Today seemed to go by faster than my to-do list got accomplished. Feeding was finished by dark, but I did not work the horses I wanted to. Frustrating, but there is a way through that now-closed door. The cold wind howled outside as I dragged a mini-trampoline in from the storeroom. The last time I used it was teaching clinics this summer. Knocking off the dust and cobwebs, I found myself looking at long winter nights in a new light.
Why a mini-trampoline? They are easily-available and don’t take up much space. They are cheaper and more convenient than a gym membership. And most importantly, the bounce mimics the upwards thrust of horses in motion. Riders can learn to use their bodies in new ways with exercises on a mini-trampoline. These new feelings and skills radically improve their athleticism and horsemanship.
I dig into my stack of horsemanship videos to double-duty my time, and hop onto my trampoline for a wintertime horseless riding lesson!