breakthrough!

I am SOOO happy! This was a night to remember. It all started when I went out early. Not thinking of training because our last session was so bad, I"ve been afraid to try again. Anyway, I did my cleaning and chores, and just felt like being with the boys tonight so i sat with them in between some other stuff.
Hoof was on me constantly. His chest was itching from some bug bites and he stood almost on top of me to get me to scratch him. With Hoof a little scratching is never enough. You have to scratch till either his skin is about to scratch off or your fingers one of the two. Finally I was like WOAH! I went into the house and got some would balm , came back out and promptly applied it to his chest and his nether region which was gettin eaten up by gnats. Hershey needed it too. Hershey is such a good boy i'm gonna blog on him soon. He's the man!
So anyway even after this Hoof would not leave me alone. Practically sitting on my lap.. I"m not kidding. I"m on my steps and he is literally walking up the steps to get closer to me!. THEN he will wrap his neck around my neck like he's hugging me but then tries to nip me. He's never really suceeded and he does'nt mean anything by it, I think he's trying to return the favor by "grooming" me, but there again he doesn't know his size. Still, i've always been afraid to really shoo him away for doing it when I really believe he just wants to make me feel good too! Problem is, he would hurt! LOL
Anyway,  I finally went and got the carrot stick so i could get some distance if i needed it, and he proceeded to play with the carrot stick. I just took it away from him and gently swung it over his back and neck . He stood like a little angel for that as i just sat there. It's supposed to feel like his mothers tail swishing him when he was a little guy cause it has a rope attached to it.. He really enjoyed it.
Anyway , he finally walked away bored. So it was fly predator night. Thats the night I Get to put my darlin little fly predator wasps in the piles of horse poop and the manure pile. I started walking around and alls Hoof saw was a bag. MUST BE TREATS! Lucky i had the carrot stick and I walked along shaking it up and down behind me like it was my tail . He followed but kept a distance. 
Then he did something he's NEVER done before. Only seen him do it with Hershey. As I walked further down into the field he had stopped and just stood watching me , then he whinnied for me. REAL LOUD. I was quite flattered. He did'nt like me going away from him. It was so sweet!
I did what i had to do and then came back and sat down. He stood about 50 feet just looking at me. So I motioned with my hand and smiled for him to come to me AND HE DID!
I pet him some more and finally he walked into the barn to eat some hay. So I started thinking. Thinking all about how 10 years ago when I got horses again as an adult, I had dreams of riding like I did as a kid. Just hopping on bareback and riding around the neighborhood. It never worked out that way this time. There was always a problem. I dont want to do any kind of showing, or rodeo or anything like that. Heck after what happened to Hoofs father Fool, I'll probably never leave our pasture. But to be outside at dusk on a warm summer evening and just hop on my boy and take a ride through the field with no fear. Thats my dream. Last time I rode through my field like that bareback was 10 years ago and it was'nt on Hoof. The horse I was on felt something around his fetlocks and froze. I calmed him for a minute and then BANG he bolted to the back of the field. Here I was holding on for dear life. Cant believe I rode it as long as i did. He ran to the back and then turned somewhere . Last thing I remember was going up the hill and seeing the dirt very close. I could not pull myself up so i had to let go. Knocked me unconscious. Thank GOD I had a helmet on. Later I examined the helmet and it was cracked up the back!  Had to go to the emergency room, I was pretty banged up. Had a bruise on my butt the size of my butt and thats no small thing let me tell ya. Although it was a bit smaller then.
Anyway, that kind of made me terrified of that field. Took Hoofs dad back there once with a trainer, but I was terrified so i've never gotten over that. I dont think there is anything as scary as being run off with like that. If I had a saddle on I could have gotten the horse under control, but I had not ridden in probably 20 years at that point and had no control bareback like I did as a kid.
I want so much to overcome this fear, but thats what makes Hoof being green so scary because that horse that i was on that night was green too and easily scared. He had been abused I think where Hoof hasn't so at least i've got that going for me.
Anyway, all i want to do is be relaxed and ride my little guy around the pasture and maybe a canter back to the barn. BUT...............I've got to work for it. SOOOO. I thought OK, he's obviously bored as heck tonight so i'm gonna see what kind of reaction I get if i get his halter out.
I walked out of the shed and instead of walking right up to him, I kind of walked away from him then I turned around half facing him and motioned for him to come to me, AND HE DID. He lowered his head and I put the halter on him . He was sooooo good!
Next I did the halter hold and immediately he dropped his head for me. I told him to wait and i walked around him not holding him.  Next I thought you know im just gonna walk till i get scared. The cat was on top the hill so we walked to her. Gave us something to think about. He did perfect. We walked to the cat and then came back to the barn. Hershey came out to see what was up and I did'nt worry. I just thought , you know if anything happens I can step away and let go if I have to. Next we walked up the other side of the field where the dogs were. Buddy barked but Hoof did'nt mind. It was very relaxed time on a nice warm summer evening. We stopped and practiced our dance next. That went well, but he kept trying to put the lead in his mouth like he always does, but this time I did'nt let it get ot me. I just kept taking it out of his mouth and even did some mouth work with him, ( but it did'nt help) LOL. I noticed when I tried to bring his back leg forward, I am supposed to pull him forward by the halter at the same time I tap his back leg and I cant reach. I need to ask carrie what to do about that. So I did the best i could and instead of getting frustrated, I laughed!
He was so good besides the mouthing. Next I Took hm back to the barn. I decided to end on a good note and I took his halter off of him. I did give him a treat , but OH WELL! It went so well I had to show him what a good boy he was. And of course Hershey got a treat for being such a good audience.  I am very happy . I will do this more now. Just a stroll around the field not too far. as far as comfortable . Late in the evening. I dont like to make the horses do anything when it's too hot and the bugs are around. Thats not fair I think.
 I know I could do some kind of trainng where I could BREAK my horse or rather have someone BREAK my horse and then smack him around and "show him who's boss" but I WONT! NEVER. I want Hoof to want to be with me. I thougth that was kinda a silly dream till tonight . We were a team!! a TTEAM! YAY!!!