Will we ever really get there?

I was over on "RIDECAMP" reading about the various training speeds that people use, and then the average TOP TEN average speeds mentioned. I'm a very conflicted rider, and very conflicted in my riding style (if you can call my riding even remotely anything but weird). Some were talking about training at 10 mph average. This makes the E.G. about ready to just throw myself down in a dark room and weep. Will we ever get there? I'm so afraid of hurting Phebes after the tye-up incident a year ago, that if we do any kind of sustained trotting, or especially C-A-N-T-E-R I'm just scared to death that I'm going to set her up again. It is keeping us stuck in rut.

Also the trail network available to me just won't safely allow me to maintain the speed I need (speed being relative to 6-9 mph in my world). It isn't just wet sloppy mud. That stuff is okay. It is those stiff clay ruts that suck at and hold the hoof. The stuff that connective tissue injuries are made of. Nicole knows what I'm talking about as that was what she was dealing with yesterday as well. The best trail for us to train on is at Clark. It costs me $65 in my tank for each trip up there. Just not feasible that we drive up there weekly, although I WOULD LOVE IT!

Sounds like a bunch of excuses and "hooey" huh? But all those things factor heavily into how, and where, and with whom I ride. The person training most closely to how I eventually want to ride is Michelle D. She has graciously offered to let me ride with her sometimes, and when we are up to the pace --- we will go. Right now Nicole and I are pretty much at the same level of where our horses are. Our horses have differing strengths and weaknesses, but on current pace we are pretty close to the same page. I'm going to continue re-thinking what I want my goals to be this year. But feel that getting all the speeds and transitions working smoothly is probably of utmost importance, as well as figuring out how to get shorter & faster training rides, somewhere, somehow. The goal of finishing the rides we enter is still primary. It boils down to my wanting to build a stronger horse over the next few months.

Today has been horse trailer clean out day and I've loaded up what I can live without for the moment to get it all OUT OF THE KITCHEN, it was like an obstacle course. Thank goodness for totes with snap on lids!