Foot pain?… May 28, 2009
Posted by kimayars Uncategorized
Digg! this story.
, 2comments
I need some advice…
A week ago I stepped into a hole and tweaked my big toe. It has been a little achy, but nothing serious. It feels like a sprain.
Sunday I did a 9-mile run with Sherene. The toe was a tad sore, but nothing major.
Monday things were great. Still a tiny bit of toe pain, but for the most part I forgot about it. I rode my horse and enjoyed a day of rest.
Tuesday, the outside of my foot began to hurt (same foot as the trick toe). I assumed it was maybe a bruise from the stirrup. I iced it that night and took 4 Advil to take down any inflamation.
Wednesday morning I woke up and could barely walk on it. I’ve been gimping around pathetically. The pain varies during the day. Sometimes it’s intense enough to go up the outside of my calf. Other times it feels like I can make it through a 5-mile run. I bought new running shoes yesterday, so I’ve slipped those on. I had a friend tape my arch today and that seemed to help a little bit, and I’m not sure it’s a long-term soluton.
There’s no bruise on my foot, and squeezing and poking my foot doesn’t cause any pain.
Any ideas on what this is? Can I continue to run on it? Should I ice it? Rest it? Amputate it?
A nice day to ride… April 18, 2009
Posted by kimayars Uncategorized
Digg! this story.
, 1 comment so far
I rode Tigger today — one of the few times I get to actually ride him and be left to my own devices. He was a very good boy, but I have been noticing a little work-avoidance in him lately. He’s starting to be more like his mom. 
We started with counter-flexed turns at the walk, followed by counter-flexed turns transitioning into trot. After that was sorted out, we stayed in trot using the counter-flexed turns to keep him soft. Then, I didn’t know what to do. Seriously, we were warmed up. Now what?
I decided to do some lateral work, focusing on my position and aid set. We started with shoulder-fore, then did some leg-yields on the circle. After that, I needed a break.
I chatted with Sherene a little bit, then put him back to work. I still suffered from a lack of direction, so I went back to the lateral work. After Sherene was done, I decided to make good on my promise to myself of cantering at least once every ride. Since he was fairly soft and collected, I opted for the walk/canter transition. I set him up on a true bend, half-halted, plugged in my seat, and moved my outside leg back just ever so slightly. What he gave me was the most beautiful and fluid canter transition EVER. Not only that, but he kept a steady tempo throughout the whole canter. I nearly cried.
When I switched sides the canter transition wasn’t nearly so good (in fact, it took three attempts for us to get it right) but still the steady tempo was there. I was VERY pleased.
We ended with some stretching on a circle at the trot (of which he loves) and called it a day. I was amazed to see that I was in the saddle for an hour. What a good boy.
Tomorrow I have the privledge (ha ha) of meeting my fellow teammates at the local elementary school for the Mt. Si Relay at 5:50am. Ick. It should be fun, though. I’m being the carpool for legs 6-10. Oddly enough my biggest stress was getting the car vaccuumed out from all the stale goldfish crackers left behind by my kids. My leg is only 4.1 miles, and I’ve ran 5 miles twice this past week. I’m pretty sure I’ll at least be able to finish it.
Race report tomorrow!
Canter like you never had before… April 13, 2009
Posted by kimayars Uncategorized
Digg! this story.
, add a comment
I had my lesson with Cindy today. It was both liberating and exhausting. I had no idea Tigger and I could canter so much in a lesson. It was awesome, but boy am I sore! I can only imagine that Tigger is a bit sore too. He gets a massage on Friday, and he definitely deserves it! He was such a good boy.
We started with our new warm-up technique, which is walking with counter-flexed turns to help him get soft. Then we move into walk/trot transitions with counter-flexed turns thrown in when he inverts. Then we do a few canter transitions, and away we go.
What followed was an amazing amount of canter. Or at least, what I thought was amazing. If I had any anxiety about the canter, it’s gone now. It’s been cantered out of me…
We cantered counter-flexed, we played with shortening his canter, we worked on my position in the canter, we worked on trasitions out of the canter. Canter… Canter.. Canter…
Honstly, I loved the leson. I’ve never really been able to enjoy the canter, but after today I feel like it is yet another tool in my toolbox.
The bonus was Tigger was so willing. I love that horse.
I survived the warm-up! April 10, 2009
Posted by kimayars Uncategorized
Digg! this story.
, add a comment
A few weeks ago, I went to a Conrad Schumacher symposium and came away inspired, and acutely aware that my warm-ups on horseback were pathetic. Normally, I get on Tigger, I aimlessly wander about until I either receive instruction from my trainer, or realize that what I really want is a cup of coffee and I should probably at least trot before I get off.
The Monday after the symposium, I had a lesson with Cindy. She had been at an instructor’s clinic that weekend and, coincidentally enough, came back ready to “up the ante” on the non-warm-ups I’ve been doing. On that day, by the time the “warm-up” was finished, both Tigger and I were pooped.
So for the last few rides I’ve been trying to find a happy medium where I’m warming up but not shooting both our wads. Over time, the goals is to increase the expectations in the warm-up as our fitness increases.
Today, I had my lesson with Paige. This time I had a plan…
Tigger always starts off stiff, so the first goal is to get him supple. We started with 15m circles counter-flexed at the walk, changing directions frequently. When he was mostly soft and keeping contact, we did the same in trot. And finally, for the first time EVER, I asked for canter. And all of that happened in 10 minutes! I still had 35 minutes to actually work on stuff! Then I realized I was definitely going to get my ass served on a platter that day…
Paige was merciful and we focused on walk/trot transistions, keeping tempo consistent and Tigger on contact. The last little bit we worked on some walk/canter transitions with the same intentions.
I was really happy with the ride because I felt like I did a really smart warm-up which was actually good for Tigger. A lot of times I feel like he’s just barely hanging on after I’ve finally gotten him soft.
I’m hoping to squeeze a ride in this weekend. Hopefully I’ll have the same results.!
When it just doesn’t come together… February 25, 2009
Posted by kimayars Uncategorized
Digg! this story.
, add a comment
I had a lesson on Tigger Monday, and we both just weren’t feeling it. I was kind of sluggish and not in the mood. Tigger was sluggish and not in the mood either. Cindy (my instructor) did a great job of working us through the kinks. It just seemed harder today than normal. I finally came to this conclusion: We’ve graduated.
I told Cindy I felt like we had jumped from 1st grade to 5th grade.
It’s no longer about round circles and straight quarter-lines. We’re now working on where do you place the butt, the shoulders, the line of travel. What was once a linear process has now jumped into 3D. Ay yi yi…
Let’s hope my next ride comes together a bit more.
