Seems like I always get to the end of the day and never find the energy to write the posts that have been writing themselves in my head all day. So instead of rambling analysis, today is another quick update.
Ride #2 on Tig was today!
Walk/trot today in the arena.
This is what I've figured out about Tig. Tig really wants a job. She wants to know what the expectations of the job are. And then she wants to be allowed to do that job brilliantly.
Some horses are people pleasers. This is not Tig. Her world does not revolve around pleasing me.
Others just want to be left alone. This isn't Tig either - she's eager to come out and play.
Others have their own agenda. I don't necessarily feel like Tig has her own agenda. She's perfectly willing to learn my agenda, as long as it is clearly and fairly explained
It's so much fun to figure out what motivates and animal. Almost as much fun as figuring out how to use that motivation to achieve things together.
I have a three day weekend coming up and I SO look forward to sharing with you some of the Tig stories so far - because if you know me than you know that there is ALWAYS a good story and lessons to be learned! And these simple little updates are more like facts and outcomes rather than what happened in the middle, which is the entire point of life right?
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Quick update
Just want to reassure everyone that I'm alive and well. I have a CRAZY schedule lately. School has been awesome - lots of field trips and the four person class is just as great as I thought it would be. It's just been really intense since Monday.
Tig has settled well and I climbed on her for the first time tonight. Felt the pressure to get that first ride on the books since the clock is ticking on the week and I have 3 rides to get in (and of course I was crazy excited to see exactly what I've got).
After a MILLION tack adjustments and swaps I *finally* was able to climb on near the end of our session. The final consensus? REALLY green.....but a REALLY good mind.
We are still feeling each other out and getting to know each other, but even through the challenges of today (after dark, I suspect her first time in a lighted area, a major tack snafu early on in the session, was moved today to her permanent pen) I felt good about swinging my leg over, which I can't say of a lot of 3 year olds going on 4 that haven't been ridden in ~1 month.
I have so many thoughts and emotions flooding through my brain and just not enough brain juice to spit them out coherently on paper, so I'm headed to bed.
Tig has settled well and I climbed on her for the first time tonight. Felt the pressure to get that first ride on the books since the clock is ticking on the week and I have 3 rides to get in (and of course I was crazy excited to see exactly what I've got).
After a MILLION tack adjustments and swaps I *finally* was able to climb on near the end of our session. The final consensus? REALLY green.....but a REALLY good mind.
We are still feeling each other out and getting to know each other, but even through the challenges of today (after dark, I suspect her first time in a lighted area, a major tack snafu early on in the session, was moved today to her permanent pen) I felt good about swinging my leg over, which I can't say of a lot of 3 year olds going on 4 that haven't been ridden in ~1 month.
I have so many thoughts and emotions flooding through my brain and just not enough brain juice to spit them out coherently on paper, so I'm headed to bed.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Bringing New Ears Home!
Tig!!!!!!
Now, let’s not get confused. If you are just joining me here on the blog, or if you have missed some of the latest posts, it will be well worth your while to catch up on the last week.
Tig is NOT my horse.
However Tig IS a TKR horse, 2010 model, who is coming home with me today.
*My* horse is a DIFFERENT TKR horse, 2012 model. We shall call her Merrylegs for now. Merrylegs will join us mid April.
Tig arrived TODAY.
I realized last night that Tig is the *first* horse that I’ve brought home since starting the blog. (There’s life before blogging, and life after blogging).
I’ve brought a total of 4 horses home over the years and what’s funny is how every single time it was different. I distinctly remember with Minx the heavy sense of RESPONSIBILITY as I trailered her home. I was an adult, 2.5 hours away from the nearest person I knew, and I was solely responsible for this animal and her health and wellbeing. I couldn’t believe I was being allowed to do this - just take this horse home? How did *they* (the collective they) know I wouldn't’ kill it, or injure it, or do something stupid? (I’m sure it’s a similar feeling that first time mothers feel when they take their infant home).
Looking back, I was well prepared for my first “owned” horse. There’s a lot to be said about NOT owning horses while you are “figuring horses out”. I already knew how to ride, how to handle horses on the ground, what they looked like when they were sick, and how to drive a trailer. I knew my forages, my vaccines, and the basics of horse management. But I still felt a scary sense of “the buck stops here” - there wasn’t necessarily a life net to catch her and me if I failed. I *had* to be there for her.
I don’t remember much about bringing Farley home. I think I was in shock that I had just bought a horse. I hadn’t been looking that long, and I hadn’t been thinking and dreaming about her “being the one”. There wasn’t any anticipation. Just trying to figure out the logistics of how to bring her home the next day, which was the day before Thanksgiving. I took her up to my aunts for Thanksgiving because I had already planned a trip there with my other horse and I remember musing about what I should name her as I rode along.
This time, even though I know this isn’t mine to keep I am CRAZY excited. (The person whose dropping her off with me is ~1 1/2 late, so I’m writing this in the truck as I wait). Anticipation lets my imagination go wild. Now I know why people enjoy breeding - you have ELEVEN MONTHS to anticipate and guess and predict. :).
It reminds me of those gift exchanges where you can either unwrap something or steal something already unwrapped. My sister and I commented at a recent such event as the “lure of the unknown”. The chances of getting something better in the wrapped pile that is substantially better than the thing that is already unwrapped that you sorta want is almost nil. But it’s so hard not to go up to the table and take your chances with the unknown. It’s a game of anticipation.
I have to admit that if I was looking for a mare to BUY, Tig wouldn’t be it. Nothing I’ve heard about her puts her in my “soul mate” category. Oh sure, we will get through this 3 months just fine - but I’m as excited right now as if I was bringing home my own new 100 mile partner. Anticipation. It keeps us young. (I'm posting/editing this after I got home and I have to admit that she's actually much sweeter than I was led to believe and reminds me a lot of a young Farley.....so yes, I think these 3 months will be much more fun than I thought!)
I know that there are some readers here that won’t agree with what I’m doing - riding a 3 year old (will be 4 sometime this year) arab on a regular basis to leg her up for the track this summer.
There’s a lot to consider when deciding for how/when a young horse should be started. My views were much more black and white before I started vet school. Now, it’s much more “grey” and I think that’s appropriate. Usually any extreme in the horse world is not in the horse’s best interest, and the issue of when to swing a leg over and when to start actual conditioning is not an exception.
I wouldn’t be doing this if I thought it was morally wrong and I was condemning Tig to a future career of unsoundness. My three times a week rides will be throughtful and I hope I have a chance to share with you some of the research and new knowledge I have gained over the last couple of years and how it has changed my mind.
No need to go into in depth right now.....it’s almost time for Tig to get here!
[I’ve scattered pics throughout the post for your viewing pleasure :) I’m SUPER impressed with her brain and attitude so far. Not a big spooker or bolter and handled some rather scary stuff like a pro. But I have a serious excitement/stress/dehydration headache, so we’ll save that for the next post]
Now, let’s not get confused. If you are just joining me here on the blog, or if you have missed some of the latest posts, it will be well worth your while to catch up on the last week.
Tig is NOT my horse.
However Tig IS a TKR horse, 2010 model, who is coming home with me today.
*My* horse is a DIFFERENT TKR horse, 2012 model. We shall call her Merrylegs for now. Merrylegs will join us mid April.
Tig arrived TODAY.
I realized last night that Tig is the *first* horse that I’ve brought home since starting the blog. (There’s life before blogging, and life after blogging).
I’ve brought a total of 4 horses home over the years and what’s funny is how every single time it was different. I distinctly remember with Minx the heavy sense of RESPONSIBILITY as I trailered her home. I was an adult, 2.5 hours away from the nearest person I knew, and I was solely responsible for this animal and her health and wellbeing. I couldn’t believe I was being allowed to do this - just take this horse home? How did *they* (the collective they) know I wouldn't’ kill it, or injure it, or do something stupid? (I’m sure it’s a similar feeling that first time mothers feel when they take their infant home).
Looking back, I was well prepared for my first “owned” horse. There’s a lot to be said about NOT owning horses while you are “figuring horses out”. I already knew how to ride, how to handle horses on the ground, what they looked like when they were sick, and how to drive a trailer. I knew my forages, my vaccines, and the basics of horse management. But I still felt a scary sense of “the buck stops here” - there wasn’t necessarily a life net to catch her and me if I failed. I *had* to be there for her.
I don’t remember much about bringing Farley home. I think I was in shock that I had just bought a horse. I hadn’t been looking that long, and I hadn’t been thinking and dreaming about her “being the one”. There wasn’t any anticipation. Just trying to figure out the logistics of how to bring her home the next day, which was the day before Thanksgiving. I took her up to my aunts for Thanksgiving because I had already planned a trip there with my other horse and I remember musing about what I should name her as I rode along.
This time, even though I know this isn’t mine to keep I am CRAZY excited. (The person whose dropping her off with me is ~1 1/2 late, so I’m writing this in the truck as I wait). Anticipation lets my imagination go wild. Now I know why people enjoy breeding - you have ELEVEN MONTHS to anticipate and guess and predict. :).
It reminds me of those gift exchanges where you can either unwrap something or steal something already unwrapped. My sister and I commented at a recent such event as the “lure of the unknown”. The chances of getting something better in the wrapped pile that is substantially better than the thing that is already unwrapped that you sorta want is almost nil. But it’s so hard not to go up to the table and take your chances with the unknown. It’s a game of anticipation.
I have to admit that if I was looking for a mare to BUY, Tig wouldn’t be it. Nothing I’ve heard about her puts her in my “soul mate” category. Oh sure, we will get through this 3 months just fine - but I’m as excited right now as if I was bringing home my own new 100 mile partner. Anticipation. It keeps us young. (I'm posting/editing this after I got home and I have to admit that she's actually much sweeter than I was led to believe and reminds me a lot of a young Farley.....so yes, I think these 3 months will be much more fun than I thought!)
I know that there are some readers here that won’t agree with what I’m doing - riding a 3 year old (will be 4 sometime this year) arab on a regular basis to leg her up for the track this summer.
There’s a lot to consider when deciding for how/when a young horse should be started. My views were much more black and white before I started vet school. Now, it’s much more “grey” and I think that’s appropriate. Usually any extreme in the horse world is not in the horse’s best interest, and the issue of when to swing a leg over and when to start actual conditioning is not an exception.
I wouldn’t be doing this if I thought it was morally wrong and I was condemning Tig to a future career of unsoundness. My three times a week rides will be throughtful and I hope I have a chance to share with you some of the research and new knowledge I have gained over the last couple of years and how it has changed my mind.
No need to go into in depth right now.....it’s almost time for Tig to get here!
[I’ve scattered pics throughout the post for your viewing pleasure :) I’m SUPER impressed with her brain and attitude so far. Not a big spooker or bolter and handled some rather scary stuff like a pro. But I have a serious excitement/stress/dehydration headache, so we’ll save that for the next post]
Sunday, January 12, 2014
New Ears tomorrow!
Tomorrow I pick up Tig!
EEK! So excited. And nervous.
I've heard some good and some bad about her. Suffice to say she is a "character" and I'll be able to get the low down from the person that's been riding her since August tomorrow...but I'm going to try and let her start with a clean slate with me (while keeping in mind that I've been told she can be a "bully" and very "handy" with things like door latches, gates, etc. so we both stay safe).
Three months and thirty nine rides.
My plan is to treat her like I would any young endurance prospect at this point, with the difference that because the "contract" is to ride her 3x a week, I won't spend the first week or so getting to know her on the ground (which I do with all my new horses regardless of age). We will definitely still be doing ground work, but I will be swinging my leg over her sooner and more often than I usually would at this stage.
The goal after 3 months and 39 rides is a horse that is a fit and safe mount to go into race training, or if that's not her style, whatever other competitive career she might enjoy.
Definitely exciting to have a hand in this young filly's future.
(BTW - I'm really starting to like the name "Merrylegs" for TKR Merry Go Far's barn name. Apart from the fact that the Merrylegs from Black Beauty was a fat little grey pony and not a leggy bay tall thing...it's perfect! However, I am willing to entertain other suggestions at this point, anyone? There's always a possibility that once I get to know the little bay filly she'll rename herself, but there's a good chance that the name I chose now will stick).
EEK! So excited. And nervous.
I've heard some good and some bad about her. Suffice to say she is a "character" and I'll be able to get the low down from the person that's been riding her since August tomorrow...but I'm going to try and let her start with a clean slate with me (while keeping in mind that I've been told she can be a "bully" and very "handy" with things like door latches, gates, etc. so we both stay safe).
Three months and thirty nine rides.
My plan is to treat her like I would any young endurance prospect at this point, with the difference that because the "contract" is to ride her 3x a week, I won't spend the first week or so getting to know her on the ground (which I do with all my new horses regardless of age). We will definitely still be doing ground work, but I will be swinging my leg over her sooner and more often than I usually would at this stage.
The goal after 3 months and 39 rides is a horse that is a fit and safe mount to go into race training, or if that's not her style, whatever other competitive career she might enjoy.
Definitely exciting to have a hand in this young filly's future.
(BTW - I'm really starting to like the name "Merrylegs" for TKR Merry Go Far's barn name. Apart from the fact that the Merrylegs from Black Beauty was a fat little grey pony and not a leggy bay tall thing...it's perfect! However, I am willing to entertain other suggestions at this point, anyone? There's always a possibility that once I get to know the little bay filly she'll rename herself, but there's a good chance that the name I chose now will stick).
Saturday, January 11, 2014
New EARS continued
I know that everyone here is drooling for pictures. You don't care what I have to say UNTIL YOU GET A PICTURE. Fine. Here's a picture.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
I'll help you out. The pair of ears that is to be mine is on the far left.
Her name is TKR Merry Go Far and I'll admit, her name was probably what pushed me over the edge to taking her seriously. Her mom is TKR Merry Go Fastr and there's another horse in the same line that is "Merry Go Fast". (If I breed can I name the baby Merry Go 'Round? hahahaahaaha I crack myself up. I don't breed, but I just couldn't resist).
Now that I've gotten the first picture out of the way will you let me tell the story? And if you are the ADHD type that needs a distraction until the next picture you can be thinking of an everyday moniker for the 'lil tyke. "Gopher" is out - we had a cat with that name. "Go Far" is an obvious one. But you'all know my rule about naming horses within the black stallion series……
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
After tracking down Farley's breeder a couple of years ago (we will call her K*) we have kept in touch periodically over email. I've come to really appreciate the TKR breeding and a couple of years ago I told her I would be interested in another young horse from her program at some point. I also know that K* would be interested in a breed lease on Farley.
So, it wasn't unusual to have an email from K* checking in to see how Farley was doing and to let me know that a TKR horse was available and if I wasn't interested, if I could pass the information along.
As I read through the email I realized I might be looking at "the one".
She was the right age - 2 years old this up coming February. Raised on hilly pasture most of her life.
The words in the ad all said the right thing: friendly, easy going, sweet, lots of substance. There was a scary word….TALL. But at this early stage TALL isn't enough for me to run screaming in the other direction. But, I consider it a little strike against the "ideal" horse in my mind.
Next up was breeding. She's a half sister to Farley, out of the same sire.
I'm told that Farley takes after her sire's temperament and I feel like it's a very solid performance line that can do a lot of different things (driving, racing, endurance, halter). I have a post coming up on Epigenetics…but the short story is I believe it absolutely matters in horse breeding. So, it matters to me that he actually did something as a career (Calbred Reserve Champion of the Year), not just that he comes from a long line of horses that did something. Knowing that Finito-Finisz (Farley's sire) died last year (2013) at 21 years of age, meant that time was running out to get another one of his filly's.
For comparison, here is Farley
Farley is completely polish, Merry Go Far is mostly polish as well, except for Fast PTracker who is her great grandfather on her Mother's side who could be considered Russian. There's a Darby winner on the Dam's side, and some other notables. So far so good!
But there's a small strike here too….color. There's a really good chance that Merry Go Far is a grey. Her baby pics (2 weeks) look like this:
Which doesn't mean crap.
There's a LOT of grey on that Russian side. A lot of greys mated to greys. Farley was bred to this line and had a grey son. As I counted out the potential grey genes, I realized there was the smallest chance that Merry Go Far could end up bay.
But a much more substantial chance she was grey by now. (I'm not a fan of grey).
Are you ready for the 3 year old part?
Turns out that part of the deal to get this filly involves an exchange.
3 months of riding another TKR horse named Tig 3x a week to leg her up for the track this summer.
I did some quick calculations. Three months takes me to the beginning of clinics. There's a couple benefits to this arrangement beyond just financial.
1. I get to ride a baby for 3 months and prep myself for where Merry Go Far is going to be next year. I've ridden babies in the past, but it's been a while. It would be nice to have a refresher without the emotional investment of it being "mine".
2. I won't have any intensive riding obligations during clinics - Tig will be back to K*, and Merry Go Far will be mostly ground handling.
Wanna see more pics?
These are recent (1/8/14)
Do you see what I see?
Yes, I see a bay horse. A bay horse that just *might* stay bay. K* says there's no guarantees at this point, but usually if they look like this now, they do stay bay. YES.
Off to practice those pistol squats and brush up on my tall horse mounting skills…..
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
I'll help you out. The pair of ears that is to be mine is on the far left.
Her name is TKR Merry Go Far and I'll admit, her name was probably what pushed me over the edge to taking her seriously. Her mom is TKR Merry Go Fastr and there's another horse in the same line that is "Merry Go Fast". (If I breed can I name the baby Merry Go 'Round? hahahaahaaha I crack myself up. I don't breed, but I just couldn't resist).
Now that I've gotten the first picture out of the way will you let me tell the story? And if you are the ADHD type that needs a distraction until the next picture you can be thinking of an everyday moniker for the 'lil tyke. "Gopher" is out - we had a cat with that name. "Go Far" is an obvious one. But you'all know my rule about naming horses within the black stallion series……
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
After tracking down Farley's breeder a couple of years ago (we will call her K*) we have kept in touch periodically over email. I've come to really appreciate the TKR breeding and a couple of years ago I told her I would be interested in another young horse from her program at some point. I also know that K* would be interested in a breed lease on Farley.
So, it wasn't unusual to have an email from K* checking in to see how Farley was doing and to let me know that a TKR horse was available and if I wasn't interested, if I could pass the information along.
As I read through the email I realized I might be looking at "the one".
She was the right age - 2 years old this up coming February. Raised on hilly pasture most of her life.
The words in the ad all said the right thing: friendly, easy going, sweet, lots of substance. There was a scary word….TALL. But at this early stage TALL isn't enough for me to run screaming in the other direction. But, I consider it a little strike against the "ideal" horse in my mind.
Next up was breeding. She's a half sister to Farley, out of the same sire.
I'm told that Farley takes after her sire's temperament and I feel like it's a very solid performance line that can do a lot of different things (driving, racing, endurance, halter). I have a post coming up on Epigenetics…but the short story is I believe it absolutely matters in horse breeding. So, it matters to me that he actually did something as a career (Calbred Reserve Champion of the Year), not just that he comes from a long line of horses that did something. Knowing that Finito-Finisz (Farley's sire) died last year (2013) at 21 years of age, meant that time was running out to get another one of his filly's.
For comparison, here is Farley
Farley is completely polish, Merry Go Far is mostly polish as well, except for Fast PTracker who is her great grandfather on her Mother's side who could be considered Russian. There's a Darby winner on the Dam's side, and some other notables. So far so good!
But there's a small strike here too….color. There's a really good chance that Merry Go Far is a grey. Her baby pics (2 weeks) look like this:
Which doesn't mean crap.
There's a LOT of grey on that Russian side. A lot of greys mated to greys. Farley was bred to this line and had a grey son. As I counted out the potential grey genes, I realized there was the smallest chance that Merry Go Far could end up bay.
But a much more substantial chance she was grey by now. (I'm not a fan of grey).
Are you ready for the 3 year old part?
Turns out that part of the deal to get this filly involves an exchange.
3 months of riding another TKR horse named Tig 3x a week to leg her up for the track this summer.
I did some quick calculations. Three months takes me to the beginning of clinics. There's a couple benefits to this arrangement beyond just financial.
1. I get to ride a baby for 3 months and prep myself for where Merry Go Far is going to be next year. I've ridden babies in the past, but it's been a while. It would be nice to have a refresher without the emotional investment of it being "mine".
2. I won't have any intensive riding obligations during clinics - Tig will be back to K*, and Merry Go Far will be mostly ground handling.
So here's the plan.
First off you are going to see Tig here on the blog. I pick her up Monday from the person that's been riding her for K* up to this point. Tig is apparently NOT described as "sweet" and "easy going" so putting 3 months on this 3-going-on-4-year old before she goes to the track later this year could be "interesting" but at the very least educational and will make for good blogging.
Then, hopefully in 3 months time, we will welcome the addition of TKR Merry Go Far! Merry Go Far will be 2 this February. She will be 3 1/2 when I get out of clinics. I envision mostly ground handling, lead line runs, and ponying for at least the next year and if life gets crazy the year after clinics (I'm learning that big life changes take about a year to adjust too) we will just continue that pattern. I have a couple of local trainers I like and trust that I could send off for ground handling if I felt like she needed beyond what I could give her in the next year, and when the time is right they can put the first rides on (or more….).
Wanna see more pics?
These are recent (1/8/14)
Yes, I see a bay horse. A bay horse that just *might* stay bay. K* says there's no guarantees at this point, but usually if they look like this now, they do stay bay. YES.
Off to practice those pistol squats and brush up on my tall horse mounting skills…..
Friday, January 10, 2014
Stop me when....
Stop me when I've done something stupid.
1. Wear my oldest (my comfy!) tights to school because I WILL ride after school, only to find out half way through the day they *really* are quite see through.
2. Once at stable put bare feet into Ariat Terrains. They were declared widow free this morning, but can you ever really truely know for sure?
3. Decide I am STILL GOING RIDING even though I spent too long at school after class was out finishing a certain blog post and making vet and chiro appointments and it is most *definiately* after sunset. Confirm that yes, the moon is at least 50% full (the cut off for me to be able to see branches at face level when going at speed), AND as a bonus is actually *in* the sky providing light.
4. Decide that Tess can go - her first night ride! (crossing my fingers that coyotes aren't going to eat her? Did I tell you an OWL almost grabbed her the other day?)
5. Tie a red glow bar to Tess's collar to make her more visible.
6. Scare the crap out of your horse (who spooks at glow bars 80 miles into a 100 miler) because there's a moving glow bar that is doing figure eights around the trail.
---------------------------------------------------
Summary: Ride 3 miles in the dark with a mobile glow stick in see-through tights and possibly-widow-infested-boots.
--------------------------------------------------
Justification: It's going to RAIN tomorrow. Tess has been in a run for 3 days (because of surgeries and class field trips). AND before I pick up that three year old on Monday I figure I better do some "been-there-done-that" horse appreciation.......
"Oh?" *innocent wide eyes* "I didn't mention a 3 year old in my last post? See, well, it's ever so more complicated then me simply getting Farley's 2 year old half sister!"
Stay turned!
(BTW - here's the incredibly cute puppy my group spayed on Wednesday. Already adopted by one of my classmates! LOL)
1. Wear my oldest (my comfy!) tights to school because I WILL ride after school, only to find out half way through the day they *really* are quite see through.
2. Once at stable put bare feet into Ariat Terrains. They were declared widow free this morning, but can you ever really truely know for sure?
3. Decide I am STILL GOING RIDING even though I spent too long at school after class was out finishing a certain blog post and making vet and chiro appointments and it is most *definiately* after sunset. Confirm that yes, the moon is at least 50% full (the cut off for me to be able to see branches at face level when going at speed), AND as a bonus is actually *in* the sky providing light.
4. Decide that Tess can go - her first night ride! (crossing my fingers that coyotes aren't going to eat her? Did I tell you an OWL almost grabbed her the other day?)
5. Tie a red glow bar to Tess's collar to make her more visible.
6. Scare the crap out of your horse (who spooks at glow bars 80 miles into a 100 miler) because there's a moving glow bar that is doing figure eights around the trail.
---------------------------------------------------
Summary: Ride 3 miles in the dark with a mobile glow stick in see-through tights and possibly-widow-infested-boots.
--------------------------------------------------
Justification: It's going to RAIN tomorrow. Tess has been in a run for 3 days (because of surgeries and class field trips). AND before I pick up that three year old on Monday I figure I better do some "been-there-done-that" horse appreciation.......
"Oh?" *innocent wide eyes* "I didn't mention a 3 year old in my last post? See, well, it's ever so more complicated then me simply getting Farley's 2 year old half sister!"
Stay turned!
(BTW - here's the incredibly cute puppy my group spayed on Wednesday. Already adopted by one of my classmates! LOL)
Introducing....another pair of ears
I really value the one-person-one-horse relationship.
It creates a certain bond between horse and rider because like a marriage there is no other choice beyond each other. You work things out, you go to couples therapy (what I called dressage lessons) if needed and you accomplish things together.
With one horse the consequences of a bad management or competition decision goes beyond an injured horse. It also means no riding, no trails with friends, no saddle time on a horse that is *mine*. For me, riding is such an essential part of "me" that when I was facing six month period of no riding with my single horse (this was pre-blogging with Minx) because of injury I felt like I had lost part of my "self". It was devastating.
I bought Farley when it wasn't clear that Minx was going to be long term sound. I wasn't sure what we were going to do in the future, but it was clear she wasn't going to do endurance.
When you add a second horse, the relationship with the first changes.
I didn't want it to. But inevitably my relationship with Minx changed. I didn't go out to the barn just to hang out. Why would I sit there and just hang out with my horse when there was another horse waiting in the paddock to be ridden? I love riding, and I could ride as much as I wanted without overriding either of my horses, so given the choice between riding or "just hanging out".....I RIDE.
Riding horses and riding in endurance rides became more...business like for me.
As it worked out, there ended up being only a little bit overlap between Minx and Farley. Farley injuried herself soon after I got her in the Fall, Minx became rideable sound around the same time and we started completing 50's the next spring. Farley started LD's that next Fall and I had my hands full trying to condition 2 different horses until.....Minx died the following spring.
It was during that Summer/Fall that both Minx and Farley were in endurance training that I SWORE I would never try and do two horses at once. Besides the relationship factor, I wasn't doing *other* things in my life (like running) that are important self-care activities. And of course there was the financial factor - while paying 2 boards is not a big deal (board is relatively cheap in this area), paying the expenses of 2 COMPETITION horses is significantly more. The sum of this equation was a life which consisted of lots of riding, but very little free time or money.
Since Minx died, I've kept my promise. Farley has been my one and only. Once I had one horse again, I found myself with that same intense relationship with Farley that I had enjoyed with Minx when she was an only horse.
For the last couple years I've known that at some point I would have to start a younger horse if I wanted to continue in endurance. I haven't looked forward to it. I'm not interested in baby horses. I'm not interested in breeding my own baby horse for a lot of reasons. I actually wondered whether I would continue in endurance once Farley retired.
I had decided last year that I would be willing to have a second competition horse while Farley was alive if she was retired. Although something might happen sooner, I figured that when Farley was 20 years old, I should have something in the 6 or 7 year old range ready to go.
I've always had the horse I needed at the right time, so I sorta just expected one to come along that was darn near perfect for what I needed, when I needed it - kinda like Farley and Minx had. So, when some youngsters started coming my way....at first I balked but then gave it a second look.
I realized getting a 2 year old wasn't out of the question. A 2 year old now would be 7 when Farley was 20. I would be out of college by the time I needed to seriously start it under saddle. At this point in Farley's career I'm really focusing on getting a handful of rides per season to continue our decade team award and having fun. I can't handle the riding of 2 horses in full 50 mile training, but maintaining Farley and doing some light work on a youngster is perfectly doable. And getting my young horse while Farley is still sound and rideable over the longer distances will make some aspects of training easier because I can pony etc.
So, I started looking at the youngsters being tossed my way with more interest. One of these might be the one! Because in my life, "the one" tends to make itself very obvious, when something promising showed up but then got "complicated" I didn't worry - I knew the "the one" was still to come.
Over the years I've been able to "hone" what I want in a horse. I'm really picky. I'm even pickier about a young horse that isn't under saddle yet. There's a lot of considerations with any horse, but in a young horse that is too young for me to ride, I care a lot about potential resell value if I don't "click" with them in the future. I learned my lessons with Farley well and now I'll pour over a pedigree and try to understand the reasoning or purpose of the breeding behind a horse. Temperament is the second "leg" of my stool. Babies will be babies...but there are easy going sweet babies and most of the time I see those easy going babies turn into easy going horses. I heard over and over again from people who knew Farley before me when she was young how "sweet" and "easy going" she was. The third leg of my "baby picking stool" is conformation. It doesn't has to be perfect, but it has to be decent. I'll take more conformation flaws in a "proven" horse, but when I'm placing bets on the future for something unproven, I'm more picky.
And then there's personal preference - I perfer dark horses over greys, short over tall, mares over geldings. This won't necessarily make me shy away from another wise ideal candidate, but it's something that is always in the back of my mind.
Two weeks after I had decided I was serious about finding something in the 2-4 year old range, and less than 3 days after a rushcreek prospect I liked started to get complicated, but before I had starting ANY looking/inquiring....I got an email wondering whether I or anyone else I knew, might be interested in a TKR 2012 half sister of Farley.
To be continued....
It creates a certain bond between horse and rider because like a marriage there is no other choice beyond each other. You work things out, you go to couples therapy (what I called dressage lessons) if needed and you accomplish things together.
With one horse the consequences of a bad management or competition decision goes beyond an injured horse. It also means no riding, no trails with friends, no saddle time on a horse that is *mine*. For me, riding is such an essential part of "me" that when I was facing six month period of no riding with my single horse (this was pre-blogging with Minx) because of injury I felt like I had lost part of my "self". It was devastating.
I bought Farley when it wasn't clear that Minx was going to be long term sound. I wasn't sure what we were going to do in the future, but it was clear she wasn't going to do endurance.
When you add a second horse, the relationship with the first changes.
I didn't want it to. But inevitably my relationship with Minx changed. I didn't go out to the barn just to hang out. Why would I sit there and just hang out with my horse when there was another horse waiting in the paddock to be ridden? I love riding, and I could ride as much as I wanted without overriding either of my horses, so given the choice between riding or "just hanging out".....I RIDE.
Riding horses and riding in endurance rides became more...business like for me.
As it worked out, there ended up being only a little bit overlap between Minx and Farley. Farley injuried herself soon after I got her in the Fall, Minx became rideable sound around the same time and we started completing 50's the next spring. Farley started LD's that next Fall and I had my hands full trying to condition 2 different horses until.....Minx died the following spring.
It was during that Summer/Fall that both Minx and Farley were in endurance training that I SWORE I would never try and do two horses at once. Besides the relationship factor, I wasn't doing *other* things in my life (like running) that are important self-care activities. And of course there was the financial factor - while paying 2 boards is not a big deal (board is relatively cheap in this area), paying the expenses of 2 COMPETITION horses is significantly more. The sum of this equation was a life which consisted of lots of riding, but very little free time or money.
Since Minx died, I've kept my promise. Farley has been my one and only. Once I had one horse again, I found myself with that same intense relationship with Farley that I had enjoyed with Minx when she was an only horse.
For the last couple years I've known that at some point I would have to start a younger horse if I wanted to continue in endurance. I haven't looked forward to it. I'm not interested in baby horses. I'm not interested in breeding my own baby horse for a lot of reasons. I actually wondered whether I would continue in endurance once Farley retired.
I had decided last year that I would be willing to have a second competition horse while Farley was alive if she was retired. Although something might happen sooner, I figured that when Farley was 20 years old, I should have something in the 6 or 7 year old range ready to go.
I've always had the horse I needed at the right time, so I sorta just expected one to come along that was darn near perfect for what I needed, when I needed it - kinda like Farley and Minx had. So, when some youngsters started coming my way....at first I balked but then gave it a second look.
I realized getting a 2 year old wasn't out of the question. A 2 year old now would be 7 when Farley was 20. I would be out of college by the time I needed to seriously start it under saddle. At this point in Farley's career I'm really focusing on getting a handful of rides per season to continue our decade team award and having fun. I can't handle the riding of 2 horses in full 50 mile training, but maintaining Farley and doing some light work on a youngster is perfectly doable. And getting my young horse while Farley is still sound and rideable over the longer distances will make some aspects of training easier because I can pony etc.
So, I started looking at the youngsters being tossed my way with more interest. One of these might be the one! Because in my life, "the one" tends to make itself very obvious, when something promising showed up but then got "complicated" I didn't worry - I knew the "the one" was still to come.
Over the years I've been able to "hone" what I want in a horse. I'm really picky. I'm even pickier about a young horse that isn't under saddle yet. There's a lot of considerations with any horse, but in a young horse that is too young for me to ride, I care a lot about potential resell value if I don't "click" with them in the future. I learned my lessons with Farley well and now I'll pour over a pedigree and try to understand the reasoning or purpose of the breeding behind a horse. Temperament is the second "leg" of my stool. Babies will be babies...but there are easy going sweet babies and most of the time I see those easy going babies turn into easy going horses. I heard over and over again from people who knew Farley before me when she was young how "sweet" and "easy going" she was. The third leg of my "baby picking stool" is conformation. It doesn't has to be perfect, but it has to be decent. I'll take more conformation flaws in a "proven" horse, but when I'm placing bets on the future for something unproven, I'm more picky.
And then there's personal preference - I perfer dark horses over greys, short over tall, mares over geldings. This won't necessarily make me shy away from another wise ideal candidate, but it's something that is always in the back of my mind.
Two weeks after I had decided I was serious about finding something in the 2-4 year old range, and less than 3 days after a rushcreek prospect I liked started to get complicated, but before I had starting ANY looking/inquiring....I got an email wondering whether I or anyone else I knew, might be interested in a TKR 2012 half sister of Farley.
To be continued....
I was Brave today
Remember this post?
Let me refresh your memory. About 9 MONTHS ago I *saw* a black widow in my aria terrains.
Various antics ensued.
It either did or didn't come out of my boot.
I was never confident enough either way to do anything about it. So my solution was to throw the boots in the corner of the tack room - which in hindsight did nothing but give MORE opportunity for MORE widows to set up shop.
But I digress.
About a month ago I found the boots again.
I threw them in the "for sale bin". Yes. I threw a perfectly serviceable pair of ariat terrains in my for sale bin because there *might* be a widow and I could not imagine any intervention that would give me 100% confidence that the widow WASN'T there, thus I could never imagine putting them on my feet again.
As far as I concerned, cased closed: The widow was either there or not, but it wasn't my problem.
Then a friend pointed out I could wash them.
Mmmm….this could perhaps sufficiently reassure me.
So I took them out of my for sale bin and put them in my car. Where they would probably sit for another 3 months before I got around to washing them.
I'm nothing if not efficient!
This morning I got fuel, and started my normal process of making sure that trash in my car was removed and everything was in it's rightful place.
And I saw the boots.
And I realized something. There was no web.
My first clue 9 months ago that there was a widow in my boot (say that with "Toy Story" inflection of "there's a snake in my boot! and maybe that will amuse you as much as it amused me) was the presence of the very distinctive black widow web. It is VERY distinct and I've honed my withdrawal reflex when I feel it to a fine art.
Nine months of sitting in my tack room and there was no web.
A week of sitting in my car and no web.
Peering into the depths of my boots it appeared that the remains of the web that *was* there had disappeared too.
If there *was* a widow, it was a dead *widow*.
Worst case scenario: Dead widow in the boot. I stick my hand in, feel something that was not boot. I scream, throw boot across gas station and do my heebeejeeby dance.
Chances of dying? Not especially high.
Chances of worst case scenario? Not especially high since no web and part of the "antics" 9 months ago included a shop vac.
I did it. I reached my hand in. I swept the toe.
And it was just a boot.
Heroic feat of the day accomplished, I put the Terrains in my "stable box" in my trunk to return to normal use.
Let me refresh your memory. About 9 MONTHS ago I *saw* a black widow in my aria terrains.
Various antics ensued.
It either did or didn't come out of my boot.
I was never confident enough either way to do anything about it. So my solution was to throw the boots in the corner of the tack room - which in hindsight did nothing but give MORE opportunity for MORE widows to set up shop.
But I digress.
About a month ago I found the boots again.
I threw them in the "for sale bin". Yes. I threw a perfectly serviceable pair of ariat terrains in my for sale bin because there *might* be a widow and I could not imagine any intervention that would give me 100% confidence that the widow WASN'T there, thus I could never imagine putting them on my feet again.
As far as I concerned, cased closed: The widow was either there or not, but it wasn't my problem.
Then a friend pointed out I could wash them.
Mmmm….this could perhaps sufficiently reassure me.
So I took them out of my for sale bin and put them in my car. Where they would probably sit for another 3 months before I got around to washing them.
I'm nothing if not efficient!
This morning I got fuel, and started my normal process of making sure that trash in my car was removed and everything was in it's rightful place.
And I saw the boots.
And I realized something. There was no web.
My first clue 9 months ago that there was a widow in my boot (say that with "Toy Story" inflection of "there's a snake in my boot! and maybe that will amuse you as much as it amused me) was the presence of the very distinctive black widow web. It is VERY distinct and I've honed my withdrawal reflex when I feel it to a fine art.
Nine months of sitting in my tack room and there was no web.
A week of sitting in my car and no web.
Peering into the depths of my boots it appeared that the remains of the web that *was* there had disappeared too.
If there *was* a widow, it was a dead *widow*.
Worst case scenario: Dead widow in the boot. I stick my hand in, feel something that was not boot. I scream, throw boot across gas station and do my heebeejeeby dance.
Chances of dying? Not especially high.
Chances of worst case scenario? Not especially high since no web and part of the "antics" 9 months ago included a shop vac.
I did it. I reached my hand in. I swept the toe.
And it was just a boot.
Heroic feat of the day accomplished, I put the Terrains in my "stable box" in my trunk to return to normal use.
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
I'm fired as your running coach
This is a post about finding an appropriate mentor.
Now, you might think that as someone trying to find a mentor in endurance (and to some degree that is *all* of us), you might want to find someone with as much experience as possible, with a great record, who makes this all look easy.
I'm here to tell you....you might not.
The easiest way for me to explain this is why I'm fired from being any of your running coaches. For ever. Seriously.
First off, I've been doing it too long. Not only too long, but not in a "thoughtful" way.
I'm more than happy to share what I've done in the past, or what I think is an appropriate program for someone wanting to start running (see recent post here). I keep running logs that track mileage, time and other training details, and I've always written up my "race stories". First in a scrap book by hand, and later here on this blog.
But, I've *never* spent anytime writing up the types of articles and analysis you are accustomed to seeing here on the blog for endurance. We can contrast this with my blog (the one you are reading right now). In fact, I would be hard pressed to expound any further on my previously linked article - give me a couple of years and there's some editing I might want to do....but unlike endurance and horses, there is NOT an infinite amount of thoughts and ideas and half formed notions floating around in my head.
Part of the issue may be that I have one body for this running thing, and I never get to have a clean slate again. However I *do* get to have multiple horses and *will* have a clean slate to work with. So, it is very much worth figuring out how to do endurance better at all stages.
By not "thoughtfully" running from the beginning, I have forgotten how it feels to be a beginner runner. I remember some of the highlights (and "lowlights") from my early running days but if you don't do *something* to capture the essence of being a newbie - such as a real time blog where you write about the good AND the bad openly and honestly, a journal, a social group, or some other active/engaging medium - eventually you *will* forget as you accumulate miles and years. On this blog I have always been extremely honest and open about my attempts at the sport of endurance and horses in general. The combination of thinking about what I'm doing and the writing about what I'm doing imprints the now on my brain a little more strongly, and I can hold onto it for a little longer into the future.
I love both riding endurance and running more than any sane person can imagine. But I love them differently.
I love endurance for the way it requires me to put together the puzzle pieces from dozen of different specialties. I love figuring out what each individual horse needs for performance - nutritionally, metabolically, physically, and mentally. I adore tweaking little things in management and observing impact. Developing communication between 2 species that achieve great athletic things, and watching people change. Once aboard the horse, I love how it makes me live in the moment and put aside other things. Talking about the future and "what ifs" when it comes to horses, riders, and the sport of endurance is EXCITING and I could do it for as long as you could let me talk. I actually enjoy it when things don't go exactly to plan because I feel there are always lessons learned and it makes such a good story. Blogging about my horse journey and helping other endurance riders is a MAJOR point of enjoyment in endurance for me because it compliments what I enjoy most about endurance.
I love running because of the way it makes me FEEL when I get done with a good run. I love that during a run is one of the few times I can turn off my brain and allow myself to day dream and use my imagination. I like seeing results such as PRs. I get a great satisfaction from achieving goals and competing against myself. I love how STRONG and capable I feel while I sprint. I love what it does to my body and mind and consider running the cornerstone to my physical and mental well being. If I'm running, it seems like everything in my life clicks into place.
Can you see the difference? A coach and a mentor are not exactly the same thing, but for the purposes of this discussion, I think it might be helpful read the above italicized paragraphs with the word "coach" instead of "mentor" in mind. Which paragraph sounds like it was written by a coach?
The endurance one.
The reasons for running are immensely personal and do not intrinsically lend themselves well to helping others around me achieve success.
Which person sounds more like someone you want for your mentor? You could easily make my running paragraph into an "endurance" paragraph (I love endurance because of the way it makes me FEEL when I get done with a good ride.....blah blah blah).
Considering my successes and failures in both sports, there's no doubt that I'm fully capable of getting someone started in either sport and teaching the basics. In both sports I constantly seek new knowledge and I've had measurable improvement that I'm proud of in both.
But which sport would I be the better mentor in? Absolutely endurance.
This is why at last Wednesday's New Year's race where I ran the 10 miler, Funder fired me as her running coach. Funder (I thought about calling you the generic "the friend" but decided you could stand the public attention....) ran the furthest she had ever run. Quite an achievement! Even knowing that this would be her furthest run EVER, did it occur to me check and see whether she was tapering? Ummm...no. Or whether she was planning on refueling 250-300 calories per hour of running for the run that would undoubtably take longer than 90 min? Ummmm.....no. Or any of the other million details (bring extra safety pins, remember the lube, what's your hydration plan, do you know how to drink out the paper cups while running, etc.)? Ummmm.....no. I'm a great running friend. I promise! I just make a horrible running mentor :). And I'm learning there's a distinction.
Her officially firing me is what prompted me to ask myself the question: why do I make such a bad running mentor? And I hope this end-of-a-very-long-day rambling post about that question perhaps highlights some mentor qualities that you hadn't considered.
So, when you are seeking out a mentor for endurance (and everyone should have a mentor IMO!) or any other sport keep this in mind. Not everyone that has done a sport for a long time, or done well in the sport is suitable as YOUR mentor. Depending on *how* they ride endurance they may or may not be able to remember how it was to do endurance when they were at *your level*. Depending on the person, this may or may not be important. Someone might be a good resource but that doesn't mean they are a good mentor.
Now, you might think that as someone trying to find a mentor in endurance (and to some degree that is *all* of us), you might want to find someone with as much experience as possible, with a great record, who makes this all look easy.
I'm here to tell you....you might not.
The easiest way for me to explain this is why I'm fired from being any of your running coaches. For ever. Seriously.
First off, I've been doing it too long. Not only too long, but not in a "thoughtful" way.
I'm more than happy to share what I've done in the past, or what I think is an appropriate program for someone wanting to start running (see recent post here). I keep running logs that track mileage, time and other training details, and I've always written up my "race stories". First in a scrap book by hand, and later here on this blog.
But, I've *never* spent anytime writing up the types of articles and analysis you are accustomed to seeing here on the blog for endurance. We can contrast this with my blog (the one you are reading right now). In fact, I would be hard pressed to expound any further on my previously linked article - give me a couple of years and there's some editing I might want to do....but unlike endurance and horses, there is NOT an infinite amount of thoughts and ideas and half formed notions floating around in my head.
Part of the issue may be that I have one body for this running thing, and I never get to have a clean slate again. However I *do* get to have multiple horses and *will* have a clean slate to work with. So, it is very much worth figuring out how to do endurance better at all stages.
By not "thoughtfully" running from the beginning, I have forgotten how it feels to be a beginner runner. I remember some of the highlights (and "lowlights") from my early running days but if you don't do *something* to capture the essence of being a newbie - such as a real time blog where you write about the good AND the bad openly and honestly, a journal, a social group, or some other active/engaging medium - eventually you *will* forget as you accumulate miles and years. On this blog I have always been extremely honest and open about my attempts at the sport of endurance and horses in general. The combination of thinking about what I'm doing and the writing about what I'm doing imprints the now on my brain a little more strongly, and I can hold onto it for a little longer into the future.
I love both riding endurance and running more than any sane person can imagine. But I love them differently.
I love endurance for the way it requires me to put together the puzzle pieces from dozen of different specialties. I love figuring out what each individual horse needs for performance - nutritionally, metabolically, physically, and mentally. I adore tweaking little things in management and observing impact. Developing communication between 2 species that achieve great athletic things, and watching people change. Once aboard the horse, I love how it makes me live in the moment and put aside other things. Talking about the future and "what ifs" when it comes to horses, riders, and the sport of endurance is EXCITING and I could do it for as long as you could let me talk. I actually enjoy it when things don't go exactly to plan because I feel there are always lessons learned and it makes such a good story. Blogging about my horse journey and helping other endurance riders is a MAJOR point of enjoyment in endurance for me because it compliments what I enjoy most about endurance.
I love running because of the way it makes me FEEL when I get done with a good run. I love that during a run is one of the few times I can turn off my brain and allow myself to day dream and use my imagination. I like seeing results such as PRs. I get a great satisfaction from achieving goals and competing against myself. I love how STRONG and capable I feel while I sprint. I love what it does to my body and mind and consider running the cornerstone to my physical and mental well being. If I'm running, it seems like everything in my life clicks into place.
Can you see the difference? A coach and a mentor are not exactly the same thing, but for the purposes of this discussion, I think it might be helpful read the above italicized paragraphs with the word "coach" instead of "mentor" in mind. Which paragraph sounds like it was written by a coach?
The endurance one.
The reasons for running are immensely personal and do not intrinsically lend themselves well to helping others around me achieve success.
Which person sounds more like someone you want for your mentor? You could easily make my running paragraph into an "endurance" paragraph (I love endurance because of the way it makes me FEEL when I get done with a good ride.....blah blah blah).
Considering my successes and failures in both sports, there's no doubt that I'm fully capable of getting someone started in either sport and teaching the basics. In both sports I constantly seek new knowledge and I've had measurable improvement that I'm proud of in both.
But which sport would I be the better mentor in? Absolutely endurance.
This is why at last Wednesday's New Year's race where I ran the 10 miler, Funder fired me as her running coach. Funder (I thought about calling you the generic "the friend" but decided you could stand the public attention....) ran the furthest she had ever run. Quite an achievement! Even knowing that this would be her furthest run EVER, did it occur to me check and see whether she was tapering? Ummm...no. Or whether she was planning on refueling 250-300 calories per hour of running for the run that would undoubtably take longer than 90 min? Ummmm.....no. Or any of the other million details (bring extra safety pins, remember the lube, what's your hydration plan, do you know how to drink out the paper cups while running, etc.)? Ummmm.....no. I'm a great running friend. I promise! I just make a horrible running mentor :). And I'm learning there's a distinction.
Her officially firing me is what prompted me to ask myself the question: why do I make such a bad running mentor? And I hope this end-of-a-very-long-day rambling post about that question perhaps highlights some mentor qualities that you hadn't considered.
So, when you are seeking out a mentor for endurance (and everyone should have a mentor IMO!) or any other sport keep this in mind. Not everyone that has done a sport for a long time, or done well in the sport is suitable as YOUR mentor. Depending on *how* they ride endurance they may or may not be able to remember how it was to do endurance when they were at *your level*. Depending on the person, this may or may not be important. Someone might be a good resource but that doesn't mean they are a good mentor.
Monday, January 6, 2014
A birthday ride
Many thanks to my friends Aurora and Nikki for taking me on a Birthday ride!
A relaxed low key ride. 13 miles in 3 hours.
Walk, trot, and stop. It was good for Farley who either wants to be a slug or "LET'S JUST GET THIS THING OVER".
She even willingly, OF HER OWN CHOICE, trotted up big hills. I was impressed. The lazy 15 year pony (once we had a serious discussion of what in front of my leg meant early in the ride, that would have been well augmented by a dressage whip - but which I was not carrying…..At this point we don't micro manage each other, BUT there ARE certain RULES that we operate within. #1 - GET IN FRONT OF MY LEG) apparently thought a sunny afternoon in January was something to be enjoyed too!
As Farley is 15, I'm looking at 2 year olds that will be about 7 when she's 20…..so I am REALLY appreciating my bomb proof, go anywhere, do anything even-when-I'm-talking-with-my-hands-facing-backwards pony right now.
It would be easy to take credit for how *good* she is, but if I'm being honest, she was born good. Looking at some half siblings out of the same sire and rush creeks to see if I can get that lucky again!
It would be easy to take credit for how *good* she is, but if I'm being honest, she was born good. Looking at some half siblings out of the same sire and rush creeks to see if I can get that lucky again!
Friday, January 3, 2014
How far? How often? and a look back at '13
In the spirit of Funder's post here, I'm going to give you my version of how far and fast and often *I* go.
It's one of the toughest things to figure out in endurance sports - how much is enough? It's important question since over-use injuries abound in both horse and human endurance athletes.
My advice would be to look at people's data (how far/fast/often do they *really* ride) and then listen to their thinking behind their program. And then make decisions on what you think will work for you and your horse.
I spend a lot of time talking about my thinking, so today you get to look at the data. Let me know if you have any questions. :)
Click to "big-a-fy".
I record additional information on each session, but I only included the data columns I thought would be useful in this context.
First up is my running log since August or so, through the present. Just one screen shot for running - didn't bother to get earlier in the year since this is an endurance blog, not a Mel-goes-a-runnin' blog. (BTW - there were more than 3 people in my AG for New Year's Race. SEVEN to be exact).
Below is the first screen shot of my riding year. I managed to get the beginning of the year through Tevis in this shot. No, I didn't ride in 2013 before Feb 18.....
Part 2 of Farley's log (Post Tevis through end of year)
All that groundwork that you see listed are sessions as described in past posts, or it was heat conditioning for Tevis. What ISN'T recorded on Farley's records are what I like to refer to as "6" or "10" legged runs - ie a lead line trail run where I was dismounted +/- Tess. Those get recorded with my running, not with Farley's log.
Last thoughts on 2013?
I started 2013 riding for the first time on Feb 20th. I took this picture:
Actually, my first ride of 2013 was in the arena doing walk/trot dressage 2 days before. Because 2012 had ended in me getting bucked off on the trail (first time ever off of Farley).....I never claimed to be a brave rider!
I went to the convention, and somehow decided to ride Tevis.
So I started riding again.
A lot more of these pictures
And even some of these:
Farley got a hair cut (PS - can you believe her mane is almost all the way grown back in already o_0)
I went horse camping with friends
And crewed for one of the best teams in the sport
And I kept riding.
I finished rides
I finished tough rides
So I kept going
All the way to Tevis.
We didn't finish all our rides.
Farley now has her first non-100 miler pull.
But, as far as I can determine, it's nothing serious and so we ride on.
There were other successes in 2013 too, like another strong ride and tie finish. A possible look at things to come in 2014 and the RnT championships.
How did I start off 2014?
We cantered bareback on the TRAIL for the first time ever.
(Upon some reflection, I remember galloping bareback on the standardbreds that belonged to an organization I was a member of.....but kicking a trotting standardbred madly to get it to gallop behind a friend on the beach while hanging on for dear life +/- staying on is quite a different than the confident, easy lope I did home today).
It's going to be a good year.
It's one of the toughest things to figure out in endurance sports - how much is enough? It's important question since over-use injuries abound in both horse and human endurance athletes.
My advice would be to look at people's data (how far/fast/often do they *really* ride) and then listen to their thinking behind their program. And then make decisions on what you think will work for you and your horse.
I spend a lot of time talking about my thinking, so today you get to look at the data. Let me know if you have any questions. :)
Click to "big-a-fy".
I record additional information on each session, but I only included the data columns I thought would be useful in this context.
First up is my running log since August or so, through the present. Just one screen shot for running - didn't bother to get earlier in the year since this is an endurance blog, not a Mel-goes-a-runnin' blog. (BTW - there were more than 3 people in my AG for New Year's Race. SEVEN to be exact).
Below is the first screen shot of my riding year. I managed to get the beginning of the year through Tevis in this shot. No, I didn't ride in 2013 before Feb 18.....
Part 2 of Farley's log (Post Tevis through end of year)
All that groundwork that you see listed are sessions as described in past posts, or it was heat conditioning for Tevis. What ISN'T recorded on Farley's records are what I like to refer to as "6" or "10" legged runs - ie a lead line trail run where I was dismounted +/- Tess. Those get recorded with my running, not with Farley's log.
Last thoughts on 2013?
I started 2013 riding for the first time on Feb 20th. I took this picture:
Actually, my first ride of 2013 was in the arena doing walk/trot dressage 2 days before. Because 2012 had ended in me getting bucked off on the trail (first time ever off of Farley).....I never claimed to be a brave rider!
I went to the convention, and somehow decided to ride Tevis.
So I started riding again.
A lot more of these pictures
And even some of these:
Farley got a hair cut (PS - can you believe her mane is almost all the way grown back in already o_0)
I went horse camping with friends
And crewed for one of the best teams in the sport
And I kept riding.
I finished rides
I finished tough rides
So I kept going
All the way to Tevis.
We didn't finish all our rides.
Farley now has her first non-100 miler pull.
But, as far as I can determine, it's nothing serious and so we ride on.
There were other successes in 2013 too, like another strong ride and tie finish. A possible look at things to come in 2014 and the RnT championships.
How did I start off 2014?
We cantered bareback on the TRAIL for the first time ever.
(Upon some reflection, I remember galloping bareback on the standardbreds that belonged to an organization I was a member of.....but kicking a trotting standardbred madly to get it to gallop behind a friend on the beach while hanging on for dear life +/- staying on is quite a different than the confident, easy lope I did home today).
It's going to be a good year.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Resolution run 2014
I did my 10 mile trail race yesterday in 1:36ish. My watch said 1:35ish, which was clicked as I went over the start line near the back of the pack, and the clock as I ran into the finish was somewhere in the neighborhood of 1 hour, 36 min and some odd seconds.
The exact time to the second isn't as important as the part where I get to brag this is a PR (personal record) AND it earned me third place in my age division (19-29). I don't know how many people in my division total because official results haven't gone up on the website yet, but there were hundreds in the race across 3 distances. My best guess is 500-600 people.
Even considering that yesterday's course was probably a little short (at least by the GPS track that is posted on their website), there were HILLS. Lots and lots of HILLS. And of course rocks and sneaky little roots.
And yet.....it was an easier PR than that road 10 mile, very flat race I did in October. That was also a PR time for me (1:44ish) and at the end of that run I was very sore, very achy, and I most definitely did the old women hobble thing for 2 days.
I can't explain it. I don't have a site or a source for you to go and read. But surely it can't be a coincidence. I run exactly the same distance on a trail with hills as I do on the road, and I'm faster on the trail by at least 1 min per mile. AND I'm less sore. AND my joints don't hurt.
But I suppose you want the story.
As with any good race, the race started with a good taper.
4 days before the race I put myself into massive sleep debt by driving 5 hours to visit family on 3 hours of sleep. I never did get an 8 hour night, culminating into the 5 hour drive HOME the night before the race, where I got home at 2am. The drive actually started around 7pm, but because of headaches, nausea and complete exhaustion the drive was punctuated with a blessed nap in a park and ride half way home. 45 min of pure bliss.
The next step is to show up to the race prepared. I had PRE registered - not so early as to get a nice tech shirt, but early enough to guarantee a vanity sized cotton small Tee. Which was a GOOD THING when despite my best wishes I wasn't going to show up any earlier than 20 min pre race.
Cue frantic texting to Funder to pick up my race bib and chip and have it waiting for me.
Now, the chip was for pure vanity. You had the option to race with a chip or without - same cost but without the chip your time wouldn't be posted on the website for the world to see. The nice thing to do for race management if you aren't planning on winning is to go sans chip - less data for them to process and post on race day.
But even though there couldn't be a slower more unlikely ten miler runner I WANTED my time. So, without any added benefit of going sans-chip (Buffalo Run let's non competitive runners start an hour early) I WANTED MY CHIP.
I had a brief moment of panic as I parked 1/2 a mile a way and at 12:30p all these people with bibs were running TOWARDS me as I walked towards the start and Funder. I finally asked one of them to verify the race start was at 1pm....and it turns out all these people were "warming up". Whaaaattt????? Isn't that what the first couple miles are for? And these weren't folks like looked like the elite - just normal folks that are going to finish mid or back pack like me. However, if they want to add miles to the 6 or 10 miles they are going to run...more power to 'em!
And then....it was 20 min 'til race time and I was READY. Porta-potty line was reasonable, Funder had a truck for me to stash my car key (I could imagine it falling off a cliff as I dug one of my elyte capsules out of my pack....), my ride and tie partner Michele and a friend found me. I threatened my waist pack with the fate of being returned to REI if it didn't perform exceptionally for the run. I joked with my friends that the first time I had done this race YEARS ago I had actually taken an age group award (first!) because I was the *only* person that was 18 years old or younger there. As we looked around at the sproing-y musclely oh-so-very-prepared runners around us, we all broke into hysterical laughter at the thought of THAT happening ever again.
And then it was time!!!!! RACE START.
I started at the back like all good fat slow recreational slighly crazy people should do.
There were a LOT of people there. A LOT. And folks, there should be. It's a well marked, well coordinated run that's a lot of fun. It's been a lot of fun to see it grow over the years. It's pretty much a no frills race (water at the aid stations, simple fruit and bagels and a bowl of soup at the finish, medals for the age group placings), but it's well worth (in my opinion) the $25 or $35 dollars I paid for my entry.
I saw a couple people with dogs running - no one in the ten miler. I had debated whether or not to take Tess, but had decided against it. She had been locked in a car with me for days and days and was a little wild and although she would have LOVED it, no dog water for 10 miles and the chance she would pull on me - even if slightly - over ten miles and cause me to have a side cramp or something made it not worth it.
The ten milers broke off for the other 2 courses early on. It was pretty obvious who was going off to run the 10 miler - compression socks unite!!!!!!!
These early miles were down hill on pavement and I took advantage of gravity while I could and got off on the shoulder where possible. I passed one girl who had her ipod or whatever playing AUDIBLY so that the whole world could listen to HER MUSIC and I vowed I would do whatever it took to leave her in the dust and not let her catch up.
I had brought my ipod with tunes on it just in case I felt like listening. I wear crappy ear buds that stay in but aren't noise cancelling so I can actually still carry on conversations with them - it just hides the soundtrack that is my own labored breathing which is *not* motivating.
I lasted without the ipod until we headed up cardiac bypass hill. I took my first walk break and dug out the ipod.
My plan was to run so that it felt like "green/yellow" for the first hour. Then I was going to allow myself to go "yellow/orange".
I saw the 2 mile marker and I hit the split button on my watch. 16 min. Not bad. That first 2 miles was mostly downhill and I was going at a pretty good clip - but it was a steep enough downhill with loose gravel you couldn't really let yourself go. 8 min/mile was perfectly reasonable. I knew went down had to go up.....
When the uphills came I found myself able to run them. Now, this was a new phenomenon. At my last trail race, That Damn Hill/Race 1/2 marathon, I still couldn't strongly run up hills. But now, I found I could maintain pace up the smaller hills, and could easily do a walk/jog up the bigger ones. Mmmmmm......This was either going to be really good, OR this was going to catch up to me very very badly sooner than I wanted it too.
That's the interesting thing in running the longer distances. You have the fitness to do all sorts of neat/naughty things near the beginning...but it is at an unknown cost.
Well. I had decided that as long as the effort was green/yellow at this stage in the race I could do it....so off I went.
When the hill was really steep and I was walk/running I did the indian run game. I would jump in behind a line of walkers and walk...and then I would run to the front of the group and walk. Run up to the next line of people and walk.....and then run to the front of THAT line and walk. I had done some group training like this once and I had been amazed how much faster I had done that run than usual and sure enough, it worked during the race again.
It was warm, by far the warmest Resolution run I've *ever* done. Early on when I wanted to take some walk breaks up a long steady hill, I employed my "walk in the shade run in the sun" stategy which I'm sure has *never* been used in the month of January.....
The 2 downhill miles in 16 min didn't impress me. The 5 mixed-up-and-downhill miles in 42 min did.
Starting around mile 6 or 7 we started doing lollipop loops with the rest of the distances (5K and 10K) since there were runners coming back at me, I knew there was a good chance I would see Funder. Folks, Funder looks like a RUNNER now so instead of looking for that person that would clearly rather be on horseback, I had to keep reminding myself that she was wearing a purple tank top.
I passed her while I was going out and the turn around wasn't *that* far away. I knew I would probably pass her since she was less than a mile ahead of me. SWEET - I would get to see her TWICE (funny what makes you happy during insane events). And she probably wouldn't mind me passing because that meant I could get pics of her and scope out the post-race goodies.
Sure enough, while she was getting directions for the aid station guy at approximately 8.5 miles ("the trail really is up that hill?" - smart girl verifying it BEFORE going UP the hill......) I passed her screaming and hollering. 1 1/2 miles to go and I had a lot of gas in the tank. I gave myself permission to crank it up to orange/red.
Which is how I found myself bounding up a particularly steep single track in front of Funder and I wondered whether perhaps I had *too* much gas in the tank.
Nope. I did not. About 3/4 mile from the finish (run finished just past the horse trough finish up on the top of ANOTHER hill for those of your familiar with Tevis) I lost the ability to run up any more hills. Just. Not. Going. To. Happen.
However, unlike That Damn Half I retained my ability to run flats and down hills and I didn't feel the need to track down fellow runners and plead and justify the amount of distance left. There was a spry old man in front of me (the old Y chromosome people are *always* the ones to watch up for in these sorts of things) and I just sort of tried to keep him in sight. He was still marching up the uphills faster, but I was faster on the downs and flats so it worked out. He was probably 20-25 yards in front of me and was acting as an *ideal* life line dragging me along.
From previous years I *knew* the finish was brutal. Uphill. No glorious all out runs to the finish. I *walked* up to the horse trough. I internally commented on the fact if this was Tevis I would have been *done*. Instead I commented to an onlooker that I was pretty sure this was going to be a 10 mile PR time even if I had to crawl to the finish from here.
But you see, I had passed some people on the trail that looked to be in my age group not *too* far back and I couldn't be sure they weren't wearing chips.
And so I ran/shuffled my way through the equestrian parking lot, to road, and then to finish, all of which were unmercifully uphill and in the sun AND in full view on spectators.
DONE.
Funder appeared not too much longer at the water trough and I remembered to grab her phone so that I could get some pictures. Of course the sun and shadows were all wrong but I got a good one as they snipped the chip off her foot.
I wandered over to the results. Mine weren't posted yet.....but the last girl on the page that was posted was in my age group. And she was second......and she wasn't *that* far ahead of me. There was a good chance I had come in THIRD.
I joked with Funder. We both agreed it was highly unlikely. After all, I am slow and short and have ugly looking back of the knees.
But we did keep an ear out for the announcer to announce the results.....and THEY CALLED MY NAME!!!!!
There was some whooping and hollering. And a picture where I'm smiling so hard my nose is wrinkled, which doesn't happen much.
Until the official results are posted, I'm choosing to believe there were more than 3 people in the ten miler that were between the ages of 19 and 29.....
At In-and-Out post race with Funder, I could feel the sleep debt and the effort of running ten miles knocking on the door and demanding their due. I knew I had just enough time drive home for 1+ hours and then collapse on the couch in stupor.
Of course, I spent the evening not sleeping while despretely wishing I could.....I was in the realm where I was *too tired* to sleep.
Finally, I got to sleep and slept until TEN AM this morning. Aside from just a little muscle soreness here and there if I tense everything just right I feel FINE. I'll be a little more achy tomorrow (2nd day DOMS) but everything about my soreness is mild/minor/symmetrical. I'm still in awe. The medal is hanging by a suction cup to my bathroom mirror because the rule is that I'm only allowed to wear it until bedtime the day I get it.
Looking forward to repeating the run in May (that's the point of this resolution race - they repeat the courses in May and you see whether you can beat your time!). I'm pretty sure I can break 1 1/2 hours!!!!!!!
The exact time to the second isn't as important as the part where I get to brag this is a PR (personal record) AND it earned me third place in my age division (19-29). I don't know how many people in my division total because official results haven't gone up on the website yet, but there were hundreds in the race across 3 distances. My best guess is 500-600 people.
Even considering that yesterday's course was probably a little short (at least by the GPS track that is posted on their website), there were HILLS. Lots and lots of HILLS. And of course rocks and sneaky little roots.
And yet.....it was an easier PR than that road 10 mile, very flat race I did in October. That was also a PR time for me (1:44ish) and at the end of that run I was very sore, very achy, and I most definitely did the old women hobble thing for 2 days.
I can't explain it. I don't have a site or a source for you to go and read. But surely it can't be a coincidence. I run exactly the same distance on a trail with hills as I do on the road, and I'm faster on the trail by at least 1 min per mile. AND I'm less sore. AND my joints don't hurt.
But I suppose you want the story.
As with any good race, the race started with a good taper.
4 days before the race I put myself into massive sleep debt by driving 5 hours to visit family on 3 hours of sleep. I never did get an 8 hour night, culminating into the 5 hour drive HOME the night before the race, where I got home at 2am. The drive actually started around 7pm, but because of headaches, nausea and complete exhaustion the drive was punctuated with a blessed nap in a park and ride half way home. 45 min of pure bliss.
The next step is to show up to the race prepared. I had PRE registered - not so early as to get a nice tech shirt, but early enough to guarantee a vanity sized cotton small Tee. Which was a GOOD THING when despite my best wishes I wasn't going to show up any earlier than 20 min pre race.
Cue frantic texting to Funder to pick up my race bib and chip and have it waiting for me.
Now, the chip was for pure vanity. You had the option to race with a chip or without - same cost but without the chip your time wouldn't be posted on the website for the world to see. The nice thing to do for race management if you aren't planning on winning is to go sans chip - less data for them to process and post on race day.
But even though there couldn't be a slower more unlikely ten miler runner I WANTED my time. So, without any added benefit of going sans-chip (Buffalo Run let's non competitive runners start an hour early) I WANTED MY CHIP.
I had a brief moment of panic as I parked 1/2 a mile a way and at 12:30p all these people with bibs were running TOWARDS me as I walked towards the start and Funder. I finally asked one of them to verify the race start was at 1pm....and it turns out all these people were "warming up". Whaaaattt????? Isn't that what the first couple miles are for? And these weren't folks like looked like the elite - just normal folks that are going to finish mid or back pack like me. However, if they want to add miles to the 6 or 10 miles they are going to run...more power to 'em!
And then....it was 20 min 'til race time and I was READY. Porta-potty line was reasonable, Funder had a truck for me to stash my car key (I could imagine it falling off a cliff as I dug one of my elyte capsules out of my pack....), my ride and tie partner Michele and a friend found me. I threatened my waist pack with the fate of being returned to REI if it didn't perform exceptionally for the run. I joked with my friends that the first time I had done this race YEARS ago I had actually taken an age group award (first!) because I was the *only* person that was 18 years old or younger there. As we looked around at the sproing-y musclely oh-so-very-prepared runners around us, we all broke into hysterical laughter at the thought of THAT happening ever again.
And then it was time!!!!! RACE START.
I started at the back like all good fat slow recreational slighly crazy people should do.
There were a LOT of people there. A LOT. And folks, there should be. It's a well marked, well coordinated run that's a lot of fun. It's been a lot of fun to see it grow over the years. It's pretty much a no frills race (water at the aid stations, simple fruit and bagels and a bowl of soup at the finish, medals for the age group placings), but it's well worth (in my opinion) the $25 or $35 dollars I paid for my entry.
I saw a couple people with dogs running - no one in the ten miler. I had debated whether or not to take Tess, but had decided against it. She had been locked in a car with me for days and days and was a little wild and although she would have LOVED it, no dog water for 10 miles and the chance she would pull on me - even if slightly - over ten miles and cause me to have a side cramp or something made it not worth it.
The ten milers broke off for the other 2 courses early on. It was pretty obvious who was going off to run the 10 miler - compression socks unite!!!!!!!
These early miles were down hill on pavement and I took advantage of gravity while I could and got off on the shoulder where possible. I passed one girl who had her ipod or whatever playing AUDIBLY so that the whole world could listen to HER MUSIC and I vowed I would do whatever it took to leave her in the dust and not let her catch up.
I had brought my ipod with tunes on it just in case I felt like listening. I wear crappy ear buds that stay in but aren't noise cancelling so I can actually still carry on conversations with them - it just hides the soundtrack that is my own labored breathing which is *not* motivating.
I lasted without the ipod until we headed up cardiac bypass hill. I took my first walk break and dug out the ipod.
My plan was to run so that it felt like "green/yellow" for the first hour. Then I was going to allow myself to go "yellow/orange".
I saw the 2 mile marker and I hit the split button on my watch. 16 min. Not bad. That first 2 miles was mostly downhill and I was going at a pretty good clip - but it was a steep enough downhill with loose gravel you couldn't really let yourself go. 8 min/mile was perfectly reasonable. I knew went down had to go up.....
When the uphills came I found myself able to run them. Now, this was a new phenomenon. At my last trail race, That Damn Hill/Race 1/2 marathon, I still couldn't strongly run up hills. But now, I found I could maintain pace up the smaller hills, and could easily do a walk/jog up the bigger ones. Mmmmmm......This was either going to be really good, OR this was going to catch up to me very very badly sooner than I wanted it too.
That's the interesting thing in running the longer distances. You have the fitness to do all sorts of neat/naughty things near the beginning...but it is at an unknown cost.
Well. I had decided that as long as the effort was green/yellow at this stage in the race I could do it....so off I went.
When the hill was really steep and I was walk/running I did the indian run game. I would jump in behind a line of walkers and walk...and then I would run to the front of the group and walk. Run up to the next line of people and walk.....and then run to the front of THAT line and walk. I had done some group training like this once and I had been amazed how much faster I had done that run than usual and sure enough, it worked during the race again.
It was warm, by far the warmest Resolution run I've *ever* done. Early on when I wanted to take some walk breaks up a long steady hill, I employed my "walk in the shade run in the sun" stategy which I'm sure has *never* been used in the month of January.....
The 2 downhill miles in 16 min didn't impress me. The 5 mixed-up-and-downhill miles in 42 min did.
Starting around mile 6 or 7 we started doing lollipop loops with the rest of the distances (5K and 10K) since there were runners coming back at me, I knew there was a good chance I would see Funder. Folks, Funder looks like a RUNNER now so instead of looking for that person that would clearly rather be on horseback, I had to keep reminding myself that she was wearing a purple tank top.
I passed her while I was going out and the turn around wasn't *that* far away. I knew I would probably pass her since she was less than a mile ahead of me. SWEET - I would get to see her TWICE (funny what makes you happy during insane events). And she probably wouldn't mind me passing because that meant I could get pics of her and scope out the post-race goodies.
Sure enough, while she was getting directions for the aid station guy at approximately 8.5 miles ("the trail really is up that hill?" - smart girl verifying it BEFORE going UP the hill......) I passed her screaming and hollering. 1 1/2 miles to go and I had a lot of gas in the tank. I gave myself permission to crank it up to orange/red.
Which is how I found myself bounding up a particularly steep single track in front of Funder and I wondered whether perhaps I had *too* much gas in the tank.
Nope. I did not. About 3/4 mile from the finish (run finished just past the horse trough finish up on the top of ANOTHER hill for those of your familiar with Tevis) I lost the ability to run up any more hills. Just. Not. Going. To. Happen.
However, unlike That Damn Half I retained my ability to run flats and down hills and I didn't feel the need to track down fellow runners and plead and justify the amount of distance left. There was a spry old man in front of me (the old Y chromosome people are *always* the ones to watch up for in these sorts of things) and I just sort of tried to keep him in sight. He was still marching up the uphills faster, but I was faster on the downs and flats so it worked out. He was probably 20-25 yards in front of me and was acting as an *ideal* life line dragging me along.
From previous years I *knew* the finish was brutal. Uphill. No glorious all out runs to the finish. I *walked* up to the horse trough. I internally commented on the fact if this was Tevis I would have been *done*. Instead I commented to an onlooker that I was pretty sure this was going to be a 10 mile PR time even if I had to crawl to the finish from here.
But you see, I had passed some people on the trail that looked to be in my age group not *too* far back and I couldn't be sure they weren't wearing chips.
And so I ran/shuffled my way through the equestrian parking lot, to road, and then to finish, all of which were unmercifully uphill and in the sun AND in full view on spectators.
DONE.
Funder appeared not too much longer at the water trough and I remembered to grab her phone so that I could get some pictures. Of course the sun and shadows were all wrong but I got a good one as they snipped the chip off her foot.
I wandered over to the results. Mine weren't posted yet.....but the last girl on the page that was posted was in my age group. And she was second......and she wasn't *that* far ahead of me. There was a good chance I had come in THIRD.
I joked with Funder. We both agreed it was highly unlikely. After all, I am slow and short and have ugly looking back of the knees.
But we did keep an ear out for the announcer to announce the results.....and THEY CALLED MY NAME!!!!!
There was some whooping and hollering. And a picture where I'm smiling so hard my nose is wrinkled, which doesn't happen much.
Until the official results are posted, I'm choosing to believe there were more than 3 people in the ten miler that were between the ages of 19 and 29.....
At In-and-Out post race with Funder, I could feel the sleep debt and the effort of running ten miles knocking on the door and demanding their due. I knew I had just enough time drive home for 1+ hours and then collapse on the couch in stupor.
Of course, I spent the evening not sleeping while despretely wishing I could.....I was in the realm where I was *too tired* to sleep.
Finally, I got to sleep and slept until TEN AM this morning. Aside from just a little muscle soreness here and there if I tense everything just right I feel FINE. I'll be a little more achy tomorrow (2nd day DOMS) but everything about my soreness is mild/minor/symmetrical. I'm still in awe. The medal is hanging by a suction cup to my bathroom mirror because the rule is that I'm only allowed to wear it until bedtime the day I get it.
Looking forward to repeating the run in May (that's the point of this resolution race - they repeat the courses in May and you see whether you can beat your time!). I'm pretty sure I can break 1 1/2 hours!!!!!!!
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Girth SNAFU - A first time for everything
I was told I needed to be "happier" and so "go out to the stable".
So, for the second time in 2 days I mounted up.
Yeah yeah yeah. I know I used to ride consecutive days all the time. *Never* happens any more. And if it does, it's a sign I'm neglecting running and rider fitness. But had already ran today and since I have a ten mile race in 4 days, adding a second run to the day wasn't an option. And I was having a really really bad day. I won't go into the particulars....but it culminated in me deciding I would watch the Hobbit (which I've put off) - because what could possibly go wrong? Drove to the movie theater only to find out the showing was sold out.
So.....after moping around the house I was ordered out of the house to see the pony.
Above......BEFORE ride.
Difference? Maybe.
A nice 25 min 3.4 mile trotting ride. In the WIND. At times I couldn't see because my eyes were tearing. The type of day that I *did* carry my phone in the sweater pocket instead of the saddle because there was a higher chance than normal I could go *splat*.
Mmm....A first time for everything. Not sure how this happened, but I'm really glad there's redundancy in the english girthing system! (True of all the saddles I ride in BTW - civil war Mcllelen saddles, Aussie, English. My personal preference).
Friday, December 27, 2013
Why yes I *AM* riding
Farley is getting a lot of love this holiday break. My boyfriend has been riding her in the arena (so much fun to watch her put on her "soft face" and figure out what this non-Mel person is trying to get her to do) and I've been getting out regularly on the trails.
Of course today, when I try to take pictures, is the first day in recent memory that the sun wasn't out.
Here's a pic of today's ride.
And just to prove I'm not wandering about on my own.
Another ride full of cantering and obedient ponies. Impressive.
Last time I cantered for an hour my abs were so sore I couldn't turn over in bed for three days. We went out a tad longer today, so if I'm minimally sore I'll consider this a rider conditioning success!
Of course today, when I try to take pictures, is the first day in recent memory that the sun wasn't out.
Here's a pic of today's ride.
Last time I cantered for an hour my abs were so sore I couldn't turn over in bed for three days. We went out a tad longer today, so if I'm minimally sore I'll consider this a rider conditioning success!
Monday, December 23, 2013
I Do Wrong Things
Warning. If you do not have a sense of humor, this is not a post you should read. Otherwise, carry on!
Having the "phone conversation" reminded me over the last day or two reminded me of why, in general, I avoid certain topics on the blog. Which is an odd revelation if you are a long time reader and know me well enough that I don't shy away from controversial or difficult subjects if they have to do with me personally in endurance and with horses.
Here's the problem with the "phone conversation" and others like it. If we all carried the gear that someone thought we absolutely shouldn't leave the barn without, none of us would ride. I guarantee it.
Carrying a phone (or not) it falls into the category of things of emergency gear that some people think is absolutely necessary. And some people do not.
And here's why this (and related topics) is a problem topic: it's hard to argue with "it might save your life someday". It negates any explanation of why someone might not be doing it - because what could be more important than life? Please refer to paragraph 3.
The phone for me falls into the category of gear that depending on the type of ride (and who I'm doing it on or with) it may or may not be a necessity. If I had a way of carrying it that made it easier and more comfortable I would carry it more (but if I'm being realistic, still wouldn't carry it on every ride. )
What I thought would be fun is to list other ways that I am *surely* going to die, since I (and you) do all sorts of things on a daily basis that aren't "the safest" choice. There are many reasons that we may not chose the "safest" choice and it all has to do with that little benefit/cost scale that constantly weighs out decisions in our heads. If you would like to join in the fun by leaving a comment (anonymously if you would like....) on things you do wrong....I'd love to hear it. Justification not needed. These aren't confessions, rather admissions without repentance.
1. I don't wear a helmet every ride. Most rides but not every ride.
2. I don't carry a phone on my body regularly, in fact I regularly leave the house without a phone. And while we are on the subject, I don't own a car phone charger and if the phone dies during the day or in the middle of my commute so be it.
3. I speed. But I don't jaywalk and I always come to a full and complete stop at stop signs.
4. I don't wash my hands before eating most of the time.
5. I eat raw eggs. Sometimes in cookie dough (before I couldn't have gluten), sometimes just raw in smoothies. Most of the time I barely cook my eggs.
6. I eat my fruits and vegetables unwashed and sometimes I buy produce off the "dirty dozen" list.
7. I don't drive with my hands hat 10 and 2.
8. I give my own animal vaccines
9. I run long distances in barefoot shoes. Even on asphalt.
10. I ride and run with ear buds in both ears. (depends on the specific ride etc - not an every day thing).
11. Two days a week I don't eat. The rest of the time I eat lots of fat and protein and absolutely *no* fiber that is found in whole grains. Because I don't eat whole grains. I eat white rice. And no bread. And potatoes that are "white" in color.
12. I love raw fish.
13. I use an "e collar" or "shock collar" on my dog because she likes it better than a leash or a head collar or a harness or any other restraint invented by man. (OK - a little justification there for those of you that haven't read my post on this subject on my other blog. Go to Tess's blog for more information).
14. My animals are pets and part of the family, but not people. There is a price tag on their well being and it does not involve all my savings or maxing out my credit card (OK - these last two are less of ways I will die, and more of another reason to add to someone else's list of why I'm going to be a *horrible* vet - and we should stop now before I add another 100 things to *that* list).
Having the "phone conversation" reminded me over the last day or two reminded me of why, in general, I avoid certain topics on the blog. Which is an odd revelation if you are a long time reader and know me well enough that I don't shy away from controversial or difficult subjects if they have to do with me personally in endurance and with horses.
Here's the problem with the "phone conversation" and others like it. If we all carried the gear that someone thought we absolutely shouldn't leave the barn without, none of us would ride. I guarantee it.
Carrying a phone (or not) it falls into the category of things of emergency gear that some people think is absolutely necessary. And some people do not.
And here's why this (and related topics) is a problem topic: it's hard to argue with "it might save your life someday". It negates any explanation of why someone might not be doing it - because what could be more important than life? Please refer to paragraph 3.
The phone for me falls into the category of gear that depending on the type of ride (and who I'm doing it on or with) it may or may not be a necessity. If I had a way of carrying it that made it easier and more comfortable I would carry it more (but if I'm being realistic, still wouldn't carry it on every ride. )
What I thought would be fun is to list other ways that I am *surely* going to die, since I (and you) do all sorts of things on a daily basis that aren't "the safest" choice. There are many reasons that we may not chose the "safest" choice and it all has to do with that little benefit/cost scale that constantly weighs out decisions in our heads. If you would like to join in the fun by leaving a comment (anonymously if you would like....) on things you do wrong....I'd love to hear it. Justification not needed. These aren't confessions, rather admissions without repentance.
1. I don't wear a helmet every ride. Most rides but not every ride.
2. I don't carry a phone on my body regularly, in fact I regularly leave the house without a phone. And while we are on the subject, I don't own a car phone charger and if the phone dies during the day or in the middle of my commute so be it.
3. I speed. But I don't jaywalk and I always come to a full and complete stop at stop signs.
4. I don't wash my hands before eating most of the time.
5. I eat raw eggs. Sometimes in cookie dough (before I couldn't have gluten), sometimes just raw in smoothies. Most of the time I barely cook my eggs.
6. I eat my fruits and vegetables unwashed and sometimes I buy produce off the "dirty dozen" list.
7. I don't drive with my hands hat 10 and 2.
8. I give my own animal vaccines
9. I run long distances in barefoot shoes. Even on asphalt.
10. I ride and run with ear buds in both ears. (depends on the specific ride etc - not an every day thing).
11. Two days a week I don't eat. The rest of the time I eat lots of fat and protein and absolutely *no* fiber that is found in whole grains. Because I don't eat whole grains. I eat white rice. And no bread. And potatoes that are "white" in color.
12. I love raw fish.
13. I use an "e collar" or "shock collar" on my dog because she likes it better than a leash or a head collar or a harness or any other restraint invented by man. (OK - a little justification there for those of you that haven't read my post on this subject on my other blog. Go to Tess's blog for more information).
14. My animals are pets and part of the family, but not people. There is a price tag on their well being and it does not involve all my savings or maxing out my credit card (OK - these last two are less of ways I will die, and more of another reason to add to someone else's list of why I'm going to be a *horrible* vet - and we should stop now before I add another 100 things to *that* list).
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