HOW DID YOU CHALLENGE YOURSELF THIS WEEK? ENTER THE ECOGOLD WEEKLY CHALLENGE: WEEK #8

[Barnmice Team]

How did you challenge yourself this week? We want to know! Did you enter a horse show? Overcome a fear? Learn something new? Improve you position?

Tell us about your challenges and qualify to win a beautiful ECOGOLD half pad!

ECOGOLD is picking a new winner every week throughout July and August - another reason to challenge yourself every day!!

[Bevin Nicholson]

About a year ago I started back to riding after my second son was born. My second ride my horse took off bucking, due to my mistake. Next thing I knew we turned into a tree and I lost my balance and landed on his butt. This made maters worse. The first huge buck came, I stayed on. The second one came and I still stayed on, but this time I knew this was dangerous and I let go for the third buck. I didn’t just fall, I was launched. Lucky for me all I did was break my wrist and my tail bone. Over the last year, I said I would never ride a horse that buck. I had nothing positive to say about them. Recently, I got on a horse that decided to give a small buck when asked for the canter. After a few times of holding my breath and resisting the urge to get off, I asked one last time. He gave me four bucks in a row and spun to take off. Nothing happened and I continue my ride as if nothing had happened and by the end he was cantering with ease. I still don’t like the buck but I took the first step and stayed on and worked it out. I am riding him tonight and on Friday.

[Daisy]

I recently bought a new horse to be my low level eventing partner. He's forward and sensitive with all the right buttons in place. We've only been together for barley two weeks now and each ride we get to trust one another a little more. This week we will go cross country schooling together for the first time. I am nervous, but know he will take care of me. My previous horse was a touch lazy and I had to be confident for both of us. Now I have to learn to trust my horse more and focus on myself. It's a big step for me!

[Anne Marie Turnbull]

Chloe will be challenging herself hugely because this is her first time in a H O Y S qualifer having brought Jet on herself he had been broken when Chloe had him but had never seen a jump or jumping ring Chloe has got Jet to this standard by pateince and understanding acheiving all this in 18months Chloe herself is 14 and I am hugely proud of her. When Chloe rides Jet she does not carry a crop but uses her voice. I hope with all my heaart she acheives her dreams.

[Marlene]

I am an adult re-rider who just purchased a 3 year old 3/4 Tb 1/4 Clyde mare 2 and 1/2 months ago for low level dressage and eventing. Things have been going brilliantly, she has constantly surprised me with her wonderful attitude to new things and her natural ability. Just last week though was the icing on the cake! She trailered 1 1/2 hours to an eventing clinic I was attending at Checkmate. We, as a group of 7 riders were invited by a friend of mine to hack over and try TEAM PENNING, with live cattle no less. So, all decked out in our breeches, riding hats, vests, boots and whips, we hacked over. Not only was this her first road hack, but having never even seen cattle before I really didn't know what to expect. Again, brilliant, lead the horses and ponies past the cattle pen, rode in and pushed cattle around like she had been doing it her whole life! Even penned cattle with the help of one of the experienced members. The next morning she schooled dressage. Just goes to show you that horse people are horse people regardless of the discipline, and that you are never too old (or young) to try new things!

[Mary Bargerstock]

I think that is really great! My horse has been trained to trail ride, dressage, and in western tack. I think next I might try cows. I am a cowgirl at heart.

[Linda White]

I used to be a fearless rider who would attempt any jump - that's when I used to be 16. At 63, I had lost some courage and rhythm and style. So I spent the winter taking bareback lessons to regain what I'd lost, and this week, I aimed my trusty mare at a line of jumps and cantered over each one successfully. It wasn't Spruce Meadows, it wasn't the Irish Horse Trials, but it was something that had become fearful to me and I conquered it.
Linda White

[marg o'neill]

After a near death experience (health issue) and only able to ride on the flat - it was my goal to be able to jump again. I did it - it was only a cross rail course - but I did it - not bad for an 67 year old lady.

[Joanne Ladouceur]

Good for you. It is much harder to do things the older you get. Things do break easier and we heal
slower. So good for you that you stayed safe and still got your goal completed. I'm 58 myself and know sometimes I have to find a different way to do things. Having fun with my horse and friends and learning new things is what keeps me happy.It feels so good when you accomplish something you challenge yourself to do.
Someone who loves horses so much.

[Madonna]

Yes, as we get older we heal slower.

I bought my first horse as a 50th birthday present. I have had some falls with broken ankles but i am still riding and keeping my fingers crossed that all will work out. I joined a local hunt club and i do enjoy that very much.

happy riding to one and all

[DLW & Excell Warmbloods (Renee)]

after having a few months off from having my first baby which is challenging enough. I got back in the saddle and between raising my little one who is 3 months old and riding my 2, 4 year olds, and long lining a 3 yr old now I think I will add my old school master into the schedule. thank god for sleep. Know I am going to prepare for my first show of the year on Oct 2-4 I can hardly wait.

[shanice]

I had a very bad fall and have been on and off or riding for a while now. I recently purchased my first horse and she is helping me to over come my fears. I wrote a post about three weeks ago saying i finally did my very first horse show. My mare was great. We did the green hack class. This was a huge thing for me to over come because i could barley canter a month ago do to my fears. Today i have over come yet another mile stone. I Jumped today. I have barely every jumped throughtout my riding career and i havent actually went over a fence in years. My mare was wonderful! I feel very proud of her and myself for over coming this step together!

[Ferrous]

The challenges of working with my first youngster continue. It's occasionally maddening, sometimes scary, always interesting... and immensely rewarding! This week I learned a very important lesson: riding helmets... not just for riding!

I always wear my helmet when on a horse, and often, but not always, while doing groundwork. Now I will always wear my helmet when working a horse from the ground as well. Yesterday after working on his leading skills in preparation for an upcoming horse show (halter class), we then decided that we had time to do a little 'confidence building work'. We introduced my wee lad to an umbrella for the first time. He was great the first time that it went up, but the second time he 'popped' a little (not a full rear) and spun a bit... and he hit me in the head. It was my fault for not moving back far enough in case he did spook... I relaxed a little too much after he didn't spook the first time that the umbrella went up... more lessons learned!!! It wasn't a dangerous hit, but enough to act as a reminder... I could have had a REALLY big headache if I wasn't wearing my helmet! He did conquer the umbrella in the end though... we even went for a walk while I was holding the open umbrella (he didn't like the beast in mom's hand, but he did accept that it wasn't going to eat him.

Even a couple of the 'seasoned' horses reacted more severely than expected to the tarp that we had set up for desensitizing the youngsters... which shows that a so-called 'bombproof' horse can spook at something unexpected or that hasn't been seen in a long time. Better to be safe than sorry... be alert and wear a helmet!