Actual video proof of me riding

Wow, what a great day!  It had the potential to be awful, with bad weather and whatnot.  But it turned out beautifully.

Nasty weather on the radar spooked me out of riding in the morning, so I changed out of my breeches and into my spandex.  (And OH BTW, it just occurred to me THIS MORNING that Spandex is just "Expand" with the syllables reversed.  I am a little slow this millenium.  Also the last one.) I went out to Greenbelt park and did my slow jogging thing.  I figure I jogged about four miles, total.  (Slowly.  Like molasses on a cold day.  But it was jogging and it counts, okay?)  That's the farthest I've jogged since at least high school.  I can't remember how far I ran when I did cross country practice.  (Also slowly.  I was not a star of the team.)  I carried rain gear the whole way but it didn't rain.  Should have carried a water bottle.  I soaked through all of my clothing with sweat.

When I got home, I ate some lunch, and then I gathered up JD to come out to the farm with me.  He brought his camera:

I used to have a mug with the caption "Never a bride, always a groom"

Me and my giant bottom cleaning the horse

Pluto was not thrilled to be ridden alone.  Usually his pal Timber is there.  This time not only wasn't Timber there, but it was windy, there was a loud radio, there were people in the graveyard, and a truck kept backing up past us.  He was distracted.

JD took some video of me.  Besides the vast expanse of my butt, the things I noticed most were that I talk a lot, and that I need to do exercises for longer.  Pluto needs to get used to trotting several times around the arena, not down one side and then we halt or walk.

I had hoped to work on extensions today, and we did a very little bit.  The problem was that Pluto interpreted every cue as "Canter now!"  He really likes this cantering thing.  He would like to do more of it.  Below you see him juuuust starting to extend and then WHEE WE'RE CANTERING!

He got a little excited and pranced around with his head up for a while, which I don't intend to show you because we both look like dorks.

And then, as he ALWAYS DOES, he undid all the brushing as soon as we got back to his field:

I has a bliss

And then after that JD and I went to Teppanyaki Grill and stuffed our faces.  I felt totally justified, having jogged and briskly walked for two hours, and then ridden my horse for some indeterminate length of time.

I came home and iced my shins because they were a wee bit sore, and sadly the dishes still have not done themselves, but I am counting today as a great day.  I'm really happy, Internet.  This is good stuff.