Editing Videos

So I've been sitting here, bored asf, barely conscious, in & out of a fever, but weirdly motivated. One of my goals for today was to edit the video clips I took of B on Saturday and send the link to my trainer who's been asking for it for some of her clients and for a woman who's interested who's been asking for it...

I know, I'm the worst.

First, I had to actually DL a video editing app. SO many to choose from.

[[I bought the new iPhone 7 (well, traded my 6 in) with EXTRA extra storage because no matter how much I deleted from my old phone, I NEVER had room. Therefore,  I used  to film on my SUPER shitty OLD as fuck iPad, edit, convert then upload to YouTube. Aka took literal hours for one shitty video. And they were always shitty and I hated them. Then said iPad got so old that it could no longer sync with YouTube or my mac and therefore, all my unedited video clips are lost in iPad space. WHOMP WHOMP.]] 

I ended up paying for one  called Videoshop because it had the best reviews and I know I won't use it just the one time now that my technology and storage is up to speed.

Anyways, I bought the app for my phone because I JUST figured out how to get pictures to my Macbook.... I don't think I could get videos uploaded AND edited. I am ancient when it comes to technology, okay.

The app was legit though, you could edit literally anything, re-size, add filters, text, flip images, slo-mo, fast-mo etc etc etc.

Meaning, all I could figure out how to do was mash clips together and add some music. It took me LITERALLY 30 minutes to add 5 words of text to the video. I ended up deleting half the clips and had to re-do it and re-add text because I am actually retarded. 

Don't get me wrong, the app was super user friendly. But I am not most users.

I even filmed all the clips horizontally like you're supposed to, and they still showed up in the app as vertical and dumb ass me couldn't figure out how to flip 15 clips without deleting it all.

The most accurate representation of me today 

Regardless, two hours later (45 minutes for the upload on our country ass slow ass internet) we have a semi-OK 5 min YouTube clip thats more recent than shit from September. 

Behold.

It starts off with some flat work from my lovely friend S, who came to visit a few weeks ago. Then super friend L who put him through his paces on the flat and over fences Saturday in the pouring and freezing rain. I was bummed we only got footage from the indoor, but this Saturday we are hoping to get something from outside. Unfortunately its supposed to monsoon for the next 6 days, including Saturday, so we will see.

Luckily, I've had a few people share the video on FB and its been viewed a few times more than normal, despite my struggles with mashing it all together and how crappy I think it is in the end.

So. Do any of you have tips and tricks on how to make a video. What apps/editors do you use? Can you give me a tutorial? Do you have a  few hours to spare?

Down With The Sickness

Its official.

I got the black lung.

Highly annoying considering I have a horse to sell and haven't actually been to the gym regularly in weeks. Also even  more annoying because I had some weird strain of the super flu at the end of November and spent two weeks essentially dying and then recovering slowly from that.

I must have never recovered fully and ended up catching a strain of pneumonia that is set on destroying my life slowly and painfully.

Its just as bad as I remember it and I've spent the majority of two days in and out of consciousness.

It must have started as just a cold or like a cold, because I was able to continue going to work and surviving with mild symptoms. I was good to myself for 8 days and didn't do shit (aka went to my desk job and watched netflix at night, nothing else) which was SO hard, and it was miserable. On day 9 I said fuck it and lifted a little at the gym and got to ride a little bit in the following days. It wasn't until Saturday that I came down with a fever and it stayed.

Extra super annoying that I was sick on my birthday (Sunday).

I FINALLY went to the Dr when I was on day 2 of a fever and had the aches and all the other fun things that accompanying an illness more serious than a cold and it was confirmed that I'm a (barely) walking sac of lung pus.

GREAT.

I had been putting off going because I ALWAYS stay sick longer than most people due to a genetic blood disease that makes me anemic and gives me a less than stellar immune system. Having a 10 day cold is normal for me. Having a fever for several days following said 10 day cold is not.

*Begrudgingly goes to Dr office*

So now I have Dr.'s orders to stay at home and rest and do nothing. Easier said than done for me, especially with all the things I like to do and have to do! Who has show and book recommendations for me?

So in addition to missing work, not being able to ride or lift,  I also have an appointment with some specialists to run some tests and see if we can figure out a treatment plan for me and why I am always sick and stay sick. This may possibly lead to the removal of my spleen. Luckily, I have great insurance this year, unlike last year (Thanks Obama), but its still freaking me out a bit.

Anyone wanna take B off my hands? Plz?

Winter Claustrophobia

Tis the season of shitty, blurry indoor pics and being stuck inside for weeks on end.

Even now, despite the raging bipolar temps here in Ohio, we have been literally swamped with rain, preventing rides outside more often than not. This leaves us all to cram in the smallish indoor and hopefully get some sort of work done.

Despite having ANOTHER cold from hell (I've been sick since Jan 3), I have actually been working the beast. I am struggling a bit, since the cold seems to have settled in my chest, but overall its been productive and positive.

However, I am noticing that jumping B indoors is not going as smoothly as intended.

Last year we were still at the old farm and the indoor there, while shittier in the footing department, it was MASSIVE. I would say easily twice the size of the current indoor at the new farm and it might have had higher ceilings too. Here a the new farm, B has trouble jumping even a single fence because his massive body just can't make the turns comfortably afterwards. Even the indoor jumper shows we have been to had bigger rings, and he just seems to be struggling in ours.

I've come to this conclusion after 3 separate rides this past week. One was our jump lesson on Wednesday, the other was a  ride outside on Friday with a break in the rain and the other was an attempted sale video on Saturday indoors again.

So wednesday; it was not great. I am trying to not make excuses, but for one, I was quite sick and weak AF, and I should have just cancelled--but I rode anyways. Secondly, there were so.many.people. and horses at the barn. I've never seen it so busy and it was weirding ME out a bit. The group lesson was big, there was a wall of people watching, and the wind & rain was whipping outside....not the best conditions for a fractious TB.

He warmed up exceptionally well though and his flatwork was lovely. No canter explosions and he was truly on the bridle and forward. I had him in his snaffle hunt bridle with a standing martingale, which I have been using recently with him.

It wasn't until we all started jumping that problems arose. I don't know if it was just too much commotion going on (sensory overload) or I was riding like shit, but B was rather inconsistent. He was jumping, then spooking, then jumping cautiously, then spooking. I was having trouble staying with him and he was having trouble focusing. My trainer ended up getting on because after 40 minutes, I was tapped and collapsing into coughing fits.

Snorty TB

The kicker was that she was having the same issues with him and we settled on jumping the grid line quietly and ended his ride there. Quite disappointing, but I shrugged it off to the crazy weather and the amount of commotion going on everywhere. Still no excuse, but rather understandable IMO.

Trainer being patient

Friday was nicer outside and despite the ring being pretty water logged, I decided to ride out there. First I lunged him, since there was a bonfire burning and the farm next door was moving their sheep around and they were being loud AF. He was a little snorty, but actually settled quite nicely with a big powerful trot as our warm up.

He was a dream to ride, and we even popped over a few fences with no issues. I had opted to ride in his hackamore (even though I lunged him in the snaffle on the bridoon hanger) because he was really resisting the snaffle on Wednesday and I wanted it to be as positive as possible for him.. I was feeling better about things and had planned to get some video over a course the next day with my friend L in the stirrups since I was sick.

The weather was not cooperating though, and we were forced inside. Yet again it was windy and rainy and the ring was slightly crowded. Luckily, those in the ring gave us some room to TRY and jump him over something substantial so we could get some video for some prospective buyers. I also put him back into his hackamore, which he seems to like on Friday.

Get it B!

Again, he was lovely for warm up and even gave us some super solid flying changes. He was jumping well until I added the panel and moved the fence height to 2'9...then he started throwing in a random spook now and again. It was never predictable, as he would jump fine a few times then out of nowhere snort and sidestep the fence. So strange.

could be a hunter IMO

Eventually he settled a bit and we were able to get the fence raised to 3'6, but he was really struggling with the turn afterwards and I think his confidence was just in the toilet regarding the small ring and being asked to jump higher. I think he was actually slipping a little on the turn, and when that happens he gets fresh. This is a totally normal reaction for most horses, but it is not conducive for a positive training experience. I truly understand the feeling of insecurity, and I'm 99% positive that was the reason for his antics on Saturday.

struggle....

...bus

Its hard to remember that he's such a big horse because I make him look small and he makes the jumps look small, but it makes sense when you think about how compressed the ring is in comparison to him. His canter stride covers the short side in like 3 strides, its crazy. I decided to not push him further and we ended on a several good leaps over 3'6 and cut our losses to try again next weekend over courses outside.

3'3

3'6

Truly, I am thinking he is just claustrophobic in the indoor and his confidence goes in the shitter when we ask him to jump over 3ft. He hasn't really been asked to jump much this winter and right now I don't think he is fit enough for jumper turns, especially after a large leap. Bummed out this seems to be a minor training bump, but I think it might just be the indoor. I consulted with several friends and they said thats actually pretty common and they know a few horses who simply will not jump in a small ring indoors. I guess thats reassuring, but its still frustrating as all hell!

Luckily, his flatwork is fantastic and we can still do sub 3ft inside when we have to, but I think I am going to only ask for major effort outdoors in order to keep his confidence intact.

Currently have a love hate relationship with the indoor! Hah.