Work with the horse

Finally, got to work my horses last night. I had the vet out to check Jake's leg lameness. I thought it was the right hind and discovered that it was the right front knee. Go figure. I guess if his head bobs it is the front leg not the hind. He is a little sore in that hock, but not like the knee. Doc Brown did a test on his knee and it showed sore because Jake did some dancing to get away from him. But when he tested the left knee in the same way, it didn't bother Jake at all. I guess when you are a 19 year old horse you tend to get arthritis in the joints. So now it is going to be some joint supplements and liniment when I ride. Surprising thing is that when he is playing around he seems to be just fine.
He and Raven had their shots and coggins and a once over. No major problems at all.
So I got to play with both of them later. Jake I took through his paces doing several exercises with him and he did well at them. I think my next step is to move him into level three work and do some ground driving.
Raven I worked mostly at liberty with. I am learning to be a lot softer in my cues and more demanding in my expectations with her. It is fun refining our relationship and seeing how subtle I can be and still get the right response from her. We did several mounted exercises, but I still can't get the haunches in. I think I am missing some component or just not trying long enough. So I will have to get Jaime to school me on this. I am still working toward riding at liberty too, but there is just not enough time in each session to get everything done. Anyway at the end of it all I had her kneel several times and stay down longer at least 5 seconds after she relaxed and I stood up. When she gave me that one time I quit and put her up. I got to work with her not against her.
That is a lesson we all need to learn isn't it. To work with whatever it is a piece of wood if you are a wood worker or metal, or a seamstress, etc.
It is the same with any relationship to work with the other person rather than against them. The old two legged gunnysack race is a good example of what happens when you work together or at odds with each other. It is the same in my relationship with the Lord too. If I work with Him; with what He is trying to do in my life or the situtation, then things go much smoother. A ship at sea in full sail makes faster and smoother progress going with the wind than against it. It works that way with horses too.
So whatever your situation, make sure you are working with them or it in such a away as to make the most progress. It might take more time, but you will go faster in the end.