It is surprisingly hard to do a regular diary, when regular riding is not possible, and nothing much is going on when I do.

  My hip is getting much better, I am recovering the muscle tone, and muscle responses back again. What is fascinating and quite gratifying is how easily the muscle memory comes back. I just sink into the saddle, do the flexing, and begin to walk, and my posture, my balance, is just naturally where it should be. My GF took a video of me the other day, and while I was quite sure that I felt like was riding on tippy-toes, but the camera said, "No, no, your posture is excellent and your heels are nicely pointed down. Hands need to be a little higher, tho'."

  Oakley, meanwhile, has not exactly been neglected, it is just that I cannot come all that way three times a week any longer, so he only gets a weekly visit. He should be out more, but I do what I can. We spent much of the winter reviewing exercising from a training program, because, well, I couldn't think of anything else to do. So we went through the course again, this time quicker and better and it made me wish I didn't have to travel so far, but soon, I will be retired and in the country and it will be a short walk to the stable. At least, that's our plan. We'll see.

  What did surprise me is that while we were trotting around, he decided to do some light jumping of his own accord. I wasn't ready for that at all. We were going past a small jump, not more than a metre in height, and he swerved and went over with little warning. It turned out to be a two-part jump.

  I was completely impressed by first, the fact that he chose to jump when I hadn't asked, second, that I didn't quite lose my seat, although my hip suddenly hurt, and my balance was off and I did pull on his mouth for a moment until I dropped the reins, and third that once on a loose rein he then went for a second jump. (I was in much better balance for that second part.) What a thrill to have a horse who finally wants to jump. Too bad I'm long past doing anything with that such as going to competitions. But that's life, isn't it? I have the joy of a horse who is approaching whatever I'm asking from him with a measure of enthusiasm and that is plenty.