I almost didn't ride this morning. It's overcast, branches are falling, and there's a storm feel to the atmosphere.

When I went to feed, Archie was on high alert. I groomed him, and set the saddle and pad on his back, then grained Skinny Man. I gave Archie a little bit of grain and started on some barn chores. BO, I should make you a list. Water troughs cleaned, sticks picked up, hay twine recovered and thrown away. By all that time, Archie was just waiting, whipping his head around to various wind-in-tree noises.

I only rode for about half an hour, working on our downward transitions and keeping his attention. I don't k ow how to describe this or what it was, but before we really got started, I felt like his right hip was.. Kinked. Cocked. Lifted up. Curving his spine. I thought maybe it was just the way I was sitting, but as soon as we started moving it resolved.

I almost gave up when a branch, normally two feet above my head, smacked me in the face and spooked him. Yay, horses.

We did pop over the cross rail a couple times. He was hilarious. Jump it huge, trot over it, jump it huge.