Highboy's Ride

Well, Highboy wasn't kidding yesterday when he said he was ready to get going with his riding.  I took him out this afternoon and tacked him up with a different bit (a regular D ring snaffle, since he said the 3 piece snaffle was too much movement in his mouth), and his saddle.  I lunged him very briefly just to make sure he got his wiggles out (there weren't any), and then climbed on.  I swear, he feels like a TOTALLY different horse than the one I rode a few times 6 weeks ago.  Now it feels like he's dancing with me on him, lifting his back and swinging through his whole body, rather than the stiff and somewhat staggering gait we had in his first rides.  Now he's nimble on his feet and flexible through his back and topline, the best comparison I could make was he felt as free and agile as Jubilee, the little Arabian that was here all summer.  I am amazed at the change in him, mentally and physically.  Rebecca even arrived while we were trotting to the right, and she thought I'd gotten a new horse in for training - she didn't recognize him!  Highboy and I rode for about 20 minutes, working on leg aids at the walk and trot, with much more trotting than I've ever done with him before.  Miracle of miracles, he was completely relaxed and even at the end was not sore AT ALL near his sacrum or in his lower back.  Now I'm really starting to get excited about what we're going to be doing by spring!