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?

Comments

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

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

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  2. I like vacations. Glad yours went as planned.

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

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  6. Goodness we all need vacays sometimes!

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

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

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