The heating is back but sometimes your friends can tell you things that freeze you right down to the bone whether there is 10C or 30C inside...bad news are the life's reminder that we better enjoy what we have because tomorrow is only a reality. And reality never last.
I can't even tell you how I hate this kind of bad news and if I ever had any super natural powers I would know precisely what to do with them. I am hoping for better news for my friend as soon as possible.
On the working front I am brain washing myself on how to improve suppleness in my two lovely Sunday riders who spend their lives on blooming office chairs 6 days a week. In a few words -one needs to be able to sit to the canter and the other to improve flexibility in the upper body/arms/shoulder/hands...
[What's Athlete's Flexibility - Read Here].
Here is a photo showing the problem which manifests itself through hand/wrists stiffness:
The rider basically keeps her hands in this position all the time and we have a grand problem with her using her hands with more feel. She does ride most of the horses very nicely I must say but we are stuck on a very basic level due to lack of flexibility.I have a little programme for both of them which they haven't seen yet ;) but I will let you know how we are getting on.
Talking about flexibility...before I discovered Pilates I used Callanetics exercises to be able to walk without pain (after my knee op). After swapping to Pilates I almost forgot about Callanetics until one of my riders mentioned it the other day. I have an old book on it still somwhere but I've just googled it callanetics.com - read Callan's story, it's quite inspirational).
Kingsley.
Little man is loving his new field, the mud and extended turn out time. He is so much more relaxed in the stable and doesn't try to keep himself in my pocket.
The mud though is relentless. Every time he is back from the field there are boots to clean and rug to dry and it just goes on and on. In the ideal world I would need a dry rug per day in a week plus set of boots per day! C'mon summer...;)
Below: Dry and groomed tonight. I am starting to bring him slowly back to work on Wednesday, then vet and physio are coming the following Monday to assess his response to work load. He seems to be trotting much more level but I now look for so many things that might not even be there so I don't trust my judgement. Fingers crossed...
2 comments
working a rider on the lunge with the reins in a knot, hands holding "imaginary" reins, eyes closed the whole time, worked wonders to tune a rider in to the movement and suppleness aspect of riding. Slowing and accelerating without reins, eyes closed, etc. etc. My favorite productive seat work for myself too. Visualizing deep down through neck, shoulders, seat to heels. Smell the horse, feel the horse, listen to the horse,become one with the horse. Almost self hypnosis.I can internalize that feeling wherever I am and know that my horse would lift in front and engage behind just by mind over matter. More reliable than sex and lasts longer!
Haha good one! Will have to pass this down to her ;)
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