Today, Jo and Fiona kindly came around to take me out on my first hack (unless you count riding Whiffy outside once or twice more than a decade ago). Fiona lent me some jodphurs, and Jo quickly gave me a short lesson on Iacs while Klaengur watched from the sidelines, pointing and laughing whilst he played with his cone. Sadly, I was unable to capture that on camera, but it was hilarious to watch.

Afterwards, we set out, although Iacs had a little trouble keeping up with the brisk walk of Haakon and Klaengur. Every so often I’d let him trot to catch up, but then we’d inevitably fall behind almost at once.

I didn’t get many photos of the hack either, as I was concentrating on keeping my balance in case Iacs decided he needed to catch up again. It was very strange seeing the familiar roads on horseback, rather than on foot or in a car. Everything just looked very different, but it may have been just the added height.

Mostly, the ride was rather sedate, until we came past the canter track. Before I even realised what was happening, Iacs left the road at once, immediately going into canter. After realising that neither reins nor legs were of any help (although I admit I was too scared of falling to move much), I ended up just holding onto the saddle for dear life. Eventually he stopped at the top of the track, and Jo and Fiona caught up with us, half amused and half shocked.

My first ride for years, I stayed in walk. On the second, I was trotting. And the third, I got up to canter. When I’d caught my breath, I realised it had actually been quite fun when I realised that I wasn’t about to fall, and Iacs has been up that track so many times, he probably wouldn’t trip or go off anywhere else. I think he probably forgot who was riding, and just instinctively did what he always does there.

Anyway, I don’t blame him, and all’s fine. It was scary at first, but more of a shock than anything else. He was blissfully slow the rest of the time, and Jo and Fiona stopped and waited several times for us to catch up. Luckily, he didn’t try again when we passed the track on our way back.

Other than the ride, I learned that Beeble and Snati are nearly impossible to photograph.

While BeAnne is perfect, and always poses. I think she’s learned this from being the subject of Mum’s photos for years.

And Wu gave the phone a nose-kissy.

Thank you for all your feedback and comments, especially yesterday. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the posts. I think yesterday I was just getting more and more frustrated trying to think of something to say, and having some college form problems. But everything is being sorted and I had lots to write today, so I’m happy.

P.S. – For those of you who were wondering, I’m reading a collection of short stories by Lu Xun. Rather dull, with very odd, jarring endings. It’s all for experience though, which is good. Before that I had Alex Haley’s ‘Roots’, which is a fantastic book that Mum lent me. That one is about an African American man tracing his ancestry back to a man who was captured in Africa, taken to America and sold into slavery around 180 years before. I’d seriously recommend this one. Daisy has also read it and loved it.