Awareness of the outside world. Alabama News Center: Alabama Power’s Lineworker Career Day introduces students to utility linework, career opportunities and more, Taunton, 11.29.24.
~~~
Had two lessons at Stepping Stone Farm in November, both with Diego, a new horse.
Regardless of my mental agita before, I usually feel better after a ride. Not so much. Coach Courtney videoed my ride to cheer me up. Didn’t work. She didn’t think I looked all that bad, functional was the word she used. All I saw was the reemergence of every bad habit I’ve ever had.
Twelve years of saddle seat goes poof. (I can’t remember the photographer, apologies.)
Second lesson was better but still nowhere near what I ought to be doing. Probably won’t get fixed until I get my own riding career back on track. Yes, I’m a drama llama. This is not news. One has to deal with the brain one is given.
Onwards!
Katherine
Virtual Brush Box 
And you were given a very good one.
You’ll figure it out.
Joan
Thank you. I agree. There are many things my brain is good at. Unfortunately, getting spun up is one of them.
Baby steps. Your body still has those memories, they just need to be kick-started. As Joan said, you’ve got a good brain. Maybe it was on pause for a bit, but that’s all.
Thank you. As above, the problem is that my brain is doing the opposite of pausing.
I liked seeing the Between the Ears photo in the lesson ring. Made me want to get on horse, have lesson. And, really appreciate the link to the Alabama Power story about recruiting next generation of linemen. It looks like a job that is never the same day twice. MM
Preach. We need to give more social credit to the non-pontificating jobs.
I don’t know what I could say that might make you feel better. I’m not sure why we beat ourselves up so much? I dunno. I do it too, and I don’t even have any aspirations to show. Maybe just ride a bit and have fun. Don’t worry about lessons lost or lessons gained. Just enjoy the ride.
I would love to just go for a ride. Unf, the home team appears to be on a winter – and possibly permanent – hiatus. Then, the only way I have found to ride other people’s horses around here is to take lessons. That did not used to be the case. In the past, I’ve ridden some wonderful horses who belonged to friends. Times change? Location changed? Dunno. Of course, the answer is to ride my own. That’s a hairball of a different color. But also, yes, I do want to show. [More on same,
https://rodneyssaga.com/2022/12/06/other-peoples-horses-2/ ]. Thank you for the concern.
Would it be possible to do a short-term lease of a lesson horse? Say, for three or four months? It might give you the ability to negotiate a weekly lesson (included) and then an additional ride (or two) per week where you could just ride on your own and practice”stuff?” I think that’s what I’d do. I mean, lessons are fine, but it’s not “just” riding, which I think has value, too. I can’t ride during the winter. Footing is just too iffy. I used to winter board one of our horses so I could keep riding. That horse is gone now, but there’s no reason why I couldn’t just look for a winter lease situation. Same thing. Just a thought.
Good idea. My first response is that the local h/j barns dont seem to want my business, but that’s me being discouraged. I should keep trying.