SMM: Have a goal & go for it! Even if it's tiny!

[merryberry]

Some of you may know that I have suffered with nerves since I started riding. I have tried all sorts to get through it, but never really had the determination to.

I also suffer from anemia, which sounds small and insignificant, but is actually horrible. I am currently off work because of it, and normally hits around the time of the month. I have spent the last two days in bed crying for no reason, and when someone is nice to me it just makes me worse! If I over work myself, this doesn't help either, and I get very tired. The doctors have confirmed that it is anemia, and the answer to it is to take iron tablets, which help but do take time. And this I feel does link to my confidence issues, in general life and horse riding (which is why I have told you about it! )

But I have decided that I need something to work towards and focus on, and that is horses. I have started since Saturday and continue to keep going through the summer. I went for a ride on Mouse on Saturday, she spooked, but we lived! Not at the plastic bag catching the wind, but a new variety of squirrel, which eat Dartmoor ponies!

Mouse has chilled with me and I thoroughly enjoyed my ride on Saturday. I booked an hours lesson at my local riding school on Sunday, and learnt how to get a horse on an outline, which I enjoyed, but boy was it hard work! I ached the day after, but with a smile on my face!

I had Mouse shod yesterday, which I was and still am in two minds about whether I should have (for the point that will I ride her enough to justify it, but I least I won't be worrying about her feet. - Coming to think about it, the farrier didn't trim much off! :

The weather is lovely and I think tomorrow I am going to take Mouse out after work for a tootle. I am hoping to book in my 5 day foundation course (waiting for holiday to be confirmed) and am going to go on every available horse event that I can, (not riding in all, but helping).

Having a goal and working towards something really helps keep you mind occupied, rather than just riding! I really want to work towards becoming an RA, and if it takes years so be it, at least I have made a start, and where ever I go, I can take it with me!

I hope that all you guys that feel low, we can work together to achieve our goals and go for them. (Fizz kit looks good and I have emailed Kelly when she was asking for quotes etc for her new book, wonder I got an appearance! :

If anyone feels that they need a boost, please post on here and we can work together!

[Casper]

Well I know you said if someone was nice to you it would make you cry but firstly wanted offer some moral support and a hug. I have had the most awful year this year with family illnesses and have never been as stressed, tired, overwrought and emotional. I coped with it all until somebody was nice and caring, and then became a blubbering wreck. (Also got very disappointed with certain "friends" where I have done a lot to help them, and when I really really needed help they were nowhere to be seen). But that's another story... I will think twice before putting myself out for certain people again, that's for sure.

Anyway, I was very very lucky when I went to see Peter Maddison-Greenwell at Holdenby the other week and won first prize in the Prize Draw of a lesson with him!!! It is booked for 28th June and I am really looking forward to it, and having to get on and ride Bobby (who hadn't been ridden for months at our old yard for various reasons). It is fab to have that to look forward to, but more importantly makes me realise just how much I love riding my big lad.

The hacking out you are doing sounds great, and what a lovely part of the world you are in. I spend all my waking hours just about either being with my neddies, thinking about them when I am working, seeing other friend's and their horses and going to as many Demos etc as possible. My hubby says I really am obsessed with horses - and I agree! He doesn't mind though bless him.

I have lots planned for this year:

4th April (next Wednesday gulp) my first RWYM lesson on Bobby at our yard. I love these lessons, I have had two so far at June's yard on her lovely horses and having a third one there this Saturday

13th April (yes, a Friday) I have booked a lesson with a lady who is part of Peter Maddison-Greenwell's team. This will be at our yard and will help me to get a better idea of how they work. My lesson with Peter will be at their place in Holdenby so will have to get the Bobster all "poshed up"!

TREC training 29th April - although may not go as I have pretty much decided that roadwork is not for Bobby and I... But he loves doing the TREC obstacles so might just do those with him and then help out. Undecided at the moment.

Clinic with Tom Widdicombe at Jill's yard in Shropshire in June. This will be the first Clinic I have ever taken Bobby to, so am very excited and also a bit apprehensive. But I know I'll be fine, as Tom is a really great guy, and his wife Sarah is lovely.

28th June the lesson with Peter Maddison-Greenwell

In July we are going to the Kathleen Lindley Clinic at June's yard which I am also really looking forward to. Kathleen works with Mark Rashid and is another lovely person. So again will be apprehensive but know I will enjoy it.

You would make a lovely RA as you are keyed into people as well as horses - and I think that that is what an awful lot of RA work involves. Julia who goes to June's yard is fab, she is awesome with horses but very very good with people as well. If that is the route you decide to go down then me and all the confidence crew will be there with you every step of the way!

[kya]

Hey Casper (this is Kya now Kanga- yes I'm nutty!), I wish I lived closer to you, because you seem like a fantastic person. Horses keep me sane too. I've decided to try to take a riding holiday in Exmoor this year. Don't ask me how I'm going to do it, but I'm going to get to Knowle Manor and have a week of hitting my fears head on with no distractions whatsoever. You're spring sounds really great. Sarah, you are handling and riding and dealing with your fears- you don't have to, you could have run off, given in the riding for a field ornament. There were so many options. Give yourself credit. Posting on confidence issues is something of a first I think for this DG, in a world of outwardly fearless BHS style bravado. Three cheers for us!

[Casper]

Hi Kanga, I am Casper aka Koala now... (See my post on your thread in General Horse Chat)! I wish I lived closer to you too, you would have Bobby and I hacking out in no time, I know you would. If you fancy bolting a day or two on to your hols and coming to stay with us it would be our pleasure. We live in a tiny village in Northants and there are lots of nice rides around if you fancied riding Bobby or Clover. You would be very very welcome!

Or we could organise a confidence crew holiday for a gang of us somewhere. Caroline Putus at Enjoy Riding does them in Suffolk, especially for nervous riders I believe. Just a thought... Although I appreciate that may not appeal to you Kanga, so no worries if not hun x

[wozzer]

OOh, now there's an idea. All of us Perfect Confidence brigade meeting up and going on a hack ;D


Mind you, I'm only coming if I can be lead file when we canter or gallp LOL!!!!! ;D ;D

[peter maddisongreenwell]

Dear Casper,

Hope you enjoyed your visit to our yard. I assume you won the lesson at our Lecture Demonstration.

Hope you enjoy your lesson with Julia who is one of our teachers (not my teacher as it looks on your message). She is great with nervous pupils and a superb communicator and is one on our teachers here. We also have Joanna who is wonderful with children and a super rider. We also have Danielle who is not only an excellent rider, and like Joanna is one of the riders in the shows, she is also a qualified to treat people with "shiatsu" which is of great benifit for a number of the riders who come to us with difficulty in some physical aspects.

All of them work very hard and are truly dedicated, specially when I go to America, Canada or Spain to run clinics and perform.

Anyone who wants to know more about our work please feel free to look on our website, which should be updated by the end of April. www.elcaballodeespana.co.uk

If I can answer any other questions please do ask.

Kind regards Peter

[Casper]

Oops, sorry Peter, it was meant to read that Julia is one of your trainers as in at the yard, not YOUR trainer! So I have amended my original post to hopefully reflect that. I loved the visit to your yard, both this time and when you did the demo late last year.

Winning the lesson at the Lecture Demo has really given me a great motivational push to get on with things, as am soooo excited about the opportunity and am determined not to waste it! And I know I will enjoy my lesson with Julia as well, and will probably have a couple more before June as well.

You have a great team at Holdenby, and watching you all riding and working with your stunning horses is dreamlike. The shiatsu which Joanna does sounds interesting. I do equine reiki which horses love, and it is a pleasure treating them.

I would recommend ANYBODY to go and see Peter and his team in action. What is great is because everything is explained so well you almost feel like you are riding the horses yourself, and you gain a "feel" for what is being looked for from the horse. The other thing I was really impressed by was that if ever something didn't go quite as planned the horse was NEVER blamed, it was always "rider error", "oops overcooked it", "oh didn't make that quite clear" - something which a lot of other professional trainers would do well to emulate!

Look forward to seeing you in June Peter

Best wishes Casper

NB - Should have said that having mentioned my determination to get on and do things, Bobby is currently lame... Got a Bowen/Equine Touch therapist coming out to see him today...