time with Jake

I got out with Jake yesterday for an hour. He did real good. I know most of the issues are me when it comes to something not working. I first got to a slow start, nice and relaxed with him. I find that if I don't just jump quickly into working with the horses, but take the time to just walk up and rub them all over they get more relaxed and are more willing to stay with me. After I got him ready we did a bunch of ground work, working on lunging for respect stage 3 on long line. I used a snow bank as an obstacle that seemed to put an added challenge into the mix, but he handled it smoothly. I also worked on the out/back exercise, Parelli calls the YO YO. I am trying to get real subtle about the cues with this one. It is simply asking him to back up to the end of my 25' line and then on cue come back to me. We also worked on backing circles.
When I got on him we worked through too many of the exercises to mention. I was merely trying to refine myself as to the cues, body, hand and leg positions so as to be subtle again in asking for a move. Both my horses do alot better than I do. I want to get real in tune with them so there is that close soft connection between me and them, whether I am riding or just around them on the ground.
It is the same kind of connection the Lord wants of me with Him. That I would know his mind and do it. It's called walking with Him. The struggle is to do His will as I am asking the horse to do my will. The parallels are so close. It takes getting to know the Lord and the horse. Read your Bible and read your horse.