DefinitelyDressage.com

So, I turned 60 this year and everytime I flip a new decade I try something new. When I turned 50, i started Taekwondo and eventually got a 2nd degree blackbelt. i would still be doing it but the dojo closed and by the time I recovered from my back injury and found a new place, Covid shut it down so no TKD. Anyway, this time I decided to challenge my non-musician self to finally "conquer" and instrument. As a kid, and occasionally since then, I played piano but always pretty well sucked at it, same with recorder, guitar, ukelele, etc. SO, I am now learning how to play the French horn! One week in, not only am I having modest success, but I really enjoy the struggle too. Of course, I'm still a ways away from being able to take an actual lesson from an actual teacher (ds is helping me right now), but I think I can do this!!

Anyone else trying something totally new to them?

Not yet...heavy into caregiver duties. Not sure Mom would tolerate my practicing an instrument but you know...I want to learn to play the drums.

I'm not very musical but can usually hold a beat. Drumming very much stays on my bucket list.

Congrats on the horn playing .

Susan

Sue B wrote: SO, I am now learning how to play the French horn! One week in, not only am I having modest success

In my scale of musical talents, this qualifies as a prodigy!!!

Sue B wrote:Of course, I'm still a ways away from being able to take an actual lesson from an actual teacher (ds is helping me right now), but I think I can do this!!

Congratulations for having the courage and wherewithal to take a plunge into something new and challenging.

I disagree with you about taking lessons. I'm not saying this necessarily applies to you, but any teacher worth her or his salt would rather start someone off right than have to correct self-learned iffy technique. You cannot start lessons too early.

Kathy, you're probably right. I should at least text her and let her know what I'm doing. Remember, however, I do have ds watching and listening, telling me things like, "hold the horn up, don't rest it on your leg! That is bad technique!" He's such a task master.

Well good for you!! It is always good to keep learning and keep doing!

Saw this on the news recently and thought you might appreciate it. What a beautiful instrument is the French horn.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ga ... &FORM=VIRE

5 months in and totally obsessed with learning the French horn. I often practice 1.5 to 2 hours a day, sometimes more on the weekends. I had to stop myself from playing this morning because I played 1.5 hrs last night alone (I was stress baking cookies for all my "kids" in various armed services.) Even worse, ds has given me permission to play his beautiful horn while he is up at school because he playing the mellophone for marching band affects his embouchure. Of course, I had to over a 100 miles to a repair shop to get it cleaned first so I don't actually have it yet. Lol I treat my playing time like I do my riding/training time. Sometimes it's almost all basics (scales, flexibility exercises, tempo/rhythm exercises) and other times it's almost fun stuff, messing around trying to learn new tunes. Right now, I'm on the equivalent of an aged 2nd level schoolmaster learning equitation, all the basic aides, and timing. My teacher and the repair shop owner both suggested I may be outgrowing my schoolie and should probably start the search for a quality double horn soon.

good for you

That's a great update, Sue!

My DH and I took up fly fishing for trout in the spring. We go to the mountains nearly every weekend now to fish. I love the meditative aspects and learning more about river ecology. It does remind of dressage in that it takes a lot of skills + feel and observation.

I still wish I had more time to spend painting, but that may have to wait until I retire!

Aside from work, PF, that is one thing DH and I share...love of fly fishing. Whether it's a 6" brookie on a 3 wt rod or a 34" steelhead on a 9wt, there is nothing like flippin' flies. Beware of fly tying, it's a real time sink, lol. The only thing I would recommend, however, is use quality equipment. Like a good saddle, the better the rod, reel and line, the more enjoyable experience you'll have.

I remember that, Sue!

However, in the mountains of E TN/western NC, I am hesitant to get overly fabulous equipment because there is so much hiking, rock climbing and scrambling in our small streams. I don't want to tell you what I've broken in the last 5 months. It is nothing like western fly fishing (although one can fish for big fish below a dam in a float tube or drift boat---but I am not into that).

I saw these at a local shop, might be just the ticket for Tennessee fishing. https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead ... Qx6BAgEEAE

Indeed, we have several tenkara rods in addition to western rods!

Our last trip in W NC was all tenkara---lots of scrambling up waterfalls to nice pools for brookies.

Yet another great day on the water in higher elevation E TN. It's a juggle with the horse and work, but I and we love it!! So calming and meditative.

KathyK wrote:

Sue B wrote:Of course, I'm still a ways away from being able to take an actual lesson from an actual teacher (ds is helping me right now), but I think I can do this!!

Congratulations for having the courage and wherewithal to take a plunge into something new and challenging.

I disagree with you about taking lessons. I'm not saying this necessarily applies to you, but any teacher worth her or his salt would rather start someone off right than have to correct self-learned iffy technique. You cannot start lessons too early.

I agree with this wholeheartedly!!!!!!! Even for non horsey activities, having an instructor from the get go prevents bad habits. I experienced this myself with handguns. Brief pause, relax everyone

I'm not a gun person other than having the necessary functional long guns for ranch life, but a few years ago at the urging of my local deputies I got a handgun. No big thing, had a friend with a large assortment of handguns, his wife and I took an assortment to the range, I went yeah I like this one, bought one. Went to range a few times. Figured if I was going to have one I should be good with it, signed up for lessons with retired SWAT officer who does this. Lesson 1, and every lesson thereafter for quite a while, I had developed the VERY BAD HABIT of resting my finger on the trigger. VERY BAD. But no one had told be not to! So, I got over it, learned not to do it, but it took a while to break the unconscious habit. I can best liken it to it's easier to keep your heels down if you learn that from day one. Simple little thing, but totally avoidable bad habit.

Lesson 1, and every lesson thereafter for quite a while, I had developed the VERY BAD HABIT of resting my finger on the trigger. VERY BAD. But no one had told be not to! So, I got over it, learned not to do it, but it took a while to break the unconscious habit. I can best liken it to it's easier to keep your heels down if you learn that from day one. Simple little thing, but totally avoidable bad habit.

OMGosh, Quelah, that is a super dangerous habit...so happy your instructor successfully cleared it! Ugh, as a shooting sports instructor for 4H, I wish I could have every kid in our county take a course on safe gun handling; it never ceases to amaze me what some parents have passed down to their kids! I learned so much taking the instructor trainings on each type of firearm and I repeat the course every 4-5 years just to stay up to snuff. Even so, it took me until 2 years ago to realize I was switching eyes at the last minute when shooting a hand gun! hard to be accurate when you switch from dominant to non-dominant eye!

So now I'm obsessing on how far to go with buying a "new" French horn. Do I treat it like a dressage saddle and go higher end or "settle" for a lower end used but decent quality horn. Weirdly, after all these decades, I can actually afford to go higher end, just feels strange to spend that kind of money on myself (bear in mind, we're talking 5-6k vs 2-3k).

PF, we just spent a week in the mountains fly fishing and camping. I brought my horn to practice.

Updating to share that I played my horn for my little church as part of our Thanksgiving celebration. Like my typical dressage show, could've gone better, could've gone worse.

That's awesome! So are you going to celebrate with a fancy new horn?

Oh! I forgot to tell y'all. Back in late September, I was picking up ds's horn from the shop in Idaho Falls when I casually mentioned I was sorta looking for a good quality used horn. Shop owner scurried to the back of the shop and presented me with a beautiful old double they had just readied for resale. They hadn't even priced it out yet, just cleaned and checked it over. He asked if I wanted to try it out--of course I did and it was wonderful! Fits me like a glove. This shop is over 100 miles away from me, so, of course, I had to buy it right there, on the spot. They checked the internet for a ballpark price, shot me an offer, and I gave them my credit card. At least I was able to tell dh, when I got home, that I DID NOT purchase yet another horse! Hehe

Apparently, buying and owning horns is equivalent to owning saddles. You can't have just one!

Couple weeks later, I went up for Homecoming weekend at ds's college bringing all 3 horns with me--my 2 and ds's. I gave the original inherited horn to my very good friend and fishing partner as a surprise gift. She played horn 5th grade through high school, but not since. Shoulda seen the smile on her face

I love this:) I am in awe of anyone with musical ability.

Sounds like that horn was just waiting for its owner!