Over and over

Since the last time I blogged not much in what I am doing has change although Spade has changed tremendously. Yesterday Spade did great! I went out and did the many of the same things that I had done the day before. Since I have figured out what works on Spade's kicking I have been focused on that the last three days. I can't tell you the difference. All three days I have been putting tarp over his back and making him walk around with it. Anytime he starts to spook I just pull his nose to me and stop his hind end. Today I even put it on the top of his butt. He didn't like it at first but he eventually accepted it with out trying to pitch it of or kick it. Yesterday I tied two pool noodles together and placed them over his back. When he trots they start to bounce toward his hind end and bounce right over the top of his hips and fall behind him. The first two times when they hit the ground he kicked at them. All the times after that he hasn't even cared. Another thing that I did today was put my lariat around his rump again to see if he would have any reaction. Thankfully he remembered that from a few weeks ago.
It has been I a long few days but Spade has gone from black to white. He is now allowing me to be directly beside him. I can stand by his belly and do what I need to do with no tension or weirdness from him. I am no able to brush his entire core body minus the back legs below the hocks and the tail. Spade is MUCH more calm and I now have a cue that calms him immediately. I am almost to the point that I can trust that he will not try to kick me. I feel that once I get all of him under control then I will be able to get on safely. My goals are to continue what I have been doing until I feel totally confidant that he isn't going to kick. Then to be able to brush his tail for the first time and pick up his front feet. After he can do that with no problem I will probably start working on getting on and start teaching him. I will probably leave the back feet alone for a little while until I trust him more. I know that sounds kinda weenie of me but I really like my face. So now that I have let you in on my plan. I have no idea when this will be achieved. See a horse will tell you when they are ready for you to get on and try it out. There is a feeling that you get from them that lets you know that they are ready. I told Talicia today that it is like peaking in the oven over and over to see if your cake is ready. Well my "Cake" is almost done but not quite. LOL. I have a small goal to get on him before I leave for vacation next Thursday. But I will wait on Spade to let me know what is on his schedule. I trust that it is all in Gods timing. I am not sure if it would be better to ride him once or twice before I leave and let him think on that for a week. Or if I should just refresh when I get back and then get on. Not sure. What I do know is that Spade is very confidant outside the pen when we go walking and he loves his baths. It is super late so I am going to bed so I can find out what he is going to do tomorrow.