Establishing new habits, and anti procrastination....

I'm trying to establish some new habits this week.

My biggest problem is that I procrastinate (hence the blog, great way of putting stuff off) and absolutely everything gets left til the last minute. We are rarely late, but are usually rushing.

So, with the kids back to school this week, I have been trying to get up 10mins earlier. This gives me time to get the kids ready and empty the dishy and sort some laundry. In theory. In reality, I feel I should do these things, so do them but nearly lose the plot in the process of trying to get too many things done.

Another thing I'm very good at putting off is riding. If course I enjoy it, but unlike the mucking out it is not a necessity, and I think this is why the confidence issue took so long to realise, there were always other excuses instead. But now I have a friend to ride with twice a week the excuses have stopped, and the confidence has built. I am still struggling to get enough motivation to get the gelding going though. I basically have 3 child free hours a day, which comes down to 2.5, by the time travelling etc is taken into consideration.

So, this time gets broken down into 30mins for mucking out the two stables, hay, feed on to soak, water etc. 30mins sweeping up, getting horses in, tacking up, 45mins for riding at an absolute push (if hacking out) then 15/20mins feeding and finishing up. I am more inclined to ride the mare because she is mine, and because she is easier and more enjoyable, having done more work.

The gelding is special (in lots of ways) he is kind hearted, but so daft and such a wuss! He doesn't take the piss, he is just genuinely terrified of pretty much everything. He needs a rider to say "Come on, we are doing this today" and actually mean it. You can see why I've had problems in the more recent years?

So, with my new years anti-procrastination, I am going to do something with the gelding. I am going to stop making excuses and get on with him. I have arranged for one of the other liveries to stay in the school with me while I ride him next Friday. Small steps, but I need to break the habit.

Things are going well with the mare and we need to just continue as we are, and work on brakes and fitness levels. The gelding and I need to work on getting a routine going and starting pretty much from scratch - reminding him of the correct aids and how to behave! Watch this space!