I have had such a good evening. Jen came out riding with me after work and, honest to god, I don't know how no one died. Beatrice was fine - apart from the last 5 minutes, when all she wanted to do was run off - but Pepsi was mental. She'd bronced three times before we were half-way down the drive; I mean, she bronced as I was leading her out of the yard, before I'd even got on her. XD On the way back up the drive, I'd stopped to take photos of Jen. Pepsi was grazing the verge when I glanced round, saw my neighbours' car approaching, and asked the mare to move on. She responded with such an enormous rear-leap-buck combo that I honestly felt like I was flying. This combined with Jen and Bea thundering out of the field and the four of us went clattering round the corner, laughing hysterically.

The best part of it was how happy Pepsi seemed. Afterwards she stood quietly in the yard, resting a hindleg, head up, ears forward, watching Jen and I with genuine interest as we pottered around. I love that my 27-year-old pony still acts like a total numpty.

Also, Jen complimented me on my seat and said that there hadn't been daylight between me and the saddle even with Pepsi's biggest leaps ... so that gave me a happy. :3

And talking of happys - my weekend! <3 That man is something special. Sometimes I stop and think about what an incredible being he is and it just blows my mind. My icon is very apt in relation to this point. The talent he has, the width and breadth of it, and the casual way in which he utilises it - it seems almost effortless - is just unbelievable. And he shares it with me! Me! I get to hear his songs and read his stories and know his thoughts and watch him work horses and see him help people feel better and happier about themselves. He's just the best thing ever, he really freakin' is.

Ahem. Let's have some pictures before I embaress myself with my uncharacteristic displays of emotion.

glenatron with William, the 16.2hh Welsh D.



He's still a little bit flighty about some things but, considering how he was in his first session (this is his third), he is doing so well.



Such a lovely horse.



Life is very scary when you don't understand people.



But having a glenatron in your life makes things so much nicer.



William's lesson was on Saturday morning, and on Saturday afternoon Ben took Cash out for a ride. Here's Cash, checking out the fire hazard sign. :P



Such beautiful places to ride round there...



I feel like there ought to be some theme music with this. I'm going to go with Ensiferum's "Wanderer".



Cash looking very much the heroic stallion.



Traversing the great Surrey desert!





From sunshine into shade; the horse of Belanos takes the sunlight wherever he goes.



On Sunday Ben had four horses to work with; the first was little Artie. I have no idea what he's doing in this photo.



Ben is surprised to find a horse on the end of his rope.



Artie's owner asked me how many photos I had of Ben running. :P



Artie thinks about leaving.



Second ride (I missed their first ride, because I was working that weekend). In just a halter and a leadrope.





With Bob and Georgie, the second pair of the day. We later visited Carolina, but none of those photos really came out as the light was quite poor by then and they were at the far end of a very big polo arena!



And in other news, I'm going to Austria in May. Yay! It's Jen's 30th so we're going just because we can and it's somewhere we've never been before. Very excite. :)