Tryouts, round one!

Today, I drove up to Trollspeilet to try out Bosco. Bosco is a 4 year old lusitano, came to Norway in 07 and has been at Trollspeilet since then. They just started to ride him this fall, and I tried him out for the first time in November.

Bosco is a funny little guy, very sensitive and he reacts to everything I do. It was cloudy and snowing so the photos didn't turn out great, but this is what I got. Furball alert!

And on another note, I finally got "dressage for the 21st century" by Paul Belasik in the mail today! and it was signed! :o

I'm getting a horse!

Oh yes I am! The financials is in place so now i just need to find a horse and a place to keep it :)

*bounce around with a happy grin*

budgeting, work and training

Not much training these days... Been trying to get over a lung infection I've had since November, the antibiotics does not seem to take care of it:/

Still riding North Peak two days a week, allthough just until February. After that I'll concentrate on making the economy to go around with all the expences I get with my own horse.

The past week I've been budgeting to see how my outcome vs income will trun out with a horse involved. My problem is that I have a different salary every month and I haven't worked enough to be able to see the average salary. So I have to work with the amount I know I'm going to get. Right now I overestimate the outcome and underestimate the income and hope for the best :D  My mum and dad have said they would sponsor me with the starting amount, meaning, buying the horse. Going to have a meeting with them on thursday, after that I'll probably have a more realistic veiw on how much longer I have to save up money. Scary! And on top of all the saving, I work as many extrashifts as they'll give me. Preferably working nightshifts, that means longer shifts and more money! yay!

Last weekend I have been trainig Elins (Marias daughter) pony, Charlie. What I quickly realised is that my seat is alot more effective than before, and when I really focus I can make him do almost whatever i ask of him. The problem is me. Since I got sick in November I haven't been training anything other than the few times a week I'm at the stable. Peak is a young horse and most of the training is in a light seat so some of my muscles haven't been properly used in a while. *sigh* I have a gym membership but since I've been sick and most people are so scared of the swineflu I haven't been there in a while, but this week I'll go back! I need to strengthen especially my core and leg muscles.

Goals for the next few weeks, train more! Need more strength and stamina!

Sad message from the stable yesterday :( Tia Maria, the TB brood mare at our stable gave birth to her foal, 4 months before she was due. This was what they found in her stall =(

"Old" pictures

When going through my harddrives to find old riding photos, I found quite a few other ones as well.

Lovejoy!

Me and Modena at the race track

Lovejoy, 1.10 m. showjumping competition at our stable.

Same competition, we won!

Søndervangs Unik

Thunderbird "Birdie", LotR costume competition. I won a DVD i think.

Lovejoy again

Lovejoy and me tries out cross-country for the first time. Lovejoy did not like the drop, he was used to jump over stuff, not drop down.

In the water

more cross-country

Jumping Birdie

Winning another show jumping class at our stable

Scanned from a newspaper. First time competing 1.10 m.

Tia Maria and me.

Development

Sometimes when I ride horses i feel like I'm just banging my head against a wall and not getting anywhere. A post on a forum gave me the idea to look back at old photos and se how far I¨'ve come with my riding skills. I started looking through my old photos and learned that i haven't got that many pictures before 2009 of me riding anything else than jumping fences. Oh well, this past year I have learned ALOT so there is much improovement! Most of the improvement is in my head, but still you can see some of it in the photos.

Søndervang's Unik, Aug '04

Herkules feb 09

Herkules march 09

Herkules march 09, weekend course with Trollspeilet at our stable.

First clinic with David Oliveira. Licero, july 09

Clinic with Kristina Berggren, aug 09

Course with Trollspeilet, sept 09

Sept 09

Oliveira clinic sept 09

Sept 09

Trollspeilet, dec 09

Will be fun to see if there is any improovement from now until summer. I guess it depends on how often I'll be able to train and if I find a horse by then!

Så var det på'n igjen

A new year, new beginnings!

The past year has been great in many ways. I have, after 19 years in the saddle, realised what I want out of my life with horses. I know how I want to train, and more importantly, I know how i don't want to train. I have a job which I like and feel that i manage to do it well.

New years resolutions

• Be more positive! think before i speak and don't be to eager to judge people, there is usually a reason why people do what they do.
• Be myself and don't take it personally if other people judge me or don't like the choices I make in life. It's my life and I'm going to live it the way I want to!
• Buy a horse!
• Improve my riding skills
• Get a job! (not only the deputyship I've got now)
• Eat healthier, which means more planning from day to day. This also means; money saved!
• Exercise more. (not only riding)

That was all i could think of for now. Head goes empty while working nightshift!