Everything Fires

"The passion for riding is really something hard to describe. It's something that's a part of your life. It's something that you need, almost like air or water. There's those special moments. You'll have a ride one day on a horse that's just magical. It's just you and the horse and you feel the motion and the power of that gallop. All of your senses attack; everything fires. You feel like you just conquer the world." -Beezie Madden

The above quote, describes exactly my ride on Saturday this week. I went to the barn scared. I received a text saying that Erin had left "a surprise" for me there. Turns out it was a new course. New jumps in new places. My first thought?: "Great, can't wait to fall today."I begrudgingly tacked up for my lesson awaiting my fate. And let me tell you, I don't know why I even had those thoughts. He was spot on the WHOLE time. I was/am still SO happy!! Everything has just been so "on" lately. I don't know what has changed over the last couple months, but something has. And I am LOVING it. He was so good. Now I don't usually do this, but I'm going to put a link of one of my courses from the lesson. Everything was just spot on and perfect. I adore him SO much!! <3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjYP1owG4g8 He stopped only a couple times, and it was in the middle of the lesson! Even in the one stride, he didnt hardly bat an eyelash! Boy, do I love that little pony. Here are some pictures of him being awesome and adorable!

I also got the opportunity to ride Abby's horse, James, which was also a blast because he is TOTALLY different from Josephine!! It was fun to ride a horse with really fluid movements and who knows a ton of dressage.

But now for something completely different! I have kind of felt myself falling back in to one of those slumps that I know every rider gets in to, where I am really unhappy with the way I am riding. I am LOVING the way my pony is going, but, I hate the way I look while making him go that way. I am hunching my shoulders WAY more than I ever have. I have even been concentrating on sitting straighter and, as my mother says, "practicing perfect posture" but I cannot get it right on a horse. I have lost what I considered my "good" equitation which has really been weighing on my psyche. I have been throwing a pity party about it too, which I know has been making the vicious cycle worse!! BAH! I must stop this self destructive behavior!!

In other news, I am about to go out of town for a while, and I hate to say it, but I probably will not get to ride Joe again until June 2nd when my awesome best friend, Megan!, will be coming out with me and hopefully riding him! Believe me, there will be OODLES of pictures then. But still, very sad I won't get to see my pony ): I did however, get him a new halter :D (seen below!) 

Photo Credit Darla Sanders

I guess that's all I have for now. Sorry this wasn't a particularly "good" post. I lack motivation to write today. I'll try to post later in the week to make up for it :)