new song

This is not one about horses so you will have to bear with me. I like all kinds of music, country, blues, jazz, rock to name a few genres. I used whistle all the time along with the songs playing on the radio in my truck or in my head. There was a time I would sit in rocker at home and rock to Sugar sugar, or Hey Jude. Now however, I rarely listen to music if I have my druthers. I follow behind my wife turning off the radio in whatever room she has been in. At night I have to turn the radio off after she goes to sleep, if I don't get caught and I almost never play music in my truck. I'm not against music mind you. I just don't like all the noise. I like being able to think while I drive, try to go to sleep or read, or just plan chill out. Now having said all that, I was reading my Bible this morning in Ps. 40:3, and of course, the Psalms is a book of songs. It said 'He put a new song in my mouth. . . .' Some people play the song that says, "slow dancin' swaying to the music' or 'I did it my way' or Hee Haw's 'woe is me'. What song plays in your head influencing your attitude of the day. Is it a dirge, an Eeyoric kind of tune that engenders pity? Is it one of those fast moving, bone jarring, ear rattling kind of songs that make you feel like you are bumbling down the road? Have you ever thought how the tune playing on repeat in your head can influence your day or the day of others. Look at the verse again. It not only says we have a new tune, but also that when it comes out of our mouths it has the power to change a persons life for the good, 'to trust in the Lord!' So I wonder what tune is coming out of your mouth? As for mine, it is going to be 'Great is Thy Faithfulness' or 'Hallellujah, what a Savior' or 'Praise God from whom all blessings flow'.  Be careful what you sing.
"I sing the mighty power of God . . . ."

tending horses

Just got back from a good meeting with the Ifca in Smyrna michigan. It was a good trip with the Norton's. Not anytime for working with the horses today. However, one of the things that horses remind me of is sheep. They have to be fed, they need to be led, and they need to be protected from themselves. They need to be fed so whether I feel like it or not I have to go up to the barn and make sure they get their hay and grain and have fresh water. This morning because of my trip north for the meeting I had to do that at 6:30am. They need to be led so that whenever I am around them they must know and respect me and what I want them to do. They need to go where I want them to go. If I want to come into the stall they need to move out of my way and face me. If I want to walk up to them they need to face and stand and either come to me or let me come to to them. If I am working with them, and whenever I am with them I am working with them even if it is simply walking up to them to pet or groom them, they need to follow my feel. I keep them in a pen and or in the barn for their protection so that they don't cause problems for neighbors or traffic etc. Those are just a few of the things I learned at the meeting today. No, it wasn't about horses at all. It was about pastoring or shepherding sheep. But I thought of the analogy to horses too. So when I got home from the meeting, even though I was tired and would have liked to just relax, guess where I went? Yep, I took the dog for a walk and then fed the horses and made sure they were alright. Now here I am typing this out. The thought crossed my mind while I was up feeding the horses that the first thing a person needs to learn when taking riding lessons is to learn the work involved in taking care of them, like shoveling manure or getting a load of hay, and such. If you enjoy that then get a horse. I am just rambling here, but I see so many people get a horse, have it for a while and then learn the cost and effort involved in taking care of them so they get out of it. I think there are people who get in the ministry thinking they are going to have it easy and fun, but when they find out working with people is hard work, they get out of it. I just know that if you haven't got a 'nose' for it (horses or people) then get out of it. As for me, I love the smell.
Gotta go get dinner for the wife.
Stay between the ears

Jake

This is kinda late, but thought I would post anyway. Yesterday I had an opportunity to ride Jake. I worked with him on the ground, really trying to get his attention while at liberty with him. I wanted to work alot on transitions just getting him to read my body language. It took a while but I was able to refine it alittle with him to move from a trot to a walk alot more consistently. It is easy to transition upwards, but to get him to slow down took me a while. And once again it is my fault. It is so subtle and slight the position to be in. If a am just ever so slightly to far back out of the 'sweet spot' then he reads that as keep going and maybe a little faster. To far forward and he wants to stop and turn around. So it is just a slight movement on my part. So I spent a good while just trying to get at that. But he did get it after probably 30 min. Of course we worked in both directions. When I was getting the transition consistently I quit and then rode him around. We went for a long ride and worked more on softness and leg and seat control. The rodes are getting pretty much so that I can walk on dirt instead of ice now if I stay on the sides. So we rode a a good three miles, but in addition to the round pen and work across the field we had a good hour and a half or two hour work out. I can't wait til this weather and conditions allows me to ride as much as I want to. The thing I have to be careful about is riding too much and not spending enough time with my wife. I don't want her to think I like the horses more. I don't. Or I would be in deep trouble. Anyway yesterday was a good day. Didn't get a chance to ride today, but got the rest I need for the week.
God bless

a good ride

Well today I had an opportunity to ride today. It was relaxing. I did some ground work with Raven and just worked at liberty with her to see she would exhibit any resistance, plus I wanted to work on her reading my body language to change gaits or even stop. I saw a bit on the movement of a horse with regards to their shoulder and how a bad fitting saddle could hinder them. It showed how to check the fit so when I saddled Raven I checked to make sure my saddle wouldn't inhibit her ability to mover her shoulder blades freely. After working her in the pen I took her across the road to an open area and practiced loping and lead changes in a circle for a few minutes. Then rode her down the road for a couple miles and worked on softness and leg yields and such. Boy was I glad to be out riding again. We ended with a smile and good attitude. Hopefully tomorrow I can get out again and work my horses.

Raven

Well today I tried toe warmers to keep my feet warm while I worked with the horses. They seemed to work or it wasn't as cold as I thought. Anyway, today I rode Raven. I went out with a plan, to work on the ground for 15 minutes, then from the saddle working on Leg yields, 1/2 passes, and various other things for 15 minutes each rounding out my hour of working with her. I gotta tell you it is so much fun. and I think the fact that I was focused on a couple different things for different parts of the hour made it more enjoyable. Not that I didn't work on other things like stops, backups, moving the shoulders or hindquarters or even just trotting and cantering around on a loose rein, because I did all those things as they fit naturally into various parts of the structure. It is the structure that gave me the freedom to do many things. At the end of it all, I was great, she was great and relaxed and we had fun. Jake even wanted to get in on the action, but not enough time today. I even had Raven kneel 2x and she did it pretty good. I don't know what it is but there is something about riding a horse and communicating with her in such a way as to get to do the movement with just my leg or seat. I did have to use the rein, but that is for position and posture of the horse, not for direction per se. Can't wait to do it again.

It's cold out there

It is clear that you can tell what a person loves by what they are willing to do or sacrifice in order to do it. So you can tell I like my horses. I was out there with Jake for an hour. It was about all my toes could stand. My riding boots with two pair of socks just doesn't cut it. Jake really moved out though. The snow was about up to his knees in most places where we rode, which was just across the road in a field. I got him doing all sorts of exercises though, leg yield, moving his shoulders, and hindquarters. I had him doing some turns on the forehand and hindquarters. We trotted and had some really odd kind of gait as he was trying to get above the snow. I thought he would really be sweated up because he really had to work, but he wasn't. We did some sidepassing which can't be easy in knee deep snow even if it is cut down by other passes. All in all I would recommend that you get out and have some fun in the snow too. I am ready for Sharon to get home so we can go on our date night. I can assure you though it will not involve snow and horses.
God bless.

just chillin'

Hey, I was able to get out there again and ride Jake. My goal is to get in sync with these guys so that I don't have to do anything noticeable in order to get the horse do a movement. Today we worked on moving different zones of his body, shoulders, butt etc. The one thing I have to make sure of is that my body is not hindering his ability to interpret and do what I am asking him to do. I have to be in balance so that he can be in balance. He did real good. I worked him from the ground lungeing him at liberty and asking for a stop in which he faces me and then when I kiss to him he comes to me. I got a few steps from each direction. In the saddle I really worked on the zones and then stops and roll backs. I have begun doing what I call a clock exercise where I ask him to stop lift his front end and roll back on his hind end and turn 1/4 turn to 9, 6 and 3 and then back and walk forward a couple steps after each 1/4 turn then stop and ask again. I do this from both directions. This exercise will help me and him to communicate more clearly with each other. That is what I want with the Lord too. My goal is to be in tune with the Lord in such a way that I understand His clear communication to me regarding what I should think and do each day. I am mindful of God's evaluation of Enoch in Genesis 5:22-24. He walked with God so much so that it was as if they were one. If you saw Enoch it was as if you saw God or heard Him, because he walked with God so closely.
I walk our dog almost daily. He is on a leash and sometimes walks in front when I let him, but he is constantly looking back at me for leadership. If I slow down he 'feels' it not only in pace, but also down the leash. If I stop he 'feels' it and stops too, then sits down.
I want that in my walk with the Lord too. God wants that kind of relationship with you and me.
Horses sure have taught me alot about myself, my impatience, my jerkiness (my habit of not allowing any lag time from my cue to the horses processing of that cue and then actually doing it, or not), or my being to general in what I am asking (which is akin to beating around the bush). Take for example, asking Jake to lower his head while I am standing in front of him. All I want to do is rub his ears, but he has to completely trust me, or give himself to me in order for him to be willing to lower his head into my hands. Remember he is  a prey animal, a lowered head with my body and hands blocking his vision and ability to see danger and thus avoid it is a huge step of submission on his part. I have to remember that when I ask him to lower his head and give him time to process this. Anyway, life is getting better between us and I hope it improves. These things also apply in my relationship with the Lord as well as with my wife and other people. I just need to chill out sometimes and take things a little slower. It will have a more harmonious outcome. Now, what about you?