Oh, my legs! And abs, and everything else!

I've been so busy that this is the first time I've had to post about my ride in the new arena on Sunday. Yeah, I know it's Wednesday. The only reason why I'm getting this done is that I'm being a bad mom and letting the kids entertain themselves with Go Diego Go on TV while I type this. And when I'm done there are dishes to do and laundry to fold. And then I have to get everything ready for the kids for school in the morning, and my riding clothes packed in my bag so I can get to the barn and ride again tomorrow!

But enough about that. My ride on Sunday was great. The footing appears to be fixed. It's not as perfect as my trainer's footing because it was dragged with a car and a crappy drag, but it's level and the deepness is much more consistent. There is just one or two spots that are a hair deeper, but it's nothing to get all riled up about.

What I am riled up about is that Mr. F quoted us a price for about 4 or 5 hours of work. Then he spent about 2.5 hours there, but I think he plans on charging us the whole amount. He never really said that the price would be based on the job itself or the hours he would be there, but I kind of think that Marge should not pay the whole price. Not only because he spent just over half of the time that he said he would, but also because I feel that he didn't really finish the job. I'll talk to be tomorrow about it if I get the chance.

Anyway, I got to ride both Albert and Kaswyn on Tuesday and I had two good rides. Kaswyn felt as sore as I felt, but I pushed us both through it and the end was really quite nice. It's so hard getting back into shape! I hope this is the last time we have to do it for awhile. All this time off of riding and training really stinks!

What's really great is that since I get to ride Albert I get to work two different skill sets as well as muscle groups. For Kaswyn I do more pushing with my legs right now because he's a bit lazy and bored with the easy basic body building work. I agree, and would love to just do the fun stuff, but we have to slog though this and build our bodies back up to avoid any injury. So my legs and back are getting a workout on Kaswyn. In contrast, Albert requires very little leg and tends to get a little excited and rushed when I use my seat. This means lots of half halts which lets me work my abs and the under part of my thigh. The leg thing is hard to explain, but when I'm doing half-halts on Albert they are more of a holding and collecting half-halt and I use my hamstrings to gather him and keep the impulsion while I sit with my seat and get tall and tight with my abs.

So I'm really getting a workout. I'm hoping that riding two horses a few times a week will help me get in better shape sooner. I gotta get back in the show ring! My shadbelly and top hat miss me...I hear them calling...