This was my logic: a year equals 365 days.  So, tomorrow, while not my birthday, will be 28 years and 365 days and then the next day will be my birthday.  So Friday.

The hubs doesn't understand why I'm impatient for my new, super expensive saddle pad.  Men.  Gah.  Non-equestrian men.  He says that it's not my birthday yet, so it doesn't matter.  I say it's a joint birthday/anni gift, so I should have gotten it between the two.  Oh, first world problems.

I had a phenomenal ride on Archie last night!  I get myself worked up - thinking about how I'm out there by myself, my horse is going to trip and I'm going to break my neck or he's going to rear and flip over and crush me.  Anyways.  I have a lot of trust in this beast to keep me safe.  (Also in Siri and my microphone.)

So, last night was a downward transition night.  I've seriously shortened the amount of walking between trotting.  And I realized that I'm so focused on what could go wrong, what he might do, that I'm not really in the ride.  I'm on autopilot and engaging my constant sidekick, Risk Analysis and Aversion.  Last night, though, I actively engaged in him.  We worked on bend.  We worked on keep my head up, my right side down, my legs long and forward.  In the walk, we kept pushing for forward, while not forgetting that I need to be an active part of the shuffle of his shoulders.  It was absolutely amazing.  Oh, and we got both leads the first time!

I've always heard that a forward horse won't spook - that the act of being forward inhibits the ability to spook.  I never really understood how something so magical could happen.  Last night, he wanted to spook at a squirrel in a tree, but we were so forward and I was so there that all he succeeded in was a little break in trot stride.  Magic, I tell you!

He's getting his feet done this morning, so I won't work him too hard tonight.  I think just a traditional Wednesday night bareback ride.  Then gym time with the hubs and grocery shopping.  Of course, BO didn't tell me the farrier was coming until 9:00 PM last night.  So I had to swing by before work and leave a check.  Ugh.  Tomorrow, a group of us from the soccer team are getting together to kick the ball around.  Teach me things.  Learn to work as a team and stuff. So, no riding.

He didn't understand why I was there at the butt crack of dawn, if not to feed him.