Calm, connected and partly commited

My goal for the day was to see if I could get the good rhythm, HQ engagement and coming up through topline that I got in the last lesson with Kathy. We did this.

However, for next time I need to consider how commited and responsive Try is AND in my joy at playing music and moving to it that I don't play AT Try rather than WITH Try.

What we did: On the ground liberty Try offered sideways away and we sidepassed the barrels in an L shape. Then we proceeded at liberty to groom and tack up.

We played with syncing at walk, sitting trot and posting trot but Try was really attracted to the gate--I think we need to ride elsewhere part of the time. I think she would like to leave that field some.

The rode out and asked for bending and expanding which was good and serpentine with expanded which got quite good and the aforementioned rhythm, tracking up, HQ engagement--twice.

What I didn't get as the weighting stirrups--I am unclear how to set this up for success to create a new habit for myself--everything happens too fast and I get confused.

Good Friday

Keystone:
Real ride today and he was great: easy walk/trot/canter warmup then played with serpentine expanding Keystone out in the loops, spurs: drop heel/turnout and use spur rather than push leg back toward haunch. This is A-#1 habit to change for me. Also canter: in dressage saddle sitting back with light contact helping him to use HQ. Plan downward transitions to engage HQ. Keystone--offering to come up through topline and use HQ for extended time at the trot through transitions.

Try
Not much time left for her but played on line through some figure 8 and circle variations and Try was happy, relaxed with moderate impulsion.

Magic Day as it turned out...

When I arrived with the plan to ride Keystone, I began with a few minutes with Try adding to our liberty and no stick/string list:

1. Sticking together: walk/trot/halt/back
2. Yoyo--responding to intention to cue send, stop, wait and bring back
3. Sideways towards: I had to line up focused on zone 3 for it to happen
4. Today: touch it, 20 feet from the pedestal, it took awhile for Try to figure it out, gave treat and then waited and she put one hind foot up and then on line walked across it.
5. Cavaletti pole straddle thru center line
6. Sideways away and towards and know the difference
7. S bends!

We may take more time or be less particular but we got it! Try was happy and pleased with herself.

Keystone: Grooming: what a mess--sores on each leg from lying down, 2 new rainrot places and tumor discharge way more than before the past week or so. Not good. He is still enthusiastic about treats.

We went to the ring and I was not thrilled about riding so we started with some circling on line which he does easily and well and his trot was fine. In fact, it got quite nice.

So went to mounting block (continuing friendly game there) and he was able to stand quietly there to be rubbed etc and then mount and did not walk off. We then walked for a long time followed by easy trot for a few laps then a more normal trot for a few more. Then he decided to stretch thru topline (and my abs) and engage HQ (possibly more comfortable for him) and we did a few lovely laps each way at the trot--all on a very loose rein. (About 40 minutes.) Finished with more grooming and leisurely stroll back to his pasture.

Happy Day

Adding to the no stick/string liberty list--

1. Sticking together: walk/trot/halt/back
2. Yoyo--responding to intention to cue send, stop, wait and bring back
3. Sideways towards: I had to line up focused on zone 3 for it to happen
4. Today: touch it, 20 feet from the pedestal, it took awhile for Try to figure it out, gave treat and then waited and she put one hind foot up and then on line walked across it.

Riding warmup for Kathy

Try and I rode all over the farm, out to the road etc as I wanted to work on myself syncing to her rhythm and she has been so clear about wanting to leave her pasture. Followed this with 15 minutes or more of dwell time.

Lesson with Kathy

1. Biggest ah ha learning: when Try gets fast she may be needing to rebalance herself and I want to learn to help her. It doesn't necessarily mean she is emotional and mad at me! I cried. Kathy says Try adores me.

2. Try is engaging her HQ much quicker from bend, expanding, HQ displacement. Ride out and get a good trot going, ask for laterals until she gives a bit of vertical and then ask for a bit of vertical.

3. Exercise for me to learn new habits: pick a pattern--cloverleaf, serpentine, circles, zigzags, etc and then use my 1/2 halt (fingers) and core to cue Try of a change in direction, turn, change of rein is coming, focus and weight the stirrup and then expand her out.

4. Dan and Kathy: let Try's motion cause my posting, I can post as fast as Try can trot. Sync.

Muddy i.e. Lacking Clarity

The good...

I have been experimenting with not using stick and string at liberty and seeing what happens:
1. We can do sticking together walk/trot/halt/back
2. We can yoyo with my selecting the distance and using intention/facial expression to cue
3. Try will sidepass to me if I am in zone 3 and ask for draw with body language.

Played with circling game changing gait, direction and traveling with a sense of fun and Try did not get emotional--stayed relaxed.

Then I took that to S Bend (online) and played with walk, trot and canter. First attempt at canter as I had to work out my coordination. It was a slow canter with simple lead change.

The less good...

Mounting block: Try drew to me from ?10 feet and lined up but took her time in doing so and I nagged tho I nagged with a sense of fun at least.

Rhythm basics: syncing with Try at the walk, sitting and posting trots: Try really didn't see the point in this. We should have been going some where.

Reviewed: turning from weighting the stirrup: 1/2 halt, staying square, lt contact, focus then weight stirrup and she had it. Did it twice and moved on.

I remembered to check turnout of left foot, cueing with legs in place and thumbs/elbows a couple times.

Left the pasture and walked up the road and back. Try would have preferred to just stop and graze which we did not do as I wanted to catch up with Dawn and Hilton.

Then Try and I headed into the arena to use jumps as a rail for offensive sidepass. We did get a few steps but it took awhile and it was messy.

KEY: treat in his pasture while he was lying down and again at the gait.

Monday, March 25

Miserable, cold, wind chill, spitting, light rain. Where is spring?

Try: liberty in her pasture.

Tidying up the area and dwell time, catching game--really good--added the Jim Carrey and Try picked up the pace a bit.

Then testing yoyo as something easy and low keyed--yes with out ropes she will back and draw from intention--stopping from life down. AND she will yoyo just a couple steps that way also. Test: could she just rock in place??

S bends she wanted to me really close and draw to me.

Later after grooming Keystone went back without even the carrot stick/string and we played sticking together walk/trot/halt/back with nothing but the two of us!

Keystone: good long grooming and friendly at the pedestal.

Monday - Dan Thompson

2013 3 18 Dan

Rhythm

Another aspect to the topic is who is following who. That is, can I sync with Try’s rhythm before asking her to sync with mine? Doing the exercise will allow me to feel what Try is thinking on a deeper and deeper level and Try will like it.

1.      Riding with my eyes closed at the walk first. Getting in sync with what Try is doing in her body so my legs are getting longer and I am sitting even deeper.

2.      At the trot without stirrups sitting the trot—feel that my legs are lifting just as much as Try’s are in her trot.

3.      Canter—sit on my thumb and find her rhythm

4.      No stirrups posting trot—take it from the amount Try’s trot naturally lifts me and keep my thighs long and relaxed.

5.      Feeling, allowing vs mechanical and forcing

6.      To be quiet you have to be in motion, if trying to be still you are out of sync.

7.      I loved the loose towel feeling of my thighs in the trot

Sideways on the circle: my focus and body pointing is just a bit in the direction we want to go and the goal is she is following  and matching my body shape rather than reacting to the carrot stick.

S bend at liberty: draw

1.      Drawing straight before the change of direction

2.      Progress this with extreme or subtle turn, tempo, gait

3.      Canter is flying change

4.      One shoulder is drawing and the other is driving/shaping

5.      We want the amount of effort to match where we are in the learning process. Slow is ok until we get comfortable and can dance it at a faster tempo.

Drive

DRIVE as important subject for me to rethink. View it as just as much a dance as draw: Energy, fun, Jim Carrey and Tango. I have been looking at drive as a necessary evil and hating beating up on my horse and Try not liking drive and therefor avoiding it if possible. Level 1 and 2: TIME TO CHANGE MY MIND SET!!!!! It’s a fun game, not getter done.

Falling Leaf

Once I viewed it as a Tango, it was big, fun and full of big energy and joy for us both—trot and canter. Good to find some Tango music and add it to a playlist. Try it at liberty.

Riding the Falling Leaf

1.      Trot on circle

2.      Fully disengage HQ to stop

3.      Swing shoulders!! Fully

4.      Then ask for canter

5.      Clean simple change with HQ engaged

Riding the S Bend

1.      On the circle

2.      SWING the shoulders to the counter bend and stay on circle for amount of time I choose.

3.      Then change to the circle in the new direction

4.      Progress to a zigzag and then to a straight line

5.      Variations: Weave

a.      Shaping: inside leg

b.      Swing the shoulders

c.      Wheel barrow turn

d.      Outside leg to push remaining fairly straight

6.      (Review Colleen Kelly 1^st series on turning)

7.      Watch pole bending competition on youtube

8.      This would lead to flying change

9.      Watch success series lead change ladder again.

Offensive Sidepass and Impulsiveness

1.      Begin with relaxation in lifting the rein

2.      Then how lightly to ask with leg at the girth

3.      Accept a little bend

Taking off the bridle—take the time it takes.

For the future: April and May

1.      Relearn drive as fun, music, dance

2.      Use S bend and falling leaf as tools and put to purpose

3.      Purpose vs principal is a balancing act. If use it before its in place that is forcing and if go on too long after learning that is boring, drilling.

4.      Need plan and flexibility enough to throw out the plan

5.      Obstacles and patterns for variety and purpose

6.      Ie. Cloverleaf: stop different places, change the lines, change gaits and direction with in the pattern.

Saturday lesson with Kathy

2013 3 16

Kathy

Lesson with Kathy and watched part of Lisa's lesson with Kathy

Followup to Sunday with Kelly: Try was doing great using her HQ and coming up through her topline with self-carriage caused by the exercises i.e. music set the tempo and rhythm and cavaletti poles set the length of stride. I was trying too hard and getting in Try’s way until I got into the music/relaxed.

Music and matching energy in addition to tempo/rhythm/length of stride.

Standing in stirrups for balance, also ½ seat and 2 point 15 min for strength and no stirrups posting trot for a mile—good to alternate all 3 and incorporate my Pilates warm-up.

Soft touch (hunter contact/long reins) is good for self-carriage but horse may need shorter reins to stimulate problem solving of finding the good deal, comfortable self-carriage.

Help with turning from focus, weight stirrup: use contact 2 reins, stay VERY square in my torso and let Try know what is coming with a little1/2 halt.

Regularity: we can keep a consistent good stride for longer AS TRY is physically more and more in shape for it.

Yes using Michael Jackson to engage HQ and for downward transitions.

Tracking up as warm-up—For Try and I alone tracking up is goal enuf as this isn’t her natural trot.

Upcoming

·        Trot on the spot

·        Inhale, energy for upward transitions

·        Renvers/travers etc. review cueing. Its all about HQ

Using HQ partial displacement not just reins and bending. Getting away from asking for HQ engagement/flexion with reins and bending. Outside rein for balance, inside to remain straight

I would like dressage whip—light and long. Ask Kathy. Saw Lisa and Tiara—length would be good for Try.

Thursday

TRY
lovely catch me game, groom and tack at liberty, liberty and on line games review for Monday, freestyle concentrating on focus/weight stirrup means something.

KEYSTONE
In from the pasture, groom, dwell, played friendly with the pedestal, circling game to check his trot for soundness, more friendly at the pedestal, easy walk/trot ride, more friendly at the pedestal, clean up, wash face and treat for rain rot, dwell and graze back to his pasture.

Closer and closer to the dream

• Now days the worst thing Try does is just adorable or funny and a great continuing opportunity to learn--and the best of it a tremendous pleasure--so much love. I am mostly beyond feeling frustrated with myself--as an RBE human--level 3/4. Together we are moving closer and closer to the dream.

  
  

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

Monday

Day off for Try and I was tired also.
Keystone: really not doing well. groom, easy walk trot ride and laid back ride with Dawn and Hilton followed by full spa bath.

Tuesday

Rainy day

Wednesday

Try:

Warm up: calm. connected, responsive. I wimped out and accepted a fairly responsive and should have taken the time it takes for more responsive with more intensity and movement. 

Riding: Try was relaxed to begin so I reviewed my body position habits: turning out left foot, look ahead, thumbs, elbows, hands not too wide and quickly noticed how often I cue with outside leg pushing and by lifting my heel. Then lots of standing in the stirrups at the walk and double posting at the trot. Could I stand in the stirrups as well at the trot? BUT I don't think standing in the stirrups is such a great idea for Try's back! Then we played with walk trot and canter to music keeping all of my corrections in mind. 

It was a beautiful day and I really had FUN. Also when we finished and were walking back to her pasture, I was still dancing to the music and invited Try with facial expression and draw to participate and she matched my footfalls and energy!!! 

For next time: 1. TEACH: focus, weight stirrup 2. Positive work to form new habits a. Left foot parallel from the hip b. Focus ahead c. Thumbs hold reins with relaxed fingers d. Elbows at my side e. Hands close together--small tray

Keystone:

Fun day for Keystone. We went to the pedestal in the ring and played friendly for 15 minutes or so as he has gotten so anxious about mounting. He got treats when he would stand quietly and I could rub his back and love on him in the lovely warm sunshine. His hesitation could be druthers--left brain or fear related to pain--not sure which and want another person around before trying to mount again. Then we spent 15 minutes or so with circling game at the trot--he had a nice rhythm and did not seem stiff. We finished with rain rot treatment and a little massage.

My notes and Kelly's notes on Sunday session

My NOTES

TEST—simulation and mounted

Turnout feet

Collapse torso

Look down

Puppy paws

Straight elbows

When I am riding: constantly check the left foot/hip, looking level not down at Try, thumbs and elbows. Remember thumbs not fingers—soft fingers. Soft touch reins rather than contact terminology. Holding a small tray. Kelly had me shorten my stirrups.

Warmup on the ground: calm, connected, responsive

Riding warmup: Standing in the stirrups: walk then try it at a trot. Try being relaxed/not bracing with the soft touch and good rhythm is warmup before beginning any teaching.

Ride to music

Coming down Straight center line: played with wting stirrup and turning head to see what happens.

Loops: (½ pass/leg yielding) off the rail and back using jump block (or cones or whatever). Leg a little forward and focus.

Played with riding over cavalettis for lengthening and shortening stride: rhythm and tempo/speed.

Played with lighthouse: turning head and wting stirrup to spiral in and out: walk and trot.

What is the distance between poles? Poles cannot be pvc pipe!

Why—asking for canter in my body on Saturday?? Easy leg/little kiss

Shortening—collecting: look up Michael Jackson and ??

Lookup wt back slows/lookdown—wt forward speeds ie canter for Keystone

Rhythm/beats of music vs qualities being expressed in the music

Standing in the stirrups and ballet porte bras—from the shoulder (down) not with the shoulder

??no bending to get flexion

When does vertical flexion come into the picture??

Riding: play with exercises from the standpoint of does my right or left side cue Try differently? I suspect Try has learned to tune out my turned out left foot and stay straight.

Sunday was a really fun day—riding in a group and music—fun exercises putting it to purpose—Try mentally (and physically) engaged in a good way.

Kelly notes:

1.  STRAIGHTNESS:  Are you straight? Test that on your horses' back while you are sitting- what happens when you drop your right ear, drop your elbow- go all the way down to sticking your toes out!  

2.  HOW DO I GET STRAIGHT?!?  Start with your feet- 

A. Stirrup Length- are the platforms of your stirrups right below your ankle noble, and if so, are they even?  Stirrup platforms need to sit right at the back of the balls of your feet.  Toes straight forward- not out like Charlie Chaplin~

B.  120 degree angle in your knee-

C.  Is your zipper in the middle?  Your visor level- shoulders level?

D.  Toe in front of your knee?

-This is just a start-

SIDE TO SIDE ISSUES:  Are you twisted on one side?- start from the feet up- is one toe out more than the other, a knee, a hip, head tilt?  Ear- ext…...

Standing in the stirrups- try the stretches- fingers up, down, forward- walk, trot and eventually the canter- this is a great test and an excellent way to get you straight!!!

3.  BE AWARE OF YOUR SPACING with other horses around you

4.  TURNING- THE different ways to turn- direct rein of opposition, indirect rein of opposition, emergency stop on ice. The latter add 2^nd rein to prevent turning.

Turn with: Vision, Weight then Rein….

5.  Regularity- this is the second thing that  you need to focus on- look at the email on music that I sent to you

6. FORWARDS AND BACKWARDS-  What happens when you lean forwards and backwards?  Forwards= Forehand.  Backwards= Engagement.  How does this enhance my engagement and downward transitions?

7.  Put all of that together with the LIGHTHOUSE exercise- spiral in= half pass, engaged or not. This is a stretching exercise for your horse.   Spiral out= shoulder, strengthening exercise.  

8.  Once you have all that- LOOPS- to develop straightness.  Begin by putting a cone 10-12 feet away from the wall.  As you head to the cone, bend your horse to the inside of the ring and push that same leg forward (example: right rein forward, right leg forward), at the cone, go straight a few strides, then bend to the outside (example: left rein bent to the left and left leg forward).  You only need a slight bend to begin with.  Start this at the walk and then the trot.  You will see that you horse is better on one side than the other- your goal is to equalize the bend so that your horse is straight!!!

As for a daily plan…

Make sure that you have the first 5 in place- play some music!!!!!  Remember- 7 sessions to start a pattern….21 to make it a habit!  After a few sessions and your horse starts to transition into reinforcement stage- add the others.  Loops need to get further away from the wall over the time to develop their strength…Email or call me if you have any questions!!!!

Kelly Sigler Patterson

3 Star Parelli Professional

kelly@kellysigler.com

Sunday with Kelly Sigler

Sunday: Magical wonderful breakthrough day!!

The quintessential moment for me was the time Try and I went over the lengthening trot poles and we were together in huge, powerful smooth trot.

More on this as I get my thoughts and Kelly's notes together.

However, Jolene posted this on ParelliConnect this as and it is a great summary of much of what Kelly said Saturday:

Jolene McDowell 1* Junior Instructor said Another WONDERFUL day with Lillan 3*: Lillan Clinic - March 8th and 9th - The Art of the Warm-up: A session should consist of a 1) warm-up, 2) teaching session & 3) cool-down. Linda went overseas to teach a L4 class and asked the students to... moreAnother WONDERFUL day with Lillan 3*: Lillan Clinic - March 8th and 9th - The Art of the Warm-up: A session should consist of a 1) warm-up, 2) teaching session & 3) cool-down. Linda went overseas to teach a L4 class and asked the students to warm-up. She watched as for over 2 hours her students did everything they knew and had ever seen and the horses were then too tired to "learn". At the end Linda committed to teaching "warm-up". The goal is: Calm, Connected & Responsive. You should be focusing on one of these three. Warm-up isn't over until you have all three.
The Horsenality determines which of the three is harder to achieve. With LBE's it becomes about responsiveness. The do things but not what you want, when you want. Create yes's & harmony by tricking them into thinking you are asking for it when they are getting ready to do what they want when they want. Example: If you see them getting ready to run, point that way.
RBI's it's hard to get them connected. It becomes challenging because they aren't entirely calm or responsive. Look for them to blow out. When they're balanced they are mentally emotionally and physically engaged and ready to learn. The more you can get them to cross their legs (sideways/disengage the hind quarters) or touch it, the better they do. Be soft relaxed yourself. Get them walking with their noses on your shoulder, have them wrap around you, with soft ribs.
RBE's struggle for relaxation in movement. Smooth relaxed figure 8's work really well. Calmness is their challenge. When you get them calm they are responsive. Yo-yo's turn them off.
LBI's: responsive responsive responsive is what's difficult for them. You have to get to their MINDS: Use soft, different phase 1. Transitions on the circle allow them to feel harmony with phase 1.
To test all three: Check for responsiveness: transitions on the circle. Calmness: the head is below the withers with licking and chewing and consistency of gait. Connection: how little does it take to get them to come to you?
Left brains (LB's) are about responsiveness, RBI's are about connection, RBE's are about calmness. RB's process in the moment of silence. LB's when they are moving.
Remember: MIND-FLEXION-WEIGHT-FEET? Ask and when you feel their mind respond RELEASE or you teach dominance.
Linda's Ladder for Brace: 1) steady rein, 2) relaxed rein (where you turn their nose slightly to the outside and keep it there til they let go), 3) partial disengagement down the rail, 4) hind quarters disengagement & go the other way.
Principle to Purpose: too often we get stuck on principle. Take it to purpose.
Thump-Thump: hair (MUST be hair) first time, 2nd time twice that energy, 3rd time twice that energy, 4th time twice that energy. There shouldn't be a phase 5 or you are nagging.
Plink-plink-plink is light, annoying tickle on the hind-end. You may see the tail twitch. That's good. It means you're annoying. If you do too much and a LB is saying "NO", the hind end goes UP.
Zone 5 to create curiosity and to connect. Zone 4 if it's a respect issue.
Ask - - - release - - - allow. We keep the ask going instead of releasing, which dulls them or confuses them. If we ask allow we get their minds. RELEASE TO THE TRY!!!!

Kelly Sigler Saturday

Kelly Sigler 2013 3 9 Saturday: freestyle riding review

Sideways towards on 2^nd side—lift stick no string and draw
Backup: rhythm, also draw and everything on line and liberty: RHYTHM
Calm, connected, responsive

NOTE: my draw is stronger than my drive.

Rein Positions--Phases for brace/relaxation:
Steady rein is phase 2—weight stirrup just a touch is phase 1
Relaxed rein—no leg--tip head only
Partial disengagement
Full disengagement—Try was helped to relax most by full disengagement

Turn: outside arm and wt inside stirrup

NOTE:  Try gets emotional w/drive/new learning/pressure/loss of control.
Light feel: rein comes up thru hands to me, thumbs hold!!!, walk—row w/arms, trot hold and use relaxation techniques. If relaxed and not moving forward—tap shoulder wait ct of 3 and double tap etc. RB horse not moving forward—tap HQ. Note: we had a few good strides of canter.

Getting ready for clinic

Wednesday was outrageously cold and windy--gusts up to 45mph and wind chill of 10 degrees or so. Yikes.

Thursday: My intention was to ride Try and Key but did not feel well and decided to take it easy with clinic weekend coming up.

Try also was cranky when I took her inside to groom/tack up. So we went back to her pasture and had a nice long laid back liberty session mostly focusing on cueing from intention of drive and draw of FQ and HQ and sideways away and towards. Also sideways on the circle and online for falling leaf and S bends.

Clinic flier--signed up for both Saturday and Sunday am sessions--Try and I riding with Lisa.

Catching up

Saturday and Sunday:
Try lame with heat in left hind foot. I was worried, fearing another abscess and missing out on upcoming clinic with Kelly Sigler. Monday Try was better. Tuesday no heat and we did a light walk/trot hack and no stirrups posting trot for me. Also review stick to me and a 360 sideways on the circle--with HQ lagging twice.

Monday: Keystone: nice ride WTC. Focus on downward transitions--my position and use legs hugging to sit back deeply. Treat at the mounting block to make the atmosphere more positive. Canter--on balance point.