Another Saturday in my freelance life :)

I woke up in Hampshire today. Now that sounded a bit as if I got drunk and woke up in another county but no, that was not the case! So yes, I woke up in Hampsire today. Quite ubruptly. My dear host's alarm is always rather loud and punches you out of sleep straight away. She will be forgiven though as she is a brill host overall ;)

The only good thing about rainy days in winter is that they bring slightly milder weather and I can go from cannot-move amount of clothes to move-slowly quantity of layers.
It was actually quite pleasant today; rain passed quickly and the sun came out. I helped turning out some horses in the morning (was awake enough to actually put the correct rug on as oppose to last time when I tried to turn a poor fellow out in his stable rug AND his turn out rug, oops!) before starting my working day examining for Pony Club badges; must say I do actually enjoy being involved in the PC activities.
I haven't had much to do with the Pony Club as a child but had a good read about it and they are rather impressive organisation with an interesting history and tradition.
Then onto a fun private jumping lesson with a girl who has been riding with me on and off for about 10 months and it's great to see her gaining in skills and confidence. That was followed by a group lesson of intermediate teenagers and as I won't teach them for the next couple of weeks (due to being booked for my day courses) I decided to give them a proper workout! When I was learning to ride we did this exercise when we had to slide down onto the left and right side of the saddle in walk, trot and canter. I didn't go as far as canter today but we did a lot of sliding down in halt, walk and trot, plenty of slaloms with sliding again (that was very entertaining to watch I must admit!) and cantering with hands high above the heads, on their hips, to their sides - parents had a bit of a show. The riders seemed to have really enjoyed themselves, everybody stayed on and not surprisingly they all started to be much more aware of their body balance. There is this one pony who just absolutely hates unbalanced, floppy riders. I really do like him but he is a bugger to teach on. However, today, he went so well for his rider. And that's a lot of what all this is about - getting the riders better so the horses can enjoy their work ;) As a result the riders will have even more pleasure out of the sport.

My afternoon and evening was focused more on training style teaching with my regular riders being put through their paces. This really stretches my brain too which is what I like the most about teaching but as I have to think and plan and think again at every moment days like today leave me quite tired.
A bit of rest is due now I think before full day teaching tomorrow. Fingers crossed for a nice, sunny, dry day in Surrey!

No more resistance

Believe it or not, after a very foggy morning we had a bit of sunshine in Berkshire - I so cannot wait for spring now!

I felt like instilling some discipline in my riders at the weekly staff training today so boy did they work hard.
This is not to say I am easy on myself - rode my friend's 4-year old again and wow I am really starting to like that horse a lot.

Pic. The 4 Year Old - isn't he a handsome boy?!

He's not the easiest of horses to bring the best out of as he can be a little argumentative and the size of him can intimidate (long way down!) but when you do something right and get that machine going he feels very, very good.

We started off rather funny making sure we were in a way of another person jumping in the school! Very embarrassing but His Highness was not going to oblige! He did have some time off over Xmas and New year and was only ridden a couple of times since so I expected him to be rather difficult. He wasn't too bad though considering the circumstances.
The main problem was his little attitude/strop moments when he just planted himself and did not want to move. Normally I would just kick on but think I am slowly becoming more and more confident in trusting my instincts with youngsters and think twice before demanding obedience. It's not even that I am afraid of a major strop (would not want it but that's not the case), it's more a belief that things can be done equally well if only we listen to the horse not only tell.
And so when His Highness refused to budge I just sat there as if we had million hours to our disposition and waited for him to find out that the only possible way of pleasing me is to shift forwards. When I ride horses like that I usually just try to look away so to completely detach myself from the horse's problem and quietly wait until its brain starts focusing on me again.
It helps to soft-focus your eyes when doing it. My recent method is sheep counting ;)
So His Highness got to about 15 sheep and moved forwards as if he never said no!
There are of course moments when it just feels like a proper tantrum and then I just kick on regardless.
Once we got to the point when he realised it was much easier to please me than to fight me (you really never want the little buggers to know how much power they actually have!;)) I had a ball!
I think I keep saying it but he just gets better and better and while last time he felt resistant and rigid at times, tonight he just floated.

In a way I do know that I just sit there and press the buttons while my friend is doing all the hard work but was really pleased nevertheless to be able to ride him into such a soft, resistance free creature that he felt in the end. It's so rewarding and makes me feel on top of the world ;)
Did I say I love my job and everything that comes with it ???????!!!!

Equi Pilates - gymnastically straightened rider

I came across this while browsing tonight (Wednesday night that is - while I should really be going to sleep as my eyes are almost shut and I have to get up and teach in the morning! Today even if we are to be precise ;)).
Click on photo to go to the website, well worth reading:

Wisdom from Winnie The Pooh

Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh!" he whispered. "Yes, Piglet?" "Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw. "I just wanted to be sure of you." ~A.A. Milne

You've got to love life...

I wasn't sure what to put on here today. Not because I don't know what to write but because sometimes there are just no words out there that will be just right. So I will make it simple...

For the last several months I had this worry at the back of my head. It was a worry about someone else's worry but when that someone else is a very important someone, the worry becomes a part of your everyday life and of many waking hours.
And today - it has gone. Finally. Walked away and dissolved in a mist of many smiles.
And I am thinking, sometimes we search for happiness as if it was a magic quest. We don't even realise how happy we can feel just like that, all of a sudden, only because of someone else's moment of true happiness...

Peyton Conway March:

There is a wonderful mythical law of nature that the three things we crave most in life -- happiness, freedom, and peace of mind -- are always attained by giving them to someone else.

Working on Wood Chip/Bark - Rough Guide For Riding Instructors

It's a funny surface, woodchip with some bark mixture, so I will tell you a few things about it while I try to take my mind off a serious matter I have no control over but will keep everything crossed for it no longer being serious.

First of all, let me tell you, I am fully qualified to pass all the below things on...I've spent over 1.5 year teaching on woodchip surface, seen it in sunshine, rain (just a normal English rain), pouring rain, a drizzle, fog, frost and snow. I have seen quite a lot of it too, sometimes too much (when it was topped up without the need for it) and not enough of it (when the top up needed wasn't done).

1) Woodchip surface is a rubbish one really to have outdoors.
2) The best combination of weather for woodchip is as follows (unfortunately the stages themselves are not great to work through):

a) a few days of decent frost with below zero temperatures. This freezes the surface and gives it a very slippery ice rink like quality. Almost unrideable unless you are fine with constant slipping.
b) a day or so of mild weather which allows the surface to soften: while this happen parts will still be very slippery, other parts will have plenty of grip so it's a bit like driving on a road with ice showing up from time to time, usually when you are gathering speed and least expect it...
c) third day after the freeze: surface is good, have a nice softness to it over the top, pleasant firmness over deeper layers, good grip and rides well.

3) Woodchip surface isn't good for your footwear...your boots will work like magnet for all the tiny pieces of dirt and pieces of wood.
4) You will find it wedged into every single crack in the leather, it will stuck to the soles of your boots and wriggle it's way under the straps of your gaiters/half-chaps.
5) Your overtrousers will be covered all the way up to your knees in a fascinating mixture of soil, wood and shavings like pulp if you happen to teach in the rain.
6) If the stable owner has just dropped a new layer on you will smell of woodchip for good few hours after your day on the surface.
7) Ponies love EATING this surface which means you WILL loose your clients while the ponies stop suddenly, drop their heads and peruse the woodchip with passion.
8) Horses also like EATING this surface. They will drop their necks and endulge in finding edible pieces of god knows what giving your beginners a mild heart attack.
9) If you are lucky and the weather is gorgeous for longer than a week the woodchip surface dries so much that walking on it feels like venturing onto Sahara desert - in other words, it's bloody tiring to walk on it not to mention run on it should you need to catch a runaway pony.
10) If you are unlucky enough to work in a driving rain week in and week out the woodchip surface will not help you much. Think walking through swamps and you will get the idea.
11) If the rain persists you may find that you can run xc clinics without even leaving the arena. There will be a fantastic water jump down your centre line.
12) If the people who top up the surface think it's ok to just dump random amounts of wood chip at every letter around the arena you may even be able to include a how-to-tackle-a-bank jump sessions.
13) You may find it difficult to practice dressage tests as the horses get so happy running in the ditch (the outside track) that they rarely want to explore the rest of the arena (where the hills are)
14) Your best bet is to just sit on the fence and let the riders and horses deal with the surface.

So the Tax Return deadline is around the corner

Right, I have now officially enrolled for Self Assessment Online service through the Government Gateway and once I get my Activation code or PIN or however they call it I will be able to file my tax return online. I went through all my invoices and expenses and think I am ready to let them take my hard earned money - Eek!
I am now covered in tons of receipts, train tickets, bus tickets you name it that I couldn't be bothered to sort out as the months went so I am trying to redeem myself and do some of this gruelling work of organising it all now.

Once I have done some more I am going to make some fabulous pancakes and hope you are all drooling now as they are just delicious. My Gran's secret recipe so cannot share I am afraid...;)

And here:

What was that about wanting to go freelance?????? Dealing with paperwork has never been my strong point...

What happened today

The ponies were wild for god knows what reason, one day I may just be able to figure out their peculiar brains. There is one particular pony that teaches my little riders quite spectacular ways of dismounting which make my heart travel all the way up my throat with the light speed!
Thankfully, everybody ended up back in the saddle without further problems.

I think I am a little bit tired after this week but happy nevertheless with how things are turning out. I was reading a book on train on way back home today, thought I would just close my eyes for a second only to find out a good 20 minutes later that I went pass my station. Not helpful ;)

Most of my regular riders are now back from Xmas/New Year holidays which is great. Got asked an interesting question by H. today: "What's the name of a big foot thumb?"...(we were talking about our toes freezing;)

I am dedicating my tomorrow's day off to my darling beast (i.e. Ricky) as I really haven't been much at home recently!

Busy, busy

The last few days have been rather busy and with one more teaching day added to my schedule I am feeling quite positive about my early 2009 plans.
The riding side of things isn't too bad either and I am managing to spend a couple of hours a day in the saddle on most days.



Pic.: Sunny Thursday afternoon - don't be fooled by the rays though, it was -3C...

Today was so amazingly cold but so beautiful with the world covered with frost as if someone dropped bags of white sugar everywhere. Or, like last night, hidden in a fog that seems to wrap itself around you and makes everything slightly unreal. Or with snow that drops in fluffy quantities so if you canter you are bound to see nothing.
Deers are coming so close and little robins add slashes of colours to the bare trees. I do end up frozen to the bones but still love it!

Went to have a look at a charming house to rent but various transport logistics might not allow us to go for it.
Talking about transport...! The First Great Western are taking the biggest mick so far with so many cancelled trains that I spend my evenings waiting forever at the stations for trains that never come! If I thought the delayed trains are a pain then I must say that I underestimated the problem with those that are actually cancelled...
On a good note my dear patient friend always waits with me and rescues me if the First Great Western decides to stop their services randomly with a 5 minutes notice making it impossible for me to get back home!

2010 Radio Show Episode 18 - Reining Talk

2010 Radio Show Episode 18 - Reining Talk:

All about the exciting sport of Reining this week as we speak with Dan Wall, Executive Director of the National Reining Horse Association. Dan fills us in on how Reining will work at the 2010 World Equestrian Games. Plus, there is big news out of the WEG office this week. Listen in...

• Winners of the 2010 Games Giveaway of the 2010 Games Chino Hats are Roberta Harwell of Louisa, KY and Wendy Sabile from Hermitage, PA. Congrats on your hats!


• Register for the January Games Giveaway of the Official Games Poster at 2010 Radio Show. Remember you must re-register every month.


• See the Official Things of 2010 page that we have added to the site. All of the Official Sponsors of the 2010 Games and some can make you scratch your head.


• Big news out of the WEG office this week with a new CEO announced. Read all about it...


• Thank you to Dan Wall, Executive Director of the National Reining Horse Association for joining us to discuss Reining and the 2010 WEG. What a fun sport!


• As promised in the show - here is the ride-off in the 2006 World Equestrian Games for the gold. Enjoy:

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Cold!!

It was so so so so so very cold today! I thought my toes were going to drop off! However, lucky as I seem to be this year (shh!) I had some really nice clients and everything seems to be going forward even more.
Now, very hot bath awaits!

Think Tank Day

I don't know about you but I have good and bad thinking days. The bad thinking days are those when I go round and round in circles and keep asking myself the wrong questions or even don't ask anything at all and bugger all comes out of it.
The bad thinking days are best spent on not thinking (!) as all that happens is more confusion.
The good thinking days are those when I actually manage to use my brain cells and engage them in some constructive thinking process. So today was a good thinking day. Well, some part of it anyway.
I have a few more ideas on how to go about my further teaching and they seem to be forming a better shape in my head now. That will hopefully be of benefit not only mine but many of my clients.
Horse riding is such a unique sport - you either truly get into it and feel the full positive power of it or experience the superficial layer, never go any deeper and never really get it...I want more people to dive in, hold their breath for a moment and get the real kick out of it. The one that I know is there.
The best people to teach are those who want to learn but I think sometimes you have to go the distance to show those people what there is to learn and how fabulous that journey with horses is going to be. We often forget what we've been taught or told but we rarely forget how we were made to feel...This is why my teaching methods always have the underlying mission of waking the true passion for the sport; for the passion drives the desire to learn more and more.
I might not always teach from books and might have unorthodox ways but hopefully what does stay with my riders is the will to get going and get exploring.

I also sat for a couple of hours today browsing various info on areas we consider the move to; looking at houses, prices etc - yay! I think I am so happy about moving out of London, even if I still have to wait for a moment for that to happen, that it released some more positive energy that was locked up for a long while.

I then hoped on the train in the evening to cheer up my very special friend...
You know how everybody wants happiness and joy in their lives and lives of people they care about? And how sometimes there are people around you who do care but who want to give you too much? Who want you to smile wide even though your face hurts from keeping it, that smile that never truly goes up to your eyes? Or who wants you to cry your heart and all your worries out and tells you it will make everything right? I did meet people like that many moons ago and I did try what they suggested but you know what? It may have worked for you but for me, it didn't quite do the job they promised.

What sometimes does work is to truly enjoy seeing someone no matter the problems they have, to just be around and not try too hard to make things better. Not entertain and not be entertained. It might not solve anything but it may make you smile, a faint passing kind of smile that sometimes is the most beautiful smile of all...
And then you may find that once you can smile like that you can also truly cry...and then go one more day forward...and then you can hope...then solve a problem or two...make decisions.
It does take time though.

The way I see it, life is like a special kind of puzzle. Some people want to give you a picture to help you put everything together. The way it goes though is that there is no picture. You take one piece and try it with another, then another, then another. You have family and friends to slot some pieces together but in the end it is your job to find the right shapes and sizes. You don't even know if all the elements are there, some you loose in the process but you keep going and you make your own image. The unique one.

Weekend in Cheshire

Here are some photographs from a couple of days at Ricky's family.

Onwards and upwards

The good thing about a new year is that we get the feeling of a new start (however elusive it might be) and whether we want it or not there seem to be some good energy about it. I certainly do want it!
The day courses are booking in nicely and I am very much looking forward to running them. It is always great to have people in for longer than just an hour, let them submerge in the whole learning environment, live and breathe horses for a day. It's amazing how much progress you can make by taking part in properly structured training day and I get a lot of satisfaction out of every bit of planning those days and seeing people's eureka moments by the end of them.
And it's a lot of fun too.

A huge thank you to Candace (did I mention all my great friends seem to live way too far???!!!) for a super Xmas gift - I picked it up this morning from a post office. You are a star C. and I think it's about time you came back on the island!!

The gift is a calendar with various exercises designed by variety of dressage trainers. If you want to have a closer look click this link.

Let me tell you a little secret but don't shout and keep your fingers tightly crossed, touch all the wooden stuff around and keep quiet for now: Hamlet has started walking out and he seems sound so far...I love this little horse and hope to be able to ride him again, even if just for a little hack.

What else...I seem to be playing devil's advocate encouraging my lovely friend to go for something that will make her move miles away and that is exactly opposite to what I would wish. However, we all have to chase those chances...

New Year's Day

Lots of thinking and planning is going on in my head today! And resting. And looking forward to my workload coming back to normal. Ideally better than normal.