Stormy day

It's so rainy today! I LOVE it! I'm curled up on my window seat watching the storm and it gives me this sense of calm. :) Not that I wouldn't prefer to be riding Whisper at Briar Creek right now, but she needed a day off anyway.

We've been working really, really hard every day with only the weekends off. Kim has been teaching Brielle, Ana, and me in a separate class which is the coolest thing ever. In return, we agreed to help her run Briar Creek's summer riding camp next week. It's a week long camp for kids who have little or no experience with horses. Kim said we're going to teach the basics about riding, play lots of games on horseback, and then take a trail ride at the end of the week. I'm really excited to be one of the camp leaders! Brielle and Ana are psyched too. The trail ride is going to be so much fun--we're going to take the kids down this easy trail that B, A, and I already mapped out. It winds through the woods and ends at the lake at the farthest edge of Kim's property. We're planning to eat packed lunches by the lake and go swimming!

I really want to see if Whisper will wade into the water. I MIGHT end up getting dunked head first, LOL, but it's worth a try. :) Zane's a total water horse. He *loves* swimming and Brielle can ride him into the middle of the lake. She let me try it with him last summer because the stable horse I rode that day was terrified of water.

Any of you guys ever go swimming with your horses? What about horse camp?

Tell me what you're up to!

xx,

~LT

Hello, September!

Wow, I can't believe September's here already! But I guess I could take a cue from the weather--it's muggy in the morning, we sweat through lessons, and then it's the perfect temperature at night.

There have been some major changes around here. It's so weird with Riley gone. Not that I miss her, but for Clare's sake, it's hard to watch a friend be betrayed. Harder still when I'm gaining a friend-friend in Drew. Someone I hope to be my . . . eeeek . . . boyfriend! *blushes*

I had a great ride yesterday. Mr. Conner rode with us on Luna, a stable horse he borrowed from a member of the advanced team. Whoever was supposed to ride Luna then was sick. Mr. Conner took us out on an amazing cross country course! We jumped logs, splashed through creeks, hopped over small fallen trees, and lots of brush. We did well and Mr. Conner rewarded my class by letting us gallop in the open field.

No better feeling on the planet!! :)

In non-horse related news, it's only the start of September and Becca and Khloe have been back and forth on BBM pre-pre-PRE planning my birthday party. They're freaking out (okay, okay, I am too!) that I'm turning thirteen. I told them to stop (Guys, are you reading this?!) and focus on school and stuff, but they're not listening. They're talking decorations, food, and who knows what else. Khloe's told me that she's going to form a "birthday committee" for me and I was like, "Noooo! Please don't! Seriously!"

But Khloe is, well, Khloe. She was quick to get on board with my idea about gifts though. </:) You'll find out all about that in MASQUERADE!! Hurry up September 11th!