- Confessions of a Timid Rider, Equestrian Life, Fitness and Conditioning, Holistic Wellness, Horse Training
I Get My Saddle Evaluated Regularly So I Don’t Break My Horse
I’ve been a bodyworker with multiple certifications for many years. Trust me, I’ve seen a lot. The thing I hate the most, however, is working on a horse to have them feeling there best only to have them ridden in improperly fitted tack and undo all my efforts. The ill effects are instantaneous and significant, especially if you know where to look. That’s why I reached out to my friend, Sabine, a few years ago and asked about her husband’s certification program, SaddleFit4Life. After a lot of research I signed up for the course so that I could offer evaluations to my clients. More, I wanted to learn how to…
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I’m Full of $H&#, I Mean…Excuses
Confession: It’s Easy for Me to Rationalize the Things Holding Me Back. A few years ago I published a fun little book based on excuses equestrians. I had used many myself but it was fun to source them from others and have a little giggle. If I am being honest, and I always try to be honest, I make a lot of excuses to myself. I am slow as molasses when it comes to horse riding and stepping out of my comfort zone. So slow that even I get annoyed with myself. Case in point, I’ve been really wanting to get Delight off property and on the trails. I know…
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Is It the Fear of Falling or Something Else?
Recently I sent out a poll to my Timid Riders Community on Facebook asking them what they were most afraid of. As I do, I take from my own life for examples and listed a number of things that have given me fear or nerves over the years. For example, I listed: Jamie from Horses in the Morning made a really good point- all of these can be tied to the fear of falling off. I just never really focused down or saw that fall off could be the result of the other things like riding a new horse or jumping. Confession: I’m not really afraid of falling. Is that…
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The Power of Mindset in Riding
Confession: Two rides, two mindsets, two vastly different experiences. I rode two horses when I traveled last in Mongolia. The first experience was disappointing and the second was exhilarating. The difference wasn’t the horse, it was my mindset. Most people think that I am scared or unable to ride when that could not be farther from the case. I love horses and most often find my time with them incredibly relaxing. However, periodically I experience periods of anxiety or even panic attacks. In these moments I may turn the smallest and most innocuous things into a big deal. I can handle a horse in most situations, however, I prefer to…
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Safer on the Ground or In The Saddle? It Depends On The Horse Of Course
Obviously I identify as a timid rider. As such, I may have skill but I tend to over think things, expect the unexpected, and prefer a slow but steady approach to anything I do. The term I like to use is CAREFUL. Trail riding is my favorite pastime with horses. Of course, in my opinion it comes with the most risks of unanticipated consequences. Perhaps it’s ironic that a timid rider such as myself prefers such a risky past time. Psychologically I wonder if there are so many variables to consider that it overloads my brain and almost makes me more calm, because I realize I can’t control everything. There…
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Leveling Up the Equestrian Dream- Taking the Leap and Buying a Horse Property
Confession: my husband and I just bought a dream home in Vermont with 10 acres. You can bet I’m planning to bring my horses. Since I was a little girl I dreamed of waking up to my horses grazing outside my window, their nickers greeting me for the day. It’s always been that, a dream. I bought my first pony when I was 41. A little later in life but totally worth the wait. For years my husband has teased about one day perhaps having a little property in New Jersey. Somewhere close where we could have a few horses and the kid’s can stay in our school district. We’d…
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Equestrienne: Kathy Palm, PATH Intl.
Therapeutic riding takes a special place in my heart. My eldest daughter has Cerebral Palsy and has been riding in a PATH Intl. program since she was four years old. In addition to the physical and occupational therapy benefits, the level of confidence she has acquired is immeasurable. I’ve watched her struggle with being different, with normal teenage girl drama, and isolating herself when she feels sad. Horses and her therapeutic riding facility have always been the one constant she can rely on.
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You Won’t See Me Riding in Videos
Confession: I like to be behind the camera but that isn’t the reason you won’t see me riding. My blog and social media are from my point of view. There are snippets of how I view the world, myself, and my life with horses. I’ve received feedback from a select few that I hide behind the camera. The truth is, I’m doing the opposite of hiding. It’s easy to fake a smile or make it look like life is perfect. The reality is far messier. Social media is a fickle beast. Many people show their highs or a snippet of their lives of how they want things to be. The…
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Groundwork Basics For Creating Confidence in the Horse and the Rider
Confession: I had never done any type of lunging or ground work until I owned my own horse. In the English disciplines, ground work is relatively uncommon. Occasionally you may see someone lunging their horse for exercise, rehabilitation, or before getting on to ride. Once my lesson horse seemed quite spooky so my trainer lunged him before I got on. I received some tips on lunging and a lesson in the saddle, which I found very interesting. Still, I had no practical knowledge myself. When Ferrous became mine, I was excited to do ground work. I began watching YouTube videos and reading how-to books for tips and tricks. Looking back…
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Equestrienne: Jamilyn Anthony, Equiconnect
What is your experience with horses? I have loved horses all of my life. In my circles, we call it the sickness and horses are the only cure. I owned a horse as a teenager and paid for all expenses since my parents had no desire to fund this hobby. Then when I went to college, I lost tough of horses for many years. When my teenage daughter got a wild hair that she wanted to go hang out at the mall – I suggested perhaps she could do some volunteer work. She selected a nearby Therapeutic Riding Center. (no she doesn’t have the sickness). She loved working there and…
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Working with the Neurological Horse
Confession: My pony had EPM and now has been diagnosed with Chronic Lyme Disease. I knew that Ferrous had recovered from Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis or EPM before I bought him and there was the potential for flares since it never truly leaves the body. I always made allowances for that when he showed signs of stiffness or imbalance during exercise but never made any changes to his exercise program or supplements as a result. Then he began to show signs of prolonged neurological issues and he was diagnosed with Chronic Lyme disease and inflammatory issues associated with it. Suddenly our wellness and exercise game had to completely pivot. Neurological Disorders…
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Equestrienne: Christina Povolotsky
Christina is the founder of Fit Equine, a website dedicated to education for horse owners. Learn how a young woman in Southern California saw a need and is on a mission to help horse owners everywhere! What is your experience with horses? I was always a horse crazy kid. I read books about horses, watched every horse movie, and learned everything I could with the resources available. My parents weren’t into horses, but somehow, there was always something that kept pulling me towards the barn. When I was twelve years old, I was taking lessons and trail riding every now and then, but I really wanted to surround myself with…