December is good for….

Posted by pvos on Dec 18, 2011 in Training Journal | Comments Off

Shopping, lessons, eating. We have all three covered.

Since Santa might be reading let’s start with where we’ve been good – lessons. Both Katie and Paige have been catching up on their lessons and working on their homework with their various charges.

Winter Lessons: Fun With Grids

Since I’ve known Jenn Simmons (I won’t say how long cause it’s long enough to date us all, sigh) winter lessons have been all about fun with grids so I was not surprised when I ambled out to the outdoor to see Katie and Peyton make their way through a series of gymnastics. Peyton is a smart horse, a sharp horse, so I was equally unsurprised to watch him figure it all out. His brain just whirs and his footwork is quick – bounces and grids that incorporate poles on the ground were pretty much sorted out after one time through.

Pandora has come back from her vacation like she owns the joint. We were joking the other day that her thought bubble reads, “Do you know who I am?!” She is keen and ready to get back in the game. While this was evident in her jump lesson with Jenn it was even more so during her dressage lesson with Inga Janke.

In the meantime Paige is squeezing in lessons left and right with Gavin Moylan before he heads for Florida. This week Kaz, Seattle, Kiwi, Promise and her own pony Snapdragon all head over to  The Oaks to be put through their paces. All were truly impressive in their own rights – Promise because he came back from his break better than ever, Kiwi cause he never misses a beat, Kaz because his increased confidence in his new job is impressive, and Seattle because he has fully earned his new barn name of Baby Genius.

Horse Shopping and Growing the Tebogo String

Next – shopping. We’re technically full but the thing is this – we are so very picky when buying horses to add to the Tebogo string that finding them is no easy task. So if one comes along that fits all the criteria (looks, age, size, temperament, soundness, etc) we are forced to buy them. That’s our story and we’re sticking to it.

Enter Molten Lava.  Mo? Lava? Cake? (he doesn’t have a barn name yet) is exquisite – a 5 year old with plenty of starts under his belt he is now resting and relaxing over at Simon’s View. Pictures forthcoming.

Finally, eating. Why do we have so many friends who are so blessed with exceptional baking skills?! We’ll power through. Because while December is good for eating, January is good for diets.