Leigh/Anne Corner

I love this story and thought I would share with you guys!

Once upon a time there was a race of frogs. The goal was to reach the top of a high tower. Many people gathered to see and support them. And the race began. In reality, the people didn’t believe that it was possible that the frogs would reach the top of the tower, and all the phrases that one could hear were of this kind:
“What pain!!!  They’ll never make it!”
The frogs began to doubt themselves.
The people continued: “… What pain!!! They’ll never make it! …”
And the frogs, one by one, admitted defeat, except for one frog that continued to climb.
At the end he, alone, and with and enormous effort, reached the top of the tower.
One of the quitters approached him to ask him how he had done it, to finish the race.
And discovered that he….was deaf!!!!!

Moral of story:
NEVER LISTEN TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE BAD HABIT OF BEING NEGATIVE… because they STEAL THE BEST ASPIRATIONS OF YOUR HEART!

Always believe in your own ability and your dream, and drive endlessly to you want to achieve in life, it’s not about what other’s want; because you know best what you want and what’s best for you. SET YOUR GOALS AND JUST MOVE WITH IT – life is unpredictable and nothing is a guarantee, so don’t delay, start living your dream today!

I am back and still talking about the New Year! Last time I talked about being “prepared” for the season, getting on track and getting organized. Today I want to talk about another topic in the same category…getting yourself physically ready and tips to eating healthy while on the road.

This is the time of year that we all vow to get in better shape, eat right, be as fit as our horses, or we need to be for our event.  Some of us will follow through and some of us will be making the same resolution in 2013. How about we all stick with it this year??

I am a firm believer that when you work out and eat right you can keep your focus much easier. We all expect our animals to be in shape and ready to focus when we enter that arena, we need to expect the same of ourselves. After all…we are the other part of the equation!

Of course we are all busy and normally the first thing to get moved to the bottom of the “to do” list is working out. I am just as guilty of that myself. Life gets in the way! However our health is so important and we should all make it a priority.

Here are a few of my tips that make health and fitness a priority!

1. We are all busy so three 10 minute burst of cardio activity is better than nothing. Everyone can fit in 10 minutes a couple times a day. Even better if you have 30 minutes to workout. To burn maximum calories do burst of intense intervals to get your heart rate up.

2. There are many 18-20 minute workout dvd’s that are great for your entire body.  These are quick and a great way to get in a quick workout. I personally love the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred dvd, only thing needed is hand weights. You can pick this up at walmart for around 10.00. Once you learn the routine you can then continue your program when out on the road.

3. They say it takes 30 days to create a habit. So make a commitment for 30 days and get your friends involved. Call your hauling partners and make this a priority for all of you. This way you hold each other accountable.

4. Bands and resistance training is always good. You can also do kettebell exercises which help to work your entire body and these are easy things to take while out on the road. 10 minutes is better than nothing!

Eating healthy while out on the road can be difficult, but if you prepare for your trip you can make it easier on yourself. It does take planning, but when you feel great, you will be happy you took the time. Here are a few things I like to do.

1. Breakfast is very important and often skipped (yes, I do this as well) but in order to have energy and focus throughout the day you need to start the day off right.  A few easy things to make in your trailer are: oatmeal is easy, since you can make it with just water and your microwave, granola bars, fruit, protein bars etc. I like to avoid too much unnatural sugar for breakfast such as poptarts little debbies,  and heavy carbs, because I feel that it bogs me down.

2. I also like to keep protein drinks in the trailer, you can get them anywhere and they are a great pick me up throughout the day. Much better than having a coke and a candy bar. I always try to opt for something that will keep me full but not stuffed and allow me to keep my focus. There are many protein bars out there too, which is a much better choice than a candy bar. Something that is quick but will get you boosted and keep you energy up.

3. Preparing food when out on the road isn’t easy, and we all know that. If you are going to be in the same spot for a few days, you can plan your meals ahead of time. You can also call your buddies and all of you can coordinate a great menu, which we do a lot. There are MANY healthy crockpot meals that can make eating on the road easy. We like to pack a lot of fruit, which is easy to grab. Make a quick sandwich on wheat bread and have an apple with it instead of greasy chips.

4. If you are on the road and have to stop to eat, many fast food places are trying to have healthier options. Subway is probably one of the best, I love their roasted chicken! McDonalds Asian Salad isn’t bad either, and Wendy’s has some great salads as well. Chikfila is always another great option if you find one. Their grilled chicken sandwich is very low calorie and very tasty and they offer fruit as a side!

5. One thing I have become addicted to is the smart phone app myfitnespal. It is wonderful for keeping track of what you are eating.I use it for every meal and it has really taught me how many calories are in what I am eating. It has almost every food in it, including most restaurants, so very helpful for when you are on the road. They also have an online version. www.myfitnesspal.com .

Well these are just a few tips for all of us to get started for the New Year. I say lets all make this year great starting with ourselves. When you feel good it portrays in everything you do! Time to let yourself  SHINE!!!

This one of my favorite times of the year, despite the weather, which I must say has been quite lovely so far…fingers crossed it stays that way.  I love this time of year because it is fresh, new, wide open, a clean slate! I feel like we get to look ahead and plan, plan, plan.

So??? How do you plan??

I like to see all my plans on paper, call me a little old school, even with an iphone and on a computer most of the day, I still like to write everything down in my planner.  I like to start the New Year off by writing down all of the barrel races and rodeos that are scheduled. If I attended the race the year before, I will write down what horse I rode and what time I ran, how the ground was, what headgear I used, and anything else that may help me prepare for my next run there. I like to look forward in my planner and mentally prepare for those arenas, by seeing how I did the year before.

Some people may call me and over achiever, but I go to extremes with my planner because I like to be as prepared as I can.  Here are a few of my techniques you may find helpful.

1. I like to highlight races by color in my planner. I break it down by races/rodeos I have attended before, new races/rodeos I plan to attend. Each has its own color.

2. For events that haven’t been scheduled yet, I will remind myself by putting a sticky note on the previous month. For example….IPRA Winchester Rodeo is in August, so I will put a sticky note on the month of July as a reminder to check the schedule.

3. I also use my planner to coordinate with my hauling partners, we actually get together and write everything in. This year, one of my girls has been swamped and really busy, so I got a planner for her and put all the events in it

4. I will also write down all deadlines for races/rodeos (books open and close). I highlight this in a color that STANDS OUT because this is something I don’t want to miss. Yes…at this point my planner is starting to look like a coloring book, but that is okay!

5. I like to write down when I ride and how my horse worked. I want to be able to look back at my week and see how my conditioning rides went.  If you go to an event and your horse doesn’t work well, it is nice to be able to look back and see if you changed something, if the weather had an impact on your schedule…etc.

6. I also keep my check list for the trailer in my planner. I can check it each time I get ready to head out for the weekend. Yes, this list may change at times, but the “main” things are on it..hay, feed, supplements…HORSE!

7. I also use my planner as my daily dose of motivation. I type out my goals at the beginning of each year and tape them into the cover of my planner. They are there every day for me to see and remember and work for! I also print out a few quotes that push me and put them throughout my planner as a nice reminder during the year to keep on track!! 

Okay, like I said, I may be an over achiever however it pays to be prepared. It not only helps keep you on track physically but it helps you mentally. When you can visualize your week, month, year ahead of time, you are now prepared.

“A winning effort begins with preparation”

Good Luck to ALL OF YOU in 2012!!

It is a New Year!! A New Beginning……..the slate is clean……….the book is yours to be written……..how and what will you do?

Today always seems like a rebirth to me. We get the chance to right the wrongs, to forgive, to reach out, to say I AM SORRY or I LOVE YOU, to make someone else smile. Take the time to think of yesterday and then excitedly plan tomorrow!! THIS IS YOUR DAY, YOUR YEAR…….make it what you want. This is your time to dream the big dream and then to MAKE IT HAPPEN. Will this be the year that you finally haul to a barrel race? Will you finally sign up for a bull riding clinic? Will this be the year you buy your pro card? Will you reach out and finally say hello to a fellow competitor and stop being so shy? Will your dream of reaching the NFR come true this year? What will 2012 be for YOU?? The sky is the limit!! Good Luck!

Leigh Walkup

I read this statistic the other day was really surprised… According to SELF Magazine 69% of people don’t ever take a day for themselves! Are you one of the 69%? The article also stated that not taking a day for you can lead to depression.  My biggest problem is when it is really pretty outside and I should go saddle up and go for a ride, but there are times I don’t feel like doing that and then I feel guilty. I feel guilty that I am not out enjoying the weather and riding my horses that need to stay in shape.

Lately this has been a big issue for me and I have finally realized the horses will be in the same spot the next day. It is okay to want to take a day and not ride. They arent going to lose their fitness if we miss a day, and in all reality they need time off too. I don’t ride everyday, never have, but I do try very hard to keep my horses on a consistent schedule and when I miss a day I feel bad about it.

However our mental health is more important than feeling guilty and if getting out one day and going hiking, reading a book, having dinner with friends, or anything else you enjoy doing is something that keeps you focused and relaxed then by all means do it. I have a tendency to get wrapped up in things and that gets my entire focus, I have realized though, this isn’t healthy.

I have goals, I want to stay motivated, I want to see my dreams come true, but along the way, I have to remember me as well.  Taking time for me only keeps me in check and allows me to remember why I am working so hard in the first place!

So everyone take a day and do something for you….it will help you stay more focused!

Fall Leaves. Apple Cider. Pumpkin Patches. Crisp Air. Keeneland. Horses feeling GOOD…………..AHHHHHHHH Fall in the Bluegrass. I hope everyone enjoying their Fall season. I know that in many parts of the states Fall is different, but I can’t tell you how nice it is to be in Kentucky in the Fall. The horse farms here in Kentucky never looked more beautiful with all the orange and red leaves on the trees. GORGEOUS!

 I don’t know about you but with this time of year comes……………FOOD! I was at a barrel race a couple of weekends ago and it seemed that the entire day all that was discussed was horses feeling great and what we were all wanting to eat later. So I thought I would share with you some of my favorite eats this time of year:

 Southern Garlic Cheese Grits

 (click picture for recipe)

A lot of you that know Anne and I personally, know that our mother is the awesome cook behind “The Southern Lady Cooks”. I love everything my momma cooks but nothing hits home like her Garlic Cheese Grits. When Anne and I were in college, whenever we would come home we would always make sure she made these for us……..of couse we also requested her roast and potatoes, cranberry sauce and homemade dill pickles, but for today let’s talk about the grits! If you are a grits fan (I can still hear my father saying “when I was a kid I could get a plate of grits for 5 cents) then you will love these!

Cavan’s Coffee Rubbed Ribeye:

 (click on picture for recipe)

Being the daughter of a cattle producer, I grew up eating beef. ALOT. My father was the King of the smoker and the grill and I can honestly say I never had a bad meal when Dad was grilling. So I know a good steak when I have one. Cavan’s Coffee Rubbed Ribeye…………good eats people!! In fact, I have eaten a lot of Cavan’s food and I have NEVER had a bad meal when he is in the kitchen. Please check out Man Cave Cuisine….you won’t be disappointed!

 Anne’s Pound Cake

 (click picture for recipe)

This is another all time favorite dessert of mine. I remember eating this cake in my Grandmothers kitchen as a child. I love how food can automatically take you back in time.  It has the same affect of a song. I remember many a great moments sitting at my Grandmothers wooden kitchen table, her in her adorable apron, drinking coffee, eating Pound Cake and talking till we couldn’t talk anymore. This cake is so moist and buttery. I guarantee you will love it!

Well, those are just a few of my favorites. I hope this time of year makes you feel like you want to make some family recipes and share with your friends and loved ones. Take the time to sit around your dining room table and tell stories of the past and make memories for the future.

Here is a to a Happy Fall!!

Leigh

Good Morning OTRR Fans. Today marks the first day of Fall and here in the Bluegrass it is currently 56 degrees and raining. I think Fall has arrived. I know where some of you are, you are dealing with much colder temps and heaven forbid……..maybe even some snow! EEKK! I can honestly say that I am not ready for winter but Fall I love. There is something about this time of year that always makes me feel refreshed and excited. I think it is the cripsness in the air, seeing my horses feel great and knowing that it is time to pull out the hoodies and down vests (LOVE!) and the days of sweating my ass off at an barrel race are over. This summer was a great one and me and my crew hauled a lot since March and enjoyed every second of it. Even when it was 101 degrees in Ohio and I had to have a heart to heart with myself about putting on a long sleeve shirt and cowboy hat to go make a run. There was one point where I didn’t think it was going to happen……..it was THAT hot!! Two weeks ago we decided to give the horses two weeks off to rest. Now those two weeks are up and I am so thrilled to start the Fall season with great friends and fast horses. It is this time of year that we stop making sandwiches and cold food at the trailer and bring out the crock pots and cold weather recipes. My bestie Ashley always makes the best vegetable soup and there is nothing quite like sitting around talking about our runs at our trailers and enjoying the cool weather and great conversation. I love walking out of my trailer in the morning with a warm cup of coffee and not being slammed in the face with 85 degree temps at 6:00 in the morning! Some people start to lose motivation as the summer comes to an end and the days get shorter and it is very easy to do. This is the season that brings mud and rain and with that comes cold temps and blanketing horses. As much as things change with the seasons, this is one season that I greatly enjoy. My hauling partners and I have already sat down to map out all the barrel races, fall rodeos, etc that we want to hit in the next couple of months. Can’t wait!!! So all your road warriers out there, keep your motivation going and ENJOY your FALL!! Grab your hoodies and long sleeve tees out of the closet and roll with it! 

 ”I’ve never known anyone yet who doesn’t suffer a certain restlessness when autumn rolls around. . . . We’re all eight years old again and anything is possible.”