Riding without stirrups = ouch!

It's good exercise to ride without stirrups and the benefits are immense on the leg-and- position -front. But a little bit of 'rubbage' the wrong way and the nether regions aren't thanking this evening. Rainbow, however, was a good girl again. I can tell she's always a bit puzzled when we do the 'gymnastics' on horseback and stretches, etc., but she walks on calmly while I bop on her like a rag doll.

I have had such a busy week, away from horses that is. Lots of work to get on with, but not complaining, of course, as this means I will have some money to burn on my steed again ;)...

Exciting times ahead... This weekend we'll be going to a Chiltern Riding Club Camp, at Lyneham Heath Equestrian!  (Which on the website looks v posh!) 

I wasn't sure if I was going to say anything here before we'd actually done it, as I fear I might be jinxing it. This will be our first outing on a lorry – for both of us. I've only once travelled in a car pulling a horse trailer when my cousin and I took her horse to another yard, in Finland, when I was about 10 years old...

We're going with experienced friends, and I wanted to do something with R in terms of getting out from our own yard but wasn't keen on doing a competition and add to the pressure. So a camp it is. We're only going for a day, though, not camping as such. My friend will be doing a XC lesson and I will be doing a flatwork lesson. And if we have time (and R behaves!) we might do a little hack around the property, or head out to the nearby gallops. I am not so sure I want to 'head out to the gallops', so might just poodle around in the vicinity of the equestrian centre. This all depends on R's mood as well, as I am entering into the unknown. Hoping she will behave but I am mentally preparing for the worst as well.

We're having a test load on Thu, as R hasn't been loaded in a long time. The journey to the camp is not too long but at least an hour, so I want to gauge R's reactions to the lorry in advance. 

I have ordered travel boots for Rainbow as well. Already ordered one set and realised had ordered a pony size...! Not good. Then, decided to splash out a bit more on these Mark Todd ones in Grey, complete with a tail guard and a carry case! Hoping that expensive travel kit will somehow bring me some peace of mind – and maybe luck even... Here's to hoping.