Pretty much same old here right now ;) I am pursuing an acquisition of the investment idea (into my Aspire programmes) by researching the details of my broad plan and by learning more about business side of things. Admittedly I am finding it frustrating at times because I would much rather put these efforts into developing my coaching and training skills but it seems that for Academy to succeed I really need to become a businesswoman :-/
I've been around self-employed parents and family members since I can remember so being resourceful and somewhat multitasking are familiar waters to me. The perfectionist in me wants to devote my time to one thing only but in reality this is not possible.
Pic above: Aspire Intensive Training Day today. Introduction to building jumping courses and pacing distances. More photos on Academy's Facebook page on here: CLICK
If anyone fancy sending any links to anything to do with finding an investor(s) please do. Although I do have quite a strong vision for the whole project I am trying to do my background learning first before jumping in...Huge thank you to a certain reader from across the pond who already contacted me with some wonderful advice. I really appreciate it.
I am sure you are also wondering how is Kingsley doing. Well, he is as much a mystery as ever. Following the few weeks of being totally crippled on all 4 legs he is now feeling and looking very well. He is on 2 sachets of Bute a day for another week or so (in total about a month on Bute) and right now he lives out 24/7 since Wednesday.
It might be that the free movement is helping him a lot or it might be that the painkillers are doing the job. There will run out soon so we will know whether he is able to be comfortable without them. I admit I lost faith in him ever becoming a riding horse in any form, at least not until we know what the problem is and how to address it. He is a pet and a very expensive one.
One thing we never tried with him was to turn him out for a year with no ridden exercise. We didn't try this because we were advised by a vet (not the current one) to continue with rehabilitation process as otherwise he is too weak in his body to function correctly.
It might be the case that a year off with a constant movement helps somewhat but one thought that comes back to me is that when we got him in the first place he looked exactly like a horse that lived out for some time: he tail was eaten by youngsters he was out with, he was in "field condition" with poor overgrown feet. He went lame a few days into being brought back into work (on the lunge/in hand).
It's a wrenching decision to make. On one hand, we know pretty well now that he won't make a riding partner neither for Pauline, myself or anyone else. On the other, when he seems happy and content with life euthanising him feels wrong :-/
Lots will now depend on affordability of a livery for this dear pet and on what he feels like when the Bute is out of his system.
On a separate note, I would like to say I'm really sorry to hear about passing away of an old friend's horse. It's a friend from what seems like, another life - life of training, show-jumping and competing. Something I miss deeply. Her very old photos took me on the trip down the memory lane...
I vividly remember one training session in a very small indoor arena. Gusia was riding Graal and I was riding Fetas. Graal was believed to be a rig and Fetas was a stallion and both boys tried to dominate each other to the point where Graal would bolt across the arena and attack Fetas. I recall our trainer, Grzegorz Kubiak, having to arrange the jumps and rounds in such way that we were always on opposite sides of arena and divided by jumps!
The blog she writes is in Polish but photos can be understood by anyone. Rest in peace Graal - click here for Gusia's blog post.
To finish off a few words on goals and persistence that I really agree with...
