Change Your Horse (and yourself)...One Step at a Time

      The biggest breakthrough in the riding and training of my horses came from three simple words: control its feet.  The first time it exasperated me.  How could I control my horse's feet when they were constantly moving and I couldn't see where they were from the saddle?  

      It started with correcting my horse for a step forward by moving it back into position.  Then putting a foot back into position when a foot stepped left or right.  Then I started to tell my horse how many steps a foot was allowed to take.  The more I put more thought in this, the more confused and frustrated I became because it took a lot of work and focus.  As I stuck with it, I learned to push aside my fears of doing something wrong, and embrace the opportunity to try.  Once I began seeing changes in my horse's behavior, it was then I began to see how valuable this advice was.  For example if I stopped giving my horse's feet direction, they would stop.  If I corrected a foot  for moving more than what I had asked it to, the horse began to slow down, hesitating to think about my cue before moving.  Granted this didn't happen immediately, but it did as I stayed consistent.  For my athletic and energized pony, the more control I had over her feet the more calm and attentive she became.   For my lazy and easy going horse, the more control I had over his feet the more athletic and respectful he became.  Getting control of my horse's feet and understanding  how the position of their feet affected my horse's movement has enabled me to keep my horse's attention and prevent myself from getting out of balance with my horse.  Eventually this understanding will enable me to do more difficult and advanced maneuvers such as spins and lead changes.      

     This one step at time concept has also applied to making changes in my own life.  As I continue to study God's Word, accept instruction from other wise mature Christians, and desire to live a life that reflects Christ, I see so many areas in which I fall short of God's standards.  Rather than getting discouraged and choosing not to try changing, I can take small steps in the right direction.  For example, choosing to speak with a pleasant, friendly voice when I would rather just be silent because I'm finding it hard to love that person or choosing not to complain or get sullen when a parent is not in favor of my idea.   Instead of getting all anxious and upset about the so many things that I'm not getting done or  want to learn, I am learning to stop and ask Jesus to help me focus on the steps I need to take to get an overwhelming or unpleasant task accomplished.  I am learning that great things are done, one step at a time.

 

"A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps."---Proverbs 16:9

 

"Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me."--Psalm 119:133

 

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way."

--Psalm 37:23

"Does He not see my ways, and count all my steps?"--Job 31:4

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:  Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth, who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.

1 Peter 2:21-24

Here are the words to a song that continues to be an encouragement to me as I grow up.

Little by Little

by Ron Hamilton

When mountains tower rugged and high,

rise to the challenge look to the sky.

Trust in the Lord and start out to climb;

reach for the goal one step at a time!

Growing in Christ takes work every day;

reading your Bible learning to pray.

Build godly habits, seek help divine;

great things are done one step at a time! 

Chorus:

Little by little inch by inch

By the yard it's hard,

by the inch what a cinch.

Never stair up the stairs;

just step up the steps.

Little by little inch by inch

"It's a cinch!"

 "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little there a little."   Isaiah 28:10