I was tired this morning and not much in the mood for the simulations. Some of the simulations have been very enlightening, but some have really stretched me outside of my comfort zone. Sometimes the feedback from other students is not helpful because they are just beginning the program. Sometimes the feedback is riddled with assumptions made during the exercise. However, sometimes I've made amazing realizations from them. And today was the best simulation of them all.
All of the faculty members here are fantastic. They are different, yet each has a special thing about them and they create a well-rounded team of mentors. I don't know if the Parelli org could put together a better team if they tried. Today, I was in remuda with Trevor and was very impressed. He decided to have all 14 of us be his horse and he was the human in the middle. Imagine it - 14 different personalities and getting them to all do something in unison without talking... using only body language and a swim noodle. I was so engaged and fascinated by the way he communcated to us all. I was able to truly reflect on how I talk to my horse and the body suggestions I make. Trevor made me want to see what he'd ask next. I was trying hard to do the right thing and felt like I wanted to please him. I barely know Trevor; it was just the energy he gave off and the suggestions he made.
The first game he was in the middle and he asked us to make a circle around him. Then, lucky me, he stared me in the eyes. His eyes got large and full of intent. I actually took a step back! He was asking me for something, but I didn't know what. I was trying to figure it out and feeling intimated and I actually got worried! Can my horse infer that much from my body language and my ask? I figured out that he wanted me to turn to the side and start walking. He had all 14 of us doing the circle game around him. However (and this is big), he played the part of the human just beginning to find savvy. So, sometimes he'd be hard with his ask and sometimes soft. Sometimes he made no sense. Sometimes he ask for one thing then another at the same time. And sometimes he just got plain old scary. He never moved his feet really. Very cool. We all talked after about how we felt as the horse. Most felt intimidation, some were frustrated, some felt like shutting down, some were fearful. That's how our horses feel, especially when we're just learning. Ahhh, interesting.
The next circle he was much more savvy, more consistent, he figured out which human needed reassurance and which he could ask for more from. He got the circle to do a lead change. He got us to go fast and slow on our circles. He got us to make a huge circle while we walked and then a closer-in circle (smaller). I was fascinated! When we all shared feedback afterwards, people expressed a comforting feeling, a trust in him to be consistent, and a willingness that wasn't there previously. This is the way we WANT our horses to feel.
I was amazed the communication he could have with us using only his eyes. I need to step it up a notch with my horses. We then went to do simulation games with COD and the spin. The spin requires a box step (back, side, forward, then side). It takes a little coordination and I've never done it before. You also change hands at the 2nd step so you're ready to push zone 1 back around. Fancy! But I need to lick and chew on it.
I got some interesting feedback on my change of direction in simulation. I have to say, simulations are the least comfortable thing for me. I find it so hard to treat 3 people like I'd treat my horse. It's very calculated and not natural and I'm not very good at it. Still, it's a great way to practice and I will definitely keep trying.
Today was all about SQUEEZE and SIDEWAYS. Tara showed us those games with a student's hores - a really nice sorrel QH that had enough try for all the horses in the class. It was great to watch. Then, Megan showed us all 3 levels of the 2 games with her paint gelding. They had some great communication together but he was pretty lackluster in the beginning. We played simulation games, which were probably some of the less useful we'd done (for me, at least). I'm sure after the simulation with Trevor, I will be disappointed every time. We did squeeze and sideways simulations.
I had some more pics done with Coco, which was really fun. Z loves going into the water so she shot a bunch of Z in nearly up to her back and my horse was having fun!! I loved that. Her welts are much smaller, but she stocked up in her legs. A swim was probably feeling real good to her with her belly and legs needing some attention (the welts and the fluid build-up). We got some more intimate shots, too. Intimate shots with a horse... hmmm... :-)
I went out with Z thinking we would do nothing. I was feeling low energy and she was stocked up and sluggish. But after a while, we were starting to get into things. I had 2 separate students actually comment on how we looked very connected and fluid together! Hmmm...
Thursday, May 29, 2008
L&HB, In General
On the first day (I think), we were asked to write our goals for the class. Mine were:
1) The ability to better read and understand my horse.
2) The ability to look at my L3 Liberty tape and see better where I've misread my horse.
3) Have my horse want to be with me even more.
4) Clearly identify her horseanility (huge)
On the last day, we were asked to reflect on our goals and whether we felt successful. I would say emphatically, YES!
1) I am absolutely better at reading and understanding my horse.
2) I watched my L3 Liberty video on day 7 and saw some interesting things. I will try to video tape me and my horses more often.
3) Z was nickering for me by the 6th day and our liberty was better than ever.
4) I believe she's RBE, but I decided to stop trying to solve that mystery and just deal with the horse that shows up. They told us some students don't know for sure until they finish L3. That might be Z and I, too.
I built such a bond with some of the students. I was very sad to leave and I cried some on the drive. I've grown and done a lot of self-reflection in 2 weeks and now I'm committed to carrying all that I learned with me into the future. I promise myself to go back and read my blog entries and continue to practice the new things I learned.
I also spent some time thinking about some demos I could do with my horses. I would like to think of some cool maneuvers and start isolating the actions to build a great demo. With Z, things I could do with her athleticism. With Gemini and Rain, things I can do to show their feet action (Spanish Walk, lay down and bow, synchronized stepping). I will do some youtube searches and get other ideas for things to teach my horses. They are my feedback. They tell me and others how I'm doing. I'd like to develop my web site and have some good demo videos out there. Maybe I'll put together a youtube page as well.
For now, I'm going to make L3 completion my top priority. If Dennis gets well, I could probably spend 6 months focusing on the riding and a little time on the side finishing whatever ground work is necessary. I feel pretty good about the ground work.
Some ideas: demo with Z using a neck rope only from the ground. Rain and something specific to her gating capabilities. Gemini and jumping!!! I have 3 cool horses - I want to show their talents off! I liked the Canadian's feeding demo - syncronized feeding with 4 horses. I liked the European trainers demo with her horse on the ground doing lots of close circles and backwards circles! All 3 of my horses should be able to do circle game backwards - especially Z (hardest for her). Gemini or Rain rearing? All horses bowing and laying down. Nice mounted lead changes on G and Z. My mind is overrun with ideas. I have to remember all of this and stay creative. Thank you, Parelli!
Attitude
Knowledge
Tools
Technique
Time
Imagination
Support
1) The ability to better read and understand my horse.
2) The ability to look at my L3 Liberty tape and see better where I've misread my horse.
3) Have my horse want to be with me even more.
4) Clearly identify her horseanility (huge)
On the last day, we were asked to reflect on our goals and whether we felt successful. I would say emphatically, YES!
1) I am absolutely better at reading and understanding my horse.
2) I watched my L3 Liberty video on day 7 and saw some interesting things. I will try to video tape me and my horses more often.
3) Z was nickering for me by the 6th day and our liberty was better than ever.
4) I believe she's RBE, but I decided to stop trying to solve that mystery and just deal with the horse that shows up. They told us some students don't know for sure until they finish L3. That might be Z and I, too.
I built such a bond with some of the students. I was very sad to leave and I cried some on the drive. I've grown and done a lot of self-reflection in 2 weeks and now I'm committed to carrying all that I learned with me into the future. I promise myself to go back and read my blog entries and continue to practice the new things I learned.
I also spent some time thinking about some demos I could do with my horses. I would like to think of some cool maneuvers and start isolating the actions to build a great demo. With Z, things I could do with her athleticism. With Gemini and Rain, things I can do to show their feet action (Spanish Walk, lay down and bow, synchronized stepping). I will do some youtube searches and get other ideas for things to teach my horses. They are my feedback. They tell me and others how I'm doing. I'd like to develop my web site and have some good demo videos out there. Maybe I'll put together a youtube page as well.
For now, I'm going to make L3 completion my top priority. If Dennis gets well, I could probably spend 6 months focusing on the riding and a little time on the side finishing whatever ground work is necessary. I feel pretty good about the ground work.
Some ideas: demo with Z using a neck rope only from the ground. Rain and something specific to her gating capabilities. Gemini and jumping!!! I have 3 cool horses - I want to show their talents off! I liked the Canadian's feeding demo - syncronized feeding with 4 horses. I liked the European trainers demo with her horse on the ground doing lots of close circles and backwards circles! All 3 of my horses should be able to do circle game backwards - especially Z (hardest for her). Gemini or Rain rearing? All horses bowing and laying down. Nice mounted lead changes on G and Z. My mind is overrun with ideas. I have to remember all of this and stay creative. Thank you, Parelli!
Attitude
Knowledge
Tools
Technique
Time
Imagination
Support
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Day Eight, L&HB
Wow, it's going by FAST! I have only 2 days left. I've spent the last couple of days trying to figure out if I could manipulate my life somehow and stay here for the first riding course. This afternoon, we were very fortunate to have Pat come talk to us and during his talk, he mentioned balance. Balance in life, family, work, pleasure... It was very poignant for me. Balance. I have to get back to my "real" life and I can't stay here, no matter how much I'd love to. I will drive my life in this direction, but I can't dive into it without regard for the most important people in my life. So, I'm at peace with this adventure coming to a close. It's been amazing.
OK, back to the day. Remuda this morning was with Avery only. We talked about the previous day and any questions (like every day). We then discussed a situation with Kristin's horse where she tried to porcupine her horse over a large log with Trevor watching and coaching. It did not go well for Kristin and Trevor took the horse and finished the session for her. Kristin was emotional just discussing it and apparently there was rearing and fear and some dings on the horses legs when it was all said and done. Soooo, we all agreed we'd love to see Avery play with her horse and show porcupine game with him. It turned out to be a great demo! Avery has much to teach!
Avery holds the rope a certain way, over her wrist and she says it allows her to have more feel. I've never seen anyone handle the rope that way and I may give it a try. She mentioned that she believes in never tying a horse unless you can bring him to you at the canter with a porcupine game on the poll. I thought to myself, uhhh, that's a small handful of horses that could be tied then. But her point was well made - make sure a horse is damn ready to be tied before you tie it.
Teach, control, reinforce, refine.
Avery also showed us how to apply 3 concurrent phase 4's. This was effective for Kristin's horse who was only slightly impressed with 1 phase 4. I'd never seen this technique and I was thinking of times I could use it. It could be a good way to get Z to back up faster and make it to the end of the 45. She can make it now, but it's got to be snappier and it will be hard up the hill.
The game to learn today was Circle. We covered the send, allow and bring back. The they showed us transitions and change of direction. Finally, Kristie demo'ed spins for us. Z and I have never tried spins, but it's time! I'm getting great lead changes at Liberty with her and I think she could manage the pressure of a spin. Kristie demo'ed with Ole and he's just an amazing athlete. He' s a RBI and it's interesting to watch a classic RBI work.
Jon also took in 3 student horses for the next demoes. He had a supposedly LBI, a quad-polar horse, and an extrovert (R and L). Corrinn's little 1 yr old paint was the LBI and very cute. Jackie brought the extrovert, a Morgan/Freisian cross. Ohhh - he was nice! and the quad-polar horse was Charity's. All 3 were very interesting to watch.
"Positional Truth" - make sure your change of direction ask does NOT look like your bring back ask. Promise your horse that one will always mean one thing and the other means something else. I like this.
For up transitions, wait for the horse to reach your leading shoulder, then ask and turn with them.
It's ok to smooch or kiss for transitions up. I've been taught to stay quiet always. Interesting.
For a good send, send the horse then start the allow with 3 slaps to the ground in 3 different spots following the horse. Another use of 3 phase 4's. This is very useful for horses that don't maintain gait on the circle - builds a stronger "allow". It also helps you from getting emotional with an unmotivated horse.
John talked about playing games with your horse and ask them to leave at different speeds. I would like to play with this game.
I've been taught to practice 9 times of turning and drawing your horse for the change of direction for every 1 time you actually perform the full change. Otherwise, I was told it would possibly have a negative effect on your draw. I asked that question today and was told that was not really true. Interesting.
About my play time with Z... our bond is stronger every day and I'm getting more and more try from her all the time. We had pics with Coco after the instructor sessions and demos. Wow - this was a fantastic day with Z and I got the best flying changes at Liberty than ever. We also got a great sideways at Liberty off the rail. Coco shot pics of all of that - can't wait to see them! More pics tomorrow with Coco.
I watched Trevor in the round pen with his horse. He was obviously not that into it and we talked some. However, I did get to see him give a phase 4 and wow. I've never given a phase 4 like that before. He definitely gets 2 eyes and 2 ears, though. He also can drive down the road and have his horse trot next to the truck with no line attached. So...
I did some undemanding time and let my horse eat grass. We drove from zone 4/5 at a jog up to her pen. Just a great day and my horse and I had some very nice and harmonious moments.
OK, back to the day. Remuda this morning was with Avery only. We talked about the previous day and any questions (like every day). We then discussed a situation with Kristin's horse where she tried to porcupine her horse over a large log with Trevor watching and coaching. It did not go well for Kristin and Trevor took the horse and finished the session for her. Kristin was emotional just discussing it and apparently there was rearing and fear and some dings on the horses legs when it was all said and done. Soooo, we all agreed we'd love to see Avery play with her horse and show porcupine game with him. It turned out to be a great demo! Avery has much to teach!
Avery holds the rope a certain way, over her wrist and she says it allows her to have more feel. I've never seen anyone handle the rope that way and I may give it a try. She mentioned that she believes in never tying a horse unless you can bring him to you at the canter with a porcupine game on the poll. I thought to myself, uhhh, that's a small handful of horses that could be tied then. But her point was well made - make sure a horse is damn ready to be tied before you tie it.
Teach, control, reinforce, refine.
Avery also showed us how to apply 3 concurrent phase 4's. This was effective for Kristin's horse who was only slightly impressed with 1 phase 4. I'd never seen this technique and I was thinking of times I could use it. It could be a good way to get Z to back up faster and make it to the end of the 45. She can make it now, but it's got to be snappier and it will be hard up the hill.
The game to learn today was Circle. We covered the send, allow and bring back. The they showed us transitions and change of direction. Finally, Kristie demo'ed spins for us. Z and I have never tried spins, but it's time! I'm getting great lead changes at Liberty with her and I think she could manage the pressure of a spin. Kristie demo'ed with Ole and he's just an amazing athlete. He' s a RBI and it's interesting to watch a classic RBI work.
Jon also took in 3 student horses for the next demoes. He had a supposedly LBI, a quad-polar horse, and an extrovert (R and L). Corrinn's little 1 yr old paint was the LBI and very cute. Jackie brought the extrovert, a Morgan/Freisian cross. Ohhh - he was nice! and the quad-polar horse was Charity's. All 3 were very interesting to watch.
"Positional Truth" - make sure your change of direction ask does NOT look like your bring back ask. Promise your horse that one will always mean one thing and the other means something else. I like this.
For up transitions, wait for the horse to reach your leading shoulder, then ask and turn with them.
It's ok to smooch or kiss for transitions up. I've been taught to stay quiet always. Interesting.
For a good send, send the horse then start the allow with 3 slaps to the ground in 3 different spots following the horse. Another use of 3 phase 4's. This is very useful for horses that don't maintain gait on the circle - builds a stronger "allow". It also helps you from getting emotional with an unmotivated horse.
John talked about playing games with your horse and ask them to leave at different speeds. I would like to play with this game.
I've been taught to practice 9 times of turning and drawing your horse for the change of direction for every 1 time you actually perform the full change. Otherwise, I was told it would possibly have a negative effect on your draw. I asked that question today and was told that was not really true. Interesting.
About my play time with Z... our bond is stronger every day and I'm getting more and more try from her all the time. We had pics with Coco after the instructor sessions and demos. Wow - this was a fantastic day with Z and I got the best flying changes at Liberty than ever. We also got a great sideways at Liberty off the rail. Coco shot pics of all of that - can't wait to see them! More pics tomorrow with Coco.
I watched Trevor in the round pen with his horse. He was obviously not that into it and we talked some. However, I did get to see him give a phase 4 and wow. I've never given a phase 4 like that before. He definitely gets 2 eyes and 2 ears, though. He also can drive down the road and have his horse trot next to the truck with no line attached. So...
I did some undemanding time and let my horse eat grass. We drove from zone 4/5 at a jog up to her pen. Just a great day and my horse and I had some very nice and harmonious moments.
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