First lesson of 2014

And oh boy it was a work out.  D is funny, you think he isn't watching you when you ride on your own but then you go in for a lesson and 15 minutes in, he's found each and every hole in your training that you've glossed over for the past 3 months! 

So he has me lifting and pushing Oscars shoulders around, working on loping transitions (jog a sharp turn lope, jog a sharp turn, lope all around the arena off the rail).  All with a loose rein, only picking up to turn, which is hard for me, I like contact!  We were loping circles at one point and D goes "loose rein"  And I go "I know its just so hard to let go!"  he just about fell off the mounting block laughing at me.  Anyways it was good to get back in the swing of things and Oscar wasn't nearly as grumpy after our lesson as he was when I ride him alone, even though he was sweaty.  I think I'm picking on him too much, and the constant reminders from D to "let go" prove that.

Chilly is going really great, I'm hoping to watch D ride her tomorrow.  Hes been riding her at the walk/jog a bit at the end of each ride with the bit in her mouth, but doing the warm up/canter work with a side pull.  She's doing much better and is apparently really coming along.

In the foot news, I've taken to putting my orthotics in everything but my riding boots (normally they live in my sneakers that I wear for work/driving).  I've also dug out some big old spurs, not so much for more spur but because they are kicked in and bend toward the horse which means I don't need to move my foot/ankle very much to use it.  With those two modifications my foot was much better today when I came home from the barn. (Although my hips and legs are sore from riding).

I also go for my CAT scan on Monday, not the 3 months that I thought it would take to get an appointment!  And I go back to the surgeon the next Wednesday after that!