I'm home for Christmas now. The new young horse, the racetrack-reject now has a barn name. It's Rascal. It suits his dorky personality to a capital T. He's a pretty cool cucumber, and a rockstar to ride. He has his problems, and he is so definitely a YOUNG HORSE, but he is talented, athletic, and has so much push and power that I hurt after every ride. Apparently not riding for 9 months does bad things to your core muscles. Hmmmmmmmm. I have also managed to catch up on quite a few projects. I have two more to get caught up on, and then life settles down.
As the new year is rapidly approaching, and I cannot wait for it to be here, I've been setting goals and plans into motion.
1) Get fit. Riding-fit, and overall fit. I've joined a Zumba class and a low-glycemic group in attempts to increase my non-existent energy levels, and get back into the fitness level I was in when I was riding six days a week.
2) Ride Rascal 3-5 times a week. Aiming for 4. 2 of these will be lessons on Tuesday and Friday evenings. The other two rides with be weekend, and maybe a weeknight. Starting immediately upon my return from "homeforchristmas" I want to put this in action, as there is a clinic at the end of January that I want to take him to, and it would be nice if we could go and exhibit a sane right lead canter, versus the mechanically failing steering and brakes (and gas pedal stuck open!) we currently tend to have. :)
3) Walk the dogs every am, as well as the dog park trip after work.
4) Try not to get in over my head again. This one will be near impossible to do.
5) Lex needs to start on sheep for real. She's got so much raw talent and potential that it would be a shame to waste it. I've no illusions of turning her into a winning trial dog - she has it all, but my utter lack of knowledge and experience WILL be our downfall. Well, her downfall. But hopefully I an at least get her to a point where I can trial her, arena for sure, maybe field if we're lucky.
6) I do need, at some point, to re-evaluate my life and where it's taking me. A move to a new location, changes to my horse situation, something.
Overall, I guess the resolutions are for physical and psychological health, and getting back to a state of well being where I can function. The last year has been a horrible, rough, heartbreaking year for myself and almost everyone I know. And it would be a lie to say it hasn't taken a huge, terrible toll. The physical exhaustion and strain is phenomenal. But I've kept putting one foot forward, and then the next, and then the next.... and now it's time for that huge giant step, to right as much as I can.
