Thankful!

As I think of Decker today, I'm reminded of how just earlier this year I thought I'd lose him! In March Decker came down with some neurological problems! He acted like he had encephylitis or EPM! Thankfully blood work proved negative to everything! The vets said that he either got a bite of moldy hay off the ground in the pasture or he hit his head really hard on something to cause the swelling!

The symptoms where Decker walking in circles only to the left, head cocked to the left, difficulty swallowing and sleepiness. After two weeks of treatment of penicilin, Dex. and mushing up feed and hay; Decker was back to normal! Thank God!!!! Prayer really does work! I had so many people praying for us that it was amazing! My Grandma and Papa, who we lost this year in March and May, were not doing well at the time and I just couldn't handle losing them and my horse too! God I think blessed me with Decker for a reason! Maybe we are going to be able to make a difference in south Georgia by using Parelli! Who knows! I just know that this horse is special & I'm blessed to have him in my life!

Flash, flash! Can you see the light bulb over my head?

I played with Decker yesterday afternoon & found out just how out of shape I am! Wow he's got energy! :) He had a bunch of energy when I got him out of the pasture, so we played the catching game in the round pen to blow off some steam. He did well, with some changes in direction. He finally decided that was stupid and wanted to come into me. So he walked nice and slow into the center of the circle. Very Nice!!!

We then played the touch it game with some new pink cavelettis Tom & I made! So pretty! (I know I'm such a girl!) I wonder if horses shouldn't eat paint, because he picked them up, and chewed all over the poles! We then played the driving game over the cavelettis and then some porcupine game.

Well my light bulb moment was during the porcupine game. I've always had a hard time winning this game with Decker, because he is so much better at it than I am! He gets argumentative! What I finally realized was I was being rude! Even after I realized that I still was to an extent & he let me know it!...

I worked in zone 1 and 3 asking Decker to back up. We've always had issues with this! I had been watching one of my Savvy Club DVDs over and over again with Linda, Louis and her LBI. I realized that I wasn't being patient in waiting for him to move off of an ounce of pressure! I found out that Decker is SOOOO sensitive! Who would have thought it! I thought he was going to be hard to move off pressure forever! Hmmm...how interesting...it was me, not him! Duh!!!!!

So anyways, I held his halter with an ounce or two of pressure on the side that I wanted his front feet to move. I held my hand on his chest/shoulder with an ounce of pressure, b/c any more causes him to bully me. When we were standing there...he looked at me like "I can beat you at the waiting game," so I put my toe on his hoof and just waited! Well he moved his foot in a matter of seconds! How cool!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe he needed help getting the idea to his feet! :) No fights, no bullying, just us working together! I was so proud of us! We repeated this a few times on each side & then moved on, so I didn't bore him!

I was so pleased with that breakthrough that I thought I'd work on picking up his front feet, which is just as challenging! Maybe I should have quit while I was ahead, because he bit me in the back! Wow! Maybe I didn't learn my lesson! It was just a nibble, but I got the picture that I was being rude again...or maybe he is just a punk! I tried a few more times, but it wasn't great! To finish things on a good note, we played the yo-yo backwards out the round pen gate. We played the driving game to the pasture! Whew!!! Today, my plan is to work on myself, my attitude and my phases. I think my earlier idea of phases and what Decker needs are totally different! Pray we can work it out without nibbles!!! :)

Lessons to come!!!

So...I have decided we need lessons!!!!! My LBE is a handful and I think I need someone to help me become a better leader for him!

I contacted Berin Macfarlane, 3 star Parelli Instructor, about colt starting, and that led to lessons! Basically we decided that Decker is like a teenage "punk!" He is very challenging!!!! I am really excited about what we will be able to accomplish in the months ahead!!! Ocala here we come! :)