Going Solo

I was so touched today as I listened to Charles Swindol and he referred to Philippians where Paul says to not let your enemies scare you and that will show the strength you have in God.

He mentioned that the word used for "scare" is the same word we would use for "spook". He talked about how a horse going into battle, back in the day, would at times shy away from battle when he heard the cannons in the distance. This was a problem since this huge muscular war horse would be turned into a meek mouse. HOWEVER... when the war horses were surrounded by each other they stirred each other's bravery and loved to fly into war together. Isn't that just like us!? When we go into hard times alone... we may tend to shy away, but when we face them with our brothers and sisters we stir each other's courage! I am so thankful for my fellow war horses....

Going Solo Just Isn't So Fun.

TRAINING PROGRESS...

Yesterday Blaze and I did some work together that I thought was a big breakthrough. To you who are familiar with the horse world... this will sound very elementary and it is something I should have done by now. I finally have a starting point and direction though... so now I am pushing forward.

Blaze and I had previously gotten to a point where he trusted me... I thought that was a huge breakthrough and in a sense it was, but now I realize I should have established respect first. Respect should always come before trust. I now see that. Blaze never respected my space and even knew he could push me around. We are going to work on that!!!

Yesterday, I first established my space with Blaze (the area around me that he was not allowed to enter unless I asked him too). He was slightly put out at first, but caught on quickly and enjoyed the praise once he got it right. Through this exercise alone I saw Blaze's attitude go from "I am getting really ticked that your not turning me out to graze!" to "Whoa... this is new... you've got my attention!" And as soon as he saw the release of pressure when he did something right he was a happy horse licking and chewing and showing me he was ready to work. Honestly... I know this is ridiculous... but I have never had him give me such a pleasant attitude and I was shocked how little it took to get it.

After we established boundaries I worked with being able to touch Blaze on nearly every part of his body with him being OK with it... and not only OK with it... but relaxed with it. I found between the ears and under the belly were naturally areas of resistance but I pressed on until he relaxed and then released pressure and he soon was easily allowing it. We started going in circles when I started working on his hind end. Usually when we get to this stage I back away or stop and reposition Blaze and try again. This time I stepped in unthreateningly but dominantly until he stopped spinning and then tried working on him again and he eventually was tired of going around and allowed me to touch him. After about 15 seconds of him standing still I rewarded with a release of pressure and then went into it again and this time we didn't even have to go around!

I was proud of Blaze even for standing still the entire time and for the most time not resisting me. And I am proud of me for being able to start stepping in and not backing away.

My God, My Farrier

As I look at my boy today. I just thank God for him. And for giving him to me at such a perfect season. He was heaven sent for sure. And something about this picture give me chills... I know Blaze is far from being an angel... but in a sense, he is an angel to me! He has brought me out of my shell and taught me about bravery and confidence. He has taught me how to defeat fear.

Today, Blaze had his hooves trimmed. Blaze fights this ALL the way. He hates it, and yet he merely hates it because he doesn't quite get it yet. He doesn't understand that what is happening is for his own good, not to harm him. If we could only explain that to him, things would go so much smoother. So we had to "get his attention". After Blaze was refocused he did fairly better.

I wonder how often God feels like a farrier?

Who IS bigger... the turkey or the horse?

DO you ever let turkeys frighten you?

Do you know that with God, you are bigger than the turkeys in your life? The turkeys would like you to believe that they are bigger than you can handle... and sometimes the turkeys are ignorant to the fact that you are much bigger, because you have God's Spirit within you! You are not in the pasture alone! Really.... the turkeys are smaller... relax.

The other day BLAZE realized there were turkeys in HIS pasture. For the longest time he couldn't get it past his head that the turkeys were not a threat. Eventually he got brave enough to walk halfway out to see what they were... but then... he spun around, ran and hid in his stable. About 30 minutes later he had apparently worked up the courage to go about 3/4 the way... but again spun around and hid. Again another hour later, Blaze ran out full force towards the turkeys, sending them flying. He still didn't wait around after defeating them, he turned and ran back to his stable once again. I was so proud of him for defeating his fear though! As I wondered why the turkeys were in Blaze's pasture for so long, I eventually realized the electric fence was keeping them in when I saw one get shocked... but once they saw Blaze charging, they could care less about getting shocked.

Isn't it just like the devil in OUR lives to keep the fear trapped in our lives? An electric fence around it to keep it close to us? But if we realize our size, our authority, that fear has to go no matter how the devil tries to taunt us with it.

Charge your fear today!!!

Ears Forward

My Eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge..." Psalm 141:8a

I borrow this story from a wonderful horse lady I met in church this Sunday. As we stood there chatting and getting to know each other we hashed over how amazing it is that God can use horses to speak so many rich analogies to us. Then this wonderful lady gave me an example of one lesson that God has taught her and her husband with their horses... and that's... Ears Forward

As many of you may know, when working with a horse, you want his attention to be on you, not meaninglessly wandering around looking at everything BUT you! You can tell where a horses TRUE attention is by the direction their ears are pointing. Of course wanting a horses complete attention is for your safety as well as the horses , but it is also a respect issue. If your horse does not respect you or even know you as it's trainer, you can try and try again and you're not going to get through very well. And still yet it goes beyond respect and it goes into being a relationship issue. You want your horse to pay attention to you and respect you, but you also want him to WANT to be around you, you want him to willingly look constantly to you for direction.

That is such a parallel to what God wants from us. In a sense God is our trainer! Really He is. And if we take our focus off Him we will get very little out of any type of relationship from Him and we will miss out on what His leadership has to offer. And yet, we can be "good" Christians and give Him our attention on Sundays or even now and then read our Bibles because we "should" but then we still don't look to Him WILLINGLY, wanting to be with Him and wanting to serve Him out of love.

What an awe inspiring thing it is however when you look at a horse that wants to be with its trainer out of pure love and adoration and a desire to serve and listen. It's rewarding to get to that point with a horse, it is an awesome trusting relationship. How great GOD must feel when we completely surrender to Him, not because we should, but because we want to.

Ears forward.

Stay tuned for my next entry..."Who is really bigger the turkey or the horse???" The Saga is unfolding in the pasture as we speak...I'll let you know who wins! Oh, I hope it's not the turkey! Make me proud Blaze!