October 27, 2009

Comfort zone to stretching zone



This weekend I have been to another dressage seminar, this time with Jan Brink.
Will write a separate post about that later. It was for two full days, plus a presentation Friday night, so lot of stuff to digest.

I find that it has been many posts recently about all and everything except life at home with horses, lol!

Well, first there has been some changes for me personally.
I have been working at the same company for 20 years, which is quite a long time.
This summer I got a job offer from another company which sounded interesting, and as a result I have resigned my old job and will start a new on Nov. 9th.
As I am moving over to a competitor, I have finished my running projects but been kept out of new ones so I have had some extra time off....nice, huh?
Which I have used on family and horses.

As I have stated in an earlier post time has come for Fame to start on flying changes.
I have been considering to get some help with it as I feel rusty after riding young horses the last years. Timing is so important, and as horses have good memory they learn what you teach them, whether it is right or wrong.
I prefer to get it right.


Now, as I had more time on my hands, I could get our instructor Annie to help me at day time, when she had time free.

I really like Annie's riding.
She is a soft and sympathetic rider, but has a good seat and get the horses to work very well without any fuzz.
Annie rode Fame three days last week, and two days the week before that.
She has improved the basic work and hind leg activity, and also done some flying changes.
A positive spin-off effect is that as she is learning to know Fame better, she will also be able to give me more directed help.

We have found out that I have been chicken riding. Hm.
When Fame gets going, I loose my seat slightly and have put in a halfhalt instead of riding through it. So she has been going in a slightly under-tempo.
I also feel that she gets too strong in the contact when she gets going, another reason for me to put in the half halt.
Annie wants me to ride through it instead, and let her soften through increased activity.

I feel like I have to push myself a bit out of the "comfort zone" to the "stretching zone".
(Haha, Jan Brink's words from the seminar....)
...which might not be too bad!

18 comments:

Grey Horse Matters said...

The clinic sounds great, can't wait to hear about it.

It's nice to have some extra time before your new job starts(good luck by the way), and I'm sure you and Fame will be doing flying changes in no time. I know what you mean about staying in the comfort zone, I'm guilty of that too sometimes.

Anonymous said...

New job - how exciting! Glad that you have a sympathetic person to help you with the difficult bits - like flying changes. Can't wait to hear more!

Irene said...

Jan brink är alltid bra att lyssna till. Han har så mkt erfarenhet o är otroligt seriös. Skall bli kul att höra.
Grattis till nytt jobb!

stilllearning said...

Congratulations on the new job!

I like your term--"chicken riding". My trainer is constantly on watch that my horse and I don't get too comfortable, too. It's good to get a little push out of your comfort zone.

Looking forward to hearing about the clinic, and wish you luck with the flying changes.

RuckusButt said...

I think I know that feeling! My lease horse is such a big mover and I get the sense that I'm going to lose control at the canter which makes me chicken ride. My instructor keeps reassuring me that it doesn't look fast, it just feels that way.

Good for you for taking the new job. I am 31 and have been in my job for under 2 years and I'm already too chicken to consider moving :)

Looking forward to the clinic post!

Di said...

I'm going to need lots of help with Remy, It'd be great to have a trainer that I really trusted, you're lucky! Good luck with the job!

mugwump said...

Hmmm.....push through the strong behavior with more activity....sounds kind of cowboy cow horsey to me.

Once Upon an Equine said...

You are lucky to have so many good seminars to attend.

Congratulations on your new job. After 20 years, that is a big change. I find change can be refreshing.

Good luck with Fames flying changes.

Claire said...

good luck! i know what it's like starting a new job after a long time in the previous, that's serious "out of comfort zone" material!

trudi said...

New job, new movement exciting times..good luck with both.

allhorsestuff said...

Oh very lovely work. Chicken riding or not. You have such good eyes on the ground...very fortunate indeed. I like the sound of your direction, so much. Your clinic will probably be a good link to what you need to be doing. I hope so!
Living through YOU an your times!
KacyK

DQwannaB said...

I don't know how to write to you other than through 'comments'. I wanted to share this with you. If you have a chance to see it, please do. It's very good.

Classical Versus Classique with Christoph Hess and Phillipe Karl

It's a dvd and was about $50 US, but well worth it. Let me know what you think.

HorseOfCourse said...

Hi DQWB, and welcome!
Thanks for the tip. I have it on my wish list, I believe there should be some interesting discussions there...You have seen it?
Maybe I just to have to squeeze the lasts moths out of my purse and make an investment, lol!

Anonymous said...

hope your first day on the new job went fantastically.

Everytime I venture out of the comfort zone, it is a life-changing experience. Always in a good way.

alberta

Anne i Hannover said...

Hvordan gikk det på stevnet i helgen?:)

HorseOfCourse said...

Thanks Alberta! It went well...I went early to bed yesterday though, my mind swirling with all new names and faces, lol!

HorseOfCourse said...

Anne - hun vant OARKs høstcup (LA) så det var kjempegøy! Spesielt når hun er så mye dårlig for tiden. En opptur betyr ekstra mye da.
Så synd vi ikke fikk treffes i helgen. Nå er endelig ridehuset på Elveli ferdig, det ble kjempefint. Når kommer du hjem neste gang?

Anne i Hannover said...

Gratulerer, kjempegøy!! Det er jo en enda større prestasjon når hun har vært så mye dårlig også, håper virkelig at det blir bedre...
Jeg kommer hjem til jul, regner med å bli til rett over nyttår. Nå er det prøver hver uke fremover, så rekker ingen flere helgeturer dessverre:/