Yesterday was a GREAT day. I didn't roll out of bed until 2pm...I stayed up really late watching movies, but it was sunny and balmy. I turned the ponies out and grabbed the camera. I got the most amazing shots of Houdini playing and contorting. The quality isn't awesome, I still need to learn to really use my camera, but the sheer strength, joy, muscle control and expression was something I've never captured before. I've always gone for 'artsy' shots that show how beautiful he is. These are raw and rough and mud, but they're so real. And so him.
After the batteries died, I cleaned stalls then brought everyone in. Harmony, the girl I'm seeking a perfect new home for, got a spa treatment and was perfectly behaved.
Everyone else got a good curry.
A friend I've hardly seen for months showed up and we rode together. Houdini left his dinner to come to the stalls door and put him head in the bridle, he wanted to work THAT much.
I had a great ride. Our last ride was awful; stiff, no connection, just thumping around on the forehand stiff as a board. Last night I was a thinking rider. Neither of us have been working and we're both stiff and out of shape, so I worked on me first... just relaxing into his movement at the trot and canter until my body wasn't resisting his. He was warming up and learning to trust my non interference at the same time.
Once we were mobile, I used very light flexing at the poll and light leg with supporting spur to ask for give, give, give. My goal was supple and forward, to get freedom of movement without creating resistance. Conscious "effort" creates resistance in my muscles, resistance in my muscles means Houdini has to fight me to do his job...and that's not fair to either of us!
The entire ride was just a developing. Developing a connection, developing movement, developing relaxation, developing suspension, developing freedom. And we did it. Came out awful and left with muscles humming and a happy pony. And that is what it's all about.
