Aww, self-preservation

Whew! This week has just flown by and thankfully we're almost to the end of this rainy, nasty weather. I'm so ready for the 80 degree temps that are to slide in on Saturday. 

Well, B has been in boot camp this week. The goal: A little more "Yes ma'am!" and a little less, "Ahhh do I have to?" Mini-boot camp courtesy of yours truly can do wonders for any attitude...just ask some of my students. he he. 

During Beeburr's  first workouts, he definitely tried some croup lifting and ear pinning. He even threw in a couple, I dare you to rush me into the canter transition moments, but I was able to keep him thinking forward and uphill. Self-preservation can be a highly-effective motivator. 

We had our lesson today and my trainer said Beamer was much better in the contact. I must say it was quite amusing to watch her slowly walk over to the corner as she  told me to pick up the canter. I think she wanted to make sure she didn't get hit by any flying bodies. ha ha...nice...B was a good fella and we were even able to work on adjusting his tempo. The trot work was interesting, too, as we worked on counter leg yield steps on the long wall and on a circle, then placing his weight on his inner hind leg then the outer. All things that, as a fairly experienced rider, I often do naturally, but it was enlightening to hear it explained piece by piece. 

Next Friday, B will be making his clinic debut in front of Manolo Mendez. I have one simple goal for this outing, for B to be attitude free. I think it's something like asking a teenager to be attitude free. Meh. I'm all about wishful thinking!