It is done

I couldn't stand it any longer. I repeat I could not stand it any longer. At 1PM I let my ponies loose, well all but three. Oh my it was a sight. As soon as I let the first three mares go out the door, the rest of the barn exploded into action. Neighing, pawing, rearing, kicking, bucking, screams of delight echoing back and forth across the barn. A building crescendo ensued.

In turn, Tulip is let out after the first three mares. It was all she could do to contain herself. Her mommy told her she had to be cool and patient all week long, and outside of a little mishap that her stall mate, Opal, started, she was a perfect pupil of patience and contained energy for 4 very long days and nights.

Tulip had to have her halter put on, that was a quick dive with the nose into the halter she hates, does that tell you how badly she wanted to go out???? Then a little step, which she quickly muffled before it was seen. The lead rope was next, the gate opening and-- "BINGO" -- I could just hear it in her head, explosions of joy rippling through her contortionists body. She tried to muffle everything as best she could. She knew she had to walk all the way to the barn door, just 25 feet away. No aires above ground, no striking a higher pitch with her front hooves, no sashay with her rear end. Just a straight walk. It was almost too much for her. She kept gathering herself, I could feel it. Her neck arching ever higher, her eyes widening with every step. Ears alert, forward, almost touching. Pure containment was winding her so tight...... Then finally, the door. I opened it for her and she couldn't contain herself anymore. Before her rump was out the door, all four hooves were level with my ears. Every muscle in her body exploded with pure ecstasy. And then she came down, light as a feather and catipulted again to ear level with all four hooves. Now let me tell you, that is a tad intimidating, a pony her size, you just don't know where it will all land. After all what goes up, must come down. But she never came close to my toes. Four times she did that, on the fifth ascent and descent, she came down unbalanced and went backwards. I let the lead go and she bounced around the courtyard for a full minute before she realized she forgot to deposit her halter at the door. Tulip came back, stood as still as she could and gave me back her halter. She was actually quivering with excitement. After that, all I saw was a tail flagged as high as her ears as she ran to the pasture gate to let herself rip out of control.

Okay, so that was Tulip. Opal flat out threw a fit. I am talking knock down drag out fit. Throw herself on the ground, roll, get back up and stomp, stomp, stomp. Hay, poo poo and water collided in the air as she stirred the pot with invigor. I barely got into her stall to catch the bottom of her halter. Man, it was not a contained walk to the barn door to let her out. And she is a year older than Tulip! It was hippity hop, hop, hop, rear, kick, bolt, snort, paw, you name it I saw, felt, heard and tasted. When I finally got her to the barn door, Tulip was impatiently waiting for her, she was tapping on the darn barn door!!!!! If she could have opened it herself, she would have. So Opal and Tulip greeted each other with a nice rear in the air and off they went, back out to the pasture to take a turn around it.

Of course that was not all. The other two year olds were beckoning - 'Don't leave us! Don't leave us!' 'That's not fair' 'We wanna go too!' Both had the same hippity hoppity dance to the door. Tulip and Opal sped back to the barn door and waited for the other fillies to come out before they made the round out the pasture again.

As I headed back in the barn, the otherside of the barn exploded. Lady was pitching a hissy fit herself. Cookie was talking to me. Silhouette and Carnation - well for a couple old ladies, they sure could cut the rug as well. So I took them out next. Once everyone was out, well let's just say I only had to say once 'Let's go girls' I had snow flying everywhere as the mares and fillies exited the back paddock to the north pasture. I ran as fast as I could to catch the gate before they came back in. To my dismay, I was not as fast as I needed to be. Tulip, Opal, and the othe girls were on their trip back into the back barn paddock. Theybran past me, a swirl of air and snow cirlced me, I am sure all in jest to tease me. They circled the paddock and left in another flurry of snow and frolick through the gate, which I promptly shut.

I could hear behind me the screams of Lady, she was frantic to get out and run and buck as well. Cookie caught the excitement and both were dancing on the ceiling as I tried to snap leads on their halters. I couldn't even get Lady to the barn door - I knew it too, as we were moving to the door, I unsnapped her and she was gone. Cookie I could barely stop to get the lead off and she sped past me.

I watched for a few minutes, everyone was running around their pastures with their heads cut off. Everyone pleased their stay was finally acquitted.

A tad later, Tulip, in her true form, stopped to make sure I saw her. Amid the other ponies flying by her in a flurry of snow and wind, she stood as majestic as she could on a little hill of snow. Her head held high. Her ears perched straight and forward. Her eyes wide in splendor. She connected her eyes with mine, her ears came forward a bit more, and she gave a small a gentle yet noticeable nod of acknowledgment.... and then was gone with her flag proudly displayed in the air for the world to see.

Oh to own such a proud pony that one connects with on such a level, it is an honor.