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Comment by Still Green on July 11, 2009 at 1:16am

Hi Cindy,

I will be sure to try these exercises on Tuesday when I have my next lesson. Thank you for the great tips. I will also be sure to check out Heather Samson's blog.

I do not know where Telkwa is located in British Colunbia but after I write you I will look it up on Mapquest. Are you located close to Victoria? I've never been to B.C. but I've been told many times it's the most beautiful of our Provinces. I'vs also heard from the news that "out west" is where the recession has been most felt. I am in Montreal Qc and although the recssion was felt more at the beginning of the year things are already getting better. I know it will also get better in your neck of the woods too it just may take a bit more time. Please keep this in mind. You will eventually be able to continue your riding center.

You might also be able to use your new job to newtwork and get more people interested in taking riding lessons. You never know who you will meet when and what kind of relationship you will develop with that person. Also it is great that your more fit and developing more strength. I hope you are enjoying the work at the tree nursery even if it is strenuous.

Have a great night and talk to you soon.

Kelly

Comment by Cindy Jeffery on July 10, 2009 at 11:18pm

Well...the riding center has been put on hold for a few weeks...I've gone back to work after 12 years of not working off the ranch. The economy is not great where I live and it is riding lessons and horses that get cut. Everyone is feeling the pinch. I continue to keep my hand in when I can. I'm a box checker at a tree nursery we start at 6 a.m. and finish at 2:30 p.m. It's a strenuous job, and I'm always moving. I too have notice 5 lbs missing from my 210 and lots of toning and muscle strength returning. About those stretching exercises, it is hard for me to discribe on here in any great detail so that you would understand but Heather Sansom is an equifit instructor and is on Barnmice. She's been on the over 40 group and also has her own blog spot on here too. But what I've been doing lately is lunges to the side and front, stretching to the ceiling, cat stretches (yoga like), holding my arms out front like I'm holding a ball and turning my upper body keeping my lower body still. Those are just some, while doing these remember to repeat each minimum 4 times no more than 8 and hold in your core muscles (tighten your tummy and abs). In fact tighten your tummy, abs and gluts anytime you are doing something like lifting or stretching. Hanging off of fences are good and using them as support for squats or leg lifts whatever. The point is be creative and try to remember the movements you used to do as a kid. They seemed so unimportant then and we never thought we would lose it but as the years creep by and business creeps in pretty soon those muscles we didn't use are hard to get going again. So, persevere my dear, the battle will be won!

Comment by Still Green on July 9, 2009 at 10:56pm

Hi Cindy,

I wanted to thank you for encouragement and advice. Thank you. Since I have been riding I have lost a good amount of weight because I am more careful about what I eat and exercise more but I have also been developing alot of muscle strength that I hadn't realised I lost till I started riding again. It came to me like any epiphany last week when I was riding that my muscles were much stronger and I had a deeper seat also I could more effectively use my aids. For sure this didn't happen over night but I could finally really notice the difference. I am very happy with my progress.

I was wondering what kind of stretching would you recommend be done before and after riding? Stretching is something I never do but know should be done. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Have you been making any progress with the transformation of Gweek riding center? Please let us know how your doing. Also I'd love to hear about your riding and about news at Gweek. Keep us updated!

Kelly

Comment by Cindy Jeffery on July 8, 2009 at 10:03pm

Barby..that is soooo true. Be very careful. What kind of horse did you have in mind?

Comment by Barbara Sky Horse on July 8, 2009 at 3:06pm

hey up all!!
I was just re-reading the comments thinking to myself ... What a Really Wonderful Bunch of Folks!!!
((((((((Group Hug))))))))
I Sincerely Love the "Positive" Encouragement and Genuinely Insightful "Sharing"
....as for me ....
The search for my Equine "Best Friend / Partner" continues!!
As I sort through the amazing amount of horses I'm coming across,
I think (sadly) ... my over all impression is "BE CAREFUL!!!"
There are A Whole LOT of unprincipled- devious people, marketing horses!!
~ Barby

Comment by Jackie Cochran on July 5, 2009 at 1:33pm

Hi!
I used to be a rusty rider. I am sure that I will be a rusty rider in the future.
I think that instructors are worried about older, rusty (and handicapped) riders in a regular lesson format. The only way I have been able to really ride is by getting private lessons. Yes, it is more expensive, but I get to ride, and the lesson is all about me and the horse I'm riding. Another possible alternative is to go in with a friend or two for a semi-private lesson. I always talk with the instructor, telling her about my experience, how good I used to ride, how far I've fallen from that state of grace, and what I think I can realistically do. Then I beg for their help. I have noticed that horsewomen are often willing to help me.
And ladies, you may think that you lack courage. Well, I've noticed that we are never taught how to be brave, we have to learn it ourselves. Ladies you are brave; however rusty, weak, handicapped, scared, uncoordinated and just plain terrified you are, you still get out there around animals that outweigh you, are stronger than you, and can move so much quicker than you, and you are out there (or thinking of getting out there) and at least handling the horse. This is true courage.

Comment by Coopersmom_1958 on July 5, 2009 at 12:32pm

Hi Barby and everyone here!
I really don't feel like I have a lot of courage, I just go abouts things day to day and grateful that I am able to walk and ride. I just love being with the horses, whether it be riding or just being near them.
I have recently had to cut back to one lesson a week, for financial reasons, and my body is letting me know. Overweight, lack of exercise, not being able to walk around for very long. We have been having a lot of rain here in Toronto, seems to always happen the night of my lesson too, so they keep getting cancelled. The barn I ride at has moved to their summer location and everything is outdoors. So when it rains everything comes to a standstill.
I have a hard time walking around the arena with Cooper and can't jog or run with him. I am waiting for a new prosthesis (artifcial leg) and hope that I will be able to walk more comfortably.
Cooper is just so smart! I was told his mother had some draft in her, sometimes I see it in him. He is small right now, but he did have a poor start in life, so I am sure he will still grow some more.
If I could be with him more often I am sure I would be further along in his training. I am using Jonathan Fields dvd's. I also have Parelli level 1 and level 2. I am still only at the very beginning of them both. I am trying to get Cooper more confident using Jonathan's training, and we play the seven games with Parelli. Everything is still on the ground, we have not got to the riding part yet. Working on making everything stronger. He is a very calm boy, sometimes it seems like he really understands my disability.
Hope this post makes sense LOL

Comment by Margaret H. Ostrowski on July 4, 2009 at 9:12pm

I just found this group! sounds like a great group....I was fine until I had a terrible fall from a mare (not my horse); since then my fear has gone up and down; it's up now due to my horse having some girthing issues lately -- working with the vet and she's doing a great job; think he's much better and now I just have to wait out the rest of the back acupuncture, the abscess to heal on his rear right; --- then I hope to get back on! At 55 I don't bounce as well as a teenager (like I used to be and could ride anything....). He's a great wonderful Thoroughbred and we hope to get to 1st level Dressage --- but this year it's been no riding since Nov 08 and no showing this summer --- I won't give up on him --- or myself!!!

Comment by Cindy Jeffery on July 4, 2009 at 12:52pm

Kelly, I want to thank you for your kind words and I want to encourage you that those baby steps will become larger as you persevere in your goal in regards to riding. Yes, we have a little more of ourselves where we shouldn't which can cause balance issures for us and the horse. But "playing" on the ground mostly for now and on the back less is best until you build up muscles and if necessary lose some weight or rearrange the weight by building muscle and toning. Those things you do for your horse on the ground have body movements that you can isolate for several seconds at a time. Also, stretching is very, very important not just before you ride but during and after. I have just started a job away from the ranch which makes life kind of hectic. I am working in a tree nursery as a box checker I find it invigorating and tiring all at the same time and I am moving so much using every muscle, before we start work we do exercises and at breaks because the jobs we do repeat over and over. Been at it for 7 days and already feel the difference. To relax after work I go for a ride and have found that my responses are more sure. This tells me that once you get stronger and you will.....your balance will return and the more it returns the more confident you will become, but it will take a little time. I agree with Barby, having a coach/instructor put you on a program for about 3 weeks will give you a huge boost in confidence. Just don't depend on you coach/instructor for your success, only you can do that. Good Luck..you can do this!

Comment by Still Green on July 3, 2009 at 3:54am

Hello Barby,

Your posts are always encouraging and very funny! Not to mention you really "hit the nail on the head" in regards to our fears and the harsh realities of aging.

In regards to getting more fit, if you are not someone who workouts on regular basis, riding will definitely help with weight loss and building/toning muscle. Most people don't realise how much of a sweat you break out into when you are doing the sitting trot or even worse doing a rising trot without stirrups!!!! My trainer claims I will get better balance and be able to strengthen the leg muscles I need most to ride better .......but I don't buy it. She just likes to torture me. lol Seriuosly Barby when you DO find the horse you are looking for just the fact that you will be riding more often will change you physically.

Also a food diary also helps. Just write down everything you eat in a day and really take a "look" at what you have put in your body. It's an easy way to gauge what you can cut on and better choices you can be making.

You are so right about a trainer!! The first trainer you start with might with not be the perfect "fit" but trying different trainers will help you to find the one that can bring you to where you to be. Like you, I need a trainer that will push me. I was lucky enough that the trainer I started with is exactly like that. She knows when I am being....dare I say lazy? or when I can do it but my fears get in the way. She is truly very happy when I do get it right or try something that is just outside of my comfort zone. Barby you WILL find your match just keep looking and ask around. I'm sure you one of your contacts knows/works with someone like this. Why don't you post something in the Barnmice classifieds? I wish you good luck!

We will all get back to where we once were and maybe even more if that is what our goal is but it will take a bit of time and perservance. It's the journey that's important right not the destination!?

Have a great day Barby!

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