Tuesday magic day

After 3 rainy days, I went to the barn rested, relaxed, prepared to take my time and not try to do too much--to be aware of both horse's mental frame. It would be great to be in such a good frame of mind everytime as we all enjoyed our day.

When I arrived Try saw me and went to the fence to meet me. However, Spiderman was first up today as I wanted trail time at the end for Try.

Spiderman and I spent at least a half hour at liberty in the paddock out back and he followed me like a puppy or came to me with just the slightest invitation. WOW. Also we had helicopter in all five zones and he followed me while I swung the stick and string pendulum in front of me. We had stick together but not yet a sense of Spiderman mirroring my gaits.

On Line: We did drive the FQ and quit when he planted the back feet and did a couple steps of pivot.
Also maintain gait while backing--he is at least getting the idea of backing to the end of the rope with lots of stops between--hard for me to be neutral.

Riding: walk til blow, lateral flexion and disengage HQ softer than before but he still gets concerned, passenger--yup he goes to the gate--did for five minutes. Some time it would be fun to just leave the gate open and see where he would like to go. Figure 8 pattern--druthers to go to gate and pedestal and doesn't realize he is supposed to take responsibility for the pattern. ASK DAN list. Million transitions on the rail while I got my 4 laps of no stirrups in.

BA cleaned him up--clipped bridle path etc--mane is coming along--

Try: sticking together changing sides and slow spin and go were GREAT
Backup: maintain gait all the way to taking the rope off the ground--I could see her click in and understand the concept of lifting the rope being ok.
Circle leg yield: yes it was absolutely there.

Ride: walk til blow, lateral flexion, wheel barrow turn--I wan't clear but Try was. HQ backup--I quit when she started backing, bits of contact, etc. Then we walked out of the ring and she chose to go right up the road then right to go past the geldings' pasture--not a surprize since she is in season. Then we came back and rode in her field with the hills. Walk the perimenter to check footing after the rain. Then trot serpentines and she picks up impulsion going down hill. Then WONDERFUL relaxed, unemotional canter circles. Some time soon I think it would be interesting to make up a pattern where we canter up hill then transition to something else.

Finished with cleaning up some and clipping ears, muzzle, bridle path--too cold for a shower.

Saturday, Sunday, Monday

Weather: cold and rainy. Time to catch up on other things, get a break etc.

Apology accepted

Lovely day with Spiderman
I was prepared--todo list shortened and set up for success in rebuilding his confidence as the goal for today.
This was achieved tho the video showed times where he was not tuned in to the game and next time I can ask for more.

Big achievements:
1. Helicopter in zone 5 no hands on him -- first time, really good--will need reinforcement I am sure.
2. yoyo: he will back but still no concept of maintain gait??????? I need input.
3. We rode for the first time in the 200x300 ring with no bit--possible the first time in his long career. I found no issues with it. We walked til he blew--about 6 strides!! We did our lateral flextion and diseng HQ from indirect rein--it feels messy to me and needs more time and persistance. We did figure 8 and follow the rail--they went well--no doubt about his knowing follow the rail and he was doing figure 8 from change in body weight but ?? not understanding it as a pattern per se. Also did laps of no stirrups posting trot for me on very loose reins. started 9 step backup and it is better than the indirect rein as more familiar I am sure.

Apologies

Today I made two trips to the barn and did extended apologies to Try and Spiderman.
They got dwell time and rubs in the pasture. Also friendly, dwell and sticking together in the small paddock.
Eating grass, hanging out.

Spiderman followed me (stick together) at LIBERTY while I swung the stick and string--that used to set his feet moving even on line!

Take the time it takes

Well, after being super fired up after 4 days with Dan Thompson, I was full of excitement, energy and drive to get things done, improve and achieve.

What I achieved was getting all task oriented and ticking off my LBI and scaring my RBE!
Back to basics, dwell time, apologies in order.

well yuck

Went to the barn with a clear plan. Decided to use the field by the barn for filming instead of doing half out back in the small paddock and half in the ring. Well that did not work 1. lush grass and it took awhile to get Try and I on the same page. 2. camera was too far away--no detail. 3. Footing not so great.

Tomorrow is another day.

Tue tired, spacey and caused Spiderman to be RB

I was still exhausted from the weekend and should have stayed home as after videotaping and watching it carefully, Spiderman was never really relaxed. Did too much, too long. Need to apologize with dwell time, friendly and maybe easter egg hunt.

1.       Liberty stick to me

a.       Good to be in his sweet spot if he leaves me

b.      He has more draw than Try and often I am his sweet spot

c.       Match his energy plus 4 ounces?

d.      Is he RBI or RBE?

2.       Lotsa friendly z5 obj stick string

a.       Much better about tolerating stick and string in z1-4

b.      Not relaxed

c.       Saddle pad no reaction

d.      Hoola hoop – initial reaction then didn’t care

e.      Throwing rope over his back again tolerant but not relaxed

3.       Circle cue send, rhythm, relaxation contact

a.       I remembered to cue as lightly as possible

b.      And to see what it takes—he leaves with a point and needs lift the stick to go from walk to trot

c.       Bring back soft

d.      Allow 4 laps pretty good rhythm, relaxation and definitely contact

4.       Drive FQ--didn't get to this.

a.       Escape back keep going

b.      Escape front back and over

c.       In the game

5.       Yo like try--maintain gait at neutral

a.       Needs rethinking and simulations

b.      My focus

c.       Get him into the game

d.      Dwell and reflect time at end of 22 and my life down

e.      Neutral life up life down

6.       Sideways following keep going occas Z4/release

a.       Please rethink this so he can find the good deal!!!

Riding

1.       Mounting, rock him to prevent walking off

2.       Be friendly with the stick

3.       Diseng  take your time, go slow more repetition,

a.       Comb bend

b.      Add hold

c.       Add disenga HQ

d.      Walk to stop

e.      Trot to stop

4.       Follow the rail

a.       Walk trot walk

b.      Reverses

c.       Stop and back

5.       Figure 8 walk and trot

more thoughts on the weekend

Mary and Jack: maintaining gait in the backup--one thing at a time, play with impulsion another time
Joyce: see video
Ruby: wow, check our core games for fear and dominance both Try and Spiderman
Sara: catch me--laps, whose game is it?, rhythm relaxation and contact
Also draw--find the connection first
Ride: bowtie and figure 8 bridleless with barrels close together

More humanality and day 1 review

Monday Try and I reviewed that we did with Dan on Thursday. I filmed the liberty and on line part. Plan to film some freestyle next time.

1. Sticking together/catch me: practiced changing sides in the sticking together. I would like to be lighter in my cueing but more effective but we got the full circle and keep going in the switch and I remembered after awhile to hold my hand out for Try to catch up with me. Some where along the way she drifted away--bored or something and I suggested if she wanted to leave that she do so with conviction. Started with messy trot, she hit something along the woods and gave some cool bucks and took off cantering, after awhile the canter and then trot gained rhythm and relaxation and finally contact, we did a few of the more relaxed change of directions we've ever had at liberty and then game over. The change of direction needed more precision from me.

2. the back up maintain gait was fabulous on Try's part--did not see any reaction to rope coming off the ground. I was able to maintain life up and finally remembered not just life up but neutral and Try read it and kept backing. Try gets super learner award for this!

3. Circling and leg yield w/inside hind leg: we were getting this but I was tired and messy and not reading it as well as I would like.

4. Riding--took long time to blow then did wheelbarrow turn and Try was flat out awesome, thank you.

5. HQ steps into backup--I was just too tired to focus

Decided NOT to go on to Spiderman--it was a BIG past 4 days and still really tired--need to catch up with myself a bit before resuming the 2 horse, 4 hour days.

HUMANALITY
Called Becky and got an appointment and explained the horsenality/humanality stuff to her to discuss my new found RBE side. Incredibly I have been hiding this from myself--who me fear?? naw but yes that nervous energy/adrenalin is fear based for sure and I've earned the right. Have learned to hide it as its "shameful" and adaptive to hide it. But now it seems the best way to keep it from affecting me adversely will be to recognize it and be as gentle with myself as I would be with a horse or another human.

Sunday thinking about "humanality"

Watched Sara's two hours with Dan Thompson and Nickers. What a fun pony and what fun to watch him thinking and watching his joy of movement.

Thoughts: the humanality report is coming out--wonder what I am? All over the board? Core LBE?? but not extremely LBE can be quiet also. Joy of movement. Going RBI when threatened. Handling pressure by going RBE??? Looking forward to the report.

Celebrating the Journey Itself

Celebrating the Journey Itself

After 4 days of lessons, auditing, demos etc with PP Dan Thompson I am feeling a great sense of peace and that sort of cloud of overwhelming warmth and positive feeling for the whole world--That all enveloping positive state.

In so doing I am considering the value of celebrating daily the journey I am on and being less concerned about achieving a result. Although I am on a quest to use the best of myself and abilities toward excellence in horsemanship, taking my time, not hurrying to reach a goal has to be key. It is so lovely to stop each day and enjoy the wonder of being in the company of a horse.

As a ballet student, dancer, teacher, arts administrator, etc., the pressure of achieving—meeting demands of choreographers, performing while exhausted, financial goals of a dance troupe etc—could take away the joy and become a “job.” My original desire to dance was the love for the joy and freedom of moving to music. Although I was able to stop and tell myself to enjoy the journey even in the most pressured times; it would have been so much better if it the original joy could have remained foremost and success secondary.  The dance world I experienced could be both positive and negative to the extreme. And I learned to add to any negativity by pushing so hard toward goals.

So now I am retired from dance and pursuing horsemanship. I got “into” horses for, again, that joy and freedom of movement and also the wonderful, incredible relationship with the horse. In the beginning it was just about the connection and relationship. Then, naturally, the desire for Parelli NH knowledge came as I wanted to learn to be everything my horse wanted me to be.

How wonderful that the Parelli program is such a positive one—that contacts with instructors, Linda, Pat, tour stops, courses, materials, social media all have that stamp of positivity to promote that sense of celebration and putting the relationship first.

So can I stop and savor every day at the barn as the gift it is? How fortunate for this to be my life.

Saturday Dan Thompson

9 - demo with Sudoku
10 - ?&A
11-Ruby and Tonka
lunch/visit

Great day for SSPP with Dan Thompson--super turnout!!

Friday auditing Dan T at Mary's

Great audit day.

1. Mary and her LBI--so similar to Try--great to watch to reinforce what we did yesterday. Maintaining gait at the backup--no need to increase impulsion while we are establishing this.

2. Aimee became confident with use of tools in the figure 8 etc.

3. Joyce did 3 hours with Wave and Old Man. Including great catch me game with Old Man, freestyle riding and liberty.

I enjoyed seeing the transition from on line to liberty and was glad to be reminded that you should do on line as if its liberty and vice versa. Also Dan pointed out that the tendency is to be rude on line because we can and to beg at liberty because we are afraid they will leave us (don't love us). If they would like to leave, assist them to leave with conviction.

Dan Thompson Try and Spiderman!

Great long afternoon yesterday 12-6 plus 4.5 hours private instruction with Dan Thompson. Lots of great fun stuff to work for the next at least few weeks. See notes PP for specifics.

Try: all about HQ to begin preparing her for powering up thru top line.
Spiderman: friendly, relaxation, knowing how much to do, beginning freestyle with indirect rein etc.

I was pleased with how well Spiderman is progressing and gaining confidence.

I'm back

I have had a slower two weeks, less sense of push to accomplish. Partly because of a little cold last week, partly being rivetted to the tv coverage of the troubles in Japan and mostly just needing a little break.

Yesterday I spent a leisurely 4 hours at the barn--primarily preparing for Dan Thompson.

Try: seemed happy to see me and very pleasant and relaxed

1. Nice sticking together including 6'circling me at liberty. Fun to see connection grow in just a few minutes.
2. Find my focus needed reinforcement and not as good as it has been
3. Girth: steady pressure, take my time.
4. Passenger game in the field: 15 min at the gate.
5. Walk til blow--blew quickly
6. 7 step soft feel--once to review for me
7. Falling leaf was very good and 360 spins with nice shoulder swing
8. Backing--lost some ground--did not get good impulsion without reins

Spiderman: also seemed glad to see me.

1. Lots of friendly/extreme friendly time and it seems to be paying off in confidence and relaxation.
2. Backup and find my focus were very good
3. Circle game still needed reinforcement not to break gait
4. Day1 freestyle: walked in small paddock with halter and 6' lead and carrot stick. He responds so well for turning to body weight and leg that carrot stick was easily introduced--better than Keystone. Also he did not mind having the rope thrown ove his head. Next time: go to the ring and trot and start freestyle patterns.

Rainy day, study day

Spent today reviewing notes from sessions with Dan Thompson monthly since August--had not done so since first of January and found that a lot of it has whole new meaning now.

Found 12 clusters of ideas that keep repeating and will post them here later.

Then I was curious and went back and watched myself lunge and ride walk/jog/canter Lucky at Rollover about ten years ago. It was interesting in that I looked more like I was confident and knew what I was doing than was the case--I actually was pretty much scared most of the time and trying to pretend I was not.

Then I thought it would be interesting to watch some on line level 1 from the assessment done by Carol Coppinger back in ??2004. I saw a lot of unnecessary phase 3 and 4 and Try pretty tuned out.

Next I viewed the level 3 on line from about two years ago and could see improvement but couldn't see why I was so into doing it right instead of just dancing and having fun--real lesson for me there!!

Wednesday Trail Ride

I was feeling the need to not PUSH today--Beth Anna was around and up for a trail ride together so she rode Try bareback and I rode Spiderman in close contact saddle. We went around the trail on the property then up the road to check out the cows.

I was pleased Spiderman was lovely and calm and followed Try--he was curious about the cows only. Now I know I can take him out by myself. Also from last week I know he will settle easily at a new place.

Try was great also including staying relaxed at the walk on the way back to the farm.

On Line with Spiderman: lotsa time with friendly today working on myself to teach stick and string doesn't mean lunge. I can touch his check and he doesn't move; also I can do the back to the fence and he will stop and come to me--I wonder how to progress this???

Backup: he understands this from yoyo with finger, little shake of rope, little stick etc.
Stick to me trot and back--we got one that was great.

Squeezed over a small jump was also great DUH.

Tuesday with Try

I am so out of it right now--fuzzy brain.

I went to the barn and did not have riding boots just tennis shoes--sheesh. So plan B.

Try and I spent 30 min or so out back--sticking together and back foot on the pedestal etc.

Then I figured I could ride bareback in tennis shoes so we walked til she blew, soft feel, falling leaf, backing reinforcement, and canter.

Monday with Spiderman

Monday I just didn't have much energy so played online and liberty with Spiderman for at least an hour. Took lots of time for things and inbetween and varied what we did.

• Friendly: If I keep my hand on his chest, he doesn't take swinging stick and string over his back as a cue to move his feet. How can I progress this? Did back to the fence slap ground and he would move and stop and draw to me. He doesn't mind being rubbed with objects. Its just decades of stick and string (whip) meaning move your feet and lunge.
• Porcupine is so lovely FQ/HQ neither a ball or chair, head down is good--light cue but no understanding, backing from the chest is ok and from the nose--opposition reflex
• Driving--FQ/HQ 360s good. Touch it is coming--nose on an object. Not hard to get him to move his feet and can do from 20' away but slow to respond to what I intend once he gets there.
• Yoyo: not unconfident about backing thru gate or barrels and comes to me easily. Doesn't understand that yoyo is the game??
• Circling: he surely understands this one--send is whatever gait I want--allow is good with a bit of reinforcement, bring back is inconsistent--he doesn't look for me to help him in or look at his HQ?? Also upward transitions on the circle are good but downward not so much--curious as he would just as soon stop on the circle.
• Sideways--I would like this to improve so that he understands what sideways is and is willing to do it in a lovely relaxed fashion. Today the second side wasn't as good as Saturday.
• Squeeze--no issue with going between barrels 2' apart. How to progress--over, under--jump?
• Pedestal--we played with this a good bit and I found the lead with one leg method to put his foot on the pedestal and then give a treat--we will see how soon he catches on to this.

In summary, he is lovely, sweet and so relaxing to be around. I feel safe, warm, and curious/interested in the process. He seems to enjoy this attention as well even tho he can lose confidence with stick/string/driving not meaning lunge. I think he would make a lovely horse for a parelli student who wants a safe horse and be able to have a nice horse to ride--hope that or something similar happens for him when he has to go home.

Not ready to film L1 with Spiderman

Saturday I set up all in small paddock to film L1 and see where we were at.
Well, I got all task oriented and predatorish--happily I was able to spend a bunch of time with Spiderman after playing around and we had fun. He figured out if he would touch strange object with his nose he might get a treat and was gung ho.

The plan--this took 12 minutes and I felt like I was hauling him thru this--we usually take so much more time and dwell in between. He does not know these games well enough to understand doing them in a 10 minute time frame.

1. Friendly: rub legs including back legs with stick, lift tail and swing stick/string 6x
2. Porcupine
3. 2 barrels: squeeze, move apart for yoyo, further apart for figure 8
4. stick to me and back up and touch it
5. circling game: 4 laps all gaits and halt/bringback
6. fence: sideways and squeeze

What a great week!!

Wow this week:
Road to the Horse: left with an over whelming sense of love and peace.
Accomplishments and progress especially sideways for Spiderman and falling leaf (riding) for Try.
Try: entire session in the field in stead of the ring.
Spiderman: GoC Monday and a magic on line/liberty on Tuesday.

Thursday: Beth Anna and I took 4 horses to Catherine Marks. Great confidence builder for me. Warmed up both Try and Spiderman on line and then rode inside, in out door rings and mainly by our selves as Beth Anna was usually riding in different rings.

I am so fortunate to have this in my life.

Wednesday Try and I in the field

Try and I spent our time together Wednesday playing in her field. Her pasture mate Angel was there also--she wanted to play with us but was lovely about going back to grazing when Try and I got active.

We started slow on line but neither one of us could seem to get any real impulsion or energy going as we got started. If everything means something I supposed that wasn't real good but that's what it was--kinda 1/2 hearted from both of us.

When we saddled up it changed:  Likely because my energy level came up knowing we were riding in the big pasture.We walked til she blew (quickly) and I did my pilates warmup (roll down, the saw etc). Then played with a soft feel at a walk and stretching down. Walk and trot halt and back--backup much improved--better impulsion and lighter cueing--did not need the stick on the butt just a little leg. Falling leaf was a wow--good turn on the forehand and lovely swing of the shoulders. I was so proud. A little sideways--a bit sluggish still--this was wonderful on line on Monday--hmmm.

We also did some canter yoyos: pretty good depart and energy, halt could be snappier and stopping with reins down to test for quick relaxation was also pretty good. Next we trotted and cantered the 6 barrel pattern in different ways--for point to point and relaxation and for me to test that I did not need reins to follow focus and make turns.

All in all a good day. Looking forward to Thursday taking Try and Spiderman to the indoor at Ft Barnwell for something different.

magic day with Spiderman

Lovely, lovely day. It was muddy, windy and cold but sunny. Spidey and I went to paddock behind the barn out of the wind. We were there at least an hour--play a game then a little liberty, dwell, friendly, play another game etc. It just felt good to be together.

Friendly: stick and string means friendly not cueing movement if I am touching him.
Porcupine: really nice 360s--lighter HQ
Driving: lots of interspersed--put to purpose--lots of touch it easter egg hunt game with carrot slices.
yoyo: backing is intuitive now from a little rope wiggling or stick/string
circling: relaxed--he has good upper transitions but could learn downward better and diseng HQ turn and face could be better.
sideways: I am satisfied with this now.
Squeeze between me and the fence turn and face--there right off the bat--work for lightness in getting the turn HQ/FQ.
Haltering with savvy: I am kinda clueless here--he will put his head down but not coupled with haltering tho he isn't lifting his head for haltering just doesn't know to help me out by putting his head down.

Monday

Try:
She was feeling very laid back, sluggish today. Warmed up to raise energy level using backup--took a bit for her to remember it (reinforcing a refinement??). Then circling with falling leaf and Try showed some temper/dominance and worked through it pretty well. Then we had some of the best (speed, distance refinement) sideways away and towards on both sides--wish I had filmed it.

Riding: freestyle, carrot stick. Ride til blow, soft feel at the walk like what I am doing with Spiderman and it was improved, stretching down, leg yields on the circle. Falling leaf really using the carrot stick and I got some really good shoulder swings. Reinforcing the speedy backup--good even without the stick on the butt. Canter yoyos were sluggish but we did em. Cantered randomly around the ring, jumps etc--did not need much stick--my focus, belly button leg--Check this by keeping the reins on the neck.

Then we played with barrels in the field trot and canter.

Spiderman:
Started riding in the ring--Bethanna was riding Forrest. Spiderman spooked one time--similar to the time I fell???? Anyway did session with walk, trot, canter with some contact. My best no stirrups sitting on my balance point canter in close contact saddle ever. Note: On line warmup is important for good energy from Spiderman when we start riding and he was also really sluggish starting out today.

Finished after a nice long shower with sideways in the paddock and Spiderman is really getting it now. I need to be sure to give him plenty of slack and only cue the lagging body part.