When I lived in Atlanta I was a riding instructor with the Girl Scouts at a summer camp outside of the city. I had just got a job doing this up in Ohio but since I was moving I straight-away looked into "transfering" to a camp down south, and it worked out! I snuck in last minute. I missed the two week instructor training at a camp nearby, so I had to jump right in. Lesson Plan?!
It worked out really well. I did lots of things with my girls. I had told one of the girls that I was an artist and the next day she handed me this leather punched bracelet. She was 10 years old. How awesome is that? I wear it often.



Handing them their earned "Horsemanship" badges was so FUN! It is one of the greatest experiences of my life. MY kind of jobie job.

very closely resembling a horse blog now.

March 1, 2008

He looks so much better than he did the first week that I had him. His mane and tail are even nicer now and his neck filled out a little. He's grown some also. He's a happy healthy young Thoroughbred. He gets plenty of green lush grass. He doesn't dislike Dressage. I'm proud of myself for this. This is huge.


May 4, 2007

We are at the plateau. A nice head carriage, good rhythm and beginning roundness Dusty is ready for the next level of training. The level in which I achieve collection. He will feel like riding on clouds when he is collected. Riding a horse that is using his hind end for impulsion is well, a horse of a different color. It's the difference between riding a a donkey in a full lope with a wooden leg and attaching giant soft fluffy balloons to your feet and floating across the countryside. Collection is RIDING a horse.

I believe that it's the basis ultimate communication of trainer, equine. It's like when you meet somebody for the first time. You chit chat for a while then if you have made a connection with them you get more in depth. For example, Dusty probably KNOWS that I am always late for everything because of the way I ride, and as we go along he will know how I make decisions, how I trust, how I sometimes flake and how I LOVE. So yah, riding horses gets pretty deep.

Here's where we're at. In order to progress, I have to develop a deeper seat, I have to be able to ride so that I am supple with my aids to teach him more advanced movements. That means that I have to pretty much dislocate my hips from the rest of my body. This is my problem as a rider. And I know that its mainly on my right side(the computer tablet pen holding side).

I had a lesson tonight and I was doing exercises with no stirrups. While trotting lift both knees and then push them out. Then back, THEN down. Each side then both together. Posting no stirrups. When I put my legs back down into position it was like a world of difference. My feet seemed to be able to touch the ground. Dusty tripped and I never even lost my seat. This is the Yoga part of riding in a way.

And the really good news is that I'm now riding with TALL BOOTS! I found a pair of Ariat tall dress boots (almost) my size on ebay for hundred bucks! (Tall Ariat dress boots are like four hunny.) They're the nice quality ones, made in Italy with the cool Ariat heels, ridden in MAYBE twice (!).



The auction also came with a pair of black breeches, but jack (hahaaa but jack) Boot jack, boots pulls, and a black velvet helmet. YAH, that's what I'm sayin- for A HUNDRED DOLLARS! When they arrived I was a little afraid to even try them on because I thought the calf might be too small...but they fit perfectly! YAY. I am SO EXCITED about this. I have never ridden in tall boots before, some riders will only ride in tall boots- they say its a world of difference.
It is! I'm loving it! Its going to be hard to keep them nice and not wear them constantly around the barn...because take a look at the boots I'm wearing now.

Overheard at hmmm...

"What's the name of that beer?...that Irish beer, the traditional one... that they always drink?..."

"O'dools?"

Why even answer if you've (obviously) NEVER been in a bAr? (cracking up)

wants and needs

"Wants and needs. Wants AND needs. WANTS AND NEEDS." I can hear my parents, repeatedly, in my memory equally as much as "Did you vacuum the steps?" I guess it has always been my problem. Ever since I wanted to run after I learned how to crawl. I know that I need to be challenged as far as my personality. I'm just teetering on the reason why I feel so overwhelmed when I'm in that position.

see what happens?

I spend a lot of time in my car (as I have mentioned before) driving back and forth to work and the barn. I have great moments of creative writing ideas come to me while on my way back home after leaving the barn in the evenings. The things I think about writing fall in a wide range of topics from my personal feelings to why Britney keeps wearing those damn cowboy boots.

I have series of photos lined up for these dramatic posts then I sit down here and after doing some work end up swimming in myspace for a few hours. Yes, I said hours. See what happens? no posts on this blog since December. My creative genius ideas are forgotten. But thank god I know what my friend number 35 is doing RIGHT NOW.