Cuteness alert

Got cookies?

That's right...this post is dedicated to the delightful Joey, the horse I've been riding for the past couple weeks.

Huh? Whazzat?

Yesterday was my birthday, and I was so glad that I had the opportunity to ride, though as you can see from Joey's windswept mane, it was VERY breezy outside! I'm supposed to work on keeping him long and low with leg, leg, leg and building his back muscle when I ride, and my personal goal has been to not fling my upper body about at the canter with him. I can always feel it the next day in my abs and calves, so I feel like I am making some progress...he really is a good boy despite trying to convince me otherwise once.

I've been duct-taping my phone to the fence post to take videos to judge my position--glad it didn't fall down in the wind! I intended to post the first couple videos, but they were pretty horrendous so they don't need to be floating all over the Internet. I am still moving back and forth slightly too much at the canter--that motion should be going up through my back, not from front to back (if that makes sense). I'm also seeing a weird wiggly motion in my back at the trot. I wonder if it has anything to do with the pain/stiffness I feel in my lower back when I lay down flat. I didn't get too excited about my birthday this year, but maybe 22 will turn out to be a milestone year after all. My first chiropractic adjustment!

I debated going to the barn at all since I had a midterm and a video project due today (which of course I saved till the last minute because I don't know how to make videos...makes perfect sense, I know). I had to stay up till 1am to finish that, and I woke up at 6am...and then 6:15 am...and then 7 am to go over my study guide and run through my flash cards for a few hours before my 10am exam. To top it off, I had a sick, feverish boyfriend to look after, although he very sweetly made one of my favorite dinners for me--scalloped potatoes and breaded chicken. It's so good to eat something hearty when the wind sounds like it's about going to tear the house down.

I'm glad I rode, because I was actually working productively all night rather than letting that post-work exhaustion wash over me and squandering time. I don't know how long that project would have taken otherwise! And how could I not feel lucky to have this little munchkin in my life?

This is my good side.

 Moral of the story: Go to the barn...then do your homework! Or vice versa, but what's the fun in eating dessert after dinner?