Sigh

It's that time of year ... the dog days of summer. I always get a little ... indifferent? I'm not sure if that's the word. Certainly not DEPRESSED, but ... certainly not HAPPY either:( I've applied for a third job. Yes, a third one. It's nobody's fault but my own; not finishing college and going to Pharmacy School so I could be making 6 figures right now. Instead, I'm toiling away at a job that barely nets me over minimum wage. Sure, I only work 3 hours a day on a lONG day, but it IS an hour drive each way. So, sigh. I'm doing what I can to change my circumstances; hopefully something good will come of it.

My indifference caused me to not feel like riding on Friday. I just couldn't motivate myself to spend the extra 30 mins putting all my gear on and fully tacking up, so I longed. Borrowing a trick from Stacey at the "Jumping Percheron" blog, I tied on a standing wrap to the surcingle; I've always been a fan of the "Pessoa" longeing rig, but of course have always been too cheap to actually invest in one. A simple solution? Side reins and something around the horse's hind end above the hocks to keep the hind end engaged. Results, you ask?

Well, at the trot, I couldn't see much difference. He was as lazy as ever, and warmed up with his usual short trot steps. The canter on the other hand? WOW. He's never cantered well on the longe; he cross canters and breaks like he was an 18 hand draft horse and not a red headed Thoroughbred. Well, with the wrap back there, he TRIED to change behind and cross canter, but the feel of the THING back there kept his hind end UNDER himself, and kept him on the correct lead! Definitely a BIG difference at the canter, yay:)

Kicked up the running a notch this evening. I'm doing the "Couch to 5K" program, and completed "Week 1" training, which is run for 60 secs, walk for 90 secs for 20 mins total. "Week 2" is run for 90 secs/walk for 2 mins for a total of 20 mins. It went GREAT. I think my problem with not being able to keep up a running program has been too much too fast, and I burn out. The "Couch to 5K" program begins gradually and builds up. By the time I was finished, I was tired and sweaty, but not aching or dying.

Tomorrow I will try and get my buttocks on the pony and jump a few jumps. Just have to see what this week will hold!