Fitness Week 5

This week was a bit all over the place. I caught some kind of death plague, so haven't actually ridden since last Saturday. Never fear, though, Bridget still got things done!

I'm going to have to post some before and after pics. I did opt for the Thyroxine last month and it's helped her loose almost all the excess weight and given her a ton more energy. I'm still on the fence about long term usage on a not clinically metabolic pony, but as a way to jump start weight loss it worked great. The vet thought it was the lesser of the two evils as far as her remaining super overweight, and I have to say now I agree. There was no progress being made with exercise and diet alone since she was just struggling too much with the weight to really work even a moderate amount, and was getting pretty sour about working - it was too hard! The grazing muzzle and hay net thing with this pony simply didn't cut the intake enough. We were also ending up locking her in overnight without food and still seeing minimal progress, only a miserable pony. Fingers crossed we can wean her off it, keep up the strict diet and intense fitness routine, and have her hold her current weight.

Saturday: XC/Pace Clinic. Covered 1.5 km at 350m/min for the pace clinic. (With a short break when I got bucked off lol). Further 2 hours of XC clinic, spent either at walk or cantering around jumping things. Heavy emphasis on jumping/cantering up and down steep terrain. Fitness must be much improved because Midge did all that and did not even think about running out of gas.

Sunday: I was sick, but Midge still got out for 1.5 hrs of XC clinic. Less active than previous day...lots of walking around, then cantering single jumps one at a time. Report was she felt tired to warm up, then gained momentum as the lesson went on. This day sucked, because our 6 hour trip home took 12. I'm counting that as fitness because 12 hours standing in a trailer has to be hard!

Monday: Midge got a very well deserved day off.

Tuesday; Kid's vaulting class. About half hr of cantering in side reins, and another half hr walking in side reins.

Wednesday: Still sick, so cancelled dressage lesson. But all was not lost, Midge got a trainer ride and a dressage workout. Report was it was "the best ride ever!"

Thursday: Still death plagued. Midge got another day off.

Friday: Going to do a light neighbourhood hack. About an hour of mostly walking.

Upcoming: Local show Saturday (Yay for cheap entries and 20min trailer rides!). Entered the 2'3" and 2'6" jumpers, hopefully keeping it fun and easy. Jump lesson on Sunday, dressage lesson Monday.