Fitness and Conditioning
- 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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Why Is The C- Word So Bad? Developing Confidence in the Canter.
When I was young the canter was my favorite gait while riding. Something about the rocking motion and the big stride gave me a sense of freedom. I still prefer a balanced canter above all gaits today. Yet, when I returned to riding as an adult, I was incredibly nervous to ride it. I know I’m not alone. I have watched my daughters grow up at the barn and gain in confidence and skill on their own time. A few years ago Zoe , my timid rider, accidentally cantered when Ferrous came into the trot poles too fast and cantered away, true to his Hunter training. She clung to his…
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Riding is the Best Exercise
Riding is my chosen form of exercise. I’m limited on time. You know the story: work and family and chores tend to always take precedence. It’s a common theme among equestrians. After all, our passion takes a little more time to accomplish then say, running to the gym for an hour. Oh no, we have to get to the barn, get the horse from the paddock, groom, tack, warm up, ride, cool down, untack, and put the horse back in the paddock. And, if you are like me, like to take your time enjoying every minute of it. I don’t want to feel rushed. While I have good intentions to…
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Pony Conditioning Week 3
With two weeks of reconditioning under our belts, I'm excited for the next few weeks. This week the veterinarian will return for the spring shots and we can discuss his progress. More, Ferrous has done well with the 15-20 minute workouts so I am going to push for 30 minutes now while varying the difficulty and the type of work to continue strengthening different muscle groups and tendons and ligaments.
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Pony Conditioning Week 2
I thought my pony was an easy keeper but it turns out when he isn't regularly exercised he is basically a jellyfish- nothing firm about him. Thank you for joining us on week two!
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Pony Conditioning- Week 1
7 weeks during pandemic lockdown and and my pony's top line just disappeared. This is week one of our rehabilitation diary.
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Equine Rehabilitation Diary: The Beginning
Pandemic forced my pony into vacation mode for almost two months. When I returned, his entire toppling disappeared. Now, we're building up from the bottom.