I made it out to the barn on Friday in pretty good time.  Archie is super easy to catch (knock on wood) because I always have treats.  If he starts to wander from me, I'll approach one of his pasture mates and make a point to give that horse goodies.  Jealous ponies are easy.

Bu likes treats, too.

We were cantering one day earlier in the week (can we just painfully reminisce, again, about the shitty barn I came from where I didn't feel comfortable cantering?) and I dropped my iPhone.  I dismounted to get it and when I was getting back up, I realized that the Archer was breathing pretty heavy.  I mean, yeah, cantering isn't super easy, but pony is not well conditioned.

I took it in my mind on Friday to definitely start working on that.

I timed how long it took to walk around the ring and promptly forgot.  I guess because after I had walked it one or two times, I became more interested in timing the canter.  Want to feel inept and awkward?  Hold that giant phone and the reins.  Meh.  So, it took two laps around the ring to do a minute of cantering.  It was super boring during the walk breaks, but I would canter two laps, walk two laps, and canter two more, for a total of two canter sets for each lead.  Dude got grumpy by the fourth set.

I don't remember him bolting off with me, so I have to question the accuracy of this.  But the big ups and downs seem right.

And in an effort to not completely destroy his muscles, coupled with the stuff I know from running (oh, hey, remember that time I ran a half marathon?), I did a "long, slow distance" on Saturday.   I must have looked super antisocial because I finally remembered head phones and just listened to music while we trotted out a mile in the ring.  Lots of loops and direction changes, but still... sorta boring.

For me, though, Saturday had to be one of the most productive days in the history of Beka Burke.  Got up early to make breakfast before taking my car to get its first ever oil change!  Aww, baby car.  Evidently, I was supposed to receive a coupon book for my services, because I'm on a service plan.  I didn't.  I explained to the guys that I never got it, knew nothing about it, but had recently had to file a theft and tampering complaint with USPS.  Anyways, got that settled, went to the gym while they worked on my car.  Ate lunch, went back to the dealership to talk to the guy that sold me my car (I swear to god, he had no idea what he was getting into when I walked in his office back in October) about getting the coupon book.  Parked the car and D and I went and ran errands.  Picked the car back up, headed home, and immediately started raking leaves (fuck you, HOA).  Then cleaned the turtle tank.  Then changed and rode the pony.  Then, still in my breeches and probably smelling like sweat, dirty turtle water, and horses, I picked up D and we went to dinner.  Slept like a fucking baby that night.

Blew out my freaking arms.

Swole!

For the record, I did give the man options before I made my stinky self his dinner companion.