Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Harry Whitney last day

Today did not go so well. I thought it was going to be great because she seemed to have her attention on me right away and I got I got on quickly and she was doing great. We were walking forward and trotting. But then about 30 minutes in she began to look outside the pen and get jumpy and begin to look for 'excuses' to spook and started to become heavier and heavier. I was moving her around and I thought changing her thoughts but there were little spots I was missing. So another bird flew up and spooked her and off I came. I had long reins to keep her relaxed but I couldn't get them back. I almost got it back but I didn't and then hit the ground. I got her back and hopped back on or a few minutes but I felt the tension starting to build so I got off and went back to ground work. Harry came over and showed me what I was doing wrong which was not making her stay with me all the time. In my efforts to be more soft tr last few days I had stopped demanding her immediate attention. Harry worked with her and she was sticky even for him so it's not just that I'm not on time or soft. She is really sticky in her thoughts. He showed me how to demand her complete attention at all times. This will be a challenge. He also got on her for awhile and showed me the same things. She does not want to give up her thoughts. Them I got back on and rode her a bit more just to feel how she was post Harry.

Her attention is really hard to get. She needs 100% of all attention all the time. Even when I think I'm paying attention I find that she had snuck out on me to the happy grass filled place horses go to avoid humans. I see now how much she has been running me instead of actually being with me. Ironically Liberty is far more with me than she is. She's the first one to greet us but it's all on her terms not the terms I have set. It takes a lot of energy.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Harry Whitney Monday:playing outside

Since I want Fiera to be a trail horse it seemed that it would a good idea to go outdoors to work. Originally we thought we'd work in 3 groups of 3 and all go outside but several people surprised us by not wanting to go outside. So, Betsy, Mauri and I went out to the back field to work in the back field with jumps set up as obstacles to work around. Mauri is a barrel racer so worked on barrels slowly with relaxation. Betsy worked on getting April to be with her when she would rather go her own way. I worked not being terrified of riding in the open on a windy day with the other horses doing their own things. This will be hard to believe, but I was initially scored for not paying attention to my horse's wandering thoughts because I was talking (someone wanted to know where I got my tights). But I know Harry allow me to get in those pickles and scolds me to get my attention.

Mounted she did great. We walked in a few straight lines today. Then she got bored and I had trouble keeping her attention. Harry is having trouble convincing me to turn loose of the reins and let her move out on a loose rein. We notice she is chewing on the bit and I'm to interrupt that by scratching her withers, pulling her hair or something to make her stop. I'm to make her go somewhere with purpose. When I have ridden her out with other horses so far she has been very concerned about where the other horses are and what they are doing. It was great to work at our own thing and keep her attention. I also practiced my rein technique and it's getting better. We spent a lot of time practicing turns and keeping her thoughts with me.

When the ride was over, and a bit before we started, we had the 'afraidofthewoodsrodeo' and the trailer again. She came back to me much quicker than either of the last two days, but she is really worried by that spot on the property. Harry said it was no wonder...there are no horses over there. Any that went must have gotten eaten since there aren't any there. After my lesson she really had a meltdown though. She started snorting and carrying on in a big, dramatic way. I put onto practice all the things Harry had told me and was able to send her into the scary spots without driving her but I never really got her calm. She would go in and then trot out. The big thing we accomplished here was that she is no longer running over me when she's scared. To or row, if it's. It raining, we are going to start over there. Then I will work on turning her loose and letting her trot some so that I know we can stop without me clutching her or pulling on her.

I'm finding it interesting that she shies at things behind her just like her mom, and she goes to bucking just like her sisters. I'm a little worried that she is not going to be a good trail horse. I worry that she has unmanageable fears I won't be able to fix. I know I can keep doing the things I'm doing but I may be ready for a professional.

I figured out over the last couple days why Liberty hates the bit. I have always kept contact. In the beginning I let him go on and only used his reins of necessary. Then over time I got more and more contact but he was unhappy so I switched to the s hack. Now I'm going to go back to a snaffle and start over with many of these exercises and see if I can get the tension out. I will compete in my hack for the foreseeable future but I think that I can help his wither soreness and some of the stuff the chiro works on with more relaxation through the top line.

I'm loving the photos of me on her. I don't feel like I look too large on her and I often feel too big on Liberty.

More later. Tomorrow is the last day. I'm sad to see it end, but ready for the real world.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Harry Whitney clinic

Today is the second day of the Harry Whitney clinic I'm attending in East Texas. Yesterday we got Fiera started properly under saddle. I have ridden her over the last year and a half. Not a lot, not regularly but some. She does ok at home but out in nature she is afraid of a lot of stuff. As usual, she was good in the arena. Harry needed to fix me on some things but Fiera was good. She has bonded to the horse next to her and that horse's owner took her horse for a walk and I thought it was going to be bad. But Harry called it an opportunity and he was right. We worked through her concern. I also worked on her tendency (which i taught) to turn into me when i halt her on a circle. Eventually i mounted up and rode. Harry told me just to let her go with very little direction. I'm supposed to only pick up a rein and turn her if she is not with me and thinking the same thoughts that I am thinking. I am also supposed to ride with a very loose rein. I told Harry that all my bad wrecks have occurred with loose reins so I'm going to need a lot of reminding. I know that part of the tight rein business is because of my early dressage lessons. What they mean by contact is different than the way I need to ride now. We worked to get her to come to me quietly at the mounting block as well as teaching me to ask for her thoughts more softly. I practiced not driving her where I want to get her to go but to bring her to making a choice. It was really hard to not pick up my extra hand to push her instead of leading her to make the right decision. I had to practice not mixing up my cues to pull her instead of getting her thought to move away.

Ironically I was starting to discover riding this way a bit with Liberty in the beginning, on,unto have some older NATRC rider/judges tell me I was doing it wrong. Evidently, I was doing it right and now I have to go back redo some things with him. I also plan to reintroduce a snaffle to him. But, I digress.

Today was a big day for us. Yesterday we had a lot of trouble betting ready for the day something really spooked her in the woods and she was bucking and hopping back and forth. One of the other people for the clinics was worried and he came to help. She wasn't happy but I wasn't worried. She wasn't pulling back and I could not get into help her with her being so excited. At the trailer today, tacking up, she was agitated again, thinking the woods were going to get her and not let her go. But today I saw it coming and untied her and starting doing the ground work we did yesterday and she settled quickly. She continued to look for things at which to spook but I kept doing yesterday's exercises and she settled. We had about 15 minutes before my lesson so I decided to play with the mounting block. I quickly discovered that while she would line up to the mounting block on the near side but not the off side. So I did all the exercises from the day before so I could practice getting on and off the offside. Only I could never get her quite lined up. We got close and then it was time for my lesson so I let it go. I realized that it was related to the inability to stop straight on the circle and best left for another day.

We started in hand again but quickly progressed to being able to mount. I told Harry what I had been doing outside And asked if we could work on that a bit. So, I brought her to the block and she lined up and I mounted on the offside. Evidently whatever we had done outside had stuck and she figured it out. She sat with me and was still and I petted her. then we started walking around the arena. Harry showed me a completely different way to handle my reins. I'm
Not even sure I can describe it here so that it makes sense. I have always used what I thought was a leading rein with Fiera. What I discovered was that I was actually pulling back. So now, instead of sliding a Hand toward the nose on the side I want to turn I actually make that hand loose and pull the rein through with the opposite hand. I just could not figure it out. Harry had to go hand over hand with me to get it. This will take some getting used to. When it goes well, the turn is so soft. When it goes wrong, I do it the way I always did and pull back and then Harry scolds me. Bad habits die hard. As yesterday I was to let her move off without restriction but began to have more of a plan. So, I figure out where I want to go and head that way, but if her thoughts strayed, we addressed those thoughts and then went back to the plan. We trotted a bit, but I discovered I could not steer in the new way I was shown some went back to the walk. when she went fast a few times I pick up the rein and turned her in a circle to stop.

Things were going great and I thought about asking for a trot but hadn't done it yet. All of a sudden she spooked and then went to bucking. Harry is so calm, bend her, bend her...everyone is saying bend her. I'm up there thinking well, duh, bend her, but which way. I did get her bent. She turned and sighed and quit bucking. Harry told me that I was really goosing her after she pushed me forward. Again I'm thinking, duh, yeah, I was off balance. Two awesome things happened though. I didn't fall off and neither of us held a grudge. I have now ridden through my horse bucking. I have always fallen off before. And I know that she will quick bucking before I fall off. This is a great relief after Tonka Jane.

The rest of the lesson was spent with me practicing how to turn her properly and monitor her attention. Tomorrow I think we are taking to the outdoors where she is afraid.










Tuesday, October 23, 2012

It's still dark outside and I am sick

I'm calling uncle on my day before it begins. I have coughed all night and don't need to spew cough germs all over the kids...besides, I can't sing anyway since I have no voice...from coughing. So, I'm staying home.  I'm going to color and watch TV and then see my after school kids.  As bad as I feel today, I guess I didn't feel all that bad last week. 

I should know better than to camp on weekends when I'm already sick. I can't believe how many sick people were at the ride this past weekend. Probably because we were all at the last ride and caught all the same germs. Probably because we are crazy to finish out this ride season so intently.  I appreciate all my family, friends and clients who have put up with the frequent schedule changes recently. I'm looking forward to next year, competing just a little, in a relaxed fashion and possibly at a slower pace (cp vs. open still not decided)  I'm looking forward to camping in a leisurely fashion without an agenda.  It has been fun to do all these rides. I admire the people who make ride after ride, year after year. I clearly am not tough enough to do it and work full time.  And ride open.  So for the next couple years, I'm going to scale back to a more modest goal of just having fun again. This year of NATRC has begun to feel like work.

Maggie has made all the rides this year and I have missed one. I'm going to buy myself a jacket this year and embroider 93% on it since that's the percentage of rides attended if you miss one.  I never would have thought she could actually manage to attend all the rides, so I didn't think it was a big deal to miss one. Now I'm really wishing I had gone to LCB with her in March...at the time, though, it was very important to spend time with Peter. I made the right choice. I just wish I would have the jacket as well.  Too bad there isn't grace given for one ride missed...

This past weekend's ride was fun. I have released myself from worrying about the national championship.  I made extraordinary efforts to get a first or second out of state and it didn't happen.  I have had great rides that weren't judged as great and terrible rides where I placed well. I have finally gotten it into my head that I don't control my placing other than turning in the best performance that I can. In this very subjective sport, I may never have the perfection that others do, at  least not consistently it appears.   And even when I see myself and Liberty as being stellar, the judges often don't see that same sparkle. I have NO CONTROL over this. So, I have either had to leave the frustration of placing badly when we do well behind, or i have to quit.  I don't want to quit. 

I think that Liberty is tired too.  His heart rate was low as always, but his respirations were a little high this weekend.  I don't think he was breathing hard or seemed stressed, but he did sniff the air a lot which, while it didn't cost me any points, left me terrified that it would.  Dixie's P&R's were actually better than Liberty's this time.  We were on time or early all weekend, until the very end of sunday when we got stuck in the middle of novice/cp at an obstacle and had 20 minutes of wait time.  Since the pace was fast and everyone else was on minimum it put us in much later than everyone else, though still inside the window without using our wait time.  We cantered a lot a and it was fun not having to worry about the footing or slipping. About the time we still had 7 miles of pasture loops and novice had 3 miles, Maggie said that CP was calling her name.  I told her I didn't think it would actually be easier and that we'd be tired of all the walking very, very soon. I'm not sure Liberty can go back to CP and the slower pace...but I think that Oly and Dixie could walk most of it and we could be laid back next year if that's what we choose to do.

I'm not sure we'll do so many rides next year that it will matter. Right now I'm planning on Christmas ride, Tarrant Ranch and Arkansas in the spring. I will also do the Versatility challenge, but will do that on Liberty after I have given him a rest. Of course, there is a good chance that I will start riding him again after that.  I don't think we'll make Indian Territory next year since I have a school district job, but since it's a holiday weekend we "can" go.  I can't even think about next fall. I need to take Fiera to TTC next year too, so my priorities   may be shifted.  So many ponies, so little time to ride.

I have been thinking about about finding Olympus a new "bluebonnet approved" home. He really deserves to be someone's number one pony. He has so much to offer.  I have mentioned it to several people and of course, no one needs/wants a horse. He'd be free. The person just needs to be bluebonnet approved.  Or, I would sell Fiera and keep Olympus. I really would like to have one less horse...

Maggie thinks that she will join the rodeo team after all. When Last Chance is over, we will move Dixie to Azle and she will get started. I have mixed feelings about her doing it as it will take a lot of Sunday afternoons, but the positive part is that she will be with other people who share her interests.  And if she can have a scholarship for every year that she does it. She is talking about returning to science etc. and going to community college starting next year, but hasn't completely made up her mind yet.  HS has been kind of boring for her.  But, if she gets into a team, she may change her mind. I don't honestly care which she does as long as she's successful and happy and I think that's next to impossible not to fulfill. 

So, when I started writing this it was still dark outside at 7:15, even though I had been up an hour. I don't know why I didn't go back to bed when I realized I wasn't going to school? Probably because i was coughing and draining and realized i was done sleeping, even though I didn't want to be.

I'm going to take a shower and then go to the couch and color and watch some TV today. At least I can get something useful done.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Contemplating the future

I'm recording this with Dragon dictation. Any typos are thefault of
the program, not mine. I will attempt to proofread for terrible errors
before sending. Sometimes errors are humorous, so please laugh and
understand why they happen.

It may seem a bit premature to think about next ride here when it's
still the end of this right here. However, I find myself driving
around doing just that. Liberty has worked very hard this year . He is
run in open almost every ride since March. He is performing better
for me and he has ever performed before. I hate to think about needing
to give him a break, but I also want to think about him being around
for many years to come. I also have been thinking about how I had more
fun riding when I have no goal. After liberty got his second place,
and then his first place, mygoal became getting a national
championship. Now I have two rides left and I have not achieve this
goal. In some ways that makes you hear a disappointment, when I should
be feeling the success. I want to return to the positive emotions IL
early in the season, when Maggie and I rode together for the sheer
love for writing. Not when I was picky because I have a goal .

So, next year I'm going to cut back on the number of Maitrott right
but I do. I'm going to try Olympus back out so that he has a shot at
working in NATRC.

I am still hoping for the Miracle that will get me a first or second
place in Oklahoma. I'm not trying to be negative at all. I am merely
trying to refocused what is truly important to me. I hated how I felt
at Robbers route, when I thought liberty and I had done so well only
to find out that our scores were low and we have not placed well. Each
ride my horse gives me, and I enjoy him. I want to continue to focus
on that being what's most important!

To avoid that feeling of acute disappointment again in Oklahoma, I'm
going to leave as soon as I check out. It's a laundromat back home and
I have to return Linda to her family. I also have to take Maggie to
Isel. And I have to take the horses home. I do not want to get home in
the night again. It made for a very long week. That way, if by some
miracle to get first or second, someone can text or call me and I can
be happy. But if I don't get the first or second which is most likely,
I haven't sat around waiting for it only to have my dashed.

Will I make it through an entire season of riding Alie? I don't have a
clue. But I'm going to try. He isn't good at obstacles,and he is fussy
about his head. However he deserves a shot just like any other horse
and my pasture.


Sent from my iPhone

Friday, October 12, 2012

Friday Weigh in

So I did my weigh in today and I was 219.4, up from 216 last week. In trying to find a redeeming quality in my pounds, I looked at my body fat, which has decreased by .5% since the last time I measured it, and my muscle mass which has increased by 2 pounds or .1% (depending on how you figure it, fitbit wants it in pounds and MFP I just do the percentage on the scale) I did think about what someone said about it sneaking up on me b/c of bad habits and I honestly don't think that's it. I do think that it could be that I"m just eating out way too much and since I'm sensitive to sodium it's made me retain extra water. I feel puffy, but my 216 clothes are still fitting great. So, more water (that seemed to help when I was eating out a lot) and get to the grocery store to buy more food...we've been kind of "out" for awhile. The way my body goes, I may be back down to 216 on Monday, but I'd like to be lower than that.  I also wonder if my body just gets "worked up" and hangs on to the fat when I'm not eating enough.  Last weekend was pretty dramatic exercise, but not a lot of calorie intake. I have been coming home from rides lighter than when I left, but I know I didn't drink enough water last weekend because I was in such a hurry on the trail and didn't want to stop to use the bathroom. And it was cool, so I wasn't as thirsty.
Onward and Upward I guess...no other choice.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Thinking about robbers route

As I stopped in traffic, I thought I would write a quick blog using
Dragon dictation. Please pardon any errors that you find in this blog.
Sometimes there are many and they are very amusing.

In fact, I just looked down at my phone, what stopped at a stoplight.
I noticed that it had written an expletive or I have not said one.
Good thing I check.

I have been contemplating liberty's for metabolic results from the
weekend. I have been trying to figure out why we placed so badly, when
we normally should have done very well. Metabolically are usually his
best thing. The only thing I can come up with, is that the colder
weather cause him not to drink is well and possibly to be more tense.
I am still confused to how we lost nine point on metabolic Scaletta. I
totally get the one point for manners when he wouldn't let that just
checking metabolic, but 9.5 metabolic is extreme for my horse. His
PNR's were outstanding exclamation he had a 92, nine and three, a 10
and four, and I think the last and what it's folding four. He cantered
a lot, and trotted mostly. I just don't understand how we had such
poor scores under metabolic.


Sent from my iPhone

Monday, October 8, 2012

The Rest of Robber's Route

I had a post I wrote up via email on Friday night when I got to camp, but it disappeared somewhere into never never land.

We took Linda with us this past weekend and had a great time.  She and Rascal had a great time together and she's easy to travel with...and she makes Maggie happy.

Sunday went well for us too. We had a fun ride.  It's a shame that we didn't place well when it was all over. It was so hard to feel like we were doing great and then place last in horsemanship and next to last in horse. It's OK, it's over, but I am going to have to stop 'hoping' to get my first or second in horse for the national championship.  It's so heartbreaking to have that as a goal and not succeed, especially when it's not really something I have control over. I can't control if I win or lose, I can only control how I feel about the good times we're having.  The results are out of my control.

So, we have two more rides this year and I want to go have fun with my awesome horse.  Next year, I do not want to go so often. I'm so tired! It's been hard work going so often.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Saturday ride

I may get to town later to actually send this though as late as it is
its highly doubtful.

Today was ok. Liberty was awesome and almost completed soe really
tricky obstacles. One has us turn on the fore to straddle a log and
then side pass the log to the end and then complete a turn on the
haunch to come off the log. The turn on the fore was great as was the
side pass but he didn't quite do a turn on the haunch. We had a
dismount onto a rock and then remount, both on the offside ninety was
great but I underestimated the slope of the hill so I almost made a
really bad mount. I also slid off the rock instead of landing squarely
on it so not sure what that will cost me. The last obstacle had us
backing our horses between two logs in hand and then laterally side
passing over the second log. Liberty did a decent job but not perfect
I'm sure. The judges were also seen in another spot but we aren't sure
what they were looking for.

Liberty is doing well. Two p&r's were 9 and 2 and one was 12 and 2. We
had a problem being too slow and had to really rush in. Liberty was up
for the challenge and moved well. Fortunately we had some wait time
and that saved us from being late thank goodness. I would lose all
chance of my out of state first or second if I were late. We missed a
turn at one point and went up Big John's the wrong way and had to come
back down. That was frustrating.

It's been so cold today. I am happy it's not 94 but so wish I had
comfy trailer to sleep. I need a Lakota, which is a bumper pull lq.
This is one reason I'm working so hard to pay things off. I need a
comfy 'house'.

Alice Yovich MA, MT-BC, LMT

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Post Ride Update

I'm so tired I can't hardly even think.  The ride is over and I think it went well.  In spite of spending all summer marking and remarking trails, we had last minute issues with our maps (Annette lost not one but two computers last week and along with it pretty maps). Some cows ate some of our ribbons and mother nature knocked down a few trees. I think there will always be a share of natural disaster (for lack of a better phrase) on those trails.  Hopefully when we do it next year (and there will be a next year) we can spend all year keep up with it so we will be even more on top of it than this year. I have already started thinking about judges...

Monday, September 17, 2012

Weekly update

This blog is being recorded with Dragon dictation please excuse any
typos. After being diligent about my steps and exercise for many
weeks, this week I have been terrible! Well rather that is last week.
I am determined that this week will be good again. I started today
meaning to exercise, and like so many other days recently got bogged
down with pre ride planning. So even though I was dressed in my
workout clothes, the workout never happened. Today when I went to
feed, instead of sitting and playing on my phone or just sitting on
the water trough level are filled up, I walked around the field for 28
minutes. It's not a huge improvement, but it's better than no work out
at all. It is my plan to go home after my last massage and do a 20
minute H IIT workout. Or, I might do a Schayleen extreme burn circuit.
Most likely, it will be the Hiit . I do know that I can't allow the
ride planning to keep me from my exercise and eating well. If nothing
else, I need to start turning in 10,000 steps a day like I was for all
of July and August. I experience excitement when we could go Monday
when I weighed in at 2:16 .8. However today I weighed 220. Most
likely, some of that weight is waterweight. I also have not been
drinking like I did in July and August. Whatever the case it has to
stop now!


Sent from my iPhone

Thursday, September 13, 2012

A brief catchup

I'm recording this new Dragon dictation so I apologize in advance for
any mistakesthat are made . In fact, I may find that this is a
fruitless endeavor. As I have al ready found one
mistake. It said littermate instead of that are made.

Mostly, I just wanted to make a catch-up post. I went to the benefit
ride with Maggie last weekend, and we had a nice time. Well, that's
not entirely true. Dixie became overheated, an almost didn't finish.
Dixy also tripped and fell throwing Maggie really far away from her.
It was amazing to me that no one was hurt or human . I had the most
brilliant ride on liberty but I have ever had. Only that but judge
didn't think so. He said that liberty was sore in his Withers and was
grade one lame at one of the on the trail checkpoints. I could not
have been more happy with my horse. He was amazing!

One week from today, I won't be at trace trails preparing for my ride.
I'm nervous at this moment, but I know that everything will come
together. I have room for more entries, and I hope that people will
enter soon!

In the meantime, I have started working as a music therapist Indique
Southlake Carroll school district. It is a new and exciting challenge
for me, as I have not gotten to do much work in the public schools in
the past. I love my coworker Melynda Williams, and I hope that we can
work well together. She has already given me so many great ideas to
get me started! I am lucky to be able to still see most of my other
clients. It is my plan to work my tail off for the next year, so that
we can finally get all of our bills paid off! Dave Ramsey would be
proud of my gazelle intensity.


Sent from my iPhone

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

First of the school year jitters

I am working on my schedule for the new school year and I find that I am not happy with the way it is turning out. I have taken on some extra hours which are necessary financially, but are wearing on me emotionally.  Maggie is going to live with her dad and go to school in Azle. Since she won't be home at night, there is no reason for me not to work every evening seeing kids. This means that i will have some free time during the day, but will be gone from home every night until 9 or later Monday through Thursday. I'm going to have some free days, but since one of my running around friends went back to work, I have no one to spend those days with. I'm used to having my days free to be with Maggie, but she won't be here.  I like to be home alone and i haven't had any time alone lately, so I think it will be ok for a few weeks...but taking care of four horses alone will be no fun, riding four horses alone, will be no fun.  My fall just seems kind of dark and sad to me right now. It will be hard to sleep enough getting home late, going to bed late and then Peter getting up early.  It will be hard to eat right since I will have to eat dinner on the fly or it will be cold food or leftovers. It will be difficult to resist the pull of fast food, especially on Wednesdays which is my really long day.  I know that I am able to be strong and continue working on my goals. I just also know that I really enjoyed my summer schedule and will miss being home at night. Not only will I miss Maggie, I will miss spending time with Peter as well. ti's going to be a lonely existence. 

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Another weight loss post

This is not the first and will not be the last time I will whine about this topic.

I am not losing weight. I now own a fit bit, so I'm able to accurately track and challenge myself to move more every day (a fit bit is a high tech pedometer which helps measure intensity of work out, steps take, etc. It's a wonderful tool and only about $100 at Amazon.com) I have figured my calories based on activity level using a BMR calculator. After listening to the podcasts at fat 2 fit radio and how they say weight watchers and so many other weight loss plans don't give you enough calories, I have been basing my daily calories off of my BMR. This means I should never eat less than 1830 calories per day since that's the number of calories it takes for someone with my build to live if I were being tube fed, in a coma.  I have checked other calorie calculators and this is the response I always get. If I exercise, I'm to increase the number of calories so that my body doesn't feel like it's starving. All the dieting I have done through the years has damaged my metabolism.  I have read other research on the subject and believe this is the true, healthy way to diet.  To lose weight reasonably, you alter the calories it would take to maintain your body at the new, desirable weight and that's only about 300 calories per day different. 

I also know that when I eat 1800-2000 calories per day of good, healthy food, I'm not hungry. I don't get that starving feeling a person gets when they eat badly and have too much sugar.  I have been choosing better food, though the last couple days I have cut myself some slack and eaten some things I like, but don't eat often anymore. With maggie becoming a vegetarian, we're eating less meat and more veggies at home as well.

So, why this rant? 10 days ago I weighed in at 222.8.. Woohoo I thought, I'm finally going down...then this week I weighed in at 225 and this was with good nutrition, proper exercise and lots and lots of steps taken.  My calorie deficit has been 500 or more each day. My fitness pal keeps saying "if every day were like today you'd weight 214, or 207, or 200, or whatever" in 5 weeks. But it's not happening. I drink tons of water...over 100 oz per day (can you imagine how much time I spend in the bathroom?) I'm fitter than I have ever been. I can go through long work outs and stay strong. It's awesome! But I am still obese.  I have talked to the doctor and he says that my thyroid is in order (not sure if there are other hormones I should be looking at) I think that perhaps I need to find someplace that does actual basal metabolic testing because I don't know how I can be eating right, exercising and still gaining. If it truly is a calories in, calories out game, then why is my pounds not going down?

Anyway, I know that the only answer is to keep plugging away and that eventually my body should relent and give up the weight. But it's so frustrating that 5 years ago I lost 18 pounds in 2 months without trying or exercising (of course, it came back the same way) I would give anything to be hyperthyroid for awhile and speed along my metabolism. 

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Eating veggies

Maggie has given up meat.  This change in lifestyle will be interesting to watch as she moves in with her dad, who is a serious carnivore. She says she'll still eat fish and seafood, so that is good and so far she's not too worried about whether or not her soup has a chicken brother or a veggie broth. I keep hoping she'll give it up, but I'm supporting her in the mean time. She's going to a sleep over and I bought her veggie dogs and garden burgers in case they are grilling.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

This week at Trace Trails

I arrived at Trace on Thursday about 9:30 and was on trail by 10:30. I rode the red trail with Liberty and my dog Frankie. We went slow, pulled old, faded ribbons that had turned white, and put up new red ribbons and freshened paint. I have a couple places close to camp to improve a little, but overall, I was pleased with the work we got done.

What was most amazing about my ride was how amazing Liberty was.  He was perfect! He just did everything I asked him to do. He opened gates, he hung ribbon, he never spooked. He cantered, he trotted. I had the best time. It reminded me when I was younger, with Rebel and how I would take Jasper and Lacie and just ride for hours all alone. I had forgotten how nice it was. I also thought how cool it would be if Liberty would do all the things he did for me at a ride, with judges watching. Of course, my nerves screw us up. It was fun though, because Annette had me do stuff and she watched me, which was kind of like having a judge watch me.  I'm concerned about Liberty because he is thin this summer. He always gets a little thin, but this year it's worse than usual.  I have been adding oil to his strategy healthy edge and I have added ultium to his diet, but not only is he looking thin, he's being picky about his food. He's not wanting to eat the higher calorie food.  I need to give him a break and not ride him so much, but Fiera is just not ready to trust on trail. On one hand, riding her will help her be more trustworthy, but I can't get a lot done if she's making me nervous...so I have a bit of a dilemma. I have a friend who wants to ride Oly so Liberty will just have to keep working...at least when I'm camping, i can give him more feed.

Anyway, Friday, Annette, Dana and I rode and adjusted blue. We found a pond we didn't know about before and that was welcome, but the trail was out in the open a lot and it was dry.  We were hoping to ride each of the trails and get a map to overlay, but I think that will have to happen next weekend.

Saturday morning we did half of pink before I had to call it a day and go home. Annette and other lady named Debbie finished marking pink again. So next week, we'll try to ride the trail and make maps. I'm getting a battery booster for my phone so I can use my iphone since I don't have that awesome garmin GPS I need/want ($35 for the booster, $179 for the GPS, easy choice)

I was happy to come home and hang out with Peter. Maggie came home from camp and we went out to dinner to the sushi/hibachi buffet Peter discovered.  Then I have had a nice, quiet day at home, surfing facebook...I feel like i have been busy, but I haven't really. I made breakfast...I'm getting ready to cook dinner.  It's been a good Sunday. And it might rain.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Ho Hum

Today has been a hard day, and I couldn't even tell you why.  I got up and went to work like any other day, but my mood has been poor all day. I went for a walk with the dogs. I ate a healthy breakfast. I saw my groups just like usual. I saw a couple of extra people because one client was on vacation. It might have been because I have a client who hits and pinches and he was in full form today.  I had such a hard time redirecting him. His mother says he gets cranky in the summer because there isn't enough to do. Today I had to set limits on his behavior. During his massage we watched a movie on my ipad, till he couldn't stop tapping and hitting the iPad and I had to turn it off (I set a limit and he crossed the line) So, then he was mad at me for taking away the movie, but it was the right choice. HE wasn't resting or relaxing and it was a distraction, so it had to go. We listened to relaxing music instead, which was pretty boring for him, I guess. Then we did Music Therapy and I couldn't play my guitar because each time I would start to play a song he would get up to push buttons on the a/c or try to stick his finger in the light socket. If I stopped him from doing that, then he tried to get out the door. If he wasn't trying to do one of those two things then he was opening and closing another door directly into the path of the ceiling fan. And each time it crashed he laughed. 

So when I left his house, I was not in a great mood. Then I left his house, I had a call from my last client who said they couldn't be home by 3, our appointment time, but could I come at 3:30 instead...I couldn't. Then she said "well, maybe I can make it home by 3, but I won't know till 2:45 so I'll call you...so I ran some errands, got grain for the horse, fed and waited for her to call. They weren't going to make it by 3:00, so I was done. 

Tonight I was to have left for Trace Trails to be there bright and early and ride at the crack of dawn. But my partners in crime can't make it till tomorrow, and the idea of camping all alone in 100 degree heat was unappealing, so I, instead, got everything ready to go and decided to stay home tonight. I will get up at 5am and leave. I warned Peter that I am in a bad mood. He is being kind and letting me just sort of chill out.

My week started wrong.  Maggie is at camp and I miss her. She had a friend with her, but her friend's mom picked her friend up from camp after the first day. I have found this turn of events unsettling.  The camp called me at 10:15pm telling me that her mom had come to get her. They didn't know her mom, only me, so they were making sure it was really her mom and to ask me why they would come get her when camp had only just started. I know the reasons given for why her friend went home, but I still feel unsettled.  I'm upset because her friend was given a scholarship to attend camp and leaving early means the gift was wasted and unappreciated.  I'm trying very hard not to be harsh, but I'm pretty upset that her friend's mom didn't talk to me before going to get her from camp. I think it's natural to feel nervous about your child going away the first time. (the first time I sent Maggie to camp, I went along and camped nearby and it was a good way to do that whole camp thing...of course, Maggie didn't need me one bit) It's a great camp and Maggie had a blast there last year. This was her friend's first opportunity to attend camp.  Camp is supposed to be a time for kids to be away from mom's and dad's. we're not supposed to talk to them for a week. If they need us, they will call us or the camp will find a way to reach us.  It's a time for kids to take care of themselves, rely on their peers for help and learn about themselves.   I have made an effort to apologize to the mom and grandma and make amends for my harsh attitude regarding her abrupt departure, but my apologies have been met with silence so far.  I would like for Maggie and her friend to continue being friends. I guess I wanted them to acknowledge that they had abused the gift and take responsibility for the actions that led them to pick up the child from camp 1 day in...but I also realize this is not going to happen.  I'm trying to be nice because I don't want to sever ties or make it hard for Maggie to be friends. I would like to think this can be smoothed over and we can move forward.  I don't want her friend to be concerned with any of this. I adore her and want everything to go well for her.  I'm just sorry she got caught in the middle of the situation. 

Monday, June 25, 2012

Fiera grows up

I had my first extended ride on Fiera last week and she gets mixed reviews. She is a lot more jumpy than I expected her to be on trail. So much work needs to be done before she is trust worthy. Right now everything is scaring her including assorted wild life like hogs and deer. She has a large, surprise spook which is unsettling. When desensitizing her to stimuli she is very easy so I was surprised to see this level of reaction. I have been given a few suggestions which I will try. I'm going to give her this week off to to think on it, I believe. I'm back at trace working on trails Wednesday night but I think I will just take Dixie and Liberty this time and leave her home alone. Barbie is bringing Oly back Friday. I will start putting him back in the riding rotation. I have missed him. I would still like to sell Fiera. I have had in nibbles. She is started now. Someone should buy her.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Random tidbits

I had good news from the podiatrist today. I didn't need injections. Instead I got slip in orthotics and I'm having custom ones made in July. My foot is tons better. I also got a new night splint because the other one broke. Peter and I have been watching a you tube show called The Guild. Each season s about 1:30 minutes and each separate episode only 5-6 minutes each. It's fun. Peter took me out for sushi buffet. I ate way too much. I'm still stuffed. Peter took some photos of this cool od timey gas station in Turkey, Tx in April. He sent the prints to the owner as a gift and They in turn asked what he would sell the photos for and Peter gave them a number. Today he got the photos back in the mail saying he could use them however he liked but they would not buy them. He did not ask them to buy them, on,y giving a number after they asked. I think he's going to resend them emphasizing they were a gift. It was weird.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Indian territory

>
> The first of the two rides that we did was Indian territory. It is a
> rather rocky ride, in Oklahoma, near Tulsa . I love this ride! I have
> won in novice with all three of my CTR horses. I had no real hopes of
> winning with Liberty, but I figured it was worth a try.
>
> Peter had been asked to be a judge's secretary. He was the secretary
> for that judge, Pat Reiger. This was a job he had not yet done, but I
> thought he would probably enjoy it. I believe that he did have a good
> time.
>
> Dr. Pat is an obstacle judge. He does very little to check
> metabolically or soundness but sets up many elaborate obstacles. His
> most popular obstacle is to set up sticks one logs in varying sizes
> shapes in widths for the horses to walk or trot over. He takes points
> for each log the horses touch. Peter said that one horse hit five logs
> seven times. My horse only had two hits which equaled one point off. I
> don't recall any of the other obstacles being particularly
> complicated, but I do know that I lost my ride on a mount. Liberty
> walked off two steps from his mouth, which cost me two points. So we
> went for potential first or second place, to fourth-place.
>
> I ran the trail barefoot behind on Saturday, and I noted that liberty
> seemed a little more tender footed than usual. So Sunday I booted all
> four feet. The back boots stayed on for about 4 miles. The front
> stayed on all day, With the exception of the plain easy boot that I
> used on Sunday and came off in the mud.
>
> The big, important thing about Indian territory, is that it's just a
> lot of fun. We get there on Thursday, we watch a movie. On Friday we
> ride, on Saturday we ride, I'm Sunday we ride,… And then we go to
> dinner. Answer is a fair amount of drinking. It's just a great big
> memorial day party. I love this ride. I love it for the trails that I
> can't write any other time of year. I love it for the party that we
> have. I love it because we all stay overnight on Monday since it's a
> holiday. I don't think I will ever miss another one of these if I can
> help it.
>
> The other thing that made this chip special, was our friends the
> lineback's, were parked right next to us. We have gotten to know
> Marcy, Tammy and now Gary since the beginning of the year. Tammy and
> Marcy have been coming to region 4 Rides from Georgia. We have really
> enjoyed getting to know them.
>
> The other thing that made this ride with a special, was going to see
> Corry Key, and her husband Justin. We enjoy riding with Corry's
> stallion Zahlil. Zahlil is one of the most well behaved stallions I
> have ever had the privilege to now. He never talks to the mares, he
> rides quietly beside my gelding and mare simultaneously. We just have
> a lot of fun.
>
> It was also wonderful to see Kim Reinhardt. Her horse GMo text Aharen
> the voice of four stout. Here's the funny goofy horse. He in Dixie are
> good friends, and he tolerated liberty and Zahlil quite well.
>
> This blog post was dictated using Dragon dictation. I didn't proofread
> to find most of the errors, but you may find a few. They may even be
> amusing. I apologize for any misunderstandings that occur as the
> results of my dictation.
>
>
> Alice Yovich MA, MT-BC, LMT

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

My big NATRC Adventure

This is a blog written in reverse order. I'm going to write about the NATRC ride Maggie and I attended in Region 6 last weekend and then backtrack to other things (quite possibly in another post) and then talk about Indian Territory from Memorial Day weekend (if I still remember it when I get there) Since it will take awhile to say everything, and I may never really get it all said, I want to say up front that I had the best time in Missouri visiting my mom, taking care of my nephews and going to Silver Dollar city with my family and my friends the Linebacks of Georgia.

I decided to do two NATRC rides back to back. I know that this is something that people seeking the President's Cup do regularly, but this was a new undertaking for us. 

It was a new ride and it was in Missouri, where I grew up, but have never ridden.  The facility was the Flying R Ranch in West Plains, MO. They had covered stalls for all the horses and bunk houses for the people if one didn't want to camp. Maggie and I went anticipating that it could be 100 degrees, and got a bunk house room.  When we arrived, we saw that it would have been much easier to have camped. Not only was it NOT 100 degrees (but instead quite cool) it was a pain to park our trailer and unload our truck and take our stuff upstairs...we were very spread out.  If I go back there again, I will definitely just camp. The camp ground was beautiful and shady.  There was a general store, a tack store, and showers and bathrooms...this is a great thing for primitive campers such as we are. 

We arrived pretty early on Friday, but not early enough to go for a ride.  Of course, as I found out later, going for a ride around the ranch wouldn't have done us much good in competition since the terrain for the open competition trails was very different than the terrain around the camp. 

At check in on Friday night I began to get nervous. The management team was brand new and we were urged by the vet judge to be lenient and nice (which I think we all accomplished) the times were given in a range differently than I am used to having them. The min-max times as well. I am also used to management figuring all the times for the riders, which had not be done. So we were told we'd be going 30 miles at 4.5-5 mph and it would take us 7:15-7:45. This included 2 p&R's and one lunch stop.  A wise, experienced rider said to figure the time on 4.75, but someone else said the real mid-time was more like 4.8. I couldn't remember how to do the math formula to figure it at 4.8, so I used the cheat chart on the RMS system from the NATRC.org website and figured my time at 4.75, knowing it was actually slightly slower than mid. I had also figured it at 5mph which was slightly faster than min.  We were also told that the distances had been figured by 2 different GPS's, but I also know that GPS can be off by as much as 20%. I don't know how you would have figured the mileage on this trail without a GPS, but I suspect all the inclines and descents made the GPS inaccurate.

Saturday morning the weather was nice. We set off at a happy pace, but found by the time we got to the 2 miles we had been riding for 48 minutes and that was mostly at a trot. We had gotten a bit turned around in a pasture when there were ribbons all around us in the pink and yellow that had been used to mark the trail. I had notes that said we were to stay on the fence line, but the people riding withe me were sure I was wrong and I let myself be swayed since they were way more experienced in the sport than I was. So, we wasted a few minutes, but not that many...48 minutes to the 2 mile is not a good sign. At A we were more behind, but we got caught up by B because all the going between A and B was really good footing. I was scared at first because we had to ride beside a highway with a wide shoulder. Evidently horses riding down that shoulder is a common thing as many people waved and no one honked. No 18 wheelers drove by and it was all fine.  Next we came to a gravel road, which Liberty didn't think much of...then we were at B and it got hard. At first, it wasn't too bad. A few rocks here and there, beautiful forest and scenery. Then we started to climb up and down and it got rockier and rockier. Some spots were slippery, but mostly the footing was pretty good. We crossed a river (or a creek) many times and the horses had tons of water to drink. We arrived at our P&R, which was supposed to be 11.6 miles, over 25 minutes behind max...this is not good.  We had a lunch break and headed back out.  The next section was to be 8.4 miles and it was technical as well. There was one really sharp step down that had a turn in it that we had been warned about. The horses had to take a tiny step straight ahead and then turn left to go down or they would go straight off the hill. There was also a really, really steep bank we had to go up out of the river and we had been told to give the horse in front plenty of room, urge them to go fast and keep going and don't stop. They were not kidding.  About the time I thought I was at the time, I'd find I wasn't and I had to turn another switchback and go up another hill. The poor horses were really tired by the time we got to the top.  When we got to our next letter which was D or E (I lose track) we were actually back on time (well, almost)  when we got back to B we were verging on early.  (the trail in and out of "the mountain" was the same) Not really sure how that happened. when we got back to A we were feeling really good about being able to make it in on time.  We had our last P&R and saw the two mile we were relieved. However, that 2 mile kept going on and on and we remembered that 7 hours before, we had noted it was longer than 2 miles (turned out to be 3) so we found ourselves hurrying again and we made it in just before max time. 

My horse was tired. I have never seen Liberty tired before and it wasn't pretty. he didn't want to walk across the gravel.  I had unwisely not booted him because the trails I had been told about weren't that rocky and I have never seen terrain he couldn't traverse barefoot.  He vetted sound and all his parameters were good, though he did lose a P&R point at the second P&R, which is very unusual.  But he was eating and drinking good, so I put him to bed and let him rest with some grazing walks throughout the evening.

Sunday was to be 20 miles, which then turned into 22 (but maybe more, it's hard to tell) we all knew by now that the first rocky section was longer than it was supposed to be and our 8.4 mile section was really only about 6 miles, so most of open was a little concerned. We had the slow part of the trail, but not the short, fast part of the trail. The good news is that we didn't have that scary bank or the rocks to go down from the day before. Today the actual mid time was 4.63, but I figured it on 4.75 again, knowing it was a little fast.  In the end it made no difference.  We hurried all day long on anything that looked safe enough to go fast on.

I digress for a moment to talk about boots:  I had booted Liberty on all four feet and he still didn't want to walk on the gravel. I lost my back boots early. This is not so much the fault of the boots, more that I have never needed to use back boots, so I was unprepared to really use them. My front boots that have always worked failed me too, and I'm not sure why. The only thing I can figure is that my farrier got him really short this last time, which caused the foot soreness in the first place and the boots were too large as a result.  In the end (and this is huge for me) I think I have decided that if more training gives me the same problems, I will be shoeing for rocky rides like this in the future. I will have to practice with shoes and boots to decide for sure because, honestly, I don't know if shoes would have made that much difference. Maggie shoes Dixie for these rocky rides and she was foot sore too, so it's something I'm going to have to think about.  The horse that won open lightweight was booted all the way around, and didn't lose any, so it may just be that I need to work on some finer aspects to be ok. I like the idea of the boots over shoes in this situation  since the boots provided sole protection also, but since Liberty acted foot sore through the boots I'm not sure it would have mattered.

In the end, we were 24 minutes over max time coming in. I take full responsibility for our lateness. In the woods it rained and we got tired and it was slippery. Dixie was in front and I should have been paying more attention to how late it was. Maggie's watch was broken and I was the timekeeper. I should have put Dixie in the back and trotted more and let Dixie keep up with Liberty. I know one other open rider came in 21 minutes late. I know that the open heavyweight rider who won came in 4 minutes under max. So, it was clearly possibly to go the right speed for some horse...whether or not we could have made it in, I just don't know. As it was we galloped 4-5 miles making up time. Perhaps if I had pushed harder in the forest and on the mountain we could have made it. I just don't know. When we got back on ranch property, where we had been able to make up time before was now slippery and dangerous from the rain so that contributed to our lateness. I heard later some horses fell going up and down some of the short, but steep hills. Liberty could barely stay up right at times it was so slippery...and yet he never quit, till the very end.

Maggie says she will never compete there again. I say that I want to do it again so it doesn't beat me. It was the hardest trailer i have ever been on and I have a lot of respect for that territory. It was beautiful. I think that I would love to visit the Flying R ranch for fun. There is a great lake, fishing, swimming and the facilities are beautiful. I think I would like to compete there, but I think I would like to see the timing looked at a little more closely first.  We came in 6th (me) and 2nd (her) and we were tired. When we got back the horses didn't look so hot. I was really worried about Liberty the last couple days. I have never returned from a ride that he didn't take off running. He seems very flat and pitiful and it makes me sad. Today he is eating better and he seems to be walking more comfortably, but he is still lackluster.  Maybe we weren't ready for 2 in a row?

The obstacles were great. Judges Kathy shanor and Jerry Wiell thought up some great obstacles. I have some new things to practice. My personal favorite from Saturday was to do a turn on the haunch over 4 logs set up to form a cross with a circle in the middle. You had to ride into the middle and then cross the horses front legs over each log. liberty was doing great till he got sick of it on the fourth log and decided it was time to sidepass out.  We had to do a sidepass with the front legs elevated. We had to back them in hand over a log and then sidepass an L (didn't go so well because we were running out of time for the mad dash back) We had a gate and an up and down...standard fair.

We are supposed to go to KS next weekend to do another ride, but I'm refraining from making a decision until the beginning of the week. If I don't see some energy out of him, we'll stay home.  I love my horse too much to break him over a goal. As much as i"d like my out of state first or second, I don't want it at the cost of my horse.

From here we went to Corry Key's house in Arkansas, but that is a story all by itself.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Back from Vacation

I had really planned to write a post about my trip, the two NATRC rides, visiting my mom, etc., but as I sit here, in a quiet, half dark room, I find I am too sleepy to write much tonight.  I am wishing that i had days off without travel to just do stuff at home. I could stand to have some completely independent days here at the house to do whatever I like...from housework to sewing...but it's going to be awhile before that happens. Then I get to thinking about the fall and the school year when Maggie will be living at her dad's and I realize I'm going to have more time to do all those things than I really want and it makes me sad.

it was a good trip, the ride was hard (I hope to write a story about the whole thing soon) and I didn't get the first or second out of state I was looking for.  I'm supposed to go to Kansas to a ride in about 10 days, but Liberty and Dixie seem kind of tired and burned out so I have to rethink it. Missouri was a lot harder to ride in than Texas.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Poor Kitty

Well, the saga of the cat is coming to a close. My poor kitty was acting better this week and eating more and staying inside more. But tonight when I came home, Peter told me her anal area was inflamed. When I looked, it wasn't inflamed, but open to the bone. It looks like there is a tumor in there at the base of her tale. Or she had a small injury that became very infected and burst open. She is in a lot of pain (if you touch her tail), but still sweet and purring otherwise. She wasn't like this yesterday. I think this is the something I couldn't put my finger on. I don't' see how she can recover from this. I'm going to take her to the vet tomorrow. She's not an "old" cat, but she isn't a young cat either. She's at least 11, perhaps older. She's the best cat I have ever had. I will miss her. I just wish I knew what had caused it, though I don't think that would change the outcome. It would be nice if I found out it was fixable, but i just don't see how. I wish that I had seen it earlier to have ended her suffering already.  poor thing.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

random thoughts

The battle in my sore feet may have gotten the one/two punch today. I got some new shoes today at the new balance store and my feet barely hurt! They are running shoes, but they have the same base as their really popular walking shoe. They just look a lot better. I'm not a serious shoe snob, but those walking shoes were ugly and heavy. So i Have been wearing my new shoes all day and my feet feel great. I got a special insole too that is really soft. Unfortunately by the time I bought the shoes and insoles, a couple pairs of socks and a sports bra, I spent $200. Sports bras aren't cheap! Anyway, it's cheaper than a set of orthotics. My chiropractor also has some shoes that are sandals that he's getting in that I will probably buy for just running around. He has thong sandals, but I like sliders better. 

We leave for Pole canyon thursday. I'm so psyched. I get to  compete this year!  I have been the secretary both other years.  Liberty is ready to kick some butt I think. peter is going with us and taking photos.


I just had a bunch of things to write, but I'm so tired they have gone out my head. I'm wrapping it up and going to bed.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Contemplating and Introspective

I have so much to do...I never feel like I am finished. if I am not seeing clients, there is a house to clean, paperwork to do, a child to hang out with...not to mention a husband. there are the horses, who I love, but right now seem to be time suckers all on their own.  I think about getting down to 2 horses (Maggie is taking Dixie to Azle in the fall) and then I think a lot about why I should keep one or the other. Liberty stays...but I really could stand to sell Fiera.  I have listed her and talked her up, but no takers.  I spend way too much time thinking about all the choices I need to be making and still find myself unable to move forward in these choices.  Each little change makes so many ripples and they end up being big changes and not small changes. 

Maggie is moving in with her dad to go to High School in the fall. She wants to try public High School and she wants it to be in Azle since it's a small town. I don't blame her. Arlington has crappy schools and gangs and Azle is a much better choice for a slightly sheltered, independent teen.  She can get around by bike until she can drive in another year and then she can safely drive around a small town. Dixie is going to move to a stable about a mile from her dad's house and she will be able to ride her bike or maybe even get the school bus to drop her off in the afternoons.  While I'm ok with her living with her dad, I do find myself wondering what my new role will be in her life. It's stressful not knowing how it's all going to play out.

I feel like I'm working all the time. I haven't had a vacation in years. Maggie and I go ride and those are nice little vacations, but we have never all three taken a family vacation like I did growing up. There are lots of reasons we don't' go...part of it is that Peter doesn't really like to travel and then when he does want to travel he doesn't want to go anywhere I want to go (he wants to visit Boston and I would like to go to Hawaii for example). I end up traveling with the horses or to educational events, but he would rather stay home than join me on those ventures. At home there is always something that needs to be done.

I need a real break...maybe I need for Peter to take a trip and Maggie and I could go to the spa for the week, lol. Or they need to take another trip like they did at thanksgiving and leave me for a few days...only this time I won't work the whole time.

In any case, there are quarterly reports to write, an office to put away (rearranging has left my room a mess) and t-shirts to embroider.  I won't be getting a real break tonight :-/

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Most productive day of my life

Only God could have helped me get everything done that I did today. I was totally swamped with work. Inlaid bills and then headed to my horse pasture to do stuff. There I cleaned out the traile, trimmed 1.5 horses, rode my filly, fixed the fence the filly broke after I tried to out her away and chased everyone out to the pasture where they belong.

Then I went to the grocery store to bring home food for the inferno plan that starts Monday. The inferno plan is intense exercise and low calories for 5 days. I will restart my turbo fire challenge on April 16 since this week has been a disaster in the eating and exercising department.

I digress for a movement to talk about my wretched foot. I saw a massage therapist yesterday who specializes I trigger point. He says the problem is up in my psoas and not my foot. My foot is just the end result of the pain. He spotted right away that I walk with my left foot turned out. I have since the 6th grade when I had that bad sprain and it never was quite the same again. I ride with that hip/ankle turned out too. So maybe I can get all that fixed with some hard work. I have exercises to do and my lower back has been on fire. My foot is hanging there but it still hurts...even after being injected Wednesday. The guy yesterday recommends going barefoot and the five finger shoes to strengthen the foot structures. The podiatrist says I need orthotics. I don't care who's right, I just want the pain to stop.

Anyway, back to today...

Then I came home and made a yummy squash soup over the course of the evening, moved furniture to prepare the front room to be the living room, made dinner and did embroidery for Alanna's ride. If I could have done more today I'm not sure what it would have been.

Tomorrow will be equally busy. I will work with the student I have been helping with a project, do more embroidery and finalize my taxes. Hopefully I will also ride liberty. If I can catch him. That root head is being really bad about running. I think, somehow, he knows my foot hurts and I can't chase him. Turkey. And how does Fiera do so awesome I want to keep her forever and then turn around and bust the fence before I can turn it on. Of course, it's not doing much good turned on right now...my fence charger is toast. Time to buy a new one.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Another frustrating weight week

I continue to be frustrated with my food/exercise/weight battles. I would have thought that giving up fast food and radically cutting back on sugar and alcohol (hence automatically cutting my overall calories) would have made a huge difference in my body mass, but it just isn't so. Yes, I will keep making the changes because it's good for me. And I enjoy the working out. I just really thought I would see more of a change. This week has been kind of a slow week for my working out because of my foot. Hopefully I can "hit it" hard next week.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Finally, a day off

I have been going 10 miles a second, or maybe faster in the last couple months.  I just can't seem to find any free time.  I don't actually have free time really today, but I'm reaching out and grabbing some.  This week has been weird. I rode a NATRC ride this past weekend (Liberty got second and Maggie got first) and was so tired from my open ride. I remembered why I had stopped riding open because I'm always so wrecked after the ride.  Monday morning my client canceled and then Monday afternoon the next one canceled. I still had to see a couple people, but it made the day light. Then Tuesday we had tornadoes and I couldn't see clients then.  Then Wednesday I had to take Maggie to the airport.  So, I had to skip out on clients that morning, and honestly, I wasn't feeling so hot...just not myself.  So here we are at Thursday and I have done very little work this week. Not going to be a profitable week, but maybe I have let some of my stress go.  I just feel like I'm worried and over scheduled.  I don't know why I feel this way. I have free time, but I have so much that needs to be done in that free time that I feel like I can never get caught up.  When I'm sitting still I think I should be doing something, so I never really chill out.  Even as I sit down to write this blog post, I keep thinking of things I should be doing and I stop to pay bills, write notes, etc.

I finally started getting back to the gym again after working for seasons and being so busy.  Almost immediately after getting back to running and being so happy that I wasn't too tired and was still in great shape, my foot pain started. First it hurt in my arch and I massaged it out, bought in soles, changed shoes, etc. Then I saw the acupuncturist which took the pain out of my arch and moved it back to my heel. Then I went back and we worked on my heel and it hasn't been any better.  So yesterday I finally went to a podiatrist who injected it with cortisone. Boy, did that hurt! It's a little bruised feeling now, but so much better than it was. I go back in 2 weeks. He says that it will take up to 3 injections to make it go away completely.  He says he can make me orthotics for  under $300 and I will probably have that done.  I just want my foot to feel better!

In a little bit I need to get going. I took a friend's horse to a CTR last weekend and I need to return her horse and go for a short ride.  I'm not sure which horse I will take. I had sort of planned to talk myself into taking Fiera, but my friend would rather I didn't. So, I have to decide between Olympus and Liberty...may be that the one I can catch is the one that goes.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Long, long week

I can't believe how busy I have been in the past week. It seems that when I have "free time" it gets filled with projects and catching up from when I am overloaded. I would love to find a balance between work and play but as a contractor I suspect that as a contractor feast or famine is normal.

Last week I decided to stay home from the Texas trail challenge at Parrie Haynes to work on prizes for Scamper. As a result I got all the horse prizes finished, plus my gifts are all done but one and I will do that today. I inventoried my other prizes and am currently reviewing the management manual to make sure nothing is forgotten. Katie Weir is doing the food, Sue Singletary has the taco soup and is bringing the rules interpreter. Christa has the entries handled and Teresa has the trails covered. I feel like I am ahead of the game and am cautiously optimistic there wont be any last minute surprises. I'm a little scared that I'm not scared.

Monday-Wednesday were full of normal work activities. Thursday was a rare day 'off' and I got to ride with my friend Alanna. Usually when I ride during the week it's a rushed thing. I have to get Maggie from her classes or have to see a client or something. But Thursday maggie was sick and Peter had taken a personal day. I got to ride for four, interrupted hours. Alanna hadlanned on a fast ride and Olympus was up for the task. He's learning to long trot and he canters at a nice, steady pace even as the other horse is pulling away. One time, I let him out just a bit and he turned on blinding speed which scared the poo out of me. I hollered at Alanna to slow down, which we did immediately, but when I pulled him up he settled right back into his amazing lope! It was just wonderful.


I have been seriously thinking I need to downsize the herd by one by fall do I have set out the task of figuring out which one. I have been half jokingly created a series of scores for the horses whereby they get pluses or minuses for their behavior. For instance Olympus got a minus for running away when I went to catch him but a huge plus for his obedience. Liberty gets huge pluses for being athletic but minuses in the affection department. Fiera gets pluses for being affectionate but minuses for being bossy and pushy. So what his has boiled down to is a choice between Fiera and Oly for who stays and who goes. I think it's Fiera. She is going to make someone an amazing horse and I am committed to finding her a good home but I think that she is not the right horse for me long term. It's hard to say it out loud because I bred this baby to be my next/last horse. She is beautiful and is a great mover and boy is she tough. Her parents are amazing and she will be great but I have to admit that she is the one of the three least for me. The so called weakest link in our herd. So I'm offering my part Shagya filly for sale. She's small. Only about 14.1 at not quite four so she may get another inch or two. She's stout though and doesn't feel small. She's out of very pleasant and sweet parents and she's a registered 1/2 Arab but could also get part Shagya papers. If she's bred to a Shagya stallion, eventually, that foal would be papered as a full Shagya. . I'm asking $2000 for her but the home she goes to is far more important than the pay check. I have over 5 years of planning and love in this filly do she must be loved.

I am about to re-enter the hospice world for a few weeks as well. My friend is going on a trip and I am filling in for her while she's gone. And I have scamper at the beginning of march. I talked to another agency I have worked for before and picked up a few more contracts as well. So this is all good.

Now for the weirdness. I interviewed for a position at a psych hospital doing music and activities. I was supposed to start in Thursday this week. I went in for orientation last week. I did two days of orientation while no one even knew I supposed to be there. I had turned in my employment paper work early but no one could find it. I failed my drug test because they said my rx for adderoll was expired, but I already had taken care of that with my doctor and just needed to know where to send my paperwork. I called hr and I called my 'boss' and no one ever called me back. I emailed my boss finally and said it was clear I wasn't starting on Thursday. I still haven't heard from them. And I'm kind of ticked because I spent too gorgeous days stuck inside orienting and I'm not sure I'll ever get that money back or be paid. Clearly I won't even start till after scamper at this point if I do then. The whole thing was bee, very odd.

Well off to do my taxes. Then to Pilates and then some sewing.

Friday, January 6, 2012

Finally a workout

I actually made it outside yesterday evening to do the first couch to 5k run. It was much easier than when I did it last summer. Maybe I didn't lose so much condition. Today I need to take the dogs for a walk but I also hope to make cycle class tonight. I was going to the gym last night but it was packed with all the new year's resolution members. I hope it doesn't stay this full. I think I've got a little plantar fasciitis. My left heel has been sore.

Peter is sick again. I'm sequestered in the bed room trying to avoid his germs. He has taken over that space. I'm getting a lot done not watching tv.

Maggie's wrist not broken and feeling better.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Maggie ends the old year badly

Yesterday we had good friends over to ride. There were four riders and four horses. Even Fiera got ridden. My friend's daughter is a skilled rider and had a blast on Liberty. I rode Olympus and Maggie rode Dixie. My friend, who is fairly inexperienced followed us around on Fiera. All was well. All had a good time. At the end Maggie decided to ride Fiera for awhile. Fiera was doing well so Maggie asked her to canter, which turned out to be an error in judgement. The bucking for ended in a broken wrist. We spent the afternoon in the care now. She has a splint and we'll call the orthopedist on Monday, though I'm not sure that the doctors are working Monday. We want her to have a cast as she has a competition in a few weeks that she doesn't want to miss. She will heal fast. But it's hard to watch her hurt.

I'm trying to decide between the old and new. I have been riding Olympus more planning to compete him this year. I did that because maggie was going to ride Liberty all year but now she's gone back to Dixie. Yesterday, after popping on Liberty I remembered how good it felt to ride my trained horse. He will side pass, back and do all the obstacle things as I have trained him. He also can be an excited nut and scream and call and just generally make me crazy. Olympus knows nothing of obstacles. He will barely stand over a log much less side pass them. But he is pretty calm with everyone running around him. He showed me this week that he is still concerned about some terrain situations. He won't walk down gullies easily. He's still pretty scared of stuff. I want to compete this horse but I wonder if I take him NOW if I'm going to blow his mind. OTOH I don't know any way to teach him better than to take him out and just do it. I wonder if he will learn bad things if our partnership isn't complete. He's not tough as nails like Liberty. If I don't ride him this year, I will next. I just can't make up my mind. I thought I had but then i realized that the way Liberty was do good at home isn't how he is away from home. And conversely Oly is really good under pressure, at least at the moment. Plus he's darn comfortable to ride. I think I have decided to stay in cp either way, either horse. I just don't think I want to ride as far and fast either way. I guess if I stay in cp I can trade out horses on a whim since I have no long reaching goals for myself this year and I can collect horsemanship points. See even after writing it down I can't decide.

Comments are welcome.