Legs, hands, backside, head, shoulders ...

There's a lot to remember when you're on a horse.

In this photo I'm trying to check out my leg position. Sam is being incredibly patient. He was very co-operative when I was practising my trotting too. Well, he didn't throw me off and run for his life. I look like a dumpling so I'm definitely not showing you any of the other photos Johnny took. Plus the faults are endless. Look- I'm wearing my new helmet plus one of my plastic tooth covering retainers as a mouthguard. My riding instructor had a nasty accident on Monday when a horse stopped dead and threw his head back, smashing it into her face. She has a broken nose and her teeth got all pushed back into her mouth. I don't think Sam would be such a devil, but I might tip off the side. I am loving it so much, but it is scary as anything. Awesome.

Today I managed to fit in a bit of a 'cello practise amidst all of the house cleaning and gardening. Yes, the tomatoes received some more attention Clip and snip. I made pasta sauce with my onions, garlic, basil and tomatoes tonight. I found a handful of plump yellow pear shaped big cherry tomatoes. Quite exciting really. The corn could be quite disappointing as the cobs are scrawny rather than sturdy and large. The first of them have hairy tops turning light brown. I poured on plenty of water and gave them a pep-talk. I've got five pumpkins turning from dark green to orange, which is a strange transition. Miss Dog and I walked down the road today to see the brood mares with their beautiful foals. The babies have recently been branded. I know it is probably some kind of legal requirement for racing horses, but a horse's fur shouldn't be marred by a string of letters scarred into their skin. I wonder if they anaesthetise the foals first.

It has been hot today. Tomorrow might be hot and damp. I've got a friend coming around and we're off for a girl's lunch out then a shopping trip. I don't want to buy anything unless it is a super bargain because I've got to be good so that I can afford my horse lessons. By the way, school is going really well this year. I'm quite relaxed about the whole business. Excellent.