Riding Out the Storm

Kind of jumping around the Adventures Of here. I've been at a flat gallop for months, still am really, but today is a stop-and-breathe day. Since September Camp and the lesson-neep post with the incredible bouncing Pooka, I've gone to Denver to sign ARC's at the indy booksellers' convention, filmed a book trailer (which should be done soon--I'm really really looking forward to seeing it; it's full of horses and desert and sky), and had a very successful Camp with sartorias and coraa and rachelmanija, ably assisted (and recorded in photos) by tcastleb.

Also we've had Adventures with the bad side of horses and horsekeeping. That was the week between Denver and trailer, when on Monday I dropped a water barrel on my foot and did not break it but ow. And then Tuesday while working Ephiny in hand, she eeked and levaded and half-pirouetted toward me and half-popped my shoulder out of its socket. OW. And on Wednesday, never to be outdone, Pook had a tweak in his back which we were working on through gentle bending and stretching under saddle, eeked in the same place Ephiny had, took off, and I lasted eight seconds. I'm glad I know how to fall. And I'm really glad I wear a helmet. OW.( No humans were broken in the course of this adventure, but, OW. )

See? Adventures. And really, really cool horse maneuvers. Lynne got some great shots of Pook on Sunday evening--I'm eager to see those for myself. And to see what the various authors chose from their shoots. There was real photo magic happening, and some lovely poses and images in the raw footage that I saw. (Queen of the Wood, and the Dark Lady, and the romantic princesses with their white horses, and the comfortable author in flannels with the warmth shining out of her, because she was being herself.)