Change - the only simple change is one you ride on a horse!

Was pondering the nature of change this morning and how you really need a motivator or driver to change.

For months I have been saying I will waste/spend less time on Saddle Up and do I no! Why not? Well because the cost of not changing isn't punitive enough or the benefit of changing isn't great enough.

Today I was riding and Clare asked me to collect the canter and lighten the right hand, I had to fess up I didn't want to, clearly Clare isn't going to make me' but I also reasoned that unless I can collect the canter and lighten the right hand then my goal of Elementary in June is a dead duck. So I rode it and did it and for why? Well because the benefit of changing was great enough.

Pretty much the same with a lot of changes I've made recently.

The above has given me insight into why I didn't make what appeared to be blindingly obvious necessary changes, there wasn't enough benefit to changing and the punitive cost of not changing wasn't high enough. Once one of those became true I made the change.

Isis Sunday 6th March 2011 P19

Woke up feeling yukky again, really didn't feel like bothering going but if I do want to ride Elementary come June I need to get my ass out to as many competitions as possible.

Tried some tea and toast to see if that helped, Tony wonders if I should see our GP but what can I tell him? I sometimes feel a bit nauseous in the morning and occasionally get an upset stomach. Entirely possible the feeling yukky was nerves who knows? Of course the other problem is on a non competition day I'd not eat until after I'd done the ponies but given how long the day will be I simply can't do that

Anyway went to yard as not leaving until late so can make go/no go decision later.

Come 10:00 was improving but also starting to suffer from can't be assed - itis all the prep for five minutes. As Tony said it will always be that way so either embrace it or don't compete.

Anyway decided to go and resisted adding gold sparkle to Chorrie's tail.

Arrived and managed to park next to someone I know from a horse forum so small world, not that I'm very chatty pre competing as Tony would say the only times I'm quiet are when I'm about to compete and when I'm asleep!

Got boy tacked up and tried to decide on white or navy gloves, really must get gloves that match my breeches and get a stock to match or embrace white and buy white breeches. How do some things from your early days stay with you so much? I get vaguely irritated if my stock/breeches/saddle cloth/gloves don't match and always wear a hair net but never notice what others are wearing and anyway as if it matters one jot!

So OK time to get a cream set together and a white set together there decision made!

So warmed up indoors and stuck to my plan so tick in the box, slightly wide eyed at people walking on the outer track but just avoided them as couldn't be assed to shout 'track please' as warm up quiet. Clearly they've not ridden over at Sue's where she screams at anyone not obeying basic rules.

Warmed up with Maggie B again never got time to chat as once she'd finished she was off to pick up second horse.

Warm up more structured and I stayed connected better so another tick.

So went into outdoors had to wait for a tractor pulling a low loader with a digger (?) on to go past and Debby Carpenter (List 6) rang the bell up centre line turn right 15m circle at R, change rein B -K and it just felt like no petrol in tank.

On plus side I stayed connected but the test was desperately lacking in forwards and 'zip'.

Cantered early right rein but stayed with it as too close to centre line to correct (see that's good that I can make that judgement call whilst riding a test)

Score was fair at 60.9% but I know we can do better and have done better.

So need to review with Clare and get some feedback on what to do differently next time out.

Also want to start working on having him off the leg and being connected as opposed to bunny in headlights.

Talking of bunnies baby bunny ran out in front of car and couldn't avoid him :-(

Alopecia

Took Millie to Oxford Cat Clinic for Amanda to do thyroid and hypercalcemia check up and look at her bald tummy.

One cross Millie Moo didn't mind tummy being looked at but got totally narked at being palpated. So she doesn't seem to have any pain anywhere but she could be concealing it from us, or is she narky because she hurts?

Doing a pain trial and have put her on on opiate pain killer to see if any difference and two days in no difference observed still as narky as ever.

Riding in the sunshine

This morning did not start well had to rush to the loo and not sure which end to point first :-( then had a bit of a miscommunication down the yard. I was trying to be supportive but failing to deliver that message :-(

By now the sun had come out and I'd removed the obligatory pony mud pack and dragged Chorrie blinking into the sun.

Got on and started warming up and Clare arrived, got chatting about last Sunday and this coming Sunday.

My goals for Sunday are to do my warm up plan, so need to be on board in time, and to ride with connection. The only opinion that matters on Sunday is Chorrie's.

Talked about not riding at marker but towards and past marker.

Worked on improving my seat in canter, Clare had a brief sit on and said he is getting lighter in the rein :-), to overcome the tendency I have to collect him. Experimented with what I needed to do to achieve working canter.

The current feel for me is to have the chest open and up and to feel slightly sat back and that improves the canter :-)

Excellent lesson and in the sunshine

Sports Injury Physio

So visited JoCl a sports injury specialist who I've not seen since 2007 for my carpal tunnel.

So basically I have in my right arm radial nerve issues, cervical spine stiffness on RHS, my right Sternoclavicular joint and my right Acromioclavicular are not happy bunnies. My shoulder girdle right is pulled forward, he was surprised I was still riding carrying these problems and told me I'd joined the mad club of women who continue to ride despite injury.

So he can fix me in he thinks 5 or 6 sessions provided I do the exercises religiously, he did say I should consider stopping riding but that he knew I wouldn't so he knew he was wasting his breath.

He did say if I continue riding the problems will recur and they'll get worse as I age. Once I'm 'sorted' I'll speak to him about maintenance treatments.

So what have I learnt if he fixes me like he did in 2007 then stick with him no matter what.

JaCa certainly helped the symptoms ease in Jan 2010 but the arm issue never fully resolved. I used JaCa because JoCl was fully booked but as much as I don't enjoy his treatment he is good at this type of issue if my experience in 2007 was anything to go by.

Interestingly he thinks the neurologist I saw was wrong about the issue being carpal tunnel referred up to the neck. I've always argued it is my neck that causes my carpal tunnel as my nerve conduction tests are good and haven't changed over a ten year period.

Didn't get treated today as the neural testing causes soreness so will see him next Thursday.

Fingers crossed he is right and as effective as he was in 2007 :-)