So I was up in the arena......

Feeling Together

2011-11-21T15:40:00.000-08:00

Its been very interesting to think about this. A few weeks ago Kip and I spend our 15th wedding anniversary vacation auditing Buck Brannaman for 7 days. Buck is definitely special. I found myself studying why. What makes him different?

I watched him artfully communicate with his horses. Of course he wasn't using a mechanical marker like a clicker and he for sure wasn't using food as a reward. Yet he was moving his horse towards the feel in a way that was beyond just pressure and release.

At one point Buck was talking about how extraordinary it was to be with a horse that was hunting the feel. He talked about giving the horse what it wants most in the world: PEACE. No wonder this guy doesn't need to use treats.

I could feel the lines in my forehead getting deeper as I strained to see how he was utilizing the laws of science and behavior modification with an accuracy I have rarely seen. And sure enough, he was using a marker and a reward. His marker was the release and his reward was the Peace of Feeling Together.

I think that it is very important to note that this is not a "peacefulness" that comes from robbing the horse of his sense of security or taking away the little peace he, as a flight animal, is born with. Its about adding a peace the horse didn't have before. That's when horse and human become more than what we were separately. So in fact, the release is a marker and not a reward.

A marker is a secondary reinforcer. It tells the horse "Yes! that was what I wanted!" A reward is something additional that you give the horse. Something that they want. Something that they didn't have before. The marker and the reward need to be linked together so the horse understands that the reward follows the marker.

This seems to be the critical difference between using avoidance behavior via pressure and release (Do X and I'll leave you alone.) vs using pressure (as little as necessary)to give the horse information about where to start hunting the feel. The thing about leaving him alone is...that is what he had before I got there. I frankly just took away his comfort in order to have something to exchange back.

When I think about it, that's pretty pitiful. I don't want to have so little to offer my horse that I have to take away from him first. I want to Give to my horse. I want to bring something to the relationship. I think if we try to use the release of pressure as a marker and a reward simultaneously and don't add anything, we are missing that magical nugget all the special horsemen have been trying to describe throughout history.

Its a razor thin line... and I think its what makes a master. An artist. A true horseman sets things up for the horse to move TOWARDS instead of away. Moving towards the puzzle, towards the answer, towards the contact, towards empowerment, towards balance, towards peace. I want some more of that. I want to Feel those things Together with my horse so that we can be in True Unity.

More Progress With Nigel And The Trailer!

2011-09-21T08:28:00.000-07:00

yayayayayay!

I feel like we are ALMOST over the hump. (man I hope so anyway)

Yesterday, I was able to load Nigel at liberty, lock him in, go about some yard chores, drive him up to the house, let him relax and eat quietly, unload him and have him put his nose into the truck to check me out for more cookies while I was getting ready to back it down the driveway!

He had a few moments of pounding initially when I practiced rolling the trailer back and forth, but when that didn't get reinforced he got quiet, came to the open manger door and looked at me. I clicked for it. Having the clicker has changed this horse's world when it comes to turning of his panic/rage system. In his fury of being locked in, he has moments of softness. That's when I click and treat. It is causing him to hold onto that feeling for longer and longer.

Another note: I seriously think that being able to turn around has been helping him. Its a little like the patience pole..they can move but only within certain parameters. He is finding the peaceful spot more and more! Totally excellent. Now, if I can just get him more experience in small enough increments so as to expand on that feeling.

SEEKING Is The Secret.

2011-08-10T13:50:00.000-07:00

I use food rewards with my horses a lot and often get asked about how much I reinforce behavior with treats. How do I stop my horse from getting bitey or "muggy".

My experience tells me that on the surface, there are two parts to the answer. One is to make sure that I have a good driving game. Meaning that I can keep my horse out of my personal space. After all, if he can't reach me, he can't bite me or crowd me. This establishes me as a leader straight away and most importantly keeps me safe.

The second thing is to make sure that I am rewarding the things that I want. If my horse nips me or bites me or gets pushy I DO NOT give him a food treat. For heavens sake, why would I do that.

I think to myself...horsey, there is a way to get as many treats as you want. Just do something really cool! I mean seriously, if Nigel wanted to go out at liberty and do one tempi flying lead changes down the long side, he would get as many treats as I could get my hands on!

Speaking of Nigel, I've noticed that an interesting thing has been developing. He has become less and less pushy, bitey, and dominant. I'm guessing that part of that is this good leadership from me. But a new and life changing theory has occurred to me.

Nigel can now count on getting reinforcements with treats. He knows how to procure them. Therefore his anxiety and grabbyness is disappearing. Number one, getting rude doesn't net him anything and number two, doing impressive things (sometimes this is just standing very quietly for saddling)will always earn him a reward. I think this has flipped a switch in his brain.

The BIGGEST HUGEST thing that I've begun to understand, is that how he earns the reward is the important thing to him. At the core, it is not actually the treat that he values most. Engaging the SEEKING part of his brain is the key. Its the deepest most basic instinct that any living thing has.

It comes down to the simple fact that having puzzles and finding answers is what makes horses happy. The SEEKING instinct is more powerful than fear or dominance. Its how horses find water, safety, comfort, play and everything else that they need and want. Its what enables them to live and gives them quality of life.

I've noticed this with all my horses and even with my dog. Having an opportunity to hunt the answer is what they're after. Our great pyrenees Ava won't even take certain treats from me unless I've asked her to do something first. She wants her BRAIN fed. Not her tummy. The SEEKING instinct is in every organism. Its what causes a tree's roots to search deep down for the water vein in soil, a dandelion to find the weak spot in the concrete to break its way into the sunlight and moss to grow on the north side of trees. The SEEKING instinct is why we humans love to read books, play soduku, get masters degrees, hike to see a special mountain view, study horsemanship and millions of other things that we invest gobs of time and money into. It turns our brains on. It nourishes the very part of us that is alive.

I can't believe I am just figuring this out! I mean this is it right? This is the whole golden secret to giving my horses what they need. Its the truth about Horsemanship. My Oh my.

Is Fear A Gift?

2011-06-22T13:26:00.001-07:00

One time I heard a security specialist say that it was. Those hairs standing up on the back of your neck are to be paid attention to. In terms of horsemanship, Parelli has always said that the moment you think about needing to get off your horse, you should. Don't ignore the feeling of dread in your stomach or the warning voice in your head.

Healthy fear is a pre incident indicator. It can help us avoid many a sticky wicket, dangerous event or the shattering of trust and confidence in ourselves. Just as we need to respect our horse's prey animal self preservation instincts, we need to respect ours.

BUT....there does come a time to take a leap of faith and to be brave. If we've done our prior and proper preparation, we've got to push the envelope a little more. Otherwise we don't progress.
View on youtube
Over the last month Nigel has felt so solid and trustworthy that I've been taking the bridle off. Of course, he and I have done our preparation. Making sure we have our yields to level 4...(Or at least 3++) However, I am very aware that even in the very best of circumstances, and on the most confident horse...things can happen. My horse could trip, a flock of quail could fly up and crash into my coverall, even an earthquake or a tree falling could spook my prey animal. And the reality is that it should.

One of the things I think about a lot and strive for in my life is balance. When do I plan for the future and when do I live as if today is my last day? How do I live in the moment with my horse and still have ambition? When do I listen to my fear and when do I tune it out to plunge forwards?

I don't have the answer. I suppose there really isn't one. I just have to do the best I can to feel it out. FDR said that we have nothing to fear but fear itself. My husband Kip says fear is not a gift..but caution is.
I think that it depends on how you look at it. The natural self preservation and will to live in all of us is a gift and confidence is a precious thing. Fear is important feedback about our circumstances and surroundings, giving us information on how to proceed. It is often governed by a powerful cocktail of subconscious and conscious data. I guess the key is to acknowledge it, respect it and yet not let it govern us unmitigated.

I suppose in life we have to take risks. Driving our cars down the freeway, swimming on vacation in Hawaii, or spinach from the grocery store can kill us. My friend Beth mentioned the other day that sometimes we've just gotta man up, roll the dice and accept the risk. Particularly if the circumstances are as good as they're going to get. We have to make the choice to move forward even at the risk of life and limb or stand still to keep the illusion of safety. So I've been taking the bridle off...and the feeling has been amazing.

I think maybe that is one of the most special qualities about a relationship between a horse and a human. Its an extraordinary mix of instinct, logic and spirit. Each individual causing the other to think more or feel more in order to progress. I think fear IS a gift and I'll take it.... especially because I have more experience with my horse and horsemanship helping me stay brave and in balance.

The Risk To Bloom

And then the day came
when the risk to remain
tight in a bud
was more painful than the
risk to bloom

-Anais Nin

One Day Makes A Difference

2011-04-19T22:01:00.000-07:00

I keep thinking and thinking about this. I suppose it shouldn't be that much of a surprise to me ... or even be that big of a deal ... but it is.

Last week I finally put Ferreira up on my ParelliConnect Wall. (btw, anyone can sign up for a free 30 day trial) She's 5 this year and I know its about time to really press to find her a person. Part of that, for me, is to make sure that she has a reasonable mini foundation to set her up for success in life. You know, simple things like, trimable and trailerable.
On Parelli Connect there is a really cool tracking feature which is a big motivator and positive reinforcement for me. It tracks my horsemanship hours as well as each horse in all four savvys. It also gives each horse a checklist so I thought it would be really good for me to put her on there because that way I'd get credit for my hours (very important to me as my goal is 500 a year) and to use the checklists for her development.
Ferreria has had the least amount of development of Lil's three babies. Jake was Lil's first and got A TON of attention from us. It was just so amazing to have a little foal and he was soooooooooo cute! We also had quite a few less horses so by the time he was 3 he was set up. We had to lock the trailer doors so he wouldn't get into it.....our farrier nailed shoes on all four feet...we saddled him without a hitch, got on, easy as pie. The icing was that we found him a perfect human partner!
Jack, Lil's second baby, Kip claimed from the moment he squirted out. He got less time than Jake did but still was handled quite a bit, is very pleasant to be around and Kip is almost ready to finish up his level 2 Online with him. (Although, I have to say, Jack a PAIN when it comes to fences. They'd better be hot man or it means nothing more that a suggestion to him.)
We were there when Ferreira was born about 5:35 early Feb 16th 2006. Kip and I both imprinted her over the first hours. I made sure in her first week that she understood how to yield to driving and steady pressure, the yoyo game (hugely important safety game in my opinion) and of course lots of friendly with us humans. She has known nothing other than us as a part of her herd and that we are the highest in the pecking order.
That was pretty much it. Last summer I started to feel the pressure of a nifty horse hanging around our barn doing nothing. We brought her into this world and are responsible for her life. I had hung back a little because I didn't feel like I could commit to several weeks in a row and I was thinking that perhaps it would be a detriment to her to have a few days here and there.
When the round pen dried up I figured I should get going. So one day we played. Just the beginnings of the basics. Put the games to a purpose and start the figure 8 pattern as well as touch it. We had a few misunderstandings and a tiny bit of drama but I remember being quite impressed at how much communication we did have because seriously this was perhaps the 8th time she'd ever had a line on her since she was a few weeks old. We were both quite happy at the end of the session.
Then I got distracted by Nigel and trying to get to Lil as well and gratefully busy with real estate...so that was all the one on one time I ended up spending with her. One day in the fall she got a tummy ache so Kip and I hand grazed her until she had a poo...other than that, no more school. (even that really wasn't school)

Last week I was prepared for Ferreira and I's first session this year to be getting up to the arena. Although the arena is in the middle of the 5 acres the horses get turned out on and she's been in it many times with the rest of the gang, its about 300 feet away from the herd when they are in the barn. Our session last year was in the round pen which is very close to the barn but is still way too wet to use. I figured we'd do approach and retreat and make a 7 day program out of it if we needed to.

F marched right up there with me. Like a good little marching follower! Slightly stunned with happy surpise, I sent her through the gate like a squeeze and as she turned to face me she spooked and headed back out. She stopped midway before she hit the end of the line and came back to me. She looked at me like "wait, did you want to do something? my paddock is boring. do you have any good ideas?".
From there we just played like I would normally play with any other level 1-2 horse. It was so fun! Same thing the next day. What a nice feeling. It like being given time! I thought we'd be starting from zero. Instead...so many things are actually solid! Jump the barrels, touch everything, learning to put feet on stuff, fig 8...With another 20 hours or so she should be ready to rock and roll with someone. (we're on the lookout for that person to appear)
I'm so glad I played with her that one day last summer. Because, one day makes a difference. I'll never forget that now.

The Road Less Traveled

2011-03-03T10:46:00.000-08:00

The Road Less Traveled

I wanted to share this blog from Linda because she saw everything first hand. I got to watch it via the webcast and am so glad that I didn't miss it.

Pat did everything that he promised us he would do. He promised he would put the relationship first. He promised that he didn't care about winning. He promised that he was there to show how beautiful starting a colt could be.

It was a picture of art and joy even when things didn't quite go as planned and he had to bail out. He touched that horse with his heart in his hands and as gently as if he was a baby hummingbird. Pat found this young horses hidden trouble spot and with almost no muss or fuss ... fixed it. In the end Pat's little pal was grabbing the tarp and trying to steal Pat's savvy string.

And the REALLY cool part is that Pat said "Troubadour" reminds him of the horse he lost a few years ago Revolution who died of a heart attack at 3. Troubadour and Pat is a horselovers favorite kind of love story.

I'm so proud and grateful to be Parelli.

The Story Of Monty

2011-02-14T18:16:00.000-08:00

Five years ago I was in Florida for the six week course at the Parelli Center. The weekend before the course I got to go to a Five Star Parelli Professional David Lichman clinic that happened to be nearby. Sitting on the fence I was captivated by a glorious white horse who seemed joyful and willing and moved like magic. I had to talk with his owner to find out what kind of horse this was! I just had to know more about him!

Ellen, his friendly, outgoing, red headed, Brazilian owner told me that he was a 13 year old Lusitano that she imported from Mexico. She said that he came out of a very old breeding farm and was a stallion for 8 years. If I remember correctly, she said that she was doing Parelli and learning freestyle for fun as he had a very extensive dressage background. Then she said: "You must ride him!" She marched out of the clinic into the round pen and I was sucked along by her magnetic personality.Before I knew it I was sitting on this fancy horse named Monty. I loved his flowing walk and how safe he felt. He willingly trotted when I asked and I got to feel how round and suspended it was. I was laughing and laughing. Then Ellen told me to passage. Of course I didn't know what to do and only got a bit of a collected trot. She said she would show me so I went to get off. "NO! She said. "I'll have him bow for you first." I protested, as I'd never done anything like that before. She wouldn't have it. "I have babies do this on him!" So he bowed and I didn't topple forward after all. It was a cool feeling.

Ellen proceeded to get on and show me his passage which seemed effortless. It was so clear to me that this horse had been born for this stuff. Mentally, Emotionally and Physically. As we parted so she could get back to the clinic, I kissed him on the nose and thought to myself that someday I would have a horse like this. Someday...

Three years later my husband's horse was getting older and his young one was not started yet. So when a friend of a friend was looking for a person for her Lipizzan, Kip took the plunge, bought him and named him Nigel. I loved the fact that he was safe and well going. But I had no idea that this was the horse I had been dreaming about all along. He reminded me so much of Monty! Bred and born for everything I wanted to do. As I started to cotton on I asked Kip if I could play with him when he didn't have time. He very generously said yes. Basically, the rest is history.

Last summer Wendy Dinnerstein and I met at a Karen Rolf clinic. We were kindred spirits right from the start and I was very interested in the equestrian park and education center for parelli students One With Horses that she and her husband Marc founded.

Last fall Kip and I got to play at the facility and I was in awe of what she and Marc had created in such a short time. In November Wendy and I got to travel together to Florida for Linda's Game of Contact clinic. We were together nearly every second of the day and evenings. We basically talked non stop for a week straight.

Over the week I realized that I d0 fit into the One With Horses plan. My passion is Dressage. I love the development of horses into beautifully moving athletes. When done correctly its a spectacular example of a horse and human partnership, sharing power, harmony, peace and joy. Being one with your horse basically.

I love seeing a choppy quarter horse change into a fluid mover, a bad banana arabian stretch and relax, an off the track thoroughbred get strong and happy and of course the ones that were bred specifically for dressage reach their heritage's potential to be spectacular and to live and contribute for a long long time. As Karen Rohlf says, Parelli Foundation is Gold. Pure Gold. It’s so true. Because as you guys know, everything in Levels 1-4 in Online, Freestyle, and Liberty are what allows you to achieve beautiful Finesse. We are lucky to have so many Parelli professionals in our area to teach these. I'm excited to help people if they are interested in dressage.On the plane home from Florida Wendy and I were still talking. We both agreed that the most important thing to do to change the world for horses and humans is to be a great example. BE THE CHANGE. Pat and Linda's demonstrations were so key to getting the whole Parelli movement going. People need to see the results. Not just hear it talked about. As Pat and Linda focus more and more on teaching at home it is time for us students to get out there and share our journeys and success. Wendy and I realized that a great addition to One With Horses would be a designated Demo and Competition team. Wendy's cute little curly horse Dan is well into level 4 and being an LBI does really well out and about. For me though...we needed a dream horse. We needed a horse that could live at One With Horses to make it easy to practice together and get on the trailer together and go. We wrote down a description of this horse.

We wanted a gelding, not a youngster, well going and experienced, doing piaffe, passage, and flying changes, LBE/LBI, confident and friendly by nature and a gorgeous mover. Pretty much again I was using Monty as a template. The biggest challenge with a horse like this is A. they don't grow on trees and B. they are wickedly expensive. Never the less we wrote it all down and trusted that the universe would eventually come through for us.

Two months later I was lying in bed browsing the Internet on my smart phone. I checked in on the Savvy Club Forum. In recent topics there was a thread that said Level 3 lusitano free to a good home. Naturally I was curious and clicked it. I could not believe my eyes. It was MONTY!!!! Adrenaline shot through my body and my mind started racing. This was him. The template horse! The actual horse! The Dream Horse.

Even though it was 11pm, I texted Wendy. "Are you awake?" She was not awake. But my text roused both her and Marc and she wrote back that she was. I sent back, with a lot of exclamation points, that I had found the dream horse. She said to call the owner in the morning.

I called Ellen first thing. She phoned me back later in the day and we talked for over an hour. In the end she told me no. I could not have him. She really wanted him to have a person. She figured that since I'd be two hours from him I would not be that. She understandably wanted a human for him that would see him everyday. Since I already had Nigel it was not the right thing to bring him to my house. Plus that wasn't my vision anyway. My vision for him was to be an ambassador for Parelli. A shining example of what is possible with a Parelli foundation and a specialization of dressage.

I acknowledged Ellen's desires for Monty's new life and yet still made my case for his roll as a Demo and Competition horse. I shared all about One With Horses and why he needed to live there. And how pampered he would be. She said it sounded really nice but no. Sorry. I asked her to think about it and let me know if she changed her mind. I also sent her some video of Nigel and I playing.

Meanwhile that morning Wendy had sent a request to David Lichman for a recommendation to give to Ellen and to see if he remembered the horse. The evening after Ellen had told me no, David had emailed Wendy back to say he remembered the horse, that he was great and that he himself would take him if he had more time. He also wrote a recommendation for One With Horses as his new home. Ellen wrote me the next morning to say she was reconsidering! Woohooo! I suggested that she talk with Wendy next.

By the time Wendy called me that evening she had decided that the best thing was to fly to Florida so that Ellen could meet us and really feel good about Monty's new home. We jetted out there together and spent two days with Ellen, Monty and her other horses. It was so much fun to meet her. Wendy and Monty bonded and I was reconvicted that he was indeed the horse I remembered.

At the end of our visit Ellen was convinced too and on the condition that Wendy would be his steward and that he would be a cornerstone of the demo and competition team she would donate him to One With Horses. In a little over two months after Wendy and I had hatched our plan the Monty arrived here in Washington.Over the remainder of the year, Wendy and I pretty exclusively will be playing with him. Wendy, as promised, will be his daily person and caretaker as well as focusing on finding and filling the gaps in his foundation. It will be my extreme pleasure to uncover and develop his dressage. We plan to get both he and Dan out to some schooling shows to get them used to the hoopla and hope to incorporate some demos at One With Horses as well as off site. I hear that just being around he lends a certain "ambiance". Ellen did tell us that he has a reputation for causing people to fall in love with him so watch out!So that's the story of Monty. I'm stoked.

He Blows My Socks Off.

2011-02-09T09:19:00.000-08:00

Nigel is so amazing.

I say it all the time but I can’t help it. Last night, he did the BEST long rear so far. I gave him a jackpot for it but seemed he was wanting to go again. I wondered if I could ask him to walk forwards on his hind legs…should I push it? Or shouldn't I?

I dithered for a minute…but felt like the first one was so positive and understood that if he didn’t do the next one as long it would be fine.

He went up and balanced. I kissed to him and did a little draw in my body. He started walking towards me on his hind legs! One, two, three, four, five SIX…I wooped and jumped in the air….he held it for another 2 or 3 seconds just to show off! The stopping and staying up again is a big deal because it shows so much balance.

He blew my socks off i have to say.

Improving My Leadership.

2011-01-17T07:39:00.000-08:00

This is such an interesting area of study for me. I tend to be pretty empathetic with my horses. The part I need to improve is "yes I understand you....now do what I say!"

My friend Wendy and I were just in Florida to see a lusitano gelding named Monty. A wonderful woman named Ellen is looking for a home and purpose for him. Wendy and I were looking for a super horse for our demo and inspiration team at OneWithHorses. It turned out to be a match made in heaven.

Naturally, we wanted to check him out and see what he was apt to do in different situations. One of the things we did was to take him on a walk down Ellen's road. Away from the herd and away from his favorite mare with whom he's been pair bonded with for over five years.

Over all his reaction was very mild. He got high headed and a little spooky about the shade nets over the neighboring crops and had a harder time just walking along. It was actually pretty funny...when he was more Right Brained* he couldn't quite keep his feet still. The fancy lusitano version of this was a veeerrrrry slow piaffe. Even his worry was spectacular!

Since Wendy was the one with the line, I got a chance to observe how Monty responded to her bringing up her leadership. She insisted that he stay next to her and not run ahead. She insisted that he go when she went and stop when she stopped. I suggested that she bring up his life a little and take off quickly then see if he could be emotionally fit enough to stop quickly as well. We used the telephone poles as markers.

A very few repetitions later he was in sync with her. I also noticed that he did not get scared when she corrected him. "Hey! Get back jack! Right now!" Sure enough he looked relieved. The most amazing thing was that he bonded with her like I've never seen before in that short a time. Probably a lot of other things set this up. I think he is bred to connect and partner with people. I was green with envy when he was walking along with her and started to turn his nose softly to her and nicker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! arg! that killed me. Thank god it wasn't me or I'd be miserable that he isn't coming to live at my place.

Since I've been home I've played with Nigel and kept that vision of leadership and the possible results at the front of my brain. Its been interesting to have a few sessions with Nigel in which he was unrideable. That hardly ever happens. One day he got really Right Brained Introvert*. Here's a picture of the Right Brained Inrovert look I call the square ears.

Touch It and waiting worked for that. Then a few days he had too many unpredictable Right Brained explosions although, they are mini ones compared to Lil my thoroughbred. Speedy sideways and the Game of Standing Still worked for that.

Kip came up to the arena to shoot his bow to add something specific to play friendly game with. We did it over two days. At first Nigel struggled not to spook 20 feet. Then 2 feet. Then flinching standing still. Then not. Then he could trot while stretching his nose to the ground even when kip fired as Nigel's Zone 5* was going away from him.

I saddled up, got on and had a great ride. I love it when my horse is confident. I feel like I've made a few pretty good improvements in my leadership that has helped him with it. And so long as I'm improving. I'm happy! (I'm sure my horse is too.)

*see glosssary at the bottom of the page

Linda Parelli's Game of Contact Course. November 19-21 2010.

2010-12-09T13:22:00.000-08:00

Both photos of Linda and West Point by Coco.
To go to Coco's Photo blog on the Game of Contact Course click here.

Friday morning Linda gave an hour and a half power point presentation on her Game of Contact. It was replete with video and many pictures showing various different results in horses being ridden with some kind of connection on the reins. It was super helpful to train our eyes as to what we were looking for. We saw contracted necks, good necks with tight backs, floppy reins, good and bad expressions, and then examples of well through happy horses in the long frame, medium frame and collected frames.Here's the thing about the Game of Contact as I understand it: Ultimately it is a principle. As Linda said on the last day: "We can talk about techniques until the cows come home. The most important thing is that you are getting to the horse's brain. Teaching him what you want him to do in his body. If he understands it mentally he can accept it emotionally."

The Parelli principle of "nose, neck, maybe the feet" also comes into play. As well as "separate, isolate and recombine". We can teach the horse where the release is piece by piece. This may sound like we're riding the horse front to back which is exactly the opposite of what many of us were taught. That would be true if we were making it happen physically. But we're not. We're causing it to be the horse's idea.

Naturally horses gain confidence zone by zone like that. Its how they explore things. On the first day, Linda had our whole class play with the nose to start with. Pick up the reins and drop them when he pushes into the bit. Once our horses got that idea we'd wait until they stretched their necks. Pretty soon the feet started to follow the nose and the neck and we had horses that would respond to picking up the reins by stretching into the bit and walking forwards. Linda showed us exactly what she was talking about with West Point.

On day two Linda broke us up into two groups which was great. I loved getting to watch the other horses and riders. I must admit I was a bit out of my comfort zone riding. I felt like I was missing so much!!! Grayson was wonderful. For the most part very confident despite all the hoopla. On the last day we were late to the arena (because I watched the first group so long) so we went in cold..
He was a little bracey about the cameras on the edge of the rail. This was a big blessing because I was able to practice and feel the effectiveness of going with the brace...even encouraging the crookedness rather than pushing him to get his ribs and hind legs onto the rail. I think if I had fought it we would have had a big spook or explosion. I am so grateful for that lesson. I need as much savvy as I can get with helping Right Brained* horses to relax!

This was exactly the same concept as Linda had taught me with Lil in our lesson in Redmond. "You feel bracey? Me too!" (to read my blog after that lesson click here. to read Linda's blog on that lesson click here.)

My favorite part about day two was Linda's ride on Zen, one of the rider's horses. Linda was breathtaking to watch. This horse had been held in somewhat and was distressed when asked to go forward into the bit. Such a lovely horse too! He would offer everything. "Oh my god what do you want? passage? piaffe? what? what?" He was asking a question a second...but he was asking in a panicked way.

The awestriking part of the ride was how Linda was particular in communicating what she wanted Zen to try...she was clear. Then, when he did it she would let him go. At first when she'd drop the reins he would shoot forward and buck and not know what to do. She just freestyled it out...and went with him. After a few tries he got the idea. Linda could pick up the reins, make a good connection with the bit and Zen would take the feel and trot forward calmly. You could see the relief in him mentally and emotionally. To be truthful, I was in tears. (still am thinking about it) Linda made harmony out of disharmony. Everything I want...was embodied in those few minutes. The budding of trust and understanding.

Sadly just as they were really coming together, Zen rolled over his hoof and slightly aggravated the injury he had been recovering from. What a bummer! Thank goodness Linda had been giving him his freedom....and not forcing him into anything. I hear from Zen's owner that he is recovering well and back undersaddle.

Day three I got my huge "take home". Grayson was feeling big and powerful but he was holding out lifting his shoulders and the neck right in front of the whithers. I was the last one in the arena...we had made great progress. I asked Linda if I should go round one more time. She said it was up to me. Arg! I didn't know the answer but found myself asking one more time.

As I came down the long side in front of the crowd and in front of Linda....Grayson was going well forward with a nice confident feel of holding the bit...Linda said: "shorter reins!" I shortened them...and straightened my elbows. lol. Linda said: "bend your elbows...close...closer...crunch your abs!" Grayson poked his nose forwards. Linda said: "triceps!". I went to my triceps full for the release.

Grayson's neck popped up in front of the withers. His poll was up, nose forward, back free and abs engaged. I could feel his final big try mentally, emotionally and physically. Linda said: "there!". I flashed to West Point and what I knew the shape looked like. I made the connection between the visual in my head and the feeling. I got it. I asked Grayson for a downward transition. It felt quiet and on the haunches. I dropped the reins and got off. Woohooo!

Here are a few snaps that really show Grayson and I's process.

here we are a hot mess. poor guy. giving me what he thinks i want. poll flexion. waaay too much poll flexion. yuuuucky! i'm using my biceps to take up the contact and communicate that this is not the answer.
here he's trying the opposite. good job buddy...i gave with my triceps here.
i like that his mouth is almost all the way closed. i love that i can see him thinking....

oooh...got the feet coming all the way through now... his shoulders look okay but his poll is too low and he's still way over curled.

got it! nose, neck and the feet!
Lovely!

I could write forever about this. I am so passionate about it. I think though, that I'll let it come out organically as I play with my own ponies over the next few months. For me the bottom line is to make it a game. A game my horse can win.

I have to share one more thing... I was talking with Linda the other day and she made another wonderful point: "Its not about the bit. Its about what happens as a result of trying to communicate via the bit. Like confidence, I think that the Game of Contact broaches that real biggie: TRUST in a way that almost nothing else can, like it's a final frontier, the last big test."

A huge thank you to Peggy for lending me Grayson. Thanks to Wendy for coming to the course with me and for being my awesome sounding board and moral support all week. Thanks to Kip for supporting me in going and helping me to laugh at myself when I got too wound up. Thanks to my fellow riders, auditors, campus students and instructors. Your energy and enthusiasm was fabulous. Linda, what can I say. You know how important this is to me. Thank you for choosing me to ride, for being as obsessive and crazy as me and for being willing to share your knowledge with all of us. Lastly, Thanks to Pat for being the butterfly wings.

A week with Linda, Wendy and Grayson. Part One.

2010-11-30T08:31:00.000-08:00

Such a fun time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Experiment, observe, compare, remember and DISCUSS EVERYTHING! I think I talked more that week than I have in a really long time.

Grayson's steward and owner Peggy had prepared him perfectly for the course. He was very confident with almost everything, safe, willing, stretchy and keen. Linda even said at the end: "this horse is not a challenge mentally and emotionally but he is physically". Emotionally this horse has some "experiences" so I think it's a huge compliment to Peggy that Linda would say that. The physically challenging part is just that he is built kinda long and for whatever reason earlier in his life he had habituated to moving around in a bad banana shape. Nose in the air, dropped tummy and butt up. The weakest part on his body was the bit of neck right in front of his withers. Peggy had already taught him to stretch long and low so the tide had already turned before I got there.

Getting to ride him on Monday I noticed firstly that he felt beautiful! Even when he was crooked or hollow or resistant. He still felt floaty and pretty. First thing off the top was that poor Grayson wanted to spit out the bit. He was happy to carry it around if I didn't hold it. He would even stretch down and peanut roll very nicely. But if I tried to hold the contact he would over curl nose to chest and open his mouth like a happy alligator. I understand! If its just noise and isn't giving clear enough information....is just plain old unpleasant! Add in that we were just acquaintances....yikes.

I simply started picking up the reins and letting them go when his mouth was quiet. Very hard to see on the right side because his mane was in the way. Thank god Wendy was there to be my grounds person Tues, Wed and Thursday. She'd call out "quiet!" when it was. Pretty soon I was able to pick them up and hold them at walk and often he would be soft and confident in his mouth.

Moving to the trot I found that I wanted to baby him. Riding with true Contact and a non flapping rein requires a fair amount of feeling in the reins and therefore in the horse's mouth. Babying him by being tentative in his mouth netted me a reasonably quiet mouth but not a completed cycle of energy between us.

Anytime he didn't understand me he would open his mouth as wide as it would go and over curl hiding behind the pressure. I had to suck it up and take out the slack using my biceps....gently and with feeling....but make sure that he knew that that wasn't the answer. As soon as his nose came forward I'd drop the reins. Trying to communicate "yes!" that's the answer. When we got that I was able to take out the slack and follow him forwards with my triceps until Wendy said "quiet". and I'd drop them.

By the time the Game of Contact Course started I felt like we had some communication with the bit. It was still his default to hide and open his mouth when he was confused. But his brain kicked in much faster and as soon as he started thinking his mouth would relax and he'd start to figure out the rest of his body. What a good boy!

Friday morning we sat down in the classroom for the big Power Point Presentation on the Game of Contact. . . . .

OCALA BABY!

2010-11-15T06:48:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm here in sunny Ocala Florida! It is so beautiful. I especially love the live oaks and the spanish moss.

I'm heading to the Parelli Campus to meet my horse Grayson in just a little bit. I'm so excited. ....And nervous. I always feel this way when I come out here and don't have my horse yet. I feel a bit "off".

As soon as I get to put my hands on him I know I'll be fine. I want to say a very special thanks to Peggy, Grayson's owner for generously sharing him with me for this week and putting so much love and effort into getting him ready. I will do my ultra best to make it worthwhile for both of you.

My plan for the day is to BLEND IN! The rest of my course mates will be here on Thursday....everyone at the ranch is busy like little bees and I just want to stay out of the way and get to know Grayson. Be the invisible horse and human.

I should go get my saddle out of its travel tote too to see if it made it. .....eeeek!

Pat's* Natural Horsemanship Principle #2.

2010-10-21T16:15:00.000-07:00

The other night I almost got my head kicked off by Travis. The absolute last horse I would ever have expected it from.

Trav is in his thirties now. Kip and I bought him as a "17 year old ex race horse" ten years ago. lol. He was our first horse together.....my first horse as an adult. He was a wonderful school master and has been a special treasure. We've always talked about how he doesn't have a mean bone in his body. He has taken great care of both of us.

Well, he's getting on in years. Much older than we thought, which is fine. He's been pretty much retired since 2008, his teeth are falling out and just this year he has started to go blind. Thanks to a super diet and heavy winter blankets he is looking amazing. Still the king of the herd, he moves the horses all around and has memorized everything in his environment. As he trots and canters around its hard to tell how much sight he has lost.

Ironically, while cleaning stalls, Kip and I were talking about what kinds of horses were "safe". We both agreed that even the safest horse can get a fright, trip or whatever. I was thinking about preserving the confidence and safety of kids and adults with less experience and in a rare moment was quiet entering Travis' stall to put on his blanket. He had his butt to me. I put my hand on his rump to let him know that I was there and to ask him to scoot over.

Travis is stalled next to our youngest horse Ferreira. He was her babysitter as she was weaned and they are good horsey friends. Naturally, as horses do, she tries to "one up" him when she is safely on the other side of a wall. When he first started to loose his sight she was able to sneak up on him and got in a few pretty good bites. Now he's savvy enough to stay just out of reach. Out of habit I was watching his expression. He pinned his ears. I cannot recall him doing that in the entire time we've had him. In that moment I realized he thought that I was Ferreira reaching over the stall to snipe him. I thought: "oh crap. he thinks I'm a horse". In my mind I flashed to how firm he gets with other horses.

Thank heavens for those good habits. I was standing out of the kick zone. He double barrel kicked out at where he thought she was. My eyes got wide and I felt the air swoosh around my ears as his hooves kicked out harmlessly a few feet from my head.

"Oh my gosh Kip!" I said feeling the adrenaline surge through my legs. "I almost just got pounded by Travis!" I described what had happened.

"Whoa" he said. "I guess it makes sense. He's used to you chatting away on the phone."
I went back into Travis' stall making sure to talk with him. I thought of what it must be like...having to make this sensory adjustment....to have to imagine what's happening around you. This time I started by rubbing his shoulders. He cocked a leg and I threw the blanket over his back.

With the shakey chuckle of a near miss I commented to Kip: "It would have been awfully embarrassing to have to say that I couldn't make the Linda course because our old sweet horse put me in hospital. Phew. Good reminder. I guess all's well that end's well. I figure if no one gets hurt and you learn a valuable lesson, that's a good thing."

"Yeah", Kip said. "Principle number two. Don't make or teach assumptions".

*see glossary at the bottom of the page

Scrubbing the trailer.

2010-10-05T16:43:00.000-07:00

Holy smokes. I wasn't sure we'd be able to do this but the other day after talking about faith.... thought we should go for it.

Slow and right beats fast and wrong.

2010-10-01T13:20:00.000-07:00

I fully acknowledge that I am slow in a lot of ways. Its not that I've ever been in a real hurry. I just notice I'm more and more ok with being a Tortoise on this journey as over time I achieve solid, lasting results with my horses. I really don't care how long it takes me....so long as I'm getting there.

I've heard Pat Parelli* say that Troy Henry told him that to be a really great horseman you have to master three things. Liberty, Lead Changes and (trailer) Loading.

Liberty has been a natural skill to me. Thank heavens one of the the three has been relatively straight forward. It's all about patterns and relationship. Thanks to the Parelli Program* the pathway that by hook and crook I had found has become clear. Certainly I've done my share of bumbling about but I've noticed that if I don't rush it, all of a sudden things start to fall into place. In fact, Lil and I just passed our Level 4 Liberty!

Lead Changes have been kind of half and half. Getting regular inside leads and all three types of simple changes have never given me any trouble. (knock on wood) But the Flying Changes....oh the Flying Changes have been dangling just out of reach for what seems like forever. Of course on horses that know them its no problem...but teaching them under saddle makes my nose wrinkle.

This year I'm starting to get it. Nigel has helped me a lot with the confidence to go for it. I really think he's a big part of why I finally am getting them with Lil. Its funny though...when Nigel started flipping them for me it was only satisfying for a few weeks.

I realized they were not what I have in my head. They are not balanced and controlled and ballroom danceish. He does them...but the quality is not worth it. Luckily, I know where to fix it. Back to the FOUNDATION. Back to Level One yields with excellence. Bendiness and collectablility exercises. Back to the ladder of gymnastics. I know how to do that. Now that I did kinda get to some semblance of Flying Changes, improving the pieces individually is a lot more fun and rewarding.

Trailer Loading has been my own personal terror. Or perhaps I should say Trailering has been the terror. Simply causing my horse to get in the trailer has been no problem for years now. Closing them in...and driving is what scares the pants off me. Its so not natural for the horse to be locked in a metal cave on wheels! Plus, driving 60miles an hour down the freeway in a car could mean death for me at any second. I am choosing to put my horse in mortal peril by trailering them anywhere.

Its taken just hooking up an empty trailer, driving an empty trailer, loading Lil, driving Lil a mile down the road, driving her for 20min, and eventually up to 3 hrs for me to be confident and to accept the danger. This personal process has taken me several YEARS!

My way of mitigating the risk for my horse is to help them to be UBER confident in said metal cave on wheels. Lil is now and that helps me so much.

The biggest confidence builder maybe EVER in my personal development as a horseman has been helping Nigel to stand still patiently and confidently in the horse trailer. (see my post: Nigel and the Trailer and The Game of Standing Still). It has taken me the better part of six months to get where we are today. This morning he stood so quietly with the trailer totally closed up for 17:45. You wouldn't even have known that there was a horse in there! I took this little video clip in total wonder remembering standing at the house in despair, while he pounded, reared and kicked for over an hour and a half.

To have made this much of an improvement....this complete turn around....has given me ... proof.... proof that it can be done...and that...I can do it. For a long time now I've lived on the faith of others who care about me. The unwavering faith in me and my horses from my husband Kip and my coach Rachel*. Not sure if they know how much this has sustained me.....I am so grateful.

Like I said....I'm slow...but at least I'm getting there. Liberty, Leads and Loading (and going).............the tortoise is on your tail.

*see glossary at the bottom of the page.

..at One With Horses Natural Horsemanship Center.

2010-09-19T19:59:00.000-07:00

It is so indescribably wonderful to be with like minded horse people. I just can't even say. To have a whole Center of them springing up so close is like Christmas.

Wendy and Marc have used the old "if you build it, they will come" plan with startling success. In just over two years they have created a hive of positive activity at their center. They have hosted Parelli* Clinics, have many young students and have enabled study buddies from all over the Portland area to get together.

I had a particularly great time this weekend playing with my new friend Jen's 9 year old quarter horse Chrome and Wendy's darling 4 year old curly Dan. It is AMAZING to me how much I learn from other horses. How it highlights and reminds me about certain aspects of my and my own horse's development.

With Chrome, I was reminded about response and adjustablility. For me, Chrome was not very responsive particularly in the Online* driving game. It was so fun to try to read when he was ignoring me because I wasn't respectable enough and when he was worried about some obstacle and I needed to wait for him to build confidence. Weaving the rapport and respect games together artfully tested me plenty.

With my little (ok ok Wendy's) Dan ... omgosh... I just have fun. He's a bloody blast to ride for me because he feels very safe and very surefooted. Plus he's a hilarious Left Brained Introvert*. The other side of the sword with this horsenality* is that the "go" button always needs to be cultivated. Which again is an art and plenty of a challenge for me. I was so so so impressed with how much he had improved with the game of contact in the last month.

Today, I was a better horseman with Nigel because the girls let me play with their horses. What a privilege.

Thank you Marc and Wendy! Can't wait to visit again. www.onewithhorses.org

Nigel and The Trailer and The Game of Standing Still.

2010-09-05T09:05:00.000-07:00

Probably the biggest thing I've learned from Linda Parelli* this year is "make it a game". Make it a game!!! How simple right?

Nigel is so amazing I very much want to take him places. As a result I am highly motivated to solve this bloody trailer issue. Thank heavens because my brain has been smoking for over a year.

To recap...issue number one is that he is not a fan of standing still when it is not his idea. Particularly in the trailer or in his stall. He can throw an absolute Left Brained* temper tantrum. Not a drip of sweat after piaffing, levading, kicking and pounding for hours and hours.

Issue number two: (which we just yesterday got to start working on) is that he is Right Brained* afraid of driving away and leaving the herd. He breaks into a full body sweat as soon as we leave the driveway. Literally dripping with fear. The Right Brained issue just needs approach and retreat. I already knew how to do that. The Left Brained issue was the one giving me fits.

About the second week in July I figured out that I could use the clicker to mark the standing still and reward him for it. So we've built up from less than a moment...to 5 seconds..to 1 minute...to 7 minutes. Then I decided I'd see about the trailer.

Let me just say that not only am I working on Nigel standing still...I'm working on myself. It is not easy to be still for a Right Brained Extrovert like me. I gathered a few tools to help. Blackberry for emailing and texting, hands free for talking on the phone, Dick and Felix Francis' new book Crossfire on the Ipod, the stopwatch for visible progress and the magic clicker. LOL. Pretty funny but painfully true! Well, the pain has been worth it. We have made real progress. Over the last week Nigel made the leap from standing in the trailer with the back door closed, tied with the front door open. At first I had to sit with him. Now I can push wheel barrows around and pick blackberries. Perhaps I should get the weedwhacker out. He easily can now do 20 minutes.

Over the last few days I've been starting to close the front door. With the door closed, we're starting from the beginning building from one moment. But it is going much faster. He starts to paw when I close it but then obviously remembers that the answer is standing still. He's up to still for over a whole minute.

I figure once he can tolerate that, I'll start rattling things and tapping the trailer.

Yesterday is the first day since we started the clicker that I moved the trailer with him in it. I think it went superbly. I can say without a doubt....that if I can solve this...if he and I can solve this...and become confident enough to travel around town calmly...it will be my biggest horsemanship success.

Here's where we started:
Yesterday Part One:

Yesterday Part Two:

*see glossary at the bottom of the page.

.........learning by teaching....my beloved Game of Contact*.

2010-08-23T10:53:00.001-07:00

It sure was a riveting day teaching my fearless subjects Kim and her quarter horse Tunes, Shannon and her Iberian warmblood Desi and Lisa and her quarter horse Minnie.

This whole Game of Contact thing is FASCINATING to me. I want more people and horses to play with!

Kim and Tunes have been doing a lot of cool fun stuff (like extreme trail courses!) but not really any arena stuff. So we just played around with the concepts of free forward movement.

Shannon and Desi have been together since Desi was just a few months old. Shannon has done quite a bit of Parelli with her and takes dressage lessons once a week. I feel like Desi came "through" about 80% of what she is capable of. I can't wait to see her in a few months!Lisa and Minnie were on their 8th session with the game of contact. Even I can't believe how differently she moves!!! wow!

All three girls had such upbeat happy attitudes and made the whole day fun. They were sweet to their horses and didn't once (at least not that they let on) get frustrated. The horses were troupers too. Even when they got a little emotional with the new information, they hung in there and tried their hardest. It was a pleasure.
I want to say thank you to Jim and Lisa for hosting the clinic. Beth for her support and Kip for being my assistant scientist and recording the data via video camera.

ONWARDS!...or should I say: FORWARDS!

*I must add that this is actually my understanding of Linda Parelli's Game of Contact. Its her brain child. See the glossary at the bottom of the page for the Parelli links.

....Getting Unconscious.

2010-08-05T13:20:00.000-07:00

A few months have gone by since my lesson with Linda Parelli*. Thankfully I have had quite a bit of time with Lil.

Its funny how such a big learning event can be so packed that it takes months of practical application to sift through all the information. Its like little bits of savvy dust that have been swirling around suspended are now settling down to form a visible layer of gold. Lil and I have been continuing to develop our foundation in Four Savvys* to level 4 with delicate attention to the details of cause and effect.

Tiny Tiny details. Tiny changes and little adjustments. Reading Lil just a little bit better. Reading her a little bit faster. Speaking to her a little more softly. Being a horse, Lil notices everything. Because she is a Right Brained* horse she has intense emotional reactions to it all. Because she is usually an Introverted horse* I have to look very carefully to see what she needs from me moment to moment. To be subtle enough...to be quick enough...to be gentle enough...to be right on...requires unconsciousness.

I noticed something interesting in the year after my lesson with Pat in Reno in 2009. Because of physically being there with he and Lil I could think back to how he was with her. Not just what he did. I could think back to how he felt... what it was like to be with him and somehow in doing that I was able to emulate his state not just his actions.

My Linda lesson had another dimension to it. For the first part she was playing with Lil through me. I tuned in not only to her words and directions but purposefully opened my unconscious to the tone of her voice, her timing, her observations and her split second decisions about what Lil needed. The results of being able to recall and apply Linda's example have been very special.

Its not that Lil is suddenly void of emotions....or that I am suddenly a zen master. (not at all. I am still a Right Brained Extrovert) She still is who she is and so am I. Innate characteristics and all. Its just that we are more centered as individuals. And I think it is a result of our partnership.

Wanting to be in partnership with Lil and be better for her has caused me to shift in myself and to notice and effect the most minuscule changes. Because she is a horse, and inherently so forgiving...she has allowed me the latitude to grow as a leader. Because I have grown as a leader she has been able more and more to feel her feelings and yet trust me to acknowledge them and take care of the situation.

Our recent level of trust has enabled us to do some flying changes, pure bridless riding, connected and joyful liberty*, a soft and quiet game of contact and I have even trusted her enough to do some jumping! (which is a deep seeded childhood fear issue for me)

It pretty much goes without saying that the chances of all of this magically coming to me and my horse at this time without the generous mentoring hands on of Pat and Linda Parelli is remote. I suppose the only payback I can give is to USE IT. Don't waste it. Grow everyday and play with my horse.

Thank you Linda and Pat.

My Blog a few days after my lesson.
Linda's Blog on my lesson.
*see glossary at the bottom of the page

Dressage Naturally...

2010-07-27T12:30:00.000-07:00

I audited a Karen Rohlf clinic last weekend. I had a good sleep when I got home letting everything swirl around in my subconcious. Monday morning, I posted on her facebook page:

"After watching you teach I just come away with this soft, calm, clear feeling about the specialization of dressage, bringing our Parelli* foundation forwards and the excitement of all the possibilities. After auditing, I feel free, and light and intrigued and more in love with horses and dressage. That's some real deal skill right there Karen. Big ups."

She has an amazing ability to sum things up in one clear sentence.

Here is a litany of her one liners:

Is what you are asking Fair, Reasonable and Possible?

If your horse didn't want to do it in the first place she is not going to want to sustain it.

100% is unmistakable.

We need to bring our foundation forwards.

A great question to ask yourself is: Fill in the blank. If only ____ was better, everything else would be better.

You can't just sit up there and say: "Guess what I want horse."

To be aligned on the circle in your body look over your horse's outside ear.

We want our horses to say: "When mom talks to me, everything feels better."

You might have to overshoot the target.

If you are doing something extreme in your body, it is usually because you want something from your horse that you are not getting.

Pick a yield you are really good at in Freestyle*. Then, practice it in connection with the reins.

With every transition our goal is that the first step is the best step.

Now that I'm liking this...what can I do from here?

Is my horse really signed up? (I love that one)

Do it long enough that your horse gets to practice it. But not so long that your horse regrets being willing.

Is my horse's timing in a different landscape than my picture?

"Well....that's pretty much it...." is never 100%.

Parelli foundation is gold. Absolute gold.

Relaxed, Energized, Balanced - Free.

http://www.dressagenaturally.net/ Thank you Karen for sharing so many precious pearls.

*see glossary at the bottom of the page.

With Karen getting the feeling of riding in connection with the reins is Michael Sparling 2 Star Parelli Professional. Mr. Monty and Karen doing piaffe photo by Dana Rasmussen. Photo of Jenny and Sebastian demonstrating the relaxation part of finding the sweet spot (lol) during a lecture photo by Erin Wood.

Marker Post

2010-07-14T08:25:00.001-07:00

This is a post to remind me of the beginning results of using a marker consciously.

Last week I read "Don't Shoot The Dog" by Karen Pryor. Pat Parelli* recommended it to us all at the Gold Summit in Redmond a few months ago. EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK! Its one of those that you read and are kind of embarrassed that you haven't before. lol. I kept saying...."when was this written?" (the original copyright is from the 80's!)

When I was a kid growing up in Vancouver BC, every week my parents took my brothers and I to see the "Killer Whales" at the Vancouver Aquarium. We loved sitting in their underwater windows....watching them play with the trainers and each other....it seemed eventually that they even recognized us. For years I watched the trainers use whistles to mark a behavior and then reward the marker with fish or scratching or toys or whatever.

In recent years I have heard more and more about this "clicker training" phenomenon. I even bought a clicker several years ago to use on my dog. It totally worked when I used it. Ask for something... click when you get it.... reward. But I really haven't wanted to teach any new things to my dog since then and so it went into the drawer.

For the most part behavior shaping seems to simply consists of reinforcing the behavior that you want. Figure out what the "organism", as Karen Pryor puts it, wants....wait for them (or cause them) to do something that you want...mark the behavior and then reward it. In the Parelli Program we use life down as a marker a lot or a bring back or going into neutral in ourselves.

With Linda's Horsenality* model its way easier to understand where our horse's motivation lies in any given moment. Is my horse a Right Brained Extrovert* and needs to feel safe? Is my horse a Left Brained Introvert* and just wants to stand still? Or is my horse falling all over himself trying to get the treats? Understanding what my horse wants is so key!

Nigel is the one that caused me to fish my clicker out of the junk drawer. Surprise Surprise.

There are times in which I want and in fact need Nigel to stand still. Tied and in the trailer are a few biggies. The single biggest issue I've been having is that he wasn't giving me the time to reinforce the behavior that I wanted. He was only standing still for a split second.

In the trailer I wasn't using a marker. I was just hoping that he'd eventually make the connection between that split second of stillness and me moving towards the trailer to open it. The same issue with tying. He had to make the connection between standing still for a heartbeat and me making a move towards untying him. By the time I opened the trailer or untied him he would have resumed tantruming for much longer than he had stood still.

A little over a week ago I realized that he does his trailer temper tantrum in his stall everyday when I let the horses out. And everyday I've been reinforcing the temper tantrum by letting him out.

It was one of those 6million dollar man leaps of consciousness in my little brain. I could feel it griiiiinding away in suuuper slow motion. The speed of the clicker as a marker would work! Sure enough...over the last week...I've been reading "Don't Shoot the Dog" and clicking and reinforcing Nigel to stand still before turn out. Yesterday we got 15 seconds twice and 20 seconds as our crowning achievement for the week. For this horse...to stand still for 20 seconds when he does not want to.........is incredible! Like my friend Beth said: "that is more impressive than passage or flying changes for that horse!"

As I understand it, the reason Karen refers to "organisms" is because almost any is prone to developing and repeating behavior that is positively reinforced. She has great stories about people, chickens, whales, dolphins, tuna, cats, dogs and even a crab. She was telling the craziest stories about what intricate things animals can learn how to do.

So I have this really whiny cat. I mean really whiny. She wants attention but if you pet her at all she'll then follow you around and make you crazy. As a result, we end up just ignoring her most of the time. It has always made my heart sad. I love to give my animals what they want. Especially affection!

I began to wonder if I could shape her behavior. Again the clicker would be a great tool because she hardly takes a breath once she gets going. So reinforcing the moment of quiet needed the speed of the clicker as a marker. I clicked and reinforced when she was quiet. Within 10 minutes I went running into the house. "Kip Kip you've gotta see this!" Owl (said cat) was laying quietly next to me waiting for the click and some rubs.

My plan is to read the book to Kip as we drive up to the lake today. I've held back re reading it just for this purpose. Ever get that good sick feeling....when you feel like your life has just changed?

Lil and I in Four Collections.

2010-07-01T15:42:00.000-07:00

What springs to mind when I look at this series of photos is Collection. The dreaded word. It is dreaded for me because the word itself is so over used and misused and flat out misunderstood.

I like how Pat points out that the opposite of collection is scattered. If we accept this to be true, we can say that the opposite of scattered is collection. Then, we have a reasonable starting point.

These photos embody Lil and I being together in "FOUR COLLECTIONS". I learned this from Pat Parelli.

RAPPORT (heart collection) Bonding and Trust. Especially me trusting her because I'm the one who is worried about jumping. She is the one giving me confidence. How cool is that?

RESPECT (mental collection) Communication and response. She is understanding what I'm asking and is willing to do it.

IMPULSION (emotional collection) Go equaling whoa. This is the ultimate exercise to test this and has miles of "dressage" implications.

FLEXION (physical collection) In the simple purpose of jumping halfway over the barrels we are gathering ourselves up, balancing for a moment in full engagement, moving forwards and then halting.

Of course all of this ads up to being in harmony with Lil mentally and emotionally as well as sharing her physical power. A brilliant combination. It really was a great day. Karen Rohlf is so right when she says: "Harmony feels good and Beauty is obvious."

Here's a short one minute clip of us playing around.

Beth, Louie, Jazz Hands, Revelation.

2010-06-21T16:19:00.000-07:00

Beth is heading out for the Parelli University Fast Track Course (a boot camp of sorts for Parelli students with professional goals). Her course starts on Monday! I am so excited for her.

I've been her eyes on the ground and task master for quizzing her on Pat's book. (I love to try to catch her off guard! "quick! what are the 10 qualities of a horseman?" lol)

I was helping her the other day with The Game of Contact. It was amazing to see from the ground because Louie was really starting to reach for her hand. The thing was that Beth was letting slack in at just the wrong time. Gosh I know I've done that a million times. It was crazy to see from my vantage point...he looked like he was completely being abandoned just when he was trying.

Its so counter intuitive in a way. Horsemen have hands that close slowly and open quickly right? All this time we've built up the "jazz hands" response. (a friend who is just starting Parelli has coined "jazz hands" after watching the Parelli Level 1 Dvd. I told her I am totally stealing it.) We add steady pressure by degrees and then when we get a response.... Open!

Beth wasn't quite doing the total "jazz hands"...she wasn't throwing away the reins completely. . . but she was letting go of the contact. In this game that is not upholding our responsibility. When our horse starts to take the contact we have to "follow". But not abandon. For me it was a huge revelation to see it on Louie's face..."where are you going???". A release is important for sure. To communicate to the horse that he is right...that that is what we wanted...but we need to get a few steps of what we want first. Then. Stop and rest.

Beth sent me an email last night. I love it and have her permission to share. My favorite thing she said is that it is ok to be "wrong" -ish. Another distinction beyond just getting outside your comfort zone. We talked about it while she was riding. I said, "he's ok. he'll live if you hold too long for a lap. just see if you can keep the contact and feel the steadiness of it. if you get it wrong. that's ok!".

Here is her email:

"I now realize the contact game is just another piece of the puzzle that seems so far beyond my mind to get..yet I feel it is right in my grasp. Its like any other game I have learned to play thanks to Pat and Linda..at moments it does not feel like I am making any progress not because of the horse..but because of my blocks and my moments of unconfidence in myself and how trusting I am that its all good.

It is okay to be "wrong" ish if you trust in the fact that we can only learn if we use love language and leadership to attempt new things)..You cannot get a forward move by sitting still and waiting for life to happen.. We have to take risks and learn and grow.The contact game has taught me I have to engage and be alive in the moment..it is another game that will inspire us all to keep growing wanting and needing more ! : )

It is contagious in the fact that even though I so do not have it yet it has inspired me to be more precise in all other areas of play with my horse!!!!!!" - Beth Weaver

....playing in my 7th session with Nigel and "The Game of Contact".

2010-06-12T21:27:00.000-07:00

Direct youtube link.

Ok so here is my understanding of Linda's explanation: We make a GAME about who takes the contact. So if Nigel doesn't want it. . .I'll take it. ...until he says "hey! i'll take that". I say, "great! you can have it! i'll just hold your hand".

I use my biceps (think dumbbell curls) to take the contact and my triceps (along the back of my upper arms) to push forwards following the contact when he wants it and rounds his lower back. When he can carry himself I try to remember to pull my armpits down and hold the contact with my triceps.

In the video when I'm calling out "biceps" I'm taking the contact because Nigel is sucking behind my leg (losing self propulsion) or over curling his neck...or bracing somewhere etc. When I'm calling out "triceps" I feel him round over his topline, drive forward from behind and take the contact forwards. I said lifting of Zone 4* in the video but I meant Zone 3*. The push and impulsion come from Zone 4.

As you can see when the push really comes from behind his shoulders lift up more and his trot gets floatier and more forward. His whole stride gets longer and I really notice the outside front leg looks like it suddenly is softer and reaches up and around the turn almost effortlessly.

Nigel is on the cusp of a Left Brained Introvert/Left Brained Extrovert ...forward is not always his favorite but when he figures out what we're playing he's got LOTS!

I think its worth noting that this is not about vertical flexion at the poll. (although this can't really happen without it) Its about the horse using his whole body to power forward and lift... and hold the contact through the reins. The contact between the bit and the rider's hand completes the cycle of the energy. (Walter Zettl calls it Schwung. http://www.walterzettl.net/) The cycle comes from the horse's hind legs, over his back, between his ears, through the reins to the riders hands, through the rider's body, down the rider's legs and then again into the horse's hind leg. If the contact gets dropped by either the horse or human....the cycle is broken.

This is Nigel and I's 7ths session playing this game since Linda's article was published.

You can read Linda's article on The Game of Contact in the May 2010 issue of the Savvy Times in the Parelli Savvy Club Vault under "back issues". To join the club (which has been such an important part of my journey and I believe an awesome tool to help us change the world for horses and humans) click join.

Another Allure Breakthrough

2010-06-11T18:17:00.000-07:00

I've gotta share this one. "The Game of Contact" is my new obsession and I love Allure updates. Picts even! Click here Another Allure Breakthrough to go to Linda's Blog.

...and I almost got faked out.

2010-06-03T19:43:00.000-07:00

This is the tricky part after all. Our horses are dynamic not static.

Lil and I went up to the arena pretty happily. She rolled right away which is a good sign. When she seemed ready to do something, I sent her out on a circle at Liberty*. She maintained gait, direction and connection and started to blow out within a few laps. When she came back though she didn't want to touch me when I put my hand out. (read Right Brained*) I waited until she could. Then scratched her withers which she got into (read Left Brained*).

I figured we should check out our Figure 8 Pattern Online*. Oh man. In my lesson Linda called me out for moving my stick too quickly. I seriously don't even lift it! But even thought it doesn't raise off the ground....I move it to the side at the same time as giving the cue with my direction hand. And crap! Its not an easy habit to break! Linda suggested I might need to put a bell on my stick like there used to be in the Blue Level Two pack. I'm thinking I may need a car alarm to go off.

Lil was not going around the cones at first. I allowed her to work on it for a bit but when she seemed to have lost the plot I sent Zone 1*. I got the ears back for a second...shoot!..I must have asked too loudly. Of course she went around the cone but then straight away got stuck coming through the change of direction. Once through the middle she would start to trot...come around the cone and stop for a second before heading through the middle again. I'm so glad Linda pointed out the mental tension in her hesitation to come through the middle. Its so subtle....that is the part that is broken and yet I hadn't been conscious enough to isolate it. We just kept on until she could walk softly, ears relaxed and not get stuck.

When she came back to me it was not with Zone 1 ...it was kinda with her shoulder. So I sat on a barrel and waited. She blew out softly but had the secret lip licking. She cocked a leg but didn't touch me or start to rub on me. She looked sleepy. She had been on grass for 3 hours. It was the time of day she usually takes a nap...but I wasn't sure. Then her lower lip started to sag. Ha! Had to be Left Brained! I had waited it out!!!!! ...right?

I saddled her without any resistance...played some cantering circles over the barrels...a little sideways at the trot on the circle...nice stretchy, relaxed..a few changes of direction... all good. Brought her in. She blew out softly and licked...but none of her tongue came out of her mouth. I started to get a little suspicious.

I had asked Linda about this in my lesson....this...uncertainty. She reminded me that she used to make sure that she couldn't blow Allure up before she rode him. I wanted to be sure so I thought I'd try some canter gallop transitions on the circle Online*. I asked for gallop...nothing happened...I waived the flag in Zone 5*.....KABLOOOIE! Now we had gallop...and a few bucking horse quality crow hops. There was one I didn't think I could've ridden.

Now I had a Right Brained Extrovert on a string. Enter my handy dandy new strategy from Linda. Encourage the gallop for a lap and try to keep my feet still! No adding motion to the commotion. I feel like I had improved on that one and I think it helped. Then, I'd get neutral in my body for a lap. When she wanted to relax and slow down I allowed her to. We had to repeat this about three times. Finally she could canter...then gallop without melting down.

Suddenly Lil started blowing out for real. With conviction!!!!! She started licking and two inches of tongue appeared. She itched her leg and started swishing gnats.

I hopped on and we had a great ride. We had a perfect sweat pattern, she rolled at my feet, frisked me for treats and swung away at the walk the whole way down to the barn. Thanks Linda for giving me that extra strategy to roll with the change up. Savvy equals safety right?.... pheeeew!

*See the Glossary at the bottom of the page.

Linda Lesson Redmond Oregon 2010

2010-06-02T17:22:00.000-07:00

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

2010-05-26T10:45:00.000-07:00

Yaaaaaaaaaaahoooooooooooo! My lesson with Linda and Lil was priceless. I'll have to mill out what I learned as I process and absorb it.

Yesterday I was playing with Lil and a very large bell went off in my head.

In our lesson at the Parelli Across America event in Redmond, OR Lil came into the arena acting like a Right Brained Extrovert*. Linda helped me understand the strategy of asking her to go faster than she wanted. If she couldn't keep her feet still then "lets move them!". Now, I've heard this for years, but to see it utilized for a horse that I know really well, helped me big time.

Not too much...just enough. Add just enough energy to take over leadership. Its not a punishment. Which, although I didn't think that I was using it that way. . . . clearly I've been doing too much. Linda told me to be very careful not to add motion to the commotion. (I moved my feet a lot. arg!) Understand Lil's idea... "eeeeek! I've gotta move" then ask her to do more of her idea. All of a sudden, without even knowing it, she's following me. I get it! And boy did it work like a charm.

In pretty short order Lil could stand still. Even in front of all those people! But as soon as I asked her to do something too loudly she went introverted. To entertain the crowd Linda told tons of stories in her spellbinding Linda way and shared lots of Horsenality* info while we waited. . . . . . .And waited and waited and waited. Finally, in her own time, Lil came off of the adrenaline. In the end she yawned for like 5 minutes, rolled, rubbed and nuzzled Linda. She had made it to a confident Right Brained Introvert*. I could feel the grin on the crowd.

One of the stories Linda told was from the Australian Parelli Event. (you can read about it at Linda's Blog the may 17th post) Her lesson there was with a Right Brained Extrovert. She talked about riding the horse and allowing her look around but not letting her get fixated.

So here was the big bell yesterday: All of a sudden I could recognize the difference between a Right Brained Extrovert frozen in place and a Right Brained Introvert gone introverted.

There have been times (looking back now I can see) where Lil was fixated. She would run around like a loon, freeze, then run around some more. This is why I kept saying that it wasn't "sticking". In this case I need to help her to focus. Ask her to do something. Making sure that I match her energy. Sometimes that means being pretty gentle. Sometimes that means I've gotta get pretty big. But the thing I realized is that just waiting for the next explosion is not the right strategy.

However, when Lil goes introverted I do need to wait for her to become confident enough to ask me a question and request further instructions. Linda has said that and written it a hundred times. Wait Wait Wait Wait Wait! Its just I was doing the right thing at the wrong times. Ah yes. What is that Patism about where to be, when to be, why to be, what to do when you get there and when to stop doing what you're doing? . . . something about that being true savvy...??

When she's in an RBE freeze its almost as if she's still vibrating. when she's in an RBI introversion, its so quiet! And now after the stark difference she showed in Redmond I CAN SEE IT!!!! Hallelujah! I was literally yelling with excitement into the phone when I called my husband yesterday to share my breakthrough. lol.

This will change everything for me and my horses. Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Jackpot baby!

Lil did so well at our Playday!

2010-05-19T05:45:00.000-07:00

When we got to Beth's Place everyone was already there hanging around outside handgrazing their ponies. We of course joined in and Lil hoovered grass while us humans chatted excitedly about the coming Parelli Across America Event.

As people started to wander off to tack up or play in the indoor arena, roundpen or on the hillside, Lil and I went to the huge outdoor arena to see how she'd do as everyone left us. Its getting better!

The circling game is where I can see a lot of how she is mentally and emotionally. Can she maintain gait, direction, rhythm and connection to me? Can she not pull on the line or try to change direction every half a lap so she's always heading back to the barn? Can she relax into the movement and curve prettily on the circle hooking onto me as the bullseye?

The slower we go the easier it seems. And yet the blow up can lurk just below the surface. She was fine as usual at the trot. Nice rhythm and connection. Pretty good at the canter actually. Maintained the speed and rhythm nicely and it only took a few laps for the flexion on the circle to "get straight" and for her to connect to me. I loved that she seemed present the whole time and that I could see her tongue as she was licking and chewing.

Gallop is where the drama poked its head out a little bit. Not too bad though. On the long side of the arena I would run straight down the centerline so she could gallop. Then she'd get ahead of me so I would stop my feet. . . she would have to curve her body and slow down to cut across the short side. In this pattern she could make canter gallop canter transitions and I could be relatively passive in asking her to reconnect with me. Its not a circling game of course at that point. More like just a gentle driving game but that's just fine so long as I recognize it.

As she got faster she did a few leaps in the air. Her tail and neck got high and tight. . . . she even kicked out at me once. I did wish I had the 45 with me as there was plenty of room to use it and it would have been EXCELLENT to be able to really let her open up. (note to self to bring it next time because I can only run so fast and cannot seem to keep up with a thoroughbred. lol) In just a few minutes she was blowing and cantering with connection and impulsion (not too fast not too slow). She came back to me and then wanted to eat grass. All of this whilst we were the only ones within eyesight.

We went to find the rest of the gang relaxed and curious about everything. Kip hung out with her while I helped other people with questions. I didn't see it but Kip said she laid down at his feet and took a nap! Later we both rode her. She felt great for me. When I got on she started yawning. How un-freakin-believable is that? Kip said she had improved a lot since he had ridden her last (which I love to hear) and I saw them have a really nice canter.

This all gives me hope that things will be better for our lesson with Linda in Redmond this weekend than they were last year for our Spotlight in Reno. It is important to me that both Pat and Linda see that I've been putting my time in. That all of their investment in me has not been wasted. I'm guessing that Lil will still be scared in front of all those predators. . . but our relationship has improved soooooo much since then . . .I have to trust that Pat is Pat and Linda is Linda and that they will see it. . . . . and I am so excited to get a few more missing puzzle pieces!

Actually, We Went For A Hike Instead....

2010-05-01T20:45:00.000-07:00

Beth and Louie, Kip and Nigel, Lil and I needed a break from the treadmill and the arena. So we met at the BLM land just down the street from our house (about 20min from Beth's) for a hike. Just Three Horses, Three Humans, Three Parelli Halters, Three 12 Foot Lines, Three Carrot Sticks, Three Savvy Strings marching along the logging roads singing a merry tune.

It was deliciously quiet. The gunmen had packed up from the morning target practice and the motorbikes showed up as we were leaving. A couple cyclists rode by as we started out but that was it. My cell phone didn't even ring once. That is seriously a miracle by itself.

Louie and Beth strolled along peacefully.....quite the handsome couple. Nigel led Kip from grass clump to clover patch....Nigel shining in the filtering sunlight like Shadowfax. Just watching the four of them was a pleasure.

Lil started out walking faster than normal and tended to get ahead of me. We did a little sideways and falling leaf. No fuss...she was walking without a problem....just faster than I could. She was very looky for a good hour but not spooky. Walking back she was my favorite Lil. Soft everything. Ears, Neck, Tail, Eyes. Head low. Blowing softly and moving with that musical gait of the relaxed quadruped.

I put her sheet back on before I turned her out when we got home....she nuzzled me and then started yawning. Doesn't get much better than that.

...Riding Nigel Bridless For The First Time.

2010-04-18T15:03:00.000-07:00

Yahhooo! What fun!

I've been wanting to do this for ages with him! I was just trying to be savvy and be sure I was sure. Of course it wasn't that impressive. Firstly we just did yields, walked around, did a figure eight then stood around chatting with Kip. And secondly, we've ridden without using the bridle at walk and trot nearly every ride. I felt like we could have done much more but I figured I would stop while it was soooo good and not try to find the edge just yet.

Nonetheless, taking the bridle off completely is a matter of trust. And I found that I did trust him. We had had a lovely harmonious play then ride. He wanted to do lots of passage Online*. (we're working on that going to the left as well which is getting better) Canter both ways felt great...he regulated his speed perfectly and I just got to sit there.
So, I felt pretty sure.

He really is quite a safe little steed... the worst he's going to do is spook at a deer or something or kick up at the canter. His spooks are usually a quick sideways maneuver and then he's ok. Not much I can do (or need to do) for a one rein stop anyway. His little bucks are totally Left Brained and not very big so they don't scare me....plus he hasn't offered one in several weeks.

I was thinking how interesting it is that when I really started riding him he seemed to lose confidence to some degree Freestyle* (on a loose rein). In Finesse* (with contact) he must have felt more secure. Which is weird. I would have thought, considering his Horsenality*, he would have preferred Freestyle. I've noticed that lately, he has been a lot more confident just cruisin on his own. Another one for Pat .... this whole Four Savvys, Building a Foundation thing is important. The confidence and obedience was there yesterday for sure plus Nigel seemed to think it was cool. Which made it even cooler for me.

Now, the ticket is not to assume that we'll start at that point next time.....

Openness to Harmony

2010-04-14T21:45:00.000-07:00

(youtube link: kip, nigel and passage practice)

Beautiful ride and play with Nigel today. Not perfect...but I loved it because we felt in harmony.

Boy, we still have our on and off days. The session before this was not the best. My fault. I was high on the ride before that and stupidly had the unconscious idea that we'd be starting from there.

I wonder when I'll learn that that is a sure fire recipe for a let down. I need to remember to be open. Open to whatever, where ever our partnership is on any given day. Start at the beginning .... start with the 7 games...start with confidence...then curiosity...then teach/practice something...

Today, I did that. And it felt great. Plus I was riding a lot better. We had some really really good moments at canter and some yummy trot circles. (actually online too. straight on the circle and connected...rope soooo slack)

Nigel did some very good counter canter on the left lead. I was seriously impressed. Also a big marker was the impulsion. Our canter in general has been inconsistently balanced. We need more transitions. Yay for us that we have gotten to the place where that is possible. Got some much better canter walks...(into a very nice relaxed walk)..and a few way way better walk canters. He was even letting me tap him a little with the stick for the take off timing. Usually he swishes his tail or bucks. So this was a nice surprise. Helpful too!

I feel like this game of food dominance I've been playing has improved our relationship. Today was the first day he let me find an itchy spot near his sheath!!!!!! BIG HUGE DEAL!!!!! big. huge.

I love Nigel's soft eye...ears forward...relaxed, confident and respectful...no nickering yet...but I've got my ears peeled.

Rapport, Respect. Respect, Rapport. Balance...

2010-04-07T10:25:00.000-07:00

Ai yi yi! So much easier said than done! Love, Language and Leadership in EQUAL doses. A pretty dang tall order.

Nigel is forcing me to step it up. We want to be as gentle as possible but as firm as necessary right? Well, I have been faced with the fact that I really don't want to. I don't want to have to get firm with him. (unfortunately this is required in order to be effective...in order to be understood) I don't want to drive him away when he gives me the crappy ears and the driving face. Its one of those "everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die" deals. I want to have a beautiful relationship...I want to have the 51% in the partnership but apparently I don't want to do what it takes to earn that leadership.

In the last year I have worked hard to create rapport. To build Nigel's confidence with me. He is by nature a confident horse and so we've reached the tipping point. Over the last week or so it has become clear that I have two choices. Dominate or be dominated.

At least I don't take it personally. Watching Nigel out in the field I see him behave the exact same way with the other horses. He is passively...subtley...surruptitiously dominant. He doesn't seem to go out of his way to make a big fuss about moving up the pecking order. He just is where he is. (somewhere in the middle of the herd of 7)

Its actually pretty humorous. The other day Jack was trying to get him to move his feet. He got so frustrated trying to get firm enough with Nige that he actually jumped on him. Nigel is like 14.2 ... Jack is about 16.2 . Jack was standing beside him with one leg on either side of Nigel's withers...Nigel sloooowwwwly moved sideways so that Jack slid off. I was vindicated! If all 1400 pounds of Jackson is having trouble getting Nigel to move...I don't feel so bad about not having figured it out yet.

Reverse psychology does work brilliantly because if I set it up to make it seem like his idea he thinks he's dominating me. And of course he naturally wants to do that. However, I think there is a time to make sure that I get a response. For instance, in the yoyo game..he can really suck me into nagging him. Finding an effective phase four is requiring me to stretch and grow my leadership skills.

When playing with Nige, I've been trying to visualize Travis who is the alpha in the herd. He's 27 and still in charge. He is the king of getting in and getting out. And he doesn't give a tiny little rat's ass (emotionally speaking) if the others are trying to move up or not. He just lays down the law very frankly. He's like an electric fence. If somebody steps out of line...he puts them back. Simple as that.

They either cause him to just lay his ears back as a reminder... or like the other day with Jackson...Jack caused Trav to run him around until he would stand still respectfully and not move... until finally Trav gave him permission. That was a big eye opener. Travis ran Jack into the fence repeatedly....making him do rollbacks...playing the squeeze game...playing the circling game making him go around and around. The mud was flying! If it had been dry there would have been a cloud of dust for sure. I watched him give Jack opportunities to stop ... but Jack would try to sneak forward...so he'd send him off again.

I would have felt horrible! Like a total predator if I would have been doing that to Jack. I'm consciously trying to emulate the way Travis does not seem to get mad. I know that is a big part of me being successful. The detachment of it. The attitude of justice. Cause and effect. Its when predators get emotional that horses get scared. I noticed that Jack was not sweating one bit when he finally decided comply. Very interesting.

Playing with Nigel yesterday I decided to try the flag instead of a savvy string. Friendly game was interesting....he wasn't too worried but especially on his right side he was lookier at it. Interestingly enough this caused him to want to bite it ... not really aggressively...but almost...dominantly. He didn't strike at it which I thought was noteworthy.

The flag did elicit more of a response. And I loved it because I could just change my expression from friendly to driving and wave the flag instead of having to smack him with the stick or tag him with the string. (which as I said has been marginally effective ... both for me and his herdmates) I was able to use the flag to drive him back when he gave me the bad ears with great success. I've also been using the flag to cause him to stand respectfully away from his grain and hay in his stall until I invite him to it. We'll see how long the flag remains effective.....

It does seem like this is creating MORE rapport instead damaging it. He also had seemed spookier since he took leadership....over the last few days...with me taking it back...he has been less so....very noticeably. Oh phew! Man I love this horse. Preserving and developing our relationship is my number one priority. I guess Pat was right. "Horses are natural followers and they are looking for natural leaders." Nigel just expects a lot out of his.

The super duper cool side effect is that Nigel is causing me to be a better leader...being a better leader causes Lil to be more confident with me. Nigel is providing me the opportunity to become an even more confident, balanced rider...which is causing Lil to be more confident with me as her rider. So as I improve (kicking and screaming sometimes) I am killing two birds with one stone so to speak. Efficientcy... I love it.

NAPPING! Guest Post by Lisa Overhuel

2010-04-03T09:22:00.000-07:00

my husbands horse, jake, is the poster child for a Left Brained Introvert*!!! lol. his favorite pass time is NAPPING, full out, laying on his side, face in the dirt, NAPPING. his favorite days are sunny days, why..........because they make NAPPING even better!! :)

my husband, jim, has been able to approach jake during a nap and lay down with him for a couple months now. he's even had jake lay down in his presence. a couple weeks ago i saw jake was napping and decided to see if he would allow ME to approach him in this vulnerable position. so, using my pat parelli "stroll" i walked out to him. he didn't even look up. i dropped to the ground right next to him and he didn't move a muscle.

i layed down with him and he just kept on lounging. by now jim had come out and took some photos. also by now, my mare, minnie had approached us along with our dog, duke. it was quite the three ring circus (as usual), jim and i, now laying on the ground with jake, minnie standing over us and duke running around us. jake could care less!

we all hung out for probably 10 or 15 minutes before jake decided nap time was over. WHAT AN AMAZING FEELING! a feeling that will never grow old!!

Trailer Breakthrough!!!

2010-03-24T19:14:00.000-07:00

Hooooooooo Boy! Feels like a lot has happened in the last week with Nigel. It was all set off by one of the best calls ever with my Coach Rachel*.

We came to the conclusion that Nigel's trailer issue was separation anxiety ... not the trailer. If you put that horse in a trailer with several other horses...he'd be happy as a clam to go wherever. He would be with the herd which is were he is the very most confident.

Once this became clear we were able to formulate an appropriate strategy. ... and to cotton onto the fact that I was now dealing with Left Brained* behavior. It had started out as a little worry (especially after we went next door a month or so ago and we had that big meltdown when the other horses got all worked up about him being over there)....but now....he had my number.

It came down to needing to let him stay in the trailer longer. The thing was, he was still banging around and making such a racket! But...he seemed to be just fine to stand in there and eat his grain. As soon as the grain was done the symphony began.

As we know, Right Brained*, stressed and scared horses won't eat. They usually won't touch even their favorite treat because food is at the very bottom of a horse's hierarchy of needs. Sooooooo this was a great "tell". He was cocking a leg munching away...until he deemed the grass outside the trailer more appealing than the hay inside the trailer.

The thing was that I couldn't just keep letting him out now that it was Left Brained. Rachel instructed me to clean stalls...weed the garden...whatever...just ask him into the trailer, feed him his food and leave him be. When he got quiet (even if it was for just a minute) I could let him out. Duh right?

Well, I proceeded to do this. And Nigel proceeded to pound. Arg! I just wanted him to stop! It was making me crazy! I told Kip later: "thank god this wasn't in a nice new trailer. we'll have to keep this one for practice for sure." What was I going to do though? He was in the trailer! I couldn't move him around until he wanted to keep his feet still....I needed a way to make pounding less desirable...

Then it came to me.... A flag! I marched into the barn and tied a plastic bag to a carrot stick. When I came back out I simply mirrored him. He pounded...I waved like a mad woman. At first he looked at me like "what in the hell???" (I was watching carefully to make sure this was just annoying him and not really scaring him) He kept pounding...I waved...he got still...I got still...he clonked his hoof experimentally....I waved softly... About five minutes of this tit for tat....he looked at me....cocked a leg and started eating his hay. GOTCHA!

I've felt as if we were at a plateau with the trailer. This tipped the balance. Now I've got his number. Today, he chilled in there for almost 45 minutes. 5 of those he was completely shut in. At the end of the 45 minutes...he started yawning...he finally, finally, FINALLY..let loose. Oh thank god.

....Nigel has been yawning after our rides.

2010-03-18T09:04:00.000-07:00

Its been interesting. He has progressed through sighing...blowing out Online* at the walk..then at the trot...then at the canter.....same progression Freestyle* and now at all three gaits in Finesse*. We've been playing with The Game of Contact (as Linda Parelli has been teaching recently). Over the last few sessions, after he's undressed and relaxing as I pack up the tack locker he's been yawning. And yawning. And yawning.

This "Game of Contact" has been very helpful to me in a few different ways. First and foremost, it has put the idea of making it a GAME right at the front of my mind. This is sooooooooo important for a mostly Left Brained Introvert* horse like Nigel who really needs to see the point in going around and around in circles.

The thing with Nige is that he can get a lot of things done without really using his body to the fullest. (as evidenced by his passage with a hollowish back and head in the air. lol) So The Game of Contact, for whatever reason, reminded me that it is not just about a rounder topline and having the horse compress his body...not even just flexion like a bow...but ENGAGEMENT through the hind end. Really and Truly "Impulsion". Power from behind.

I know what this feels like because Lil is spectacular in the trot moving this way. She's not usually very uphill, more even front to back, but she sure uses her hind end to power the forward.

Now, reminding myself that this is the new game I'm playing with Nigel, I can fuzz out what I'm seeing with my eyes as we're going around, and feel for him to really push himself up and forward, powering it all from his hind quarters. When he does it, I've been releasing him with my whole body. At first it was a step or two of engagement then release and stretch for nearly half a lap or so, now even just a few sessions later, he's really getting the idea...the feeling of it himself too I think, its the reverse...release for a few steps then engagement for almost half a lap on a 20m circle.

He seems to be interested in the whole thing too which is amazing. I remember when I first started really spending time with him (about 9 months ago)...he had no idea that there was a point to anything. Not even something obvious like putting a foot on a stump or his nose on a cone. For him to "get the game" with something this subtle is really cool. Its not that surprising anymore I suppose, I'm more getting used to how smart he is...how much of a super Left Brained learning genius he is......but its still waaaay cool.

Anyway, this yawning thing is a great sign I think. Sometimes a horse yawns when he's coming of stress and adrenaline but they also do it when they've achieve a new level of relaxation like during a good massage. I really don't think he's tense during the exercise...he's blowing, ready to stretch...when stopped cocking a leg, head and neck loose. I think the yawning means we're making progress gymnastically!

Its a crack up to see him out in the field after these workouts. Like yesterday. I let the whole herd out to run and play in the sunshine. Which they all did (even our 27 year old was cantering around doing changes)... except Nigel. He' play lip wars and "move your feet" if another horse came around...but he mostly wanted to eat and relax. Hehe....its very gratifying to see that I've been able to satiate him mentally and physically. And he looks happy afterwards, tracking me with interested ears forward and soft eyes.... Yay!

Learning Game of Contact video from March 14th 2010

... I can't believe that Lil is letting me lay her flat out.

2010-03-13T13:05:00.000-08:00

Lil and I are a stronger partnership...for sure. Of late, I am frequently in awe of the bond that we have been able to forge despite our differences.

Lil trusts me.... she's been laying down at my feet for several years now. The new development is that she will let me gently porcupine her neck to lay her flat out. It is truly unbelievable to me that this formerly distrustful prey animal that I have made soooooo many mistakes with, will put herself in such a compromised position at my request.

Now its my turn to trust her.

I had a chance to talk with a wonderful Parelli Faculty member yesterday. She was helping me with a Nigel trailer question but also, I had sent in Lil and I's Level 4 liberty audition. It was great to discuss strategies for advancement. We were awarded all Level 3++'s except four Level 4 scores. One on rapport and one on relationship! (those are the best ones I think) But. Pat wants to see more refinement.

I hadn't really been thinking of Refinement...even though its all over the level 4 self assessment sheets. What it boils down to is allowing another layer to come off the onion. Instead of continuing to do what we've been doing for months now.....learning some very high level maneuvers but using phase 2 and 3 to execute them....I need to be ready to correct...but trust that she'll respond. Not more one than the other.

..........what a privilege! It is a dream come true to even be thinking about these intricacies.

..Playing with "Summer Lil"

2010-03-06T11:24:00.000-08:00

My horsey's horsenality* changes with the weather.

Its very clear, if we think of measuring confidence in 5 areas, as Pat and Linda have taught us, (Confidence in my Leadership, Herself, the Heard, the Environment and as a Learner) Lil has the most trouble with changes in her environment. The wind, pelting rain and cold really does a number on her confidence.

It is for sure getting better each winter as our relationship gets stronger especially as I've learned to help her more. We've made a lot of progress in the last 4months. Buuuuuuuuuuut, I LOVE it when she gets back to this Lil. She's snugglier, itchyer, pushier, curiouser (heh) and even nippier. It makes me sooooooooooooo happy!

It is almost like we can do anything together. I'm a lot better than I used to be about flexing my strategies for her changed behaviors and adjusting to fit the situation.

Now....we can get back to freakin flying changes undersaddle. I swear...if I ever get through this...if I ever get it...I can die happy. Its just so ridiculous. Lil is brilliant at them. Online* and at Liberty*.

Its a pretty simple issue....I chicken out. I get tight right when I need to be confident to allow her to go forward into the change. Grrrrrrr. Pretty soon I think I'll be so sick of myself I'll finally give up and go for it. Kip just laughs at me and rolls his eyes. "You're stopping her from doing it! She's ready!!!"

I am tempted to just take a passenger lesson and have Kip ask her to do it as if she was at Liberty. I'll just shut my eyes and hang on. How finessey and skilled does that sound?

Seriously though, getting down to it, here is what I'm worried about. I'm worried that carrying me will unbalance her and she'll trip and fall. I also have some emotional baggage with her getting super engaged at the canter. She used get very emotional at the canter and get so tight and overengaged .... I guess it's a carry over for me. For crying out loud. She's past that. I need to get over myself.

Having my summer horsey back will help me psychologically I think. She is more left brained...so maybe I will be too. I'm quite sure she'll be happy when her human gets it together....

Hanging out with Beth and Louie (at their arena)

2010-03-03T07:40:00.000-08:00

Its great visiting with those two for many reasons. I love having a fellow student (and dear friend) like Beth. And Louie...well, Louie was my first Parelli partner. About a year and a half ago he and Beth got together because they are perfect for each other. I'm so so grateful that he is still firmly rooted in the family. I love him a lot.

Sometimes I get a chance to go over to their place to see what they're up to. The two of them have passed their Level 3 Online* and Liberty* and so are working on Level 3/4 Freestyle*, Level 4 Online and Liberty. It is so fun to get to see them playing in level 3/4. I learn sooooo much! Knowing Louie so well is great too because Beth doesn't have to explain his horsenality to me.

Plus, there are things that only I (and Kip) would really appreciate. For instance, last night, they played Online (we fiddled with a few things . . I gave a little outside perspective and helped with some of the L4 things I've already done) then she saddled him. La la la and off they went to play a little more Online...then she got on and they showed off some really good Freestyle riding with 2 carrot sticks. An outsider would most likely not even notice anything. Which is the point. Saddling wasn't even a blip. That is a BIG HUGE DEAL!!!!

When Beth got Louie from us he had a few issues that I hadn't helped him get all the way through. One was trailer loading and the other was saddling. I started Louie about 3 months prior to becoming a serious Parelli student. I was using another popular "natural horsemanship" method. I exacerbated an already shaky Porcupine/Friendly game which I didn't recognize at the time. But, we got around it. I thought at the time that the goal was to "get on my horse and then fix the problem". I wasn't even thinking of his claustrophobia.

So I just made sure that Louie was safe to get on (I have to say without that method I could have been VERY unsafe) and didn't worry about him really and truly being ok with the saddle. He stood still and tolerated saddling. Once I got on and we were going things were mostly fine but starting the sessions off with that mental tension .... I can only see now how much more progress he can make when he starts off completely relaxed and confident.

The trailer issue is a lot the same although I don't think I created it. Louie was run through the sale barn and when we bought him we just got him into our trailer any way we could. (chased him through a chute and into it) When I started "training" him I began the miserable task of trying to fix the issue without the keys to success. As the years when by and I got farther in the the Parelli program my savvy increased and I was able to help him some. But I committed to Lil a few years after that and did not choose to spend the hours with Louie and the trailer.

Well, Beth has chosen to lay a real foundation. She spent a gajillion days and nights last year making the horse trailer a friendly place for Louie to be. She got him so good, so confident that she hauled him safely all the way to Reno Nevada (Lil and I went too) and he'll still hop happily in.

She has done the same with the saddle...taking the time it takes...however long it takes...for him to be like he was last night. Let loose. COMPLETELY LET LOOSE for saddling. Leg cocked... could have been eating grass in the sunshine let loose. I'm so proud of them both and very very happy for Lou.

A big highlight for me last night was when Beth and I had a big discussion about the Porcupine and Friendly games specifically with the tail. Louie, Lil and Nigel all lead backwards by the tail. All do it at Liberty. Lil even makes turns and responds from just a few hairs. But.....................we were talking about it getting so good.....again those words....so let loose....that it feels as soft and gentle and relaxed as the feel we have with our horses on the halter usually. We were wondering what it will be like when our horse is so trusting of us that the whole dock of the tail is perfectly relaxed and we get a super soft following feel without ANY tension. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm that'll be a whole nother level of excellence.

...and Our Passagey thing is getting better....

2010-02-24T19:58:00.000-08:00

To View With Full Screen Option go to northwood's youtube

Nigel and I are slowly working on a more elevated trot moving towards passage and then piaffe. We don't have that much going on from the hind legs yet (thus the head in the air to lift himself up)...but its just in the last week or so that he's really gotten the idea of upwards in the front with his energy....so...I figure .... when we've got that on cue we'll just add more forwards which will really be just more impulsion from the back UPWARDS!

Even though it might look better...I am NOT willing to tie his head down to a surcingle at this point. I want the truth about where we are and allow him the freedom to do what he needs to in his body to sort it out.

I'm thinking that the ears and the highheadedness will improve like it has on the circling game, the squeeze, the back-up etc... I know he's not hating me because actually, he's looking at me more and more eagerly with two ears forward and coming to me to put his nose in the halter each day. More than ever! Plus he's the one that's offering this passagey thing...it is in general a dominant behavior so that probably is also contributing to the ears...I just make sure I'm balancing it with a nice respectful back up and all manners of the driving game.

I don't want to be greedy..... I guess I'm a little insecure about the way our relationship looks at this stage...but I mean really...does everyone else's passage look beautifully harmonious at first??? And he's OFFERING!!! I am NOT forcing him. I'm simply just asking for a bit more effort ( a bit more extreme yoyo game ) before a rest and a treat. I admit though I can't wait for it to look prettier.

One more note for posterity...I had just gotten on after filming this...we were doing our forehand yields and oh my god a deer appeared on the hill behind the arena! Nigel had a big ol sideways spook and a nice loud snort. Yikes! Thank goodness for being on my balance point. (thank you Linda and my fusion saddle) I hopped off and after a few disengagements of the hindquarters, turn face and wait, he was calmly standing with a leg cocked licking and admiring the gorgeous creatures.

I got back on and decided to make the rest of the session about relaxation and confidence. Lots of partial disengagements, walking pirouettes (getting better too), the Figure 8 Pattern*, sideways and backwards. Then a few really nice trot walk trot walk transitions on that pattern. He started to really relax his ribcage so we stopped in the middle.

After just a few moments he sighed and blew out!!! I remember last summer when he would not do that! He'd just hold it and hold it. I thought about riding for tomorrow...so I got off. Yahooo!

Linda's Blog Ultimate Horse "Training" formula...

2010-02-24T11:09:00.001-08:00

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This is a great post I think. . . remembering to do less sooner instead of more later and to keep in mind the core relationship/horsenality goals I am trying to improve.

Day 3 out of at least 7 of avoiding avoidance with Nigel and the trailer......

2010-02-20T09:40:00.000-08:00

It was better. A little better. A little tiny bit better.

I would say that yesterday Nigel was mostly Left Brained*. There was no sweating, no dancing around after getting out of the trailer. Just heading for the grass. I'd redirect him and send him back in. The one thing I did notice was that his tail was tight. Now, this is a typical thing for him. When we got him he would clamp it to his bum. No way he'd raise it for us. Even when he was super Left Brained and everything else was very relaxed. Of course, he's over that now and for the most part it is loose. He even happily does lead by a tail 80% of the time. So yesterday while he was standing in the trailer, I played friendly game with his tail just lifting it gently and swishing it back and forth.

He understood that swinging the door meant keep his feet still but, it was many many time of getting in and getting out before he decided to. I started a new thing which was to bang loudly on the door every time he would paw on the front of the trailer. LOL. We were both making quite the racket. That worked though. He would quickly stop and either get out or look back at me like: "what in the hell are you doing?".

I'm getting this feeling that he's now just trying to out persist me. Especially with the door open. I think he is worried about getting shut in all alone and going away....but yesterday I kinda felt a lack of try. Well, a lack of trying to do what I wanted. He wanted to get out and eat grass....lots of try for that...mostly in a passive-ish way. "She lets me get out...so I'll get out....how many times before she gives up." BUT. I can be pretty dang passively persistent in the proper position too. *narrowing eyes in determination..... Not even Pat Parelli is more persistent than an Emma Kline.

I might sound a little (or a lot) direct lined. However, I have thought about this. I know we've done plenty of preparation. Nigel can jump over stuff, he can stand with four feet on a pedestal, he can back over a pole, he can squeeze sideways over the barrels, he can maintain gait and direction both Online*, Freestyle* and Finesse* etc, etc, etc. He also can stand calmly for quite a long while in all four Savvy's*. There comes a time, I've learned, when you've gotta get to it.

I imagine starting a horse undersaddle. Even when all the preparation is done, the horse needs to wear the saddle. In fact, he needs 200 hours undersaddle to have a proper foundation.

As Pat has taught us, the trick is to put principles before purpose and let the horse be in charge of the timeline. I feel like I'm doing that. I'm using Love, Language and Leadership....keeping the Eight Principles in mind and yet NOT AVOIDING THE PURPOSE. I feel like I'm letting Nigel be in charge of the timeline by not just locking him in the trailer and heading off to where ever I want to go. We'll just practice and practice and practice, isolate, separate and recombine, until he finally accepts the purpose and lets loose.

But only after playing with my least favorite toy.....

2010-02-18T20:55:00.000-08:00

It was a funky day with Nigel. After yesterday's short trip in the trailer just to the neighbors he couldn't stand calmly in it with the door shut.

Even moving the door around was trouble. The good news is that he didn't have any big resistance getting into the trailer or standing in it with the door open. Actually, it was good too to see him touching a lot of stuff in the trailer with his nose. The sides, the roof, the divider. This should help build his confidence and hopefully it'll stick better.

So we made the session about just being able to stand still with me swinging the door back and forth, back and forth. Omgosh. I don't even know how long we did it. He got out. I asked him back in. He got out. I asked him back in. He pawed the floor, he did levade, he did piaffe. I kept moving the door until he could just stand. As soon he was still I kept the door still. He was training me.

We ended when he could stand there with me swinging the door once or twice. After munching grass for about five minutes we went up to the arena and did some nice standing friendly game undersaddle while we watched Kip and Jackson play. (they did great)

But, oh man the trailer is so the bane of my existence. I know we'd better knock off at least 5 more sessions before a break and not avoid it like I REALLY REALLY want to. To get it better its just repetition. "polite and passive persistence in the proper position" so that we can do our "prior and proper preparation to prevent p poor performance" as pat says. I guess. *big huffy sigh. God I hate it. I just want Nigel to be happy and to love me. Getting him outside his comfort zone is counter intuitive for rapport.

In my heart I know that this is one of those things that will make our relationship stronger. Taking the time it takes ....whatever it takes....to develop ultimate confidence in the trailer and traveling will make him and I a better Horse-Man in the end. This goal.... this dream...... is enough to outweigh the trauma thankfully.

It reminds me of my brother Isaac's favorite quote: "The only way out is through".

....and I fell on my head.

2010-02-11T16:14:00.000-08:00

Oh my gosh! What a dork.

Lil and I were playing. Having a grand old time working on our L4 Liberty* stuff. Canter stick to me with flying changes....spins....an extremish YoYo Game with back up fast and canter draw.

Here's the thing. It was cold again so I had breeches on underneath my jeans and therefore was not my normal agile self. Plus we'd been playing for quite a while, turning and burning in the deep sand....

We were just getting a really REALLY good draw at canter. Like a war horse, Lil was pretty much as collected and jumping in the canter as she'll ever get. I was running backwards....I just didn't quite pick my knees up high enough and KABLOOIE! Backwards I fell with plenty of velocity to feel the thwack at the back of my head resonate in my jaw.

As I fell, I was aware that Lil was still maintaining gait and direction like a good little partner. Actually, she didn't look that little as I was wrenchingly twisting my head and neck to look up at her bearing down on me.

Of course, she stopped when she got to me. She looked down like, "Huh. This is a new variation." I felt like a real knob. My ego was very glad that we were alone. I also felt extremely grateful that she was left brained and thinking. I got up. Dusted the sand out of my hair and tried to flick it out from the back of my pants. I rolled my eyes at myself and shrugged to Lil who actually didn't seem think it was all that interesting after all. Gotta love that.

To be perfectly honest, this isn't the first time I'd had such a rediculous mishap. When Lil was three (and I was much less savvy and therefore much less safe riding) we had just survived a ride together and I was going to fill up water buckets before I left our boarding stable for the night. Again I didn't pick up my feet and simply tripped over a stall mat falling onto my elbow thusly breaking it with a loud crack.

In that light, I am thrilled that this time no trip to the hospital was required. (even more importantly, no missing any horse time) I have a bit of a stiff neck today but am otherwise none the worse for wear. Additionally, I got a few good laughs at the office. Welcome to goobersville.

Boring! Yaaaaaaaaaaahoooooooooooooo!!!!

2010-02-08T19:07:00.000-08:00

I just had a few minutes this morning before work. So I figured a little trailer dwell time sounded like a good plan.

Nigel marched right down to the trailer and hopped in. I shut the door. He quietly munched away while I emailed and got my day sorted. I looked up. Still munching. Made a few phone calls. I looked up. He smiled down at me still munching, still quiet, still relaxed.

Figured I'd better test the getting out and in. He got out as soon as I opened the door but confidently. I rubbed his head. I asked him back in. No problem. Back to munching. I shut the door. I was wishing that I had the 22ft line with me so that we could check off trailer loading from the bumper.

No more phone calls or immediate emails so I put in my Ipod and checked the time. I thought, geeze I'm not doing the best job of relaxing and enjoying the scenery. So I looked at the scenery. . . . . . . beautiful trees. . . . beautiful sky. . . . beautiful horses. . . . and the remainder of the half hour dribbled away with me admiring the angel horse in the trailer and listening to Malcolm Gladwell talk about Cesar Millan and body language.

I opened the door and Nigel got out. Even more slowly. I asked him back in and didn't shut the door. He cocked a leg and went back to munching. Right. Boring. Love it.

Parelli's blog | Parelli

2010-02-05T11:56:00.001-08:00

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Guest Post! L3 Yo Yo Game by fellow "Aspiring Horsemen" savvy team member Lisa M. Overhuel.

2010-01-29T11:16:00.000-08:00

Minnie and the barrels has been a sloooooooow process. i guess i could have pushed her more..... but why. we had soooooooo many things to learn and minnie seems to learn best in little spurts. so, we jump around alot from task to task, learning little pieces here and there while at the same time building and preserving confidence.

over the course of almost 2 yrs minnie has gone from touching the barrels to rolling the barrels to walking, trotting, loping through varied space between two barrels, to jumping them at a dead run, a hand gallop, a lope, extended trot, trot, jog and now a walk and most recently, walk, pause jump. WHEW!! the funny part is that she likes to rear and jump around like a fool so you'd think lifting her front end over the barrels would be no biggie, but it is!! go figure! lol.

so, now we're ready to perfect our Level 3 Online..... i decided to introduce "jump towards you, stop, back to obstacle". the first try was almost a first time success... almost! i placed her on one side, me on the other. backed her away from the barrels & lined her up for success. i went to the end of my 22fter & drew her towards me. she stopped at the barrels, asking questions. then an amazing thing happened, she put one foot over the barrels.....and got stuck, as usual. but then, she carefully brought her other front leg over the barrels!!! she had never, ever tried that before! she never thought it was possible (goofy mare).

now what? she was straddling the barrels & not sure how to get to me. so, she carefully sidepassed her way over the barrels and came right to me. lol. okay, not what i was hoping for BUT she thought her way through the problem and stayed calm and the result was the same.......get to mom! what more could i ask for!

we tried that one more time but she had lost her confidence and rolled them out of the way instead. so, i started breaking it down. got her jumping the barrels consistently then i walked along side her while she jumped. she even jumped them once while i was climbing over the barrels myself (totally unsolicited)!! obviously her confidence was increasing. i then started walking just in front of the barrels as she was approaching so when she jumped i was actually on the opposite side. she was hesitant at first but got the hang of it quickly. that was our first session with our new task!

next play session we did our usual warm up of friendly game & circling game. a couple passes over the barrels and we were ready. put her behind the barrels, backed her away, lined her up for success. i backed away on the other side but not to the end of my rope. this time i drew her towards me while i moved my feet backwards which encouraged more forward movement from her. she sailed right over the barrels!!!! we got off that task immediately. tried it again at our savvy group The Aspiring Horseman play day a couple days later with lots of people around........again, she sailed right over and straight to me!!! woohoo!!

after a couple more tries i felt this part was solid.

a few days ago i introduced the "back to the obstacle" portion. i knew this would take a few tries because she gets worried about bumping into things while backing up. she's fine with humans being in Z5. she's even fine with the stick and string in Z5. its just the unknown that she doesn't like (can you blame her? lol). so, it was tough at first. its like trying to push the wrong end of magnets together. lol. she knows the object is back there and she does NOT want to bump into it with her legs of her bum.

how can we break it down, hmmmmm? i took her halter and slowly backed her to the barrels as close as possible without touching them. then we stood. walked forward and backed again....still unconfident so this time we stood and stood some more, playing friendly game. rubbed her with the stick (rubs always build her confidence), gave kisses and hung there until she seemed more relaxed and no longer conscious of the object behind her. then i walked her forward, lined her up, gave her plenty of rope and asked her back up. she slowly backed, almost perfectly straight all the way to the barrels and rested a foot just short of touching the barrels!!! WOOHOO!!! AAAAAAY!!! AAAAAAAAAH!! this was all going on in my head but on the outside i just stayed neutral and smiled! got off that task for sure!!!

next play session, i tested the jump towards, tested the backup (took a couple tries but not bad at all) and then had my husband do a video of us RE-COMBINING the "jump towards you, stop, back to obstacle"!! YAAAAAAAAAY!!

its such a grand feeling when it all comes together and your relationship with your horse was preserved because you put the relationship first and took the time it took!! :)))

....playing with the new plan Coach Rachel* helped me lay out for Nigel.

2010-01-16T09:44:00.000-08:00

Wow it was a great call. We were talking about Nigel and developing Piaffe. Rachel really helped me break everything down into teeny tiny pieces. In the final analysis its all about the Principle Games (Friendly, Porcupine and Driving). Plus, developing a more excellent Life up, Neutral and Life down.

Sometimes Nigel gives me the bad face...ears backish. He used to do it a lot...instead of worrying about it, I've just tried to be progressive and fun. Sure enough, he is doing it less and less. I asked Rachel about it, wondering if she had any other ideas.

She said that there are a few reasons that could be contributing to "the bad face". Yelling at him by not having a quiet enough phase 1 and yelling at him by not having a good enough neutral. Ah ha. So with this in mind we returned to the subject of Piaffe.

I needed to be reminded that I can run through my phases (not necessarily getting the exact desired response) and then stop. Then, start again. As we know horses learn what happens before what happens happens. Phase Four can be pretty soft in this situation.

My aim now is to get a very very good driving from zone 2/3* with snappy departures and downward transitions. First halt-walk-halt. Next walk-trot-walks. Next halt-trot-halts. Next walk-backup-walk. And finally backup-trot-backup.

A big light bulb moment was Rachel explaining why backup to trot is the most perfect for developing Piaffe. Its two beats to two beats! I mean duh! Walk-trot is four beats to two so automatically we'd have to have a change in rhythm. With Nigel, very soon I think, the first steps of going forward from back-up to trot will be Piaffe/Passage-ish steps. So I'll just need to recognize them and reward the slightest try so he'll figure out that ultimately that's what I want.

BIG IMPORTANT THING THOUGH: I must cue the Piaffe. It has to be more than just asking back-up to trot. So if I think he's going to do it I need to back-up...then cue the Piaffe...then ask for a snappy forward departure...then reward the Piaffe or beginning suspended steps

In order to get these precise snappy departures I needed to be more clear myself in my phases. For an upward transition:

Phase One: Life up in my body with my stick resting behind his withers.
Phase Two: Slide the stick to zone 4.
Phase Three: Lift the stick.
Phase Four: Tap zone 4.

So the other day I started the halt-walk-halts with Nigel. Eeeeek! It was so much more of a mess than I thought it would be. I mean, we've done the Touch It Pattern* so I thought this would be easy. Nope. He figured out the walk forward with phase one pretty quickly but the halt with just my life down without an obstacle to stop at took quite a few tries. Also he tends to want to really come around me in a tiny circle so I had to keep asking him to stay straighter. Ai yi yi. We quit when we got one decent walk-halt. ONE!

I think this is actually pretty dang cool. We found a hole in our development. Which, as Karen Rohlf www.dressagenarturally.net reminds us, is a gift. Getting him more in tune with me and my energy instead of just seeing the obstacle and stopping.

Another nifty thing, I think, is that this progression towards Piaffe will just be another level of excellence in our foundation. It doesn't even really seem that advanced because Piaffe is so natural for Nigel. Its just another gait in his daily life. For Lil it would be asking a lot more because although an elevated trot comes naturally to her when she's on adrenaline...not so much if we're just calmly practicing transitions Online* or if she's playing out in the field.

Phew! That's a lot to spit out. Fun times ahead......

...Having a Video Day with Nigel.

2010-01-10T19:05:00.000-08:00

Nigel and I were practicing our "airs". He is now understanding that I want him to stay up there. In the first one on this clip (the best most amazing one) kip didn't expect him to keep going up so he ended up going out of the frame. lol. To me that means he's getting stronger. Also, he's beginning to understand that there is another movement..more the Levade style. This according to my understanding is a 45 degree rear with knees together. I'm trying to get 2 different cues going. One for the bigger Mezair style rear ( much higher and pawing the air) and one for the Levade. I left the rolling at the end so my coach Rachel Jessop* can see more of his horsenality. ...btw, have I mentioned that I love him?

...a few days ago with Lil...and yesterday with Nigel

2010-01-08T08:56:00.000-08:00

I noticed the other night when I was sitting in Nigel's stall spending undemanding time that my poor horsey Lil was climbing the walls. After we played over the weekend she had been pretty quiet Sunday and Monday....it was Tuesday night that she started to have trouble again.

So, Wednesday we marched up to the arena to move around. It makes me so happy that now she can partner with me even in self medicating. After a quick roll she almost seemed to say "right, here I go"...she took off at a speedy tail in the air canter to the right. But, she maintained gait and direction and looked where she was going.

The last few times we played she only needed 10 or so laps to really calm down and feel better. Wednesday she got to 20 laps before her tail relaxed and she made a smaller circle to avoid the muddy patch that she had been slipping on for the previous 1/2 a mile.

We played with all our normal stuff...she still is choosing to go sideways and around the barrels at Liberty* instead of hopping halfway over. . Online*, she does it every time. Ah...Liberty is such a good test. I'm pretty sure its a confidence issue that will be fixed with repetition.

Our close circle at Liberty is coming back. yay! And we're getting it at walk now which I feel shows more understanding. We are getting a few halt canters Online although the it ends up being walk to canters every 2nd or 3rd ask. Lead by a tail making turns is better...our close spin left to right is ok (I hate that she moves her HQ though) we need a little polishing right to left... The next time Kip is with me I'll ask if he can see anything different in my body language going that way.

It was one of those days when she doesn't quite feel fully present. Our draw was maybe 60% of what we have on a good day. She still did a lot of licking and chewing..still much improved from what it was even a few months ago...but I couldn't see very much tongue. However, she didn't suck on her tongue so that was good. I felt like I was going maybe one click too fast..

A great sign that Wednesday was ok, was that yesterday when our Farrier did her feet she was in one of those super mentally engaged moods. She was snuggling with him and lifting up her back feet for him and even offering to put her front feet on the jack stand! What a good girl. She had lost both her back shoes and the accompanying shims so both she and I'll be glad to have that fixed.

With Nigel yesterday I'll just say he was amazing as usual. He seemed to realize that I wanted a big rear with more airtime. He put A LOT of effort into staying up there. 5 seconds he gave me! 5 seconds!!!!!!!!! That's the record for sure. I wooped it up for that one. The whole valley probably was wondering what in the heck was going on. LOL

Our ride was good. I have 2 thick shims in the front and it was too much. This next ride I'll switch to a thick and a thin and see if that's just right or if I just need a single thick one. Maybe that means he's traveling more uphill?...

Following the rail even doing a big stretchy trot and cantering is much better. Our weave at trot Level 2 style was almost perfect...Doing the cantering Bow-tie Pattern* was better..ish. Still needs work. His canter depart even from the walk Online is doing great...I can't wait for them to improve undersaddle. I hate that feeling of disharmony when they aren't.

Ok. I have to confess that I had some ruffled hairs on the left hand side just behind the withers. Poo. I think it was some of our canter halts. I was bracing too much in my stirrups.

I quit while he seemed to be eager to do even more things (yay me) and we walked with a swagger down to the barn. I haven't put him in the trailer for a few weeks so I thought we'd better practice. He jumped right in. I shut the door..he was just fine with it. For the whole rest of the day he was tracking me wherever I went with two interested ears forward. Excellent.

On New Years Day Weekend...

2010-01-03T18:36:00.000-08:00

...with my parents who came out to the farm to visit.

On Friday we decided to film my Dad's official level one audition. He's been playing with the horses a little bit at a time and over the years. Both he and Mom have been to two Parelli Tour stops and watched many hours of Parelli Dvds. ("ok guys you gotta just see this one video") I knew he could do it....I wondered how Lil would feel about being his partner in it.

They both did really well! Lil was very patient and when Dad asked correctly she did it. Dad did wonderfully with accepting what she was offering (even if it ended up being a Level 4 task instead! lol. like halfway over the barrels...or her thinking he wanted sideways towards instead of away) and then sorting out what he needed to change to get what he actually had intended. I am very proud of both of them.

Mom and I had the best time watching Kip play with Jack. I brought Lil up to the arena the day after dad did his audition...she rolled...and then (clearly before any grooming) stayed down and took a nap. A loooong nap. Mom came up to hang out with me. She and I stood by Lil protecting our little herd and watching Kip play with Jack. Lil was cantering and nickering in her sleep. It was really funny.

Today I got to play with Nigel. We just fiddled around. Checked off a bunch of 2 carrot stick riding tasks from the L3 Freestyle* list. Kip came up to take a break from football to say hello and brought the video camera.

We just had 8 min of battery life left so here is just a few little Online* clips. We were playing with rearing online which as you can see is a pain because he gets tangled up in it...I move backwards to try to avoid it...he thinks that means come forward...so we don't end up with a real Levade. . on the other hand that seems to be getting more of a Mezair effect. . . the flying change was nice...the cones were in my way so I had to hold the rope up...I'm glad to have the beginnings of a few elevated trot steps on vid because I know those will really improve...

Christmas Break

2009-12-27T08:57:00.000-08:00

I've been having a great time with the Nigel and Lil!

Nigel is, as I've almost come to expect, learning things at the speed of light and Lil is much more confident than she was last winter.

Nigel offers to do levade (sustained rear with knees together) and mezair (basically rearing and pawing the air. used to be beating down doors in battle) all the time now. I have no idea how to cue them individually though! Yesterday I was able to count to 4 while he was up in the air. He's getting the idea that I like it when he perches up there.

He is clearly getting stronger.

I love it when Kip gets to play with Nige on the weekends and is impressed with how he's developed. I like to see him smiling and saying "woah! thats awesome!".

Riding Nige has been waaay fun. Our steering is getting A LOT better. The other day I almost took the bridle off. I decided to keep it on and just looped the reins over the saddle horn and did a pretty perfect walking cloverleaf pattern* without having any need to touch the reins. Big progress. Our canters have gotten better and follow the rail without touching the reins is very good at trot and coming along at the canter. We got a very pretty sideways at the trot too.

I've checked Nigel off on everything on the Level 2 Freestyle* list except open a gate. We did it in the summer....but I want to double check it ... its been so muddy by the gate to the arena since we put it in.

I've been asking him to get into the trailer quite often. Shutting the door and feeding some breakfast. That too is getting better all the time.

Lil and I are on a licking and chewing record! Plus she fluttered her nose (her little Right Brained Introvert* version of a nicker) at me two days in a row!!!

We've been doing sideways at canter away from the lead...kind of an interesting effect...and her extensions at trot are getting really pretty online*. She is now offering to do it undersaddle as well.

Yesterday we had a lovely ride. We got a really nice little bowtie pattern using canter walk canters. Super cool! I need to see it on video...her walking pirouettes are staring to feel really good.

I just don't know what I would do without the Horsenality* information. It would have taken forever to learn what she needs by trial and error. Yesterday she galloped it out for about a mile. The funny thing is that she seems to know that its ok to do it now. Like she's not wondering if its upsetting me. She just gets out on the rail and does what she needs to do. Then comes back and says "Phew" I feel better now. What do you want to do?"

Looking forward to more pony time tomorrow. Here are a few picts from Kip and I's playtime with the white horses yesterday.

My Parellitube Submission

2009-12-17T19:00:00.000-08:00

Well...I thought I'd put one together...

It was really fun looking through the footage over the last year.

To view it larger on youtube:
Parellitube Montage

Apparently Boredom Sparks Creativity

2009-12-10T14:39:00.000-08:00

Well, the arena has been too rock solid to do much on.... bummer dayz. I'm starting to get bored enough to get creative.

I'm trying to teach Nigel to hang up in the air a little longer ala Levade. He's short enough we can play with this in his stall. We've gotten to like a 2 second rear so far.

I think I'll work on lifting up a front leg ala spanish walk. Lil might like that too.

Also maybe Nigel will learn to pick something up and hand it to me. Maybe a hat? Or a brush or something.

ugh................... at least its sunny!

Here's a little Lipizzan Airs Above the Ground clip. I may be getting addicted to this breed. Hopefully Nigel is not one of a kind.

Also here is a hilarious vid about a couple of english ladies playing ponies. French and Saunders-Ponies. Omg. To horse people this is toooooo funny. Apparently Linda shared this with everyone at the UK Parelli Celebration.

And its all frozen.....

2009-12-06T21:06:00.000-08:00

In fact everything is frozen. It is dry and beautiful. But very cold (hasn't gotten above freezing) and windy.

Today I played with Nigel and the horse trailer for just about 20 minutes. Frozen. Toes, Nose, Fingers, Pattotie. Even with enough clothes to look like the little brother in A Christmas Story.

He is just so worried about it. In his little Nigel way. "I'm doing it. But I don't like it." We were back to just getting in and hanging out. Because a few days ago...

I thought we were at a point this week where I could drive him down the road and back. So Thursday I loaded him just like we've been doing. . . he was fine to shut the door....I opened it and closed it.....but as soon as I put the butt chain across he started to have trouble. He tried to hold it together and I went ahead and closed the door. Uh oh. Drama. He was not completely Right Brained*. I mean...he was thinking... but he was thinking "I WANT OUT!".

He was pounding with his front feet and rearing. Now bear in mind that he does this when he wants to be let out of his stall too...but there was a definite tone of worry. Jail. Claustrophobia. And not enough trust. One different thing he was doing in the trailer vs his stall was blowing. Like you would think a relaxing sound. But this was fast...like he was trying to calm himself down. Come to think of it, it was the same with the pounding and rearing. It was all faster. And the blowing seemed to wind him up, not calm him down. . . but I didn't leave him in long enough to find out.

I scrapped the idea of driving him anywhere and let him out. After that it took about 5 minutes or so for him to be able to get back in and stand there.

Today, he got right in. But he didn't want to stay in. He would stay in for about a minute and then have to get out. One time I coughed and it startled him... and he had to get out. Eventually I could rattle the butt chain and he'd stay in. Good.

I think its just going to take repeating this process again until he can cock a leg...then I'll start banging stuff around....then when he lets loose with that I'll try shutting the door again....then when he lets loose with that...I'll try driving just a little ways...etc.

The funny thing is with Nige....I still don't know if it'll be 2 sessions more....or 10. I'll bet my next paycheck though that when we get through this and he really gets confident with it....it will change everything between us. And that. Will be great.

and it was pretty clear that Lil and I's relationship is waaay stronger than last winter.

2009-11-28T08:39:00.000-08:00

I was wondering if I'd even be able to put a halter on her safely. She was leaping around, tail over her head, snorting. Although I figured she'd be pent up as the horses were all in on thanksgiving day due to yucky weather....this was the most trouble I've seen Lil have so far this winter.

She came right up to me when I went to see about catching her. I did send her away a few times because she didn't feel safe but on about the third time she looked at me and waited to be invited in. As I put the halter on, Kip asked if I was going to be ok. With conviction I said: "yes! she needs me and I know what to do. we're going to be fine".

Now, here's the first: As soon as the halter was on and we were heading up to the arena, Lil calmed down. She even started sighing and shaking out tension in her neck. Ha ha! So even just on the way to the arena she was finding comfort. Wow. wow. wow. wow.

I've been watching the new Parelli Levels DVDs. As we know, a horse's needs are Safety, Comfort then Play right? (then food. lol) Well, Pat was talking about comfort. He was talking about horses finding comfort in movement.

Pressure motivates, but its the release that teaches..... I have usually thought about giving comfort as stopping. Giving a rest. This of course is effective...but as Pat was talking about letting your horse go out on a circle and just find the comfort in movement....I began to think about Lil and how helping her move...makes her more comfortable. Like I knew it was making a BIG positive difference. Obviously. But I was more thinking about it helping her get more Left Brained*...calmer...less emotional....etc.

Now I started to think about her physically being comfortable. Like warming up by the fire after being outside in the freezing cold for hours. Or finally stretching out on the couch after a long day at work.

So with this in mind, I turned her loose in the arena. I thought she'd really need to gallop around....she didn't want to roll...but surprisingly to me she was very very connected. I asked her off on a canter circle and she maintained gait and direction really nicely!

However...when I brought her back in...I didn't get any blowing out. Or really that much licking and chewing. So I put on the 22ft line and set up some barrels. Over the last few sessions I've been thinking of how to take this to the next level. This maintain gait maintain direction and look where you're going... I've felt that it's time to up the anti a little to make even more progress into her relaxation mentally, emotionally and physically.

So. The game was just a simple circling game at canter but I added jumping the barrels. We went about 12 laps (very connected it seemed) to the left then stoped. She was very still...I could have waited for her to come out of it but after a few minutes I decided to send her the other way and see what happened.

To the right after about 13 or so laps I could tell she was thinking more about maintaining gait and putting more effort in. She broke to trot a couple times then picked right back up into the canter. She was thinking! Excellent.

Then...........after oh my gosh like 20? laps, (remember that's a half a mile), when I brought her back...she blew and blew and blew and licked and even yawned a little!!!!! She hardly ever does that. It took very very little to draw her the rest of the way to me. Finally she rubbed and scratched her head on me which she only does if she's present and with me. Horray!

She rolled then fiddled around the arena...then I turned her and everyone else out to play.

A while later I came down to clean stalls .... she came over to the gate and hung out with me. What a great feeling!

A few of my fav Coco picts from FL 09....

2009-11-27T13:31:00.000-08:00

From my recent attendance of the Natural Performance (Finesse* Level 3/4) and Riding with Purpose (Freestyle* Level 3/4) courses at the Ocala Florida campus of the Parelli Natural Horsemanship Academy.

Isn't Jetti a handsome boy. I love these picts because his presence comes across so well. Coco as usual your pictures capture the spirit of the moment and the relationship.

Thank you so much Pat for generously lending him to me for those two weeks. .... it was a very special time.

Got 'em!

2009-11-23T10:03:00.000-08:00

The New Parelli Level's packs arrived moments ago! I've been at work since 6:45 so I could have a look as soon as they hit the door. I'm starting with the Get Started Dvd....onto the Level 4 Pack. . . then this evening hubby and I will watch the Level 1/2 Pack...then Level 3. Then....being again! lol

For those of you horse behavior junkies.....

2009-11-19T09:58:00.000-08:00

Check this out....I was uploading vids from my blackberry today and found this one of Lil from earlier in the summer.

This is how long I have to wait sometimes for her to come out of her Right Brained Introversion. Just watching the video it seemed like forever. 4 and a half minutes!!! This is why when I mention that it took her less than a minute to lick her lips or that I could see an inch or two of tongue its a HUGE deal.

(sorry for the buzzing sound. better just mute it. at about 4min 30 she really comes out of it...if you care to watch all the way until she lays down you'll see her go back to her happy place)

Parelli's blog | Parelli

2009-11-18T17:18:00.001-08:00

Parelli's blog | Parelli

Posted using ShareThis

This is a link to Linda Parelli's new blog. So cool to hear how she's getting on with Goyani. I'm so stoked for the new level's this weekend. I'm DYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYING waiting to order them. I just know they will help me advance my savvy.

I am also hoping that the Horsenality Profile will be out this weekend too.........

Letting Lil Gallop It Out

2009-11-11T19:19:00.000-08:00

I'm so glad that I know what she needs right now!!!!!!!!!!!

The horses were in for nearly 48hrs. (all their stalls have large runs but of course its not the same) Plus..even when Lil gets turned out she doesn't usually gallop enough.

Last night I put on forty thousand articles of clothing and sat in Nigel's stall while he ate. This turns out to be a great way to spend undemanding time with him. If I go in when he's not eating he just gets bored with me and wants to DO something. It was pretty cool. He seemed happy to have me there. He kept checking in and blowing out nicely. I say points for me. Ha!

Meanwhile in the stall next door....Lil was climbing the walls. Poor thing. The crazy weather freaks her out.

So today I squeezed in about 40min to take her up to the arena. She rolled right away which is always a good sign...then hopped up squealing and jumping around. Also a good sign. At Liberty* I asked her to maintain gait and direction which she challenged a few times but not in a scared way. After 15 quick canter laps I asked for a flying change which she was present enough to do but she wanted to change direction again so it took us about 7 laps to get 2 good ones maintaining gait to the right. Then she wanted to come in. The really really cool thing was that she was licking her lips within about a minute. And I could see like 2 inches of tongue!!!

We are working on hopping halfway over the barrels. Teaching it Online* at the moment....it took about 4 tries to get it today but then she licked and chewed within a minute again.

Also quickly did a few walk canter transitions and some stretching online...then waited for a final lick and check. This took a little longer but not too bad. She shook her head and as we were walking to the gate she did a few little bits of blowing out. Not like she does most of the time but this was a pretty quick session so I was happy. She was relaxed when I put her blanket back on and settled back into her room. Later when I set everyone free she walked out calmly. Yay!

News From Linda's Blog.

2009-11-10T19:48:00.000-08:00

Sounds like Mr. Remembrance got an abscess in his tootsie and couldn't make the trip to the Uk for the Parelli Celebration there.

Just wanted to say how impressed I am with Linda rolling with the punches, lucking out with such a fabulous replacement horse and above all putting the well being of our beloved Remmer first. Talk about being a living example of principles before purpose huh?

So glad Rem's abscess blew out and that he'll be fine by the time they all get back from the UK.

I got to see Carmen Zulauf's horse Goyani on vid recently (this is the horse Linda will be riding in her Walter lesson)...he is spectacular. I know I'd be super disappointed if I was going to the event but I'll bet this turns out fabulously. It will certainly be a treat to see Linda and Walter bring this all together.

Of course for those of you who haven't heard this news yet check out the entire story in Linda's Blog from today

http://www.parellinaturalhorsetraining.com/www.parellinaturalhorrsetraining.com/AChangeofPlans

Thanks Linda for being so wonderful. Give Remmer a big hug for us.......

and I am glad to be back home!

2009-11-04T11:17:00.000-08:00

Well, I made it back from Florida. About 3063 miles from our door to Pat and Linda's.

It was a wonderful opportunity to be there for those two weeks. Just getting 3-4 hours a day of in the saddle time (in a fluidity saddle no less) was a huge gift in and of itself. Add on top of that getting to be around so many dedicated Parelli students all living their dream, plus learning and growing, plus being shephearded through the courses by some very talented teachers and having a wonderful horse to play with.... plus, getting to see and chat with Pat and Linda at their home... I mean really. What more could I ask for? (ok maybe having Kip there too)

I do have to say that coming home this time has been a completely different experience. Having our little Savvy Team as support...coming home to like minded people....it feels good actually. Not so much like being ripped from the fold like it did last time.

I did get to play with Nigel and Lil yesterday. Nigel and I had our best play session yet. I missed Lil so much...and she seemed very happy to see me...but it is a whole different grove with her. Jetti, the horse Pat lent me while I was in FL, was such an extrovert...a very balanced one for sure but an extrovert none the less. Lil is SUCH AN INTROVERT! It is a stark difference. And I find myself struggling to adjust. I love her though...and am so glad to be back to share all I've learned. To be better for her....

A huge thank you to Ann Kizer. From the bottom of my heart. You made this happen and I am so grateful. Big Hug.

so cute!

2009-10-24T14:38:00.000-07:00

more picts.

2009-10-24T14:02:00.000-07:00

Just a few pictures.

2009-10-21T04:21:00.000-07:00

This is jazzy
me next to the olympic gold medal horse
linda giving a lesson

Opportunity

2009-10-19T04:46:00.000-07:00

I must admit I am waaay outside my comfort zone at the moment. Kip and I came to Florida for the Savvy Club Gold Summit...

Next thing I know I'm getting to stay on for a couple weeks and participate in the Fineese L3/4 course and the Freestyle L3/4 course. Starting in like an hour!!!

Apparently when I get there I will magically have a horse and gear too!

I'm struggling with the speed of this leap of faith. But Pat has always said that he has made it a point to go out of his way to shake hands with opportunity. Seems like it has worked for him so I am trying to model his behavior.

And I think I've heard once or twice (lol) that if I'm comfortable then I'm not really learning and growing.

Well, at the moment, I feel like a weed!

and I am so loving the armpit thing.

2009-10-09T08:25:00.001-07:00

Ha! It sounds funny right? But seriously, for whatever reason, Linda's explanation on Septemeber's Savvy Club* Dvd (I think it'll be on Octobers in more detail) of pulling our armpit back and a little downwards to curve our body on the circle just clicked for me! yahoo!

Lil is so sensitive about everything I do when riding. When I get it wrong she tightens, (she still tries now when i'm getting it wrong. which is great because she used to just say "forget it") when I get it right she just effortlessly does whatever we're attempting.

I wasn't sure exactly why this is working so well particularly at the canter. I learned (from an olympian) to sit on my outside hip, put my inside leg a little forward and ask for the canter. Pat congruently talks about thinking of boxing with the right or left hand leading corresponding to whichever lead I want. This has always made sense because it puts me exactly in the aforementioned position.

However, shaping my horse on a circle seems to require a little adjustment. Which does make sense considering I need to do in my body what I want my horse to do in her body. And on a circle if she curves correctly, her outside foreleg is reaching around in front of her inside foreleg. So if I'm leading with my inside shoulder...in that instance, I'm out of sinc.

When asking for shoulder-in or haunches-in or whatever I know to do in my upper body what I want her to do and also in my lower body what I want her to do. But, I haven't been applying that to a canter circle. Duh.

So as we were cantering around yesterday, I was just feeling it as I pulled my inside armpit a little backwards and down. Linda also talked about stretching into my inside stirrup whilst staying centered with my balance. As I was doing this I could feel that my inside hip was forward as it should be, and it felt more...um...connected. However I describe it, it was working for Lil.

I'm thinking that my hips were actually doing what I wanted hers to do! I needed them to come a tiny bit to the inside. (or we could say towards the leading side or a little thought of haunches-in) Pulling my inside armpit back instead of thinking about stretching it forwards and up with my outside shoulder made all the difference. ALL THE DIFFERENCE!

So there we were cantering on a 20m circle, and I can feel that my hips are going kind of one way and my upper body is curved the otherway. Of course this works only when it makes a whole curve. So my torso needed to gently connect the two, melding inside to outside elastically. Which seemed to correspond to my horse's ribcage.

Also, as we know riding is an active thing. So as we're going around was mirroring her. Its not like my body just stayed stiff like that. In those moments, I was really fluid, it was like my hips, and upper body respectively, were moving with hers. When it seemed all to be in harmony, the diagonal of my body actually matched the diagonal of the canter! Well, whaddaya know.

Anyway, Lil was happy. And of course this made me happy. REALLY HAPPY. It has been a challenge for her to find balance, impulsion and relaxation in the canter. It got better first Online*, then at Liberty*, then Freestyle* and now shaping it a little in Finesse*, is just falling into place.

Linda talks about how if we're getting it, it shouldn't take that long to make a change. Who knew she'd be right again. lol. So funny that just a different description of the bio mechanics I needed in my body...did the trick. This is why I just shake my head in confusion when people criticize Pat and Linda for just regurgitating information. I say, "tell me again! say it differently! now tell me again? show me... show me with a different horse. . . can I see you teaching it to someone else...show me again?"

So, we just did a few laps each way. It felt amazing. Then I wanted to work on walk-trot transitions because those have been a little funky....but I didn't. I got off. Yay for me!

Acutally, just hanging around......

2009-10-08T08:33:00.001-07:00

I've been working a lot over the last few days and so I haven't had much of a chance to play ponies. But, I have had morning time to talk with them and evening time to hang around in the barn. Of course anytime I'm near them, I'm obeserving, comparing and remembering.

One cool thing I've seen is Lil napping with her lip hanging down. I though that that might have gone away for the winter already, but after we played on Saturday... it's back! She has been relaxed, happy and on the lookout for me.

Second cool thing: The other night I let all 7 horses through the gait. She now stops and stands with me as the others go by. I have been protecting her from the higher ups in the herd when she does this.

I wondered if she would trust me enough to get her through the herd and stick to me all the way into the barn. She is usually 3rd or 4th. I wondered if I would be Alfa enough to deliver. Well, without much hassle we did it! I'm pretty sure I got big points for it too. :)

Third cool thing: The other night, I just hung out with Nigel in his stall as he ate. I put my arm over him and watched him munch. As my fingers reached all the way down his other side in a hug, I wondered why I ever thought having a big horse was the only way to go. He's just so small and cute! Yet sturdy and strong with plenty of fancy suspension.

As I stood there, I noticed that he wanted to blow out. Like everyone else was doing. I could feel his barrel under my arm fill up and then he'd let out this little sigh. I thought about why he didn't just go for it.

My feeling is, that he doesn't trust me. He's not afraid of me certainly...... Perhaps what I'm trying to describe is suspicion. He seems guarded. Not in a scared, damaged, super emotional way. Its very, very subtle. He's just not let loose.

As the minutes ticked by towards 30 of undemanding time.... we had those few rose colored moments as the sun set.... and finally, he blew out. He let loose. His body felt different under my touch. Ha! ha! Success! I'm thinking that made a big difference to him.

So for both the white horses and I, it has been a lovely few days even though I haven't had too much time to spend. . . . .

Guest Post! ...Freestyle Drama. by Lisa M (member of our savvy team the Aspiring Horsemen)

2009-10-06T07:36:00.000-07:00

"do you wanna hear real whining, here it is!! i had pony time today. our preflight check is going great, right up until we head off to do patterns!!

i set up the question box and a bullseye. even set up pathways with ground poles. first off, let me say that i am not coordinated enough to ride with a carrot stick while worrying about a casual rein, where i'm looking, how i'm moving, life up, life down and my horses response to all of this, which by the way, isnt great. so, i abandoned the stick for a while and concentrated on everything else.

here's the cold hard truth as i see it right now, based on friday and today. i dont think i have a real grasp on life up/life down yet which i think is confusing my ULTRA SENSITIVE horse (whom you, emma, have now experienced) and what i used to think was impulsiveness i now think might be a huge communication gap and as light as i think i'm being i'm not sure its enough and i'm a little bit frustrated...........YES, I SAID IT, the hated word..............FRUSTRATED!!

i dont think i noticed so much before because riding with "contact" makes it easier to correct little misunderstandings BUT now that i'm trying to develop our freestyle, well, lets just say its a real eye opener!! we spent most of the time walking the cloverleaf just trying to make a connection. we did walk/trot/stop transitions around the bullseye and even those were rough.

i can get a walk from the stop, trot from the walk but its always punchy and a stop from the walk or trot but i cant get a walk from the trot, in freetyle. i tried sooooooooooo hard to find that happy medium of life down to a WALK not a stop and i did a couple times but then she'd break back to the trot. i did finally get a walk a couple times and went back to the cloverleaf with the question box but i just dont know if it sunk in. the turns were ok, sometimes.

i decided to try the stick again. she was really over reactive at first. i did a lot of friendly game with the stick, rubbing her neck and cheeks and even her nose and swinging it around. it did improve. we spent the rest of our session trying to make turns by looking, turning my body, leg, then stick. i tried oh so hard to not use any rein but OMG i'm just not that good!!! the walking did finally get better so we moved up to a trot. rough all over again. i felt bad because i felt like i was being really rough with the stick.

i rode with a short casual rein and again tried not to use the rein. in the end the turns got better and once i was able to make a few turns by looking, turning & using a light leg we stopped and walked for a few minutes and did lots of friendly game with the stick. but i really felt like i was rough on her and i know i lost my patience a couple times. had to actually stand for a few minutes and give myself one of those mental pep talks. but ya know, in the end, minnie didnt show any signs of stress and she looked happy. she had even been blowing out on occasion so i guess i wasnt as rough as i thought. but i sure feel inadequate right now. but of course, by the time i ride again i'll be over it and will just try, try again. so, theres my whiny hiney story!! i'm hoping for a do-over myself. "

Lol. Lisa is the best. Honest and the best commiserator. Just the perfect blend of whiny and impatient compatriot and yet moreover positive, progressive and persevering. ... and funny which of course is the best medicine a friend can give you.

and I was rushing. *pounds forehead.

2009-10-05T09:28:00.000-07:00

I wanted to ride. Things had gone so beautifully with Nigel the last time we played....I took him for granted.

I only had an hour. (oh how I hate being rushed when its a Sunday and I'm playing ponies) We went out on the hill to play the traveling circling game, back up the steep part, jump the log etc. He did it all and in pretty good spirits but I had about 15 seconds of "dwell" time, (if 15 seconds even counts) in between things.

Now that our trotting circling game is really good, I started the stretching Online* exercise a la Karen Rohlf. He got it really quickly of course and even blew out a little.

We are working on sideways over the cavaletti. For some reason he gets worried about it. Just a little RBI*. But, Arrrrrrrg! I just wanna SCREAM (and cuss. I assure you I'm going it in my head) when I think about how I didn't wait for him. I just tapped whatever part wasn't moving. He did this little suck in of air every time. I was thinking of leadership and just letting the pattern work its magic. After twice each way he licked his lips like a good ole Left Brained horsey.*

The thing is I feel like I didn't build his trust in me. I'm noticing he's easy to push. For me anyway. He is just so good natured and when he's feeling unconfident or resistant I can still get him to "do it".

I don't know, I don't know, I don't know! I thought that leadership was what would help him to trust me. But maybe our language is lacking in spots. (I did check his porcupine game yielding the hindquarters and that was not good at all). Maybe love, (and I'll bet this is it) is lacking. Lacking, lacking, lacking. The thing is, I tend to err on the side of too much love and not enough leadership. (As I've said it was the leadership Lil really needed more of. So I had to step that up for her.)

Linda's advice has always served me well in the past. "You are free to experiment so long as you have your principles in line. If one strategy doesn't work then try something else." BUT I don't know what to try in terms of love. The last time I spend undemanding time in his stall he wanted to do something. I could hand graze...but for some reason that doesn't feel right to me. . will it really translate into a connection? I just don't know if it will...

Wait. How about me and my shadow!?! I could just have him on the 12ft line and let him wander in the big field with me mirroring him. Hmmm. That might work. But on the other hand he gets to do that all the time without me...

Maybe what it comes down to is more dwell time. Doing a little bit. A LITTLE BIT...and then chilling. Like until he gets bored. Not just until he licks his lips. Like I said, I think I just get sucked into how smart he is and how he will just do so many things. That stupid direct lined predator in me has reared its ugly head. (more cussing) I just want to pinch it off.

Why I let it come out is beyond me. (well, not beyond me..of course it is a perfectly natural human trait.) But it makes me so miserable! Every single stinken time.

I did get to ride. He reached for the bit and then followed me willingly to the mounting block. It didn't feel harmonious though. By then I think the sinking feeling of failure was starting to take over...we did our pre ride checks from the saddle and then the figure 8 at walk paying close attention to a little disengagement of the hind quarters each turn then straight. (same kinda thing as Karen's stretching exercise) Of course he did it. Stretched and relaxed. I got off and he walked down to the barn next to me with his ears forward and a loose neck. After we undressed, he walked with me at Liberty* to the piles of hay I had put on the hill. But I still felt like crap. It was all in spite of me. It still felt like I hadn't improved anything.

He's smart, generous, kind (thank god .. a little difference in his Horsenality*... I'd have been pounded on by now), and FORGIVING. And that is what I've been taking advantage of. To be fair, I guess I haven't done it maliciously...just stupidly.

Well. I am going to get it together. I am going to do better for him. I am going to be effective in putting the relationship first. Not just have it in my head and heart that that is what I want and believe in. Thats not good enough. This is one amazing horse. Brilliant. My dream horse really, in many, many ways. (and yes I know he's really hubby's horse) I am so lucky to get to play with him! *she cried in a strangled voice.

Damn it! I know this is a bit of a bummer post but I think its only fair to share the growing pains as well as the delights of success. Its not really real otherwise right? Gotta have the dark to see the light and all that. (for a more uplifting post see the previous one. lol)

Ok. *wiping tears and taking a deep breath. Today is a new day. I think I'll have time for a do-over too. The time allowed for self recrimination has been spent. I shall now flex my emotional fitness and make a change. After all, courage is not always big and loud. Often it is just a quiet resolve to persevere. That little voice inside us that says "I will try again tomorrow." Well, today is tomorrow......

with Lil....and the change is slowly coming.

2009-10-04T08:41:00.000-07:00

n
She's just more restless. I hardly catch her any more with her lip hanging down...sleeping. I see a lot more of her sucking on her own tongue out of frustration. (this is even when she's out in the field or in her stall so i know its not me.) Her ears tend to flick back and forth much more urgently. Its not too bad yet..but I am noticing.

The good thing is she's still really in tune with me. When I come by she gives me two forward ears and soft eyes. Perhaps she remembers that I can help her.

I know from last year that she needs to move. She doesn't tend to do that on her own. I mean not to the extent that she needs to. She's been out much of the week and I see her walking all over and even galloping for the few minutes the others do. The arena is open at the moment so they all even get to roll in the sand. But...............it's not enough. Which is cool in a way. . . she needs me.

So yesterday was the first day that I had the purpose of really helping her move around to release tension and work off some cortisol. Already we had even more of a challenge because it was only an hour before sunset. (is that the time that predators have historically hunted?) This is typically a harder time of day for her than the morning or mid-day. I grabbed the wheelbarrow when we went because I needed to clean up the mess they've all made and with Lil on the line I marched on up like a leader.

As I picked up poo and talked on the phone, she wandered around and kept coming back to check on me. (good, good) I kept an eye on her as she wandered to see how much tension or lack there of she was displaying. I wondered if she'd lay down and take a nap. (of course a huge tell tale of how comfortable she is.) Several times she came near me and pawed thinking about it. But no dice. She didn't look too bad overall....got what I call the "square ears" (i'll have to post a pict...its a Right Brained Introvert* sign) but it didn't last too long. After a while she did roll but hopped up and kind of napped standing up. This was still pretty good I thought....

Playing at Liberty* as I think I've mentioned before seems to be the most effective. If we lived somewhere dry with more outdoor space I'd put her on the 45 and play the cantering traveling circling game all over. But, it's Oregon in October..and so we are relegated to the arena. (I swear I am NOT complaining. I am so grateful to have one.)

Anyway...she was ready to play for sure and offered to do lots of cool flying changes (we're working on the weave backwards and forwards now..) and I was still getting awesome draw at the canter. So I gave her a treat.....She went to her happy place and pretty internal. She was sucking her tongue (she does it in a different way in this state. straight out in front instead of out to the side the way we usually think of a thoroughbred doing).

A couple things about this behavior that I've discovered. She is still able to learn and listen to me and do stuff. . . but she DOES NOT GET BRAVER. In fact, she is much more susceptible to spooky or startling things. So I think about this, and keep at it until she comes back into the world. Licks her lips, lowers her head, loosens her ear, blows out and shakes her head.

Oh so tricky! But it sounds simple right? Oh, no, no. Since what she really needs is to move..I send her off on a circle at the trot. Yesterday, she obediently left off in the proper direction, beautiful rhythmic trot, stretched over her topline, maintaining gait and direction. (Usually a sing of being Left Brained*) But. Her tongue was out the whole time. She can show so many mixed signals and some are so subtle I miss them. So I left her out there.

One of my FAVORITE things I learned in Reno from Pat was that ten laps on the 22ft line ends up being a quarter mile. This was very very exciting information for me. A thoroughbred's flight line is between 2 1/2 and 6 miles right? So theoretically if I hang in there long enough with her she'll cross it.

She did about 12 laps before she licked her lips and seemed to make some changes. I asked her to go till 15 and then brought her back. We had a little dwell time...but she didn't nuzzle me or really connect...she stood about 5 feet away pretty still.

I asked her to do 15 the other way at trot. This time she didn't have her tongue out and was asking if she could come back a lot. Of course dwell time after the bring back then 15 laps each way at the canter. I had a cavaletti off the rail and as she went by I pointed at it and clicked (from the center of the arena while sitting on the barrel). She went directly to it whist cantering and hopped over instead of going around. She didn't loose rhythm just put it right into her stride. I thought: huh. I guess I really could ride that. Afterwards, she kept jumping it! That was really cool. Really really cool actually.

So that was a ways! 60 laps. And most of the time she was farther away than she would have been on the 22ft line. So lets say 1 3/4 miles? She even was warm to the touch when we finished with that. She was blowing out..but not too forcefully. When she really goes for it I know there was a lot of tension built up. Yesterday it wasn't like that. She even did the little purring blow out that they do when they are just relaxed and happy.

She looked quite rideable but it was getting towards dark and that wasn't my goal anyway... I must admit that I was beginning to wish it had been. lol. I have a few things to polish up in our L4 Liberty assessment so I figured we'd work on one of those. She tends to be a little stiffer going sideways right to left so I started to ask her for that...and a little faster. She kinda got it but when I asked for more she did a spin and came cantering towards me....in a playful way!

"Take what the horse is offering" right? So when she cantered to me, I used that energy to ask a faster sideways but from zone one*. Then, draw her forward (she got so engaged!) then, drive her back and sideways. Before I knew it and without me meaning to she was playing that super cool cutting game that we see Linda and Remmer do so often! I laughed out loud. I mean really...what more could I ask for? Here my little RBI who for the longest time didn't play....was..well. playing.

It was great. Now, I'll be interested to see how things are today.............

with Nigel the wonder pony! ( Lipizzan...whatever)

2009-10-01T19:32:00.000-07:00

He was just so fun today. The rate at which he learns is unreal. ...I do have to prepare him properly.... help him get into that sweet spot learning frame of mind. When he gets it...watch out! He's almost like a difference species. (maybe he's really an alien)

We did lots of fun things taking advantage of the still dry ground. (yay for that) Traveling circling game was grrrrrrrrrrreat! He seemed to really enjoy it. Hardly touched the end of the line even while cantering and yet he was out there doing his thing. Up and down the big hill even. Then we ended up at the log and he hopped right over! What a good boy! Backed up and down the hills, into the arena...just romped around.

I had an idea to help him want to hop over the barrels. He is all for going through them. lol. Just pushed them out of the way, march through, turn face and wait. Today I put the cavaletti in front of it. Much harder for him to push it out the way with his knees.

I felt better about asking him now that we have our maintain gait, maintain direction, look where you're going over an obstacle so much more solidly. Sure enough he did it. Not super pretty on the first try because he gave them a shove with his nose first and had them in a bit of disarray when he jumped them. But the second time was great. Both times were with me on his right side but that's ok I think. We'll just add the other side later.

Had a great ride too. Man I love to ride him. He just seems so sure footed and solid. We got some blowing out right away too! Totally excellent.

He hardly kicked up at all going into the canter. I decided to experiment with really leaning back and even going more in my body. He extended the canter pretty well. It was funny though because it seemed like he was almost surprised that he was doing it.

Had some beautiful sideways and good bounce the rein to back up. I feel like I want to do the backing up with my legs a few more times. He does it. But now I want to isolate it to make sure he can differentiate all the different ways to ask. We've done so many of them...

Ah Nigel. He got lots of smooches today.

Educational and Inspirational Weekend. Sept 26th 2009

2009-09-28T11:37:00.000-07:00

I was invited by my friend Donna (the beautiful red head on the right in the above picture. Beth is on the left and I'm in the middle) to attend a fundraiser for a local Farm Rescue. They do all kinds of animals. Chicken, Goats, Pigs, Doves etc. Of course, I shamelessly was focused on the horses. lol

For a long while I have wanted to give back to an organization like this. Its tricky though, because I haven't wanted to be around dangerous horsemanship or get involved with a less than legitimate group.

I'm excited about The Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary because the founder Wayne seems to have a good knowledge not just about animal care but about facility and charitable organization management. To me this is important for effectiveness and longevity. They are also endorsed by the Humane Society of The United States. In fact Scott Beckstead from the HSUS was the speaker there.

(Just as an aside: Pat Parelli was just given the HSUS horseman of the year award. How cool is that.
For more on the Parelli/HSUS partnership click here. )

They have about 10 horses on the farm at the moment. Each with its own story to tell of course. It seems though that they are all healing and my understanding is that these horses are home forever.

I did speak to the founder (another Wayne. Wayne Geiger.) about his vision for the future. They have about 55 acres and lots of good fencing...but not a lot of shelter. So they are keeping their numbers down. (Very emotionally fit I say especially when he's getting a gajillion phone calls a day with people trying to give away horses. ) He talked about building a barn and eventually having some volunteers that would be willing to help rehabilitate the horses and enable them to be rehomed.

The other thing that the President of the HSUS was talking about was a program where horses and owners in distress would be evaluated. If their situation is sustainable and they just need some help to get through this rough time, an option is to provide them with the resources they need (hay, grain, meds etc.). This allows the horses/animals to stay on their current property and with their owners. Cool idea I thought. Especially if the evaluation process is strict enough.

Anyway, its great to have a rescue to start to get involved with....go to work parties...maybe help with the horses...do fundraisers. They have a sponsorship system there where a person can donate a specific amount of money per month to take care of an individual. A goat is like $15 a month or something and a horse is $60. A great way for people to give if they don't have a lot of time to volunteer or the ability to adopt. Donna sponsors this cute little brown mule named Suzie. .

Just one other thing I'll share... They have a horse there named Sophia. She is a black and white paint. I could see right away that she was a Right Brained Introvert*. Immediately my little heart connected with her. She reminded me of Lil. Not in looks of course but in her body language.

Then I heard her story. She was a bucking horse. But since she is a RBI....when she got frightened she just froze. She was beaten in an attempt to blow her up. She must have just gone deeper and deeper and become catatonic. When they couldn't make her do what they wanted they threw her away. Like garbage.

On so many levels Sophia's story resonated with me. Its just so indicative (and of course an extreme case) of misunderstanding the horse. Not knowing about Horsenalities*. Not caring perhaps. I wanted to prove to her that people could be better than that. That she was safe to come out of her shell...watch her blossom into a confident being in the world. Instead of locked away in her safe place. Man. I'm guessing that will take a long while.

I waited by the fence for a bit after the fund raising auction. Eventually she did come over...snorted when I reaching into my pocket for a treat...but hung in there. Obviously the folks at the Sanctuary have done a wonderful job in the few months she's been with them. I just wonder what the possibilities for her are....................

A few more picts...

As you can see these guys are healthy and happy.
This horse with a scar was hit by a car.

....in the driveway actually for some undemanding time.

2009-09-25T19:58:00.000-07:00

We've done so much lately that I knew I needed to catch up on some undemanding time. I carved out an hour in the day today to just let her loose in the driveway to munch.

I sat out on a lawn chair enjoying one of the last days of sunshine.....I was watching Lil rip the grass out of the gravel and the dirt ..listening to her chew...

Usually she wanders all around. Down to the barn.... up to the house...down to the trailer... She has been checking in with me more and more. Just coming over to say hi before wandering off again. Horses are designed to eat and walk miles and miles after all.

Well, she stayed with me. Like really close. Within about a 20ft circle. And a lot of the time so close that I could touch her. THE WHOLE HOUR!!!!!

This happened to me once before with my lease horse in Florida. I was amazed then and I am amazed now. It is just so telling. It says our bond really is getting stronger. Like really and truly.

yay :)

and I CANNOT believe Lil and I filmed an L4 Liberty audition.

2009-09-23T07:40:00.001-07:00

Seriously can't believe it.

I hadn't done very much Liberty* with Lil at all in the first 2.5 years of our partnership. We could play the 7 games and passed our Level 2 but its not something we played with a lot as our relationship just wasn't ready. We did a lot of Online* preparation.

This last winter my coach Rachel* suggested that I let her move her feet basically as much as she wanted when she was acting like a Right Brained Extrovert*. Bad weather has been really really tricky for my right brained horse. All the leaves and trees are moving and she can't hear with all the wind. Clearly she didn't trust me enough to take care of us.

We had prepared enough Online* that I thought she would stay with me in the arena (i.e. not jump the fence in a frenzy) if I took her off line. So this is what I decided to do. The 22ft line wasn't really long enough for galloping and I wasn't skilled enough yet with the 45ft line in that kind of difficult situation. Plus the arena is only 70 wide so even if she was on the rail I'd really have to be managing it. Of course the 45 isn't yachting braid either so if something did go wrong we'd be in more trouble.

So letting her really move around....buck...spook...gallop etc. started to make a difference. We had enough of a language that I could ask her to come back to me and yet stand 5 feet away. This was very very important because she can be so unpredictable in that state. Freezing...looking calm and sleepy...exploding...whirling away..all fun times. As one would imagine...much better to have her far away and unattached.

This strategy progressed into getting her to maintain gait and maintain direction....which is what started to change everything. She started to see me as her leader and that made her feel better. Braver. Plus, she had to concentrate to do it. I'm sure I'll be talking a lot more about this in a few months. lol

What I'm getting at though, is that basically within a few months we were able to self assess Level 3 Liberty and then send in and pass our audition with an L3+. As if by magic it had all come together.

And just this last Sunday, we filmed our L4 Liberty audition. Really Really REALLY unbelievable.

I'll embed the video as soon as I get a better connection but for now, here is the link. (as you'll see our weave is back!)
L & M Level 4 Liberty Audition 9-20-09

*see glossary at the bottom of the page.

and dang it! I lost our weave with flying changes.

2009-09-19T08:20:00.001-07:00

But it looked so cool! I needed to see it again. darn darn darn.

She had already done it brilliantly twice. I had used single barrels laying down as our markers. The third time I asked her...she offered to jump the barrel after the first change .... what am I going to do? She came to me and gave me two beautiful eyes and ears...we tried again...then of course I had rewarded her for jumping. I tried to be more specific but she just got confused. So I had to move more out to the side and just fix my draw.

I think I'll probably just go back to the good old figure eight because I can be more effective (understood) when sending zone 1* around. Then just gradually move back to being able to draw all the way through the weave.

The coolest part of the day was that she was WITH me. After we played in the arena at Liberty* (our usual warm up) we went out into the big playground. I got a super cool yoyo down the steeper part of the hill and pretty straight too...about 25feet or so.,.. and an enthusiastic draw at canter.

We got the stick to me at trot kinda half circles with change of direction...squeeze over the log etc...all with no thought that I could see of leaving. Into the round pen to get dressed...up to the arena...to the mounting block. All at Liberty. This is definitely a new level for us.

We practiced our Freestyle* with the savvy string and one carrot stick. I need to figure out a way to deal with the reins. I just want to use the string but I end up with reins eventually sliding over to one side or down her neck if I don't at least hold "the buckle". Hmmm. I might try to tie at knot maybe? And use my mecate holder on my saddle. Perhaps I should call the golden hotline.

We did trotting cloverleaf, canter figure 8 with a stop in the question box, sideways over the cavaletti. Had trouble opening that gait up there. Ended up needing to use the bridle. Interesting. We usually can do the one to the roundpen just fine.

It took me a few canters to realize that I wasn't using my new found fluid position at the canter that I had discovered last time. (As per the latest Savvy Club* DVD...pulling my inside armpit back a little bit and stretching a little more into my inside stirrup) Geeze, put a carrot stick in my hand and a hand on the string and I'm all discombobulated. Lil was getting cranky because I was having to used my stick so much. Once I fixed my position I was able to much more effectively just use my body to turn. She was so rolling her eyes at me.

Getting undressed and giving scratches I felt satisfied. I learned a bunch and have stuff to think about and trouble shoot...my horse didn't get actually angry with me for bumbling about.....and I feel like our relationship is getting stronger all the time.

When the weather changes we will have big Right Brained* Challenges. The stronger our relationship is going into that the better off we'll be. I'll take all the prior and proper preparation I can get.

*see glossary at the bottom of the page

(bummer no picts in this post. i'll work on it)

A reader asked me to talk a little bit more about my experiences with teaching Nigel to maintain gait. It got me thinking about Clarity....

2009-09-17T16:14:00.000-07:00

Soooooooo one of the MOST IMPORTANT things that Linda has given me is the permission to experiment. Of course I'm always trying to balance it. I don't want to let the horse be wrong for too long. But I also want to give the strategy a fighting chance.

With Nigel I really just started with small bits. And I have to say I use treats.....for a few reasons...one is to give incentive...but the other reason is to clearly say "BINGO. you got it. that is what i wanted". I used to end up with certain horses frisking for treats all the time..but I figured out that so long as you get them to do something for it that goes away. (the LBE's especially. even in their stalls a lot of times I ask them to back up with a finger wiggle before I give it up)

In one of the Mastery Manuals* recently Linda was talking about how the level of our savvy is directly related to the level of clarity in our body language. And I've been thinking of that a lot lately...clarity. A clear plan. Making what I want clear to my horse and then being clear about letting them know when they got it right.

I've noticed that two big things happen when I give a treat to this end. My body language automatically changes and just logistically we have to stop for a second at least. My goal of course is to one day be so good in my body that I'll be super quick to soften and smile and go to neutral in just the right moment. But for now in the interest of clarity I am using it to say "that's it!"

I'm not talking always of course. But especially when teaching something new...or when I'm asking my horse to put in more effort like doing 3 laps instead of 2 or weaving at liberty at the trot instead of online. When asking Nigel to get on a stump...its pretty obvious to him when he's done it. So just a scratch and a rest is good. I suppose this is why they all love touch it so much. They know exactly what we want them to do!

Also, doing a walk lap is in my experience one of the hardest tasks at first! What I did with Nigel is just send him off at the trot. He went a few steps and stopped. I gave him a treat. Next, I sent him at the trot. He went a few steps. This time no treat. I just brought him in and re sent him. This time he did a few more steps. I brought him in and gave him a treat. So all I've done is just say...give me a little more (do a whole circle) treat....quit that game for that day. Next time start with something...(half a lap even) give a treat....a little more (whole circle) treat... a little more (2 circles or even 1.5 circles) treat. Try the other way. (2 circles? ) Treat. And quite that game for the day. Etc. That's it.

Another strategy that works well if I have a good change of direction is just that. Change direction. He breaks gait or stops..change direction. Until he puts in more effort. BUT. . . . the real key is to notice when they put in more effort. AND SAY BINGO. (Alot of times I even say it out loud to myself not for the horse but because that too automatically changes my body language.)

This strategy is basically using comfort and discomfort. The idea being that it is less comfortable for the horse to change direction than just to keep going. So they put in more effort to going. Again. I must notice the effort and reward it. If I get too greedy and want to much too soon, it doesn't work. To sum up...CLARITY and MOTIVATION is what has worked wonders with Nigel. He had to learn that there was a point to what I was asking. And of course some reason in the world for him to do it. lol

Doesn't hurt that he's blindingly smart either.

and lots of things kind of came together...

2009-09-15T20:50:00.001-07:00

. . . like the stump. As per older posts it has been interesting to see Nigel start to take responsibility for stuff.

When I first asked him to stand up on the stump he did it. (of course) but I really had to micromanage him onto it. ...zone 1* here, zone 2* there etc.

Last time we played I just sent him towards it from about 13 feet away. He looked at it and passed it. So I just let him circle and come back to it. It took about three times and he looked at me and stepped up.

Yesterday I must have been about 17 feet away...he marched right over and got up there. Excellent. Now we're getting somewhere.

Heading up to the arena he was blowing and relaxing. Going away from the barn!!!!

We've been working on our cantering circling game online. This was not all that pretty or harmonious when we began in May. Mostly I think it was a respect thing (not at all appropriate response to pressure. pulling on the line...not going...or going to much etc.) and also a big lack of rapport. He wanted away from me!

Yesterday again he took responsibility, he gave me slack in the line and did 4 laps each way with only one or two tiny corrections. This was up in the arena ...where the last time we played he was really right brained and kept trying to take off heading towards the barn. So this is great progress!

Another thing that came together. Maintain gait, maintain direction, and look where you're going. Playing the circling game over stuff has needed some confidence building. I've been just using a cavaletti about 12 inches high.

Several sessions ago he would slow down and needed a little help to even walk over. I could see there he was a bit worried about the whole thing. Of course with Nigel its usually like "eek! can i do that? oh. well, ok. " So as long as I don't force him in that moment of unconfidence he gets braver right away. A tiny bit tricky for me to know when to wait for a second...and when he needs a little encouragement. But if I get it right it works like a charm.

So it's been getting better clearly every time. First, walking over without stopping...then trotting to it and walking over picking up the trot after (obviously getting the concept of maintain gait)... then trotting over it but knocking it down....then yesterday.....voila! Jumping! Right off the ground like a good little motivated confident boy. Super.

Then I got to hop on. His response to the direct rein was nearly perfect. We practiced longitudinal flexion with the fluid rein at the walk and trot. He seems to understand that a lot more but he has trouble staying stretchy at the trot. Better though. Heaps better. .... I was hoping to get more blowing out...but no dice. I even waited several minutes before getting off...just in case.. dang. Oh well, I'll be looking for it again.

He felt happy with me when we undressed...and relaxed...and I just love riding him so I was happy too...he gently dropped the bit with his nose on the ground then he rubbed his head on me in a nice way....

I'm noticing more and more of a connection. Sigh. That's the best part.

. . .and Yay! Yay! Yay!

2009-09-13T19:57:00.000-07:00

Lil gave me THE BEST cantering weave with flying changes from zone 1*! Just switched my carrot stick from one hand to the other and ran backwards!!!!!

The few tips Linda was giving Amy in this last savvy club DVD helped me a ton. Really put my weight more in the inside stirrup and pulled my inside armpit back. Lil seemed to really like it.

Also revisiting the suspension rein. I found that I usually end up doing more of an indirect rein by not paying attention. Today I really focused on lifting it straight up. That helped a bunch too.

I've been doing this pattern of a 20m circle at trot and then a 10m circle and then a 20m circle and so on. . (like big bulls eye little bulls eye with a barrel for the small one) Well, I kept in mind Pat's demo this month of the minute indirect rein and then direct rein. Seemed to make a huge difference for the 10m circle.

I had to laugh at myself, it seemed Lil was like..."finally! geeze! I've been waiting for you to get this."

well...the woodshed actually.

2009-09-12T09:23:00.000-07:00

Haha. So the story is that I was spending some undemanding time with Lil in the driveway. She was munching the gorgeous green fall grass and I was studying the new Mastery Manual*. ........

Clop, clop, clop. . . I hear her shoes on the pavement. Well, our driveway is gravel and the only pavement is in the shop! I had left the door open and she was snooping around in there!
Although our shop is bigish, 60x40..there is A LOT of stuff in there. And not super safe for my horsey. So of course I went to fetch her. Pretty neat that she was confident and curious to head in there amongst all kinds of scary stuff and many squeezes. I stopped to take this picture as she was sniffing the cedar woodpile.

Here's the cool thing: She turned and looked at me. . . softly with her tail swishing gently. . I said "hey lady, you'd better come out. sorry". and she backed up to me around all kinds of obstacles (about 20feet) and out the door!!!! She did have room to turn around but she chose to back up. So cool to see her using the skills she and I have been practicing together.

I like it! . . . Can I mark off the level 4 task back from the tail and make turns? lol. ( just kidding)

...it was great.

2009-09-10T07:01:00.000-07:00

Had to stop and think about what the deal was with our backing from the tail. She has misunderstood me lately...turning...and not drawing straight back. So a Blinding Flash of the Obvious came my way. ..Can she back while I back standing in zone* 2? yep. zone 3? yep. zone 4? yep. zone 5??? tada!

We did a million transitions Freestyle*. And no impulsive trot. Lil got her feet done day before and her canter was like super slow, relaxed and rocking horsey. Plus when I asked she just lengthened her stride with lift off from the hind end. I love that!

We even got to do a tiny bit of Finesse*...and then back to freestyle. I have to admit that the Freestyle is improving our relationship so much I am finding that I care less and less about flying changes. I know that they'll come (they're really good at Liberty*)...but for now...I love that fact that she's getting happier all the time and less emotional. The improved relationship is really becoming the reward. And then the rest of it is just coming as if by magic.

She was even asking questions at the canter. Which of course means she was thinking...which of course is totally awesome.

We ended after undressing with some ENTHUSIASTIC draws at canter and some long scratches. I LOVE MY HORSEY!

and I just had a really nice time with Lil

2009-09-07T10:02:00.001-07:00

The coolest thing I think is that now, when we have a misunderstanding two things happen. One: she doesn't get as offended and afraid..she checks in with me. And two: I notice more quickly if I've been unclear or she doesn't understand and that she's checking in with me.

Its been a deeper study for me of late to really try to balance the respect with the rapport. Like being willing to use my drive...and really say...move that! And yet be super quick to notice if she's asking a legitimate question.

As a result I am really feeling a stronger connection with her!!! It makes me so happy!

We played with maintain gait, maintain direction on the circling game at liberty for 10 laps or so. It is hilarious how horses count. geeze. She's got the 10 laps now. And "done?". lol

Her flying changes look so easy for her now. They look really rideable.

We got some beautiful sideways with 2 sticks. Got like forty thousand trot canter trot finesse transitions. Those were really easy for her!!!! But...going back to a self regulated trot afterwards took about 10 min. But, "oh boy" we got to do more transitions. And she didn't get too worried.

I am noticing the tongue now. She sticks it out the side and sucks on it. Its a stress thing. And it usually shows up this time of year. The weather changes...and she becomes a lot more of a RBI. Freezing and Spooking.

Last year I didn't pay as close attention to the little signs that started to build up. This year..I am going to try to be more vigilant. So I don't end up just going along...doing what we've done all summer.....and then end up pushing her mindlessly. I don't want to miss the tiny subtle resistances.

So it'll be interesting to see how far our much more developed and stronger relationship will take us this season.

I remember when I couldn't find an itchy spot on Lil at all. Now, our scratch sessions last for like 15 minutes! And I love that she shows me the spots. I even trust her to raise a hind leg right in front of me and say: "there please".

Perhaps this really is the beginning of a beautiful relationship. . . . .

Had to post this pict .....

2009-09-05T21:17:00.001-07:00

Again, this is Lisa. Member of our Savvy Team "The Aspiring Horsemen". Her horse Minnie on the left and hubby Jim (also a member of the A.H.)'s horse Jake.

That. Is cool.

Guest Post! by Lisa, member of our savvy team "The Aspiring Horsemen"

2009-09-03T06:42:00.001-07:00

..........on to the progress report. minnie is doing really good with the carwash. i can send her through and drive her through, that was last tues.

friday we had an awesome session. worked on L2 online stuff. our figure 8 is pretty darn good at the walk and trot. most of the time i just looked and pointed, moving my feet minimally. we started really working on the weave. that was rough at first but it got pretty good when i'm on the near side but was still a bit rocky when i was on the off side (confidence issue). but we were gettin it! and most of the time i was just looking and pointing.

i'm getting 4 canter laps consistently now with just an occasional correction. woohoo!! i rode bridleless again. in the round pen of course but we did more stuff. we trotted quite a bit and did a couple figure 8's and change of direction (i told my mom it would be way cool if some day i can take minnie to a play day and do the events bridleless. not at a competitive speed of course. hehe).

the funny part is that jake is better at the weave than figure 8's & minnie is the opposite. i didnt everything that jim and jake did but i know that he's getting better canter laps!! a big deal for jake!!

oh ya, here's a jake funny..........jim & jake were just standing, jim suddenly realized that jake was standing there holding a foot up............probably waiting for a treat!!! and yes, he DID GET A TREAT!! he's such a goof!

sunday we took the horses to the show but i did not compete first off, minnie marched right into the trailer & took her position! i was soooooooo excited!! i threw the rope over her back & in she went!!

i played with minnie online during morning break, down at the scary end of the arena. she did finally relax and offered to WALK between me & the fence instead of shooting through. i only got to ride her in there for a few min but was able to walk calmly at that end of the arena.

after that i rode her in the warm up area. her & jake did really well with being separated. minnie only called a couple times & jim said the same about jake. minnie was a bit highheaded and impulsive at the trot though so we circled and circled and circled some more & did trot/stop/back transitions until she finally relaxed, stretched her neck down & blew out a couple times. it was like someone flipped a switch! one second i was doing circles with a supporting rein & the next we were following the rail on a casual rein.

everyone got to rest for bit after that, including me. it was nice to just sit & watch a few classes. it was jakes turn during lunch break. we had 45 min & i rode jake in the show ring the whole time!! he did really, really good! of course, he had the opposite problem with the arena. he wanted to be at the "scary" end because thats where we were parked. so, i created a sweet spot at the opposite end using cookies. follow the rail to the far end, stop, get cookie, move off at jakes choosing, REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT. took about 3 times & he caught on. after that he offered to trot, canter, whatever. i took whichever gate he chose as long as he went where i wanted to go.

he did spook 3 times at the office, bleachers, people, papers?????? who knows for sure. of course his flight distance is like 5 ft BUT he's alot of horse to have jumping sideways!! i finally got off & had him observe things & squeeze through a few times. after that he was fine. so, i got my passenger lesson for the day. LOL.

when lunch time ended i let everyone else leave first & he just stood there quietly. he was much more relaxed this time. no high head, never even thought of bucking. and there were quite a few horses out there all doing different things. it was a good day for jakey!!

when we loaded up, minnie marched right in again! its amazing! she's even unloading better. it just took that one day and 10 min of her standing in there checking things out. makes me chuckle!!!

monday..........another awesome play session! minnie & i did figure 8's & weave online again. i even asked her to do 8's while standing on top of a barrel. hehe. work on the weave.....much better than friday, especially when i was on the off side (alot more confident). work on sideways without a fence. decided it was mark offable!!! which means...........everything is marked off for L2 online!!!

THEN we started working on Freestyle!! we did freestyle figure 8's & weave for the first time!! aaaaaaaaaah! figure 8's went awesomely!! at the walk of course. not ready to trot them yet. the weave wasn't quite as good but it wasn't bad either!!

worked on follow the rail. she had several good moments & several moments of impulsiveness. so, whenever she broke gait we circled, circled, circled until she slowed herself down. i tried really hard to circle with just the carrot stick but that wasn't always possible, especially if she cantered. the good part was that the canter wasn't scary fast so i felt like i could ride it out & try to use the carrot stick.

she did run into the rail once & tried switching directions on me once (just another passenger lesson. lol). she finally started to relax & we did have a few good laps at the walk with a stretched neck & some blowing. i felt totally successful for our first real time doing freestyle.

jim didnt really do much with jake........gave him a day off. BUT he did have jake haltered for a bit & duke (our dog) was out there (of course) & jim tied jakes rope to duke and duke was leading jake all over the arena. jim got them to do figure 8's & tried a weave. duke weaved but jake cheated!!

i suggested that it would safer if duke learned how to hold the rope in his mouth so........................it took maybe 5 MINUTES to teach this to duke!! that dang dog picked up the rope on command & led jake around the arena. jim tried to get jake to trot for duke but of course jake thought that was the silliest thing ever!!! we will certainly need a video!!! duke has also learned how to pick apples from the tree. yep......all of our pets are THINKERS!!

One more funny about minnie. we put them in the small pasture yesterday for lunch. jake came in first so jim got him out. minnie was on her way from the big pasture. when she realized jake was already out, she made a mad dash across the arena straight for her stall! i put my hand up FROM THE AISLEWAY and she slid to a stop right outside her stall & hesitated. i quickly invited her in. i thought that was pretty amazing! she could have easily blasted right in..........she's done it before.........right through the chain no less!!

WHEW! so there it is! :)

Key nearly jumped out of her paddock to get to me!

2009-08-30T20:48:00.000-07:00

I was playing with Lil in the big playground (at Liberty!..I could hardly believe that) ...Key's paddock runs very close to the log we were playing with. She wanted to jump out so bad! There is a space where we only have two rails because a gait is supposed to be there. (damn spending freeze). I was laughing because she was tossing her head and backing up and really thinking about it. She didn't do it. . . but we nearly went to get the video camera.

So Liberty in the big playground with Lil. Amazing. We can do quite a few of the level 4 patterns and tasks in the arena, but it is time to test out in the field. Especially since we're rapidly running out of weather. boo hoo. (I guess we should have two more months but this year I don't know)

We got a really really nice yo yo back about 35 feet up a hill to squeeze through the oaktrees. Our draw from that was only at trot but man we could NOT have done that last year.

The close stuff was easy really...like driving 360's...sideways along a log was pretty good too. Even the squeeze game over the log...but I have to admit I was a bit tentative with my driving game.

Attempting a circling game I lost her but it was so worth it because she came seriously cantering to me from FAR AWAY!!! like 75 feet. AWAY FROM THE BARN!!! I'm shaking my head right now. Hard to believe.

We played stick to me with transitions walk, trot, canter, halt etc. all the way up to the arena. I left all the gaits open and she did leave me and went all the way back to the barn. I wish at that point I had thought to use the round pen with the gait open because its way closer to the barn but oh well. Again we had a great draw and went over to watch Kip play with the trailer with Nigel.

Looked to me like they turned a corner. Kip was sitting in a chair near the mid bumper and loading him with just a suggestion. Super cool. He shut the back door for quite a while too and said that Nige was totally quiet eating in there. That was a first! Kip was grinning and feeling proud obviously. He commented that while it was all fresh in his mind he'd like to do some trailer play with Jackson.

Lil and I worked on our Freestyle with 2 carrot sticks again. Got sideways super concrete this time. I checked that one off this morning. Had 4 beautiful relaxed canter laps in the round pen each way and some very harmonious stretchy trot.

(oh and after I saddled her we got 15 laps at liberty at the canter with only one correction to the right. progress. more consistent. and she's even clearer on her responsibility it seems. and fitter!)

I have to say...even after 6 years of being amazed at the Parelli Program. . . I'm still blown away by what you can do when the horse (even in small stages) becomes a partner with you.

and FINALLY.....

2009-08-26T15:12:00.000-07:00

Nigel blew out while I was riding. This is the first time ever for the Big Big blowing out and letting loose through his ribcage!!!!

We were trotting and I was using the fluid rein to ask him to stretch longitudinally over his topline. and voila.

WAHOOOOOOOOOOOO!

only took 3 months.. lol. must have been Kips great play sessions this weekend.... things finally feel different with Nigel. Like he's actually interested.

Kip and Nigel video update.

2009-08-26T11:25:00.000-07:00

Lookin good to me!

The Northwood Four (Kip, Nigel, Lil and I ) visited Beth

2009-08-24T21:40:00.000-07:00

Kip and I loaded up our two white horses and headed over to beths for a playday yesterday! It was super fun!

Kip had a great success with his horse. He took advantage of the bigger arena and did follow the rail including point to point with one barrel on the rail. Lil and I were the treat dispensers. He got one pretty big buck out of Nige and then some really nice canters. He was grinning pretty huge. Beth and I got some of it on video for him so that was cool for him to see.

I played with Lil a little at Liberty...we are getting a way cool draw at canter from like 45 feet away. In a straight line! And then I was able to back her around a single barrel and draw her towards me over it from like 30 feet. That was pretty dang cool.

Oh my gosh. I rode with 2 carrot sticks... and liked it!!! We totally did a "bridleless" weave at trot. Lil was an angel all through the making up of our routine for our audition. Our sideways with 2 carrot sticks is getting waaaay better.

We played the corners game at canter which was great to be able to do because on the long side she was really galloping so to just be able to keep her straight and stop in the corner...after just a few times she was regulating herself very nicely on a straight line. (we don't have those long straight lines at home.)

Beth rode Lou in Kip's cradle bridle. He looks so handsome in it.

Beth, Kip, Nige and Louie went outside to graze while Lil and I did follow the rail at the canter. Getting closer to check offable. . .

It was so cute when we were all done...Lil gave this tiny little whinny. Like whispering.. "hey guys?...are you out there?" We went to graze for a bit ...

Lovely time!

Beth stood on Louie the other day and I'm so proud of her I have to put this up.

Oh man....so many cool things went down this last weekend.

2009-08-19T19:13:00.001-07:00

Lil did some flying changes Freestyle* for me! A little crunched around the corner...and not the best look on her face but she did them. And only because she knew I wanted her to. Not because she had to.

It was very very interesting to just sit up there and let the pattern work itself. I had started it at liberty and then just stuck with it Freestyle. And so I was able to just passenger her except to say...stay on this pattern.

She was all happy to do the trotting figure 8 and then the canter figure 8 with simple changes. When she because we had built the pattern at Liberty she realized what I wanted and got tight.....and emotional. But she did them anyway. Like "omg omg omg i don't know if i can do this......" . And yet she did do it. Awwwwww!

Kip had a few amazing play sessions with Jackson.

We've both been doing the same pattern with Nigel. Point to point getting him to canter. Kip and I both had some super fun canters!

Over all it was just waaaay great. waaaay great!

Shout out to Jim and Lisa. Brilliant job on your level 1 auditions.

I never did like Lil. I thought she was pretty. But, nearly right off....I didn't like her at all.

2009-08-13T21:04:00.000-07:00

I was Letting Lil weedwack while I read the new Savvy Times last night. It was the golden hour...and then the rose colored moments before twilight....I looked up....and Lil looked up....at me. She was about 10 feet away. We looked at each other....and I realized..I love her. I love her very very much.

Its amazing really. How our journey together has unfolded. From buying her as a 3 year old because she was pretty.....our frustration with each other immediately....her getting into such a right brained frenzy when I turned her loose on our new farm and running straight into and through a huge 6 rail fence that I truly thought she was crazy....

to breeding her instead of sending her to the meaters....to how much closer we became over the three years that she had babies for us....to deciding to develop her and send her on.....to keeping her for myself because of how far she (and I) had come....

to becoming more and more fond of her....to completely misunderstanding her horsenality.....her kicking me in the stomach.....her hating me..... because I was getting it so wrong.

to getting the email that Don and Rachel* were doing distance coaching....starting to slowly unravel her horsenality and understand her better.....having her let me in more and more....

to beginning to appreciate her deeply high spirited nature.....to getting the Patterns* and having even more of a plan for her....to having her actually want to be with me....to having disharmonic days and yet more and more moments and minutes of harmony...

....and now. today. I love her. And that's that.

Practicing trailer loading with Nigel.

2009-08-09T12:12:00.001-07:00

Now this was interesting. Nigel has not been super interested in getting into the trailer. He's actually made it quite clear that he would rather not.

Part of the reason Kip was so excited to get him was that he really wanted to go to playdays and generally out to events. Nigel's original mom I think taught him to love trailers so I'm not exactly sure what happened. He did travel up here from Cali about a year ago so who knows.. But we really want to get him back to being uber confident.

Again with Nigel it takes him all of about 2 seconds to figure out what we want. Then like yesterday. He just does it.

Kip actually was the one who played with him and sat with him for a while. Then I hung out with Nige while Kip did a few things around the arena.

What I found really interesting was the feeling I was getting from him. I mean he was standing there....he knew he was supposed to. .... and I don't think he was afraid....but he clearly did not want to be in there. . . one time Kip did try to shut the door and Nigel came flying out....we just hung out with him for ages...he'd periodically blow and blow and blow (he is so innately LB. like Pat described once. in that kind of horse their left brain is always trying to override their right brain. so true in this case)

I was thinking of the stages within the friendly game. Trying to assess where he was. I felt like he was tolerating it for sure.....acceptance? I think we did get there when finally he started eating. Then after a good 20minutes he cocked a leg. (let loose?)

Kind of exciting to think of where we can go with this horse when we finally win him over.

And look at me up on the horse trailer. Amazing.

2009-08-08T20:49:00.000-07:00

Lil gets big big ups for this.