Way more than riding!

After learning that my sweet Willow is not a ride-able horse, due to her past, we have begun our new journey together doing only online (with halter and lead-line on) and liberty (without halter or lead-line on). I have not done much Liberty work with Willow because I have been so focused on helping her find calmness in riding. Liberty is the true test of partnership because without anything te...thering her to me, she has the choice to stay with me and follow my leadership, ..or... to just leave. Yesterday we did our first 'real' Liberty session and it was AMAZING! at first we just moseyed around together making small turns towards and away from me to be sure I had a connection... we then went to a close range "touch-it" game and I sent her around about 5-8 feet away from me to stop at and touch objects around the arena. A couple times she got 'lost' and began to wander away from my direction, I softly disengaged her hindquarters and brought her back to me, then progressed to try again.... after she touched 3-4 objects close range, we moseyed together back to a barrel and just hung out together for a few min. and I put the lead rope back on. We then went out to graze and play outside the arena with some 'read my energy' games and 'follow my focus' to grassy places to eat. ...... Then we went back in to try Liberty again.... this time I tried the "touch it" game from a 10-12 foot distance and she stayed connected the whole time..... she kept checking back in with me if she was unsure and sighed and liked/chewed as she found each 'destination'. I decided to be brave (and a bit show-offy cuz my husband was watching) and tried to do a figure 8 around the barrels at liberty..... slowly I backed her up through the barrels.... softly sent her around the barrel on the left.....drew back.....she turned in.... re-directed to the right and she went around the barrel on the right.....drew back.... she turned in....redirected... through and around the barrel on the left!!! a WHOLE figure 8 at LIBERTY!!! yes, I was grinning from ear to ear..... I drew back again as she came around the left side and as she turned in to me I 'trotted' backwards as she trotted to me and we stopped and just reveled in the amazing heart pounding glory that is LIBERTY!!

Growing Pains = Forward Change .. Part 1

The 3 day Parelli Clinic with 3 * Instructor Susan Nelson evoked almost every emotion in both me and Willow as we leap forward into a much deeper understanding of each other, the Horsenality/Huamanality dynamic and what true partnership means as a whole.  Day's 1 and 2 were an introduction for the participants to Parelli and the 7 games. I thought it would be slow for me as I have "been there, done that", but as it is all about never ending self improvement... It was so much more than I ever could have expected.  Revisiting Level 1, from a level 4-5 viewpoint makes it a whole new deal indeed!  As Susan introduced each game to the group and we taught them to our horses, I found myself intrigued by the holes, however minute, in some of the basics that needed to be improved.  Susan gave me tasks to progress on each game and insight on noticing how I could make my phases almost invisible, more understandable, and with greater direction and flow in harmony with Willow's movements.   Games 1-4 were beginning to flow, like a dance as we moved around the paddock playing "seek the obstacle" and "stick to me" in a way that had meaning and softness, ahhh, this is what the opposite of direct line thinking  feels like!  You don't notice how direct line you are being in your games until.... you're not... interesting concept, but as you progress in your understanding of the games (through the levels) you will  feel  what I mean....and so will your horse!

Games 5-7 Were even more interesting, as continued movement is required, it can bring up lots of emotion and opinions in you and your horse.  We started these games as simulations, meaning that we, the humans, acted like the horse, we took turns being the different zones of the horse (parts of the body) we also  took turns being the human leading the horse.  It was interesting to see how everyone's energy differed and how it must feel for the horse to communicate with different humans. We experienced clear as well as confusing body language and also how directing energy to the incorrect zone at the incorrect or correct time can make your communication very unclear and scattered, leading to miscommunication and frustration.
When we took games 5-7 to the horses, the interesting just continued to grow.....  We had LBI's, RBI's and an extreme LBE.  We tried and watched as each game was played in a different way with each horse.  The RBI's and LBI's had to find the answer to what was being asked with slow meaningful direction, accepting however slow the feet needed to move while the brain figured out the correct direction being asked.  The LBE had to find the answer by first finding all the wrong answers while quickly moving his feet all around until his brain could kick in and he could begin to think about the right answer. Hmmmm how interesting, if we had played the games with the Introverted horses the way we played with the Extroverted horse, they would have shut down completely, refusing to move, the right brain out of fear an the left brain out of defiance.  If we had played the games with the Extroverted horse the way we had to play with the Introverts, he would have 'checked-out' and decided we weren't acting like interesting/focused leaders and would find his own things to do.   What a lesson in, as Pat Parelli says  "Playing with the horse that shows up" and "being passively persistent in the proper position"!

Needless to say,  after the first 2 days of the clinic, revisiting levels 1 and 2.... there was a LOT of licking, chewing, yawning (all signs of adrenaline release and learning) and puzzle solving had by all!

"Practice doesn't make perfect, only perfect practice makes perfect"~ Pat Parelli

So excited!  Today when I went out to get Willow for the hoof trimmer, she came galloping form all the way across the field!  Yup, being "patiently persistent in the proper position" ~(Pat Parelli again) Really really works!  It is truly amazing how fast it works when you are patient!  I gave Willow the time she needed to decide for herself that being with me was a good place to be and Voila, she has changed from a frozen RBI  to a playful, somewhat sassy, RBI/E. Prancing around, running to me and licking/chewing and yawning while the trimmer did her hooves.  That is true progress for this horse, who had to be sedated to have her feet done before she was rescued.   Ahhhhh, big sigh of satisfaction. I tried to get pics of her yawning while Jon did her hooves, If I can figure out how to get them from my un-smart phone into the post, I will share them with y'all! 
Thanks for sharing in my Journey and my excitement!

Just hangin' around:
Today I went into the paddock and again Willow came trotting to me when I whistled to her, I decided since I didn't have much time (and it is freeeezing here this spring) I would just spend some "Undemanding Time" with her to help build our relationship.  Undemanding time is just like it sounds, time together where I am not asking anything of her, just hanging out together.  It is so important (in any relationship) to make time for this.  So instead of always doing what I want to do, like play the 7 games and ride.... it is important to do what she loves to do as well.... mosey around eating, resting, eating some more etc..    This will keep her wanting to  come trotting to me :)  It was nice to just "be" with her and enjoy the day together.

Learning From a Horse Named Willow

Winter was long and icy, here in Maine, so there hasn't been much play time with the horses. Sure I did regular grooming, hoof trimming, playing with feet, etc.... but with wind chills of -20 for the better part of winter, I spent most of my time learning/playing inside with my DVDs and books.   

 

Willows first BIG lesson for me? Willow is the kind of horse that if you don't play with her on a regular basis, it is like starting over. Boy do I love how much this horse teaches me every day!  We've only had safe footing here in Maine for about 2 weeks now - with the recent thaw and melt causing both muck and ice in the paddock - and there is still 6-8 inches of snow in the shady areas  & woods! 

 

Anyway, I've been playing with Willow every day that it hasn't rained - making the paddock very slick!  What I couldn't believe was that the first 3 sessions were just like starting over from scratch with Willow. It was as if we had never worked together before.  Then I remembered a story that Linda told during the course in Florida about Hot Jazz who would be going along great, making progress, and then Linda would leave for a tour stop and when she came back it was like starting all over. Yup, I thought to myself, I'm walking in her shoes!  ~side note: the amount of things I learned this winter at the Horsenallity/Humanality course just keeps growing and growing as more of the situations that we learned about come to light with both horses and humas!  LOVE IT!!~

 

Back to Willow - here are how the first few sessions went: I would go in with my tools (halter, lead rope, carrot stick) and Willow would walk away or just freeze up. After a bit of thought (and a couple of sessions) I had an AH-HA! moment - I had been going in all winter, to groom, without tools. Hmmmm how interesting!  I decided to change my tactics. I entered the paddock and simply took my time - moseyed around - making it clear that this visit was NOT about Willow. I checked the water tub, checked the ground, inspected the poo, (ok, you get the point) until Willow loosened up a little and could look at me (she got curious) and then I would continue to mosey around,' sort of in Willows general direction,  until she was looking & connecting with me just a little.  Then I stopped and waited for her to breath. I then went in toward her wither playing the "cha-cha" (one step forward, one step back) as Willow's ears invited me in and then un-invited me. :) Finally I was standing with her and then I just hung out with her until she was able to loosen up and actually wanted to sniff me. YAY (horse sniffs rock)!! I had given it as long as Willow needed and boy did she need a LOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooong time in those first few sessions! But that is ok - I learned a LOT from those sessions.

 

Let's take a trot forward to my latest session with Willow! I approached the fence and Willow nickered at me - causing me to smile from ear to ear.  But, I had to work to keep my energy down so that I wouldn't be too much (too high energy, too excited, too "big") for Willow and cause her to think "guess I wont do that again"!   I swallowed my excitement and slowly moseyed into the paddock, ignoring her as I walked to the pedestal logs. Willow walked half-way towards me and stopped. So, I sat down looking away from her. Willow took a few more steps. I smiled and turned away again. And then, I walked away. Willow started blowing-off and went to the logs. I joined her there and just stood with her until she was nosing around at me for rubs. Long rubs on her ears and head (she loves that, it helps her to release the tension).  When Willow relaxed, we slowly played point-to-point as a warm up and check in on our connection for the day. Willow did great!  She was licking & chewing as soon as I stopped her at each "destination" and she was looking to me for another direction. We soon went back to the logs to saddle, pad and saddle up with a calm, blinking horse (more hiding my giddy excitement so as to not blow her up and lose the calm. "EEEEEEEEE" - I said inside!!) We practiced our circle and Willow circled both ways at a trot, calmly, blowing out after only about a lap AND keeping the slack in the rope all the way around (more excited YIPPEE dancing inside)!!!  And off to the riding area we went - me mounted on one (with no opposition reflex) calm licking horse.  We were walking around with the slightest "go" energy ever!!!   My patience and willingness to just wait for Willow had paid off and I will NEVER let her go so long without playing again!!  :)   What a great breakthrough for both of us!

 

It is amazing how much you realize you didn't know until you need to know it. That is my divine awareness for the day (well, so far..... it is only 10am)

  

Progression

I have a friend who is new to ground work, she has mostly just ridden her whole life. It isn't until you have a reason to need ground work, that you realize that you need it. Unfortunately, most people find out they need it the hard (and most times painful) way.
Ground work, or as we Parelli Students call it, "The 7 Games", is how you build a communication with your horse first on the ground, then in the saddle.  With the 7 Games, you communicate to your horse, the way the alpha horse in the herd does, that you are the leader, not just any leader, but a safe, trustworthy, calm, caring leader.  When you don't know how to communicate that to your horse, you can be easily misunderstood and unwanted situations can happen (biting, kicking, bucking, bolting, rearing etc). This was the case with my friend.
We had a wonderful session with her horse today!! My friend had lost confidence after a dangerous situation with a past horse. I have been playing with her horses on the ground while she watches and explaining the games, how and why.   But today,  she had gained enough confidence in knowledge (something we call "Savvy") and did the first 2 games with her horse by herself!!!  Lots of licking and chewing commenced by both horse and human as a bond begins to form!  So happy to see someone progress from fear to confidence!

I love what I do!

Win a Wagon or Sleigh Ride!

RAFFLE!

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Want to give the Bride & Groom a horse drawn carriage ride after the wedding? Dreaming of a sleigh ride, snuggled up to your special someone? Buy a raffle ticket for $10 or 3 tickets for $20 on this 3 hour, $500 value prize!

All proceeds will go towards my Parelli courses this summer where I am working towards earning my Parelli Certified Instructorship so that I can work with rescue horses and at-risk youth using Natural Horsemanship.

Email me for ticket information.