aw yiss (experimental in the extreme)

So. This post is going to be pretty ridiculous. Fair warning. 

Anywho, it's no big secret that I enjoy watching some GoPro footage. For whatever reason, I just can't get enough of that shit. But a GoPro (or really, any nice-ish helmet cam) is not really in my budget at the moment, nor will it be in the foreseeable future. 

Enter Emma and her DIY ideas. May I present to you: the FauxPro :)

#genius

That's exactly what it looks like. A name tag holder on a lanyard (knotted to be a tad shorter) with a belt threaded through it to stabilize the bottom half. My phone slides in and the whole contraption fits right over my chest. 

Before you ask, no I don't have any pics of me wearing it because I have a sense of self respect forgot to ask someone to take a pic. lol

 even Isabel doesn't want to be seen with me

The footage is really pretty great - if you're into a mishmash of "The Blair Witch Project" and some shakin of what my momma gave me. But really, if you're susceptible to motion sickness... probably don't watch. 

For real though, it's actually not too bad at the walk. Shaky & vertical (and clinky from the lanyard clip?), but the actual frame isn't too bad. Anything faster than a walk, tho, and it's just a straight shot of Isabel's neck and my hands. (maybe that's what the trainers are talking about when they tell me to sit up and back???)

So I made clips at interesting parts of the trail, and figured they could also be my chance to experiment with uploading to youtube so y'all don't have to suffer through super grainy compressed videos any more. 

Video 1 gives a look at a big wide (and ever widening) ditch we cross on the trails. Heading in this direction, the other side goes straight up a pretty steep and long hill that Isabel believes is best tackled at a run. 

Take 2 is another shot of our typical trails - and as we bend right you get a glimpse of the stream that criss-crosses most of the trails, but we didn't cross on this particular night bc the light was fading fast. You can also get a sense of Izzy's MARCH when we are on the trails. Still haven't met another horse that can keep up with that walk. 

And lastly, we emerge from the woods heading back toward the barn. This particular area is super infested with deer. Bambi doesn't really bother Isabel - unless she's not paying attention. And, naturally, she's not paying attention here lol. 

emma - "there's some deer - do you see them?"
Iz - "..."
emma - "do you see them??"
Iz - "omg wtf DEEEEEER"
emma - "... yea i told you"

(If the FauxPro followed my head instead of my torso, you'd see the doe just standing there staring at us from 8 feet away. But... you'll just have to take my word for it.)

So heyyy you get to ride a spook with Isabel! Fortunately, what you see there is pretty much what you get with her... one big startle then she moves on with her life. No big deal. 


This particular version of the FauxPro (should we call it the beta??) probably won't get much use. All the fun stuff we did out on the trail - like the log jumps and some galloping - is just a jumble of mane and hands and shake. I might tinker with it a bit tho - see if I can get it sitting higher up (and maybe horizontal?). Any ideas?

In any case - if you managed to make it through any of those videos - kudos and thanks for watching lol!