Are you sitting comfortably? Great let's start spooking

Mum took me out today to practice her sideways riding. It's the first time this year that she actually felt balanced and comfortable so I think the practice is working. We headed off down the road and soon bumped into one of Mum's friends so we stopped for a chat. I like stopping for chatting it conserves my energy. Eventually we headed back down the road.  We tried some trotting and Mum was definitely feeling more comfortable so I needed to up the ante.

We cantered some verges and then went into the big field at the end of the road for some more cantering. WHOA, monster alert. I applied emergency brakes, turned into full snorting dragon, while Mum sat on top of me laughing - seriously did she not know what danger we were in. Across the field a monster tractor truck had arrived spitting stuff all over the field. I decided standing still was the best course of action so I could keep both eyes on the monster. But oh no Mum wanted to turn around and go home, which meant the monster would be behind us. Seriously Mum you have no idea it might come and eat us and then spit us out too.

Eventually I had no choice but to listen to Mum because I was getting a sore bum. So we turned around to go back along the bridle path that runs along the top of the field. I had no choice but to employ emergency trot procedure - which means trotting like stink.  Mum wanted me to canter but I wanted to keep that pace in reserve in case we really needed to run. Mum likes my stonking trot, because she then knows I can do extended work, not so sure she liked it while sitting sideways, but she stayed on.

Eventually we made it safely to the road so I felt it safe to slow the pace down. I kept snorting just so the monster knew I knew where he was and that I wasn't afraid. We did a few more canters down the verges which I was happy to partake in as it put more distance between us and the monster.

Once fully calm we trundled down the rest of the lane and Mum stopped to talk for ages with more friends. Phew I just got to stand a chill and I was even given a carrot so this was all OK. However by now we had stayed out a lot later than Mum had planned, so we got the bonus of a lovely sunset.

I've been working so hard that Mum has upgraded my food from hifi to Alfa Oil. The diet Mum has put me on has been working and my balance strap is now too loose and she needs to get it shortened so I'm not too sure whether we will go out sideways until its fixed. Though I'm sure she will still be riding me six days a week - I think I'm going to need the extra energy.  I've noticed a very big bag of carrots and lots of them ended up in my tea bowl so life is looking good at the moment.