Yay!..Ouch!

Well it felt like it took forever but we finally got the halter on. When I walked into Spades pen today he didn't want to respond immediately. I would walk toward him and he would run. So I ran him around the round pen changing directions until he was warm and then allowed him to stop. It is funny how a little sweat gets their brain working. I reviewed all that I had done yesterday and he seemed to be fine. He wasn't as confident as yesterday evening but I could touch and rub on him. I kept working with my lounge whip rubbing and scratching with the tail end. Then I had the idea I will wrap the tail end over his pole (the area behind his ears) and start teaching him what pressure to the pole was.  I soon was able to pull him left and right with just the whip around his neck. He still wouldn't step forward toward me. I wasn't going to push the subject, so I went and grabbed my halter and took a few minutes showing him what it was. Everything that is new we have to introduce every time. I tossed the lead over his back a few times on each side with a few spooky steps every few times. I would toss it and he would be fine, then every now and then the pressure would get to him and he would back up a few feet or trot sideway. But again he wouldn't leave. When he settled and accepted the lead rope I did the same thing with it as the lounge whip. I just used the loop over the neck to kinda pull him back and forth. Every time he would take a step I would release. He was catching on. In the mean time I had also gotten to where I could rub and pet his face. So I went for the halter. He let me slip it on!! No spookiness at all. So I put it on and off a few times and then on for good. I let him feel it for a few minutes and then started the back and forth thing with the halter. He was fine to the left but the first time I pulled to the right it spooked him and he took off. I didn't want to scare him so I let him go. I was just about to start pushing him around the pen when I looked up and realized that the 13 ft lead rope was whipping back and forth on the ground behind him and Spade went to a whole new level. He thought it was chasing him and around and around the pen he went as hard as he could. I just stood in the middle of the pen and didn't say a word. I didn't want him to think I had anything to do with it.  I waited until he started thinking and he stopped. This happened a few more times, then he started wanting me to come save him from the scary rope. I still wish he would turn and walk into me but I don't want to be that picky. Every time I would get the rope I would teach him a little more. He even started to back up and turn on command and even gave me a few forward steps. I was just about ready to quit for the day and I walked up one more time and started pulling him back and forth and stepping him forward, when something spooked him and he took off. Just by habit from training hardheaded colts I strongly bummed the halter back toward me. Spade, not understanding the rules of the halter turn away from me and hit the end of the halter with all his weight. As he began to run I felt an intense pain in my hands. I looked down and realized I was hanging on out of habit. My brain couldn't get the message to my hands to let go fast enough! The entire sand saturated yacht rope had slid through my right hand before I let go. I thought I was going to cry. I don't know if you have ever had a rope burn before but your skin can sear together. That is what happened. Not wanting to leave him with that thought, I walked up to him and started working with him again even though I was in alot of pain.  He responded well and I left him with halter on and all and went to the house. After cooling the horrible burning in my hand and getting to where I could tolerate movement, I had to go back out and get his halter off and open his gate to the water. Unhaltering went pretty well so I am excited to see how he does tomorrow. 


So what did I learn from Spade today???
Well training wise, if you are halter breaking a full grown horse, Gloves are a GREAT idea...just incase! 


What he taught me spiritually?? It's simple...It is wise to LET GO of things pulling you in the wrong direction, other wise you will get burned. 


"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world -- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life -- is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." 1 John 2:15-17