dancing horses

dancing horses

Friday, March 19, 2021

Uncertainty

 If the word for 2020 was 'unprecedented' (tell me I'm not alone in hating this word now) then the word for 2021, at least for me, is uncertainty. 

The pandemic is still a thing and, while the vaccines are coming, the roll out is slow. We're all just waiting our turn. It's not clear how this will impact the dressage season. I suspect that we won't be having any EC shows. There might be some unrated ones in the fall but who knows? Not me that's for sure. 

will this every happen again? 

I realized that I'm not just feeling uncertain about the show season. 

Normally by now I'm writing up my goals for this year and booking things in my calendar. This year I'm not feeling it. 

Of course, March weather is notoriously unpredictable. We've had both the warmest and coldest weather this month. 

This ride started out sunny, then this happened and a
few minutes later it was a blizzard. Then it was sunny.  
Carmen thought I was being foolish

Reading this over, I realize this makes it sound like I'm depressed. But the truth is that I'm really not. I actually feel like I'm in a pretty good place.  What I'm not feeling is the pressure to achieve. At least not the way I used to. 

Last year I experimented quite a bit with Carmen and I think that it really helped us. In my riding I'm feeling pretty in control emotionally, physically and with my attention. That has been requiring me to focus on being in control not controlling. I am not sure I would have even know there was a difference when it came to riding. 

This is my favourite view

I've been playing with liberty too. Pretty much every ride I do groundwork and then take off her halter and work with her free. Once she left me to go where Irish was. I let her go and encouraged her to keep working and when I offered her to rest (after a couple circles) she quite happily came up to me. I do hope to connect with a clinician who does this and learn things. Because right now I am fully aware that I don't know what I don't know. 

I think that the goals I have this year is to explore our relationship and see where we go. And to see how that impacts on our dressage stuff. 

 I may show. I might do a couple clinics (I did sign up for another obstacle clinic). I will definitely go and visit Karen for a weekend. 

So I have goals, sort of? I guess. 

Carmen: just go with the flow. Especially
if the flow includes carrots




23 comments:

  1. I love this <3
    I, too, am in this weird position between "I would like to do the things" but also "Meh, I'm content to do SOME of the things, but mostly I just wanna enjoy my horse."
    Goals on my blog vanished in 2020 (before the pandemic) because I realized how much pressure it put on me and my horse. Seeing how 2020 unfolded, it was kind of convenient I was already in the mindset that it was "OK" to "miss" things or restructure how I felt bc at the end of the day, horses are horses. With Annie's COPD issues, I am cautiously optimistic for our season of riding, but 2020 taught me to appreciate the small things and I really think this year will be no different.

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  2. Wow I didn't realize there were still no EC shows. Our shows seem to be running smoothly with appropriate protocols in place.

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    1. We need to fly judges in from out of province and there’s a 2 week quarantine. That may be lifted by summer but we don’t know yet.

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    2. For dressage shows anyway.

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  3. "uncertainty" -- yep, yet again you found the perfect word for it. i'm really feeling you right now, and am having a lot of internal arguments about "what i want." it's strange. in any case, i love your ideas and explorations here <3

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    1. I’ve had so many internal arguments. I finally realized that I needed to stop arguing and start listening.

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  4. I never make goals anymore. I just try to do the right thing by my horses and relax, ride and have fun. Hope you get your vaccine soon.

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  5. Goals are good, but even a little thing can be a goal- like connecting with your horse through liberty instead of competing a
    t a show. Sometimes the horsemanship journey takes us down new roads :o)

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  6. While I certainly see the light at the end of the tunnel (spring thaw, longer days, drop in cases, growth in vaccination rates, release of confinement and curfew???) I have a different perspective on 2021. With nothing to plan, my life is incredibly predictable. I can tell you many weeks/days in advance where I will be at every hour of the day. 😁 As a flex schedule kind of person, that is a first for me.

    Of course it helps that I have a scheduled time for the boarding barn to reduce contagion risk.

    Enjoy spring as it starts coming back! 🌞

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    Replies
    1. Spring weather is here (at least for now). It makes the world seem better.

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  7. My summer is going to be a lot of short rides and horsewoman prayers that my oldies stay sound.

    The world is very uncertain right now. I complain about our slow roll out, statewide, when other states are opening vaccines up to everyone, but compared to the EU, I guess we’re doing great. I’m seeing a lot more events scheduled now, and just hoping this continues. We have a wedding planned for August, and I hope it can proceed. Also, a baby due in October, and I’d like to be in the delivery room with my daughter.

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    Replies
    1. I know that vaccination rates will improve. It just feels glacial!

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  8. Jason Irwin (Northstar Livestock) did a great liberty clinic in our town and I recommend him. The techniques are a bit counterintuitive, but I see on his website that he does video lessons. Now thats a covid innovation that is here to stay! https://www.thehorsetrainers.com/

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  9. Just enjoy your life. It's been such a difficult year, I just hope this year will bring joy back into the lives of my friends.

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    Replies
    1. You are right. I find that I’m more relaxed and content these days.

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  10. Things are so different in the new world, aren't they? I just feel this sense of NOT urgency. Will I show this year? Maybe? But it's like it doesn't matter either way really. The horses are healthy and (knock wood) sound, and we're just all kind of doing things. If we do more things, super! If we don't... also super!

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  11. I felt this year last year and exploring the relationship with Dante was probably the best thing I can do. The relationship is a fluid and growing thing, not the same day to day, but it does need to be nurtured. I think there is nothing wrong with taking a step back and enjoying each moment.

    And yeah I agree with you - unprecedented can go straight in the trash with a couple other words lol

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    1. I knew I was not alone but it is really nice to hear it. I have really enjoyed reading about your relationship growing with Dante.

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