Q2 Goals: Revisiting Things

So, considering the pandemic and hurricane season (both of which I did not plan for), my goals are going to need a little bit of adjusting.

Do more than the bare minimum to take care of my body
I'm somewhat back on a work out routine. The only bad thing about hunkering down with my girlfriend is that if she isn't motivated to work out, then I have to push myself to go alone, and that's succkkyy. But after having like zero work-life balance for a couple weeks, I'm finally more motivated to get back on my grind. I'm still ordering waaaayyy too much food, but I'm getting out of the house and moving around in socially distanced ways.

Improve body control
Okay, two points on this. First, the walk ride with no stirrups? Fantastic for this. I'm way more body conscious when I'm doing something that simple, and it's not so strenuous that I can't do it in hot weather. Honestly, it's probably better for Lucie since she insists on running around and torturing her pasture mates despite the temperature.

The other point is that Molly really highlights my lack of body control. She has a bouncier trot, and I almost immediately stiffen and tip forward on her. For a horse that is already quite forward with a big stride, that's not the best idea lol. More walk rides it is!

Practice working through fear, stress, and anxiety
This was really something that I was hoping to address at horse shows, but current events have definitely heightened my anxiety levels. I'm still going to the barn though and just taking things as they come. It's a fact of life.

Take lessons
Uh, yeah, kind of? Guess I should have mentioned this before, but late is better than never. A couple months ago, Lucie's owners let my trainer know that they could no longer afford Lucie's bills. They forfeit ownership, and now my trainer owns her, hence all the adjustments to her shoeing and health. In response, my trainer asked if I could put an extra $50 per month towards my lease in exchange for a lesson per month. I said okay because I really really really don't want to lose this horse. She's still for sale, and it breaks my heart every time I see her ad. If the opportunity arises, I take a lesson, but I'm fairly flexible about this one.

Okay, literally all of my hashing goals are being nixed for the time being because they are all horse show related. I have adjusted one of them, and I am aiming to still photograph professionally at a clinic. For the time being, I do not feel safe in that type of environment, especially with the cases hitting another egregious peak in Florida.

Show in Dressage
Girl, no, lmao.

Submit an article to an online equine publication
Thanks to Emma, I actually am thinking more seriously about submitting to the Eventing Nation Diversity Scholarship. Just have to decide whether or not I'm okay with being interpreted as an angry, aggressive Black woman . . .

Upgrade all of my personal riding equipment
Someone . . . please . . . give me a five point breast plate . . . and breathable brushing boots. Okay, no, seriously, a good pair of boots with adequate airflow will definitely be the next addition to my closet. I just have to find something that I actually like, which is near impossible because, remember, I'm picky. A breast plate would also be a useful thing to have. I don't have any martingales of my own, but I like the flexibility of a breast plate that has exchangeable attachments.

Try barrel racing
Who was I when I wrote this.