Hmmm...how INTERESTING

Wow...well, interesting is a bit of an understatement when it comes to describing my session with Prinny tonight.

Some people who will read this know that since getting home from my trip back east, Prin's been anything but what I left her as. She's been sullen, sour, unmotivated and unwilling, and physically, she's lost her topline and all collection we had at one point. It's unbelievable how she could have possibly back tracked that far in 11 days off, but she did, and I've been struggling to stay patient with it, since it's about 6 months of work completely shot.

So anyway, I brought out my tools tonight, and decided that I wanted to use my 45' line for some reason (I've been on the 22' line for the past 3 days) and that was the first weird observation, and big change. As SOON as I snapped up to the 45' line, Prin was well on her way back to being her old self, the playful, snotty, mild LBE that I left when I went back east. I KNEW there was a reason I used that previously, and now I realize that it's because that 22' line was too restrictive. And boy did Prin tell me that.

Starting out, Prin and I just played around a little bit with transitions at the full 45 feet, trying to refine to something close to quality. After 3 or 4 tries, she was doing canter/halt at about a phase 2, which I was pleased with, so I moved on to some zone 5 stuff, and she and I had a bit of a moment, in the negative sense of the word. Not going to lie, I was being a bit rude (asking for too much, too hard) and she fired a warning kick at me, which I totally deserved, but it startled me, none the less, being that Prin is not the type to deliver feedback that bluntly. But I guess that's good, I, in fact, CAN'T get away with murder anymore. But, boy did someone hide her hiney quickly when she realized how surprised I was!

Anyway, we played a bit more to get back on a good track, then I bridled up and hopped on, and here's the best way of putting it. Prin came TO the bridle today. She didn't wait for ME to get friendly with it, she came TO IT. Her longitudinal flexion was ASTOUNDING (I did 6 months of fluid rein/snakey bends with the confidence snaffle last year, and I didn't see results to come NEAR this) I don't think I could have taken her nose off the ground had I wanted to, and the power in her hind quarters, and the lifting in her back combined to make the most incredible ride I've ever had I think. My horse is now living up to her warmblood act, and I'm THRILLED! Pray that Kansas City goes through for me, will you? I really want to show not only Linda, but Farrah just how far she's come!

I put her on the small rings for a little while and cruised around with our power steering and vertical flexion, and I can't help but think that Parelli must have made the Cradle this complex on purpose, so that the result would be all the more satisfying. I'm thrilled, and to my mentors who have gotten on my case for not smiling while I ride, you should have seen me tonight. I had a grin from ear to ear, doing FINESSE! HA!

Life is GOOD!