Sweeeet!!

I got my final admission to the University of Alberta yesterday!

Awe I feel so bad for my neighbours dog, they went out and he escaped under their deck (they're redoing it). Now he's lurking out side my basement window, watching my dog climb up on the bed. Poor boy.

Went to the gym today, 4.0miles (have to change to km) on the bike and nothing note worthy done on the Summit Trainer. No stretching or abs today. Tsk tsk, have to catch up tomorrow.

Going on holidays for a bit, so no new Pony posts for a while :(

Awesome Thursday...Mostly

I have my workouts from the past few days, but I'm to tired (lazy) to get them and post them, there's time for that later.

I work at the barn in the morning starting at 7, and I get up at 6, which I was all mad about because I was sick last night. But...IT WAS SUNNY TODAY!! Also I saw frogs. I love frogs. Anyway, the it's been clouding and raining for weeks now, so it was great to finally see the sun.
I worked on Tuesday afternoon and my back hurt so bad and then the ride was not brilliant and I though that we might have a repeat because I thought my back was sore from walking/standing in boots with no support but no problems today!

One of my favorite horses at the barn is a little Morgan, he's sooo sweet. Usually he gets oats and vitamins after a training session but he had today off so I could bring them out to him or him to them. I wanted to be outside so I brought them to him and he was lying out in his pen and when he saw me and the black bucket he made a move like he was going to get up, but then seemed to change his mind and stayed down. He got his oates, ate them lying down, spoiled thing. I wish my phone could upload pictures, it's so cute. Finally he got up when I left and walked half way to the gate with me.
I had to bring in another horse later and he was sleeping the nice cool dirt with the horses in his pen and was not happy to have get up and come in the barn. He makes all these groaning/sighing sounds before he finally got up. Cute.

Pissy Pony has made a return on flat work. We were supposed to trot up the center line and pick up the left lead canter. We did this on Tuesday as well and she was not having it. She kicked at my leg, turns to the side, picks up the wrong lead, leaps forward, yet she's fine to pick them up along the wall. In the end we got it twice out of to many tries to count.
Jumping was a simple course. Up the four stride (vertical to Swedish oxer) down the wall a bit across the diagonal to a vertical up the wall and across to another vertical (sometimes back to the four stride). She did great!! She isn't a horse that's always easy to trust when jumping but when she gets up to course pace it's brilliant. So proud of her jumping today.

Then I went to gym which is for another post, and got a call from the bookstore because the books I ordered are FINALLY here! So I got to pick them up and bought Persuasion by Jane Austen, Wicked by Gregory Maguire, The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens and Nightshade by Andrea Cremer.
The best day in a long time I think.

Workout

Cardio: 30min bike ride @ level 8, 90+RPM 13.2km
               5min Jacobs Ladder 0.08km (5min doesn't sound like a lot but Jacobs Ladder is crazy intense and if you haven't been using it regularly, even 5min can be hard!)

Core: 10 sit ups x5
           10 Russian twists x3
           45sec Plank x2
           30sec V sit x3
           20 lunges (each leg)
           10 squats x4

Stretch

Thursday & Workouts

I worked Thursday morning  at the barn and then had a riding lesson.
Pony was good, we had one random refusal, which was actually random because we had a good distance, good pase etc. but she stopped anyway. Other than that she was okay.
She got really backed of the blue and yellow truck jump but K was thinking the blue might be hard for them to see and then she was backed of the lattice jump in that line, but she still went over when I yelled/clucked at her.
We also did a lot of work on bridling up, my arms were sore after from trying to get her to keep her head up, so I'll have to do more weights I think!

Thrusday Workout
Cardio: 30 min bike ride @ level 8
              distance: 13km
                             = 939.1 km left
Core: 45 sec plank x2
           10 sit ups x4
           10 Russian twists x3
           30 sec V sit
           10 squates x2
           10 lunges x2

no weights and no stretching, not good.

Todays workout:

Cardio: 15min run @ 5

Core: 45sec plank

This ^^^ is why I shouldn't work out at home. The run was surprisingly not bad because my home treadmill suuuuucks but that's more for sprint training because by the time it gets to the fast sprint, it's time to go back to a jog and on and on. I try to go the gym and not workout at home because I just don't work as hard at home as I do at the gym.

I was reading a thing about ab training myths/truths and one was something about not doing ab training more than four times a week and not on consecutive days. So I guess I'll have to do a bit more planning for my working out, except plank, that is everyday. So I'll alternate weights and core I guess.

Workout

I forgot to take off a few km yesterday! The total running distance was 2.56km and today was 2.02km and a 3.32 bike ride.

So there's *only* 952.1km left.

Workout
Cardio: 14 min run @ 5.2
                1 min sprint @ 6
       Bike: 10 min level 8 on "hill mode" which doesn't feel very hilly so added a few hill climbs at 18-20

Core: 10 burpees
           10 sit ups x4
           10 Russian twists x3
           30 sec V sit (just one today)
           45sec plank
           30sec plank
           10 squats x3
           10 lunges (each leg)

Weights: 10 bicep curls x3
                10 tricep dips x3

Yoga is tonight before bed, then I work and ride tomorrow morning and I'm supposed to work out with a friend but she sucks to workout with, she doesn't know what she's doing and is really bossy so you just want to see fuck off I'm doing this if you don't want to go do your own thing. But she will NEVER work out on her own and then gets mad when I say I can't go with her, but she needs to do things on her own.

        

Lattice Jumps & Kieser bikes

So today we were working on using the corners more effectively during the coarse. Pony was soo good, I thought she might have a problem with the lattice jump even though she's done them a million times before, but she was great, didn't look at it all. She did look at the truck jump and it was really awkward and I ended up catching her mouth but she didn't back off at the next jump like she sometimes does.
Then she ran out at the fan but that wasn't to big of a deal, we just didn't have a distance she wasn't being naughty or anything. When we came back to it she was good.
We did some more work on leg yielding and she was great! So hopefully that means they're improving.

K was talking about rider fitness today and how important core strength is when riding, not only to support your back but when your jumping and your horse pulls forward that you can have the strength to try and pull yourself back up.

Today's workout and yoga routine 1:
Cardio: 2min walk @ 2.5
             18min run @ 5
     Keiser Bike: 12minutes on gear 8 (80+ RPM) with random "hills" on gear 18 for 30 sec
So for the biking, there's a thing on the console that says "trip" I assumed that would mean miles or km, turns out it means revs so 4.0 is actually 4000 revs. Which doesn't convert to km and so doesn't count towards the Pacific Highway.
Oh well, it was still a good workout, just means I have to use a different bike but that sucks because I really love the Keiser bike.

Core: 10 sit ups x4
           10 Russian twists x3 with 6lb ball
           30 sec V sit x3  with 6lb ball
             5 leg lifts x2
           45 sec plank
           30 sec plank
           10 burpees x2
Weights: 12.5lb barbells
                10 bicep curls x3
                10 triceps curls x3

Stretch

I should do different things with weights like dead lifts and chest flies. Forgot to do squats, lunges and calf raises, but there's always tomorrow.

Yoga
This is a really beginner/simple one I have in a yoga book but this sites diagram is way better.
Sun Salutation yoga routine

Free Ride & Rider Fitness & Fitness Goals

Went to see Pony this afternoon, she was pleased to come out of the bugs! It poured rain this morning so we had to ride inside today and it sounds like we'll be in all week.

Over all she was really good, we did a lot of trot work, collecting, extending, sitting.... We worked on more leg yielding and she listens really well but she can get a bit crooked and starts to lean in and falls towards the wall. And sometimes it's difficult to feel if she's really crossing over or if she's just moving on an angle. On Thursday we worked on building an "up down" momentum rather than  forward "so think piaffe", which was also the goal today, but it's still hard to know if it's exactly right without some there to watch, which is also something that needs to be worked on. I need to be able to notice that stuff for myself otherwise we won't improve over the free rides the way I'd like.

But she's getting much better at bridling up at the trot and walk. She likes to carry her head low, which isn't that much of a problem until her head is below her whithers. So she's starting to carry her head up a bit more, the other thing we're supposed to work on is getting her to tuck her nose a bit rather than sticking it out.

So, rider fitness is probably just as important as the horses.
I love working out and running, but because of diplomas in June and then last week being so busy I didn't get to the gym as much as I would have liked. It's amazing how quickly you can lose cardio endurance.

Saturdays Training Session
Cardio: walk @ 3 for 2 minutes
              jog   @ 4 for 10 minutes
              run   @ 5 for 5 minutes
              sprinter intervals x 5
                 - 30sec @ 6
                 - 1 minute @ 5.3
Weights: Pink kettle bell : 10 swings
                                         10 swings each arm
                                         5 snatches each arm
                                         5 snatches + over head press each arm
               Blue kettle bell:  10 swings x2
            
Core: Plank 30 seconds
          Leg lifts 10
       
Stretch  

Over all it was a fairly easy workout, the kettle bells are a lot of fun, but you have to watch out with the over head press so you don't smash yourself in the face.

Today's work out (no trainer)

Cardio: run 12 minutes @ 5 (would have liked to make it to 20 but I haven't run in a while so the
                                              stamina just isn't there)
               walk 1 minute @ 3.5
               run    1 minute @ 6
               run    30 sec @ 5
               run    1 minute @ 6
               walk  5 minute @ 3.5
            Stair Stepper 10 minutes
                     - 45 stairs per minute
Core: 10 burpees x2
           plank
              -45 seconds
              -30 seconds
          10 sit ups x4
          10 Russian twists x3 with 6kg medicine ball
          30 seconds V-sit with 6kg medicine ball
Weights: 12.5lb barbels
                10 triceps x2
                1- biceps x 2
Stretch


GOALS:
-by September 7th 2011-run and bike a total of 960km (length of the Pacific Highway) with the ultimate goal 13 296km (distance from closest city to Sydney) by July 19th 2012.
-                                     -be able to do plank for 2 minutes straight
-                                     -run/bike at least 6 times a week
-                                     -do yoga everyday
and that's all I can think of for now.

It's Quite Sad...

How large Alberta's dumb ass population seems to be.

The idiot people who own the land next to the barn were setting of fire works last night and the quiet ones were apparently okay but then they set of these super loud ones and the four young mares just went crazy and started freaking out. K was out doing night fee and her husband came out to help try and calm down and control them. She yelled over and asked them to stop, but they yelled back "deal with it, it's a birthday".  How fucking retarded do you have to be? Seriously, can you not hear the screaming and horses freaking out? Are the bangs and glittery lights really so fucking important to you that you feel it's necessary to endanger the horses lives?
Stupidity should be a crime.

Anyway, I worked Thursday morning and I was alone, except for the dog and one of the cats, cleaning stalls but the big side doors were open and out of the corner of my eye I saw this big white dog that looked like a wolf walk in. I wasn't totally sure what to do, but the barn dog got up, ran over and they went outside. The cat was not pleased, even though he's pretty much best friends with the barn dog, he went a bit crazy. He'd been sitting on the stairs hand rail, soon as he saw the white dog, he ripped up the banister, and refused to come down even after the white dog left.
Turns out she is part wolf and belongs to the neighbours, not the idiot ones, lucky for her.
Not to much excitement after that really, racked the arena, and cleaned tack and brought in/turned out a few horses.

No one else was in the lesson, which was fine, Pony was much better! We practiced collecting her trot and getting proper cross overs on the leg yields. She did pretty well, still lots of work to do, on both our parts.
For the jumping we only had one refusal, but it was for good reason. The ground line was a bit farther back than usual and we both thought we had a long, then she realized "No we don't!" so she stopped. Not her fault at all and she didn't get crazy like she sometimes does after because she thinks she's in trouble. I can't remember much else for the lesson, but I'm going out to see her tomorrow.

There was supposed to be a show today, but it's been raining all week so SURPRISE it's been cancelled. The third one in a row.

Refusals

Today was a bad day for jumping.
We were inside again because it's been raining all week, which means we probably won't be going to the show on Saturday either.

Anyway, Pony was out on a bigger field and spent the day running around like a mad woman, so she was pretty tired for the lesson. Which is to bad because we had three AMAZING jumps, but she was just stopping and running out all over the place. Eventually she got it and we did okay, hopefully she'll be better on Thursday.

So I work out quite a lot and at a fairly high intensity, I have a personal trainer who is also an eventer, and I've been meaning to post workouts and keep track of them and weight loss on my other blog. But I'm just far to lazy for that crap.
Today I went to the gym with one of my best friends, she doesn't workout that much, she does Curves circuit stuff, but thats all just weights and core no cardio. I tried to get her to do one of my trainers workouts that she emailed me while she's showing in the states. But because she isn't used to training like this or running it wasn't the best workout ever. It's a a really good one so I'm planning on heading back and doing it on my own. My other friend, L, that I often work out with is being a bit of a tool about the gym, I work for my trainer on Thursday mornings from 7 to 11 and then I have a lesson at 11. She knows this but asked if I wanted to carpool to the lesson and workout after, I told her no to carpooling and why but that we could go to the gym after but now she's all pouty and angry, fuck I hate people sometimes.
Anyway, here's the workout:


Part 1:
1 lap hard run
10 burpees
Run 1 length
20 mountain climbers (10 each side)
Run 1 length
10 jump squats
Run 1 length
10 push ups
Repeat x3

Part 2:
1 lap hard run
1 length high knees
jog short end
1 length butt kicks
jog end
1 length walking lunges
jog end
1 length side squats
Repeat x3

Part 3:
Sprint length
jog end
Repeat for 2 laps

It is best to do this workout on a track, but you can do it basically anywhere where you can run. If you don’t have a track, use time (approx 45 seconds) instead of lengths. You can alternate part 1, part 2, and part 3, or complete all sets of each before moving on. Part one will really get your heart rate up, so use your jogs to catch your breath. Do the exercises in the corners of the track or off to the side. Focus on form in part two, and try to get you lunges and squats nice and low. Take your time here. Part 3 is just another heart rate rever, so go all out to finish off.

Yeah, so my friend only made it through one set of part 1 and part 2 and walking instead of jogging in part 2.

Damn Rain

R4R was supposed to be today, but nooooo, it had to rain. And not just a drizzle, but a complete down pour, thunder and everything. Which normally I like, but not when it ruins what probably would have been an awesome show.

There was only about 10 people in it this time, so it would be a nice small show for me and Pony to start with, so I can find out what she's like in a totally different environment.
So yeah, not happy.
There's a show next Saturday (HU), that we might be going to. Originally it was a three day AM show, but no one wants to go having not done a single show this season. I'm a bit worried about HU, just because I was there a couple years ago with Diesel and we did well, but the arena is smallish and it's really crowded for warming up in. So that sucks, and we were at 2' or so, which tend to be the bigger classes. But the second class there was only 5 of us (because me and D got 5th out of 5), so if the classes are like that again... that would be perfect. Just to see what Pony's like, because I really don't want to deal with her freaking out and doing one of her crazy run offs that she sometimes does at home. We start at about 2'6" now, so maybe they'll be less people there, but I'm not hopeful.

I guess we'll have to wait and see and just deal with it. Because the next show for us won't be until August 14th. And if she's really way to crazy to deal with, then I guess we'll end up dropping out.

Did anyone else watch the Queen Elizabeth II Cup today?! Crazy jump off, it's always so intense when it comes down to two riders and they just go all out. Rich Fellers lost by a single poll on the very last jump, if not he totally would have won. But I was absolutely cheering for Eric Lamaze, I have a friend who just bitches about how much she doesn't like him because of the 1996 Olympic crap, but I love that he over came all that and now look! He's number one in the world, won the QE II cup four times in a row. Plus he's Canadian which just makes him that much more awesome.

Thrusday, Canada Day, Tuesday

Happy (very belated) Canada Day
I love Canada day, it's always fun! Did all the cliche stuff, went to the parade and like fair thing..and me and my sister went down the giant inflatable slide that was meant for little kids. =P
Then I was going to go see the fireworks at 11, but got a facebook message from my bosses husband asking if I could come in and do night chores at 9, because my coach was at the hospital. She's okay, she still gets a bit sick from the concussion she got in December.
So I went and did chores and he drove four hours back from up north. But he needed to go picker her up from the hospital and since she drove herself, whats the point of having to leave a car there. I drove him to the hospital, which is in the city by my mums school and I figured it wouldn't be to hard to get back home. HA! Yeah right. Fuck, TC (a mall) had a bunch of little carnival rides in the parking lot and the cops had all these turns and intersections blocked off and we drove around for half an hour trying to find an entrance to the hospital. Ridiculous.
So anyway, go lost trying to find my mums school to get home then found the street we came in on, gave up and followed that.

Don't remember much from last Thursday other than we did work on sharp, jumper turns. Pony obviously did amazing since she's so tiny. We did have one rail down but she did do her usually crazy freak out. Yay! We rode inside, cause of the rain, so that was nice.

Today, oh my god, I almost died. It's like 27 degrees out, no shade and I forgot my water bottle. I hate heat and I don't do well with it, so it was awful. Well, not quite, the first time around the coarse was good, but after the third last jump, she had one of her crazy freak outs. I let her turn her head in and she did her crazy running thing and turned way to sharp and we missed the line. When we came back to it, she was still a bit loppy, but did good to the first jump in the last line but took off waaaaay to long to the oxer at the end. But I didn't catch her in the mouth!! Yay! She knocked the second rail on the oxer, but from what everyone else in the lesson said there could have been a third rail in front because that was how far she took off.
Anyway, at this time I was super dehydrated and feeling a bit sick, and was breathing kind of like I was winded but not quite. I don't think K really saw cause she wanted me to go again and finish the last line right away, but once I got Pony moving I was able to breath better. Probably should have said something but oh well. We made it over and it worked out well.
At the end we did a little four jump jump off thing and if I hadn't been feeling so terrible, me and Pony totally could have owned it. We did mostly all the sharp turns, but not back to the oxer, I was just to tired for that crap.

Also, I got my Tragus pierced today!! Sometimes I forget it's there and I go to scratch my ear or something, and it hurts like a bitch! It wasn't as bad I was told by my friend that had hers done, theres a lot of pressure, but it's not so bad. My poor sister, she came to get her navel done, it went fine. But then she watched mine get done and it bleed a fair bit. She does not handle blood well, or watching people get stabbed by giant needles, so she got a bit light headed and had to lay down on the piercing bed for a bit. But she was so pale on the drive home, she was half way between getting sick or fainting, but she made it. Then like 10 minutes away her hands started to cramp up and her feet and she can't move them and it really hurts. So her friend that was with us, massaged one and then when we got home we brought her some ice to try and relax them.
She's okay now,  I guess she went into a bit of shock after or something. So she's not planning on watching anyone get pierced anytime soon.

This Week

My computer had to spend some time at Staples having virus's removed this last week, so I haven't bothered blogging.

Pony's done well so far. We had a lease ride on Monday, and it was our first ride in the outdoor ring!! She did better than I thought, she was only super  quick to the left, but over all she was really well behaved.

Tuesday, we did our warm up hack outside and again she was pretty good. We're working on bending to the outside, while cantering and eventually we'll be learning to counter canter. Sounds exciting. My friend L got booted from the lesson though because she was late AGAIN! She is always, always, always late. I've never had a lesson with her where she's been on time. So she was pissed, understandably, but it's her own damn fault, so I have no sympathy for her right now.

We jumped inside, and had some trouble with the triple combination. The first two jumps were one stride apart and then three strides, but we had some trouble with the three because I kept leaning at her and she was like "umm no?", but once I sat up, we got the line done perfectly. She didn't even give the Swedish oxer a second look! Good mare! =) Ah, she's so awesome!

Tomorrow is our second jumping lesson and then next week (weather permitting) we get to start jumping outside!