Today I was hired for a job! I am the new Receptionist at a Pet Grooming Salon. The job is about 20min from my house, but it's on the way to the ranch. I am so excited about it. It's only 15-20hours a week so nothing too crazy. But it will be a little more cash, which means I can pay off my car and student loans quickly!

I was working on a little DIY project today. I made some alterations to my horse's neck sweat, so it will actually stay on her, instead of flipping up like a cone (so funny I'll upload some pictures soon). I will finish that tomorrow, and bring my tripod, so I can take some videos of my riding.

Lately I have been feeling off. I had a group lesson on Saturday, and I just thought it was a mess, and that I'm not a very strong trainer. Which leads me to thinking that I'm not a strong rider. And there is always more to learn, but I'm in a bit of a slump when it comes to training and riding. I wish I had better lesson horses. But I know that I really just need to learn their quirks. Fred doesn't like to go out in the morning and I have to ride him first, Dumaskus needs to use the orthopedic pad, Charlie needs to be turned out first. All of those little things that make a huge difference in the horse.

I told my trainer how I was feeling, that I need more experience before I can take on a group of that size, 5 riders. She assured me that I could do it. She said that she would help me to assign the girl's horses, and that would make a world of a difference. Something else she suggested was to use patterns. Here is the example that she gave during my lesson.

We taught the girls how to walk over ground poles, really lift their body with their thighs, and give their horse their face. Then we took the ground poles and put them next to each other long ways straight down the middle of the arena. and had the girls do serpentine across them. How simple, right? It made a world of a difference.

What patterns/exercises does your trainer have you do?