When everything you didn’t want to do happens and you prove yourself right.
right
rīt/Submit
adjective
1.
morally good, justified, or acceptable.
“I hope we’re doing the right thing”
synonyms: just, fair, proper, good, upright, righteous, virtuous, moral, ethical, honorable, honest; More
2.
true or correct as a fact.
“I’m not sure I know the right answer”
synonyms: correct, accurate, exact, precise
I like to be right, as in the second dictionary definition. Word on the street, I’ve been like this since I was a young child. As I have “aged” I like to use factual evidence to back me up. I have dedicated a lot of time and resources to helping people clock. I feel it is a big purpose in my life and the most functional, enjoyable use of my brain.
This weekend, one of the most amazing people to cross my path, who is both one of my best friends and intervaltiming.com partners recognized I needed to get back on a horse. You see, in the pursuit of building my business (and a few other personal detours) I am currently horseless. She didn’t just offer me any horse either, it is a horse that can clock. Monica Sem & Precious Boots (Boots) are a contender when they show up to any race. They weren’t always that way. When Monica first got boots, they were consistent 3D, however through intervaltiming and finding the right size circles to allow Boots to use herself properly, a few riding adjustments from Monica (who the intervals showed was a turning addict) they have become a solid 1D and winning team.
Just because you can make a horse do something doesn’t mean it is a good path for them. People often believe because the can make a horse really flexible and turn tight, that it is good. Well, 99.9% of the time it isn’t and the intervals always prove it.
Fast forward to the Race to Remember on Saturday. Some quick facts prior to the race: I haven’t ridden a horse since May. Which was one evening for a quick ride with my good friend Kelly in Washington. Prior to that, I rode a horse for a few hours with my friend in Arizona in January and then prior to that was sometime last summer. To say I was rusty would be an understatement. I wisely purchased some time in the arena prior to the race, to you know, work some circles and see it I could still lope and stay on.
Prior to going into the arena I advised Boots she was my babysitter for the day and thanked her for letting me ride her. When our name was called and I went in the alley I had 3 goals – 1st Stay on. 2nd Keep the barrels up. 3rd Have fun.
I understand how muscle memory works. Once it is a memory is written, it can be very challenging to replace the original memory and when the pressure is on, it will come back at you like a freight train.
Both Boots and I reverted to a turning addiction we both have had in the past. When you look at my intervals, you can see I was clocking to the first barrel. Although I was going fast, I chose a bad line, cut off my circle and got high and by it and that cost us a lot of time in the turn. Then the turning addiction kicked in. I remember looking at the 2nd barrel (1st mistake lol) thinking oh shit, I am way too close. At the same time, I am not in good physical condition or having the co-ordination to push her to get back on the line I wanted. Both of us had old muscle memory to turn tight and it kicked right in. I made a horse that normally runs FASTER than the top horses in the straight between 2nd & 3rd loose a WHOLE second over 55 feet and then I did the exact same thing around 3rd, too tight, NO RUN for the way home.
I tell people this all the time when going over their reports, but I really hope this shows the concrete proof on how a changed circle can change how you clock entirely.
I am a turning addict that goes way back. My run is living proof that if you change the circles and lines to allow the horse to clock, they will.
Monica has done this with Boots and they consistently clock. I reverted to my old habits, my muscle memory kicked in and I did everything how I didn’t want to do and didn’t clock. Just like any bad habit, it can come back at you quick. I look forward to getting back in the saddle and re-writing my memory again. It is never too late to have a fresh start again 🙂
