I hit submit too soon...
I meant to add that I read all the stories of everyone who rides for fun (as opposed to work these days) and I can remember riding for the joy of it. I rode through Grand Prix dressage, trained under the old school discipline of the BHS, and it squeezed a lot of the true meaning of riding out of it for me over time. I have been very lucky to have had a number of truly great equine athletes to work with...I still have my old dressage horse...he is 36! He did piaffe and passage until he was 25 and looked like he was 10 doing it. But working with such terrific horses has made other horses .... I don't know...just horses. I can't tell you how many people have told me that they wanted to ride like me, and I wish I could ride like them! Just enjoying the ride! You guys enjoy your rides....