Living Adventurously Post Band

I have pursued this stage in my life and lapband experience as an adventure of sorts. I don't feel great everyday and I don't think positively all of the time but when given the opportunity to try new things I have vowed to pursue them with enthusiasm. Today I took my first horseback riding lesson.

For several months now I have told you about my youngest daughter Grace's passion for horses and horseback riding. As she is continuing with pursuit of the hobby, doing the odd competition and we are planning on moving to a location where we can keep horses (as well as chickens and I hope a nice wool bearing sheep or goat) I need to learn how to handle a horse I figure. My daughters riding teacher suggested a few weeks ago that since I always clean out her stalls that she wold comp me a few horseback riding lessons in exchange for my stall cleaning.

I jumped and spent this morning at the stable on the back of Mr. T (an old Gray gelding). I like the guy. He is in his late 70's in people years and he is a tad stubborn and crotchety as one would expect an old cowboy horse to be. I am riding on an English saddle (and it is WAYYYY more comfortable than a western saddle). Mr T is an old school horse and although he has his bad habits (likes trying to nip at you while pulling on his saddle and stopping for no apparent reason in the middle of things) he is a good guy.

I rode him in a sand filled arena. First I got on the saddle (not too hard) learned how English rein holding is different than western. Then I spent the next 1/2 hour getting him to move around in a large oval. He tends to track back towards the teacher so I had to learn how to keep him moving and keep him walking against the wall. This took much more physical effort than I ever would imagine. It is a pretty decent inner thigh work out as you have to subtly push your calves against the horses sides every two or three steps. I also had to keep tugging at his right reign to keep him against the wall (two short straight jerks). I kept moving my whole body to get him to move and it just didn't really work. Funny really because it took lots of effort to keep him against the wall but to get him to turn a corner all I needed to do was look where I wanted to go and he could sense that (with a saddle between my butt and everything) and figure out where to go.

Mr T in his advanced age needs to be turned out to pasture and I have offered our riding teacher my place in exchange for letting me ride him on the long riding trail that will be located behind the place we have found and are interested in. She is happy about this as she needs another school horse and it is expensive to keep a non-working horse in stables. It will still cost a bit to keep him on our property but I think it will be worth it to have the mellow old guy when Grace and I go riding together.

The meandering point I am badly trying to make here is...my advice is to go for things that you normally would have avoided before getting the band. If you have the opportunity to do something out of the ordinary, eat something you haven't eaten before, talk to new people or see something exciting and new say YES and give it a try. It has yielded a whole host of new things that I enjoy as a result and a more active healthy lifestyle too!

Jen-on her blog talked today about feeling worried about posting her food because she feels like she eats differently than we do...perhaps somehow not the way of a model bandster? She does mention that every band path is different and I agree but i figured I had better own up to the fact that I either post really good or really bad eating days and rarely post the normal everyday in between stuff. In her honor-here is my day 2.

8 am-cup of tea.
9:45 am -skim peppermint mocha
12:30 pm- fish taco from my fav Mexican taco stand (just the insides and two bites of the tortilla)
2 pm- a sugar cookie
5 pm-two mini rice cakes
5 pm-an almond
6pm-another sugar cookie

Ok I ate the bits below but then promptly got stuck on something and am continuing to try and throw the thing up...it hurts. and yes even a girl on the cusp of goal is stupid enough to shovel goldfish down and chase it with noodles. I need to be hit on the back of the head!!!!
6:30-1/2 cup of goldfish
7:15-two bites of home-made mac and cheese (couldnt eat anymore because i ate the stupid goldfish).


xxxooo