It's Not Having What You Want, It's Wanting What You've Got

My lack of posts lately has been due to the huge sale we had at our farm Saturday. The sale included 27 horses and I rode 6 of them. They were all sport horses, so either dressage or jumping. I rode 3 jumpers and a few really great dressage horses. It was really awesome to be doing so much jumping and dressage work. It  definitely made me a little bit sad when I went back to my little paint horse.

Today the fancy horses went home and I got to spend some time with Sonny. I already missed the springy dressage horses and those that had me confidently jumping 2'9", but it did feel good to be back with Sonny.

The weather was perfect so I busted out the 45'. We haven't played with the 45 since like July so I wasn't expecting much. To my surprise, Sonny was fabulous. He was SO responsive! He did something today that he has never done before: he maintained gait backwards. It really shocked me; to the point I was questioning what was going on. I asked him to back with a phase 1, then he kept backing with only my energy. Once I relaxed, he stopped. I did it again just to be sure that was really what happened and sure even I asked him to back and he continued until I relaxed. Whoa. How crazy is that? It's hard to believe he used to be so hard to back and now he is maintaining gait backwards. Wow!

We tried some bigs circles and he was excellent. He maintained gait over poles, responded to my slow hand, did multiple trot circles without slowing down, even had a few really great canter circles, and most importantly: he ask asked a lot of questions! I was so thrilled!

Considering he put so much effort in today and did so well at the end of the 45', I decided to quit early. To finish up my day, I asked him to lay down. After he laid down I asked him to lay flat. He did without protest, which is something that is hard for him. As he was laying out flat I laid over him and we soaked up the sun. It was so tranquil; so peaceful and relaxing. I got up and he laid there until I gave him the verbal cue to get up. He normally pops right up when I stand up so it was really great that he waited for me.

I walked him back to his pasture at liberty. After walking him through two gates and over grass, and having him stay right will be and so connected, I realized that this is everything I want. He was so amazing today and tried his heart out for me. He will never be a fancy dressage horse or jumper, but he will also be the best partner I could ever ask for. I am so in love with him and wouldn't trade him for the world.

It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got. So I am gonna soak up the Son♥