So close, yet so far...

We've been looking for a trailer and it seems like everytime we get so close to getting one or finding one and its a big disappointment...
On Saturday we drove around all day looking and the only two we found were rust bucket pieces of trash. What a waist of a day....even thought Dad says it wasn't because we learned that the cheaper ones will be trash....
And then we found one last night that I really liked and we made our highest offer but the lady said they wont except it...they want more for it. :[  Another one we found down south some friends of ours went to look at it for us and it was trash...needed a lot of work.
Every time my hopes go up I get disappointed. And people wonder why I tell myself the worst will happen....THIS VERY REASON! ugh.
Yeah, yeah, I know I have so much to be grateful for and I am...but sometime "bumming" happens.
Whatever...Thats my gumpy post for the day.

I just wanna go see Inova....maybe he can make me smile.

Bye.

*Happy Dance*

I can't begin to tell you how happy I am about my time with Inova today!! :D!! AHH!! <3  Okay, okay here goes my day! This morning I went out to play and ride Inova all by myself so I could spend as much time as I wanted...and I spent 1 1/2 :] First off I got Inova outta the Pasture(which is a heck of a deal lately since the gate is broken and being held up with bungies and chains) and then drove/sent him to the saddle that was laying on the ground. After he got over to the saddle to my surprise this silly man bit the back of the saddle and picked it up. haha! If only I had a camera ready and with me so that I could have shown yall! He's such a goober! I love it! After he was bored with the saddle I played a bit of friendly with saddling and then saddled him.

After the boy was saddled, I needed to go get my stick and string so we could play some online...well I didn't expect him to just stand there after I walked away but he did...hmm interesting...when I can walking out with the stick he turned walked the other way...even more interesting! So i thought I would play a "reverse psychology" card and not walk to him and try to get him. Instead I stood there and just played around with the stick and then went to say "hi" to the other horses. That, my dear friends, is when Inova said "hey! what about me!!" and came walking over! :] aww what a buddy boy! So we just stood there and played some friendly game which was relaxing that we both were getting sleepy-eyed. lol

After some friendly we played some 'Stick-to-me' and other on-line. Then we rode. 

Yesterday I watched a video of Linda Parelli giving a student a lesson on the 7 games in the saddle and that gave me some inspiration! So normally we do a bunch of the circling game trying to work on transitions and staying at a walk or gait or stopping. So since i've been doing that so much today I decided we wouldn't do circling and we would work on something else and that something else became the yo-yo game. Fun fun! Be as I have never really done the circling game in the saddle He did a great great job :] Of course had a few "bleh" moments but of course they are going to happen. All in all he did fab. We even got a few steps sideways! :D!! He's such an angel!

And now to the most exciting part of the play time!!! After we got done riding I really wanted to try to swing up on Inova so I tested how he would take me grabbing on to his mane and hooking my foot on his back and he didn't mind. So I tried it...and WHA-LA!! I got up! :D The precious boy didn't even move an inch; even with all my scooting trying to make it all the way up. He's so amazing! I was so thrilled!! :D So that is my happy news! :D

Now onto the rest of the time between now and the last time I wrote in. 

Well... Road to the Horse went on last weekend. Wow what an amazing event. Pat did an amazing job with his colt, Troubadour. I am very proud to be apart of such an amazing program! Pat really showed love, language, and leadership out there. It was wonderful. You could really see the difference between Pat and the other trainers. Although I must say Chris Cox did a fabulous job also. And Congrats to Chris on his 3rd win at Road to the Horse! Pat may not have won but I'm sure glad Chris did! Personally I did not like Clinton Anderson...but that is my personal preference and that is all I'm going to say about that :]

Oh oh oh!! Guess who got a really nice camera!! Me me me!! :] Ahh, I love photography! Whoever said "A picture speaks a thousand words" is so right. Photo's are beautiful things :] Oh yes, the kind of camera I got is a Nikon D5000. Here are some pictures of some of pictures so far.

And that shall conclude tonights post ;]

Goodnight, God bless,

Elia

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9

Team Parelli!!!

All the preparations for Road to the Horse started the other day. You can feel the excitement all way in Florida! I so wish I were there...but web blog will have to do. :] And of course we all know who Im rootin for....TEAM PARELLI!!!! Whoohoo!!! The main thing that matters though is that the relationship and confidence is kept with the colt. We all know Pat will keep that and that already makes him first place in my books :]

Anywho...on another subject I helped Mom play with Sean on some game. She did good...hopefully she learned stuff lol. As I helped Mom I played with Inova...we worked on drawing the HQ towards me. I think it went real well. He's such a good sport! Gee wiz he's an angel! :D I do i do i do love him!! Only 25 days till our fast track!! It's coming so fast. I'm trying to not get nervous...can you guess how thats going? Right now its actually pretty good but it flops back and forth by the day(sometimes hour lol). I know the closer it get the more nervous/anxious I will get but what the hay..it will go away as soon as I get there and everything gets going.(at least I have haha)

My birthday is Sunday, April 10th, so it's during my F.T. but its on a Sunday...and normally I just hang out with the family and go to dinner...nothing to exciting, cept last year we got year tickets to Disney water parks....but since this year I'll be in Ocala with many parelli people(and we'll be super close to The Horse and Hound Restaurant, the best place ever I might add) I decided Im gonna have a huge get together for my birthday on Sunday. I'm inviting all my horsey friends and of course all my co - fast trackers and teachers to come to The Horse and Hound Restaurant!! :D I'm going to reserve the 'Hunt' room which seats 50 so that everyone will fit. I'm so excited, its going to be so much fun!!! Although I just hope we're all not to tired the next morning to get up for more lessons ;] haha

We'll thats my news for now...

Time to hit the hay (no pun intended ;])

I shall chat back tomorrow....or sometime soon at least.

In Christ,

Elia

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

2 Thessalonians 3:16

Clinic Pictures

Here are some pictures from the clinic(and a few others from other times)....I'm getting them printed for my scrapbook!


I'd like to share my Walgreens Photo Center photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.

I am so blessed!

 I can't tell y'all how blessed I am. God has given me so much; way more then i could ever ask for!
I have a wonderful natural horsemanship trainer who teaches me so much and we have tons of fun together. And I have a fabulous horse who has taught me so much in only 2 weeks.
This past weekend my trainer and I took Inova and Flipp(her pony girl) to a Quest Horsemanship Clinic. It was my first clinic and at first I was kinda nervous but once everything got going my nerves left(thank the good Lord) and I started relaxing and had so much fun! Of course I knew a lot of the stuff that we were doing but I don't have the obstacles they had. My goodness, obstacles make everything so much more fun and helps me be creative. I loved it!! Inova did so great didn't care about any of the "spooky" objects(ie. tarp, balls, blow up things, ect.). He got on the big tire pedestal  and went on the bridge that moves up and down like a seesaw. We even did lots of sideways!! With NO fence!!!! :D It was great I was asking him to move his shoulders over and then I turned it into move hips and then KABAM! we had the side ways!!!! It was wonderful! I was so excited!! He even side-passed over the cavaleti like a superstar! We even did some riding around with everyone else... :] It was great to be able to do all kinds of stuff like everyone else was doing...I think thats one thing i've really missed and now Inova is helping me to be able to do it all again! Thank you Jesus for giving him to me!!!
Can life get any better? ;] Ahhh <3 I feel like I'm on cloud nine right now (whatever that means...lol i just know its great..i think haha)
Well Mom, Sissy and I are off to get our hairs cut in a bit....so i best get my bootay movin... :P
Hope everyone had a fabulous weekend!
God bless,
Elia

Trust in the LORD, and do good;                           

Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. 

Delight yourself also in the LORD,                        

And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

                                                          Psalms 37:3-4

One armed kiddo

Well well well....i guess there is a good reason for my arm to hurt....I've sprained it in 3 places...the wrist, the elbow, and the shoulder. So now I must figure out a way to play with Inova with one arm...Hmmm...Oh well, life goes on.

Today was therapy! Favorite day of the week! All the smiling faces and big improvements!!

Thats all I have to say for today....
Boring, I know. ;]

Elia.

P.S. I'll post some pictures later :]

Can I have....

a new body???
Last week my back hurt and this week my arm is killing me....its like im a 18 year old in a 60 year olds body..bleh!..somehow i hurt it when i was messing with my saddle....something pinched in my wrist and its gotten worse since and hurts all the way up to my elbow and shoulder...grrrr. Chiropractor tomorrow after Hippo-Therapy!! whoohoo.

So yesterday I have the lesson to our friend. I tried to let her figure some stuff out on her own and she did amazing! I'm very proud of her. :] We did only ground work, all the games. It was quite fun. Next time we'll do some riding...work on some different things :] For Sean(moms horse) not being played with all the time he did a good job too...kinda stubborn but still a good job for him. lol He tried real heard to understand.

As for my love, Inova, he is doing great too! Haven't gotten to play long because of my stinkin arm....but we do play a bit every time i see him(which was 3 time yesterday and 3 times today!!! whoohoo!!!!!) I love seeing him. He's the perfect size to just hug on and he just stands there and excepts them. :] Sweet angel! I've been trying to see how soft I can be and directing ever step. It's fun to see how soft I can be...and man can I be super soft. It's so cool!! Some times I don't even have to get to phase 1 =O I only have to do phase .5 ... heehee Phases with-in phases.

Yesterday was valentines day as y'all probably know....and for being a "couples lovey day" and me being single....it actually turned out to be a nice day. I gave me lesson, saw my beautiful horse 3 times, Daddy and momma took me to dinner at Osaka's(where i never getta go), anddd Daddy brought me really good chocolate and momma bought me a chocolate rose! I have the bestest parents ever! They made my "icky" day much better then I expected it to be. :] And then we watched Despicable Me.....what a silly movie that is. I hope all of y'all had a great V-day also. :]


Goodnight,
God bless,
Elia

Here's a picture of me sitting with Inova as he eats din-din. 

:] <3

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Handsome Inova is an amazing boy. Goodness I can't get over have amazing he is. 

Yesterday we played with the saddle and mounting. He's been pinning his ears and looking back at me while trying to get on so I would just play the friendly game with it. Soon enough he got better and better. He was better on the right side then he was on the left...which kinda surprised me...hmmm what an interesting thing. Today was a lot better then yesterday with the mounting. I kept just dancing around holding on to the saddle. lol Inova kept looking at me like I was crazy hahah ;P 

Next week is our clinic :] I can't wait its gonna be so fun!! 

Goodness can you believe only 5 weeks till my Fast Track...GASP!!!! So close it's scary lol. I'm kinda nervous but oh so excited at the same time. :D

Tomorrow I have a little(well not so little, 12yo) coming to ride momma's horse. I'm gonna give her a lesson :] 

Until tomorrow,

God bless,

Elia

Liberty & Horse Behavior

They are the BEST dvd's! I have learned so much just from the Problem Solving with Circling game dvd. I used some of it tonight while playing and I must say...."WOW!" I'm so amazed. Not that it was all true(cause I know the Parelli method works 100%) but that I saw it and felt it. It sure is something every horse person should see and feel.
I can't wait for out Fast Track!! We are going to be 'licking and chewing' the whole month.

And I am rounding up all the ingredients that Parelli puts in their feed so that I can switch my buddy boys over to it. :] So far I have everything except Barley and Molasses....Hopefully will be able to make the trip to Clermont to get it tomorrow :] Unless I can find a closer feed store that has it.  I'm so happy they will be on a home mixed feed. I've been wanting to do it for so long and finally its going to happen!! I'll post some pictures of it when its all finished.
Whoohoo 2011 has sure been a grand horsy year :]

Until tomorrow, God bless and have a wonderful night.
Elia

Rain rain go away...

My backs feeling about 85-90% better today. Thank you Jesus!!

Oh and guess what! Once again its raining. Yippie. *rolls eyes* hah.

Since it was raining out when we were with the horse, I improvised and decided I would play with Inova in the carport/barn area. :] Why not, right? Theres enough room for some friendly game and short range driving. And that is exactly what I did. He didn't mind one bit(what a good sport he is).

Tomorrow I plan on doing some friendly game with mounting and dismounting. :] 

Here are some pictures from yesterday that I just got off my camera.

Isn't he GORGEOUS??? :]<3

Seany Boy <3

I'll write again tonight or tomorrow,

God Bless,

Elia 

But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ's triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.

2 Corinthians 2:14

Tomorrow's Only a Day Away

So much for playing with Inova today...=/ Ended up hurting my shoulder/neck this morning while playing with Comanche(Therapy horse) before our first session. :[ Don't know how I did it, it just started pinching and got worse as the day went on. Bleh. Oh well tomorrow's only a day away. :]

Other then that mishap today was a good day. We have a third kid coming on Wednesday's now! Yay! Our first session went well. She is improving so much! She is such a trooper. 

Our second child is older and is learning how to turn the horse on her own(im not helping her as much) and she's doing a wonderful job at it. She also trotted a bit and loved every second of it. It was so cute how happy and giggly she was. 

For our third child we took it slow because today was her first day. She did wonderful though. You could see the improvement of her confidence and relaxation get way better by the end of the session.

For the privacy of the children and their families I wont go into much more detail then that though.

Wow, I can't believe I've actually posted 4 days in a row!! Every time I try to start a blog I only post once ever 6 months to a year. haha. Hopefully I'll be able to keep this going. ;]

Exciting news!!! I got my Liberty and Horse Behavior DVD's in the mail today!! :D They are such great videos and so worth every penny! I'm so glad I actually own then now and can watch them whenever. 

Tomorrow one of my two parelli packages will be here. The other one will be here Friday. Three packages in a row! Whoohoo! I love getting stuff in the mail. haha

Well, I'm gonna go and hit the hay.

Hopefully shoulder/neck will feel better tomorrow and I can get a bit of play time in with Inova.

Until tomorrow,

Savvy on and God bless,

Elia

A picture of me sitting with Inova as he finishes his breakfast.

Slow and steady wins the race.

Coggin's test went real well this morning. Inova didn't even flinch :] What a good boy he is. The vet really liked him, said he has lots of great personality. Which he does! He's such a sweet boy, very curious and wanting to please.

So I tried to ride today and I think its to soon. I think we need to more ground work and build up our relationship for a few more day before we start riding. He was a little hyped up today, I think it was a mixture of things going on this morning. Im gonna play more friendly games with the riding maybe have my mom hold him while I mount and dismount. Slow and steady. Build up. No rushing things :] I want him to be conformable before we go any further with anything. Our relationship means more to me then anything. He's had such a ruff past and I want to keep the rest of his life as happy as possible. He deserves it. 

Our on-line play time went really well. My goodness he's a super star on-line! We even did some figure 8s! It was amazing! He's so soft and responsive it's the best feeling! Can't wait for more play time tomorrow!! He really keeps everything exciting and fun. :]

Tomorrow is Hippo-Therapy! The very reason I love Wednesdays! It is so wonderful to see how much horses help kids. I can't thank God enough for all the wonderful things He gives us to help others out. It is a pure joy to see the kids eyes light up when they are on the horses. I will write tomorrow with an update on how Hippo-therapy went and how play time with Inova went.
Have a goodnight everyone,
God bless and savvy on,
Elia

Here's pictures of Mom redlight-ing Inova and Sean :]

***For more information on Hippo-therapy Click Here***

***For more information on the Redlight/Photonic Health Click Here***

Matthew 19:26
Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Playing the games...

Whoohoo got to get some play time in before the rain came pouring down.

It was short and sweet and exciting! We did some drive the hips away, yo-yo, circling, and touch it. He did so well at touch it. I was so thrilled! :] He is so soft and responsive. 

Tomorrow the vet is coming to pull a coggins for him. 

On the 20th of February we're going to a Natural Horsemanship clinic for the day :] Its going to be fun play outside home. I've never been in a clinic so i'm really excited! 

Parelli Fast Track is in 1 month and 2 weeks today!!!  Ahhh yayy!!! Can you tell I'm excited!! :D

This is a picture my momma took after we got done playing. 

Have a great night y'all!

God Bless,

Elia

Beginnings

Yesterday I picked up Inova, my Tennessee Walking Horse. He is 11 years old and has had a hard past. The wonderful people I got him from took him to a natural trainer and got his confidence back up. Inova is my new partner who I will mostly be writing about. I let him settle into his new home the rest of the day yesterday and all of today and only did some friendly game with him. Tomorrow I will start the games and maybe a bit of riding the rail.
Last Sunday I went out to meet him. We played online for about 45mins and it was so fun! He taught me how to do sideways way better then I could. (I must remember to have rhythm!!) After playing online I rode him. At first both of us were a bit unrelaxed but after we both got used to each other we stared to relax. We did a bunch of 'folllow the rail' and keeping relaxed. Did some walk-stop transitions. After awhile everything was going great and I decided that would be a great time to stop on our first ride.
Inova will be going with me to my Fast Track in March. Im real excited about our journey and can't wait for all the many things that will happen!