I think I have had five or six dressage lessons now and my husband, Christopher, finally came to my lesson yesterday and took some video for me. I have improved so much. I love documenting my progress and my coach said I could probably start competing in the spring. Unfortunately, however, my dressage coach is moving barns to a barn farther away from where I live and I haven't decided if I'm going to follow or not. I know that if I don't, it will be near impossible for me to find another coach to take me on as a working student so close to my house. I am still not earning much money and if I want to seriously pursue equestrianism to the degree that I dream, then I think I should follow my coach to the new barn. At least for now. She's moving barns in about a week, so I only have one more dressage lesson before it happens. I'm mostly worried about affording the gas to get there.
I don't want to quit now as I can see myself improving so much and I just got back into horseback riding seriously. Horseback riding has been saving my life for the past few months while I fight depression and suicidal thoughts. It's been very therapeutic. Horse Junkies United posted my story on Halloween. I have fallen in love with dressage and it has been helping me so much.
I don't normally add copyrighted music that I don't have permission to use to my videos, but Emilie Autumn's "A Cure" strikes a chord with me and is just too fitting of an instrumental piece for me to pass up.
Without much further ado, here is my most recent progress video.
Ok, so I'm going to be that random person that comments on your blog because I google things like "dressage working student blog." :P
I don't really know where to begin, except to say that I am a fellow dressage rider who keeps a blog. But it's PRIVATE because lets say there were some...intersting events thanks to my opinions.
So basically I am in Europe as a working student. I think our definitions of working student are a bit different. Over here we work 7-7 for 13 days, with one Sunday off every second week. In my first stable I had zero riding because I was not good enough. In the stable I"m currently at, I have one horse to ride on my breaks.
I felt like writing to you because 1. I am also very interested in Film, and currently am split between pursing horses as a career or screenwriting. So we are in a very similar boat! But to be honest, the real real reason I'm writing to you is because of your off handed comment about dressage helping you with your depression.
Dressage is a miracle discipline. It is shit trying to figure it out, but once you get into it there is no going back. You will not be able to watch horses that aren't on the bit without wanting to put them on the bit. And like you said, it is real magic when you figure out that "hey leg yeilding helps get this horses mind back on me." It's really cool. I'm so happy that you have found this, and also found a coach that will take you as a working student and teach you despite your newness to dressage. So I say FOLLOW HER! I don't know about your life, or if your husband will go with you, but I think you have a really good opportunity, and if it helps you with your depression, you need to keep doing it!
But dressage is a material thing, and there are days that it's going to be really tough. Very recently I was in a very hard stage in my life, and I stumbled on this absoloutely mind blowing thing. Now, I don't know what you think about religion, for all I know you may hate it. But if you take 35min to listen to this message, which is geared to young people, I hope that you will feel something in you, a little something called a seed of hope. I actually cried because this moved me so much. This is a link to the page that I found it on. It is the second message, and it is title "Without Roots" from January 2012. I URGE you to listen to it. And really listen, and be open to what you are hearing.
I'm no Bible thumping maniac. Just a person that loves dressage, and also was deeply moved by this message, and I hope that it can do the same for you. So here you go. I look forward to reading more about your riding and hopefully non-suicidal thoughts.
Thanks for the comment! I was beginning to think that I was the only reader of my blog, haha. I think I will stick with my current trainer for the time being. I think to lose her would be a major disadvantage to my future career with horses.
Also, as for debating between a career with horses and screenwriting- be like me and do both. ;) Life is too short for us to limit ourselves.
Thanks for the link. I'll have to check it out when I have more time to spare.
It's entirely possible that we are the only two readers. :) But your blogger profile actually can show you page views per post, as well as a bunch of other cool stuff like from where, and what computer devide. Just to let you know. :) and I'm very happy to hear that you can stick with your current trainer.
I didn't think combinging would be possible! It seems horses are an entirely whole day job, where do you find the time to produce/write a movie or TV show? Unless we don't sleep...;) But I think there is probably a way to do it. Do you have a link to the commerical you made? I'd like to see it.
Definitly check the link out, maybe on a day you are feeling pretty shitty. Best of luck with your riding and filming! :) Two amazingly fun things.
Ok, so I'm going to be that random person that comments on your blog because I google things like "dressage working student blog." :P
ReplyDeleteI don't really know where to begin, except to say that I am a fellow dressage rider who keeps a blog. But it's PRIVATE because lets say there were some...intersting events thanks to my opinions.
So basically I am in Europe as a working student. I think our definitions of working student are a bit different. Over here we work 7-7 for 13 days, with one Sunday off every second week. In my first stable I had zero riding because I was not good enough. In the stable I"m currently at, I have one horse to ride on my breaks.
I felt like writing to you because 1. I am also very interested in Film, and currently am split between pursing horses as a career or screenwriting. So we are in a very similar boat! But to be honest, the real real reason I'm writing to you is because of your off handed comment about dressage helping you with your depression.
Dressage is a miracle discipline. It is shit trying to figure it out, but once you get into it there is no going back. You will not be able to watch horses that aren't on the bit without wanting to put them on the bit. And like you said, it is real magic when you figure out that "hey leg yeilding helps get this horses mind back on me." It's really cool. I'm so happy that you have found this, and also found a coach that will take you as a working student and teach you despite your newness to dressage. So I say FOLLOW HER! I don't know about your life, or if your husband will go with you, but I think you have a really good opportunity, and if it helps you with your depression, you need to keep doing it!
But dressage is a material thing, and there are days that it's going to be really tough. Very recently I was in a very hard stage in my life, and I stumbled on this absoloutely mind blowing thing. Now, I don't know what you think about religion, for all I know you may hate it. But if you take 35min to listen to this message, which is geared to young people, I hope that you will feel something in you, a little something called a seed of hope. I actually cried because this moved me so much. This is a link to the page that I found it on. It is the second message, and it is title "Without Roots" from January 2012. I URGE you to listen to it. And really listen, and be open to what you are hearing.
I'm no Bible thumping maniac. Just a person that loves dressage, and also was deeply moved by this message, and I hope that it can do the same for you. So here you go. I look forward to reading more about your riding and hopefully non-suicidal thoughts.
http://www.dundascalvin.ca/resources/sermons/series/theme-sundays
Thanks for the comment! I was beginning to think that I was the only reader of my blog, haha. I think I will stick with my current trainer for the time being. I think to lose her would be a major disadvantage to my future career with horses.
DeleteAlso, as for debating between a career with horses and screenwriting- be like me and do both. ;) Life is too short for us to limit ourselves.
Thanks for the link. I'll have to check it out when I have more time to spare.
It's entirely possible that we are the only two readers. :) But your blogger profile actually can show you page views per post, as well as a bunch of other cool stuff like from where, and what computer devide. Just to let you know. :) and I'm very happy to hear that you can stick with your current trainer.
ReplyDeleteI didn't think combinging would be possible! It seems horses are an entirely whole day job, where do you find the time to produce/write a movie or TV show? Unless we don't sleep...;) But I think there is probably a way to do it. Do you have a link to the commerical you made? I'd like to see it.
Definitly check the link out, maybe on a day you are feeling pretty shitty.
Best of luck with your riding and filming! :) Two amazingly fun things.