Imagine That

Sonny and I had an absolutely fabulous time today! He was such a super star and I couldn't be any more proud.

Background: The first time I ever played with barrels Sonny he cut his leg pretty badly on one when going sideways over it and has been pretty afraid of them since. I have done lots of friendly game and over the year since the accident he would do everything but go sideways over them. It has been a huge challenge for me and I get so frustrated with it.

Back to today: I had intentions of wrapping his legs and trying sideways. I was in a hurry to get to the arena to help a friend so I didn't have time to wrap his legs. I had the barrels set up so I just played figure 8 with them instead since I didn't want to mess with sideways and risk his legs again.

I was spicing up the figure 8 with transitions when I happened to halt him at the side of a barrel. With me standing in figure 8 position, he took it upon himself to go sideways over it. As you can imagine, my jaw hit the floor. I didn't ask for a single step and it went as perfect as could be. He kind of paused over top of it, but I didn't want him to think I was pushing him so I let him figure it out. After a few seconds, he continued sideways over it like an old pro. Of course my LBI would do it when I didn't ask! I can't believe all the arguments we have been in over this simple task and he completes it with flying colors when I didn't ask him to. Go figure...

Needless to say, I was quite ecstatic about it. That definitely made my life complete! I am just thrilled. As if that wasn't enough, he jumped with me three times at liberty. This wasn't like any other time we have ever experienced. He put effort into the jump. He didn't try to run out. I didn't have to ask him to do it. My LBI willingly exerted energy to stick to me. Wow! By this point I was just blown away. I was so shocked, surprised, excited, happy...just on cloud 9. He has never jumped with me at liberty over a jump in the middle of the arena without trying to get out of it. He even cantered a stride before! I don't have words to express how happy he made me today :).

Yes, I have the cutest horse in the world.

Funny Sonny

When Sonny was at liberty the other day he got away from me. He normally goes to the other end and comes back. As he came back to me, he did something I would never expect my LBI to do: he went sideways over a pole on his own!

Okay, so I know that he likes to think he knows what I am going to ask of him and he will do anything if he thinks a rest or treat might be in store, but for him to walk up to a pole that we hadn't been going sideways over and just decide to stop half way over it and sidepass down the entire thing....that's pretty funny!

I was NOT expecting him to do anything of the sort, so by the time I realized what was happening he was almost done but I caught the very end of it on tape.

I love the face he gives me at the end. "That's what you wanted, right mom?". He's so stinkin' cute!

I Promise

Although I always make an effort to put our relationship first, it is easy for me to put my needs over Sonny's. I often lose sight of what's important and get caught up in materialistic things (my way of grouping things that most 'traditional' riders look for, such as a on the bit, collected, good distances to a jump, etc.).

It seems like every time I get done with a night that I look for things that benefit me and not him, I feel completely dissatisfied with myself. I have brought it up over and over again, but it never seems to click. No matter what I know, I continue to do the same things in different ways. So I am really going to make a conscious effort to not only be aware of myself and actions, but to then apply what I know. It is easy for me to say I know that is right, but then to put it into action is a whole different challenge.

This is my promise to my horse and myself to work for never ending self improvement and to not only continue to educate myself, but to apply what I know 100% of the time.

I hope to one day be able to be the centered person that my horse expects me to be. I am so grateful that he constantly challenges and influences me to be a better person not only with my horsemanship, but as a whole.

It's Official

The pony search has begun! 

Jase Carter

Auntie Em 

Happy Thanksgiving

It isn't what you have in your pocket that makes you thankful, but what you have in your heart. 

Guilt.

When it comes to Sonny, and especially his health, I give him my all. And when I work so hard to make everything as perfect as possible for him and it doesn't work out, it makes me feel nothing but guilt.

How could I be so ignorant? I am so embarrassed and ashamed. I feel like such a horrible mom.

Mistakes are proof that you are trying. I guess I will just try harder next time...

D to the E, to the L - I - C - I - O - U - S

With all the stuff I have been making Sonny eat lately, I thought it would only be fair to to make his dinner a little more enjoyable.

Herbs, herbs, and more herbs! 

So I have been feeding him a variety of herbs! So far he has ate every single one of them, which makes it hard to determine which ones he loves and doesn't. But, I guess the more he eats the more options I have....

Here is what we have covered so far:

We started with Spearmint:

Then eyebright:

Then raspberry leaf:

Then peppermint:

And calendula flowers:

That is all I have been able to to try for now. Considering Sonny has eaten some really weird things before (like a snotty baby wipe), I shouldn't find it surprising that he has eaten every herb so far. I have a lot more to try and will probably document them, too!