End of an Era

I'm feeling quite sad today.  Yesterday I was a wreck.  I have had/been around horses pretty much all my life.  Earlier this year we sold "my" horse that I did a lot of showing with and pretty much trained him completely.  I miss him terribly, but he's in a fantastic home and really I can go see him anytime. 

We had two horses left, and yesterday the one that I really loved went for a one month trial.  Chances are he won't come back because he's a great horse.  It is extra hard because I thought he was just going for a trail ride and would be back later in the day.  I didn't know he was gone gone and I didn't get a chance to say goodbye. 

These boys weren't just horses, they were like pets, very cuddly and awesome personalities.  Puppy snuggles are known to be great, but there's just nothing quite like a hug from a horse.  I'm going to miss them so much.  Most of yesterday was spent crying and today I'm on a tight ledge whenever I think of it.  The one horse we have left just isn't mine ... I have no bond with him and now I really want him sold soon.  I don't know if I'll ever have a horse again.  I doubt it, but time will tell.

Goodbye Levi & Sierra.  I love you guys and will always miss you!!!!

Other than that I actually had a great weekend and you guys must have done alot of praying to the weather gods for me because it was fantastic!  ♥ THANK YOU ♥

Friday my friend had a Girls Night party at her house.  It was a small affair, but we laughed, chatted and solved all the worlds problems until well past my bedtime.  I nearly backed out because I was exhausted after work, but had a great time and am so glad I went.

Saturday I squeezed in a fast little run while my daughter's team warmed up for their soccer game.  It was actually HOT out.  They lost their game 2-0 and I was kinda sad for my daughter because she didn't get to play much.  She's new-ish to the sport and isn't very good, but the coach could have given a little more play time to her.  After that I raced out to my son's game which was MUCH more exciting.  They won 3-1 and he played the entire game (90 minutes) other than about 5 minutes when he got what his coach called a "man injury" ;).  The one goal that was scored against them was while he was off trying to locate his voice again.  He was playing last man back defender.  I thought running 3 miles in that heat was hard, I can't imagine 90 minutes playing hard in it.

Sunday morning hubby & I met up with the running ladies.  Well, first we went out and ran 1.5 miles, then went out with them for another 6.5 .... so I got my 8 in!

When we started out hubby commented on how it was perfect running weather ... a bit cool, overcast, the odd bit of drizzle.  But a mile in we changed our minds.  It was M-U-G-G-Y!  Actually a hard day for running, but I was happy to complete the 8 miles at a reasonable pace.  A new running friend came along and I think she's going to make a fantastic partner as soon as she gets back into shape.  She's certainly knowledgeable and has a very strong determined mind ... I like that in a fitness friend!

I think we need a service like e-Harmony for fitness partners .... hahaha.  Wouldn't that be great?!

Keep Active!

Heidi

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Why Did I Stop This??

Going on Day 5 of riding to/from work.  There was a few sprinkles of rain this morning, but it's looking like it will blow over so that the ride home should be pleasant.  I'm hoping to finish off the week riding.  Makes me wonder why I wasn't doing more of this throughout the summer.  Once the kids are back in school I won't be able to ride often, if at all.

I don't mention it much, but I have horses.  We had 4, one died last winter (very old age), and a couple months ago I sold my very favourite horse.  He went to a sweet little girl who loves him to pieces and spoils him rotten.  It killed me to let him go, but the opportunity came up, and it's a perfect match so I'm happy.

Now we are left with two horses and have been talking about selling at least one, if not both.  In talking with an old aquaintance on facebook, I asked if she knew anyone looking for a horse and she did.  It's been a LONG time since I've ridden them and I thought if someone is interested in them I probably should at least give them a little ride.

This is the two of them running around.  I was warming up the black one (Dawson), and the other one (Levi) just followed him.  As I asked the black one to speed up or slow down, the other horse listened to my voice commands and did the same thing.  It was too cute.

Here's Dawson warming up. 

It's very hard to get decent pictures while controlling the horse - heehee.

This next horse, Levi, is my special boy.  My FIL bought him from a ranch in eastern Alberta when he was just 3 (he's now 10).  He rode him the first day he brought him home and he bucked pretty hard & high (young horse, new location, 16 hour trailer ride, ridden immediately = really bad idea).  From that point on my FIL didn't trust him.  So I worked with him slowly, getting him adjusted and settled, and he has always been a doll for me. 

It's been years since I've ridden consistantly.  For a while there I was riding 5-6 days/week and show jumping.  I haven't had the slightest desire to do ride at all in at least a year.  But last night, after just that short ride, I'm seriously unsure if I can sell both these horses .. Levi particularly.  I think I may just have to dedicate a couple days a week to some riding.

And I can tell you that, no matter how fit you are, riding a horse will work muscles you didn't know (or had forgotten) that you had.  I only rode maybe 25-30 minutes last night and my arse and thighs are screaming today.  I think this could be a great cross training for running.  Surely it's got to compliment it.

In this last week I have participated in two activities that used to be HIGH priority for me, but I had stopped doing for various reasons.  Riding the horses and riding my bike.  I still bike occassionally, but I used to bike commute pretty much daily, most of the year when the weather was decent, for a few years.

Oh, and on a super high note ... my hips feel fantastic today.  No achiness at all in the last 24 hours!!  YIPPEEE

♥♥♥ BLOG TO NOTE ♥♥♥

I came across this blog yesterday (Dorothy at Yellow Brick Beauty) and just wanted to share.  It's a wonderful little blog, relatively new, with lots of great food ideas and just looks like a nice little blog that I thought some of my readers would enjoy.  Check it out!

Have you ever had a hobby/activity that you thought you were completely over .. just to find one day that you were so not over it?  Did you go back to it?  Did you not, and then regret it?

Keep Active!

Heidi

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