I got a real ride in!!!

So yesterday it snowed by me and the weather forecasters predicted that by early afternoon the temperature would drop 20 degrees. Because of that, I had figured that riding was not going to happen on Friday. Lucky for me, weather is a very imprecise science so they were wrong! It took some problem solving to locate riding pants (I had packed sweats because I was not planning on riding) and to be able to get out of work only an hour late (I brought some home), but I was so excited by the thought of the ring being unfrozen that I could hardly contain myself. I flew to the barn and grabbed Phoenix while snow was coming down all around me and temperatures were going down by the minute. My poor Fat Spotted Pony got a very quick brushing and I literally threw the tack on in record time hoping that we would beat the freeze.

When we got down to the lower ring I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, some of the ring was starting to freeze over, but the track was totally fine. I would be able to get a full ride in as long as I stayed where it was not frozen! As soon as I got in I got conformation from Phoenix that the ground was indeed not frozen in the form of several bucks. I hate the fact that he gets so cold backed! After a nice warm up to loosen the two of us up  I asked him to trot. It was an interesting trot to say the least because Phoenix tried to get away with a little bitty pony trot. You would think that he would know better than to not move forward with me, but apparently not. Once I stopped laughing at his pony shuffle we got right down to work.

Phoenix was WONDERFUL! He was hanging on my leg a bit and not really coming over the back, but considering it has been about a month since we worked at the trot I thought he looked great. The ring was good enough that we even cantered. Phoenix bucked a few more times, but all in all he was wonderfully behaved all things considered. I mean, to lack forward from a 5 year old not in work when it is cold and windy out is impressive in my book. I have something big coming up on Tuesday with Phoenix that I am pretty nervous about so to get a good ride in really calmed my nerves. Any bonus ride is good, but to have Phoenix behave as well as he did and to not have lost a lot of training was a total bonus.

I love looking at the world through his goofy ears with little white tips! It was such a wonderful ride.