My mum doesn't like to look at them because all she sees is the errors she's making in her riding (position, grip on the reins, etc.) and not the whole composition. What I see in these photos is a horse and rider having fun together, gently concentrating, and embracing the fine weather with a bit of jumping - something they haven't gotten to do all winter. Though Blondie may be scruffy, she's loving every bit of it just as she did in the summer when she was a fit, sleek animal. You can see the photos below.
I rode Rose bareback, just doing walk and trot. We were trying to get the slowest, most collected trot we could manage. I'm not bareback-riding fit right now as I haven't done a lot of it all winter. When I had my last pony Jane, I used to ride her bareback more than I would ride her with a saddle. But since Rose is just now starting to accept the close contact of a rider right against her skin, I haven't ridden her bareback barely at all. Today I think was her third or fourth time ever being ridden bareback. I'm planning to do a lot more of it now.
And now, time for the photos!!