Heat and deer flies

Thursday I went to the barn early to avoid the heat. Try was already miserable. I sponged her off to cool her, used bareback saddle and went to ring for warmups, isolations, and some lovely canter etc all the while killing deer flies on her. Then showered off, treats for lateral flexion on her right side. Remembering zero tolerance.

Fun day today

After initial session of zero tolerance of bad attitude, Try and I went to the ring and did the usual warmup plus the 6 laps of no stirrups. Then we joined BA and Angel for a trail ride up to the white house. The highlight was Angel's spook when she saw the horses there. It was fun and just what I needed.

More "Happy" Thoughts

Karen Rohlf also has a video segment on happy humans and horses this month. Coincidence?

She discusses the goal of the happy athlete in the dressage training scale. She posits that the reverse order might be better:
1. Happy
2. Harmony
3. Communication
4. Technique
5. Dressage

A happy horse does not preclude focused/precision riding. Happy: curiosity, exploration and freedom. Also a human can't perform well if judging and criticizing and not in the here and now.

Happy is a life's work.
We should not use our horse as motivation for personal happiness.
It is NOT our horse's responsibility to make us happy. Don't put that burden on them.
Its not just something--Its everything.

Wednesday: Lovely day together

I continued zero tolerance today and Try seemed happy and content with little opposition to anything.

Liberty: Right off the bat she gave nice figure 8 and the 2nd time fig8 at the trot. So we quit there and went inside where it is cooler for grooming. Lots of hanging out and visiting as BA and Jen were there grooming their ponies and Katie was visiting as well.

Then out to the ring: The usual warmup followed by lots of dwell time as I wanted to stay out of the way as Jen was taking a very exuberant LBE Katie over a jump course. Then Try and I resumed with an emphasis on the shoulder/HQ/rib isolations for conditioning purposes. Try did them well and we did each once or twice and then onward to a few canter laps--they were lovely--Try was using her HQ well.

Leaving the ring we played with emotional fitness in and out of the gate: I like the turn and circle back to the rail method--it seems to settle her where backing makes Try more emotional.
Then showered off and dwell time while visiting with Pauline, new boarders etc--Try came and snuggled up with me. We ended with treats for more lateral flexion stretching on her right side.

Wednesday: Linda Parelli quote on positive emotional fitness

“Horses LOVE happy humans and you cannot fake that,” says Linda. “To me, the definition of ‘happiness’ is being content with the present. It’s hard to do anything meaningful in the future if you’re coming from a position of dissatisfaction in the present. Horses can help us learn to cherish every present moment. Parelli is all about learning how to become the kind of person horses want to be with, feel safe with, and will do anything for.”

I love this quote. I remember someone said in human relationships i.e. spouses--so often the focus is on fixing the negative instead of celebrating the positive. Taken further--that would be me celebrating what is wonderful about Try AND Try's response to the positive attitude I have toward her.

Even further, not only positive attitude toward her but positive, joyful, peaceful, in love with life on my part and its influence on our time together. i.e. the 'magic" days we have are usually when I go to the barn with a that overall glow of peace and love and the desire to just enjoy some time together and only loosely caring about the agenda/progressing.

Another consideration, as Try is LBI, she might at best find curious my RBE joy, and prefer the peaceful/love kinda positive energy. Depends on where she is--when she gets an LBE joy going herself I guess we can both play with positive exuberance.

Leapfrog in the big pasture

Fun Monday--joined BA and Jen with Riley and Roy for games in the big pasture. We played leapfrog by changing leaders in different ways, different gaits walk, trot and canter, and different patterns. Lots of canter and fast canter that I stood in western saddle for when it was too rough/heavy on the forehand.

Then Try and I played the leave the pasture calmly game.

We started the day with a continuation of figure 8 and catch me. Try has figured out the game and when I send her out (when she chooses to not do the figure 8) Try stops on the rail as soon as possible--so not repeated change of direction. Also lots of draw tho perhaps not as much as last time. Try has still not taken full responsibility for the figure 8--I am helping her make the turn/draw.

Friday - One hour catch me/figure 8

Today I knew it was time to get my act together to follow up on the catch me game variation to use to help Try take more responsibility. So I chose the task of figure 8 at liberty as one that requires Try to be active but mildly so and one that she knows but does not do well.

We then alternated my asking Try for the figure 8 and my sending her out to the rail to circle when she would not do the figure 8--she tried to avoid the task with leaving, offering cool stuff I didn't ask her to do etc and I did not back down.

Once on the rail I gave her a lap or two so she could settle in to the rhythm then used the change of direction approach and set it up so I didn't have to move more than 6-10 feet to keep her changing direction until she changed toward me, stopped, drew to me.

Actually, Try is learning this game and looked for the opportunity to turn toward me--I back a bit to release the pressure and she gave me some of the best draw I have ever seen.

The interesting thing is how long it took to get the figure 8. Also each time I needed to send her away I remembered the Jim Carrey sense of fun and laughed and played and enjoyed it.

Eventually we got a figure 8 with a trot on the allow both directions but I really helped her a lot. Especially going to the right helping to block the front end so she would come to me instead of doing something else. She was more RBI/RBE than LBI for a lot of this--I need to rethink and visualize that for next time.

THen we went to the big pasture for our mile of no stop no stirrups posting trot. When finished she did the old emotional I want to rush thru the gate deal so we did a lot of backing. I wasn't very successful with this as I was tired but took a pretty good try. I need a session soon where I allow enough energy myself for us to work through this.

Next a shower bath and I saw some bad attitude LBI stuff coming up so we went back to the paddock for two more figure 8s at a trot--no catch me needed and we finished with a very pleasant attentive Try.

Thoughts from Linda's Blog

"Here’s the problem – a horse can feel a fly land on him, so when you are applying 1000 times more physical pressure than a fly, you are working way harder than your horse! It’s not that he can’t feel you, he just doesn’t respond until a certain amount of pressure is applied. This would be like telling a dog to sit 10 times, and he doesn’t sit until the 10^th time. You’re actually training him to sit when you say it the 10^th time! So concerning the horse, if you keep going to Phase 3 and using a lot of pressure he’s only going to move when you get to Phase 3, and he’s going to stop moving unless you maintain a similar level of pressure.

Here’s how I improved it: I asked lightly and politely expecting a positive response. When he ignored me, I started flapping the Savvy String around until he jumped forwards (note – I create commotion vs smacking him). The moment he moved, I released all pressure and rubbed and scratched him effusively. Then I asked again. It took about 6 repetitions before he responded as soon as I lightly asked. Instantly, his whole attitude was different – more alert, more connected, brighter. He even started moving more athletically and lightly on his feet."

This applies to my zero tolerance study: I have been accepting Try getting it after I ask 3 times--habit. Also accepting a bad attitude because I want to get on to something else rather than deal with it.

Another good point Linda makes is to reward appropriate to the effort.

Wednesday--great day, HOT, no riding.

Interesting day--Try didn't want to come out of her stall--I know she was saying its too hot for a big canter session. Actually she was right! So keeping zero tolerance in mind, I had fun playing with her in her stall until she changed her mind. She was just lovely the rest of the time together--no riding low keyed liberty tasks/dwell/graze then big showering off and walk around the farm--played with picking me up at the mounting block (awesome) and then isolation of 1 foot/ 2 feet/front/hind in the step down into one of the pastures. At the end she backed into her stall but she didn't want our time together to end. Great day.

Monday: No Stirrups in the Field

First time no stirrups 1 mile equivalent in the "hilly" field.

Also new fun task--stopping in gate entries that are a step up/dn so Try can put just front feet uphill or just back feet. Good for--emotional fitness for us both and prep for pedestal.

This week

Summary of the week's efforts toward July goals:

1. huge breakthrough in zero tolerance of Try's resistance to/commitment to our relationship. This was done by my attention to such aspects as not coming to me from her stall, the gate, the mounting block, her hesitation in walking the path into the ring, girthiness. Not tolerating the resistance or sneakines or matching her energy when she gets emotional--big breakthru with catching game.

2. biomechanics--we did falling leaf, sideways and back from HQ REALLY well and it would be good to give more time to this in the upcoming week to see if the cantering on the forehand can be improved.

3. My confidence--did not get to this other than the 6 laps of no stirrups posting trot

For next week:

1. Continue the zero tolerance as highest priority
2. My confidence--ride in the field no stirrups
3. Biom- see list
4. Canter and emotional fitness matching the E

Break thru - Summary of My Thoughts

Try and I have not progressed at the rate we could have because of my lack of leadership--often tied to my RBE desire to have her "love" me and to not "hurt" or offend her as LBI.

Well in return Try can
1. Have an out and out nasty attitude especially if I threaten her desire to remain in control.
2. She can refuse to do what I ask
3. She can give 75% of what I ask to appease me but stay in control.
4. She can lose confidence (RBI)
5. She can get angry in an LBE way or be really threated and move her feet RBE.

Mostly its #3 the sneaky, passive aggressive little bits of sabotage that keep us from moving forward.

So strategies I am learning from Dan Thompson.
1. The 75% or Try waiting til the 3rd ask to do it--calls for an immediate consequence tailored to the situation--something she cares about--not too much or too little. And this is Jim Carrey FUN time--game on for me--not emotional or frustrated on my part.

2. Snarky attitude and refusal to complete a task she knows-- a strategy is the catch me game. She leaves and if she is LBI nasty then we play with change of direction until she turns toward me rather than away. As a reward for a step in the right direction I step back to release the pressure and if she leaves give her 1/4 or 1/2 lap of release before asking for change of direction again. If she turns toward and stop, then I back and stop and wait. If she leaves, game back on, if she comes to me then we go back to the original task. We continue to play the game until she completes the task. This catch me game does not need to be played every day.

3. Losing confidence--the little wrinkles over her eyes--do something she knows i.e. touch it, approach and retreat, match her energy, slow down OR stronger leadership.

4. Emotional and extraverted whether left brain or right brain: Match her energy and keep at it until she decides to find a better deal OR if its dangerous to ride see #2 catch me game.

THURSDAY
1. When I went to her stall to get her, she didn't want to come--enthralled with the gelding next door. So a fairly mild flick of string to her HQ and she came to me nicely. AND I think it set the tone for the day as Dan predicted.
2. We went to the round pen, I asked for sidepass the barrel at liberty with me standing 6-10' away as I thought that would be a good test. She did it immediately.
3. Figure 8 at a walk good--trot she left and catch me game on. She circled at a slow relaxed trot and when I asked for change of direction she immediately stopped then came to me.
4. Groomed, saddled at liberty--she thought about being cranky about the girth but then thought again!
5. Went to ring and I did the usual warmup plus 6 laps no stirrups posting trot and all went well.
6. Leaving the ring she picked up some emotion and I used the back up technique but did not match the energy well enough or stay on it long enough.--So fun game for next time!

Issues and Questions re July goals

Zero tolerance and Try's 10% commitment issue: how much do I address this, to what degree, every day, all thru the session, phase 4, catch me??? Balance--still has to be some fun and good stuff for us both??

Faster canter issue: what if the faster canter is more pounding on the front end and that is just her canter because of her conformation??? What if it brings up emotional issues for Try--then does dealing with the emotion become a higher priority? And does that then mean matching her energy, not going faster or upping my energy and am I still safe??

Canter emotion: would it be better to do tracking right first and then 10 minute walk do something else and come back for the canter tracking left???

July 4

Stopped in at the barn and gave Try carrot pieces (on her right side for lateral flexion). Filling the bucket/checking account.

6 laps no stirrups posting trot - 1 mile

6 laps no stirrups posting trot - 1 mile without stopping - 3 each way. First try--6 laps is July goal met on July 2. YEEEEEEEEEES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday with Dan, Sara, Susan and Marilyn

Fabulous learning day at Rollover and great group of people.

My notes:

June 30 Dan T: Notes and Follow Up

CAN DO attitude. priority busy busy busy, changing myself--I must see a change. Patience vs persistance. POWER UP

Try's commitment to the relationship: I am now the one giving 75 or 90%!

Stick to me over the barrel/avoiding the jump or other dominance/bad attitude: Play the catch me game when she has the bad attitude or is sneaky about avoiding tasks or only partially does tasks. Change her from side to side until she turns toward me then draw her by walking forward with power up attitude on my part. After she draws, go back to the original task. Repeat as needed.

Falling leaf and the definition of allow at neutral

Carrots for right side lateral flexibility

Improved  muscling on crest.

1.     Point to point --try stopping 10' in front of the fence--??claustrophobic in zone 1??
2.     I have earned the right to use spurs
3.     Push my comfort zone on canter speed
4.     Canter: Pounding on the front end develops the wrong muscles and isn't good for Try
5.     Riding biomechanics: lots of shoulder swing/weave, rib cage, HQ isolations and transitions.
6.     Sideways on the rail at a trot
7.     Wheelbarrow into canter simple lead changes: 2 leg start and what happened to direct rein start?
8.     Gates - in and out of open gates for relaxation, sweet spot and backup. Also applies to opening and closing gates.
9.     Check saddle fit - shims pocket shape below the triangle, camping fabric walmart?