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Re: [RC] younger years - heidiI think for most people the change occurs when there's a significant pause in doing whatever you're doing, or a backing off from the peak level you were doing it. That reason could be having kids, going to college, an accident that laid you up for a while.... I think the continuous doing and total familiarity with the exciting thing that's being done is what keeps it more in the excitement side and less in the scary side. The familiarity even encourages a person to escalate the perceived risk or danger to maintain that excitement level. With a break in the level of engagement in an activity, the skill level drops, and familiarity and "ho-hum-ness" with that level of activity go away. When attempting to get back to it, almost every single person attempts it at the very same level they left it. But you aren't at that skill level any more. And that level of activity isn't so ho-hum any more. Suddenly you're "overfaced". The level you were at is no longer pushing the envelope, it's a level that's too high, and that's why it's scary. That's my theory this morning! I think you have an excellent point here, Lif. Before my "riding hiatus" a few years ago, I HAD dropped down to not wanting to start my green horses, but was otherwise fairly "invincible" on the trail. I was also "tough" enough to just go out and do 100 if my horse was ready, even if I hadn't been the one riding all the time so that my own fitness level was not as good as his. Not so after a few years off. I started back on an old 4-H gelding (bless his heart!) and an LD seemed like an insurmountable mountain. The good news is that at least to some degree, the familiarity begins to return with miles and fitness, although I do wonder if the old bod will ever be as tough again. <sigh> In any event, a couple of years of solid riding have me back to tackling 75s (and wanting to do 100s), and although I still ride the good old 4-H fellow (he's such a wonderful babysitter horse for getting the greener ones going with hubby on them!) I am also now "up" to riding one of the more athletic "quick" ones without worrying about every little reaction. I'm still a long way from my former level, and may never get all the way back to it--but at least I'm to the point of having a good time on the trail with a quick and capable horse, and even managed to pick up the pace enough for one Top Ten this year--a pace that was routine in past years but seems blindingly fast to me now. Rome wasn't built in a day, and re-introduction of an old body back into the sport doesn't happen overnight either... <sigh> Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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