First Horse Show

Well, I did it!  Rode in my first horse show this past weekend.  The goal I'd set for myself last winter, a result of childhood dreams and years on the rail watching our daughter had left me wondering how it would feel to be on the inside looking out. 

Sure looked easy enough.  Yet this past year's experience of learning how to ride correctly revealed that it wasn't as easy as it appeared.  Added to that, the great robber of joy - lack of confidence - well all I can say is that I'm sure I've been a challenge to both my horse and trainer.

Didn't sleep much the night before the show and was sure nervous that morning.  What helped me was the familiarity of being at many shows in the past as part of the support team.  I knew the drill and it was pretty easy to not focus on the fact that it was ME who was going to be out there riding.  A good suggestion for anybody wanting to ride in their first show would be to become familiar with the routine first.  And an set of extra hands are always welcome.

It was cold out and Champ was fresh so I asked Hero Trainer to ride him first.  As I watched her dealing with his frisky attitude, I kept telling my husband, "Oh No....I can't ride THAT!!!"  My husband kept telling me I'd be ok.

And he was right, as soon as I got on a great calm came over me and confidence, my new-found friend, took the upper hand.  Trust me, this is a LONG way from where I was a year ago.

I rode every Western walk/jog class I could, starting with the first class of the day.  I found myself grinning ear to ear because I was really enjoying myself.  It's said that smiles are infectious.  Must be true because after a few rounds in the ring, I noticed that people in the stands were also smiling.  I kinda got a kick out of that and it made me smile even more.

When I was out there I thought about all the things that had put me in the ring that day.  I never rode this show to 'win'.  Why was I out there? 

I thought about my dreams as a child and this past year's goal; my friends who wanted to return to riding but were tentative (one of them right there on the rail cheering me on); my husband, the guy who years ago threatened to divorce if me if I bought a horse, who had insisted on washing the truck and trailer the night before this show in the dark because he said I shouldn't go to my first horse show in a dirty rig; our daughter, home from college for this event to support me and the horse she loved but trusted to be in my care; Hero Trainer, who gave me the gift of confidence; and all of you who might happen to come upon this blog, hoping it will inspire you to climb back on or never get off.

So in my zone of thoughts it was with much surprise that I placed in seven of ten classes.   That was a nice 'extra' I sure didn't expect.  And I choked up a little when I heard my family and friends cheer each time they announced my name. 

Hero Trainer has called today and wants me to ride at the next show in November.  Our barn will there together and it will be fun to ride and be with friends.  I'll show again and see where this road leads me, but my goal for 2009 has been met and my mind is flying....what will my 2010 goal be?  Well some big changes are coming for this 50+ rider as 2010 arrives so thank you for dropping in and hope you'll stay tuned!  :)

Crunch Time

A week-long business trip pulled me away from riding the week before last.  Being a 'remote' employee means you don't visually get to see your co-workers very often.  It had been eighteen months since we'd last met so our visual meeting that Monday included lots of hugs and hand shakes when we all got together for dinner.

It was with some concern the next day when over half of my co-workers didn't come down to breakfast because they were sick.  Infact most of them never came down the entire week.  The only other time I saw them was as they drug themselves through the lobby Friday morning on their way back home.

Not good I thought, for us trying to stay healthy.  Not good I thought for someone who has planned for the last year to ride in her first horse show this next weekend.

Arriving home Friday night, I was beat.  Saturday morning arrived with headaches, scratchy throat, etc.  And it's been that way every day since.  I'm on the edge of sick and what I've worked so hard for this last year, my first horse show, is coming up seven days from now.  I could call the doctor but knowing my health provider, they'll want me to come in and I just know I'll be doomed for sure if I go where all the sick people are.

So this past week, I drug myself home each night and laid low.  No energy to even go out and see Champ.  With each day, I felt my muscle tone leaving me and I also started to get that good old feeling of anxiety for my next ride. 

Yesterday evening I sucked it up and went out and took a lesson from my "Hero Trainer", as I call her.  The most patient person in the world, who endured months of my walking and trotting because I was afraid to lope.  In the past year I have yet to have a 'bad' ride thanks to her guidance, although some have been more challenging then others. 

Last night was the most challenging yet.  Two weeks of not riding has reduced my muscle tone and balance.  I feel weight in my gut and butt.  And I could really feel the difference, especially when in (trying to) lope I almost went off of Champ's right side (my fault totally).  I also cleared (a lot of ) air in another attempt to lope, bringing my rear down with such force on the saddle that it was heard by all throughout the indoor arena and has left my right ribs and back sore today.  Pretty ugly and poor Champ.

Yeah, woe is me, pitty party.  Well, sorry - that's not me.  Seven days until crunch time so I'm off to ride when I complete this.  Regardless of how I feel, my expectations for next Saturday are to meet the goal I set a year ago.  Ride in a horse show.  I intend to ride, laugh and have fun.  If I get a ribbon, great.  If not, that's great too because I will have achieved my goal.

However, if I get a Blue I'm afraid I'll wimp out and cry, thinking about that little girl who always wanted a horse, rode rocks and fences, ambushed trail riders begging for a ride, and put her marriage on the line to make her first horse purchase.   That little girl will be thrilled.

10 Things I Couldn't Have Made It Without

It's been a year since I decided to start riding our daughter's horse, Champ.  Formerly used in APHA and 4H shows, he comes with many buttons that I knew nothing about.  He'd been sitting idle for a year in our pasture after our daughter headed off to college.  I hated to see all that talent wasted.  Last year at this time, I returned Champ to the facility we formerly boarded at and arranged to start taking lessons.

I've been reflecting today on Champ and my journey this past year.  From my first lesson, held outside his stall because I was too afraid to ride, to my accomplishment of finally getting up the nerve to lope a month ago.  I am grateful for this last year and thought about the ten things that I couldn't have made it this far without:

1.  My husband.  Always there to support me.  I'm grateful for his patience and presence when he comes to watch and the space he gives me when he isn't there.  He carries my tack when I ride and gets up early every morning to feed our horses at home.  Today, the guy who threatened to divorce me if I ever got a horse loves them as much as I do.  And I love him for it with all my heart.

2.  My trainer, who has the patience of a Saint.  Any trainer who will encourage the rider for eight months to lope (we called it 'getting my wings') before it finally happens has got to be a Saint (that's two months after my initial lesson).  She never pushed me to lope (although she suggested it plenty of times).  She tells me where I need to improve but also tells me where I've improved or done a move well.  After jogging for ten months, I was totally comfortable but bored with it and found I was ready to take the next step without any drama.  I use my wings quite often these days.

3.  The mounting block.  Champ is a tall horse.  The block makes it easier for me to climb up on and I'm sure it's more comfortable for Champ.  This starts my rides out on a positive note.

4.  Poles.  These have helped me learn the buttons Champ has as well as work on my balance.  Initially walking or trotting over them, I'm now able to back thru all sorts of pole configurations, like a V configuration.  I can also sidepass both directions and do haunch turns.  I love the communication with Champ when I play with the poles.  Next step will be loping over them.

5.  My helmet.  It's ugly green and banged up.  Not fashionable but it's a necessity and I never ride without it.  I've had my concussion Thank You and never want another one when I fall off.  I also feel responsible to my family to take the necessary measures to be as safe as I can when I ride.  And I want them to wear a helmet when they ride too so I practice what I preach.  There's no guarantees when you're up on your horse that you won't have an accident and you do the best to avoid it.  At +50, I'll take all the insurance I can get to be as safe as I can from injuries.

6.  Eating right.  The years of not eating correctly have caught up with me.  I found if you pig out before you ride, you'll pay the price.  There is nothing worse then the ugly feeling of crawling up into the saddle feeling stuffed.  Your balance will stink and your energy level will be low.  You'll peak out early in the ride, cheating you and your horse out of why you're out there.  Eating lighter will give the opposite of those experiences.  I don't know how many times I've wanted ice cream (my downfall) and reminded myself of how I'll feel on the horse if I indulge.  Makes it easy to turn away from the temptation and although the pounds aren't dropping fast, they are dropping steadily.

7.  Music.  It helps me relax and have a good time.  Some songs inspire me to try different things and the music alleviates the anxiety that might come along if I was out there in silence.  Riding to music is just fun and keens your spiritual awareness of being one with your horse.

8.  Pants.  Yup, pants!  I initially started riding in my department store jeans.  After my pant legs kept riding up and zippers and metal studs carved ugly scratches in my saddle when I dismounted, I needed a change.  Enter my Women's Wrangler Stretch Jeans.  They fit me great and are perfect for riding.  Long Live Cowgirls.

9.  50+ Ladies Night.  Held every Wednesday night at the barn, we get together and take a group lesson.  We cheer each other on and the night is always full of lots of laughs.  These gals are my soul sisters and I don't know what I'd do without them.  We finish our evening with snacks and the beverage of your choice, recalling our rides and what we'll do the following week.  We are currently working with our horses on learning how to sort cows.  We're also talking about Dressage.

10.  Ibuprofen (sp)?.  When I've had a few days off from riding and return to it, I pay the price of sore muscles.  This helps me relieve some of those, "Ughs" that come from me when I get up out of a chair after those first few rides.  Luckily, I find the more often I ride the sooner the pains go away.  Recently my husband told me I had legs like nutcrackers.  I am so stupid, I went to work and told everybody, thinking of the Nutcracker Ballet.  Took me a few days to figure it out.  :)

One Step At A Time

How does one get up the nerve to approach riding when they're older and find themselves uncertain or afraid, but still have that drive to ride?  I found success with one step at a time.

I hit the big 4-Oh and felt the clock of age ticking.  I had the best intentions in mind when I went shopping for my first horse.  We can be easily swayed when we purchase our pets, large or small.  This is especially true with first time horse owners, who have waited all their lives for this moment.  Emotion easily runs over common sense. 

I bought the first horse I saw, a 20+ year old mare.  Those days my decision was based on #1) she was pretty, #2) she was the right price (all I had was $500), and (finally some common sense prevailed), #3) she was an older horse.  No vet check, didn't ride her first, never laid eyes on another prospective purchase.

I was comfortable moving around her, grooming her, etc.  Then it came time to ride her and...I found myself totally terrified.  My first rides were spent being humbly led around the pasture on what came to be called, "Pony Rides".

After about a month of  many Pony Rides, I knew I had to ride her by myself.  We headed down our road and then we had Rodeo.  She bucked, spun and I barely stayed on.  As soon as she stopped I shakily (and very hastily) climbed off and led her back to the barn. 

I'd been around horses enough to realize those pony rides had set a tone with her and that she had my fear number big time.  I knew I had to be more sure and assertive when next I rode.  I did ride her again a few more times but I always felt I was on the verge of a wreck and it's no fun to ride when you feel that way.  I found myself drifting to what was now our second horse, a 19-year old gelding, purchased to keep our mare "company".  I left the mare to our young daughter who with little fear, got along great with her.

I decided no more pony rides.  I read an article that said to take it one step at a time.  First step was to get up the nerve to climb on.  I took hours to groom, saddle and walk him around, and I can't count how many times I checked to make sure the saddle was secure.  I'd purchased a 2-step mounting block so climbing on would be quick, smooth and comfortable for both of us.  I got on the mounting block and...shakily, climbed back off.

I was so frustated with myself - I couldn't get up the nerve to climb on the horse!  I ended up climbing up on the mounting block and laying across the saddle, inhaling all the great smells of horse and leather.  I put my foot in the stirrup a few times but never did climb on that day.  I acted like this had been the plan all along and ended by hand walking him.

For some reason I went home elated feeling I'd accomplished something (but wasn't quite sure what it was).  I made a pact I'd return the next day and told myself I'd climb on and just sit on him.  The next day I went through the same ritual of grooming, saddling, assuring we were both ready.  And when the time came, I said what I still say today, "One, Two, Three and  Up and Over".

I was shaking from head to toe but I concentrated on the scenery and tried to calm down.  I must have sat there for 10 minutes trying to breath.  The poor horse finally turned his head and glanced back at me with such a questioning look that he made me laugh and suddenly I found myself relax and sink comfortably into the saddle.  It felt great!  I backed him up off the fence and we walked a few feet away.  I called it a day.  I floated back to the house in glee, looking forward to returning the next day.

Day 3 had me getting ready much quicker.  Climbing on was still a challenge and I reminded myself to take it one step at a time.  As I climbed on, silently chanting my of "One, Two, Three and Up and Over."  I made myself laugh, which made me even laugh more at what someone observing this from afar would be thinking.  And with that laughter I found myself sinking into the saddle, relaxing and taking control of the situation.

I focused on a daisy, sitting alone out in the middle of the pasture.  I rode out to it and back.  Grinning ear to ear, I returned to the daisy and decided I'd go past it to a tree a little further out.  Off we went, over and over again, further and further out into the pasture.  That night I danced home.  One step at at time soon had us out and about anywhere we wanted to go.

As time passed and other horses came into my life, I found that my fear centered on swinging my leg over the saddle, that final step of commitment that finds you are now  up on a horse and in charge of something that you may think you are in control of but worry you may not be.

Today at 50+, I'm still nervous when I first climb on my horse Champ, an 11-year old Paint.  He's dominant towards women.  At over 16 hands (I'm 5'3), with a Dennis the Menace, give-an-inch, take-a-mile attitude, it's strictly business with this guy or he'll run you right over, literally.  But once you've established you are in charge he is a joy to ride.

I take it one step at a time by first setting the tone with ground work.  I establish that I'm in charge.  I won't let him get too close, ahead or behind me.  As I lead him to the mounting block (a great tool for us 50+'ers) I chose various places to suddenly stop and back up and I expect him to do same.  By the time I'm ready to get on we've usually have set our terms.  If not, I continue until we do have them set, no matter how long it takes.

Repeating this ritual each time I ride is now taking less time to set the tone.  The result is that when I do climb up I've got a respectful horse which helps me quickly get through those first few minutes of butterflies.  I truly believe one step at a time has given me the lattitude to quickly get over my nerves, enjoy all my rides and most importantly, helped me avoid confrontations or worse, wrecks.

Welcome to 50 + Horses

If you are a 50 + Horses person you might be like me. I grew up watching Fury and Roy Rogers. I didn't have a horse but every birthday or Christmas that was what I asked for.

If I could put a rope around it, I rode it. Be it a rock, fence, etc. My friends and I were wild horses as we ran through the trails in the woods across from our house. We grazed in our front yards, actually eating grass and survived to laugh about it.

When some poor person was out on a quiet trail ride and came thru the woods onto our road, I was the first one out the door yelling, "A Horse! A Horse! Can I have a ride?!" When they complied I regally rode throughout the neighborhood in front of them and begged for them to take me home with them.

I experienced my first fall from a horse at age 5. I learned that loosely cinched English saddles, hot wire and acres of Raspberry fields don't mix. I cried because I saw blood on my split lip, mom freaked at the angle of my arm. I was quickly rushed to the Doc, didn't get back right on and have had to deal with that fear each time I ride since then.

I spent that summer being a cowboy, riding my rocks and fences with the cast or my arm. Hearing that there was a forest fire in the mountains (about 80 miles from our house) I figured the wild horses would be coming by to escape. I grabbed my trusty rope and spent the whole day at the end of our driveway waiting for them to stampede by. If I couldn't get a horse for Christmas or my birthday, I was going to catch my own.

I wanted to dedicate this blog to those who are 50+ and have that love of horses in the core of their being. Some have been lucky and obtained the major milestone of their lives, having their own horse. Some of us lease, take lessons or just try to be around them when they can. But there is something in all of us that brings us back to them again and again.

As we've gotten older, a new fear has crept into us. We aren't kids anymore and the fear of falling can loom large when one swings their leg over the saddle. How do we overcome that fear? How do we keep our passion alive when we are afraid or our resources are fiscally limited due to the current economy or retirement? How do we ride or maintain our horses during treatment for illness or replacement surgery?

My plans are to touch on these topics as we join together in the challenges we face as 50+horses. Please join me and share your thoughts. Until then, as Roy said, "Happy Trails".