Jumping For Joy

Jakes has been doing riding lessons for about 3 years now.  He's been through several teachers over the years.  They have all been great teachers and he's learned things from them all.  One day we arrived to find another new teacher, Miss Torri.  She's been riding since she was 8 months old.  WOW!  Miss Torri brought her mother with her.  Miss Eileen has worked with horses and in many barns over the years.  She has been away from it for a long time.

Being at Ms Jill's farm is a healing experience.  And the farm worked its magic on Ms. Eileen as well.  She stood there watching all the kids, the ones taking lessons and the ones who were there early to work for their lessons. 

Ms. Jill was running behind on some lessons and asked Ms. Eileen to step in and help out.  It all came back to Ms. Eileen and she was in heaven.  She didn't realize how much she had been missing this until she stepped into the ring. 

That was three weeks ago and she has given Jakes his lessons every week that they've both been there.  She fell in love with my Jakes and who wouldn't?   He fell in love with her too.  Ms. Jill asked him to work with Ms Eileen, making sure she had the horses she needed, etc. 

Jakes and Eileen formed a wonderful team.  Ms. Eileen would be in the middle of the ring, tracking the progress of the horse and rider with Jakes walking (or running) beside the horse in case the rider needed assistance.  He listened to everything that Ms. Eileen was telling the rider and would help to remind the rider of their position, helping them to correct it before Ms. Eileen could. Ms. Eileen loved that Jakes was learning everything she was putting down for the other riders and she wanted to see if he would be able to apply it to his lessons.

For the last three weeks, Ms. Eileen has been giving Jakes his lessons and I have seen SO MUCH progress in him!  With the other teachers, Jakes would say "I'm not ready" and they wouldn't push him.  Ms. Eileen has been working on Jakes confidence and comfort with the horses and he has been trotting (something he was afraid of) and she had Jakes CANTERING this weekend!  He didn't realize it but he was!  Jakes even JUMPED this weekend!!!  And he went back begging to do it again.  Ms. Eileen has been a godsend for my Jakes. 



Jakes on Milkshake with Ms. Eileen instructing him

During Jakes lesson, Ms. Eileen told him he was off his diagonal.  He said, "I know, give me a second" and he fixed it without Ms. Eileen having to tell him how!  She was impressed by my Jakes.  I am impressed with my Jakes. ( I have NO clue what the diagonal is but as long as Jakes does, that's all I need to know) 

Here is the video Ms. Jill took when Jakes went over the jump. Sorry its so small. But I am still proud of the progress my Jakes has made!

At the end of the day, everyone gathers under the trees to chat and enjoy the delicious breezes that are ALWAYS at the farm.

The Gathering Tree

I have said time and again, how blessed we are to have found Ms. Jill's farm. There is just so much good being done there. Ms. Jill's mantra is "with God all things are possible."  And she is right. 

God does watch over this little farm and its inhabitants and visitors.

Say a prayer with me that He continues to watch over this little piece of Heaven on Earth.