Goals

 

 

Last year I said I was going to ride 1,000 miles and Top 10 in the Distance Derby.  I rode 1,235 miles and finished in 8th place.  (1,235.8 miles, but who’s counting?)   While I entered the Distance Derby this year, I really didn’t put myself in the race.  I have counted hours in the saddle for years and miles ridden the last few, so I’ll continue to run against those riding faster and farther, but this year instead of hoofing it on Windy, I’ve been doing it on my own two feet.  Exercising, that is. 

 

I mentioned here before that a herd of horsewomen and I joined forces to take it off!  The weight, that is.  I work much better with a team and let me tell you, there are a few determined women out there!  It is not a race or a competition on who is losing the most – it is about making healthy food choices and becoming less sedentary (which sounds better than saying “diet & exercise).   It’s the goal for everyone to get to what they believe is their ideal weight and live healthier.  

 

 

Since we started our program 158 days ago, Shari was the first to meet her goal, losing 18.4 pounds.  But having done so well, she would like to continue to lose a few more to reach the coveted “lower decade”.   Shari’s riding goal this year is to make the 100% club in Region 6 Competitive Trail, completing 100% of the rides in the region.  She is well on her way.

 

 

Diane, has lost 46 pounds and is very close to the finish line.  She, too, had a number goal in mind but now, reading up on ideal weights and other factors, has become a bit more aggressive with her goal.  This is her first ride outing with her new horse, still green to the trails. 

 

 

Corie had lost quite a bit of weight before joining our group and while she continues to see a loss, she has been seriously running, completing several 5Ks in the last couple months and doing some crazy-ass exercise plans which makes the rest of us huff & puff just hearing about them.  While we all like to see our scale numbers down, admittedly, we are just as happy with fewer inches around the waist and great muscle tone. 

 

 

Several in our group started their weight loss plan last year and have now lost over 50 pounds!  Others, who didn’t have as much to lose in pounds, have lost inches through new exercise plans.

 

 

As I put on the weight, I did not have as many full body pictures.  I planned it that way.  But at work a few weeks ago, someone made mention of my weight loss and I remembered that I had a picture of me wearing a similar outfit about a year ago at McCain’s graduation and had them snap a picture of me on the right.  So its about the best before and after I have right now.  Today I reached my goal of a 30 pound loss (30.5 to be exact, but who’s counting?)  Like Shari, I am still tinkering with going for that next decade. 

 

 

And yes, here we are just bragging but Corie and I were thrilled to get back into our wedding dresses.  Did I mention that she has a set of twin girls? 

 

 

What the four of us have in common – besides being in a motivated group - is using My Fitness Pal to monitor our food and exercise.  Initially I set it to a 2 lb a week loss and it was spot on.  I plateaued at the start of the 2nd quarter, made some adjustments and as of today, I averaged about 1.3 lb loss a week.  Again, it was right on for the average.  In addition, I go to Curves 2 to 3 times a week, spend 30 to 40 minutes on the elliptical a few times a week and walk here at home as much as I can.  I try to get a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise in a day.  I still don’t necessarily eat good foods, just eat less of the same of the stuff I like.  Fruits and protein shakes are my friend. 

 

The real work begins – maintaining.  I am a bit scared but beyond motivated!

 

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The Hay Cometh!

 

 

We’ll have hay, beautiful hay!  I think, I hope, I pray.  Its tall enough to hide a poodle and a St. Bernard!  We aren’t there yet, though.  The most stressful part of having grass fields is the haying process itself; most notably, finding a few days in a row where it is hot, but not humid, and there is no rain in the forecast for several days in a row.  Sounds simple enough – especially since we’ve been in a drought, but it really isn’t.  I could never be a farmer.  The stress would kill me. 

 

 

We’ve been blessed with rain.  Not as much as some areas but enough to change our drought classification to show some improvement.  Our ponds have filled up.  We left the horses off the pasture as long as possible and the fields have grown.  We should be able to bale not only the hay pasture but the horse pasture, too.  Granted, we have our fair share of weeds, since so much grass died last year.  But if we get the perfect weather days to get it cut, we should be sitting well for next winter.  From my fingers to God’s ears.

 

 

It’s vacation time!  This month we plan to go to South Dakota and ride in the Black Hills again.  We have not been there since 2008 and what a trip that was with our crazy Hi-Ho Silver truck.  (Look at how little my boys were!) 

 

 

This year, we are heading out with friends – some who have never ridden there, so that will be a treat to see it again through their eyes.  The boys are staying home and working.  It will be weird and sad not to have them along this time. 

 

 

Windy is not able to wear back shoes.  The only time a farrier put them on was for South Dakota in 2008 and we fought them coming off all week long.  Our next farrier wouldn’t shoe her hind feet at all; said she has too thin of hoof walls to hold shoes.  So for mountain riding, I shoe her fronts and boot her hind feet when needed.  These are EasyBoot Gloves with gators.   (The orange tape is to help me find them if I were to lose one.) 

 

 

We decided to try the same thing with Fancy for this trip.  Although the Gloves work well for Windy, their downfall is they are pretty unforgiving with fit.  They work best on a freshly trimmed hoof but after a few weeks of growth, the fit is compromised.  I like the EasyBoot product, so I decided to try a different style for Fancy.  These are the EasyBoot Trail.  I worry some that they don’t have gators but they come up higher on the pastern so hopefully the will stay on as well.   I have heard good reviews from some of the CTR crowd, so I’m optimistic that they will work for Fancy.  I’ll let you know how it goes.   

 

 

I had to give up my beloved iPhone 4S!  The phone that survived my plunge into the Platte River and the quick sand episode.  No, it didn’t quit working but McCain needed a new phone and didn’t have an upgrade available or the cash.  So I “loaned” him my 4S since I was due an upgrade.  I got the iPhone 5.  Until I got a case for it, I wasn’t in love with it like my 4S.  It didn’t feel right.  And I worried that the pictures wouldn’t be as good.  And disgusted that I have to buy all new cords for the car, truck, office, bedroom, etc.  But after a week, I think I’ll survive.  It’s grown on me.  The barnyard pictures look good.  The big test will be seeing pictures from vacation.  Stay tuned. 

 

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