"Officially" Starting Level 3 Liberty

I had been moseying with Liberty in Level 3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPTud9ECma0) but not in a specific Stage and not consistently. We are now ready to officially start our Level 3 Liberty and get serious about it! Sundance and I had our first official L3 Liberty session today, I almost cried. I was SO apprehensive, because I had set up some yellow rope to block off a certain side of the arena. That did not go well AT ALL in Level 2 about a year ago, he looked at the rope as a challenge. He used to get his "evil" hat on (which he used to ALWAYS have on) and took the rope on as a challenge, and of course a measly few ounces of rope had no chance against a pure evil 1,000 pound Left Brained Introvert. But today after warming up, he didn't even notice the rope! He treated it as a brick wall and kept his attention on Mom. His walk was concentrated on mother at close contact liberty, his attention was still totally on me at the trot too. Then, against Linda's word (I AM SO SORRY!) I went on, while it was good and send him out at the CANTER! (gasp) Wouldn't you know he did a perfect send, allow and bring back! While licking his lips. I cooled us down and went STRAIGHT to the barn to feed him his favorite num nums, almost crying... everything went so perfect! This Level 3 can seem easy, intimidating, motivating, perfection'ating', frustrating, cool, interesting at the same time. Sometimes I extremely dislike it with a passion, and sometimes I love it. I guess you'd call it a 'Love/Hate Relationship' and how fun it can be, but we all have to learn how to become emotionally fit. Yay for Emotional Fitness! Sundance and I are the best of friends, I think we both really are actual 'partners' a herd of two. And you know, it really feels good, it just feels right.

I am sure all of you are wondering about little Bebe! I have been using him a lot in lessons, he is such a wonderful teacher and comedian. I really enjoy teaching with him, and my students really seem to love him very much. Level 3 seems to be too hard core for him right now, I know I need to start back on our regular schedule but we kind of seem to be in a rut because he is not confident enough to get out there on that 45 foot line. I keep him right beside his herd, warm him up the way he needs to be, and his Level 1 and 2 are VERY good because he teaches them to students magnificently many times a week. So I am a little stuck, so I am giving him a little break to gain some confidence and then I will start back. If he still is the same way after some hard brain work, I will contact a Parelli Professional and maybe take him along with Sundance and I to the Jesse Peters clinic since we have a 3 hour lesson which may give us some time to work with Bebe. I am not giving up on him at ALL, just giving him a break and me some brain storming time while we teach together.