Saturday, September 22, 2012

Let there be light

After years of basically putting riding on hold during the dark winter months during the week,  I am beyond thrilled that that won't be the way of things this year.

I won't have to give up my riding or put my training on hold due to a lack of light this year because I now have *drum roll please!* arena lights! Yay! My honey spent the day putting together arena lights for me so we can ride at night all winter long and last night I gave them a test run and I'm pleased to say they worked wonderfully. I think we do need to add one more light at the far end of the arena, but other than that, it's fantastic! Granted, the arena isn't lit up enough to hold night time shows, but it suits my purposes more than adequately.

I have always dreaded the shorter days because I can't ride except on weekends and of course the training and fitness schedule gets abandoned. But this year, I'm actually looking forward to the shorter, cooler days because I love to ride in the cooler weather and I think Gabe does, too.

My husband put up the lights as a surprise for me...I didn't even know he was doing it until I got home from work and there they were! All I did was mention earlier in the week that I really wish I had lights because it was getting darker earlier and earlier. I think I mentioned it while I was riding Montana and it was already dark out by the time I finished up and got off. Such an awesome guy, I think I'll keep him.


3 comments:

  1. Can you post of a photo of what they look like? I sure would like some lights for my arena....

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    1. I can when I get home from work...probably tomorrow morning. The lights are built from "found" stuff around the farm: PVC for the post (it's about 8.5' high) and cross T at the top where the lights are attached, floodlights and an electrical switch box he wired into the box that controls power to the pool pump. The only thing he had to buy were the flood light bulbs. It lights most of my arena very well, the farthest edge is shadowy, but my arena is very nearly as long as regulation dressage arena, so I still have PLENTY of lighted space to work in.

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