Trust

Had a good day riding yesterday. I am more and more pleased with my progress and the horses progress everyday. They both are responding some much better to soft pressure. The one thing I have trouble with is when something is distracting Raven so much that she will not listen to my cues. She hasn't learned to trust me totally when she is distracted by something that she is afraid of. Now she doesn't run off or anything. However, case in point, I was riding at the circle and things were going good, she was bridled up easily, shaped in the direction I needed her to be and she would move to a canter or down to a walk no problem. But then something caught her ear off in the woods. And she immediately became stiff, almost immoveable. I tried to keep her attention on me to no avail. So I let her just watch in the direction she was bothered. I knew something was there, though I could not see it. Finally, a man came out into the powerline and into our line of sight. Then I walked her up to him and chatted with him for about 1/2 hour. It those kind of things that really test if the horse is given over to the rider or not. It shows me that she will listen to me and follow me as long as nothing she thinks is more important comes along. I guess that is like a lot of people too. They are ok with following the Lord, the Bible, until something comes along that they think is too hard for God or is unexlainable, or just doesn't fit their idea of what it means to follow the Lord, then they are off in their own little world. Forget the fact that God knows a bit more than them or that He is working a larger plan than they have. Prov. 3:5,6 reminds us to "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding; In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct thy paths." If only Raven would memorize Scripture and learn to trust me in that way. If only I would do that with God 100% of the time. O things would be easier. Well we finished the ride and it was really good. She is responding well to my seat and leg pressure.
Jake also did well. To start with, (I know that you are not supposed to start a sentence with a preposition) I had him kneel 4 x before he would stay down long enough for me to get my foot in the stirrup and get on. I an ovation from a group of headstart kids and their teachers across the way when I did this. He is getting real soft and easy to get into his gait. He will down right move out. We did a crash course in softening and leg yields and such. We didn't have alot of time. But again he is also doing well. I need to ride these guys as much as possible before the 1st because then I will be concentrating on Domino the Tennessee Walker that is coming for me to work with. Then I won't have near as much time.
Well I gotta alot going on today so I bid you Adieu.