Fun Saturday with Dawn and Try

THE PLAN: After reviewing lesson with MH and reviewing GoC

Film and ask Dawn to watch

Filling Try’s bucket: Treats/dwell/Dawn/attention

Contact/connection/flexion and canter

Walk (briefly to check)

Reins mean go--means use weight and seat aids but not leg aids.

sliding rein

SLOWLY take the contact, smoothly, lovingly, massage

GAME: if you don't take it, I will--Jim Carrey

If I don't want to PLAY, then Try won't either.

Bicep/tricep

check elbows, RESTING hands

Reins mean keep going--check Try on this

Ride forward from the HQ with my body weight/abs etc—1/2 halt to go forward? It’s all intention and phasing.

Trot

pick a pattern

check moving forward in the stretch

sliding rein

SLOWLY take the contact, smoothly, lovingly, massage

GAME: if you don't take it, I will--Jim Carrey

If I don't want to PLAY, then Try won't either.

Bicep/tricep

check elbows, RESTING hands

Reins mean keep going--check Try on this

Ride forward from the HQ with my body weight/abs etc—1/2 halt to go forward? It’s all intention and phasing.

½ halt to warn of change of rein/direction/pattern/gait etc

Canter

Canter on circle, sit on outside seat bone and use inside suspension rein. Canter in my body to ask for the canter--no leg! Shorten reins if on the forehand

Ride forward from the HQ with my body weight/abs etc—1/2 halt to go forward? It’s all intention and phasing.

on my balance point, sitting deep and rocking through the canter with my legs on Try to help her.

Also elastic contact following her motion.

Just a few strides then trot.

BUT when I feel Try changing rhythm and about to break to trot to catch it in time and urge her forward and not make the downward transition to trot until/unless the canter is good and I choose when.

?? Try was coming up and shortening her stride--this was not good and she needed to lengthen??

So what happened:

1. I did play with taking the contact through the sliding rein but could see I did not have true contact until I went to 2 reins. I had success in asking Try to walk off from seat but it would be good to repeat this carefully with treats and be even more clear. Today we expected a lot, accepted a little and rewarded. So yes reins do mean go and Try passed the "test."

2. The walk on contact--we were not getting this or maintaining--I could see that I did not really have contact NOR take the time it takes.

3. Trot was better, especially after stretching and walk better after trotting.

4. FIND resting hands and good contact!!!!

5. Canter: Not good--need to rethink. What would make Try like to canter?

Having said all this, we all had a good time. Dawn played with Try on the ground and added stick to me at walk/halt/back and trot. Also she rode Try and was able to cue from seat alone for go/stop and turn with just a bit of leg added.

Wednesday - Drama at Rollover - Thursday Solutions

Drama at Rollover

1. There has been stress and drama at Rollover with new horses in and out and their emotions. Also horse emotions over male/female and general bonding issues. There are a lot of horses and stabling and pasture assignments have become tricky.
2. Because Try does not have a suitable pasture mate right now, she is getting shifted to less desirable pastures.
3. Soon there will be no place to ride other than the ring.
4. That said it is in MY best interest for all of this to work: having BA to find project horses to improve my riding, dressage lessons with Kathy and MH to really jump start the learning and Dan for the horse psychology is a totally incredible opportunity for me to improve my horsemanship in a well rounded manner.
5. I do want to establish a new identity so to speak of self-confidence and celebrate a unique knowledge. I want to discuss this.

Update:
I went to the barn early and talked to BA and she and then MH agreed to give Try back her pasture on the hill and I have a backup place to ride and play.

Later in the day I returned for lesson with Kathy. Groomed, hung out, dwell time.

Try OFFERED 4 feet on the pedestal when I did not give her a treat for 3 feet. I cued only from intention that it was ok for her to be on the pedestal then just waited.

Waiting for Kathy we had a passenger ride--all calm with Try and Richmond. Then lots more hanging out waiting for Kathy. Then decided to go ahead and reviewed what Try and I did with MH on Tuesday. As I was leaving Kathy arrived and we sat and talked for an hour--see notes to follow.

Discussion with Kathy

We discussed my thoughts over the past three days spurred by the 1000 hour mile stone--i.e. what have I learned in 3 years, changes and where do I want to go.

There have been dramatic changes in the connection Try and I have. Kathy stated that I take it for granted and see more of the negative whereas onlookers see a magical relationship bringing tears/goosebumps etc that human and horse can be like that. (paraphrasing don't remember exact language). 3 years with Dan has made such a difference in my understanding and approach. The whole mind reading, love and acceptance of Try's horsenality makes for so much more enjoyment.

Dressage learning the same--Kathy says go back and look at Game of Contact dvds and see how far I have come in a short time. That learning has taken place so quickly because of fitness and body awareness from dance, awareness of elements of movement such as relaxation, etc., inquiring thinking mind. Openness to change. Of course, Kathy has taken me on this journey!

The need to give back, put it to purpose, some kind of established status as no longer an adult beginner--we did not really address in a way that helps. BA and I will hopefully find time to talk about this next week also.

1000 Hours!!

Today I logged in my horsemanship hours at ParelliConnect and my total was over 1000!! That is in 1 years and 10 months. Lots of hours and amazing that I kept up with them.

So what has happened in 3 years:
1. Dan Thompson learning has truly changed the relationship I have with Try. We are connected and read each other. We match each other physically and emotionally. We have draw. We can do cool stuff at liberty just for fun. Remembering 1.5 hours of liberty with Dan in the big pasture.
2. I am more understanding and patient and can laugh at whatever--including Devon's little tricks he likes to play on humans. Try's emotional ups over having the stallion in residence is a fun new horsemanship challenge rather than a negative.
3. Game of contact course I audited 3 years ago: I can now ride with contact/a bit of vertical flexion/physical connection of energy. I see myself as being on the path to level 4 finesse.
4. I am no longer bound to progressing step by step in the Parelli program materials but applying the philosophy and picking and choosing the parts that serve our goals.
5. I can see myself in the future going back to the beginning on line with other horses to create relationship, then beginning with freestyle riding for responsibilities and foundation and adding to that foundation/relationship with liberty and finesse riding.

More--it has been 9-10 years of Parelli study
1. Passing level 4 was the goal but I have gradually been letting go of that in favor of seeking well rounded horsemanship. Try would not enjoy the pressure of passing L4--some tasks also would not be fun for her at age 22 with her conformation tho we could possibly have faked out way thru with less than perfect flying changes and getting jumps relaxed, filming and forgetting BUT this isn't truthful.
2. Tasks on line and liberty are now about fun and promoting emotional fitness and happiness.
3. Focus on finesse riding: not for level 4 but to round out my knowledge so I could take a horse through the whole process of learning.
4. Perhaps in January I could seek a new horse for beginning on line learning.
5. So this seems more balanced, truthful and in line with where I am now??

Drama at Rollover

1. There has been stress and drama at Rollover with new horses in and out and their emotions. Also horse emotions over male/female and general bonding issues. There are a lot of horses and stabling and pasture assignments have become tricky.
2. Because Try does not have a suitable pasture mate right now, she is getting shifted to less desirable pastures.
3. Soon there will be no place to ride other than the ring.
4. That said it is in MY best interest for all of this to work: having BA to find project horses to improve my riding, dressage lessons with Kathy and MH to really jump start the learning and Dan for the horse psychology is a totally incredible opportunity for me to improve my horsemanship in a well rounded manner.
5. I do want to establish a new identity so to speak of self-confidence and celebrate a unique knowledge. I want to discuss this.

Tuesday - Lesson with MH and only one stallion

Got to the barn. It was only drizzling so went ahead and got Try, gave her the last adequan shot and then had lesson with MH. Try enjoyed having Richmond in the adjoining paddock.

1. Connection--i.e. contact and vertical flexion--much better.

It is not only moving forward from the HQ, connection with the reins BUT it really helped to think of using my abs (Linda's Michael Jackson) to ride Try forward with my seat and thighs (1/2 halt). Perhaps this was because Try had such good energy today. Will need to see how this works on a really laid back day.

Anyway Try got and then maintained the connection pretty much through the walk and trot with change of direction and change of gait. I practiced thinking ahead and giving the 1/2 halt to warn Try of the upcoming transition.

2. Canter--hmmm. I want to think of being on my balance point, sitting deep and rocking through the canter with my legs on Try to help her. Also elastic contact following her motion. Just a few strides then trot. BUT when I feel Try changing rhythm and about to break to trot to catch it in time and urge her forward and not make the downward transition to trot until/unless the canter is good and I choose when. ?? Try was coming up and shortening her stride--this was not good and she needed to lengthen??

Monday - Riding with the Stallions

Today the plan was for an easy ride and a bit of connection with Try as an easy transition back from the virus etc. No stirrups was out and BA agreed to ride Devon.

Nice grooming, barn quiet and relaxed. Started out to the ring but realized both Richmond and Grover were out in paddocks on either side of the ring so figured Try's field would be a better choice. BA was riding Webster and said--come ride in ring, it will be ok. HAH. I began with a little circling game in the dressage ring and Try settled pretty well and connection was ok. When I mounted to ride though she would not stand still and was excited about Grover who was racing up and down and calling to Try. So actually lunged Try at a canter for while--she got a good workout. Then asked for walk/trot transitions to test emotional fitness and all seemed pretty well again. Try had a lovely energetic trot--tracking up after the canter. LOL Went back to dressage ring and walked and trotted, etc. Then good long shower, dwell time and later apple slices in her pasture.

Friday

First day back--Wed/Thur home with virus.

Video taped Try and I--followup to Tuesday lesson

1. Video—best job I have done at feeling confident to follow thru on plan to work on my ability to ride with contact and vertical flexion and using HQ in the canter.
2. It looked like I could take the contact more firmly and maintain and give less and Try would have been able to respond better tho she did get and maintain more than I have ever had before when not in a lesson.
3. Canter—Try was sorta fighting the contact--in and out--but HQ better. She was not heavy on the forehand.
4. Try was tracking up more and more as we went along in the trot.

Wow Connection and Canter improvements

Lesson Today: MH prefers to think not of contact/connection etc but that connection comes from the hind end to the bridle and rounds up rather than just connecting my hands to bit as contact. Just think connection as the appropriate amount of rounding up for my horse, from the hind end of course. Forget whatever else. LOL

Loved the plan for connection

3 steps—

Take a really solid feel

Ask with ring fingers or even wrists

Then soften a bit when Try rounds up

This really worked—we stayed at it and Try got it and maintained walk/trot, changing gait and rein (direction) and some in the canter.

Plan is to do this at least a little every day I see Try even if it’s a day for something else.

Little by little this will happen and its time!! Make this a habit--getter done!!

Canter real improvement today

Follow thru with my seat

Maintain the connection and rounding up

½ halt if necessary

ONLY do a few strides then trot until build up the physical strength

Same as above—at least a little every day I see Try even if it’s a day for something else.

Little by little this will happen and its time!!

Leg yield: Did not get to it—just a little moving over is fine for now—next time ask about inside leg connects with outside rein—can practice this on the circle also. Plus staying square in my body on the circle—not asking for extra bend from Try while we are concentrating on connection.

My thoughts:
1. Overall: I would like to see the connection more pronounced and consistent--it felt good from Try's back but did not look as good on the video. Also the walk and trot looked draggy to me--needed a better rhythm BUT again they felt good from Try's back.
2. The canter however really did look better like it was coming so much more from the HQ and so much more pleasant to ride.
3. Comments from the audio: A horse who is put together is less able to be naughty or spooky.
4. Gaits are all better/freer when the horse is put together.
5. Blowing puts the horse together.
6. What about tracking up? ASK
7. I want to pay attention to downward transitions.
8. 1/2 halt tells HQ to whoa
9. importance of a quality walk giat.
10. would be interesting to watch MH work with the new ponies.

Compare the above canter to July 2013 bareback canter footage: