Whew! This heat is just absolutely oppressive! The last three weeks have shown us weather that's had a heat index of anywhere from 100 to 112 degrees! When it's that hot it's just not that good to ride, either for the people or the horses! It's not fair to make the horses do all that work when it's that hot outside. Instead they just get to sit in the shade and eat all day long!

That's why lessons are being scheduled in the early morning or later in the evening ' usually 9 am and 10 am, then 6 and 7 pm. It's still light enough out late to teach until 8, and by that time it's pretty much cooled off.

Remember that lessons, unless you have a set time each week that you come, are a first-come, first-serve basis. With school starting, afternoons and evenings are going to fill up really fast, so make sure you get your lesson scheduled as far in advance as you can! Generally if you schedule something right after your lesson is over, it's easier to get a slot for the next week. Keep that in mind next time you come out for a lesson!

Our arena needs a facelift! Equine Kingdom is going to host a fundraiser to benefit not only the farm, the arena, and the lesson program, but also proceeds will go to the United States Equine Rescue League! More information about that can be found here: http://www.ncerl.com/

The fundraiser won't be difficult ' it's a new program called Skratchers. All students are asked to take one card and get it completely filled out ' if one person gets one card done, they will have raised $100! It's really easy to do. All you have to do is have people, either from work, church, friends, family, relatives ' scratch off some of the circles, and give you the amount of money it reveals. These amounts range from $.50 to $3.00. In return, they will receive a coupon page with over $50 worth of coupons on it! It's that simple. Everyone that finishes an entire card will receive a prize (yet to be determined), and whoever sells the most cards will receive a special prize. You may sell as many cards as you'd like, but only one at a time.

Also, a bit of heads up on the lesson horse situation ' as most of you know, I sold Roxy, my other lesson horse that has been gone for the summer. Right now Dublin, Dandy, and Prissy are being used in lessons. At the end of October, my lease on Dublin will be up, and one of my other students will be taking over it, so Dublin will no longer be used in lessons. There is another horse coming to Equine Kingdom Riding Academy at the beginning of September, that may possibly get used in lessons ' however, I know very little about this horse yet. I cannot afford to purchase another horse for lessons right now ' hence, the fundraiser! After donations to the USERL, first we'll purchase new equipment for the arena ' new cones (have you seen the condition of the ones we have??), jumps, a new gate, equipment to fix some of the stall doors, and a few other necessaries that won't be too expensive. Then we need to start looking for another lesson horse! After the fundraiser, anyone that wants to send suggestions for horses to buy, feel free to! I want this to be a group decision. Know that your efforts are ultimately going to result in the purchase of a fantastic new horse to learn on!

There are a lot of new things going to be happening soon'keep updated! More information coming soon on camps, programs, and activities that will be planned. Once the weather cools off a bit, Equine Kingdom will be busy once more!

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