Eye of the Tiger

I'm no Rocky Balboa, however I do like to apply myself with a similar amount of tenacity when needed, but with slightly better pronunciation of words (Sorry Mr Stallone).  This trait has been tested of late, bringing myself back from injury whilst trying to implement some sort of preparation plan for Tuff under saddle.

Enter my physiotherapist who resembles Frodo from Lord of the Rings and is approximately 12 years old.  Nice enough man-child until he released the daily regime of leg and pelvic 'strengthening' exercises upon me.  I did not have the heart on our first appointment to inform him that after giving birth to 3 children my pelvic strength was a distant memory, and even then it could have been a myth,  as he looked ever so optimistic.   However, by our second appointment after he made me waddle across the room, I was quite ready to send him back to the Shire as I had the sneaking suspicion he enjoyed implementing a gymnastic embargo upon his patients.  Added to that I had now had to expose my Bridget knickers twice in a week and that's enough to send anyone to aisle 6 at 8.49am on a Friday.....  But the good news I do not have to go back for a month and I will be seeing another physiotherapist as Frodo really is going back to the Shire (well ok, not the Shire, just City hospital).   I was quite disappointed as it turns out Frodo knows one end of a horse from another... in particular he knows one end of a Quarter horse.  He casually mentioned this just as I left... cue my excited "Really? You do?  I own a QH gelding!"  (now who's 12).  Damn those Bridget's, they scare them all off... apart from Mr T and Hubby, they're made of sterner stuff.

Anyhoo, the exercises are going well.  This is when the list isn't left on top of microwave and thanks to Frodo,  I'm feeling good in the saddle.

Tuff and I have been doing ridden work 2-3 times a week, with a mixture of short arena sessions and hacks around the village.  We are building rapport and a feel for each other as well as tentatively increasing our fitness.   But more on that in the next blog.

I'm not the only one in receipt of physical therapy.  Tuff and Maite both had a visit from Amy Lambley Equine Body worker at the weekend (amylambley@googlemail.com).  

Tuff is an old hand at these treatments, he used to have them monthly along with quarterly McTimoney sessions when we lived in Essex, so he thoroughly enjoyed his massage and is in good shape.   Maite has only had one prior session where she was not convinced by the whole thing, but this time she relaxed into it and let Amy work.   Amy will be back just before we head to the clinic to iron out any wrinkles, and then once we return home to ensure Tuff is in the best shape possible.  Who said our horses are better cared for than us?  

So despite Tuff having a lame owner, we are on the right path, and I have complete eye of the tiger focus.....

Now where's the 1980's music montage, featuring me wearing a flannel tracksuit running in the rain? 


See you on the flip side x