Joy.

My gorgeous girl.

You know those moments where you love your horse and riding so much that you're just giddy with it?


I had one of those moments this past weekend. Sugar has been cleared to get back into work and we've been gradually legging her back up. The weather has been generally crappy so we've been relegated to working in in the indoor, which is becoming a bit mind-numbing. Yeah, I know, you're saying, "Quit your whining, Princess. At least you have an indoor. Mind-numbing beat ass-numbing any day of the week." You're right, I'm a cow, consider me duly chastened.

So, anyways, we finally had some over-40 degree weather and the ground wasn't that too slick , so the Sainted One and I went out and worked in the field. Bless her big heart, she was feeling full of herself but kept her sass under control, and we just had a lovely time trotting up hills and in circles around the field, and playing with leg yields and shoulder-ins.

We both had to work hard to stay in a semblance of balance, and as a result she was working really round through her back. When I stepped her into a canter and went up the long side of the field, she was so underneath herself and had so much impulsion I felt as if we were flying!

You know that scene in the Lord of the Rings movie the Fellowship of the Ring when Arwen and Frodo are being chased by the Nazgul and are galloping across the field on her gray charger? That's what I felt like. Well, except for the semi-conscious Hobbitt and vengeful Ring-Wraiths. The sun was beating down on us and the mare felt so powerful and her footfalls were the most beautiful music and I just started laughing out loud.

I think Sug felt the same, for she tossed her head and snorted. We were both drunk on the power and the beauty and just the fun of being together.

Pure JOY. Gotta love those moments. Aren't we lucky these magnificent creatures are willing to give us glimpses of moments like that?