So... 6 days

Well, I've got 6 days to go until RAF Halton. It's getting very exciting!
I took young Morph out last weekend, (not by himself, with Bob his bodygaurd) and he was brilliant. He even lead the way past a flapping tarpaulin and an invisible (to him anyway) barking dog. So that was great, and we mooched along the roads and then got into the bridleways of Chipperfield, and we went for a canter... hoping it would be nice and sedate, which it was, but I could still feel my arms leaving their sockets. Gag or no gag, Mr Morph doesn't really like to stop. And then we got to the jump. When I say jump, I mean a tiny fallen tree... More like a stick, but anyway, managed to get him right back on his hocks as Bob went over first, the we launched ourselves at it, flew over it and proceeded to fuck off. Overtaking Bob... Didn't look like we were stopping either and I had to assume the water ski position until we finally stopped. But it's nice to know he's excited about jumping outdoors and is keen to carry on.
Yesterday (Sunday), had a jumping lesson. Just to check he could jump real fences. Ella, my instructor, is keen to get his canter rebalanced coz he's very stiff in his back legs, and this in turn will obviously affect his jumping. So, we had a bit of a "gymnastic" lesson. 5 poles on the floor, placed a canter stride apart, and he had to obviously canter through them nicely. Which he did, but wasn't landing evenly between each pole. Then we started making small jumps, and eventually he did it right. We know he can jump, but he's no thinking about what he has to do when there are poles on the floor. He has no respect for poles on the floor and jumps under 90cms, and was knocking them and blasting through. He did do it... but today my back and shoulders ache! I've put some pelham roundings on said gag, so I have a stronger hold on him. Hoping it'll work. Also hoping the weather is going to be way better than it is today! Don't think I could handle galloping around a field and trying to negotiate jumps with a monsoon going on!!!
Today's prepartion for Halton, was a shiatsu massage for Morph. He needs to see the dentist, but other than that, Kate managed to crack his neck vertabrae back to where it should be, and sort out the stiffness in his hocks. I have a Joey horse! So hopefully, this should've loosened him up for Sunday. Now, just have to ride the damn thing tomorrow and see what's going on!!!

I'm hardcore

Oh yes, I'm so hardcore - I rode that!!

Went to Thorpe Park yesterday for their Thrill Chill weekends before it opens officially. They only have their big rides open... and I am proud that I went on the biggest one! I conquored Stealth. Oh yes.

It's 11 seconds of your life and such a rush! Basically, you sit in this car thingy and then it rolls forward slightly and all the lights turn red in front of you, and the adrenaline is pumping, then they turn green and you're shot off at 80mph in 1.8 seconds... Originally it was 2.3 but those clever engineers have sped it up. So, you're stonking along at a great spead and then you see the sky as you go up a vertical climb of 205ft... over the top and down the other side!

I still don't think my molecules have realigned. It's one of those rides where you come off saying it was horrid, but it's also so awesome! I spent most of it with my eyes tightly closed. I opened them once as we were were going up saw the sky and closed them again, and then foolishly opened them as we went over the top... it's not very nice to see the people in front of you just disappear from view. But I'll so be doing it again when I go back for my birthday! Really does take your breath away. I'll admit that I did get off and I was shaking quite badly! lol But it was amazing!