Hello Winter

Well winter has well and truly hit, and it’s arrived in all its chilly glory! I often drive by paddocks filled with horses that have no rugs and think I should take them home, although I know full well they are happy in their paddock, and enjoying life with their herd. And to be honest, doing my own horses rugs twice a day can become a little repetitious as it is...imagine if I had 300 horses!!!

I often hear of people, especially “we” horse riders, that they seem to be lacking motivation at this time of year, and I can really understand that at 5:30 in the morning, in the dark and in the mud (again with the mud!!). However, I’m a little pleased to say that for the most part, that isn’t really me (except the 5:30 am stuff...bed is way too warm sometimes)
I seem to have found my mojo again – HOORAY!!!!
My lesson last week really helped, particularly as it was one of the few weeks that Jack decided to be a little bit of a handful. I’m putting his “mood” down to his clip, but who knows really...either way, I got a few points on the board, which was nice.

Oddly enough, our canter work hasn’t really been a huge issue this week. Jack is more than happy to just roll into his beautiful canter, which I can ride all day. This week we have needed to concentrate on trot...or to be honest, I’ve needed to concentrate on just letting him go, and riding to his trot, not the trot I think he should have.
I guess I have always thought his trot should be a plodding, rambling along trot, but truth be known it is actually a “mega-medium” trot, and I really need to accept that and go with it.
It’s a very strange feeling doing that however. I sometimes forget that not only is he a big, powerful boy, but he is also a boy that I really can trust to do pretty much the right thing all the time. I need to listen to that side of my mind that says “Wow, check out the motor in this baby...enjoy it”, however most of the time the other side of the brain kicks in and I hear “OMG...no way!!!!” Sometimes it feels as though the good devil is on one shoulder and he good angel is on the other...still not too sure which one I should be listening to however.

I guess that it all comes down to confidence, which as I may have mentioned before, is something we all struggle with from time to time. I do seem to be getting a little bit more, which I love. It means I really do go out and enjoy getting on the boy, rather than trying to find excuses not to.

Of course, greater understanding of how my mind works, and knowing exactly what I am capable of doing is a huge factor in this...as they say, a little self belief can go a long way.  In fact I may have even had my finger hovering over the submit button of an email I was about to send to someone to book in for a rather special clinic with a rather special rider/trainer...but I chickened out!!! Sometimes I just want to slap myself lol

But instead, I’ll keep plugging away...getting better, learning more, understanding more and trying new things (almost!!)