western way of working horses (like I say, been there done that). He convinced me that the lessons learned in jumping assist in dressage, since in the jumper ring, only a few seconds is spent actually going over jumps, the rest of the time you are doing dressage. True. He also indicated that the best dressage rider, if not taught to jump will 'fall apart' at the first fence. He described his style of jumping and that is the style I would want to learn under (he does not teach a constant 2 point hunter seat) So I agreed. But I warned him that I loved to jump!

Mario was FUN to ride. I found him easier than Marlow even with all his wacko ways.

[Homegirl]

I am really enjoying reading all about your riding LC!

Horses are really magnificent animals, aren't they? But of course you already know that :D

Have a good one!

[LC Sponge]

Several things are clicking into place. Mario has so much the lighter mouth, that I'm able to organize myself and stay organized longer. This will help when I ride Marlow. This session was a major physical workout, I'm sure that last posting trot lasted 20 minutes.

This session was all about getting the horse to go rounder. Chris pointed out (and how often I have seen this!!) that many riders are happy if their horse has a round neck and through draw reins and side reins they are able to 'train' the horse how to 'carry' his head in an attractive fashion. But the horse's head doesn't match the rest of his body which would be flat or caved in.

The neck and the spine are all connected and one unit on a horse. Theoretically the horse can't properly 'round' just his neck or just his body, it has to be both. And, when the horse must deliver increased impulsion (more power) without increasing speed (forward impulsion) then he must go UP - that is, the number of steps he makes to cover the same distance must INCREASE. He can't do it unless his tail bone is tucked under so that he can reach farther and higher with his hind legs. And he can't go round, unless the rider allows him to.

I found that with Mario, that although after a spell he would accept a stronger rein, a lighter hand would result in a rounder horse. Occasionally the horse's organization would fall apart on me and I would have to begin again to get him (and me) organized. I have to figure out what it is I'm doing to cause that - and it may be my hands. I am really looking forward to next session to work more on this.

Chris instructed me to buy a dressage whip.

[LC Sponge]

Exclusively rein work at the posting trot. Trying to get Mario to round for me. Worked on getting his head straight and in front of his shoulders. And worked the whole hour ONLY on the left rein.

Although the horse is ridden 2/3 from the hind end and only 1/3 from the front, if the front isn't straight then the hind end can't follow it and the horse can't round.

Chris covered a lot of theory in the first 1/2 of the lesson, did a quick demo on Mario, and then the 2nd half of the lesson he gave me a lot of opportunity to experiment. He finally said to me "It's time to risk a big mistake" and let me completely do whatever it took to get the horse round. He also told me to "do what I needed to do in a more positive manner". I finally got the horse to go round and was able to maintain it. It was a combination of the following things:

a) Maintaining constant contact with the horse until the horse reached for the bit.

b) Micromanaging his head position.

c) Being VERY quiet once the horse was going round and honest.

d) keeping my hands lower than normal (knuckles down) and occasionally lightening my contact without throwing the horse away.

e) concentrating CONSTANTLY about keeping his head straight and not waiting as long to ask for a correction.

f) working on using my hands and arms by considering them one unit - that is, steering with my elbows and shoulders, not my hands and wrists.

This is a horse who can move honestly forward, but will not reach for the bit without a lot of work (well, Chris managed to do it almost immediately). Trying to get him to accept my contact, and give me 50% of the contact back (the rider is only responsible for 50% of the contact with the horse through seat and hands, the horse MUST meet the rider 1/2 way). I need to be able to establish light contact and then maintain it. NOT let Mario drop the left rein and break contact and then lean into the right rein (which he will do constantly if he is allowed - he seems to favour the right rein).

Chris noted that when I "tweaked" the right rein that I did so in a spiked fashion. When he tweaked he did so with less force and no repetition. I need to work on this more subtle form of communication. As Chris pointed out, my method should be an exeception and pulled out as required, not used as the "aid".

Chris also commented that the horse I buy will need to be far more "hefty" than a 16 hh thoroughbred. I expect that a 17hh warmblood is in my future somewhere.

[LC Sponge]

Today's lesson was cancelled. A horse colicked badly and had to be taken to Guelph.

[LC Sponge]

Ta da! After three sessions of working on my rein aids to round the horse, the bulb went on last night. For the latter part of the session it was a breeze.

Discovered that my problem is in how I deliver the aids. I tend to be less positive (direct) and I wait until "all the wheels fall off" before I do something about it. So I discovered what it is to be less tolerant, and more insistent for perfection and the horse gave me what I asked for.

Lesson learned: the horse has been doing what I asked of him all along. He has delivered sloppy and inconsistent balance and energy because that is exactly what I have asked for. Horses can teach a person about a lot more than just equestrian relationships.

The neat thing about getting him round is, that Mario's afterburners kick in immediately and mataining his speed on auto pilot is not a problem. He'll give me more exertion than I want even. Once a horse is truly balanced, he is a marvelous thing to ride. My goal is now to find that balance on any horse I ride, as quickly as possible. That way, the horse carries me, not the other way around.

Chris reminded me of that quip about the sculptor who carved an elephant out of a block of marble. When asked how he did it, he responded "I just cut away all the marble that didn't look like an elephant". The meaning is that artist had such a clear and precise mental vision of what an elephant looked like that it was a simple process of deciding what was necessary and what wasn't. The same holds true with classical dressage. I have to work on the perfect balance of the dressage horse, and simply "cut away" any of my activities that don't produce that. And don't produce it immediately.

Next session my goal is to balance the horse within the first few minutes.

[Doodle]

Have I mentioned how wonderful it is to see you around here again?
Doods.

[LC Sponge]

Going to skip the evaluation of this session. Suffice it to say that it was one that supports the theory that goal attainment is not a linear process. And that sometimes you have to go around obtacles and look at them from all angles in order to know how to deal with them.

[LC Sponge]

Today rode Marlow as Mario is the victim of an over-zealous farrier.

Got the horse to round, leg yield, correctly bend, turn around the forehand. Pretty chuffed. Learned the proper way to take up the reins from slack and keep the horse rounded through the process - the key is to do it slowly and use the rein aids to ask for what you want even if the reins are long. Just taking up the reins causes the horse to become unorganized, then you have to start from the begining. When the horse's neck is down and long he has a certain amount of roundness going for him already - then to go from walk to sitting trot all in the same roundness. Sitting trot felt better, but I believe I go into chair pose while I keep everything else together. Will be required at some point to get my leg back. My posting, leg position and balance have improved so much in the last 17 sessions I can say they are excellent.

Started working my "passive" leg into the picture for the inside. It's the "thought" of the leg being present - the unmoving unmoveable post that the horse bends around. It's true how sensitive they are. When Chris says that since a single tiny fly can get a strong reaction, there is no reason for loud aids he is so right. When I just "thought" about my inside leg being "present" the horse responded to it. I didn't have to "use" it at all.

I was suddenly able to do the easy exercise I found so difficult last time. The counter flex bend. Going left in a right bend and then into a 20 m circle in that organization. It was quite easy this time. It was a disaster last time.

Chris was having me use very short reins on Marlow, which caused a number of faulty things. First the horse started leaning into the bit, secondly I was unable to maintain my organization. Last night he permitted me to go on a longer rein and reward the horse for roundness by giving some rein back. Well, it worked perfectly. So I will be using that same contact next time. It even caused the horse to be a bit behind the bit which at this point isn't such a bad thing.

He also corrected my way of asking for the roundness in that my wrist used to do the asking instead of my elbow. Once I got that down, I was able to round the horse and keep him there. The combination of short rein and wrist use was not allowing the horse to round, and not giving me any room to be more positive with my aid. Once the wrist is bent - where to go from there? Using the elbow allows me to draw my whole arm back if I need that much aid. When the horse knows he will be rewarded he is much quicker to want to cooperate. Who can blame him?

Looking forward to Saturday.

[LC Sponge]

Marlow was feeling particulary cute today. He was doing all kinds of laughable things. However it didn't interfer with his working ability. I was able to keep him round if not compact. On track though. My circles and turning were great - able to keep the counter flex the whole time.

Worked almost exclusively at the sitting trot today. Discussed the dynamics of the pelvic tilt and how the sitting bones should be arranged for each stage of the sit. Worked on getting my hands to "float" which I find easier at the moment if I keep them in my vision. Very pleased with the outcome.

I have taken up the hula hoop which according to a dressage list I subscribe to, helps with the sitting trot and canter seat because it has you using all the muscles in your lower back and ab in a different way than you would by normal exericse. And it's safe to say that the sitting trot and canter movements required by riders is not something you do all the time, and if you do it only periodically it's because you are in a new relationship. :)

Chris gave me some exercises to do on the floor and while standing that will make me more aware of correct pelvic tilts to compliment my hula hooing because he's concerned that I may "learn" poor habits - the hula hoop is just to get the brain used to sending signals to that area, not to actually learn to sit on a horse - didn't spend a lot of time trying to convince him of that. Anyway Homegirl, belly dancing is the other activity that dressage riders say is just as good as hula hooping.

We'll see how it goes. He's told me that until I get past some of the "old comfortable habits" that we can't progress. Namely the habit I have of crossing one rein over the horse's withers to make directional changes and get half pass and leg yeilding. I am doing it less and less. The second thing is to not freeze up in my upper body as soon as I need to give the horse an aid. I have periods where I am able to do it exactly right, but as soon as I have to interact with the horse, I step out of "perfect", give the horse an aid, go back into "perfect" and then continue. I must be able to give the aid and keep myself organized. Only then can we move on to more difficult exercises.

Now there's motivation.

[Homegirl]

LC,

I check your gym log every time you post.

I find all your descriptions so fascinating. I really did not understand how complex the horse/rider relationship is. I am really enjoying the free lessons ;)

Have a good one!

[LC Sponge]

Today's lecture had to do with action and effect.

If you were to stand very still and move one finger, what is the effect that motion would have on the rest of your body? Most would answer - none - only my finger is moving. But if you really "listen" to your body and follow the effect your moving finger has on your wrist, your forearm, your upper arm, your shoulder, etc, you will realize that "just" moving your finger has a HUGE effect on the rest of your body in terms of sympathetic movements. No part of your body can move without having such an effect on the whole of your body. How sensitive you are to this movement, and how broad your vision, will determine how far into your "core" you can follow the sensation of this impact taking place.

Such is the impact you have on a horse. By the simple placement of your thumb on the rein, or not, can affect your hand, wrist, arm, shoulder, back, seat - and ergo - the horse as well.

Exercises like laying flat on your back and rolling your head slowly from side to side and being aware not of your head, but of all the movements required by the rest of your body, however subtle they may be, will heighten your awareness of the self.

So when we think we had an effect on the horse by using an aid, was it really the aid, or the rest of the body having to sympathize with that movement that had the "true" effect, or a combination of both? Case in point, if using a certain rein aid only works sometimes, then what else is it about the body that is giving an additional aid as well in a sympathetic way, that is intermittent? Whatever it is, find it and use it.

Riding a horse is experimental. It's about tweaking and testing and being bold enough to dare to make a mistake, in the interest of finding the "cure". Horses can be as amazingly forgiving as they are sensitive. When they do forgive, they allow you to learn through experimentation. And when they don't forgive, they teach you directly.

One of the greatest gifts dressage has given me, is the awareness of every move I make, every step, every turn of my head, every muscle in my body. It's quite a revelation.

Next session has been switched to Sunday at 3:30.

[LC Sponge]

Moving a horse in any given direction is all about opening up a space for him to move through.

If to turn left, while on the left rein, you pulled on the left rein, the horse's head would turn to the left and he would continue on straight. The wall of the arena would stop him from doing what he should when given that aid, --- which is to turn right.

To turn left, while on the left rein, you use the right rein. This opens the horse's left shoulder, he will move through that opening, thus turning left.

A small lesson, but an important one. The answer to a question is not always obvious, and often the exact opposite of what you would expect. It pays to not look for the obvious.

This session was wonderful. I was able to micro manage every move the horse made and spent the entire lesson inside the track. No matter what anybody tells you, horses "steer" from the rear.

[LC Sponge]

"I have a new student, who was taught, not to look at the horse when she rode, not even to just look up, but to look off the horse's shoulder onto the ground. I have no idea why." Chis said, refilling his pipe as we walked back to the stable.
"You mean she looks where she's been, not where she's going." I asked as I peered around Marlow's big head. My lesson was over and I was heading back to put him away.
"Yes, like some modification of a hunter style. I think."
"I've known riders to ride like that. They do it because it's cool."
"COOL??" He asked, incredulously.
"Yes," I nodded. "It has 'attitude'."
Chris smiled.
"Let me tell you a story." He began. "A friend of mine was auditioning to join the Riding School of Vienna before they stopped taking foreign students. He was in the large arena and asked to execute a canter. He put the Lippizaner stallion he was being tested on, into a canter and in seconds lost control of the big animal as the horse bombed along the track on the long side of the arena. Coming towards them in the opposite direction was a student of the school also riding a big Lippizaner stallion but executing an exquisite Passage along the track. The two riders were on a collision course and as all good riders know, the Passage has ultimate precidence and MUST be yielded to at all times by all other riders. My friend could NOT stop this horse and was at the point where he was going to just close his eyes and pray for the best, when the student and his Lippy moved (still in Passage) out of the track of the arena allowing the out of control pair to barrel past, and then with equal style and grace, moved back into the arena track without losing a heartbeat of the Passage and without either the horse or the student so much as looking at my friend, changing their facial expression, composition or organization. It was as thought they were the only horse and rider in the arena."
Chris paused and added, "Now THAT's cool."

[LC Sponge]

Mario indoors. Terrific session.

Learned that if your body deviates from "perfect" equestrian shape, there are 2 body directions you can go. (unlike the 2 body shapes in dieters LOL) They are "gorilla" and "kangaroo".

The gorilla has a short torso and long upper arms. The kangaroo has a long toros and short upper arms. I'm one notch from centre toward the kangaroo shape. Chris said if he could take 2 of my vertabrae and put one each into lengthening my upper arm then I'd have the perfect classic equestrian skeleton. The challenge for each body shape can be "overcome" once you understand what they are and how to compensate for them.

I identified my "compensation" this session, although we actually stumbled upon it last session, when Chris was tring to get leg yeilding from me and I was struggling. I finally said "Can I just try something?" "YES YES YES" was the response. :) I immediately executed perfect leg yeilding. "What did you do??" he asked. "Lengthened my reins" I said.

I need a longer rein to compensate for a shorter upper arm. If I try and ride with a shorter rein I have to lean my upper body forward, which pushes my pelvis back and my legs forward. My centre of gravity is outside the horse somewhere in front of my diaphram and I am constantly fighting for my own balance and the balance of the horse. The contact tends to be stronger and I always get the feeling that I'm leaning on the horse and he's leaning on me.

When I am on a longer rein (and we are only talking 2 inches), my centre of gravity comes back to be closer to my body and my balance is easier to attain. That frees me up to communicate with my horse. The horse takes responsibility for himself and doesn't lean on me to carry him. Chris warned me to be cautious not to go too far with this as there's the danger of losing the organization in the other direction, or throwing the horse away.

Today I used that same style from the beginning of the session and was getting perfect and consistent roundness and impulsion from the horse at the posting trot. Chris prepared me to try the same thing at the sitting trot warning me of all the things that may go wrong in the process. However, using the same logic in terms of rein length and contact, I was able to do a sitting trot with a perfectly round and balanced horse and was able to work on impulsion without falling apart in the organization. My hands floated and moved relative to the horse. My upper arms were relaxed and able to do the rein work without employing my wrists. I was able to give the full range of pelvic tilt required for that bouncy cow pony who hiccupped through the entire lesson.

Mario is a funny horse. He always needs to "break a rule" as we go along together. He has a repetoir of behaviours that he drags out of the closet one at a time to see if I let him get away with any of them. If I wont let him go with his head on sideways, he does these strange bunny hops. If I won't let him lose impulsion or drag his nose at any given moment he tries to weave around the arena as if he'd never been in one before. Today I wouldn't let him do anything stupid all lesson but concentrate on correct bend, roundness and impulsion. So he hiccupped.

A horse with rotating vices. What a goof.

[Homegirl]

Originally Posted by LC Sponge: Mario is a funny horse. He always needs to "break a rule" as we go along together. He has a repetoir of behaviours that he drags out of the closet one at a time to see if I let him get away with any of them. If I wont let him go with his head on sideways, he does these strange bunny hops. If I won't let him lose impulsion or drag his nose at any given moment he tries to weave around the arena as if he'd never been in one before. Today I wouldn't let him do anything stupid all lesson but concentrate on correct bend, roundness and impulsion. So he hiccupped.

A horse with rotating vices. What a goof.

Too funny!

[LC Sponge]

Had to miss last wed - in Toronto on business all week. Rode Marlow outside. Worked on 'bringing it all together' in terms of bending, impulsion, roundness. Reaching the balance point faster and faster. Target is 10 minutes. Once I can get us balanced in that short a time frame, the next step is "figures".

Then the goal is to keep the horse and me organized while doing 20 meter circles, serpentines, etc etc.

Also it was a bit cool, so I rode in my short coat for the first time. What a perfect fit it is. I'm glad I went for the better quality. At the clinic Chris gave way back, he mentioned that the 'boys in Vienna' always ride in their dress uniforms, whether it is for practice or for show. When asked why, Chris responded simply, "Attitude". And it really does makes a difference when you are all kitted up to ride.

I am going to look into getting some private yoga instruction this week to help me with my tight lower back. I have to get some suppleness going there for my sitting trot - it is top priority.
Hi Homegirl! :)

[Homegirl]

Originally Posted by LC Sponge: the 'boys in Vienna' always ride in their dress uniforms, whether it is for practice or for show. When asked why, Chris responded simply, "Attitude". And it really does makes a difference when you are all kitted up to ride.

Hee Hee! We have been "kitted" up a few times for BD class--practice for our "performance" on Saturday. Really does make a difference! It's all in the bearing and attitude! What fun!

Have a good week!

[LC Sponge]

Hi Homegirl - I hope your performance goes smashingly on Saturday. Who knows this might be all it takes for you to "go pro" :). Have fun with it!

Rode Marlow today. A good sign is the horse is really starting to make an effort. He's not a typical school horse when I ride him, he actually works with me and puts out. Chris is working me in 20 minute segments. Each "round" is a pre lecture, a chance for me to just ride without his input, then a critique. It's working out well and I'm glad I am making the progress I am so that he is able to do this.

It hit me as I was in posting trot how absolutely second nature it felt. It's the amazing revalation that comes suddenly and says "hey, I'm not struggling anymore, this is now "part" of me", it's a great sensation and one that you'd expect to come on gradually, not suddenly. We worked on impulsion (not speed) this time more intensely and it's coming together. Chris seems to alternate working on me, and having me work on the horse. When he has me work on the horse we spend less time on my form, and more time just doing it. Then we go back to my form and check all the parts to ensure that I am staying within my organization.

Today I was free to work the whole arena outside of the track and actually be in control of where we went, rein changes, bend changes, circles, diagonals, leg yeilding, alternating posting and sitting - all up to me. This frees Chris up to work on correcting my form for the work I was doing and forced me to think about 2 things at once - my "figures" and my form.

[LC Sponge]

Click, click, click. Elbows and armpits. Elbows and armpits. These are my new chants.

Rode Mario-the-tripod inside - pouring rain - has been for days now. I think it's time to build a large boat and start pairing up the horses.

Got the biggest compliment to date from my trainer. He told me that I had Mario going the nicest that he is capable of. Then after the lesson he commented what a pretty horse Mario was, and that he may after all, consider schooling the horse in Passage. If I can make a horse look THAT good, I'm definitely on my way. I realized that as a trainer, Chris doesn't get to see the horses go as well as they can unless they have a half decent rider on them (or unless they are loose in a paddock and fresh). When he schools them, he doesn't get that perspective.

My sitting trot was exceptionally better (almost as excellent as my posting trot) in terms of floating my hands and keeping my elbows and armpits open and away from my body, thus absorbing all the motion through my elbow and shoulders. I must continue to be aware of NOT using my wrists to absorb this motion, they must be locked at all times. The horse went beautifully forward and rounded.

I gave credit for this to the fact that I have been doing all the hamstring, hip flexor, and lower back yoga poses for an hour each day for the last 4 days. And in fact did a full hour of a complete yoga session just prior to my riding. I believe that a more supple torso and untightening my hamstrings is a must have.

One other terrific acheivement was that on a couple of occasions when Mario would lower his head in response to reaching for the bit, I was able to ask him to raise his head so that he didn't become unravelled. The trick was the very slightness of my asking, a heavier rein would have been like shouting at him. I was very pleased with that.

There is a large dressage show next week in Ottawa and I'm definitely going on the Sunday.

[Homegirl]

Originally posted by LC Sponge:
pouring rain - has been for days now. I think it's time to build a large boat and start pairing up the horses.

You have a great sense of humour LC!

And wow! I am impressed. You are really coming along there, Mrs. Doesn't it feel great when the things you are reaching and striving for (by way of learning a new skill) are becoming realized???? Fills one with positive energy, don't it :D

Have a great week!

Homegirl

[LC Sponge]

Mario - indoors.

It took a bit, but eventually I was going totally round with maximum impulsion AND sitting to the high speed trot.

Things I learned were that I need to engage the horse in a continual conversation. That even when the horse is doing it correctly, I shouldn't stop "talking" to him. Form takes second place over result.

My sitting at the working trot had me losing the form in my lower leg. Chris suggested that my overworking the correct positioning of my leg may be contributing to my stiff lower back. Forget the legs he said. In fact point my toes down even!!

....What an amazing sensation it is to be sitting at a trot that is extraordinarily fast, the horse reaching with his front legs to an extent where he feels like he is flying. You can no longer 'feel' his impact on the ground because the forward motion is everything. Heavy like lead in the saddle and becoming one with the motion of the horse. And a coach in the distance chanting "Yes, Yes! YES! That's it!! You've got it!!" And the tears come to your eyes while your horse is flying and you both are totally 100% connected.

This isn't me - but this is what I mean....

[LC Sponge]

In reviewing my sessions from 1-27 something has dawned on me. Chris has systematically taken me through a very definitive process, and it's all about language. If language is defined as aids, which is defined as body positioning at any given time and space.... then

First he determined if I could speak "Horse", corrected my diction, gave me new words... Then he let me start "talking" to the horse and ensured that I was being as succinct as possible. Once that was done, we moved on to using the horse's "hearing" (reaction) to see if the message I was delivering was being received in the same spirit and meaning all the time honing my communication skills.

I left this session with no homework. Mario and I were talking "turkey" (ok "horse") from the first moment. I started this session at the point where I left off last session. Chris stated that it was time to move to the next level. He said that the only difference between him and me now was the data bank we both had to draw on. His being much larger. ;) Now I'm nervous. His expectations are going to be huge.

Other things of great interest: You have to be preapred to push past the limit of possibility into impossibility in order to discover what is really possible. Example: a horse can only walk so fast. But you'll never know just how fast, unless you risk asking for a faster and faster walk until he eventually trots. That wasn't a mistake on the part of the horse, - he was asked to walk fast, but he trotted - that was him saying "I've reached the limit of possibility".

Horses are information gatherers. They have it down to a fine art and are experts at it. They can break information down to it's smallest parts and are incredibly sensitive. You may think you are using a rein aid the same way every time. But in fact, the horse recognizes a dozen different rein aids to your "one". Once again, if we could deliver our messages to the horse in exactly the same way every time, a horse could be trained to Grand Prix in no time.

Going to a huge dressage show today, will see horses to Grand Prix level. Wow.

[Homegirl]

Originally Posted by LC Sponge:
....What an amazing sensation it is to be sitting at a trot that is extraordinarily fast, the horse reaching with his front legs to an extent where he feels like he is flying. You can no longer 'feel' his impact on the ground because the forward motion is everything. Heavy like lead in the saddle and becoming one with the motion of the horse. And a coach in the distance chanting "Yes, Yes! YES! That's it!! You've got it!!" And the tears come to your eyes while your horse is flying and you both are totally 100% connected.

When someONE or someTHING or someTHING YOU DO brings all these feelings to the fore . . . I call that JOY!

Thanks for the vicarious "ride," LC!

Yours ever,
Homegirl

[LC Sponge]

Spoken like a person who knows the true meaning of the word!

Thanks Homegirl! :)

[LC Sponge]

Milestone. Bought "the" horse :) of my dreams.

[Homegirl]

Okay, so where's the requisite "baby" pics???????

Oh yeah, and congratulations :D .

Waiting to hear about all his/her little quirks . . . .

[LC Sponge]

Actually, I never left the saddle :)

I spent the summer doing fun-bonding with my new horse here at home, and I dropped my dressage lessons back to once a week to free up my weekends. All that has now changed. This Sunday my horse is being moved to the facility where I train and he and I will undergo 7 months of intense training together under my instructor. I can hardly wait.

His call name is "Oreo" his show name is "Skiand'hu" - very keeping with the Scottish Clydesdale influence. He is a 16.1 (still growing) - 4 yr old black overo, with all the right combination of Clydesdale, Thoroughbred, and Paint Horse. His conformation is excellent and he would be an amazing candidate for either the hunter or dressage disciplines. I'm starting him in dressage, and we will see about the hunting in a couple of years. He has a terrific personality and is completely SANE - thanks to the draught in him. He is a blank slate with NO vices, poor training, health problems, or structural issues. It is almost unheard of to find a 4 year old who meets all this criteria. Most have been started to early and have all kinds of issues. I really lucked out.

Last night's lesson was on my instructors top schoolmaster (which gives you an idea of how much I have graduated over the summer :D ) and we were quite brilliant together. He was certainly an absolute JOY to ride.

When I got to the stable last night, Oreo's stall was already prepared and they had put a name plate on his door! I thought that was so sweet. He will have lots of people to fawn over him, there are 2 new apprentices at the stable, and he will certainly be getting the best of top level care. There is an indoor arena, outdoor arenas (more than one!) miles of hacking trails, lots of paddocks. The next 7 months is going to cost me an arm and a leg but will be totally worth it.

Can hardly wait.

[Homegirl]

So Oreo now has a fancy schmancy show name!

Wow! I think I've said this before -- I never realized so much went into riding. I've always thought horses are magnificent animals but never really gave a lot of thought to how the breeding, training and stucture of a horse affects the riding. I am really going to enjoy your descriptions of Oreo's training.

Isn't it great to be doing something that brings so much joy and enrichment to your life?

. . . even if it is gonna cost you an arm and a leg! :daze:

[LC Sponge]

Oreo Cookie's move went extremely well.

I was just finishing putting his sexy shipping boots on him yesterday morning, when Chris pulled up in the rig. Oreo and I strode right over, he paused at the ramp, snorted, and then just strolled up and on board. Bars were put up, ramp lifted, back doors closed. I fastened him to the cross ties and went out through the front door. Closed it securely, clambered up into the big diesel to ride shotgun and off we went. An easy 90 seconds to load that big horse.

Off loading was just as easy. Three horses in the front paddock celebrated his arrival by galloping along the fence keeping speed with the trailer, whinnying their welcome as we pulled up the long drive. They continued to show off, bucking and snorting, as I backed him down the ramp and into the sunlight. Chris was amazed "He's not even broken a sweat!" he exclaimed.

Oreo looked around his new surroundings with great interest, then I walked him over to the stable. He paused at the door, more concerned with the cobblestone walkway than anything else. He watched me put my feet on it then followed suit by putting one of his feet on it and once he realized it wasn't going to give way in we went. He walked right into his new stall without so much as a hitch.

At that point he reminded me of how a kid might act on his first visit to a Holiday Inn. Jumping on the bed, reading the room service menu, looking for the ice machine. Oreo spotted the hay net full of hay hanging on the wall and immediately set about figuring out how it worked. Then, mouth full, stuck his head out the stall opening to look up and down the hallway. The stable hand quickly set about filling his water buckets and he was in heaven. Room service, meals hanging from the walls, housekeeping, his own room piled a foot thick on the floor with fresh clean shavings - who wouldn't be thrilled?

I set about hanging his blankets on the blanket racks on his door, putting saddle and bridle away in our designated space in the tack room, along will the rest of his millions of things. Never such a contented horse have I ever seen. He was home and he knew it.

Tonight in the dark as I walked the dogs, a rain started to fall. I'll sleep well knowing Oreo is dry and comfortable, away from the harsh elements. As it should be.

[Homegirl]

I love reading your descriptions. You make a person feel as if they are right there watching the whole thing.

Loved the bit about Oreo checking out his Holiday Inn room! What a lucky dog! Oops, I mean horse ;)

[LC Sponge]

Well, Chris watched me lunge Oreo for a few minutes and then lunged him himself. He pointed out a couple of things I already knew, but had only a basic feel of how to fix.

The horse is nappy. In pigeons it's called a 'homing instinct'. In couch potatoes it's called a 'homebody' and in Victoria it's called 'homegirl'. Ha ha - just poking some fun at a gentle reader. :)

It's a desire to return to the stall when there is still work to do. So on the lunge, he leans towards the outside of the circle when he gets near the exit and leans to the inside of the circle when he is on the far side from the exit. This makes for egg-shapped "circles" instead of round circles. Not acceptable.

Chris fixed it. Or at least set Oreo on the path for a permanent fix. It was extraordinary to watch. He moved Oreo and himself, still lungeing in the egg shape circle, over to the far wall. And on the next round, he loosened up on the lunge line and let Oreo run into the far wall with his back to the exit - where naturally Oreo stopped - puzzled. He then let Oreo make a decision. Turn left and continue working with Chris on the lunge circle. Or turn right and veer back toward the exit. One advantage Chris had was he still had a hold of the horse's head by the lunge line. One advantage Oreo had was that he weighs about 1200 pounds.

Oreo turned his head to go to the right. This was the incorrect decision and Chris instantly cracked the whip towards Oreo's haunches. (Cracking whips never touch horses just in case the reader is nervous.) The horse startled, and then rushed to the left. "Good boy" said Chris. "That was the correct decision". On the next round Chris allowed the lunge to go loose at the wall again to allow the horse to make his own decision, and the horse again did not continue left but stopped at the wall. Paused, then tried to turn right again. Another crack on the whip. Wrong decision.

On the third round, the horse paused, then made the correct decision and turned left. "Good boy." Another couple of rounds where the horse continued to make the correct decision with less and less hesitation each time, and then we stopped and Oreo was given 3 cubes of sugar and a bit of a rest.

This approach to horse training absolutely facinates me. Unlike dog training where we overpower the animal (in most cases) and are able to "show" the dog physically, what is expected, we are unable to do that with horses (and dolphins for that matter). Therefore we must set up the conditions to elicit a voluntary response from the animal and then reward him. We must give the animal the opportunity to make a decision with VERY definite consequences associated with each. A horse will always take the path of least resistance - and avoid things that make him uncomfortable. That is the key to training.

When Oreo turned right - he was threatened with a crack of the whip. When Oreo turned left, he was met with no threat and in fact was allowed to stop work and eat sugar.

My homework (and Chris expects me to be there EVERY DAY) is to start back at zero and start Oreo on the ground walking with me and learning the "go" and "stop" features that are oh so very important when riding extremely large animals.

It occurred to me that my workplace is only 10 minutes from where Oreo is currently living. Guess what my lunch hours will be all about this week?

Oh yes, and I have to call the vet. Chris thinks Oreo's teeth need floating. Unlike when low-carber's teeth are floating, Oreo's situation will involve filing the points of his teeth down so he can chew better.

[LC Sponge]

Well it has been a month that Oreo has been in intensive training. The advances have been very pleasing.

All the work I have done with him this month has been in hand. We started back at the beginning and have now reached a point where he is longeing in a fairly respectable manner and is able to handle some additional challenges.

Like most horses, he is excellent on the left rein. He takes up the contact and maintains a solid contact. We began by getting him to slow his pace at the trot, maintain the contact, maintain a reasonable circle and begin his turns a bit earlier on the nappy corners. I worked on this in both directions. When on the left rein in a stop he stays on the circle and doesn't turn in or out. I am able to reverse direction in the normal way by turning him into the circle.

On the right rein, he is also like most horses. He tends to drop the contact, not as willing to take the contact in the beginning of the session and will stop front quarters inward of the circle. To change direction I must take him out of the circle and reverse him so that I don't perpetuate this problem. Chris says I will have the same issues with him when I start working him under saddle.

At slow speeds I had corrected these issues.

I am now looking for a more forward movement, a bit more energetic and therefore have temporarily set back in some of the other factors. The perfect bends on the circle will need to be regained.

The issues to work on now are:
Maintaining the same speed and impulsion at the trot.

Fixing my position by anchoring my foot and asking the horse for a perfect circle and a perfect bend within that circle for the full circle. Make sure I'm the one dictating the circle - not him.

When asking for a halt, ensure that the halt is not too "cow pony" as in a skidding stop, but rather a controlled downward transition. If he doesn't deliver, then push him on again and ask for the stop, and again push and ask for the stop. Continue until I get a few walking steps after the downward transition and before the halt.

I must be on the centre line of the arena so that the horse does not come closer to any long side or short side of the arena.

Continue to quietly insist on contact while on the right rein. When he falls in, push him out; when he naps ensure that I am asking for the bend and turn early enough to interrupt this and get a smooth turn. Further, ensure that as we begin, that he takes the contact from me, I don't just feed out longeline. His "reward" for taking the contact will be additional longe line, as smaller circles are more uncomfortable for the horse.

Each session involves some work with the side reins on now. Fastened at normal standing "uneducated" position. I am longeing up to 30 minutes a day.

Last night I saw some inclination on his part to reach out and down for the bit, I am very pleased about this. This horse will be very good about taking up the contact, as he is learning that the only way he can "feel" my instructions is if there is an amount of tension on the longe line between us. If there is slack on the lines, neither one of us can "tell" what the other is doing or about to do. He is also starting to enjoy his work.

His teeth did need floating, and in fact the vet pulled one out - a baby tooth in front that was not letting an adult tooth come in properly. I will have to watch his mouth for a year or so. He has teeth coming in that have not yet broken the surface and the vet may have to cut the gums to allow them through. I am using a curved snaffle on him and he seems to be ok with it, so I'm going to buy one - (I'm using one of Chris' at the moment). This is the second vet to tell me we don't have to worry about his wolf teeth.

The other day Chris paid me 2 compliments - one was on the turn out of my horse. I expect that when I take my horse in front of any instructor I respect, my horse and my tack should be polished and properly presented. Secondly he said that if Oreo continued on this rate of improvement and learning, that I'd have a Grand Prix horse by spring. I know - an exaggeration most likely, but this is not a man to throw compliments out easily.

Oreo is the most popular horse at the barn, he is personable and nobody EVER sees dressage horses with COLOUR :)

[Homegirl]

Hey LC,

Wow! You and Oreo have been working really hard. But I must say you are beginning to sound like a new mother--all talk of how special and different your child is! I am afraid to ask if you are now carrying photos in your wallet as well! :D

Okay, so I am just pulling your leg. It must be so gratifying to have all the hard work slowly come together so that you are both working as a team. He sounds like a great horse/kid ;)

Also wanted to tell you that our photo at Murchies turned out really well. Did you get yours developed?

Take care 'til next time,
Bobbie

[LC Sponge]

Hi Bobbie - yes I got the photos developed - you are stunning I am completely unphotogenic :( Thanks for stopping by!

I am so busy, training every day with Oreo - sometimes with 2 horses if I'm riding a schoolmaster. I hardly have time to get here and jot down the occasional revelation. I do keep a written journal of my day to day training, worming, vet, farrier, experiences. Plus I go to the gym almost every lunch hour. It's Saturday at 6:15 a.m. and I'm rushing this because I have a "date" with the neighbours to do a 9k hike at 7:00 a.m., then off to the tack shop, then to the stable, then to the gym, *pant* *pant*. The good thing is that my size 10 jeans are now TOO big for me without a belt to keep them up!!! I'm losing inches :)

Anyway, Oreo is doing great. We have re-introduced the side reins and he continues to be brilliant on the left rein and steadily makes small improvements on the right rein. He doesn't take the contact as willingly and firmly going to the right as he does to the left and I am working on that. His pace is good, he is using more implusion without being frantic. I am working on getting the proper power-speed ratio going to increase this impulsion and balance and roundness.

He is less nappy and more focussed on me and not what's going on around him. I can see him using his back and starting to relax on the left rein in side reins. Last night at the very end, I saw minimal signs of that same relaxation on the right rein. I am working to build up his topline neck muscles as he is going to need them.

Our next big milestone is me riding him. Not sure when that will happen, but the harder I work now, the faster it will come.

He loves routine and he's gotten so that when it's time to remove the bridle, he lowers his head and places his forehead against my belt buckle allowing me to lift the head band over his ears. Then I wait and he drops the bit and moves back. He doesn't like the metal clanking on his teeth and so it's grand that we've worked this out together. Then he gets a piece of sugar.

The horse in the next stall, (Mario) is able to reach the light switch for Oreo's stall. Last night Mario turned out the light 3 times on us while I was trying to tack up.

[Homegirl]

Originally posted by LC Sponge:
The horse in the next stall, (Mario) is able to reach the light switch for Oreo's stall. Last night Mario turned out the light 3 times on us while I was trying to tack up.


Thanks for the laugh!

[LC Sponge]

Sorta OT for my Passage diary, but at the gym today after a 40 minute cardio on the 'mill, I sat on the floor with one leg straight and the other leg bent, with my left foot over my right thigh, lifting my lower leg paralell to the ground using my forearms. I was only wearing a workout bra and tights.

I looked at myself in the mirror and just about freaked. My upper body development is incredible. My shoulders, chest and biceps were just huge. Maybe it was the cardio pump, I just don't know. I lift 3-4 times a week, and I'm currently using a combination of free weights and hydraulics - I swear by the hydraulics - they let you work in one pound increments and you can increase/decrease weight without stopping.

Anyway whatever, it's helping my riding and working with horses. It won't hurt how I look in a bathing suit come next year either :)

I've heard it said that to be truly healthy and fit, is to be completely unaware of your body. That's how I feel when I work Oreo or ride a schoolmaster- I don't notice a thing about my body. No fatigue, no tension, no soreness. Lets me focus completely on the task at hand.

Oreo and I are almost ready to ride together. He's going so round and nice on the longe (particularly on the left rein - where he is actually lowering his head in response to me tightening my hand on the longe), he's so responsive and delightful to work with. I am simply tickled with him. I can see a truly great dressage horse in him and how he moves in the side reins. He rounds and uses his back, he has great forward movement and is finding his balance more and more every day. He enjoys working with me and is starting to show great concentration - frothing at the mouth as he works is one sign and the constant ear twitching listening for my comands and praise is another.

I longe him at one end of the arena, then as he approaches the long side, I will run with him to the opposite end of the arena as he extends his trot in hand - he has a working trot that most standardbreds would be envious of. Once there we take up the circle again. He is absolutely beautiful - poetry in motion - and he's only just starting!

What an amazing animal he is. I will be taking this horse as high as he can go. I just hope I can keep up with the enormous talent he so obviously has. I thought I found a nice horse, but I think I found a winner.

[Homegirl]

Hey LC,

I couldn't very well go off the forum without wishing you and Oreo (oh yeah, and all the rest of your family--DH and dogs and chickens an' all) a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year!

Take good care,
Bobbie

[Homegirl]

Hi Sponge,

Just popped in to see what's up with you and Oreo?

Whaz happenin'?

[LC Sponge]

Hey Bobbie - have you been drinking?? (ha ha just kidding)

I popped into your journal yesterday after you posted (you are still on my subscribe list!) anyway, the system was so slow - I couldn't get a message posted in any reasonable timeframe so I just exited. :(

Hey - I noticed you are no longer a mentor! Demotion? Dismissal - or voluntary bailing out ? ;) LOL.

I also couldn't load that picture that you said you wanted as an avatar - is it a recent one of you?

[Homegirl]

Hi there!

It was a voluntary bail out as I am just not on the site enough. I was woefully inadequate as a mentor as I just did not spend enough time reading and posting. I asked Doreen and Wa'il to put me back to senior status.

So anyway, how are things going?

[LC Sponge]

Having a life is not a bad thing! :)

Things are great! I've been negligent in not keeping my 'Passage' journal going!!

Oreo is amazing. Cute and cuddly my coach says. He also says that in 3 years I'm going to have quite the dressage horse. I have too much momma-horsey news to put into one message.

What about you? HOw are you keeping - still belly dancing? (I hope!)

[Homegirl]

Oh yeah! Started BD classes again on Monday night! And starting my latest workout challenge has got me feeling better again. Had a bit of the slump that usually happens right after the holidays--you know that down feeling. Happens to me every year even though there's no real reason for it to happen :confused:

Also busy chauffering kids around, babysitting during the day, being the kid's Sunday School president at church and generally running the home. It's the babysitting that has severely restricted my free time and I am not sure I like it as it's extremely exhausting, both mentally and physically. On the other hand, it is paying for son #3 to take the piano lessons that he so badly wanted and is loving so much and it pays for BD!!! So I guess I can't complain!

I look forward to reading your continued adventures . . .

Take care,
Bobbie

[Homegirl]

Hey Sponge!

I haven't been around here myself much lately but I do wonder from time to time how all my LC Buddies are doing.

So how are you?

Dying to know what you and your horsey boy are doing.

Take care,
Bobbie

[LC Sponge]

Hey Bobbie - I hardly visit at all anymore.

Anyway - it seems some over zealous moderator has mucked with my gym logs - and did some combining.... or something (?) Good think I'm not still posting here on a regular basis or I'd be angry they dissolved my dressage log!!!! :)

I'm doing great - the horse is doing great - and it's a blast and a half. My sister wants to run a 5k with me in May - a mother's day race in Ottawa.... so I'm in training for it. She's 13 years younger than me *ugh* and will outshine me no doubt.

So how are YOU doing?? I celebrated 3 years on low-carb last February. My kidneys havent fallen out yet so things must be ok ;)

Hope all your family is doing well. What a coincidence I happened in today to this site - haven't been here in months - and saw your post. I don't get them in my email. I'll pay attention for a bit and see if you're still around! Take good care, Bobbie :thup: