No. Effing. Way.

Today I tried on the side-saddle which a friend-of-a-friend is lending me for the wedding. It was a rehearsal to see:

a) if it fit Donna,

b) to show us how to put it on Donna,

c) if I could get in it, and

d) if I could get out of it.

Ok. Can I just say for the record that I take my hat off to any lady who has ever had to actually ride in one of these things. My god - I haven't felt that useless on a horse in years! It's all you can do to stay balanced up there! And all I did was walk an extremely quiet and forgiving old mare in a circle. With someone leading me! It was like learning to sit on a horse all over again from scratch!

How the hell ladies used to jump and go fox-hunting in these things: I'll never know.

Getting on is... not graceful. I have to climb up onto a 44-gallon drum (yes: In my wedding dress), and back myself into the saddle, then arrange my legs. Getting off is MUCH easier.

Getting off intentionally could be slightly harder. Especially as this is the bit i have to do infront of people.

I have to unhook my legs, and sqirm round until I'm sitting sideways, and then slowly slide down onto a step.

In a wedding dress.

No effing way.

It's gonna be pretty funny. I'm just lucky Donna is so forgiving and such a quiet old thing. This will be her last big 'hurrah' before full retirement (she's about 40!).

Can I just say though: I SO want to go hunting!!! I dont wanna actually hunt a fox or anything, but belting along the open countryside jumping anythig that comes up sounds SO awesome!!! You cant do that here in Australia so much (despite a growing and unwanted fox population), cause everyone has these tiny little paddocks you're not allowed to rind on and they're all using barbed-wire fences. Plus NO ONE would insure you.

WHEN Ben and I eventually go to England, I have told him I will go hunting. I will find a way. Even if I have to do it TopGear style...