A change in perspective

...and just a few days can make a world of difference.  Don't you think?



While checking my blog for comments this morning, I ended up reading through my post.  Oh dear, I really had nothing good to say did I?  Very cranky.  Well, there have been a few changes.  Whew, thankful for that!  But still, pretty amazing how quickly circumstances, and perspective can change.

Movement is your friend.  That's an important concept.  If something isn't working, you have to get up and do something different.  Something!    I'm reminded how very much horsemanship mirrors our lives.  Good is good, regardless of the situation you find yourself in.  Horses - people - it all works the same way.

Anyway, moving along.  It's raining.  It's blissfully cool and I'm wearing jeans and my purpley-flowered tennis shoes.  I'm usually a sandals/flip-flops kind of gal, unless I'm messing with the horses and then hopefully, I have my boots on.  :)  That's another important thing to remember.  Protect thy toes!   Believe it or not, my point here is this:  it's cooler.  A lot cooler, we have overcast skies and clouds.  My heater came on in my car this morning and it feels good.  *collective sigh*

I rode Eags last night.  We didn't accomplish much other than it was a ride and it felt good just to sit on my horse again.  We did some flexing, kind of backing, moving his hindquarters and front step-overs, all that was okay, but... he was wearing his stubborn hat again.  He was rooting, strongly pulling his head down almost to the ground.  I was trying to create that "wall" Joe told be about, where my hands remain fixed on the saddle gullet, and just encourage forward until he tires of putting pressure on himself.  Hoping he'd find that soft spot and relax in that position without me trying to decide it for him, or make him.  My hands always tire before he does.  Good grief, why would he want to do that?  It has to hurt the corners of his mouth, I know it does.  I'm not doing it, but I eventually have to make a change and pull his head up because he gets so heavy on his front that he's likely to trip.  It's not a good feeling.  I think I know what needs to be done, I need to ask for a lot more speeding up when he does that, so he has to pick up his head, get his butt under himself and move.  But I need decent footing to do this safely.  I'm not comfortable with our uneven, weed growing riding areas.  Guess it's time to start hauling him either to an arena or catch a few more trail rides before our wet weather gets here.  He doesn't seem to do it out on the trail.  We need to do something different.  Change is good.

Jess and I are going to Flying M for a trail ride next Thursday.  She'll bring one of her horses and pick us up.  It will be a quickie because the days are so much shorter and it's dark pretty quickly after work now.  But we can do it.  I remember Ray telling us, "do a little bit often, instead of a lot once in a while".  Anything's better than nothing, right?  :)  So if we're lucky by the time we get there, saddle up and get moving, we might have an hour to ride and get home before it's too dark.  Makes it seem more like an adventure.  Later,  I'll trailer to a nearby arena for rides, hoping I can keep up the weekly riding as long as I can, hopefully fall and possibly into winter.  That would be a great plan for us.

*fingers crossed*

We've definitely decided to forego camping this weekend.  Instead, we'll be celebrating my hubby's birthday with Steve and Chris at Helvetia Tavern - they have the most amazing burgers!  My hubby will love it.  And of course, there will be cake.  You just have to have cake on your birthday!  It's his 67th and I can hardly believe that.  He was 32 when I met him, and I was 22...seems like such a long time ago.  I guess it was.   :)

Since I've gained about 10 pounds over the last several months, I've made a new (again) commitment to eating less fat, more fruits and vegetables, and dare I say it?  Less ice cream.  My weakness.  One of anyways.  And definitely moving more.  I've resumed my noon-time walks with the dogs.  I'd been slacking on that.  And...I ordered a set of Yoga cd's where I can start practicing at home.  I even got the most amazing music to play alongside my workout.  I noticed almost immediately when listening that I started relaxing and taking deeper breaths. When I get the cd I'll mention the name in case anyone wants to get a copy.  Supposed to be very helpful with promoting sleep as well.   I'm going to start setting my alarm clock for 15 minutes earlier starting tomorrow.  Then after 3 days, I'll set it back 15 minutes again, until my body is eased into waking up an hour earlier than my usual 7:00. This will be the hardest part for me.  I do love getting up when I want to get up.  And yes, it's a stretch for me to stay focused on anything that requires consistency, but I'm going to do my best.  

Nothing new on the vacation plans.  For now, I just feel better having a little plan of action in place. Like it or not, I'm one of those people who pictures every little thing in my head, and when life doesn't work out that way, I can get a serious blip on my radar...expectations can be dangerous.

Knowing something about yourself - whether you admit to liking it or not, makes it easier to decide how to proceed.  Movement.  Courage.  Motivation.  Whatever you call it, change is never easy.

Some days we put on our rose-colored glasses and view the world from inside our heads, and then sometimes we have to lay the glasses aside and do something, take a chance at becoming better. Step out in faith and try.  Knowing that we'll make mistakes, and that nothing is ever perfect, but make the effort.    Have some try.  Change your perspective and change your world.



"We have to live the dream, not just dream"

I've been spending far too much time inside my own head.

Thankful for the rain this morning, thankful that our horses, dogs, cat and us are all doing okay, thankful that I got to wear jeans this morning, thankful for my morning coffee and so much more...

thankful for my horse who is forcing me to want to be better.