It was short, but sweet. We were going for constant, controlled speed this time, not distance. Ten miles at a comfortable, consistent, ground-gobbling trot. Apollo really has hit his stride; he levitates, he glides like Alah ud Din on his magic carpet... I cannot help but imagine how Jasmine must have felt when flying through the sky, passing stars, outpacing comets, singing at the top of her lungs. I shout, I whistle, I hum, and cannot keep from singing when riding my lovely Magician. I must scare the bears away. (Maybe I should invest in jingle bells? Then maybe my cheeks wouldn't be so sore from puckering; steady stream of whistling while HE works, indeed!)
Ah, solipsism. Where would I be without you? On track, that is where I would be.
The best part about this ride... we did it in the dark! Oh yes, one hour and forty-five minutes in pitch-black backcountry, miles from the nearest Bud-light-guzzling-hillbilly, on a National Forest dirt track. It would have been a 15 mile workout if not for the imagined Ted Bundys running amok on the mountain, and a forgotten .22 caliber hand-gun. No matter. Every mile is a training mile, and the boys are in fine form, ready for the 32.2 miles of Limited Distance racing coming up in ten days.
Let my cup of excitement runneth over!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
I will try harder this time.
It has been quite the eventful year. Much has happened since my last entry, an entry so full of hope and rebirth and sheer excitement for the 2010 season it was hardly containable. We were derailed, yet again, by circumstances not under my control. However. My passion and desire to compete in Limited Distance and Endurance riding has persevered, and here are my recent efforts, delineated, for your reading pleasure:
Apollo and I have reached 130 training miles this season, with plenty of hilly terrain done at Long, Slow Distance mixed in with easy, level fast workouts. He is "raring to go", as the saying... goes. I have changed my tack preferences up a bit this year, returning to the Crazy Ropes Indian Bosal as the primary head gear, among other minute changes. Last summer, following a very traumatic experience not horse-related, I lost much of my confidence in all areas of my life. So, regrettably, I subjected Apollo's mouth to the bit for a few confidence-building months. Thankfully I have light hands, so as not to shock his mouth too much with the hard, cold steel. A few rides ago, he was hesitant to allow the bit into his mouth when tacking up, and after another refusal at the next ride, he happily accepted the Bosal when I offered it. This made me smile, and my heart sang arias for the duration of the 16 mile working ride, for we flew over the soft dirt track with nothing, man nor metal, holding us back.
I have been riding horses since my early high school years, and in that entire time, I had never had the occasion (or monies!) to purchase my own saddle. I was always borrowing my mother's Wintec 2000, or using the ancient, rotting Italian generic brand hunt saddle with the broken tree as a poor substitute. So, it is with little reservedness that I announce my *new* status as Abetta Aire-Grip Endurance saddle Owner! Ta Da! To go along with the lovely new (ahem... eight months old as of today, in fact) saddle, in regards to comfort for both Horse and Rider, I have purchased a Toklat Woolback Endurance pad and a 100% Merino wool sheepskin seat saver. I have my eye on a very nice 100% mohair cinch, but for now the polyblend rope cinch will do. I promise pictures of the whole get-up, mainly for my own viewing pleasure!
It is for real, this time. I have entered myself and Apollo into the 32.2 Limited Distance Old Dominion No Frills ride, coming up soon on April 9th. I have paid my AERC dues for the year, the check for the ride tuition went out in the mail a month ago, and I have been carrying my AERC member card with me for months now in anticipation of this momentous occasion. Fingers crossed, chakras aligned, incense lit to stave off bad vibes and to ensure a lovely first ride! Huzzah!
Apollo and I have reached 130 training miles this season, with plenty of hilly terrain done at Long, Slow Distance mixed in with easy, level fast workouts. He is "raring to go", as the saying... goes. I have changed my tack preferences up a bit this year, returning to the Crazy Ropes Indian Bosal as the primary head gear, among other minute changes. Last summer, following a very traumatic experience not horse-related, I lost much of my confidence in all areas of my life. So, regrettably, I subjected Apollo's mouth to the bit for a few confidence-building months. Thankfully I have light hands, so as not to shock his mouth too much with the hard, cold steel. A few rides ago, he was hesitant to allow the bit into his mouth when tacking up, and after another refusal at the next ride, he happily accepted the Bosal when I offered it. This made me smile, and my heart sang arias for the duration of the 16 mile working ride, for we flew over the soft dirt track with nothing, man nor metal, holding us back.
I have been riding horses since my early high school years, and in that entire time, I had never had the occasion (or monies!) to purchase my own saddle. I was always borrowing my mother's Wintec 2000, or using the ancient, rotting Italian generic brand hunt saddle with the broken tree as a poor substitute. So, it is with little reservedness that I announce my *new* status as Abetta Aire-Grip Endurance saddle Owner! Ta Da! To go along with the lovely new (ahem... eight months old as of today, in fact) saddle, in regards to comfort for both Horse and Rider, I have purchased a Toklat Woolback Endurance pad and a 100% Merino wool sheepskin seat saver. I have my eye on a very nice 100% mohair cinch, but for now the polyblend rope cinch will do. I promise pictures of the whole get-up, mainly for my own viewing pleasure!
It is for real, this time. I have entered myself and Apollo into the 32.2 Limited Distance Old Dominion No Frills ride, coming up soon on April 9th. I have paid my AERC dues for the year, the check for the ride tuition went out in the mail a month ago, and I have been carrying my AERC member card with me for months now in anticipation of this momentous occasion. Fingers crossed, chakras aligned, incense lit to stave off bad vibes and to ensure a lovely first ride! Huzzah!
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