Delilah was in a mood last night— a good one, it seemed to me. I had gotten to the yard really early, a full hour and quarter before the start of my lesson. It's mid-term break here, and without all the mums ferrying the kids to and from school and activities, there was little traffic, and …
The Eve of The Eve of All Hallows
I remember last year that one of the girls who used to ride on Tuesdays mentioned how awful it had been, riding on Hallowe'en. This was on a night in November, when the winds rattling the corrugated steel roof of the indoor arena had the horses going completely mental; at one stage, Argo was going …
Say Ahhhhhh
Woke up with a sore bum and sore throat. I know which one worries me most. I used to take the common cold for granted, muscling through work days, skipping the doctor, dosing myself with over-the-counter remedies, letting it run its course. Now, I don't mess around, and if it hadn't been a Sunday on …
Be Careful What You Wish For
I reached my arm around the edge of the door of the indoor arena. The goal: to sneak a peek at the list for the ride. Emma would probably scold me if she saw me at it, but she was busy with the noobs, and I had a feeling.... I had a feeling. I edged …
Twice is Not Enough
When I started riding thirteen months and three weeks ago, the sheer indulgence I felt going horseriding once a week was eminently satisfactory. Less to do with cash flow than fitness, it was just right, just the right amount of time in between, and frankly, for someone with magpie tendencies, exactly the right amount of …
Pipped by the Post
Ach. On the back of my musings about shopping for tack online, comes the order I placed to the UK about a month ago. A month? Hang on... Okay, three weeks since I broke my beloved whip. A postal strike in England prevented the appearance of the new one I had ordered, as well as …
The Head on Me
I'm not as resilient as I used to be... Was out socialising until 2 a.m this morning, on a school night! And I not only had to go in to work, but I also have to do a freelance gig this evening. Blaaaaaaaaaaaaah. I'm blaming the lack of sleep for my foulness of demeanor [four …
Long Day’s Journey
I need new gloves. I had two pairs of summer weight, ripped the palm out of the first pair, and holes are springing up all over my second. I do have a pair of heavier ones, but I'm not keen to go back to them. They're too heavy, and now that my hands are [slightly] …
Body Language
What do I know, then? As I mentioned in the previous post, I was struck by the fact that I didn't really know that I know how to jump. The mechanics had obviously been taught to me, and I was obviously doing it, but how do I know it? How did I know anything about …
85cms High and Rising
'Well done!' calls Sharon, as Rebel and I canter back to join the ride. We'd just taken a straight, looked like it was about 60cms [1.9 feet]. Funny. I'd just been thinking that I didn't have a notion what I was doing. By that I mean, I can't describe it in words. Someone in another …
MANY BRAVE FOOLS 