Chiro
After his requisite two days off, during which it was raining anyways, I hopped on the Kid last night.  I'd read some things in this blog about reaching into your inner hooch and swinging your hips at the walk (she called it a slut walk.  I sincerely appreciated the analogy) right before I left to ride.  And I thought to myself:  I never move my hips!  EVER!


Seriously.  I've thought about it before and I've tried before, but I ultimately get lazy or feel retarded.  Previous trainers have mentioned that I need to get more forward in the walk, but that was more on moving Archie up than assisting Archie in going.  So, last night, after having dropped a Benjamin on getting the Kid comfortable, I decided to do what I could to help and sustain that investment.

And I shit you not, we had a big, swinging walk.  The biggest walk I've gotten in a while.

He felt a lot looser - more reaching under himself, more moving his butt, more rolling in his shoulders.  These are things that a few years ago, I would not have noticed.  But I noticed last night.  And when we got to the trot, I was gifted with the same trot that I had a few months ago, before he started feeling weird.  It was big, forward, and balanced.  He still got a little pissed off bending right, but never lost that impulsion.

I won't say that he's magically a hundred percent better.  But he's improved.  I still got response from the pressure test on his spine, but it was definitely not a shrieking away in agony.

Angst
I wrote before about how I was having issues with my friends.  They wanted to go out random nights, weekends and weeknights, and have "girls' nights" and happy hours.  The hubs was never invited to these events.  About the time that we started seriously working out together, I stopped going out with these friends.  One friend asked what I would be willing to do - and seriously, it's fucking simple:  invite my husband and do something on the weekend.  I get off work at five, it takes me forty-five minutes to get home, then I have to walk the dogs.  If it's a riding day, I go ride for an hour to an hour and a half (grooming et al).  Then we work out for an hour.  If it's not a riding day, then we immediately work out.  And then I go run.  Once all that is finished, it's time to veg out and cook dinner.  And I like my schedule!  When do I have time to go downtown and have a pitcher?

I saw one of my friends (D calls her my "ex-friend") recently at a group function (to which my husband was invited and which occurred on the weekend).  When I stopped going drinking, she stopped inviting me.  To everything.  If she had her way, I wouldn't have been invited to this, either.  But it wasn't her party.  Anyways, she didn't say anything to me and I didn't say anything to her and it sucked.

Date Night
In preparation for our big weekend back home, marrying off my mother and all that, the hubs and I are going out tonight.  This really isn't special, and we have a million other things that we need to do, but I'm excited for two reasons:  Indian food and cupcakes.  I'm a fat girl at heart.

We tried the two local-to-the-Southside Indian places and immediately loved Taste of India better than the other one.  Significantly cleaner and better food.  The biggest perk, other than Kingfisher beer and garlic naan?  Thursday night buffets!  With guaranteed vegetarian options!  I ask every single time to be shown the veggie plates, just in case they move them.  They never do.

And hubs is also supposed to be picking up our Gigi's.  I'm stoked about that as well.  What on earth could be better than biting into a big ol' cupcake after stuffing my face with Indian food?  Seriously?

The downside to this evening, though, is that I probably won't be able to ride the Kid.  If there's enough light after eating and running errands, I might try to hop on him bareback for a few minutes.