OMG PONY RIDE

Since we are going to a show tomorrow, I had to get Izzy out today to make sure all the nuts and bolts were where they should be. Besides, Izzy seemed pretty happy post-chiro-work, so I thought we'd be ok. I saddled up and realized I'd forgotten my whip. Oh well... I wasn't anticipating having troubles with forward.

I tightened the girth (very important, boys and girls), and swung my leg over as Izzy stood politely. After I got my reins situated, I squeezed my legs.

WOW.

Izzy walked calmly off. For the first time in my entire history with her, I felt movement behind the saddle. Crazy! Her walk was much more forward, and I didn't have to keep nagging her with my leg to go, although it was a little more work to keep her straight.

We walked a bit, then trotted serpentines. Her trot felt big and floaty and super cool. I have never, ever felt her like this before. She felt good too--she was experimenting a bit with carrying her head differently. She started to curl over the bit a little (bendy ponies like that), but with a little encouragement, I got her marching forward from behind into the soft, light contact.

She moved right over off my leg both directions. We rolled into a big canter. It has never felt so completely effortless for her. Usually I have to gallop her a bit to get any semblance of a forward canter, but not today. We could go forward and back and do flying lead changes in one stride, and drop to trot and come back up and it felt incredible. I just wanted to do a light work because of tomorrow, but I also didn't want to stop riding.

We ended by walking out to one of the trails we (are supposed to) ride on. I didn't want to actually go up it, since I was weaponless and she reminded me that feeling good or no, she wasn't yet convinced she actually had to do it.

Tack and boots are clean. Pony is clipped and blanketed.

Ridiculously tiny schooling jumper show, here we come.