how interesting

Life has been interfering and I have not been to the barn Monday-Wednesday.

Sunday however was really interesting. We played out back and I adopted the "lets see what happens" mind set instead of the getter done attitude. We did the electric slide at liberty--i.e. stick to me. Forward and back and sideways--3 steps and wait--easy and pleasant except the sideways towards needed a little urging.

Important to remember if I can be RBI relaxed for Try and just experiment and then bring up energy/life and apply phases/consequences as needed so as not to be a wimpy leader.

Then I pointed Try at the ball and she pushed it and asked the question now what--repeated this a few times taking the ball 1/2 way around the paddock. I did not need to be near her. Question for the future--how does Try decide to push it several times instead of once before asking me what next?

Next lovely full grooming in the shade at liberty, tacked up, warmed up in the ring and went to the far paddock to play with the gate. I do not understand her concern. We got walking up to the gate and stroking it before Jim came out and we all went back to the barn to check out Try's stall.

Then decided not to ride any more gave Try nice long bath at liberty and found the hint of using carrot stick to rub yes-but areas worked well as she is sensitive about her teets.

At home I am preparing L4 study notes. I have watched different L4 freestyle audition tapes and am studying them for content/structure/quality etc. I think there will be some good stuff to play with here.

Catching Up

I did spend time with Try Wednesday and Thursday. Still tired from the trip. The past two days with Try have been unusual. She has been sweet, relaxed, lots of draw and generally following my direction well. Rather than think this is some great progress, I tend to think she isn't feeling well and have been careful not to do too much and to keep checking her for signs of illness, etc. Have done lots of grooming and bathing--all at liberty and she just stands there as nicely as I could ask--relaxed and at peace. Wednesday was bridleless in dressage saddle and Thursday no stirrups in close contact saddle. Thursday on line circling Try circled on the 22' rope about 8' from me--although we've had lots of draw--I suspect she just was happier with a smaller circle as it required less effort.

At Parelli Connect Kristi Smith posted a challenge--do we know what makes us happy?
For me: being with Try, learning, improving, being challenged, being physically fit, being organized, helping people be happy, going places, and being with friends and family, not necessarily in this order.

Also this week, I am considering bridleless/level 4 riding (savvy string around the neck and one carrot stick) as something fun to play around with this fall. I was pretty comfy with this 2 years ago when I passed my L3 freestyle but haven't done much with it since. So I tried it out Wednesday and found that several times Try decided to ignore my suggestion and follow her own and would not have done so if I had been riding in the bridle even if not using it. Hmmmm.

Ideas:
1. Take some of the simpler dressage tests and see if I can do them with neck string and carrot stick.
2. Redo my L3 audition and fix the stuff we didn't do well.
3. Try out any L4 stuff that is new/newish.
4. Study L4 youtube auditions that passed.

In studying L4 freestyle youtube auditions I have discovered that they are submitted by 2 and 3* instructors who are very professional looking riders. Try and I can do the tasks (when Try is in the mood/taking our time/not too many tasks at once etc--intellectual/emotional not physical issue) but the old habits/dominance would be where we are just not L4 in freestyle. Also I think lots of bareback canter in the field using patterns would be good for my sense of freedom/ease/fluidity in freestyle riding.

My best bet for finding my wimpy habits where Try takes charge and creating a better balance in our relationship is time with Dan Thompson.

Also, if working with Melissa Deal as a natural dressage teacher works out for us then I would like to pursue that from the stand point of physical fitness for Try, learning some basic dressage for the fun of it, and of course anything to improve my riding. In the process, take time to study Karen Rohlf and Walter Zettl and GoC materials.

Looks like a great fall coming up.

Tuesday - First Day Back

Took it easy today as just back from 5 days in NM, long plane rides etc.

Watched Beth Anna and her new Hanoverian--lots of progress.

Then Try and I long leisurely groom, clean up in the shade at liberty--she was attuned and lovely so very little games--one figure 8 with nice draw.

Tacked up in bareback pad and decided to ride in the ring as other horses were there--more fun for Try. Did the usual warmup and then isolations while the others cantered. Then trotted and cantered. For the first time we cantered patterns off the rail and I did not feel any lack of self confidence even when she would get more energetic.

We finished the ride with a passenger walk off the farm and then showering off and breakfast.

Wednesday

Very pleasant day with Try. Groomed in the barn hall under the fans--ground tie and she was lovely.
Then put her back in her stall to watch Beth Anna with her new Hanoverian 8 y/o who only has a few rides on him! Then Try and I did a little on line warmup, freestyle warmup, some HQ/FQ isolations, my no stirrups trot strength building stuff. Then a nice long bath--I won't see her for a few days and wanted to leave her clean. She just doesn't seem happy if sweaty, salty from being outside in this heat--she is so much more relaxed indoors during the day under the fans taking a snooze.

follow my focus

Monday Try was better--swelling gone. So we played with follow my focus in the ring--at a walk, still being careful of her leg--and walked around the farm out into pastures etc. Then cool off shower, lotsa grooming etc. She has been so sweet, relaxed about all this. HMMMM. Lots to think about.

Disappointing Day

Today I arrived at the barn full of plans and found Try had an ugly cut on her left hind leg--no doubt from a kick. It was swollen so I spent an hour with her--soaking the leg, bute. Also took advantage of the day to fit the cradle bridle--think I've got it pretty good. Also a quick clipping, good bath for legs and belly as I found some either rain rot or bug bite scabs. At first Try loved me rubbing her belly then decided she didn't. Hmm. Also she stood outside for 10 minutes for the cold soak but got antsy later in the wash stall. She will be out of commission tomorrow also so I guess this is a chance to check out our "habits"--plan to give her a full bath, maybe go graze somewhere with really good grass etc.

Oh and yesterday was carrot and cooling off with wet towel in her stall.

phone call with Dan T today

See notes (PP/clinics) for details:

1. When Try gets stuck in catch me game. If its dominance, stand, life up and wait for sign of relaxation in her body i.e. blow lick sigh, shake and ultimate that she will decide to move forward. He who moves first loses.
2. IF I can be consistent real changes will be made.
3. Ok to be fixing i.e. goal to do L1/2 stuff with L4 quality rather than the reverse.
4. Channeling Rhett: balance the RBI/nurturing, slow soft with the zero tolerance.
5. Iding the long term habits that allow Try to win.

Proud

Is it ok to say that I am proud of myself today? It seems so egotistical but I am currently basking in the glow of accomplishment. Today I had the absolute most physically tough ride of my life and did not wimp out. Try and I warmed up as usual then lots of posting trot to stay out of the way of others in the ring, then ??1.5 miles of canter at 2 point. This was an experiment to see what Try would think of me staying out of the saddle altogether--her canter was faster--a true canter and we both were relaxed and strong. She did not pound on her front end nor have a bad attitude. This is huge and I need to think/experiment more with ??shimming the saddle etc?? to figure this out. Anyway then we trotted forever again, took a break and finished with our mile of no stirrups posting trot. Whew. And hot!!

bareback canter improved

Today bareback canter (in baretek pad) felt the strongest ever--4 laps (2/3 mile) and although I thought unconfident thoughts a few times, physically I felt strong and it just felt like we were cantering not "oh my god its a scarey bareback canter--be careful eliz you might fall." Also I didn't have any issues with Try wanting to drop gait--really riding it on my balance point with relaxed legs helped. In the corner tracking right, Try was heavy on her forehand as usual but even that did not feel bad. However, if she had made a sudden sideways move, I would have grabbed mane and held on with my legs.

Also the round pen was moved to the ring which will make for added fun. Now I will have an enlarged back paddock for play, plus a 50' round pen for other stuff.

The heat--its bad. I did take a wet towel to the ring and mopped our sweat a couple times. I may even take a little cooler with ice and water to drink next time--hmm maybe put the towel on the rail somewhere so we can cool off without my dismounting. But I still don't plan for anything strenuous in the way of a ride after ??10am until the weather cools.

Try and I also had catch me game over figure 8 liberty again. I have been thinking today that, although I like the nurture/power up dual approach, that Try is likely to test my dominance always in various ways.
I did feel she was soft and sweet 2/3 to 3/4 of the time today and I was softer myself--kept thinking about adopting the soft nurturing frame of mind and relaxed body and have nice physical contact especially in zone 1. Powering up is becoming more a habit now also and I had moments of laughing joyously when she took off at a canter and the catching game was on.

Doing nothing

If learning to have that human RBI/nurturing, soft, relaxed, "ethereal" sort of presence is a good thing to play around with AND doing nothing together maybe the most beneficial way to achieve it AND with it being so hot that early morning is the only time to ride and I can't be there always early morning--CONCLUSION--use miserable, hot afternoon time to hang out, go for a little stroll and graze, liberty, dwell, lovely rubs and scratches TO practice this sense of presence and see what effect it has.

August goals

Goals for August are posted in goal sub blog. Thoughts:

I was struck, after watching Rhett in the Wild Horse Taming, with the remembrance of how much Try relates to a nurturing RBI human energy i.e. Chris Shallcross and PP Annie Shank.

So I think for August, when all is well, to adopt my RBI/soft, low energy, nurturing persona. (After all I am cusp RBI.) This looks and feels like a very lyrical, relaxed (bones but no muscle) adagio??

I know Try will show either obvious or sneaky (passive aggressive) negativity/dominance, as controlling humans is truly in her nature. When she does,  I go back to zero tolerance/my power up persona and apply appropriate pressure from consequences to catch me/change of direction.

Also helpful will be more dwell time, liberty, doing nothing, hanging out, eating grass, rubbing her favorite spots etc.

Enjoying the pond at Cottonwood today

Arrived early, groomed, tacked up--BA took 6 of us/5 horses to Cottonwood for a nice ride out in the fields then a lovely dip in the pond. Try was much more confident in the water today--me too.