Case of the Mondays
Productive weekends have not been my strong suit lately. For whatever reason, I’m overcome with the need to cocoon myself in my house and have lots of me time. Usually I need quiet/me time for a few days out of the month, but lately I can’t stop craving it. Not sure what’s up – maybe just the winter blues.
On Saturday I made it out to the barn to see Simon and have a make-up lesson from Monday. I rode Adora, the fancy warmblood again, although she didn’t feel 100%. She wasn’t lame or anything like that, just super heavy (although this is her biggest fault, so maybe I was just sucking as a rider that day) and she felt very out of shape/out of breath a lot. It was an unseasonably warm day with a high of 65, and she’s in a thick dark winter coat… so maybe that’s it.
We had a pretty easy lesson, and I was glad since I am still waiting to get my saddle back and don’t feel as secure in the school horse saddles. We worked on keeping a consistent pace when cantering a crossrail, then a pole to a small vertical and later a 2’6″ single vertical. Since Adora was so heavy, I had to really pick her up and collect her – so we ended up adding a 5 in the 4 for the pole to the vertical. Overall, the lesson was fine but my heart wasn’t in it and I wasn’t riding my best.
The good revelation is that even while riding this fancy mare with auto changes and a huge stride, I realized that I would rather be riding Simon. His stall rest is dragging on, but he seems in pretty good spirits. He’s been chewing on his stall toy, and has been behaving nicely enough that I can take him on hand grazing breaks when I’m out there. I also feel like the slight swelling in his hock is going down, but it’s hard to say. We are waiting until Feb 9th roundabout to jog him, so I won’t know much about how well he is healing/has healed until then.
On Sunday I was super lame, and stayed home all day alternating between needlepointing, watching Downton Abbey, and cleaning my house. Maybe it’s the lack of activities that has dulled my brain, but today I just don’t feel like doing anything and kind of want to crawl back in bed. Lesson tonight on who knows what horse, so maybe that’ll perk up my spirits some!
6 thoughts on “Case of the Mondays”
I had a very similar rut last year when my horse became lame, I didn’t want to go to the barn, didn’t much feel like lessoning on other horses and didn’t want to get out of bed most days. It was just a cloud hanging over my head, and then I realized that I should take the opportunity to learn as much as I can from any horse that I could, and ride every horse offered to me because they all have lessons to teach us if we open ourselves up to it. I will always love riding my horse best but I never turn down the opportunity to swing my leg over another.
I agree with L. Williams. It can be hard NOT riding your own horse, but do take advantage. I ONLY get to ride my two but would love to pop up on different horses. Sometimes they make you realize how great your own mount is. :0)
Thanks, you’re absolutely right! I’m hoping to get my saddle back tomorrow from the fitter who’s adjusting it and have several prospects of horses to flat at my farm… so that’s something to be grateful for!
Sorry you’re down. I understand though. I can easily be a mega homebody. I think that more often than not I have to really push myself to NOT be like that. Crossing fingers that Simon’s stall rest continues to go so smoothly.
Thanks! So far so good, only 2.5 months to go haha.
Sorry that you are bummed right now! I feel ya on the long rehab.. been there done that and it sucks!
Sending warm and happy thoughts your way!
Like L said, enjoy riding other horses and learning all you can while Simon is healing up 🙂 Then you will be an even better rider for him!