Strength & Balance by Keep_Going_Lass

Managing to maintain my “Just do it” approach, I hot footed it back from a meeting in London on Friday to be sure of making it back in time for my training with Andy.   The session was similar to Tuesday’s except  rather than the slow and heavy approach, it wa of the moderate and fast approach. 

Made it through alive by filtering out Andy’s counting which makes you focus on how many you’ve left to do and making the voice in my head say “one more”, “one more”, “one more” , filtering him back in again when I hear HIM say “one more”.

Finishing  off  with three minutes of boxing,   “Good session” he said, and then used the “P” word....... Plyometrics - sports science  for jumping about and feeling utterly weak and knackered.   Seems he thinks I’m ready for that now, but  that’s not until Tuesday so  on to today.....

But first, this fine tune of the day sets the scene ....  

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7ly_tp-9SY&feature=related

A nice sunny drive to Cleobury Mortimer on the Shropshire/Worcester border,  to meet my companion for the morning.  May I introduce you to Beauty ......

.....a very docile but smelly beast, who stood at the back of the stable eyeing me suspiciously whilst I tried to make conversation with her.   Dragged out by the tutor and with the aid of a wall, I managed to find my way into the saddle and was coached through the basics of how to go forwards, backwards, turn left and right and most importantly stop.

A short time later, I learned that I was to ride (and I use that term VERY loosely) at the back of the group as Beauty was just coming into season so it would not be a good idea to have horses ridden by novices behind me...... OH MY GOD!  Trust me to get the beast with PMT!

I have to say that the first half hour experience of being anywhere close to a horse, never mind sitting on its back, was one of the most unnerving  of my life.  My tenseness meant that Beauty was completely confused by what I was trying to get her to do, (so was I if I’m honest!), decided she was having none of it and headed back to the stable, even almost opening the gate with her nose!

I’ve only been THAT scared once before in the last couple of years and I refused to show it then too, so I put on my bravest face.   When the rest of the Group were ready to lead the way, I tried to perform the required kick to get her moving forward, trying to relax my shoulders enough so that I wasn’t holding onto the reigns for grim death so that the poor animal thought she had to go backwards.

Now, I do have quite strong legs, but Beauty’s  girth, not dissimilar to my own , is lower to the ground than  the other horses, but also somewhat wider.    Combine that with my also short legs and you can imagine the impact that trying to give some kind of kick to tell her to go had ...... ABSOLUTELY ZERO.   In any case, I didn't like the idea of kicking her! 

Beauty therefore had no idea whether she was coming or going, but then neither did I!    Luckily though, she just followed the others and most of the time was very well behaved.  We walked down country lanes, through fields, and along tracks and I soon found that the more I relaxed, the better the experience.  With the sun shining I was starting to enjoy it and I managed to position myself in such a way that I was able to give a little prod with my heels, which gave her a bit of a clue.

The  tutor, clearly fooled, decided we were ready to have a go at a trot.   Well, I have NEVER been so grateful for all those Pilates,  Yoga  and core strength sessions I have done over the last 3 or so years.   I am absolutely certain that without them, there was no way on earth I would have stayed on that horse. 

Remarkably I started to get the hang of that too and once or twice Beauty decided to trot of her own accord but by then I was co-ordinated enough to know what to do to make her stop - and thankfully she did. 

Fortunately, the only thing that galloped was the time and after two hours and our final more confident trot,  we walked back into the stable yard to face the challenge of getting off – without the wall.     

Beauty clearly recognised that this was her chance to get the neurotic woman off her back so she could have some peace and quiet and stood beautifully still whilst I dragged my leg over her back and landed, suddenly feeling the pain of two sharp sticks sticking in my bum as my feet hit the floor.

After the drive home, a hot bath and a long snooze, tonight, my thighs feel pretty much ok but I have clearly grown a couple of new bones in my bum since I got up this morning, which might put paid to the Plyometrics, the Wilson has planned for me!

Race for Life in two weeks with my daughter.  Running?   When am I supposed to find time to do that!???     

 Quote of the day ..... same author as usual...

"Just before a dream is fulfilled, The Soul of the World decides to test everything that was learned on the journey."