too salty

I like salt on my food. However, too much salt and it ruins it. I was watching my granddaughter put salt on her potatoes the other day. She really didn't have good control of the shaker or didn't know how much salt was good enough. When she was done her taters looked like a snow capped mountain. She commenced to spreading it around and as I recall she ate the tater. The amount of salt she put would have made me spit out the tater faster than you can aagh!
Now, I realize she is just a kid and will learn that a little salt will do. But sometimes as an adult I too use too much salt.
Take for instance trying to help someone learn something new. I was teaching a person about horsemanship the other day. Now I know that with horses you have to take little steps and get them solid on the little steps before you can move on. For example, giving to pressure from the lead rope. This is so they learn to follow the 'feel' of the pressure in the direction you want them to go whether it is forward, back or sideways. But it has to be done in small doses. Too much will frustrate and confuse them. I had to learn this in my own horsemanship. I found that I wanted too much too soon, like wanting 3 or 4 steps when I was asking for the shoulder to move over rather than being satisfied with one. Eventually, I will want 3 or 4 steps or even a complete 360. But in the beginning it has to be small steps. I guess I have to learn this with people too. as with this person I was teaching the other day. It's like I want to pour as much as I can into the time I have with them, but I forget that most of the time less is more, otherwise it can overwhelm them and confusion and frustration sets in and you end up going backwards rather than forwards. With a horse you can tell this when by their body language, tail swishing, tenseness or stiffness in the neck and shoulders, head flailing. In a person, if they start crying or get angry its a pretty good bet they are on overload. I push too much sometimes thinking that I need to give more information when I really need to pay attention to the small things others tell me. In working with a horse, the lighter the feel that gets the requested response is the best. So if I can get the response I want with an ounce of pressure that is better than having to use a pound of pressure and it is easier for the horse and conducive to a more harmonious outcome. In the beginning though it might take more pressure to get the response you want. But start light, then keep upping the pressure til you get the desired response. Then start backing off the pressure from that point as they latch on to what you want. The same is true of people, as I am learning. It seems to me I am a little on the dense side because I should have known this a long time ago. It's odd that it has taken me working with horses to learn to be gentler with people.
It was actually my cousin Ken who helped me to see what I was doing. In my zeal to help people I pour on too much salt. That is my habit with anything. So I am learning that less is more in thise case. Maybe you are doing the same thing and that is why you are getting frustrated and wondering why things aren't working the way you would like. Try sprinkling less salt next time.

so until next time,
Please pass the salt.
God Bless and happy trails to you.

Repetition

Hi there,

I know its been a long time. But absence makes the heart grow fonder! Right?
I just got in from teaching at the jail. It is so refreshing to me to teach the word to men who have just about lost it all. They often are at the bottom and want to make changes in their lives. There is nothing like teaching people the truth who actually want to hear it and learn from it. There is something about giving someone who is thirsty a glass of water and watching them enjoy it. My day has been a busy one with study this morning then the jail. I have my truck in the shop so still have to go get that tonite if it is ready.
I have been listening and watching a new DVD on installing an operating system on your horse. Well, the thing that really gets me, is that it takes so long. The teacher reminds me that it takes 3-4 hundred reps to teach a cue than another 3-4 thousand to actually to get the horse to be solid at it. In fact, he stated that you can teach a horse a cue this system in 60 - 90 days of 5 days a week training. And then another year for them to actually be solid at it. Of course, that is considering the rider is already solid at what he is teaching. Keeping that in mind with regards to teaching people or horses it is better to give little chunks, as my cousing reminded me, to sprinkle the salt on them rather than pour it on. So it was a good reminder to me to take it slow and easy and not move on til they have the teaching at hand down.
I have been working with Raven as often as I can teaching this system, which she already knows alot about. I started to teach her to kneel on command. My homework is to have her kneel 3x a day both sides everday for several weeks. Yesterday I did this with her in about 1/2 hour. We shall see how long it takes today. Hopefully as I progress, she will be kneeling on command in a few weeks. Now if only I could get Sharon to do the same. Ha! Ha! NOT! It sure didn't take her long to get me to do it when we first met though. She had me at HI!. But that's another matter. Maybe men are easier to train than women. How did I get off on that! Oh well. Back to the repetition thing. It gives us hope to realize that things in our lives don't change in us over night. It takes hundreds if not thousands of repetitions to change our habits of thinking and acting. So don't give up if you don't get it exactly right the first 3 or 4 hundred times you try it. Keep it up. It will come. It just takes time. Another thing is that it takes bite size trys to make it work. So don't try to bite off more than you can chew in changing a wrong pattern of thinking or acting. Just take it one bite at a time. The hard part is keeping it up and being consistent. It's easy to get started with good intentions. But eventually it is going to wear on you and you will want to take it easy. DON'T! Instead, fight through it and then rest. Come back later to it and keep at it. Then in a couple weeks look back and see how far you have come in putting off that temper of yours, or that depression, whatever it may be in your life. I am a different rider because of this process as well as person. And so can you.
God Bless,
Jeff

Catching up

Thought I'd catch up with all who care. I have been busy as a bee the last few weeks since returning from vacation. I finally got the water in my basement resolved. We put about 350 feet of drain tiles in so now our basement is back to normal. We just have to wait for everything to dry up and the concrete to cure then we will begin painting and sealing the floor and walls and getting things back on the shelves in the basement.
I also began working with my horses again. And in just a few days of working with them have learned a bunch about my position in the saddle to work through transitions of walk trot canter and whoa! just by using my seat position. There is a fine line that puts you forward or behind the drive line of a horse in terms of their center. Get behind it and the horse moves forward, get in front and the horse slows or stops but there is just a hairs breadth of difference between them. Thus it is like balancing on a wire. This also is done from the ground so that body position is important. Its kind a like when you pull up to a corner in your car and someone is already there. They may have the right of way but signal to you to go. But you are not sure if you should go or not so you just inch along until you are sure then you go. That's like what I am talking about. In order to do what I am talking about it takes alot of focus, paying attention to the horses movements; to your own seat in the saddle as well as posture (leaning forward or back), leg position, whether or not you are over the horses center or leaning left or right. It sounds really complicated but once you get the hang of it, it becomes easy. THen the horse starts to recognize exactly what you are wanting and may even anticipate it. I guess the key words are focus and centered. Focus on what you are asking and how you are asking it so be crystal clear. Centered because you have to be in the right position on the horse or from the ground in relation to the horse to eliminate any static in the communication line. The same is true, I know you know this is coming, spiritually as well. If you want to communicate with God there must be focus on the Lord (He is the one communicating to you). If you want to hear Him you have to focus your attention on Him (like the Israelites in the wilderness watched for the cloud or fire to move off the tabernacle to signal breaking camp and moving, or if they were moving watching for Him to light on the tabernacle to signal stopping and making camp). But you also have to be centered, ie. in right standing with God by faith in Christ. As well as being right with Him on a daily basis by regularly confessing your sin and keeping the communication line clear between you and Him. If you do this you will experience a quality of ride in life that is incredibly rewarding, peaceful, and harmonious. So God bless, stay focused and centered.

trip

Well, I'm back home already. Didn't expect so soon, but it is fact.
One morning I went in to get Olivia out of bed and used my horse sense. AS I think I said earlier she really had a hard time hookin' on to me. She would just sit in Grammies lap and eyeball me, watchin' my every move, you know like a horse might. Well, in the morning when I went in to her room to get her. She gave me that same questioning stare and when I moved closer she moved back a step or two and grunted 'uh uh'. So I backed off when I started seeing her move away. Then when I turned to leave, I asked her, (I didn't cluck to her or kiss for her, like I would a horse) if she wanted to get up. That's when it happened, she hooked on to me. We got her diaper changed and out of bed, breakfast and drink and she was in my hand. It took a few more episodes, but she was receptive to me from then on. Though she was in grammies lap alot more.
Josh, later asked me not to start clucking or kissing to her. :}
Reading body language of a horse is crucial to safe riding and training. So it is with people. I played a game with Olivia alot that was all about body language and eyes. We had alot of fun.
Hope you all had a good week and a good day.
So long for now.

daily

Hi,
Had a great last couple days. The grandkids are sick so have been cleaning puke and Dring them. They seem alright today. Olivia has taken these days to study me and see if I am ok to be around. She finally made up her mind and has hung with me now for the day. It's like horses you just have to go slow and show them you are the best person to be around. No! I am not spoiling her. I did tell her no more chocolate. After we ate a bunch. She is such a cutie. I love being a grandpa. Josh got home alright and we have done a couple projects around his house. We jogged 3 m today. the first time i have done that in a long time. It was nice weather, but this afternoon it poured for a couple hours.
next time ....

Got here

Hey,
Thought I would let all who are interested know that we made it. After 2 days of travel, leisurely of course. We got a late start, but that was ok by both of us. Sometimes just going slow produces a more harmonious outcome. There was a time when getting started on time, like 'zero dark thirty' which means bright and early, was all important and to miss a beat was excruciating. But it is better this way or I would have been irritated. The same with getting here. I am purpose oriented, and to deviate from the plan is bad news. But It reallyd didn't matter. We had a plan but it was loose. Anyway we arrived, weather 84 degrees and sunny. Eat your heart out you Michiganders. We didn't bring warm weather clothes because it was supposed to be cooler here this next week or so I thought. Anyway, we will enjoy the warm weather for you. Hopefully, bring some back when we come. Nevertheless, keep hope alive, it will get warmer.
The kids are great. Autumn cried most of the evening and Olivia kept a wary eye on Grandpa. But after I put together her baby stroller for her baby she started to warm up to me. So this morning I had her laughing and she sat in my lap for the last hour. I knew I would win her over I just had to go at her pace. It's like a horse, you just have to move slow until they realize you are not a predator and are safe to be around. Hey I had to throw a horse thing in here somewhere.
Well I will keep you updated daily maybe.
So Long for now.

Water top and bottom

Sorry for the long wait. I know you who read this are anxious to hear more. But the reality is that I have been caught up in water, both from the top and bottom. The ice dams got backed up and ruined some dry wall. The fixers have been here the last two days patching finishing and painting. Maybe he will be done today and then it is just putting things back together again. Sharon would like our plastic curtain down. on the bottom end, I have been fighting a losing battle with water in the basement. Finally, I have just given in and am going to let it fill up and run off into the sump pump. As it is there are spots with an inch of water on them. needless to say everything is off the floor. Still it is an aggravation at best. I will probably put in drain tile later on. As far as the horses, not much going on their. I haven't had the time to work much with them, but what I have done is worked teaching Jake what Raven knows. Everytime with the horses is a time of improving them and me. My goal is to be as soft as possible with them and still be able to control their movement. The other day I watched as Raven controlled Jakes movement from at least 50 feet away, with just a slight toss of her head and twitch of her ear. Jake knew exactly what she was saying. I do too. She didn't want him going through the bottle neck to the barn before she did. That is the sort of communication I am after with my horses whether I am on their back or not. Come to think of it, that would work well with Sharon too. Ha! Ha!. Actually, most husbands have this down. They know exactly the communication from their wives whether it be a toss of the head (not yours of course), or a squint of the eye, tone of voice. We get it. I think it is funny how Raven, a mare, controls, Jake, a male, with the slightest moves. Oh, there are times he challenges her dominance, just like most men do. But in the end he loses and the pasture party calms down. Now in my house Sharon listens to me and I keep telling her until I hit on what she wants to hear. :} Naw, it isn't like that. We get along great and she does listen to me. But I have found it works best with a soft touch. A little feel goes a long way with horses and wives.
Bye for now.