And once more I have been terrible about updating...
On the horse front:
Went to another show for one day the weekend after the Halloween show. Had to do it to redeem myself! It was at the same facility, in the same ring but a much MUCH less packed show so the pressure to go fast and crazy was not as high. I also rode a different horse, a totally chill LARGE (he's probably 18.2) ISH who I rode exclusively for about a month earlier this year, and have occasionally carted over to show for fun. He's so easy and requires pretty much zero prep-I can basically just hop on him, and go cruise around 2'9"-3'3", no problem. Which, is NOT a reflection on how wonderful of a rider I am, this horse is just that point and shoot. So uncomplicated to ride, his thing is you just basically have to be able to get him going. Which I did for my first two classes (got a 3 and 4, was riding relatively conservatively). Then my last class, a 3' one, we ended up with a first but managed to go SO.SLOW. Something was up with him, he was just so dead and behind my leg but still got around clean like a good boy. Trainer thought he might have been colicing at first, but then we decided he was overheating. All the classes ran pretty much back to back, it was in the 70's and he basically had his full winter coat. So all around much better...I remembered all my courses (although they were all speed rounds, so relatively easy to remember!) and I rode well. Next up...THERMAL! Its going to be expensive and I'm not riding my own horse (which I would have loved to do) but I just love it down there. Its so fun, and warm when its the middle of winter up here. Its basically going to be a horse show and a vacation all rolled up into one! Another owner is graciously sharing her horse with me for the two weeks my barn is down there. He's a fun horse, young, but again, relatively uncomplicated. So hopefully it goes well!
Also: new horse is FANTASTIC. I freaking love him. He's just so cool-pretty much a schoolmaster with the exception of a sometimes gnarly left drift (I think its due to the injury, his left side is weaker). Once you get him packaged and going, he just goes. Like a metronome. Such a nice rythym, and super comfortable. Has only spooked once, at something totally random. Otherwise packs out in whatever type of weather, night/morning/afternoon, and deals with general barn mayhem without batting an eye. We're hoping he can get back to doing 3' stuff occassionally, but honestly I don't care if he stays at 2'6". I would love to jump bigger, don't get me wrong but I also get a lot of satisfaction from nailing a 2'6" course. Which, I am not consistently doing yet. So there is a lot of good stuff to still work on at the lower heights with him, that I think (hope) will later transfer to whatever horse I ride next who can hopefully jump a little higher. Because I'm still dreaming that someday I will do 3'6", although the more I ride the more I realize meh...jump height doesn't really matter!
Arwen is also still baking her little bun. Vet checked her, confirmed there is still a baby in there. Did some more research and decided I am going to try and register her baby KWPN. They have two books, A and B, and the B book allows foals from an approved dad with no requirements for the mare. I have also been looking like mad for the next stallion to breed her too, and keep coming back to either Baldev or Mezcalero. I REALLY like both of them, but they are pretty different. Baldev is much more modern looking (like Imothep) and young. Basically unproven in the ring with not a lot of offspring on the ground versus Mezcalero, who is an Olympic jumper and very proven. BUT (and this is a big one) he is a chunk. Like huge, and he apparently does pass that onto his offspring. Arwen is pretty well built herself, so I fear that we would end up with a big, bulky tank.
Oh, and FINALLY did my USEF membership so I can offically transfer Arwen to my name. Also, this means I won't have to pay $60 in association fees every show. Which, for a week long show its not horrible to pay but when I would trailer in for a day? OUCH.
On the fitness front:
Have been REALLY REALLY trying to go 3 times a week. Have succeeded a little more than in the past couple months, but still not as consistently as I would like.
The next couple weeks are winter skills testing and its definitely not going to be as good as it has been in the past for me. The lifting portion, maybe but the rest of it? Not excited. Only because my shoulder and my back are still bothering me, and so I've been doing a lot of modified stuff. Like pull ups? Back on the blue band. However, keeping it easy on my should has definitely been allowing it to recover, which is good. I also think once I get fitter (i.e. lose some weight too!) it will be better. I was just trying to push to do too much, when I hadn't allowed my muscles/body to catch up to my weight gain. I was still thinking in my head I was 15 lbs lighter, but my body was not conditioned for it. Again, my fault for slacking. But, with Thermal now on the horizon I definitely have more motivation to be consistent in the gym! And not only because I will be bringing a swim suit down there. EEK!
