2/21/14 23:42
It's boring to say, but life is just good. Everything is trucking along, the weather is beautiful, I work with awesome people and have a lot of scary and exciting things coming down the pike. I have wonderful, inspiring friends who think I'm amazing, I'm no longer worried about being alone (cuz I'm not) or single. Basically, I'm just happy. I don't know how everything is going to work out, I just know that it is.
I showed my horse this morning. We really didn't do very well, but we still won Reserve English High Point and received a bucket full of cool stuff. I'm pretty excited!
Life is just great. I've got so much positive movement, tons of interest on Harmony, developing my career, progress on my book, moving forward with Houdini, sending Hoodlum to someone for training, awesome, AWESOME friends...and I'm very, very happy!
I showed my horse this morning. We really didn't do very well, but we still won Reserve English High Point and received a bucket full of cool stuff. I'm pretty excited!
Yesterday I had lunch with Heidi, a good friend and former coworker, who has moved on to bigger and better things. It was so great to see her again and catch up!
I'm so lucky to have my own chearleading squad. I have so many people who believe in and support me, I'm in awe. And it makes want to be a better person; to be worthy of their belief.
I went to lunch with a new friend and coworker. I talked about a job I applied for and my career aspirations. She offered to be a reference and help me toward my real career passion- process improvement and Lean. Her belief in me is kind of shocking, because we've only interacted at work for the last couple of months, and she already has faith in my abilities, despite my lack of "on-the-job" experience.
I was so energized and excited, I could barely focus in the less engaging work waiting on my desk!
I've been shirking my thankful duties and not writing, which is too bad because I have a ton to be thankful for!
I'm getting serious about my riding again, I've had some great new business ideas, spending a ton of fun time with friends and family. We had a bunch of snow (for us) but never lost power. Denali turned 13. I could go on and on...
Yesterday was a GREAT day. I didn't roll out of bed until 2pm...I stayed up really late watching movies, but it was sunny and balmy. I turned the ponies out and grabbed the camera. I got the most amazing shots of Houdini playing and contorting. The quality isn't awesome, I still need to learn to really use my camera, but the sheer strength, joy, muscle control and expression was something I've never captured before. I've always gone for 'artsy' shots that show how beautiful he is. These are raw and rough and mud, but they're so real. And so him.
After the batteries died, I cleaned stalls then brought everyone in. Harmony, the girl I'm seeking a perfect new home for, got a spa treatment and was perfectly behaved.
Everyone else got a good curry.
A friend I've hardly seen for months showed up and we rode together. Houdini left his dinner to come to the stalls door and put him head in the bridle, he wanted to work THAT much.
I had a great ride. Our last ride was awful; stiff, no connection, just thumping around on the forehand stiff as a board. Last night I was a thinking rider. Neither of us have been working and we're both stiff and out of shape, so I worked on me first... just relaxing into his movement at the trot and canter until my body wasn't resisting his. He was warming up and learning to trust my non interference at the same time.
Once we were mobile, I used very light flexing at the poll and light leg with supporting spur to ask for give, give, give. My goal was supple and forward, to get freedom of movement without creating resistance. Conscious "effort" creates resistance in my muscles, resistance in my muscles means Houdini has to fight me to do his job...and that's not fair to either of us!
The entire ride was just a developing. Developing a connection, developing movement, developing relaxation, developing suspension, developing freedom. And we did it. Came out awful and left with muscles humming and a happy pony. And that is what it's all about.
