Pause, rewind & repeat

I feel like it's becoming a common theme, a post full of enthusiasm and plans then a spell of silence while we don't do a lot due to lameness or injuries.   Instead of feeling like I have nothing to write about or that I'm watching everyone else progress while I stand still, I am now realising this is part and parcel of the journey to eventually get to where we want to be with horses.  Looking back at the last few years I may have done more in hand walking and rehabilitation plans than competitions, but, as a rider and trainer I have grown and developed and had time to work on areas I may otherwise have skipped past to qualify for that next big competition.  So instead of stopping blogging because I am not out winning rosettes or some months leaving the yard, I will concentrate on what I am still achieving. I thought I'd write a brief list of main achievements then and now to highlight even without a horse in work or working at the level you ideally want to be, you don't have to stand and watch everyone else there's plenty of opportunities to continue to grow and get back on the path to your goals, even if you take the scenic route!

Before 2012

Qualified and competed at Blue Chip Showjumping Championships
Competed at Royal Windsor Horse show in the Instructors Challenge Showjumping
Qualified and competed at Scope Festival of Showjumping
First win at Newcomers

After 2012

Completed my UKCC2
Completed a diploma in Sports Phychology
Included training classically to improve my position and effectiveness
Competed affiliated dressage, attended camps and inter county Championships
Worked on my own fitness and strength
Competed in triathlons

BACK IN ACTION

Apologies for the long period of silence but we have not had much to write about due to injury stopping play.

Socks was making a very positive start to showjumping at the end of last year, we had hired courses, jumped all sorts of fences and she took everything in her stride showing great technique, enthusiasm and tidiness over a fence. We jumped our first British Showjumping course, a little green but managed to keep all the fences up and I got very excited about finally getting back out jumping.  As you can probably guess this was where it went wrong, I started planning!!!!  The next day she came in from the field with a swollen back leg, the opposite to the one injured last year but looked exactly the same so my heart sank as deep down I knew it was history repeating itself and it had happened again.  I left it until the weekend as she wasn't lame so hoped the swelling would reduce but no this was not to be the case so a scan and a vet bill later confirmed same injury different leg, but hey at least she now had a matching pair!  4 weeks box rest, lots of in hand walking and slowly building her workload back up we are finally back to where we left off.

In a strange sort of way having time off due to injury has actually made her stronger, she is now back looking the best she ever has with a lot more movement and willing attitude.  Maybe she needed the time off or maybe there was something else not quite right and the rehab work has helped her come back a happier healthier horse (if not fatter too)!  Whatever the reason I am just glad to be back on board.

I have made the decision to concentrate purely on dressage with Socks as it seems too much of a coincidence that she had been jumping before both injuries.  It has been a hard decision as jumping is my main passion and I do miss it incredibly but until I can be in a position to look for another horse I am prepared to put it to the back of my mind and commit 100% to training Socks to become a dressage horse and myself a 'ahem' dressage rider!  So here starts a new chapter :)

First stop after not having a horse to ride over the winter was my own fitness, so I joined a gym and decided I needed a goal to aim for.  I am quite competitive and need a reason to train with an outcome I can measure so I entered a Duathlon and started training!  The Duathlon went well and Socks was still only in light work so I needed something else to concentrate on which ended up being a Triathlon, then another and I was over the moon to finish with a top 5 placing.  I found I was actually enjoying keeping fit so while I am a one horse rider I am going to continue to enter the occasional competition where I am not relying on four legs to be able to get there hoping it will keep me sane until I can increase my horsepower again!

Next stop was to build up Socks' fitness and strength again slowly and she has made great progress, we went for our first training outing since she's been back in work and all I can say is 'wow I love my horse'.  I will let the photo explain how she is currently going :)