Sunday with Kathy and Sephira

This was not a great day,

My goals were self-confidence after 2 week absence, relaxation and emotional fitness, visualization and communication and matching Sephira's energy in the trot.

What happened:
1. over bending--the neck in shoulder-in and frustration in making the correction and keeping forward motion
2. Sephira testing me rather than maintain self carriage in lovely, free trot

Solution from Kathy: closer physical connection with reins and use of outside leg and outside aids.

catching up - Wednesday and Thursday

Wednesday

Try: easy "passengerish" ride--groom, walk around ring with new footing, choices to go up the drive but not out on the road left to Try. Communication: if Try would remain calm, we would leave the ring. Treats, hangout and B Me in round pen. Draw good--unsure about HQ/sincere thought, stopping but not really melting. "Catching the thought" and moving back from the chest--again unsure about sincere thought. Also Try was offering Parelli tasks of sideways and HQ yield towards.

Sephira: went to her fence and gave her a couple treats--she seemed pleased to see me.

Thursday

Try: lesson with Kathy and Try was absolutely magic!!

Kathy post at facebook: Had a wonderful session with Elizabeth Pope & Try this AM. Elizabeth has such a wonderful bond with Try. Elizabeth was focusing on visualizing uphill transitions with some jump into them. Try came through with such energy, they were beautiful transitions as were the broken line leg yields.

We did leg yields, shoulder in and haunches in and played for the first time with concept of half pass. Also I was reminded that when Try chooses to extend her trot that is good--if it became runny I could relax my energy level or do downward transition to reset.

Sephira:
Groom and B Me. Much like Try-- Draw good--unsure about HQ/sincere thought, stopping but not really melting. "Catching the thought" and moving back from the chest--again unsure about sincere thought.

Friday and Monday

Fri was the first time in over 6 months that Try was not the most perfectly wonderful any horse could be. I don't know exactly what was going on. The plan was just a tiny bit of review for Sunday lesson and then just hangout and enjoy the day...I had sent that message I thought. We were not connected and distracted and ended with some high energy liberty play in the big ring. 

Sun lesson was cancelled.

Mon getting ready for Colorado trip and played a bit with Try on the ground only.

Thurs vet Karen came while I was mid flight from Charlotte to Denver.  She said Try looks best she has ever seen her! So that is not problem...did not have pain or need hocks injected etc. Good news. Don't know what is going on with Try. Karen also checked Sephira and she is doing well.

Beginning Mary Wanless - On the Bit online study

1. Week one -- Seeking the Reflexes

Noticing what is happening in the moment is all important.
It's all about what is happening in MY body.

Strung bow image and others: Shortening the bottom/ab muscles causes the topline to be pulled into an arc. This requires muscular change though some changes can come relatively quickly. This does not come from focus on head/neck but from more effectively from the RIDER's alignment and biomechanics.

I like the image of circuit of ENERGY best and that there are various points at which the horse or human can break the line of energy. I can expect this to take time. i.e. Until I sit right, my horse can't go right and until my horse goes right, I can not sit right. So we want a positive spiral toward better.

I also liked the image of two water hoses coming up horses HQ to his ears and that we want the water to flow freely. Images of through vary--dominos. For me the feeling is one of UNITY and energy.
The result is beautiful fluid movement. Each horse is different but all horses can do this and it is so much healthier for them.

Another image is stuffing from the back end--when horse inverts he is stuffing the other direction. LOL To me it is a tightness and coming in of the musculature.

So for the rider--NOTICING:
1. I must not be afraid to match the great energy when it comes--I felt I did this better Tuesday than Thursday and I felt proud Tuesday and frustrated on Thursday.
2. The front of my torso must be the same length as the back of my torso.
3. Stirrup length--looking for 45 degree angle.
4. Foot rests lightly in the stirrup
5. Cowboy prongs. seat bones rest and melt into horse--rather than move in walk, 1/2"
6. Extraneous movement is rude and prevents lovely 2 way communication. Pushing with the seat is extraneous movement. Forward comes from legs or tap, tap with stick. Pushing blocks the hoses.

(2 supplementary videos to watch on alignment and plugging in the seat bones)

Thursday with Sephira and Kathy

Today was a frustrating day but a good learning day.

1. Shoulder in with Sephira: my concentration needed to be outside rein to avoid over  bending and outside leg forward of the girth to move the shoulder.

2. My attention and persistence had to be highest priority on maintaining my position--elbows and hands so Sephira could understand that I really wanted what I wanted. LOL When I would focus on transitions etc I lost my focus thus, for a while anyway, the transitions, etc. need to be made with a secondary focus and concentration.

3. Sephira is such a good teacher. i.e. my leg means forward

4. I want to match Sephira's energy when it is really good.

5. My frustration today I realize came from ignoring Sephira in the conversation and focusing on what Kathy was asking. Sephira wants me to talk to her and learn to listen to her.

6. I lost my sense of relaxation, visualization to telegraph what is coming. Soft concentration and enjoying the moment.

Checking in with Try and Sephira

From Try: First let me say all is well. I am enjoying having this new human around and sharing time and space with her. I don't feel threatened in any way, and the ease in which we work is delightful. It's time in my life for comfort and less stressful learning. I'll always love my main human and will try to do any and everything she wants to do that makes her happy. It is nice, though not to have an agenda in these days and times. My hips are a bit ouchy but no severe pain, and nothing that will restrict riding in the fashion we're doing. Elizabeth, is doing a great job communicating using her abilities as a telepath. I know and feel her appreciation on every level. We don't need words to convey our feelings. I send her..love.

From Sephira: I know I'm wonderful and I'm glad you recognize the same..We're really getting a "connection" between us at this point in time. Yes, I understand, and got your thought about the draw reins before hand. Your hands are light enough not to be a bother, just remember to push forward a bit more with your legs. Remember..we're teaching each other. As for respect..good going! I'm learning you can be a force to be reckoned-with!

Both horses seem to have just what they need right now! I can't help but chuckle at Miss Sephira's ego. But, ya know..I think it's pretty cool she knows her worth! I'm so proud of you, Elizabeth! You're doing a wonderful job "communicating" with these horses. Keep up the good work!

I had a gal email me last week about teaching some classes. She's friends, and a client of Nikki Heath. I'm thinking about doing some online workshops. Maybe via Skype. Still in the works. Keep that in mind in case you know of anyone that maybe interested..

Many Blessings..S

My concerns were--was Try ok with Dawn--especially now that they are slow trotting without out stopping for 30 minutes. In my conversation with Try she did not like it boring and a bit exhausting but she likes Dawn a lot. Also I really was uncomfortable about using the draw reins with Sephira, warned Sephira about them in advance and checked in with her yesterday to see if she was ok with it and she didn't seem to think it was that big a deal.

photos

Wednesday, October 8 - Sephira

Today Sephira met me at her stall door. We played/hung out out back. Dwell time. Some GM, cookie, mirroring and a little backup from intention. A little stroking fav places. etc.

MMJ

Email posts on progress in GM/TM alignment and rewarding the release with exhale.

My email to MMJ:

Sephira and I played out front with the gold ribbon before a lesson today and have been able to do so for three days in a row.

TM energy ribbon and seeking alignment: Sephira comes to me when I move and stays aligned until I stop. However, I am unsure about whether my focusing on her stifle has any effect. I did watch her energy and it seemed to begin with her HQ. Still I don't know if I am teaching anything.

Also although she is pleasant and happy, she does not melt into the ground. I also don't know that she cares about the GM ribbon because I don't see her degree of relaxation changing AND I only feel the alignment when she is following me as I back.

Try--yesterday we did not need halter/rope, she aligns from intention and stays aligned and relaxes tho not as completely deep and rooted as she can be but I think would have if I had had more time.

from MMJ:

I so get it - I saw that in her too - so sweet, kind .. playful - but a bit of a wall up - as if she's not aware she can connect with you to the depth you are accustomed w/ Try ....

I think a bit of aligning her thoughts - through slight TM at stifle and draw, that circle of Energy - will help - but being very careful to notice her slightest release - and mirror it deeply to guide her that she is on the right track. This whole concept of connection is rather foreign to her I think.. yes, you going deeper is good (GM) - but it will only work if she 'sees' you - the alignment will help her see you - then your depth in GM will prove to her that she WANTS to see you.

Tuesday - Sephira and I lesson in the dressage field

Yesterday Sephira and I and riding lesson: I was so pleased--first of all that she blew out two separate times during walking before the instructor arrived. Also I could feel her responding to my cueing of gait transitions before I asked and she was just lovely about following my focus so that I only needed reins for some lateral cueing. This is so hugely different from where she was when she came to Rollover! 

Also we used the draw reins to avoid having unproductive negativity over using HQ. She quickly got the idea and I was able to give her slack. I look forward to not needing to use them at all!!

Next, I am looking forward to playing on the ground again today with giving lots of GM cookies to reward releases!!! 

Monday - Watched BA ride Sephira and played B Me with Sephira and Try

BA took last week off from riding etc. last week with all the work on the ring and three new horses on the farm. Today she rode Sephira--warmup WT on loose rein then asking for her to come up thru her top line a bit at WT but mostly trot as that is easier for Sephira to do. Then canter and Sephira offered the flexion at a slow canter. Interesting when BA took one of a couple breaks to reward Sephira for trying and improving, Sephira looked at me and without thinking I said, "hey girl" and she started walking to me.

Gorgeous day and after lunch went back to the barn for B Me with Try and Sephira. Try had a bit of a nosebleed so we left her pasture where we were playing to tend to it and apply fly spray as insects were totally distracting. Played on the grass in front of the barn. Easy draw/alignment from intention. Increased energy to come to me, when I increased the distance. Gave exhale cue as we were melting back to standstill but unsure it is having any effect. We have exhaled/blown back and forth at each other for years. Try has the habit of blowing to help me relax. Riding I can exhale and Try will match and exhale as well. Our riding warmup begins with walk until she blows out.

Sephira--we played beside the drive outside her pasture and MiMi hung out with us while we did. Sephira also comes to me/draw/align from the a bit of a look at her stifle and my taking a step away from her--on both her left and right sides. Also she will increase her energy to come to me if I increase the distance. I also don't know if my exhaling is registering with her. In the past when I have blown out to reduce my tension, she has looked at me curiously.

I wonder when to go back to the cookie reward of asking Sephira for something, then giving the 60 second GM mode visualization of how wonderful she just was in completing whatever task we did.??
She was really licking and chewing back when we were doing that.

Sunday yeehaw with Sephira and lesson Kathy and Try

Cold am and horses silly. Sephira full of nervous energy. In playing the circle game to release some energy she got away from me and we played a full out catch me game. In just a couple minutes she stopped and most of that tension drained away. This was a first for us to play hard and it was successful!

Then lesson with Kathy and Try--first time riding on the new footing in the ring. Lovely ride WTC.
High light for me was realizing that Try uses her HQ and comes up thru topline a lot without my cueing. Also pleased that I am finding a dressage riding form for myself at the canter.

homework: keeping forward momentum in 1/4 turns on the haunches at the walk and trot.

Thursday - Best Ever strides with Sephira

Lesson with Kathy and Sephira

After two lovely days with Sephira I was really looking forward to lesson today! Sephira and I played out front with the gold ribbon for awhile before Kathy arrived. She comes to me when I move--unsure about my focusing on her stifle having any effect. Also although she is pleasant and happy, she does not melt into the ground. ASK MMJ





LESSON:
warmup now consists of basically everything I was doing before and is basically hunter on loose rein with lots of bending lines, patterns, suppling. Walk and trot. Walk--work on my "leaning back", shoulders-pinched dressage position to make a new habit.

Bends: serpentine, bend in corners, circles and spirals, shoulder in, shoulder fore, figure eights, diagonals, leg yields. Be creative and BEND

Then take up a connection/contact and continue bending in everything we do
1. outside leg says go forward
2. outside rein steadies her balance
3. elbows not hands--wear gloves and keep the connection--especially outside rein
4. inside rein asks for bend (or my body does)
5. inside leg asks for bend
6. both ring fingers ask for her to come up thru top line.

We got--really using HQ, good impulsion, bending, HQ really stepping across at the trot and it felt wonderful. Stopped, good girl, treats! (LBI whats in it for me).

Love having the ring in the field!

What's in it for me? for us girls. B Me day

Progress yesterday...I could see an increase in energy to fill the space with Try and, although Sephira still hasn't "retained" the idea that my focus on her stifle means forward energy from the HQ to draw/align with me, we can use the exercise with the lead line in the beginning so she sees me before we proceed to doing whatever. 

I decided to organize all my session 5 notes and found myself starting over from the beginning with session 1. No riding today with Try and Sephira--reviewing from the beginning for me with both.

• Improvement today. After reviewing--started the first session with Sephira with hanging out at liberty, TTime for me and then some mirroring. Today for the first time Sephira was the strongest magnet ever and I never needed her to feel the lead rope so, bless her heart, she did learn. OR perhaps she just wanted to connect align and I did not check to see if my focus on her stifle was causing the energy to come from her HQ first.

  
  
•  Next with Try I repeated the hanging out at liberty. Ttime and mirroring. I never got around to even putting a rope on her. We did the GM energy ribbon for relaxation plus asking her to align with me from focusing on her HQ and she comes and aligns strongly from intention. BUT I did finally check to look for the energy coming from the HQ first--at first I wasn't sure--perhaps it came from the FQ (and was therefor, not a sincere thought on her part but that I was in some way Making her do it.) The second time I could see the HQ energy. WooHoo. Some success.