I Am A Cetacean

This past week I had a few discouraging rides on le ponyface.

The disheartening feelings weren't a product of the Yankee being a brat, but from my lack of efficient riding.

I've noticed lately with more intense rides I get tired quickly and I'm quite sore the next day. This rarely has happened in the past, and it was like a slap in the face that the whale has beached again.

That whale being myself.

Not only does my ass hang over the saddle flap but I can't even sit the trot for 3 minutes.

I'm not fat by any means...just...chuzzy.

And out of shape. Like, I am a circle.

In college I had a multimillion $$ gym that I had access to everyday. And actually used. I was hot and in beast mode shape.

That, however, was almost 2 years ago and since I am too poor to afford a gym membership my only means of actual exercise is the barn and all the chores that entails and the lackluster riding I have done in the last few years. I rarely kick my own butt at home with do-it-yourself- workouts because couch.

Not exactly conducive to a rockin ridin bod.

However, NO MORE.

It took a horrible ride on Tuesday to make me realize that this is shit. And it sucks. I can't even get my horse to collect anymore and there is no actual extensions in his trot because I can't set him up for it.

I didn't do us any favors with the way I rode over winter either. Sure he got worked 3-5 times a week depending on the weather. But the rides were barely 30 minutes and never included intense work. I'm still stuck in his "baby" OTTB brain phase when he can't handle more than 20 minutes of work but he is an adult and we are eventers.

Time to ride like we mean it.

The first show is May 10. I have about 6 weeks? I don't math.

So I bit the bullet and signed up for a month with a personal trainer. Because like I said, I am lazy and have been perpetually for about 2 years. I need a good ass kicking so that my ass is beautiful again.

The ride I had on Friday made me feel TONS better about this season though.

I set up a cool course with a tough diagonal line-vertical, 2 strides to skinny (VERY SKINNY) 2 strides to corner, and outside lines- one was a 1 stride (verticals) 2 strides to a wide oxer, the other outside line was all verticals, 2 stride, bending 2. It was wonderful!!

He was ON POINT the whole time.

It helped WonderWoman warmed him up with her magic.

DAT TROT DOH

Then I hopped on to learn her jump warm up (start long low, then collect, then extend) and popped him over a few fences.

He felt great so I moved on to my main focus...the skinny.

First I left the pole on top and the standards close. He jumped it no problem. Didn't bat an eye or question it.

Then I jumped it at an angle both directions. Still-nailed it. No question. Wut.

 Then I moved the standards away a little bit further on each side. Again. Awesome.

Lastly, I moved the standards close again but took off the top pole. He asked me about a stride out "Am I really?...OK"...And jumped it dead center. I was impressed. I thought for sure he would duck out at some point but  he never did!

Prelim skinnies here we come!

We did the whole course a few times with pretty bitchin lead changes and only one rail. This made me happy panda.

Maybe one day soon he can reach Spirit (AKA WonderPony) status and jump 2 barrels in a row upright with no pole or standards!

We will see :D