Just some waffling thoughts on the month that passed

To write or not to write? That's the question of the passed month. I've had so many thoughts in my head I was sure my cells would just burst at the start of one of the gorgeous sunny mornings of which we had plenty in October.

Writing this blog has become such a giant habit for me, one that I really enjoy and I'm glad it helps some of you to stay in touch with me, allow some of you to have an insight into a struggling life of a riding instructor, lets others of you learn on my mistakes and maybe avoid some stupid decisions that I've made too often.

Those decisions and those crammed thoughts were the reasons I haven't been posting as much as I used to. That and immense tiredness...the tiredness that I could normally overcome with equally immense work satisfaction but I have been a little short of that...

You know that saying which goes, if you don't have what you like you better like what you've got? Well, I've never quite learned to go with that advice!

The most precious gift I have ever received from my parents is the inexplicable belief that I can do whatever I want in life. This is not to say, I think I can do anything I want well. This is to say, I have every confidence to try to live the life I want to live.

Some people might call it arrogance. Some might call it naivety. To me, it's the most powerful protection I have against the depressing, samey conformity.

Blind obedience to certain conventions irritates the hell out of me but I seem to be less emotional about it as I get older.

I get annoyed with myself too if I lose the courage to make changes necessary to keep planting the right kinds of trees.

Making one's mind supposed to be the start of decisions making. Some time over this past couple of months I realised I have made up my mind indeed.

Following that, I also needed to make further decisions for the future. As if on cue, life came up with events that always seem to happen to me when I turn the right way.

So, the time has come to change some of my teaching arrangements, leave some places, join some, be brave and try to jump up a level.

I was delighted to hear again from a lovely rider whom I taught at my Intermediate Teaching exam in the summer. She is coming with her horse to train with me for 5 days of hard work so I need to organise the ins and outs of it.

Hmm, if only I could find more riders up for that I would be rather happy!

A lot of materials I had ready for the Academy's website got lost when my computer went on strike but I have kept enough of scribbles I did old fashioned way on paper for it not to be too much of a tragedy.

Sunday consisted of a lot of laughter and some displays of determination on part of my riders. It's been driving with rain most of the day.

Seeing some of the riders were in less than fighting spirits I had no choice but to waddle through the mud with them and encourage them with my usual repertoire of demanding strictness ;) Amazing what a drop of nagging brings out in people!

Sometimes I must admit, I give up to the natural elements and can't really find much enjoyment teaching in impossible conditions but less severe meteorological distractions spur me into making the riders work for the goods...

We did a little of theory on flexion and bend under the roof after rider's hoods had filled up with several inches of water and visibility had gotten worse but other than that we braved through.

One of my Sunday riders made me my No.2 favourite cake - a tiramisu! I have to say, I am cake total and if I didn't like to make sure I eat more or less healthy I am pretty sure I could easily survive good few weeks on apple pies and tiramisus!

Today is sunny. At least at the moment. I am off to do Kingsley, then back home to do some washing, floor cleaning, hoovering and all the jobs I wish I had a herd of friendly gnomes to perform for me. I could even get them a few gnome size ponies as a reward...surely there must be a poniesforgnomes.com?

Yummy! :)