Lyle's Progress, and Mine!

Dear Reader,

Lyle has made progress. When you see the pictures you will understand what I mean. When Lyle came home from the bad trainer, he would run away and seize the bit and stampede away under saddle. But the real problem was that he had learned to EXPLODE violently under saddle. The work that he and I did with the platform/pedestal following Allen Pogue's instruction has taught Lyle to control his emotions and therefore he no longer needs to explode. Because he is not exploding he can pay attention to me as his rider.

Lyle and I rode out side of our make shift square pen. We rode in the hay barn because it s some what confined yet open enough so that he can really move out. And move out he did! He practiced all of the vices that he had learned at the bad trainer's. He hardened/stiffened his neck and stampeded off. He "rubber necked" and evaded the bit by doing so and lastly he seized the bit and did the opposite of what I cued him to do.

The above are three very bad vices. But even so Lyle did NOT explode. Because he was able to control his emotions a little under saddle he was able to listen to me at least part of the time. The only "tool" that I had to use with Lyle was to practice the covenant of pressure and release that is the basis of all good training. We had to ride until Lyle settled down and started to give me some good turns. I do not know how long we rode, close to an hour I would guess. But when all was done, Lyle was at peace and had contentment in his heart. He had also started to give me soft turns in a more open space.

Personally, I am thankful for Lyle because he is showing me that the skill that I had many years ago is coming back to me. Medically the return of strength should not happen because of my chronic encephalitis and the partial blindness that I have. But God has other plans. So I am deeply thankful to God for His mercy to me.

I will attach the pictures in the next "letter" because I am not sure how to do them and do not want to loose the written part of this post. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Penny Johnson

Kootenai Curly Horses

Bonners Ferry, Idaho USA