Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Goal: met and exceeded! and Day 4 of 30 Day Horse Challenge: A ride that impacted your life

Remember I said I had a goal last week that by Friday I'd be riding the exercise bike during my physical therapy session? Well, the therapist put me back on the bike on Monday and with the seat way up high I managed to gingerly get the full rotation of my right knee! It hurt, I had to compensate and we used no resistance but I did it! By this past Friday I was riding the bike at a comfortable seat height and making full rotation with very little pain! Yesterday I rode it pain free and even worked in a bit of resistance!

I saw the orthopedic surgeon today. He seemed pleased with my progress in just 2 weeks. But he wants more. Before he'll consider surgery, he wants full range of motion back in the knee. So he said he will see me in another 2 weeks and more PT for me.

Day 04 - A ride that impacted your life.

Well, in a lifetime spent in the saddle, this is hard. There are so many rides that I could say impacted my life. My first pony ride. My first riding lesson. The first horse I owned. My first horse show as a 10 year old (won a second place in Maiden equitation). All the rides in all the classes at all the horse shows.

A great ride was some of my most creative solutions that won me ribbons in the show ring, especially in the hunt seat equitation classes. So many experiences. The trail rides, the horse shows, the lessons, the schooling, the hacking, the dressage tests, the hunter paces, the fox hunts.

The fox hunts. Those were a blast. I was only fortunate enough to be a guest about 3 times with friends who were members of our local hunt but every ride was thrilling. I remember the first time I hunted, my friend asked if it would be okay if I rode first flight with him as he was one of the Masters. I will never forget the response from one of the other Masters, "well, all right, if you think she can keep up."

Ha! Not only did I keep up, afterwards, I was asked if I'd considered hunting and would be interested in joining the hunt.

Good times. I was some kind of rider back then. I was hoping with the right horse to finally return to fox hunting, although at this age I'll settle for riding second flight for awhile but everything has just gone wrong. I hope I will ride well enough again to not have to give this one up.

3 comments:

Barbara said...

You will!
My only hunt experience was hill topping once as a guest. Around here they hunt coyotes full speed across the mesa - insane.

Dreaming said...

Yup, you will ride again. Maybe not with quite the wild abandon that you did as a 'kid'!
I have many great memories of fox hunting when I was 8 and under. I know I couldn't do it now... But maybe someday!!
Keep up the good work in therapy. It sounds like you are setting the world on fire!

Anonymous said...

I only found hunting recently, but it is inspiring to see the broad range of ages, for both the riders and horses. I hope you have every chance to do this again!