Pony Macaroni — Samantha Thorning

Had a super fabulous awesome time with Aspen today! To start the day off she saw me and then enthusiastically trotted over to me with this beautiful expression on her face! I put my Savvy String around her neck but she followed me across the pastures at Liberty all the way back to the arena. We played On-Line first and she was on the cusp of LBE/RBE nearly the whole time. The wind was blowing and every now and then she'd spook at something but was mostly a very enthusiastic LB partner! There were lots of rears and leaps and kicks and even some canter to me in the draws from our circle! Had a much improved expression on the fig-8 and she's putting together how to carry herself nicely on the circle. I've been bringing her in or letting her come down to a walk each time she puts her head down a bit and/or tucks her nose in a little and her posture and power are greatly improving. It's also turning our circles into more of a game now! :) She's asking lots of question and is really putting effort into finding the right answer. Our circles have also improved in shape and we consistently have the belly of the rope on the ground!

Our ride was GREAT today, it was full of relaxation and calmness, it was soft, and she was really listening to me and incorporating her own ideas too. It's fun to see her look for what answer I might want from her and it's rewarding to have her as a partner not a robot when I ride! I am still so amazed at what a big breakthrough we had a few afternoons ago regarding her head and neck position. She's really found comfort in moving out with her head down and her gaits are much smoother and easier to ride now. At the end of our play session today I opened the arena gate to let her out into the pasture and she wouldn't go. I encouraged her to go out and she did but turned right around and came back in. I then sent her out again and she went about 20 feet in a half circle then came back again! So I walked out in the pasture and she followed me for a while and then stood over me as I sat in the grass. What a HUGE compliment from her. I can't even describe how that made me feel! :) :)