I wouldn't call that lucky. Your trainer can only nag you and help you break the habit if they can see it. (I say nag with affection, I'd be lost without my trainer going "you're leaning" or "how's your posture?" at regular intervals, and there have been others that she doesn't need to say at all any more because she's made me so much more aware of it by commenting every time)

In a Dr Bristol, the flat center link is angled in such a way that it digs in and can actually cut the mouth if you're at all heavy handed. The center link on a French link bit lies flat (assuming it's one of the flat ones and not the lozenge type like I use) so it's much gentler. Obviously, the lozenge type can't dig into anything.

My knees are shot, by which I mean full of screws and will need replacement within the next 10 years. I think it goes without saying that I'm more than a bit arthritic, and they predict the weather rather well. It mainly isn't from riding, by the way. None of this has stopped me from riding and jumping, except during the recovery period after each surgery. I can't take codeine or any NSAIDS (ibuprofen, aspirin etc) so I manage my pain with as much tylenol as is safe as well as non-pharmaceutical

Oh thanks for reminding me Nicole! Not exactly a spook, but you know how sometimes when a beam of light is shining into an indoor arena, the dust in the air can make it look kind of solid? When Squeaker was fairly new to working indoors, she jumped three feet over a ray of sunshine! The trainer who started her was riding her and it was hilarious to see her ears go sideways as she tried to figure out what it was, and then she seemed to think better safe than sorry and rocked back and gave it a flying

Quickie update: got over H1N1 (that was brutal, I spent three or four days on the couch just panting - unable to catch my breath at all, and needed a full week off from work). Rode on Thurs and the pony was fantastic. She seemed to be trying to take care of me in her own way, refusing to do the stuff I was still nervous about since coming off, but we worked through it and she was a champ. Went back to work this weekend, and made it through a shift and a half before I started throwing up. Sent home

ROFL yeah, I've seen a few of those! On a related note, anyone watching this? http://www.cmt.ca/unstable/

I've seen this video before. Seems to me it was from a class where jumpers and polo riders switched horses and sports for one round. If you look at the riding between the fences you can see it isn't his first time on a horse, but I doubt he'd ever jumped before in his life. Horse sure was a saint about it, no way my mare would put up with that!

I don't have it handy right now, but it seems to me there was an article on this in the last issue of Horse Journal. Is there someone you could borrow a copy from?

What a beautiful tribute Jessi! I'm sure you miss her every day, and it's wonderful that she spent her whole life knowing she was so loved!

Sparrows are the bringers of death for Squeaker. Bear in mind that she is pasture kept and should be fairly familiar with the little things, but apparently they're terrifying. This is the same horse who came within literally inches of stepping on the stupid pigeon that lives in the arena last winter, and barely noticed when he flushed from right under her feet, but I guess sparrows are different.