Argh

Sorry for the nasty picture but I felt the
need to share my pain

I had a bad ride today.  I shouldn't complain because Walker wasn't bad or anything, but I just felt like I had a bad ride.  I have resigned myself to hating the d-ring snaffle bit.  As you can see from the picture, I rubbed my finger raw trying to get Walker into a frame.  My reins are also rubber so that didn't help. :( I talked to my trainer about it briefly, and she says that when she uses a bit like that on her horse trained like Walker, it is absolutely useless.  And she doesn't think that a French link will be any better, although she did tell me that it never hurts to try.  So I'm pretty sure I'm going to use two bridles now - one for jumping and one for the flat.  This way, I can get over the fact that it is a gong show in that bit because we'll be jumping so I won't care as much about putting him in a frame, and we will use the other bridle and bit for our flat work.  I'm considering buying a new bit anyway.  I'm thinking something like a slow twist with d-rings.  I have a full cheek slow twist that I haven't tried yet, but I don't know what I think about full cheek anything.  I would just like to try something different in the flat bridle to see if I can improve on what we have going on, but if not, I'll probably just go back to the bit I was using before.

I was also frustrated with our ride because of how out of shape I'm in.  It's bad enough when I'm using that disaster bit and practically wrenching Walker's mouth around because he won't listen to me (and feeling like a bad rider/horsemom for doing so), but he also wears me out.  When I rode my friend A's horse, I had so much fun because when I asked her to canter, I only had to ask once and she was like a rocket ship.  I cantered for circles and circles and circles, and I couldn't understand how my friend could possibly get winded on a horse like that.  This is because I have Walker who is SO LAZY.  It's bad enough that I'm out of shape in general, but Walker also requires so much more leg and constant leg and added reinforcements all around.  He is not a forward horse to say the least, and in fact, when he is teetering on the crazy side, I usually have a more enjoyable ride because I don't have to work as hard!  Today I did an exercise where I cantered for 5 circles, trotted for 5 circles, changed directions to repeat, and then went down to 4 and then 3 and so on.  Let's just say that I never made it to 1, and considering the tiny size of our circles, I am quite ashamed.

Since I got Walker 9 months ago, I have packed on the muscle and got into shape like nobody's business, but there's still a long way to go.  I've been trying to figure out a way that I can get in shape outside of the barn but I'm at a loss.  I'm really not a gym kind of person.  I think I've only ever been to a gym maybe 6 times in my entire life even though I've had free gym memberships at every university I've attended!  If I didn't think that I would slip on the ice and break my leg, I would try jogging outside, but instead I'm cooped up in my apartment and the neighbours below me don't seem to like me running in circles through my kitchen and living room.  I would like to try lifting weights as well, but I have no money to actually buy them.  Even if I could convince myself to go to the gym, I don't actually have time because the time I do have, I spend going to the barn. :S  It's quite ironic really.  Only in this sport do the "athletes" feel the need to get fit before they get fit!  What do you guys do to keep in shape for your horses?

So with the bit being a disaster, me wrenching around and flailing in the saddle to try and make it work, rubbing my finger down to the bone, and generally feeling exhausted like a 90 year old on a horse, it wasn't the best day I've had at the barn.

I also tried to get some conformation shots of Walker to check his weight loss/condition but he did not want to participate.  Because I was already angry about our ride, we had a little lesson in ground tying where he seriously regretted not listening to me when I asked him to, especially since I took him away from his supper to do it.  Luckily, he's a smart little bugger, and after about 5 minutes, I was able to put him in the arena untied and leave the arena without him moving.  He appreciated his hay, grain, alfafa and apples all the more after that!  Yes, I may have overdone it on the treats at feeding time!

Starting to walk away from me - not cool

Message received

"I'm sorry.  I'm sorry.  I'm sorry.  Now can I have supper?"

Unfortunately, now that I'm looking at the pictures, it's hard to tell that he has lost weight.  Oh well.  It's so hard to get an accurate representation of their build and all in the Winter when they have a Winter coat.  It's more perceptible in person, or at least it is for me.

You can tell that he still has a belly, but not nearly as much so as before

Comparison from August - I realize it's harder to tell the difference
since he's shiny here, doesn't have a winter's coat, and there's better light