Beautiful Hope...

I'm very proud of myself :).  My timing, feel, and patience levels have skyrocketed all of the sudden.  I don't know what triggered it but I'm glad something did.  It also has helped me feel happy and content when I work on the ground.  Not uptight and tense.  Whatever's working better keep working ;).

Sonny has had two sessions since I last posted.  One was last night and the other was the day before.  I'll start with the day before's.  I'm going to try writing in a more 'story' style because I think that that might help me get my feelings and what was happening down better :).

The air had a bit of a chill to it, which I was reveling in seeing how I live in Southwest FL.  My feet bare crunch on the shale driveway.  Children are playing on the trampoline and our two dairy goats are staring at them from the other side of the fence begging to be let on with them to play.  I walk into the barn, nab a featherlight and let myself into the first stall and open the back gate, calling for the horses.  Horses, goats, dogs, and cats come running.  I lean down and give the dogs a pat.  Sonny walks up asking a question.  I loop the featherlight around his neck and reply to his question by saying, yes he can go into his stall.  I open the stall door and step out of the barn.  Sonny immediately starts diving for leftover hay and I think nothing of it and just keep plowing ahead.  I get out by the trampoline and volleyball court (Lexi's a volleyball junkie) and ask him to circle around me at a nice connected walk.  At first he fights me and eats grass every chance he gets (aka every time I go into neutral or semi-neutral) but then I go, Hmmmm, how interesting!  I start to play a game with him.  He understands that when I point he should get with the wind and when he doesn't I know he's slackin' himself off.  So, every time he would stop I would point, then tag where he's standing.  He comes around again and grass dives.  Facing him I point, then tag the spot.  He jumps about 10 feet in the air and picks up a trot.  I want a walk so I pick my stick up, wiggle it in front of him and he walks.  Throwing a look my direction of wonder and just incredibility he stops and grass dives checking to see if it was just a fluke what I just did.  I point and just as I raise my stick to swing he takes off at a trot believing me that he'd better get out of there.  I ask for a walk and he starts licking and chewing.  I go into neutral and see what he was going to do when he got to the best 'grass spot'.  He pulls and looks like he might just nibble that grass but decides against it.  He starts to walk along with the funniest look.  It's a look of just pure amazement that I could make it so he wouldn't eat that grass...  I'm standing with a smug look on my face and I ask him to come in, and he obliges.  Dad starts yelling for me to milk the goats and feed the animals.  So, Sonny and I head towards the barn.  Much to his happiness...

That session probably only lasted around 5-10 minutes but it turned out very well and I think he had fun 'cause the next time I came to get him he came right up and bent his neck around (the way my horses accept being haltered.  I halter from the shoulder so they bend into me so it's easy for me to put the halter on.  Both Sonny and Toby will bend their necks if I do.  Sonny even does it from the saddle :} ) for me to halter him :}.  I'll post about my other session tomorrow...  I have to leave to go home b/c I just finished my drug and alcohol online test so I can go in and get my permit :).  Hopefully I'll get it next week...  Yay!  lol ;).  Oh, and when I find my camera charger I'll post some pictures :).