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Vacations for Brains

When will you just leave me alone?!
After two weeks of stress and fighting and one good (though not terribly productive) ride, I gave Guinness a four day vacation last week.
I gave myself one, too.

Honestly, it was needed. In the one good ride I had before vacation, I focused on just listening to my horse and backing way off the pressure and expectations. Now that we're back in work, I'm still finding that I need to back off some. However, the work I am getting from Guinness no longer feels like we are regressing. He feels strong and happy in his work again. Hell, he's even perking up his ears and coming to me in the field again.

Hi Mom! I'm ready for work!

Now, isn't that kind of refresh the whole point of a vacation?
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Comments

  1. StephanieJuly 30, 2014 at 4:08 PM

    Vacations are definitely a good thing (for horses and humans alike)!

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    1. AustenJuly 30, 2014 at 8:58 PM

      I couldn't agree more! Let's all go to the beach ... ;)

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  2. SprinklerBanditJuly 30, 2014 at 4:21 PM

    I like vacations. Glad yours went as planned.

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  3. Dressage HaflJuly 30, 2014 at 5:20 PM

    Two years ago, I went for 2 weeks to Denmark, last year even one month to the Netherlands, meaning Hafl being on his own for a longer time...despite my fear that he would be stiff or unwilling, he felt great! so, every year after show season he gets some days off...this year as well! They need some vacation, too, I guess :)

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    1. AustenJuly 30, 2014 at 9:00 PM

      On man. I'm so jealous of your European ability to so easily vacation in such amazing places! :)

      I'm always surprised when I come back and the horse is better. They really do have amazing memories!

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  4. Bakersfield DressageJuly 30, 2014 at 6:59 PM

    Vacation is definitely a good thing! We usually try to take a two week vacation each year or so, and I always find that when I come back, I am better than when I left. Things need time to sit and percolate. I imagine the horses need some processing time too. :0)

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    1. AustenJuly 30, 2014 at 9:01 PM

      Oh, absolutely! I think decompression time after a really stressful training push is something I'm going to need to pay closer attention to. This horse, man. He's such a ball of tension.

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  5. TeresaAJuly 30, 2014 at 7:53 PM

    I agree with vacations too. I know that I can get too fixated on the idea of progress that I push too much.

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    1. AustenJuly 30, 2014 at 9:02 PM

      Me too!! Sometimes focus isn't such a good thing.

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  6. L.WilliamsJuly 31, 2014 at 11:48 AM

    Goodness we all need vacays sometimes!

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  7. AnonymousJuly 31, 2014 at 12:57 PM

    Sometimes we all need to step back and take a breath! :) Glad you enjoyed your time to relax!

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  8. UnknownJuly 31, 2014 at 6:03 PM

    I'm really hoping my up my vacation has the same effect!

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