cats, and stuff

So, after last night's panics, we have both calmed down somewhat and become more accustomed to the evil hood thing and the hideous stitches (I no longer feel quite so ill when I look at them).
vashti's tips have helped, and we've had a couple of supervised no-collar sessions, but she still is diving straight for the wound, which is probably the natural reaction.

Getting woken this morning at 6am by having the hood shoved in my face was also a novel experience ;p

Very nearly didn't go to the riding lesson last night for fear the cat would some how DIE while I was away, but since I'd specifically asked Dessie not to take her off for the summer til after today I couldn't really not go. Plus I had to go up to do the feeds anyway, so I figured I might as well stay.
It didn't start well because I was so distracted, which Ziggy picked up on straight off and decided to just do her own thing. However after we warmed up the dreaded order to quit and cross the stirrups came. There are few things to focus the mind like trying to trot over uneven ground (we were out in the field) on a recalcitrant horse with no stirrups ;p I got out of cantering thankfully, cos the ground was pretty bad and Ziggy was tripping.
Then we moved on to jumping and I got caught out yet again for not paying attention when I came round to the 2nd jump and realised it was MUCH higher than I thought (at least 2'6"). Zigs sailed over it tho, while I managed fine over it but nearly fell of from shock afterwards ;p
We're really started to come on and getting a grip on the more technical stuff (dog legs etc) so its a real shame she's going off for a couple of months. Still it'll do her good.
I really must get up to the leisure centre tho and find myself something else to do while she's gone.

And now, since you all love cats so much, pics! Only a couple ;p

( kittens )