Guess who's in the market for a new helmet! (you know what that means)

Yep. There we were, just riding along the trail, and then WHOOSH! where there used to be a horse there was nothing but air.

I even had a neckstrap!

This is the face of a very VERY naughty pony. With weird ear pose.

We've always had a problem with this corner (always, hah, we've been past it 6 times) - there's some rusty machinery there that Dassah-Mare gives the hairy eyeball to but never a drop and dash. This time I don't know what happened. A bird flapped its wings, a chipmunk swished its tail, a leaf flipped over, I have no clue.

Do you know that every time I've been dumped by my mare, either intentionally or not, she has never left my side? One time we're out in the cross country field, by ourselves, and she spun out at a small fence, she just whipped around and looked at me like I was nuts. (I did do a lot of yelling - broke my foot!)

This time, she couldn't have flicked me off fast enough. She went bucking and squealing back to the barn, around the barn into the farmer's front yard (thanks for tearing that up, dipshit), and then another boarder corralled her just enough to send her back into her stall.

heifer. I rolled over and watched her run away.

I am so grateful though that the ground was soft and mushy - made for the comfiest fall yet!

Grabbed her (not unkindly) from her stall, took her back to the mounting block and then we schooled past that dumb corner at least another 8 times. She was high as a kite, giraffing the the whole time, but she kept it together - I didn't have a death grip, just strong, supporting contact - kept my elbows giving so I didn't trap her with the contact, put my leg on when we passed the corner to confirm that yes, I did want to go past it and not wheel about. I just wanted to make sure she stayed underneath me. I think I did a good job of staying soft but firm.

Anyway, I love my schooling helmet but it's dunzo. I've been needing to replace it anyway - it's been a solid compadre for many years and is due for retirement. I'm thinking the Ovation Sync in Carbon Fiber or the Troxel Intrepid. Of course, I have to go with what fits the head.

Oh - the next day? We schooled in the indoor and had a fantastic 40min walk/trot session. She's really starting to understand contact, we're getting our halt transitions down, and we're really starting to nail the "freewalk is over, let's take up some contact, no no no, not trotting, just picking up the reins and we're still walking - just keep walking, just keep walking." We also had some supremely awesome downward transitions from the trot to walk - it really helps when I do my part to let her know we're transitioning and she doesn't have to throw it all to shit fall apart.

Good lord, riding, who knew it was so much work. Keep it together but be relaxed! Let your leg fall, your heels drop, go into zen on your horse, but BE PRESENT! Be on the aids! Support with the outside rein, weight seatbones evenly, DON'T DROP YOUR SHOULDER, breath with your diaphragm, sit evenly, find the sweet spot on your saddle. ARE YOUR HEELS DOWN? Shoulders back but in line? Thumbs up? Looking where you are going?

I'm so glad we're doing this fitness program - I need all this time at the walk for muscle memorization! It's crazy how much fun you have as a kid riding with no cares and then you think you'll have more fun when you learn more about riding only IT'S SO COMPLEX!

Don't get me wrong, I'm eating this stuff up like it's manna from heaven, I love how intricate riding is, how complex and how everything plays a part in this, but sometimes when you sit back and realize all that you are doing every second, it's incredible!

This is the face of a good mare (who is painfully not-photogenic and WON'T STAND STILL FOR ONE SINGLE FREAKING SIDE PICTURE) who tolerates her sometimes pinheaded owner.

 "Oooooo, bonfire! So mesmerizing, I can't look away!" (seriously, she was so entranced with the smoke)

"Did you say stand here and look dopey? Done! On it! All over it! What's that, you want me to pose so my front legs look stumpy? Shit girl, I own the awkward pose - look, Tyra Banks would be so pissed, no neck!"