tblover900's Journal

Lately I have been busier than a bee. It feels good to be somewhat back on track.

Last week I did awesome until Turkey day. Of course! I got all the excersise in on Mon-Wed like I wanted. Thursday I gave myself a break. Friday I was sniffling for half the day so I didn't brave the cold rain to run outside. I can't miss any work. I was disappointed and irritated. Saturday at about 8 I got the worst migraine I have had in years. I couldn't sit up. By this time, the parentals were in Ohio and I was watching little miss Holly. So I texted A, and he stayed the night with me. I had him rub my palms and after about a half an hour of that my head felt almost 100% better.

Now if only he didn't cuddle so much. I need my space when I sleep! Thus, I did not sleep well. We went to the barn on Sunday and then to breakfast at IHOP. calorie fail! Last night the parents and I ran errands and had Steak and Shake....another calorie fail! Today I have had 3 cupcakes, and I haven't done any running or working out since last Wed. Grrrr! I hate TTOM and stupid crab/chocolate/sugar cravings. I have 800mg of ibprofuen in me right now, so I'm not feeling like such a bitch.

Beau- Did lots of bending in our last lesson, which he caught on to pretty well. I tried it on my own the next day...not so hot. I have bruises on my knees where he got too close to the beams and rammed me into them. I was not a happy camper. I have newer pictures of him and will post one. He is so cute!

Orion- hurt himself on Saturday somehow. His front R had dried blood on it and the hoof, I wiped it off and trotted him up and down the aisle in the barn, he put weight on it fine. His leg felt cool so I assumed whatever wound it was wasnt serious and had already closed. Sunday the leg had dried blood on it again. I cleaned him up and brought him in, leaving a note that said he was on stall rest until farther notice. The cut isn't deep, and its on the back of his ankle. I could barely feel it with my hand through all his furryness. His leg was not swollen so I think a few days in and he will be okay, i gave him some antibiotic to be sure. Will check on him Thursday when I go for my lesson. I'm sure Caroline will check in on him until then.

Jewelry, I had some big orders come in for Christmas gifts, totaling close to $100. I was pretty freakin excited. I experimented with a few new things and ended up making my aunt a very pretty rosary. I will post a picture of it. It took me some time! I'm not Catholic but most of my dad's family is.

Guitar- Skype lessons with my friend B are going well. I'm still practicing a lot.

Now i just need to get myself back on track with the eating and I will be okay.

4 Comments | Add Comment

is the highest glaciated peak in the lower 48 states at 14,411 feet, and it is topped with two volcanic craters each over 1,000 feet in diameter and I decided I wanted to climb to the summit. 

I have scheduled my runs after dark so that i run when it is cold. I will also run in the snow when i can....if it ever snows! I am going to practice rappelling at some point though I have yet to figure out where...even if i have to do it from the roof of the house I will figure out a way! I'm going to kick my circuit training into high gear again. I need to be able to run 15 miles a week (doable) by the time I am ready to climb. I need to hike twice a month in local parks going uphill, and do a couple of practice climbs in the Appalachian Mtns. which of course will not be the same but it's as close as I can get in this area of the country. I am hoping to do this in July 2010. Money will be the end determinant though since hiring a guide is going to set me back about 1k, plus the plane ticket out to Seattle and buying gear. I convinced Isaac to go with me and have a grand adventure. YAY!

Ever since my parents took me to see an IMAX movie about Mt. Everest I have wanted to climb a mountain. I decided I am in as good of shape as I have ever been (but there's definitely room for improvement) and I am as ready as I will ever be to tackle this lofty goal.

 

Here we go!

4 Comments | Add Comment

Yep, Caroline and I decided that the newbie looks like a Beau and has the personality that fits the name also.

He is VERY smart. He is catching on very quickly which is good. His brain would probably explode if he was a lesson horse. I don't think he will ever handle being ridden by different people every day very well. He will be a leaser for sure. I put him on the lunge line yesterday and he behaved well, and under saddle we mostly trotted. Went over little crosspoles but knocked them over. He hadn't quite figured them out yet. He did figure out the ground poles pretty quickly and he goes straight through them....as opposed to crooked when i rode him Thursday.

Today I lunged him again and then took him over the crosspoles on the lunge line. He got it after a couple of tries, I think he just needs confidence. After he did it once or twice he was content to trot in a circle and over the poles every time. Good boy! He did them really well under saddle too, just steps right over like it's no big deal. He does need help being straight over more than one though, he favors the right side for some reason. Hey dude, its lowest in the middle....der! lol. He will get it and be straighter soon I am sure. I think next weekend I will set up some tiny verticals and lunge him over those, he might be more inclined to jump them than trot over them.

Overall I think he will be a good little jumper. Yes, I said jumper...not hunter. That horse canters like Sonic the Hedgehog! I am so not joking! Its like Usain Bolt in horse form. Quick strides like a small horse but LONG strides like a tall horse. He really digs into the corners and looks for speed...I keep him under control but you can tell he doesn't like slowing down. We'll have to work on that. haha. So after his jump switch gets flipped in his brain I think with the speed he will make someone a decent jumper since it is based on time moreso than form.

Got my Secret Santa gifts done!!! Now to bake some cookies to go in the box too and it'll be ready to go! ;)

4 Comments | Add Comment

Okay so I got my new project horse!!!!! He is a 5 yr old off track TB, about 16hh and growing, dark bay with a small star on his forehead. He has a cute face for a TB, not really big, he is quite shy and very fast, his eyes always look like they are questioning you a little bit. Is this okay? Am I doing it right? He needs reassurance and praise but I think in the end he will be a good hunter/jumper. His trot is upright and a little sharp. He needs work in that gait. His canter is smooth but he takes huge steps that are very quick, he corners like nobody's business! lol. I was surprised by it at first but, he is a good horse overall and I said I'd train him.

 

His name is Wishit....uhm...yeah. That's gonna change! So I need suggestions from you guys. Knowing what you know about his personality. And I put a pic in the gallery of him. Here is what I have so far.

Beau

Bowie

Hawthorne- after the author, who was known to be shy IRL

Awkward Turtle- one of his front legs is growing faster than the other and is therefore longer...can we say awkward in one direction? YES I'd just call him Turtle.

Lion- think Wizard of Oz...that kind of lion.

Monet

Truffle

Kieran

Buckley

Hermes- for his swiftness

Indigo

 

leave suggestions or vote for one! I think right now I am favoring Beau a little more than the others. Tell me what you think!!!

 

8 Comments | Add Comment

Figured I would make this easier even though I think I am pretty easy to figure out.

I like:

• horses of course!
• Dove Dark Chocolate
• cooking
• candles
• traveling
• silly gadgets
• books books books
• wall calendars
• shot glasses with skylines on them ( i have a small collection)
• cute stationary

I don't like

• smelly bath stuff
• candles that smell like soap (clean linen, after the rain...wtf)
• reptiles
• spiders
• ugly boys

 

If you send me one of the follwing I will love you forever; Hugh Jackman, Brendan Fehr, Mads Mikkelson. :D

Merry Christmas!

1 Comment | Add Comment

I miss Chat!! **pouts**

Hopefully working from home at the beginning of February.

Lesson last night was AMAZING. Orion and I went around a 5 jump course set at 2'. He was so good! I think he is getting ouchie in the back so he may need to get chiropracted. :( He got grumpy anytime i touched him behind his hips so he may be getting uncomfortable. His weight is picking up a bit which is good, and he is all kinda of furry. Hence his new name, fuzz butt...which I alternate with grumpy pants, becuase he is a grumpy pants horse right now. ha. He is actually being leased by another girl at the barn and the barn owners are looking for another rescue horse for me to rehab. Which is awesome. Caroine said her friend just had a girl sign over a 3 yr old green broke TB that she has no time to train and needs to get rid of asap (for free!) So she asked if I was willing to take on a big project. I said as long as he has a decent temperment, I don't mind. I'm not taking on a totally insane horse. If he is willing but needs training and experience I am fine with it. I still get to ride Orion until they find something for me or until the green broke one is ready for use in a lesson. I am not even sure how much under saddle time the poor guy has had yet. I look forward to meeting him though.

T is spending Saturday night with me at the house to make up for bailing on me Halloween. yay! I hate staying at the house alone, parental units are going to my uncles cabin on the lake in Ohio. :) T said he had a frat thing Saturday he was trying to get out of...so he wants to come down but said he would let me know for sure today.

Heading to the gym tonight, gotta get myself back in gear. One hour of cardio! woot! or maybe half hour cardio and weights...hmmm. I want to know if my weight has stabilized too.

thats about it! Oh, craft fair tomorrow...we'll see how well the jewelry sales go!

2 Comments | Add Comment

Holy water retention batman!

last monday i weighed in at 184, not surprising since i haven't been watching what i eat, portions, or going to the gym.

Last night i weighed 173....

uhm...what!? Theres no way in hell i lost 11lbs in a week. I think TOM had something to do with it. I got a good cardio day in yesterday and planning another one for today. I am going to add weight lifting back in next week. :)

food today...meh. i was going well....then the carb monster took hold and i had a snack pack of cookies. I need motivation!

1 Comment | Add Comment

forgot to mention the breakthrough I had on Saturday with Orion. I mentioned in the entry about the trail ride that i felt our trust bond had been tested when he agreed to get into the trailer that he was afraid of being in. He did it becuase I asked him to, and he trusted that I wouldn't take him someplace scary...and was thus rewarded with a fun day outside with his Appaloosa buddy Norman.

Saturday during our schooling ride I asked him for a canter, he gave a really fluid collected canter. I dropped my reins and sat back in my saddle deeply.

He didn't take off, cut to the middle of the arena, make any sharp "Cutting horse" corners, he continued cantering gracefully around on the rail.

I was bursting with pride. I trusted him enough and was rewarded with a sense of accomplishment. That is the first time I have EVER dropped the reins while he was cantering...or trotting for that matter!

We also jumped a 3' gate jump.

sweeeeet!

3 Comments | Add Comment

Decided to refocus on me. I have been pushing myself too hard in the emotional aspects of my life. Its time for me to slow down, look around, and take my time.

Everything with F is just....all messed up. I hate that we have to be apart and that its no one in particular's fault. I hate situational breakups. I was really starting to trust him and open up...i felt safe, finally. I guess i should just take it as, at least i know I CAN feel that way. I keep myself so hidden on the inside that sometimes i wonder how capable I am of having strong feelings for anyone, to the point of worrying about it. I don't want to be the messed up girl. argh, enough about it. We haven't gotten together to talk it over yet. Our schedules over the weekend just didn't match up.

Orion is doing well, I took him over the 2'6" oxer again on Sat/Sun. He was having trouble measuring his stride with the ground poles, but that might have been my fault...I can't space them correctly to save my life. (8 steps apart sounds right.....right? it was heel toe measurement...oh well) i took them out and he did fine. I like having them becuase he is forced to not get too fast. He thinks SO much that he gets too excited sometimes. I did a LOT of ground work with him...he still hates the mounting block. hi, sweetie you're humungous I need that step so i dont break your back trying to swing myself up into the saddle, okay? okay. lol. big baby.

Went to the gym yesterday, weighed myself. Up almost 4 lbs. Grr. Should have known though...i haven't been watching what i eat and i hadn't been to the gym in over a month. So I did nothing but cardio my first day back, next week I will add the lifting back in with it on alternating days. Its getting to be that time of year when the horses are inside on the weekends, which means cleaning stalls. 25 of them to be exact...it takes me close to 6 hours when i do it alone. I did the math on another site, I burn 1200 calories on saturday and sunday....thats not together, 1200 per day. Insane! So I am going to have to basically double what I eat on the weekends. I usually just up the protien like crazy so I am not too tired but it'll leave me some wiggle room so I don't have to be super strict on myself around the holidays. Cause thats a losing battle to begin with. Just have to make sure I moderate portions and such.

Friday if the weather stays nice **crosses fingers** i'm taking Orion on a trail ride for the day with some ladies from the barn. Caroline is going and so is the new boarder, she is so nice and really funny. She has a QH and rides Western, i helped her out a bit last weekend when her horse was being lazy with picking up the right lead. I got after him a bit and he now behaves perfectly for her. **feels proud** And then Friday night is the barn bonfire and horsey costume contest....Orion and I are gonna be gypsies! I have a coin belt and full skirt and all that. I also have a cotton sarong with a knot design on it, which will be Orions saddle pad. Braid ribbons and bells into his tail and onto the saddle, i need to get a garland for his neck...maybe tonight so i can test it on him tomorrow and make sure he is okay with it. lol I will post pictures for all to see my handsome boy. :)

 

Happy Halloween

4 Comments | Add Comment

Lesson last night was absolutely awesome.

Started out with Orion in side reins, he hates them but it's good for his back and his topline. Did a little lateral work that he would have fought tooth and nail had it NOT been for the side reins keeping his head down. I imagine it would have been frustrating and he would have been a total poop for the entire lesson if I hadn't put him on a short leash to begin with. Turned out wonderfully.

We took them off when we started jumping and going through cavaletti grids. Trotted and cantered perfectly through a grid of 4 ground poles, he is so great with his collection and measuring distance! I love that about him. Then trotted and cantered through a 3 pole/jump combo. By the end of the lesson the ground poles were set kinda tight to encourage collection and the vertical turned oxer was at 2'6" It was unfreakin believeable! He was so good. I gave him lots of pats and a little snack at the end of it. I was so proud of him.

That was coming off of 2 weeks off for me and a whole week off for him! We kick ASS!!!

6 Comments | Add Comment