Lessons this week...

This is what Rocket thinks we should be doing in lessons this week. It is hilarious.

If the video doesn't show up for you, try this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTfZ8J-0gAk&feature=context-vrec

What we will actually be doing in lessons this week will depend greatly on how quickly my allergic reaction rash responds to the medication I am on. I was told 24 hours, which coincides with my first lesson, so fingers crossed, because as it is now, it feels like I am covered in 100's of mosquito bites. And do you know where most of them are? My usually very while behind. Yes, I have an ass more spotted than an appaloosa. It is driving me CRAZY. Poor Rob, every time he shifted the sheets and they rubbed on one of my spots I wanted to kill him....the same could apply to lesson students who irritate me, so be forewarned!

I think part of lessons will be using the "Educational" hand to improve upon some flat work exercises such as leg yielding, so we will be doing some of that, as well as proper figure eights (circles connected by a change of bend). This means that the change of bend we had a few strides to work on last week, will now be done in one stride. On the upside, the turns will be larger, so easier. Lots of transitions too, working to prepare the horse so that the transition is smooth yet forward.

We may also run through some of the Cadora dressage tests this week as well.

For jumping, we will be jumping on a circle using the Educational hand, and then coming out of the circle making sure we set the horse up to get it straight to ride a nice line. There may be bending lines involved as well.

On another note, we had a new horse come yesterday. His name is Wolfgang. He is a bay thoroughbred that is here for Clare and Kaylee to lease. He is loud. He also has put bays far in the lead in the battle between bays and chestnuts...even if we count Tango and Rocket as chestnut, we now only have 8 chestnuts, to 9 bays.

Karen