# It's not about the destination... It's about the journey.



## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

I love good news.....sounds like the worm has turned for you....good deal!


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## sporthorsegirl (Jun 3, 2011)

gunslinger said:


> I love good news.....sounds like the worm has turned for you....good deal!


It really has, thank you 
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## sporthorsegirl (Jun 3, 2011)

*12/21/12

*Well, today was pretty uneventful. Had a couple of nasty mood swings towards the end of the day (thanks misophonia) and I'm trying to figure out exactly what triggers them (I'm pretty sure it's the misophonia). Before I would just try to avoid thinking about it but now that I know what I *want *my mood to be like, I want to be in that "I'm okay, live in the moment, peaceful" mood. I can tell the difference now, and I sure as hell prefer the "I'm okay, I'm kind of happy" mood compared to the "I'm so anxious, I'm worrying, where is my mind" mood.  I was fine at the beginning of the day, I was happy my mom came home from work and brought some food for me (the food made me especially happy I think). Then I had to go to work, which made me unhappy because it got busy and I had to take charge and take care of the customers while my co-workers pretty much did what I asked of them. I don't think they liked that, but hey, I work with horses I'm going to take charge when I can. So anyway... Work just usually puts me in a crappy mood. So then I got home and my dad came home from work late (like he always does :-() and that makes me mad because he shouldn't be working so hard... *sigh*.

Oh, and I forgot. I'm pretty sure the "worser" mood started when my mom got home and showed me the invoice my trainer emailed her. It was something like $615 for the month :shock:. We are only getting half training and half lease/board and it should be less than $500 because I didn't get that many lessons this month.

So we have to talk to her about that tomorrow, hopefully she will say it's a mistake because we can't afford that. :-( 


My mom said not to worry about it, that she will fix it and not to worry. She's really good about that, she knows how much I get anxious and worry. So I'm just trying to relax my brain and focus on my lesson tomorrow (which I'm always nervous and worrying about). 


I just think too much. I would be a lot happier if I could just shut off that worrying side of my brain and just live. I'm working on it. It will get better. And now I'm going to watch some jumping videos on youtube, that always inspires me and reminds me of what to work towards and how far I've come 


So wish me luck for my lesson tomorrow, I sure need it  


-Effy


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## sporthorsegirl (Jun 3, 2011)

*12/22/12

*I had such an amazing lesson today!!!! Got there and tacked up Squirt. He wasn't in a good mood, the weather has been really bad lately so the horses don't get any pasture time. But we tacked up, got warmed up and the lesson began.

We started out by doing some flat serpentines on the long side of the arena. The goal of the exercise is to go the the cones (three sets of them) and get your horse to bend a different way each time. He put up a bit of a fight (for him) at the beginning, just sticking his head up in the air when I asked for more bend (particularly the left). 

We kept going, and a few minutes in I realized I was using too much hand and not enough leg. After I figured that out, he settled into the bridle nicely 

Then we moved onto jumping (a gymnastic line). We started with a simple trot in to a small cross-rail. He did it smoothly, and my release was good so I didn't catch him in the mouth. Then my trainer worked with one of the other riders for little while. Then I went once more over the cross rail and a small vertical was added one stride after. We did that smoothly as well  

The other riders (two of them) went a couple more times over the line and then another small cross rail was added two strides after the vertical. I'm pretty sure that's the one we apprached too slow and he lagged in the one stride. But then we repeated it and we did it practically perfectly 

My trainer changed it again, making a cavaletti bounce between the one stride and at the end of the line. She made the end jump an oxer. We went straight through that like we'd been together forever  After I went through and turned to circle at the end of the arena, my trainer yelled "(my name), You're a star!"

Greatest. Feeling. Ever. The oxer got raised a few inches (I don't think it was bigger than 2'9 in the end) and we went through it one last time, again practically perfect 

That feeling of amazing accomplishment, it feels so good, especially since I fell off in practically the same line two days ago! It makes that fall oh so worth it 

You have to have the bad to get the good. And this was better than good, it was amazing. I think this was my 3rd best lesson of my life so far 

So thanks for the luck you guys wished me, and keep it coming please :wink: I'm going to go ride by myself on the flat on monday(no one at the barn is allowed to jump without a trainer). And then I have a flat lesson on wednesday 

I loved today. Today was amazing <3 Best Christmas present ever 


-Effy


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

Sounds like you're having fun with it.....that's wonderful to hear. I'm proud of you....and your accomplishments....

Merry Christmas young lady....Looks like your going to have a good one this year.


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## sporthorsegirl (Jun 3, 2011)

Thank you so much, I really do appreciate the support  Merry Christmas to you too 
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## sporthorsegirl (Jun 3, 2011)

1/2/13


Hello 2013! Just wanted to say I had an AMAZING dressage lesson on New Year's Eve. It was a private lesson so my trainer put me on the lunge line and I worked on my sitting trot without stirrups and my transitions. My position has changed forever. I've finally got my leg back, starting to turn my toe in and using my calf, not my heels as much. My trainer was beyond pleased with me, she's amazing  Now in the next few months ill be working on not holding the grab strap on my saddle as much when I'm sitting the trot. I have a lesson on tomorrow, probably going to be jumping  Wish me luck! 

- Effy


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## sporthorsegirl (Jun 3, 2011)

1/10/13

Update time! The last few rides I've had have been bit stressful. He started pulling and leaning on the bit constantly (just out of the blue) so that's been the main focus the past week or two and its been rough. But! Good news, I had an amazing lesson last night  He pulled about 1/8th as much last night as he had been pulling before, I think mainly because I rode differently. I have to make sure I'm not pulling so he doesn't pull, tons of half halts and lots of outside rein and counterbending. We jumped and we got some really nice distances to the single fences after the gymnastic line. We were a bit long on the take offs, but it went really really well and I'm really happy that we're starting to work as a team 

-Effy


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