In the present with my gift

I've been working more regularly with Eagle for the last couple of months, and his progress is impressive.  To say that he's smart is an understatement...the horse is exceptional, and he LOVES his work.  He's always present, interested in what we're doing, waiting for the next directive, and more than willing to comply and always eager to please.  I'm continually amazed...and always humbled.

Sheer heaven...

See what I mean about "always interested", and being "present"?  He's waiting and watching to see what's next.  :)

I absolutely love spending time with this horse!  I am honored to feel his trust in me growing every day, and I want to be especially careful to never betray that trust...for it truly feels like a gift.  And, you know what else?  My trust in Eagle is growing every day too.  When we first got him, he was so spooky and would bolt away at the drop of a hat, that I was very nervous around him.  For all I knew, he'd jump right on top of me, but I know longer believe that.  He's still more spooky than I'd like, but he's improving greatly, and he's never spooked towards me, even when he had nowhere else to go, but towards me.  That gives me confidence in him.  I'm still more cautious around him than I am around the other horses, but then again, I've been around them for years and years.  On August 13th, we'll celebrate our first anniversary together.  Our story is still new, and is just unfolding.

I spend quite a bit of time above and behind this horse's eyes.  He used to bolt when I stepped up on the mounting block.  He used to bolt when I picked up the stirrup or slapped the seat of the saddle.  That told me he wasn't ready for mounting, let alone riding.  If he was walking past me, and I reached out my hand and brushed his side or his hip - he lit out like a streak, and would then turn around with a startled expression.  We're soooo past that now.  Most of the time anyway.  I'm so pleased.

I spend time fidgeting around on the mounting block, slapping ropes, saddle strings, the seat of the saddle, leaning on him and brushing his rump, flopping the stirrups, basically whatever I can think of to do while above and behind his eyes.  I also move him around me, a lot.  Any bit of forward movement from Eagle earns recognition of the "try", and release, even if for a second.  It's all working.  Like Ray always said, "recognize the slightest change and reward the smallest try".  Eagle knows exactly when he's done right, and looks for his tiny blessing.  That's the big difference in this kind of horsemanship verses just repetition for the sake of repetition - he has understanding of each tiny step.  I recognize it, and he knows that I know, that he knows.  So simple that it's confusing at times.  I love how he loves the lessons.

There's a fine line between working on his acceptance of unexpected movement and new things, and spooking him.  If he needs to move away, I always let him.  When he comes back, I always reward him.  He's leaving less and less often now, and realizes he can leave if he wants to, but there's safety and peace in sticking around.

I'm thinking it's about time that I begin stepping up and down in the stirrup.  Depending on how that goes, I'll be mounting up very, very soon.  I think he's ready.  I hope and pray that I can be as relaxed in the saddle as I am working him from the ground.  I just need to remember to breathe deeply and sing if I need to.  My heart has always known this is a good horse.  I just hope my mind follows suit.  We've got all the time in the world.  I'm having so much fun getting to know this horse, and I'm thrilled that he enjoys it just as much.  

What more could I ask for?