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Where’d the “Go” Go? September 25, 2008

Posted by kimayars Uncategorized Digg! this story! Digg! this story. , 1 comment so far

My friend Sherene and I joke about “the pendulum”.  Let’s say that you collapse right when you ride. So you work really hard to get straight. Then one day you realize that you collapse left. Your pendulum has just swung the other way.  Fixing your “sided-ness” is a lot like a pendulum swinging back and forth. The goal is to zero in on perfect.

Today Tigger swung the other way in the impulsion department.  Normally, on a breezy cool day like today, he’s antsy.  He wants to go.  He is tense.  He’s forward.  Today, not so much.  He actually fell out of trot to walk three times.  Very unlike him. So unlike him, I started imagining that he was lame or sick.  But no.  I’ve been working so hard on slowing him down that he is now too slow.  Life is cruel.

After we had a small discussion about listening to my leg the lesson went pretty well.  I’m still stiff from Monday which amplifies my crookedness, so we focused on that and getting me balanced in the saddle.  It wasn’t too bad as the saddle never shifted, but Tigger is a sensitive guy and being just a little off really affects him. 

Paige also said my legs looked way better today.  My butt muscle exercises must be paying off (these are the clamshells mentioned in the post previous to this one).  Dare I hope that I may be able to lower my stirrups a hole soon?  One can dream…

Tigger also had the best canter transition to date.  Going to the right, he just glided into it instead of launching into the stratosphere.  Granted we have no lift, but his balance is so much better. We can now canter a full 20m circle without dropping out.  I was super proud of him.

The only down-side was I got my ass kicked.  Controlling Tigger’s tempo is hard work.  There are a lot of muscles engaged when trying to steady him.  You have to be firm, but supple.  Solid, yet soft. Supporting, yet giving.  All of that equals one sweaty ride for both of us.

Running? I don’t think so… September 24, 2008

Posted by kimayars Walk Digg! this story! Digg! this story. , add a comment

I did get to the gym this morning but I’m still quite sore from running on Monday.  Couple that with lots of dynamic tissue (jiggling fat) and running was just uncomfortable.  Instead I cranked the treadmill incline to “5″ (what DOES that mean?) and walked at a brisk pace.  I was pleasantly surprised that my heartrate stayed up.

I finished the workout with more ITB exercises.  What I do is grab the BoSu ball and stand on it with one foot until fatigue sets in.  Luckily, this doesn’t take long.  Then I flip the BoSu so the round side is down, and balance with one foot.  The stabilization my body tries to do strengthens the lateral muscles in my legs.  Just by doing these simple things keeps my knees healthy and pain free. Gotta love physical therapists.  The last thing I do is lay on my side with my knees bent and do little “clam shells” with my knees while keeping my upward-facing hip directed forward a bit.  Not only does this also help my knees but it also strengthens pathetic little butt muscle that I have been tormenting during riding Tigger.

Krisiti’s husband is going out of town for a week beginning Saturday. Do I have enough motivation to continue while she’s on hiatus? We’ll see…

I get to ride Tigger tomorrow! Yay!

Workout:

Pony Massage September 24, 2008

Posted by kimayars Uncategorized Digg! this story! Digg! this story. , 4comments

Tigger got a massage today.  It’s funny how I will carve nearly 3 hours out of my schedule for Tigger to have a massage, yet not for myself.  Hmph.

I must say Tigger did really enjoy his massage.  If you are in Western Washington (the state, that is) and are looking for an equine bodyworker, shoot me a line.  She’s good.

I have to take oldest daughter to her allergy appointment (peanut allergies suck) and then go to work, so no riding tomorrow.  I have my lesson on Thursday though. I can’t wait for that.

Another gym date with Kristi at the butt-crack of dawn.  I’m not sure what I’m going to do yet.  I’m sure yawning will be on the agenda.  :-)

Poor Little Tigger September 22, 2008

Posted by kimayars Arena Work (Horse) Digg! this story! Digg! this story. , add a comment

It wasn’t a stellar day for Tigger. He’s got a bit of a cold.  He was coughing a little yesterday, and has a runny nose today.  Yes, horses get colds.  And like us, it makes them feel a little punk.

I got on him for our lesson today and it was clear from the get-go that he just wasn’t himself.  Normally, he’s tougher to bend to the right.  Today he couldn’t bend left to save his life.  Additionally it was causing me to collapse left (I normally collapse right) and he had no energy.  Cindy and I opted to focus on loosening him up instead of any kind of conditioning.  It just never really came together. I put him on the lunge line towards the end and it was clear that he was holding his left side more so than his right.  After a couple of canter transitions he loosened up some more but still wasn’t his old self.

More than likely he was playing in the pasture and over-did it or slipped (we just had our first rain of fall this weekend).  There’s no heat and he’s level.  He just looks stiff and tired.

Tigger gets a massage tomorrow (lucky guy) so we’ll see if that will make him feel better.

I Gym’d! September 22, 2008

Posted by kimayars Run Digg! this story! Digg! this story. , add a comment

Somehow I hauled my sorry little (large) ass out of bed today and went to the gym to meet Kristi. I have to admit, if she hadn’t been there I would not have made it.

Took an “easy” run so as not to hurt anything, then followed it up with some of my ITB exercises and stretches to keep the knees in shape. After being off so long I don’t want to start that whole thing again.

I have my lesson today with Cindy. It’s raining, so I have mixed feelings about it. Riding in the rain just isn’t that fun. And Tigger will be muddy…

Workout: