The good...the scared...and the sleepy!

Can I just say….I love my kid. He has gotten so ambitious with this whole level 1 thing. He is starting to get a little frustration too, as things are getting difficult. He absolutely refuses for me to “show” him. He wants to do it himself. I was reminded last night, after my mom got home (my disabled mom lives with us) just how defiant I was as a child, and still am as an adult. Just because I am 40yrs old, doesn’t make her stop being MY mother, or her butting into my business and giving advice. And I thought long and hard about how resentful I feel as an adult, to not feel like my mother believes in me as ‘capable’.
I really do not want Jason to feel that way. But it is so hard, as an instructor, to really sit back more. I said it before, and I will say it again. Parents are too often the worst instructors for their own kids. He will gladly take advice from someone else, but from me, he is more resentful. This is going to be a challenge for us both. So for me…I will be focusing on the having fun part with him, and give advice when it is asked for. So long as he is safe, and his ponies confidence/ and respect is getting better…not worse.

So yesterday, OMG…..My friend came over with her kid and their mini’s, for the boys to play with their ponies together and for us to have some horsey time together. Spirit was all upset to hear Rose scream for him/me from the back. I think she was more screaming at me…..’how dare I leave her back there” Snookie could care less as long as Rose is still there. Spirit was compliant and OK but he then started to bully Jason. Jason was not being a strong enough leader for a right brained horse and so the dominance games began. I took over as Jason started to cry a little. I played with some different strategies, and for the second time, letting him move his feet forward or sideways or in a pattern, only made matters worse. Trying to get him to stand still, again did nothing. Focus on me…..forget it. The only thing I hadn’t tried was backwards, so I gave it a shot. BINGO! I backed him about 20-30 steps and saw immediate improvement. So when he tried to go forward again, I backed him up nearly the length of the yard. SHAZAM! His eyes rolled back in his head, he sighed, snorted, yawned and walked off like nothing ever happened. To bad, backwards isn’t his best gait, for Jasons sake. About 2 minutes passed and Spirit went right brained again, I backed him again and it was over instantly. I gave Jason his pony back and with in a few minutes, he went right brained. I now had a strategy to give Jason, he backed him and it worked like a charm. There was not another right brained incident for the remainder of the play session.

Jason proceeded with the weave at a walk, and he tried his hand at disengaging the hind end, driving style. Not ready for that one. So we went to lateral flexion. That was much better. But tonight I am going to have him start porcupine/driving the front end. I think it will help more in the respect department. All in all, Jason got to mark everything off on his list that he has been playing in, a couple new ones, and move one step closer to taping his OLL1. It is suppose to rain tue/wed/thur this week. UGH! Interesting….this morning, when I fed, spirit stood at the gate, and after I threw the hay over, he just stood there staring with those beautiful doe eyes. I started to pet him soft and gentle on his muzzle, and under his jaw, his favorite spot. It was a nice tender moment for us. I finally had to walk away as I was very late for work.

I got to play with Cha’Cote yesterday. Mostly undemanding loafing time together. Jason did a little fig 8 with him while I was ‘fixen” Spirit. I must say, Cha’Cote has gotten a lot braver lately. I have been having anyone who walks by come and pet him. He is starting to get less startled by new people. And I think it is really helping him. I offered for him to canter again at the circling game. He is so cute in his first couple canter strides, looks just like Rose leaping for joy. Though it does not look fun to ride! He was doing everything brilliantly. My friend and her son were laughing, as I parked him on the pedestal, and he stood there, alone for about 5 minutes. I am hoping one day soon, I can transfer all this INTO the trailer. But for now, I am in no hurry to get anywhere. I have my hands full with 5 horses and one kid. Anyways, he has taken to following me into his pen at bed time, rather than me directing him in there. I love it. He parks himself in an advantageous spot, waits for me to pass by then follows. If am holding hay, he plays a game now to see if he can snag a bite from behind as we walk. He also is up for being pet at the gate. He seems to have let out a deep breath he has been holding for years. He appears to have come to enjoy my company and misses it when I can’t spend time with him. He was totally cool just hanging out with his nose over my head, sleeping and NOT eating the grass all around him. I hope I find the means with which to get him started by someone great. I don’t want any mistakes. I wish I could do it myself. But wishes are not realistic, so move on, I will.!!!

Savvy On

Michelle