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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

No Barn Visit, No Guilt, Personal Growth!

1/18/2013

 
Picture
Just makes the world a happy place to be!
A quick pour of some 14 Hands ... aaaand now I can begin. 

If you know me personally, or if you've been following this blog for any length of time, you know that I like structure. No, really!

Okay ... I LOVE structure. Hubby knows that if he needs me to acquiesce to something, he needs to ask me days in advance (or even months) to give me time to process and wrap my mind around the change in my routine. I have some OCD tendencies, but they're mostly under control. I used to not be able to sleep if the closet door was open, progress, eh?

This is probably why dressage has appealed to me so completely. Frankly, there's very little disorder permitted in that discipline. Everything about dressage is structured and ordered. Even the spirals of learning follow a very specific pattern as they build on the Pyramid of Training. 

This week has rocked my little world of routine and regularity. Monday morning I received a text from my trainer that she was ill and my lesson was cancelled. This is the first time in more than a year and half that either one of us has cancelled due to illness. It was disappointing, but I muddled through my ride without her.

I knew Tuesday was going to be a non-barn day as I had my monthly meeting after work that always lasts until 5:00 p.m. But to make the day even longer, I volunteered to attend the follow-up meeting at 7:00 that lasted until 8:45. That's p.m. as in 8:45 p.m. That's when I normally go to bed! I left home at 6:00 a.m. that day to be at work by 6:25 a.m. and returned home at 9:00. To say that it was a long work day would be an understatement.

I suspected that Wednesday would also be a non-barn day which is extremely rare. I occasionally miss a day, but never two unless we're on vacation. My boss had scheduled a late meeting for Wednesday afternoon, but thankfully, my contract requires that she give us ample notice so I was well aware of the change to my schedule.

On Thursday, I had yet another end-of-day meeting. Fortunately, the woman who conducts those meetings is very respectful of my time and had me out by my 3:20 dismissal time. I did make it to the barn, but I just gave up on riding. I was just too tired. Instead, I piddled around. 

I cleaned both stalls ... click to enlarge.

turned both boys out for more than 30 minutes each ...
Picture
Speedy enjoyed his time out ... Sydney just galloped madly. I guess he needed it.
and did some reorganizing. Click for captions and to enlarge photos.
Last weekend, I had suggested to Hubby that we run up to our cabin this weekend to check things out after this cold snap we've had. Hubby, always the smarty, asked me on Tuesday if I might consider going up on Friday night instead ... panic ... deep breath ... a few details later, and I acquiesced. Which means of course, that there will be no barn visit on Friday or Saturday either. And for that matter, no blog posts until Monday.

It's okay. I will survive, you will survive, and my ponies will survive. The good news is that Monday is a holiday. That's one schedule change that never makes me panic!

And now for a second glass ... Cheers!
Kelly link
1/18/2013 12:05:45 am

I have been meaning to try that brand of wine...must add to the grocery list :) Enjoy and relax this long weekend! As you know, I have OCD also...totally sympathize.

Karen
1/18/2013 09:47:56 am

The label is of course lovely to look at, but the wine inside is also quite good! :0)

Judy
1/18/2013 12:56:22 am

Karen, It makes my lackadaisical self laugh as I read how my OCD Stepdaughter proves how she's recovering from her OCD with chronologically detailed accounts of her week ( including pictures with captions and the ability to enlarge said pictures.... ) Enjoy your "spontaneous" trip to your cabin! Love you!

Karen
1/18/2013 09:52:03 am

Oh my gosh, Judy, I laughed out loud when I read your comment. You are absolutely right. I can't even WRITE about dealing with some OCD tendencies with being totally OCD. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

martina peterson
1/18/2013 01:05:08 am

well okay Karen that's one thing you inherited from me. Pete says I am pretty much an "order" freak. On your Dressage Score Index I'm at about eight. But that's good because someone has to keep things sane.

Karen
1/18/2013 09:54:19 am

I do like things ordered and well planned out, that's for sure! I don't think that's such a bad thing to inherit at all, Mom. :0)

Sarah link
1/18/2013 01:47:41 am

I struggle with guilt when I can't see my horse (or even when I see him but can't get him out due to weather) for a few days. I just have to keep reminding myself that in some parts of the country horses get *months* off due to the snow. Its okay. Though your post has reminded me that I should try the drinking wine approach to minimizing freak-out over lost horse time.

Karen
1/18/2013 10:03:50 am

Wine helps everything!

I think the problem for me is that I truly view my horses as members of my family, and so does my Hubby. Not being there is like dropping your kid off at daycare and only remembering to pick them up the next day.

When I can't get out there, I always text my barn owner to let her know and when she should expect me next. I also tell her where I am in case something comes up. She does an excellent job caring for my boys, and it's not that I don't trust her, but their well-being is my job.

We treat our dog(s) the same way. We don't go out to dinner or out of town without thinking about how it will affect him. Maybe if we had kids we would feel differently. Now I need another glass of wine! :0)

Lauren link
1/18/2013 02:00:34 am

Just focus on the wine, ha. I'm someone who's life is chaotic always and rarely scheduled, and I prefer it that way!

Karen
1/18/2013 10:08:52 am

I am often times envious of people who can just go with the flow so casually! It's not that I feel that order is supreme to chaos, it's that I feel so compelled to arrange my life so neatly. Even when I WANT some chaos, I'll look around and find that I've "ordered" everything anyway.

Be the tornado to my ordered corn field! We need people of all kinds to make the world interesting!

Angela
1/18/2013 08:00:24 am

Haha...glad to hear you have overcome your closet door fetish...let me know how, because I still can't sleep if the closet doors are open, or the bedroom door is not at the perfect angle, or the comforter is folded a specific way...TMI ...I know!
Have a great weekend!

Karen
1/18/2013 10:12:10 am

Oh, Angela, I so get the everything in it's place thing! I think some of it just passes with age. EVERY SINGLE POSSESSION of mine has a PLACE and a WAY it should be in that place, even at the barn. Or I should say ESPECIALLY at the barn. I think I chucked my worry over the closet door to allow room for other particulars. :0)

I didn't know anyone else shared that particular weirdness!

Angela
1/18/2013 02:23:10 pm

I didn't either...


Comments are closed.

    About the Writer and Rider

    ​I am a lifelong rider. 
    I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010.
    ​Welcome to my dressage journey.
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    Photo by Lori Ovanessian

    About Speedy G

    ​Speedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. After helping me earn a USDF Bronze medal in the summer of 2020, he is now semi-retired. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.
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    July 2020 (PC AJSK Photography)

    About Izzy

    Izzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
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Site Designed and Managed by: Karen Sweaney

Among other things, Karen is a Wife, Friend, Reader, Writer, Rider, Traveler, and Dog Lover
Contact her at bakersfielddressage@gmail.com
  • Home
  • About
  • My Horses
    • Horses
    • Imperioso
    • G Ima Starr FA
    • Sunshine
    • Nakota and Gideon
    • Corky
    • Sassy
    • Montoya DSA
    • Mickey Dee
    • Sydney
  • Show Results
    • 2022
    • 2021
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    • 2019
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    • 2016
    • 2015
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    • 2019 Dressage Tests
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