LOCK

[bonjour.]

Aw, Bearsy. I know how it feels. I haven't been in the saddle, or been around horses since October. .-.

Well, I watched War Horse with my best friend last night, the one that rides with me. Oh my god. It's so sad. I don't cry at things, so I didn't, but my friend did. I felt like it, but for some reason I usually can't cry. xD

Anyways, it was horrible. Dead horse. Screaming horses in pain. Wah. It's a haunting movie. D:

[Carbon]

Anyone wanna talk about American Warmbloods? I saw a article about them in Horse Illustrated and saw a beautiful team of palomino A- Warmbloods.

Ohhh I did too! They were gorgeous! I also really liked the one with the black and white markings! The driving team of goldies were adorable!

[burtleyy]

I haven't ridden for... weeks, because of tonsillitis and then a chest and ear infection. :c
I've been missing Chester and Obbie so much; I just want to go and get back in the saddle! Hopefully I'll be able to book a lesson for next weekend, so I won't have to suffer for too much longer. ^^ But still. Such a long tiiiime. D:

D: When I broke the growth plate in my wrist, I couldn't read for a month. When I went back, it still wasn't healed, putting me in a cast for another two weeks then a brace. So I couldn't ride for two months! But I know how hard it is not being able to ride.

[Carbon]

I could not ride for I think the longest two weeks of my LIFE (after I had my concussion)!

[-Obsidian]

Brrr. Just had a freezing cold ride!

I need some help though:
Every time I ride, my right ankle stiffens up and always feels very hard and not relaxed at all. My legs/feet are in the correct position, and my left ankle is fine, but I was wondering if anyone has experienced this, or knows how to stop it, as it feels very strained and awkward, and I have no clue what I should do?
(I am left-footed, so that may have something to do with it...?)

[Carbon]

I would try doing some stretches before riding. If I don't do my stretches before I ride, when I get off and hit the ground my ankles are slightly stunned. I take my feet out of the stirrups and stretch my toes down as far as they can go, hold that for 10 sec. then push my heels down as far as they can go and point my toes up, hold for 10 sec. then go ride.

Can anyone guess what this is? (ignore the dots)

....e
....O< /"-
^( U )..........l----------l
/\ /\......X-------X L

[meowool]

It's probably that your ankle isn't as flexible, because it's your non dominant foot, I get that in my left foot (cos i'm right footed/ ambidex)

at home, you could try these exercises (on both feet, other wise you may become lopsided the other way!)

circling your ankles both ways.

Sitting down with your legs in front of you, point your toes, then flex them both as far as you can, eventually you should be able to fit pieces of paper between you feet (flexed) and the floor!

Rise up and down onto your toes. (if you want to do a harder version, stand on a step to only your toes are on the step, then do the exercise)

Shaking your ankles. (loosens it up)

Without most of these i wouldn't be able to do my tap as easily (your ankles need to move around a lot in tap) so they do help, but they work over time..! XD

[-Obsidian]

Thank you, both, for your suggestions. I'll defiently have a go with those excersises, and I'm really hoping they'll do the job. Thanks!

[Dolphinlover~]

OMG I just got amazing news! 8D I think Hano will remember this, since I talked to her about it over the summer. So anyways, over the summer I rode at a different barn (along with my old one). I learned so much last summer and that really helped me progress with my riding. At that stable, I jumped 2'3" for the first time on a horse named Pal. That was the highest I have jumped at the time. that stable is were I rode a pony named Cookie <33 But when the summer was over the owner of the stable, she said that their contract may be up and they may have that land taken away from then D'x That was the worst news ever.

But today we called her, since we had a present to give her for Christmas...So she answered and said that her and stable is still there 8D So we are going to visit her today. Then my dad got on the phone and told her about me now riding with my new trainer and jumping 2'6" in shows. She said that I always had a great seat and a beatiful position and new I was going to be a great rider. And...We may even start lessons with her again!! She said it would be amazing to have me back, but that she would have to find a horse sutable for my level now <33 I am still smiling from ear to ear about what she said about my riding. If she finds a horse I may be able to actually lease from her 8DD Wow, what an amazing start to a horsey weekend!!!!

[sam sam]

EEK! Going riding with a bunch of girls tomorrow, hehe. I am nervous though, because they have like 100 steers out in there pasture, and I'm terrorize of cows.

{{ If I spelled anything wrong, its because I'm on an iPod, and auto-correct is working its magic. }}