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.