What To Do When You Can't Ride

Tonight will mark my first ride in two weeks. It's time. I was so stir crazy and miserable this weekend! I alternated between Plan A: wanting to quit my job, buy a farm and board horses/ride all day, and Plan B: keeping my job, but spending every last cent/spare moment on horses and riding lessons. Do you sense a theme? Then I got news I didn't get a spot in the mounted police clinic. Cue tears and sadness. Then I found out I'm either riding with Steph Rhodes-Bosch or Kristi Nunnink in April's eventing clinic and I was happy again. (Anyone have a preference either way? I can can go to either weekend, but not both! I bought a lottery ticket but I'm somehow not confident that I will be independently wealthy by next week) Then I slept a bunch while my body fought off this stupid virus.

I traveled home last night and woke up this morning super early. I was excited because it's my day to feed the horses breakfast  and I hadn't seen the ponies since last Wednesday due to my being sick and out of town visiting G. I walked into the barn this morning and breathed a huge sigh of relief. Whew, back where I belong, the world feels right again. Also, the sun was rising as I walked out my door to head out for the day - the days are getting longer! Yay!

Look! Bridget eating her breakfast in the daylight! ;)

Finally, since I'm reading more than a few of us are/have been off sick, here's my list of horse related things to do while you wait to die:

- Read a good book. I just re-read Horseplay by Judy Reene Singer and also read the final Aspen Valley book, Chasing the Wind (review to come). I also delved back into Hunter Seat Equitation, Dressage With Kyra, Basic Training of The Young Horse, the Mary King autobiography and Centered Riding, but honestly, being sick meant I just read a chapter here and there. The first two novels are much better for a sick day, good escapism to make you forget how awful you feel!

-Youtube. I watched a bunch of Carl Hester videos, then discovered they have the entire equestrian coverage from the London Olympics on there. The dressage alone is like 12 hours of coverage. It's also all narrated in a soothing, quiet, british voice, perfect for napping to.The GP freestyle in particular is great - wake up and be inspired, then let the classical music and quiet narrative put you back to sleep, then YAY OMG CHARLOTTE WON A GOLD MEDAL, everyone's happy, the world is a great place, back to soothing commentary/sleep :)

-Netflix. They have Unbranded, which is from the same lady as the Buck movie. I didn't love it, but gorgeous scenery and horses is never a bad thing.

-Blogs. Seriously, bloggers are the best.

-HorseHero. I still love my Horse Hero subscription. See above about soothing british accents and horses. Seriously though, there are a ton of great training videos on there featuring a nice mix of up and coming riders and established big name riders. When I'm sick I tend to watch the barn tour videos and drool over the facilities, or intros to foxhunting or polo rather than something more serious.

-Online shopping. Oh boy, was I bad. My plague sickness/ulcers dieting has been going very, very well and what else to do but buy properly fitting clothes to celebrate? I have about a million dollars worth of products sitting in virtual shopping carts all over the world. Asmar equestrian, why must you have such nice stuff on sale? I actually bought new pair of full seat breeches in an eggplant color I couldn't resist, plus some odds and ends I actually needed (brushes, elastics, gloves, leather cleaner). I'm planning to buy a new coat, a new show shirt, (both from Asmar) and some super kick ass boots (Frye) when G isn't looking when I confirm they are in the budget/my desire for them hasn't faded after a few days of careful obsession.

Slightly more purple-y in real life.

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