When it all comes together...

I had a really, really good ride last night

After humming and harring whether or not I should ride (I was tired and it was freeeezing waiting for the last class to finish), I decided that as I had gone to the stables, groomed the mud off Pinto (a good 1/2 hour job!) I might as well finish the job and ride.

However I wasn't expecting it to be so cold. It had started snowing a bit on my way to the stables, but by the time I was ready to go into the manege it was really coming down with a concerted effort.

I hopped on Pinto (ha! In my dreams... though I am getting a bit springier with the losing weight, but I still think it will be a while before I'm hopping on anything!) and off we went. I hadn't planned on doing anything specific, just more trotting. Pinto is slowly losing the saggy tummy look, and compared to last year he's in pretty good condition (ribs easily feelable, but not seeable).

Anyway after a couple of rounds of walk, I asked him up into a trot and off we go into a beautiful springy but slooow trot. Oh I could have cried! For so long Pinto has always been about doing things as quick as possible, and trying to regulate speed has been one of my greatest challenges.

Then, I tried sitting... and I could! I had to concentrate on a million things at once (not gripping with my calves, relaxing my upper back, BREATHING!) but I felt that I could have gone on sitting for ever. Pinto was fantastic. We were working on a long rein, and he was stretching down into the bridle, and he didn't try to whizz off into canter when we went round a corner.

Actually I haven't had the old "ears up the nose" for quite a long time now.

We did a couple more rounds in rising trot at a proper 'working' pace, changed the rein, asked him so slow down again (which he did! ) and started sitting again. What a fantastic feeling. Everything just felt really soft. I know I (and Pinto) still have a long way to go, but it just seems that everyting is starting to come together... it's taken its time, but it's starting.

In the end I think I was riding for only 15 mins. I wanted to go on longer, but obviously didn't want to push the whole "good thing" till it fell apart, and besides i'd made the mistake of riding without gloves, and my fingers were freezing, really painful. So I jumped off (well... at least I can actually dismount without hanging my leg on Pinto's butt now!), took his saddle off inthe manege and walked him back to his box - by which time (2 mins) he was covered in snow!

I'm just so totally in love with my horse at the moment