Fitness: April Diary

So April started with my Mother visiting which may have slightly affected my fitness regime, but that’s okay, that’s life, it gets twisted and changed around. From this month I’ve very much learnt just to make it work where and when you have time.

What is my fitness goal – please see my first Fitness post for more information on this.

What went well:

Riding lessons have probably saved the day this month, as a ‘new’ hobby I can tell it’s worked some parts of my body that haven’t been challenged in a while. This definitely includes my hip flexors and core, plus as its a sport I can see myself improve every week which is super enjoyable. An increase in swimming – both in the ocean and pool, mostly thanks to my Mum visiting and this being a novitality for her.

Getting my boyfriend back into the gym has also helped as we all know training with a friend is much more fun!

What could have gone better?

I struggled with getting into the gym or doing any ‘hard’ physical exercise at the start of the month, which was a little frustrating. I really do miss running but the climate here is just too hot for me!

Stats:

Riding lessons: 7

Gym sessions: 6

Yoga sessions: 3

Swims: 5

Mays Goals:

In May I’m going to Paris and back to the UK for a few weeks. My fitness is probably going to be more walking around shops and cities. I have seven riding sessions booked in and hopefully I’ll be able to get to the gym a little!

As always if you want to follow along with my life day-to-day please follow my instagram (@harrietkristina)

Riding: OMG I Cantered (and didn’t die)

I turned up to the stables on a Monday morning to have my usual private lesson, it went really well, practised my rising trot and even a little sitting trot (I’m like five lessons in). When washing off my beautiful horse my riding instructor asked if I’d like to help collect the horses after a trail ride that had gone out that morning, I’m a yes girl, so I said yes.

We drove down and collected the family who had just had a wonderful stroll through the countryside to the beach on horseback. They were as happy as could be and couldn’t stop saying thank you. Then they were in awe as they watched two of the horses be let free and gallop back to the stables. They then got in there air conditioned taxi and headed back to their hotel.

At this point I was mounted and luckily in control of my horse so he didn’t follow those galloping into the distance. We set off walking back up hill with the odd trot, which I was super happy about (getting in that practise), then my riding instructor asked how I would feel cantering a little up the hills (darn me being a yes person). So off we went….

Bloody hell this is fast

My sunglasses are definitely going to fall

My bones might shake apart

I’m not falling off though

THIS IS AMAZING

It was scary but so amazing, I trusted my horse and as my instructor loves to say ‘went with the horse’. The hack back was insane, beautiful and incredible fun, we walked on long reins, trotted and cantered up hills. We made it back in about 45 min (it was a two hour walk down). It made my Monday!

The more time I spend around horses and in the saddle the more I want to be, its turning into quite an addiction. Anyone tried a trail ride while on holiday? What did you think?

As always please go follow @harrietkristina on Instagram for more 🙂

Riding: The start of a journey

Horses have always been a love of mine, I was fortunate enough to have lessons and attend Pony Camps as a child, as a teenager I rode sporadically, normally borrowing a friends horse for a hack, but nothing structured or regular. So now that I’ve got some spare time and needed a hobby to fill this up with (I’m just not a Netflix binger), I’ve naturally migrated back to ponies.

Don’t worry, I’ve ordered boots and more suitable clothing!

I am a beginner, past remembering how to hold the reins, I seem to remember very little about riding, and this is oh so very humbling, its also the best fun! My love and enjoyment while riding has definitely not changed. I wake up excited the mornings before my class, enlightening a memory of me waking and getting dressed at 5 am thinking this would mean I would get to go riding sooner at the age of six.

I’m four lessons in and making some good progress with my posture and trot as well as tracking up and post lesson baths for the horse. I may have already booked in my next ten lessons and a few treks :).

If you’re think about starting something new, or revisiting a childhood hobby, all I can say is do! You wont regret it. Life is about experiences and memories, about enjoying and trying.

Welcome to Blonde Traveller…

Recently at the stables I got roped into playing ‘3 things about you’ with the Easter Pony Camp. This in theory should be the easiest game ever because who knows more about you than you? Yet its strangely difficult to come up with a quick three things repeatedly that others maybe want to know about you.

So here goes –

I’m 25 and from Dorset, England, which is where I grew up. I am often am told I look to be 17-20. I was lucky enough to go to private school which I enjoyed immensely. I am the middle child, with a genius older brother and a beautiful little sister. My favourite things are animals, food, travel, fitness, a touch of fashion and mostly my wonderful boyfriend. I currently spend most of my time in Barbados, where I’m trying to get to grips with driving a huge truck but I have also lived in London and Edinburgh. I have the most gorgeous German Spitz (think big Pomeranian) called Bear at home.

This blog is mostly going to be reviews and a little window to my world. If you want to see more please follow my Instagram (@harrietkristina), and this blog! 🙂

Side note: Those under 13 years old preformed much better than I did at this game.