It is a bad, bad idea to stick lots and lots of hormonal, mercurial teenagers into one old building with lots of grumpy old teachers and a bunch of books and its especially bad when the power goes zzzzpt and your computer shuts off and you had your essay done and then you have to type it all over and you can't get an extension because your teacher is a nazi. :3 ANyways. Today, I had daddy drive me to the barn, where I rode Riley on the Ducci. We had a long talk about everything. I even wore my bright orange sweatshirt so the hunters wouldn't mistake us for deer while we were traipsing in the woods. After I sobbed into his mane something really, really amazing happened. See, there are these dogs that live on the property next door, and they're kind of mean--so i got off riley to eat my sandwich, and these dogs come snarling out of the woods and the next thing i know riley like, screams and lunges over me at them and there's this huge HORSE over me and i was so scared i couldn't move! And apparently so were the dogs. one snapped at his leg and he struck out at it and then they ran away, and riley looked at me from between his legs and i was all "holy shit, what just happened" but the main thing was he protected me. all i have now is a bruise on my elbow where i whacked it on a rock falling backwards. I tied the reins in his mane and i bent down to his neck and let him run me home, where we clattered into the barn and everyone was mad because we tracked mud. I love you, riley. you're the best horse...ever. just ever. i would take a bullet for you. :) My soul mate, heh.