Piles of photos for you to peruse, wince and look at.  Scuse our faces – that is pure concentration rather than the glamorous photoshoot face.

First, I let my friend Carole have a shot on Klængur.  Carole has her own perfect Icelandic horse, Hakki, but it is always nice to try another.

Bless him, Klængur went superbly.  He was listening to Carole and giving her his very best.  I had explained to him previously that I expected this.  Funny boy, that he is, when I was in the school, Klængur would veer inwards to tell me just how well he was doing!

It is good for me to see photos of him going well for someone else.  I never see this as there is never anyone around to photograph me.

Next it was my turn.  Bjørn asked me to ride Taktur – something I rarely do these days as it is Bjørn who is training Taktur.

Riding Taktur is awesome – it is very different from either Klængur or Haakon.  Taktur is much thinner to start with so it all feels very odd to me.  I am used to a good substantial old-style Icelandic horse.

Carole was on camera, the light was failing and she did her best with my “bitchy resting face”.

Taktur takes your breath away.  He offers everything from your slightest thought and I know I didn’t do him justice but he gave me the world anyway.

I even managed trot, which is unheard of.

It is all good practice and Bjørn said he asked me to ride Taktur so I could see just how bloody difficult it is.

And he is right.  I was a sweaty mess afterwards with very achey legs.  Bloody hard work!