Sometimes you just have to play :)

On Sunday I taught a "learn to gallop" lesson and the two girls who had never done it before were *thrilled*.  hahaha  As anyone who HAS done it can tell you, it's a reasonable adrenaline rush :)   It's one of my favourite lessons to teach because you can usually see the grins from a mile away; they appear about 5 seconds after the sheer terror disappears *g*  Later that evening Brena's Facebook post read " New favourite thing to do: gallop through an open field.  "   Which was seconded by Chelsea :)  

Well I had to laugh today as I was galloping Athena when I realized that my grin was easily as big as theirs had been -- and it's been a LONG time since my first gallop (yes I remember it -- I was still riding western then :)  But while it wasn't my first gallop -- or even the first time I've let Athena gallop -- it *was* the first time I've really *ridden* Athena's gallop.  As in, I've let her run before, but this time I asked for balance and rhythm and steady contact and all those other fun things that are required to jump at speed; as opposed to just 'burn off excess energy'.   Was fairly entertained to discover the gallop is evidently her best gait.  hahaha she had fabulous balance, even down hill, was soft, accepting contact, bendable.  Absolutely lovely to ride.   Oh and once she's fit, making time at any level she'll ever be capable of jumping is never going to be an issue  Now the only issue is we need the canter - her worst gait - to get through the other two phases before they let us show that one off!  *sigh*    

So yeah - fun evening ride :)