happy

I. Am. So. Sore. 
everywhere!! gosh i missed that. the tightness and pulling sensation up your quads, back of the calfs, walking bowlegged, lower back, bicep; all of it! it's a tangible reminder that you just had about the best workout EVER. also, being out of the saddle for roughly three weeks greatly amplifies the amount of soreness. i feel it through my shoulder, hips and bum too! best feeling on earth to me. i know, weird!

above the bit

the lesson on Saturday morning was a tough one. as i got out the grooming kit and started to curry, i could tell straight away that Ruby was cranky. typical mare. we had been getting along so well before i left! i went lightly though; spoke to her, and she didn't try to kick me. Bri informed me that Ruby hadn't been ridden in a "working" fashion in the time that i was away. needless to say i didn't expect much! Ruby is a toughie at the best of times! we warmed up, and every time i tried to get her on the bit, the charming girl would slow to a near walk rather than get in a frame. she was so stiff, especially to the left. anyway, she was very fussy with her head as usual, slobbering like a warmblood! and refusing point blank to accept contact. bri made me really get after her every time she blew me off; which mostly just made ME work up a sweat while Ruby just plodded around. the wench! (Ruby, not bri). finally we started schooling over cavalettis. there were five, and the first and last were raised. in theory, this will make the horse take a bigger more energized step, engage the hocks and have more impulsion. on ruby i was positive she was going to fall on her face. approaching it the first time i was apprehensive, because she was ignoring contact and her brain was elsewhere. 

behind the bit

needless to say, she kicked every single pole! we improved though; finally completing the drill without touching a single one, and without her jerking the reins out of my hand. 
when we moved to canter work, i truly had my task cut out for me. we started to the left, since my outside aid that way (right leg)is stronger. let me just say, ruby has the BOUNCIEST trot on this earth. impossible to sit. she also ignores driving aids, so she tends to get disorganized real fast in canter departs from the trot. once i finally got the transition though, i was finally able to really get a her into a true frame. she lowered her head, her back came up and i had a real horse under me. Bri said it was a perfectly acceptable training level frame. :) the right lead was a better transition (megan explained my natural tendency since my left leg is weaker, is to drive with my left seat bone more, which is easier for a horse to respond to) but she also likes to pretend she's a freight train to the right, so even though she was round, she wore me out! we were both huffing and puffing by the end of the lesson. i can't wait til the next one!

just right!

SUCCESS!!

my car has officially been busted out!!!! i've got my whip back! YESSS. you know what this means, yes? i can RIDE RIDE RIDE again!!!!
my awesome trainers, Megan and Bri, have been so understanding throughout this whole mess; and say they've missed me at the stable. i am desperate to swing my leg up over a horse again, be it Ruby, Lusco, even Pippin! I will climb the 2-step mounting block, place my left toe in the iron and haul myself over. ever notice how hard it is to mount in dressage saddles? the stirrups are practically dragging the ground! i always feel like i look silly cuz my legs are so short and i have to work so hard to get up. but it's the price we pay! plus my show breeches (Pikeur, the best!) do wonders at making my legs look miles long. i can't wait to show; i'll be moving up to first level shortly (i think!) obviously i'm still far away from being talented enough to compete in the paralympics; but we're crossing one level at a time. 
also, i must get back in contact with Mill Creek. when i spoke with Hope Hand, she was very clear in telling me it's completely in my best interest to continue to train with them, as it gives me access to Mette Rosencrantz; a fellow olympic hopeful and all around superstar equestrian. Hope wishes for Mette to aid me in finding a schoolmaster. (a schoolmaster is a seasoned horse who may be slightly older, but been-there, done-that and able to teach young riders the ropes). 
i also have an audition tomorrow, but there was no way i was going to miss ANOTHER lesson, so i will either be doing the audish later, or getting up at 6am to ride in the morning! 

ahhhhh the life of an equestrian/actress! wouldn't have it any other way; and nothing but horses could have me willingly out of bed at that time! ok people, wish me luck! i'll post about my first ride of the year tomorrow! xoxo

I woke up today stoked that i'd be having my first lesson in 3 weeks, only to come down immediately after remembering i do not, as of yet, have a car. how frustrating!! i desperately need to get back in the saddle. i am praying a friend takes pity on me and will drive me the 40+/- miles to the stable. we shall see. 
if i do go, i'm in for a whole lot of soreness tomorrow. you know that feeling when you haven't ridden in weeks and you jump on all gungho like you haven't been away at all, and the next day you can hardly walk? it'll be like that. bow-legged, stiff back and arms, tight abs, etc. i live for that burn though!

and, if i don't end up able to go tonight, i'll go to play rehearsal..opening night was supposed to happen this week, but due to Xmas hols our director pushed it back. thank god! i love rehearsal; and i'm NEARLY all memorized (i'm a PRINCESS!) but i missed 2 weeks over Christmas so the extra practice time is very welcome! however, if i had my way, i'd go to the stable!! 

Riding in cars

Or Lack thereof...more accurately, riding in OTHERS' cars. The fact that mine is currently residing in the impound in sunny Santa Monica is a considerable nuisance. It means that i am virtually stuck in the apartment, and at the mercy of my friends. the worst part is how mad it made my mother, and rightfully so! it's nothing but blatant lack of brainpower that put me in this situation, and there was no way to fix it unless my mom bailed me out. again. i will be "working" for her to pay it all back over the next year. God help me that i'll strike it big this year and a mere couple thousand will be nothing but pocket change!
on the upside, yesterday i spoke with Hope Hand, Executive director of the US ParaEquestrian Association! I explained who i was, and what my goals were. she was very welcoming and excited, and she also knows one of my trainers (Megan) very well. Hope said i'd have to do a qualifying show in NorCal this season, which would put me in line to compete at the WEG (World Equestrian Games) next year. They are being held in Normandie, Fr. darn, i can't believe i'll be forced to travel the world with an incredible horse!! (sarcasm, folks-get used to it!) said incredible horse is as yet, still a dream...but Hope gave me guidance on how to acquire one. I'm champing at the bit!

world Eq games, showjumping portion

It was a very good and informative conversation, not to mention encouraging. Ms. Hand seemed very positive about my next moves, and i was also informed that if i am indeed classified as Grade IV, which is my intent (IV being the "least impaired athletes, and thus the toughest competition) i will be required to compete at Prix St. Georges through Grand Prix level. this is obviously, exactly what i wish to do. God forbid i'd ever want to make life easier on myself. i have a sick obsession with challenges..the harder something is, the more convinced i am to settle for nothing less! My dad actually pokes fun at my hard-headedness, saying that once my mind is set on something i desire, NOTHING will deter me from obtaining it. le DUH!

She's back!

I arrived at my apartment last night (this morning) at 2am..talk about an exhausting day! I was quite cautious as i approached my door, fully expecting one hellacious demonized feline to hiss, spit and otherwise vocalize her disgust in my absence..i'd been told both by roommate, and my friend who looked in on her for the past two weeks that she'd turned into a satanic menace. Tigerlily is, on a good day, what you may call strange. she is quite certain she's a ninja, and gets "the zoomies" every morning and night at her set time. My friend Joey (who may have exaggerated, as she is already afraid of cats) described a howling banshee of a cat, lurking in corners and hurling herself at the intruder with teeth and claws bared. I was pretty anxious about her, as she's never been a hisser, or caused physical harm (that i know of) on other occasions that i've gone out of town. I was fairly certain it was Joey's irrational fear of 4 legged fur-people that made her describe my little sidekick as this crazy thing..though i almost wasn't surprised. However, my roommate backed up what joey had said, and told me tigerlily hissed and threatened HER as well. now i was seriously worried. TL knows my roomie, and had never been aggresive like that toward them. needless to say, i was sure that i'd scarred her for life, and she'd be this awful monster who hated me as soon as i came home. 
turns out, i opened the door and the furry fiend launched at me, but with happiness and love! poor little bugger was just about crawling out of her stripes with neglect. she was all cuddles and kisses, no spitting she-devil here. i basically melted. she apparently was just "holding down the fort" for me, and telling anyone who WASN'T myself that they better scram! rude, absolutely, but i couldn't help feeling just a little bit proud that she certainly is, a mama's girl through and through. 
on a slightly less happy note, my car now belongs to the state, until i can scrounge up a few thousand dollars (i.e never??) as it had been confiscated whilst i was on the east coast :( this is a point of deepest annoyance, mostly as it cost me my riding lesson today. LAME. who knows what i'm going to do on that front, seeing as riding is the number one reason i wished to be back in L.A. so bad in the first place!

no longer a tiny kitten, but still so cute and playful!

lastly, can someone kindly tell the weather to WARM UP?! i moved to SoCal for a reason..to be AWAY from the intense cold of northern maine. i'm still officially an icecube! i fully INSIST that it get back to 75 or higher, the normal LA winter. WHAT'S GOIN ON HERE?! hellooooo, it's called global WARMING, not global FREEZING?! jeez. 

california love

Well kids, today I'm shipping out to LALA land again! It's a bittersweet day; I am always so excited to get back to the gold coast, but I miss my family! i've only just packed this very morning-i'm the world's best procrastinator-and mom will be driving me to Portland in about an hour to see me off. then i'll hunker down for an 8hour plane ride (could be slightly exaggerating) and a godawful long layover SOMEWHERE, before finally touching down at midnight in Los Angeles. yes, don't i sound so excited?! blahhhhh long plane days are so pointless. i cant think of another way to describe them! i mean c'mon, it's 2013 why is teleportation not an option yet? clearly we've all got more important things to do than sit on a plane for half a day...c'est la vie! point is, i've got mixed feelings about leaving. but that's adulthood for you; one can't simply slack off and waste away at home..gotta get "back to it!" and i have dearly missed the ponies. 
on that note, i contacted Kevin McGinn today regarding further training and/or show info. He's a very talented show jumper, with many years of teaching. i took several lessons with him a couple years ago, and he has wonderful school horses and is a no-nonsense type trainer. obviously knows his stuff; and has years and years of show experience. all-round great contact to have in the horseworld. I can't wait to see what he says! plus, he's moved to the LA Equestrian Center in Burbank, which is a good 40 min closer than my other 2 barns...it'll make the drive much more bearable. 
this year is going to require major step-by-step planning..not one of my fortes; but i truly do need a guide on what to do to get to the place i need to be in order to join the US team within 3.5 years. One of those steps is going to be trying to get in touch with USPEA team coach, Missy Ransehousen. But, more on that later. when i come up with a solid gameplan, you guys will be the first (well no, more like 4th) to know! for now, peace out New England, it's been real..time to head out west! xox

New Year, New Ambitions

The time i've spent away from L.A. has been refreshing. It's nice to get away and ultimately remind yourself of the reasons you've moved there. I love my family so much; but the town i grew up in (although beautiful) is too small and too slow for me.
I am so excited for the 2013 show season. This year will be a big indicator of whether i'll be able to get to the paralympic games in 3 more years. I spoke with one of my trainers a few weeks ago, and told her i want to compete through at least 2nd Level this season. She agreed that was both a good goal, and reachable. The mare i am to show on will probably not be much good for anything higher than 2nd level, but i'll cross that bridge when we get there. So, I thought for the sake of the New Year and being inspirational, i would list some new year's goals. i'd love encouragement and/or feedback from my readers on what you'd like to see from me this year! let me know if you share some of these goals with me. 

• compete through 2nd level 
• get signed by a reputable agent (commercial/theatrical/model
• be cast in a major feature film or TV show
• ORGANIZE MY HOUSE/LIFE/ROOM etc
• lose the 10lbs that have creeped up on me from the summer
• get over ex-bf
• get at least one substantial sponsor
• get back in physical therapy
• invisalign to help my tooth aches!
• get back in school

I think these are worthy and mostly attainable goals. what do you guys think? Obviously there are so many others i could list but i don't want to drag on. most of them would be horse related (improve/master my sitting trot, figure out how to get a quality freewalk with a bar rein). But I know one thing for sure, i am prepared to work my tail off in acieving these things! I'm so stoked for this year. 2012 could not end fast enough!!! One more day before i return to LALA land, so I'm going to go have some quality mom/daughter time. check back with you guys tomorrow! x