Olympic Resolutions

[dressagetraks]

Okay, so as we watch all these displays of riding by horse people who, at least speaking for myself, are all MUCH better than I am as riders, what are you inspired to buckle down and do to improve in your own world?

For me, there are two resolutions so far:

1. When I restart riding lessons after my Mom is placed, I will also take lunging lessons for a good, long time to improve that independent seat and balance. Not just now and then. Every blessed week.

2. When I have an “Oh SH*T!!!” moment in a dressage test, I will endeavor to react more like Isabell Werth than Chicken Little.

Anybody else?

[pintopiaffe]

I am just ashamed of the time off I took earlier this summer for a relatively minor back issue, compared to the major knee issue I have now. Of course, you loose motivation sometimes, and the irony is you don’t usually want something badly until you can’t have it. :uhoh: (‘don’t know what you got, until it’s gone’… right?)

I cannot WAIT to get on, I’ve been SOOOOO inspired. I’m tempted to get on tomorrow to see if it even bothers the knee. It might not. You don’t know until you try. (and my horse is very kind and safe–so don’t worry, I’m not going to get myself killed :lol: )

The biggest thing I’ve taken away is that without being cruel or mechanical, I really need to expect more. Of both myself and the horse. I watch the absolute level of obedience and submission and suppleness–epitomized by how many spooks there were on the way out of the ring after the tests were completed. Those horses were SCARED! But they still did their jobs. Exceptionally.

I need to ride through a lot of things I haven’t been.

I am just so incredibly inspired. I feel SO blessed to have been able to watch EVERY SINGLE dressage ride so far. On cheated/borrowed time–internet at work when it’s quiet. I have learned a TON. And hopefully the images in my brain will help me to be better.

[Bugs-n-Frodo]

CONSISTENCY. PATIENCE.

Oh, and the chicken little thing you mentioned… yeah, I think I could use that resolustion too! :winkgrin:

[Bugs-n-Frodo]

[QUOTE=pintopiaffe;3455191]
I watch the absolute level of obedience and submission and suppleness–epitomized by how many spooks there were on the way out of the ring after the tests were completed. Those horses were SCARED! But they still did their jobs. Exceptionally.

I need to ride through a lot of things I haven’t been.[/QUOTE]

I second this! Amen. :yes:

[poltroon]

You know what? I really appreciate getting to see the rounds and rounds and rounds of riders blowing it. It seems dumb, but it helps me to truly understand just HOW DIFFICULT it is to jump these courses when I see, for example, the Saudis, making matchsticks out of the course when I know they have unlimited funds for horses and training, and are obviously receiving the best of both, and have been for something approaching two decades. It’s not just a matter of money, and it’s not just desire and dedication. It’s the right horse, and then having the experience and guts and training to take advantage of it all.

I don’t know what I’ve learned exactly, but I am far more inspired in my riding this week, and perhaps also I’m deferring to my horse a little less. We can still play when that’s appropriate, but I really do know best about some things, like about not getting strung out to a jump.

[spotted_mustang]

Oksana rocks!

my biggest inspiration came from gymnastics, not riding. After watching Oksana Chusovitina, who at 33 is just a few years younger than I am, win a silver medal in vault and 9th all-around, I (ex-gymnast, but stiff as a board now) vowed to get back into the gym to regain some of my old flexibility and strength. With riding my only sport the last 5 years or so, I have some core and leg strength, but my arm and shoulder muscles and my flexibility sure went the way of the dodo.

So, thanks, Oksana, for the hint May you tumble on for as long as there is joy in it for you

[poltroon]

I was deeply inspired by the 38 year old Romanian mom who won the Marathon, too. No more excuses for me!

[gully_s_pilot]

Two words–Dara Torres! She’s my age! (So what’s my excuse?)

[pintopiaffe]

I will say too, that there’s a spark of little girl hope re-ignited: Hoketsu is 69. That means I have almost 20 years STILL to get there.

[1derful]

[QUOTE=gully’s pilot;3456348]
Two words–Dara Torres! She’s my age! (So what’s my excuse?)[/QUOTE]

Did you see her support team that she hired? Almost a dozen people… coaches, nutritionst, two people just for massages… working on her at the same time. I want that same team. If not for me, at least for my horse! He has reached GP without even a magnetic blanket; has slept mostly on uneven hard floor, with potions of supplements I cooked up that probably poisoned him than doing any good. :sadsmile: He deserves better!

That is my resolution for my husband…

[dogchushu]

I am not going to give up when I have a bad fence.

I watched Authentic refuse the first fence of the triple and Beezie struggle to get him back through it. Even though she had a rail at the second element, she kept control (despite a lot of headshaking by Horsie) and finished without letting it rattle her.

Then she came back for the next round and nailed the course. She didn’t let her previous experience shake her. She made adjustments to prevent the problem (I noticed Authentic didn’t have the ear net on for the second round), but she rode the horse she had under her… not the one she had the day before.

[kateh]

Drag my butt to the gym! :eek: If I can’t ride more than once a week, I’m at least going to be in shape for that once a week!