Everyday is new.

Well I had me an exciting day today. This morning was Magpie's first ride. Yay! Well it was more like her first "sit". I never actually took any steps. LOL. Angie Robertson came out this morning to see how everyone was doing. I love bringing her out because it gives an outside perspective to how far my mustangs have come. She brought all kinds of toys for Magpie to play with. I took the first 15 minutes to let Angie see where Mag was in her training. I whacked her with my makeshift mop and pulled the ropes all around her. She did great. Angie wanted to bring in some foreign objects and see what she did. Mags played with a hoola-hoop and a big stuffed dummy. She would flinch every now and then but for the most part she was great. After an hour of goofing around we started to do half mounts (standing in the stirrup and putting all your weight in the saddle, without putting a leg over). I let Angie play with her for a while and then I jumped in to finish her off. The only time that I had any problem was when I went to mount the off side and I had my knee resting in her belly. She wasn't having that and she moved away and stomped her back leg. That kinda worried me but I moved on. I started to  belly over her and pat her other side. You could see her using both eyes like she expected me to be on. Angie kept telling me from the side "She is calm, her eyes are great. She has no fear." I am thinking to myself "I have enough fear for the both of us." It is always a little nerve racking on a first ride no matter what horse it is. But I am a little more nervous with the mustangs, because they are so quick and deadly accurate when they are frightened. I finally got up there, put a leg on both sides and found my other stirrup. I tried not to make any sudden moves. She was totally relaxed. I felt my heart rate climbing. When my heart started racing I felt her tense a little.  I kept telling myself "Breathe goober!" Angie and I both were holding our breath. The second I let out a sigh she relaxed. I started to feel more at ease. Angie ask me if I was going to get off. I could have cared less at this point but I figured why not get on again. So that is what I did. This time I sat up there and flexed her from side to side and rubbed my legs back and forth on her. She did great again so I stepped down. She is such a great girl.
After this morning I needed a break. Spade has been coming along fairly quick so I left and went with Talicia to go shopping for some stuff for the Mustang Makeovers. I am slowly getting my shirts and boots and such together. Shopping is always fun.
I was thinking tonight while I was typing that God was a genius when he made the days 24hours. I think that He knew that we couldn't handle much more than that in one shot. The Bible says that Gods mercy is new every morning. Boy am I glad for that. Lately it has been really tough on me physically and emotionally. There is so much spinning around me that somedays I don't even know what to do next. But the crazier it gets all I can do is trust that the Lord has my world in his hands. I never would have though that training for these competitions would be such a battle in my mind. On an hourly basis I am thinking about thousands of things regarding these animals.  What do I need to be training for next on Spade? Magpie? I wonder if I am on track so that I am finishing on time? Who has my kids and how they are doing? Why can't I sleep? I have to wake up and ride at 8 am again? Can't I sleep-in one day? How in the world am I going to get Spade to gain more weight? Will I have all the money I need to finish this? Oh my! What do I wear? I don't want to look like a dork! I better keep on training clients horses. How are they doing? Will the clients be happy? I hope my barrel horses don't get lazy? I am riding nothing but green horses!?...gosh I hope I don't get bucked off! After running these and many other question through my head I start thinking about all that God is doing in others lives through the work I have done and doing with the mustangs. That reminds me that I know that I am where I am suppose to be. God and I discuss many things all day everyday. I know He has me in this for a reason. I know some of the plan and some I don't. Either way I am trusting Him to tell me all things regarding this challenge....Which feed is better for these guys, which shirts to wear, where to find the good deals on all the things that I still need. He is so faithful to take care of even the little things in life if we would just let Him. I honestly think that I am a tool to be used in these competitions. This started out being a way to improve my training and to show others what my program is all about. But it has so turned into something that only God can receive the Glory from. This is His competition and I just want to be used to glorify Him in all that I do. So win or lose God is still on His throne and He is still in control of my destiny. And that is what keeps me smiling. :-)