Tuesday - Happy day

75 degrees and sunny. I was happy, all the horses and humans happy. Keystone and I did a basic walk/trot/canter carefully. Trot and canter one direction felt good. Canter felt off tracking left. Then a big full spa bath, clip muzzle, long grazing session in the sun. Key is back eating well.

Try: gave a few apple pieces and hung out with her some.

Monday

It was 37 degrees when I got to the barn. Got Keystone--checked him out, BA lunged him and we both looked at his trot and canter. He looked stiff in his hind end and uncomfortable. Then gave him bute paste and turned him back out into his pasture.

By then it had warmed up and Try and I had a pleasant walk/trot/canter in the ring and then went for a long walk off the farm and grazed, etc.

January 22 Tuesday through Sunday

Wow. Cold, ugly wet!! Week off for us all.

Monday...gorgeous day and ride

Try and I had lovely ride on a lovely sunny warm day. She was happy and relaxed and so was I even with about 10 minutes of contact/work.

Key I didn't get to ride. Anne Marie came and felt around /did adjustment...could not find anything.

Thursday

Cold, drizzly day:

Keystone is not eating the sweet feed and has gone back to pellets and does not like the supplements that he needs. He is in pain from time to time from cause vet could not find so he needs the lo-dose bute in his feed. Looking forward to a resolution. Then to keep exercise for health, brought him in for grooming and then a light hack with lots of walk, then trot and a little canter. We played with rider biomechanics ways of asking for turns around obstacles in the ring.

Try: dwell time twice today--she sooo wanted to be with me--more than I had time to give. After starting back riding yesterday tho--she did not come right to me--then later when she figured (??) we weren't going to work she really wanted to come.

Question: when you are that connected how do you politely say good-bye?

Wednesday -- Try is back!

Today lots of barn chores, clean up tack trunk and locker, blades back into clippers. Moved stuff from car trunk into barn and vice versa. Oiling tack etc.

Try: good grooming and trim bridle path, etc.
Then walk to warmup, trot for me--2 point and no stirrups posting trot for strength--had not done that in awhile and only got 3 laps total of no stirrups. Then canter which felt rough and on the forehand and full of energy and wild feeling to me tho Molly said it didn't look that way.

I am so happy--Try's "bad" hoof was less warm than the good one. With luck she is over whatever that was!! Yahoo all is well hopefully and onward we go.

Keystone--BA is still working out his eating before he can have supplements again. Plan is to ride tomorrow am early.

Monday and Tuesday - health issues continue

Monday am: 

Nice easy ride walk/trot with Keystone.

Farrier visit

Try: Ronald found the abscess in toe--partially drained but still hot around coronet band.

Key: Was really uncomfortable standing for farrier and did not eat his sweet feed dinner--first time switched to sweet feed for pellets. Reason for switch was that he doesn't like powdered supplements. He is already getting cosequin and vet has now recommended low dose of bute to help with pain from what might be arthritis in his hip or some tumor inside pressing on something.

I had gone to feed store for the sweet feed and made little supplement containers but supplements will have to wait until he will eat the sweet feed.

Tuesday:

Today I rode Try despite the heat around that hoof and she still gave no appearance of lameness or feeling pain. We did an easy walk/trot in the ring and then walked up the road and back. Nice dwell time, some grazing time in the good clover. Could not play catching game as she was already at the gate as soon as she saw me coming! GGG Try was interested today when BA and Dawn removed the front of the shelter in her pasture and she now has a lovely shelter to get out of the rain, etc.

Key: Nothing today. He was out in his pasture but he did eat his breakfast. Interestingly he was rearing up and acting like a colt when two new horses became pasture mates--Jennifer's draft cross Leo and Hockey. Alex is moved to pasture by the barn to avoid the round bale of hay?? So that leaves Key's buddy Hilton and Jen's pony Forrest who rules the roost.

Saturday at Rollover in the mud

Drove to the tobacco barn and gave Keystone bute--he really didn't want me to. Then went to Try's pasture and she was lovely about connecting and coming to me despite my taking her away from her hay. We went in, soaked her foot, gave her bute--which she didn't mind and even ate a treat after.

Then played the catching me game with Keystone in his pasture. I was surprised that it wasn't difficult as BA said that after giving him bute earlier he would likely run away from me. Also he had to leave his hay. We went in, groom, tack up and easy walk/trot hack in the very muddy ring. Then he seemed to want us to ride up the road so we did. We rode then to my car and took off the saddle, gave treats at his gate and he was quite happy to leave me. Ut oh. Try however was watching me the entire time and came to the fence, etc to see first Key and I and later just me. It is amazing the bonding with no tasks, work, lessons etc. Farrier comes tomorrow to see if he can find abscess.

Friday afternoon - observing at Lisa's

Watched Kathy and Lisa's sessions with Dan and was especially interested in all the discussion and demoing of HQ topic with Dan and Lisa.

HQ
Can they yield their HQ? Possibly neither horse or human in control of HQ
Will they? Horse is in control.
Can you positive engage the HQ for a purpose? human is asking

Falling Leaf
Human is walking forwards, it is driving game. This can be done on a circle--human v shape with rope and stick and suggests to HQ to be drifting on the circle. (This can also be done in a figure 8 pattern human moving in a straight line toward the horse so the 8 figure is traveling on a line.) Also riding in circles and figure 8 and Try and I use a very small circle and intense ask for yield when she gets antsy about the gate. At a canter falling leaf is simple changes of lead. Human can ask for shaping on the circle by asking horse to match the human's hip. Horse needs to know the pressure of the hip does not mean speed up--power up or collect but not speed.

S bend
Human is walking backwards and drawing the horse. This is nice on a circle as human can choose when to ask for change of direction when horse gives two eyes and connects. Also figure 8 pattern. At a canter this becomes flying change. Human positions body to ask for shaping (reed flutes and modern dance slice.)

Friday Passenger Ride on a beautiful day

Today Try is apparently pain free, doesn't look lame BUT still warm above the coronet band. I guess we are still playing the waiting game for the abscess to appear. So we tacked up with the bareback pad and bridle and opened the gait to her field. She immediately headed out and up the road to the best clover and ate in one patch after another. Then I needed to ask her to turn around and come home which was not her first choice. Then soaked her foot etc. Treats. Did not see Keystone this am but hopefully can stop by this afternoon.

More photos of Magic

 Connecting

 

 Draw

 

 Sticking to me

 

 Find my focus and backing

 

I just adore this super horse!!
THANK YOU WENDY!!

Try and I are having great bonding time.

Try is loving all the attention and lack of pressure brought about by her abscess. No lessons, tasks or riding. Just treats, rubs, dwell and grazing in all the good places.

Today I was half way between the barn and her field and she was way across the field when she looked up and saw me. I stopped, offered the invitation and she immediately came to me. HUGE. Soaked her foot and we went for a long grazing walk together.

Magic!!!!!!!!!

Session with Dan was at Wendy Batten's farm with her horse Magic that she took to the Berin MacFarlane clinic at Mary Manning's a couple years ago. It is hard to describe how exciting it was to begin at the beginning with a different horse and one with a cool brain and lots of power and go and Dan to coach. We did catching game, friendly (including some extreme friendly), porcupine i.e. intention as phase one to move HQ/FQ, yoyo--choosing which is best to ask draw or backup, circling game--shaping on the circle doesn't mean go faster, etc. Sooooooo different than the way I learned Level 1 back in ??2004?? THANK you Wendy, Magic and Dan!!!!!! I am so happy with this change in direction. Guess I should thank Try also for making it possible LOL.

First as I walk toward the round pen where Magic is--I want to acknowledge Magic if he looks up and sees me--not ignore him.

Beginning: NOT going right in to being close to him and playing friendly game/rubbing him and loving his cuteness. NOPE he isn't going to learn if he is not connected with me mentally (and vice versa). So we played the catching ME game. No eyes, one eye, two eyes. From unconnected, not caring, disinterested, not respectful (but not fearful) he grew to connect and even follow me around. I learned not to beg--offer the invitation but don't beg. In following me--change direction and if he doesn't follow--game on. Not for me to be afraid he will leave and beg or do the work for him.

Once he was connected then we could play friendly. He was a little hesitant about stick/string and it took a little catch me game again until he figured out that its not about the stick/string but about me. We were even able to do some soft slapping the ground walking around him and helicopter while he grazed. I made the mistake of leaving my hand on him a lot which just shows that I don't trust him not to leave me (game back on if so). Also remember if he leaves he must leave with commitment.

Then the logical step would have been porcupine followed by driving and we talked about what these two games are to the horse and to me as L4 student. Both games start with intention which is porcupine because it is steady pressure and ultimately driving game begins with porcupine of intention supported by driving game (or as Try and I are doing--intention followed by little circle of stick to say--nope you haven't figured out the puzzle yet).

Anyway at first Magic was clueless about moving just his HQ and we needed to go on line at that point. He would not move it from intention/just looking at his HQ which amazed me as all the horses I know do that--that they learned that from their mothers. But Magic is confident and my looking at his derriere didn't mean anything to him or he just wasn't clued in. Dan said yes he knew to move his HQ. So I went to physical pressure on him butt and was fumbling--Dan said I was losing the game by giving up trying different things instead of winning one approach. At one point I asked to rub Magic and he sighed--Dan said trust my gut. Eventually Magic not only got it but got it from very light cueing and later in the session from a look at little slap of stick/string to ask him to line up on my focus. Did both sides. Got at least one great HQ step from sneaky Jim Carrey steps and looking at his HQ.

FQ--mistaken position at first for me fixed it and quickly got FQ on both sides. Could creatively expand on these games with ??falling leaf??

Sooo that means yo/yo next. I asked which first and Dan said yes that is the question. I felt Magic was a bit unconfident at that moment and opted for draw first. It took my leaning back, asking, slight pressure on the rope, little movement of stick/string, and a step back til he got it. Then he really wanted to come to me.

The backup--confusing at first as it came right after learning draw. It took intention/look then my walking forward and stick to have him back. Soon from intention/look. When he was unconfident continuing to shake the rope a little was good--not Arnold or Jim but Richard Simmons--repetition little soft nagging when unconfident. Then as he shifted his HQ each time yo/yo toward his left. I backed him in a spiral back and to his right to correct what could be a habit as we want straight in the yoyo

Last game: circling game. Dan said if he offers a level 4 circling game, play it at level 4. He left at a nonchalant walk but when I turned my hip to get him tuned into the circle instead of mentally focusing out of the circle--he took my hip/pressure as a cue to go faster. So Dan had me hold the stick all the way up in the air and make the circle progressively smaller until he was able to figure out to relax and that pressure did not mean increase the speed.

I also learned: for Try and I the dressage learning with Kathy is the thing. By bringing some other horses along, it gets me out of a rut and excited and I am learning so much more. I have a really different perspective.

Wednesday 70 degrees time for spa bath

With both horses not able to be ridden or even played with on the ground, what to do with gorgeous 70 degree weather in January? FULL SPA treatment for Try plus treats, friendly and 30 minutes or so grazing up and down the drive with buddies Dawn and Hilton. Try was very happy and is enjoying all of our dwell time this week, carrots and apples. Life is good!!

I appreciate Linda Balot coming out this am and checking everything she could on Keystone. No heart or respiratory problems, no internal blockage that she could find, blood work to be back Thursday at lunch time. Could possibly be arthritic spine in hind end. Possible treatment plan would be daily low dose of a pain killer to keep him comfortable. Possibly he will feel better in the spring??

My issue will be--being sure I am safe riding Keystone--how will I know when it is time for him NOT to carry a rider?

Excited about possibilities in lesson time tomorrow with Dan Thompson at Wendy Batten's farm with ?? who knows which horse(s)??

Now its Keystone

Tuesday

I went to the barn to soak Try's foot and ride Keystone. Try was very agreeable and still seems not to be in pain and has been lovely and cooperative about soaking her foot.

Keystone, however, has seemed off lately to me and Bethanna was concerned also. He is perching under himself as if he had all 4 feet on the pedestal and is caving in around his left hip as if he is hurting. BA arranged for Linda Balot to come out again tomorrow to check both Key and Try. BA says he is losing weight also despite having upped his feed.

Update on Dan Thompson clinic time. Obviously Try will not be available. BUT I thought it would be fun to play with one or two of Wendy Batten's horses and we seem to have this arranged.

Monday am Try lame

BA called early Monday am: Try lame coming out of her stall in right hind. Linda Balot came--all agreed, likely lameness. Soak/bute for few days and see how it goes. Happily she doesn't seem to be in general pain and happy to go out to her pasture.

This meant cancelling the Tuesday field trip to Buzzard's Corner and rescheduling Dan T instruction time from Thursday to Saturday. Likely Saturday, though, will mean we will play with another horse.

Keystone: He was sleeping in his field when I arrived. We took our time coming in, groom, light hack in western saddle in newly dragged ring: walk/trot/canter.

Connection

Time to regain connection but how?

1. Catching game, especially with a sneaky, Jim Carrey attitude
2. Applying pressure with that sense of fun/smile
3. Variety and doing things she wants to do, treats
4. Reverse psychology
5. Intensity is our friend. Remember figure 8 pattern from December and intensity requires a warmup especially if physical. Also intensity can be mental for us both rather than very physical.
6. Playing in the round pen with the above at liberty to allow Try to leave and game on.

Friday, January 4

Friday lesson with Kathy:

"Today Elizabeth explored several strategies of getting a reluctant Try to move more forward. She didn’t think she wanted to play with us. When dealing with this problem, we were not asking for flexion or stretching into the bridle. You have to have forward energy first to bring the horse’s back up and allow the energy to flow through the topline and bring the horse into the bridle & onto the bit. So we began by moving the HQ through partial disengagement, then I had Elizabeth canter around the whole ring in a ½ seat. Long straight lines often appeal to the horse and create the desire to go more forward.

 Elizabeth had to focus on keeping the energy from the canter as she asked Try to trot. We , again, used the whole ring to continue to build the forwardness in the trot. Then I had Elizabeth use her weight aide to ask Trye to maintain energy and come into her “Happy rhythm” where the horse in maintaining an energetic tempo that feels like it will go on forever. When Try reached her “Happy Rhythm”, she was blowing, licking and chewing and looking happy and relaxed; a huge difference from how she began the session. We ended on that note. Success is not always measure in big or dramatic breakthroughs; sometimes it is just reinforcing the concept of FORWARD – first, last and always!"

Thanks Kathy. Between weather and holiday events, Try and I haven't spent much time together and our connection was not as good. Try, as LBI and with her past history, can easily be fairly obedient but not motivated. Thank you for using canter and long lines to help her find the motivation and comfortable strides.

I have filmed the past two lessons. Above is a short clip from the past lesson where Try is moving forward quite nicely. The first video I learned that I want to improve my position in the trot. More forward from the waist and little push from the hips and chest open. Hands quiet and cueing from my elbows.

Happy New Year and New Blog

The 2011-2012 blog was getting a big unwieldy so here goes a new blog.

Yesterday, New Years Day, the weather was do-able and I got to go to the barn!

Keystone:
Jennifer's friend Emily was there and wanted to ride Keystone which was great--I could play with Try and not feel that I needed to attend to two horses. Keystone did look at me a little funny like why aren't you playing with me. I did watch Emily and Keystone and liked what I saw--she is gentle but gave him a nice light exercise session and she had fun. Bethanna offered to give Keystone to me!! However, C.H. said no to owning more than one horse.

Try:
We had a nice day but could really use a connection reset after my not seeing her for a week of Christmas festivities and rainy, cold weather. It did not seem fair to ask much the first day back. She did get treats for drawing HQ from intention--it took a little swing of string so life up and ask for draw did not work. Rode in dressage saddle--walk til she blew took quite awhile, 8-10 laps of trot and 4-6 of canter (inside track). Some walk/jog for eyes/bellybutton/leg concentration/connection but generally I would say she was thinking away from me but obedient.