I have a case of the summertime blues. My motivation level is almost zero. It’s always weird to me that as riders and horse lovers we love these animals and riding more than anything, but sometimes, don’t feel inclined to ride. At all. Some, who may not be feeling this way at the moment, might gasp in shock, and declare they would never turn down a chance to ride! Eventually, they too will fall victim to a case of the no motivation blues.

I need to get out of my walk, trot, canter, reverse, dismount, rhythm. The best way to do that is to start planning out my fall.

More Trail Rides

The leaves are going to be changing, the weather will be brisk and refreshing, it’s the perfect time to get out and enjoy nature. After getting attacked by a swarm of deer ticks (my skin is still recovering), I’m not in the mood to hike, but I am in the mood to trailer! The good news is that no preparation or training required, it’s all about the fun and relaxation.

Hunter Paces

I’m lucky enough to have several hunts nearby that host hunter paces, as well as farms that host for the fun of it. This really appeals to my inclination to go fast and jump! It also motivates me to get out and put in better schooling rides because I need to make sure my horses are in shape before I ask them to do this. Berry was a good sport last year, but I feel I did her a disservice in not preparing better.

There’s definitely a theme here of getting off the farm, letting loose, and having some fun!

Washington International Horse Show

Certainly not something I’m participating in, but something to look forward to attending! Nothing motivates like seeing a whole bunch of really good riders strutting their stuff. Sure, I may have a quick cry session that I’m not as good as them, but overall, it motivates me to get myself together and work harder to get better.

Washington International Horse show runs from October 25-30 at the Verizon Center in downtown DC. If I still worked down the street, I’d go creep on the stalls lining the street during my lunch break again. Alas, not this year. But despite my inability to creep on them this year, I can still admire them in the ring!

Stretch My Comfort Zone

When I do the same thing every day, I get stuck in a boring rut. When I do something new and exciting, it makes me excited for the next time I ride. I’m making it a goal to try something new every single time I ride, or at least work on whatever the last new thing was, as I don’t want to miss a step. I’ll put the jumps a bit higher, a little wider, a little scarier, make the course a little more windy, take the stirrups off, and push myself to hold a position longer. Work up that endurance! The more I do, the more excited I get about pushing it more!

O-M-G Polo

I think this is going to be huge for me this fall, and I am so excited. I found a local polo club to join to play. Finding clubs in this area isn’t the hard part, but finding a club that didn’t require the entrance price of a firstborn child was difficult. I still don’t have a mallet, but maybe they will let me use my broom for a while. As far as brooms go, it’s on the nicer side. Berry still doesn’t neck rein well, so everyone else is going to have a huge advantage over me. Also, I really just have the two horses to play on, and everyone else will probably have 4-6. But I’d rather be playing it terribly than not playing at all! I’ll take what I can get!

Now I just need to plan out dates and commit. But, I think it’s working, I’m already feeling motivated!

What do you do when you’re feeling the riding blues?