Week 2 Day 1 Wednesday

The Plan

1. HQ: video all
1. wheelbarrow turns for 2nd time
2. dressage leg yield - MH homework
3. Dan's exercise w/o the carrot stick--can you--from shift seat bones?
2. Seat
1. Check I am on my balance point at the walk
2. Study my pattern of cueing gait transitions (?canter in the soupy ring)
3. Play with trotting with engaged seat and will Try match it? Video this
3. RBE to LBE
1. Tell CH about Nickers
2. Visualize and use big+E as acting exercise
3. Watch myself with BA
4. Fun
1. Play around with pick me up to mount
2. Go for long walk up the road and then graze

Order:

1. On the ground: warmup, wheelbarrow turn, pick me up
2. Riding: HQ yield from seat bones, figure out cueing for gait trans, balance point checks, trot with engaged seat and laps then few leg yields
3. Leave the farm

What happened

1. I didn't get any video--technical difficulties. grrr.

2. Try was full of herself and, of course, I loved it!

She offered the pedestal. Then she did something snarky? so we played some fast and furious games and she was full of big ol angry canter but settled with a lot of licking and chewing. We did wheelbarrow turns and they were better tho the HQ steps were not as big but they were calm and smooth. 

Pick me up: we played with this 1/2 dozen times or so--various places--I think the mounting block/pedestal was where she knew the game best. Funny on the fence by the road--she got into position but a bit to far front so I told her I couldn't get on from there and just sat and she backed. I did not draw any conclusions. One time I didn't like a lack of response and upped my phases and she was all yes ma'am.

One time I went ahead and got on but did not have a carrot stick/string around her neck or bridle and we rode around for a while. It was fine but less precise. Then I got the stick/string--played with HQ yield from shifting my weight and even with turning my belly button didn't get much response. So went back to stick and then it was better without the stick.

walk: lean forward, trot: cluck cluck then bounce legs, trot to walk--stick by stomach out, walk to halt say "ho" or take feet out of stirrups.

Thought about my balance point several times. Did posting trot without bridle thinking of engaging my lower abs and seat muscles and it felt great. Repeated with the bridle and light contact and ok but not as glorious. Forgot about leg yields.

left the farm and walked up the road some and trotted back.

Week 2 Goals

week 2
I.	Increase Try's right side HQ flexibility
		each time but less
		wheelbarrow turns
		dressage leg yields
		see if MH sees a difference
		pepper it in
		play with it bareback
		can I get those big steps without carrot stick--from shifting my weight?
		can I get more/consistent steps with traveling leg yield on the ground--allowing FQ drift??
II.	Using seat cues
		be on my balance point
		stop and clean up as needed
		using can you patterns including leg yield
		use my phases	visualize	relax	ask light seat		seat	leg
		think about how I use cues together--isolate, separate and recombine
		list everything I cue and cues/phases I use--then analyze for consistency or being too similar
		Linda's engaged seat--check for both the rise and the sit--should feel lighter to Try
		can hold pommel to guide pubic bone
		will Try match my engagement--video
		pilates dvd
III.	Balancing my need to be more LBE with consideration for Try
		Me: priority negative self-talk
		people and horse pleasing
		positive confrontation thru phases
		strong confident ++ energy
		visualization--bathtub reminder
		be aware and TRACK it
		watch myself with h'ship instructors
	Try: increase her mental fitness of attention span and attitude
	sync, dwell, awareness,
	do 1 unexpected thing each day--surprise and intrigue her
	energy of either oneness or Jim Carrey
	play with chunks of mount--keep energy flowing, fence for heights, draw w/exuberance
	need round pen
	whats in it for her
IV	Sense of Fun and varying the monotone
	how--needs variety??
	riding rather than stick to me??
	review notes for higher energy games
	music, line dancing, spanish walk
	brainstorm bucket list of everything fun: beach
	Dan list for high energy games

Week 1 Wrap Up - Progress and Next Week Focus

I. HQ flexibility especially on Try's right side.

I was pleased that we explored this consistently all three days on the ground and riding using 1/2 dozen or so different exercises for variety. I mostly remembered to look for relaxed, smooth, unemotional steps. We did get a lot of big steps crossing over outside hind foot--not consistently on every step. Try's right side HQ yields are not as free at least riding. To progress this for next week I would like to continue the wheelbarrow turns on the ground and go back to dressage leg yields with emphasis on the right HQ.

II. Freedom getting out of my head: I want to take this off the list and come back to it later. We did have some nice free moments of stick-to-me/her. Including stopping on a dime was improved. I have seen our syncing with each other really improve since Dan's visit December 20.

III. Using seat cues first.

This is the best review we have ever done. I was not surprised that Try is so good at this but pleased to be thinking of ways to put it to purpose. Also of note--this improved each time as the session progressed.
1. Stopping and cleaning up
2. Using a pattern as a "can you."
3. Clearing up confusion caused by taking out all the other cueing.
For next week--add back in riding with soft feel, legs and see if I can use my phases:
a. Visualize the transition/cue
b. Think relax
c.  Ask lightly with my seat
d. More seat
e. Leg

IV Comfort zone: Progress: I was able to think all week about my people/horse pleasing habits and how they hold me back. For next week--I want to add to thinking--finding the strong but relaxed energy I need. With Try I want to consider, plan and use phases to stay with a task until we win it. Also I want to apply this thinking to my people and horse people relationships--a strong confident positive energy--so I am taking control.

V. Try--expanding her mental fitness to do more. We are on our way with IV above. I like seeing and feeling a loose relaxed Try when we ride. Also her lateral flexion at a stand still on right side is amazingly soft and giving. For next week I want to be reminded to keep checking in with her, sync, dwell to balance with using phases.

Also to consider
1. I find a need to change negative messages I give myself:
a. If Try and I aren't doing something at better than level 4 quality, I have failed.
b. When we have a small success, I find something else that needs fixing instead of celebrating the win. "Don't erase the finish line." "When is it Miller Time?"
2. Should "monotone" make its way to the goal list?
3. Should Nickers (LBE pony) come to Rollover now or later?
4. Balance point clean up?
5. What about mounting block pick me up clean up?

Day 3 - Monday January 13.

The Plan

I. Increase flexibility of HQ yields on the right side
1. I want to film a basic level 1 HQ yield
2.I want to vary what we have been doing and decided to pick wheelbarrow turns as its been a very long time since we have done them. Plan is to begin with on line driving with two 22' lines and review "go" and turning.
3. In the saddle: wheel barrow turn--possibly around cones to add a sense of direction.
4. Turn on the forehand?? or simple tea for two--VIDEO
5. Remember quality of the yield--smooth and relaxed.

What happened: On the ground--
1.I was confused as to whether the step was crossing over and relaxed enough in the #1 basic. 
2. Wheelbarrow turns--we were getting some really big HQ yields--they did not feel overly emotional. Took a while to get it going as we haven't done zone 5 driving in several years. I do like the lighter 22' reins.

riding: I did get what I think are some good HQ steps on tape (49 seconds):

II. Freedom and joy for me--No progress this week--I needed a break from music. The pastures/fields are too muddy and slippery for riding. I have been sad that Dan Thompson is leaving. I did play early in the week with music and stick to me on the ground. I have video of playing with this late December: 
Check menu at the right: "Videotape Try and I to music" stick-to-me/her video 4 minutes The goal is joy, syncing and also varying energies so as not to have all a monotone. Note: if I am not finding the joy right now, I could find music for the sorrow and ride/play/dance it with Try and that would fall into the freedom and letting go category.


III. Riding from seat cues.
1. Because Try knows them, the issue (Teach/Control/Reinforce/Refine) becomes
a. am I using my phases (eyes/bellybutton/leg/stick) or seat/leg/reins
b. If Try ignores a seat cue--stop and clean it up--rather than just go on and ignore it. cleaning up video:

c. Use a pattern: i.e. walk AtoX, halt, walktoC, pick up trot on the rail to A and 20 meter circle. CAN YOU?

What we did: I reviewed a bit and then we went to the dressage ring. I started with reins on her neck and feet out of the stirrups and concentrated on only using seat and found 1. we lost precision in the geometry of the pattern. But the go/stop/turn that we had worked on were better. However two new issues--where was follow my focus? and not being on my balance point. Then we had confusion in distinguishing the difference between upward and downward transitions in my seat and half halt without using simultaneous leg or voice cues. (Western Pleasure issues). Then stretching and at the end bigger trot with super loose reins.

video 

IV. and V.
Comfort zone for Try and I. Be aware and release feelings of having to please Try (not the same as being pleased WITH Try LOL). Try can just do a bit more than she wants and get over it. The other side of this is my being respectful of Try--when she has it--quit, reward and/or progress it.

The something new/progressed: straddle the pole vertically from zone 1 not zone 3 and from a greater distance. This was the second day--why didn't she just do it without my asking--I guess that is her very strong need to retain some control. I am not repeating this until I have a better plan for effectiveness.  
Video (45 seconds):

All in all:
My luck score may have gone down last week with Dan leaving but a friend is offering me a free lease on a super cool LBE pony that I have always wanted to play with so I am still lucky.

Also issues coming up this week are phasing to be effective and not being afraid to use them, the monotone and wanting to establish who I am and what I can do in a new way. RBE lack of confidence holds me back.

Inspiration

http://www.barnmice.com/video/kelly-sigler-and-buckley-bridleless

Kelly Sigler and Buckley
Liberty play, Bridleless riding and Finesse

Day 2 of the PLAN

The Plan followed by results

Starting on the ground

1. Something new--not really new but progressed--straddle the cavaletti pole vertically, asking from a greater distance (basically from zone 1).

Result: With a 22' line, I asked from about 15' and did not move my feet. She asked a lot of questions and offered a lot of different things--particularly putting various feet on the pole. Once we were close to the answer--I felt it took too long and she wasn't really focusing/trying as she could have and would have if we were closer. However, she did get it. Game over, enthusiastic good girl, treat, etc. This can be repeated soon.

2. Sync to music--stick to each other. Purpose: Try's willingness to play/match different energy levels. Right side, 5 zones, 3 gaits, 7 games. Moment to new moment. But do add in stop on a dime.

Result: It just didn't work to do much with this--the music wasn't inspiring me to move. But Try did match my energy better than the other day and we were so much better at stopping on a dime from a trot after a few tries. I want to leave general stick to me and come back to it in a different way, or focusing in on something in particular. No music for a while.

3. On the ground one good HQ yield each side--big step and check for relaxation. Big treat and time to absorb.

Result: good big steps but please video and get feedback!

Riding

As it turned out it was starting to rain so rather than go groom and tack up in the barn, I rode bareback with 22' line and carrot stick minus savvy string--didn't seem to make any difference. Ring is the only place on the property that is ok to ride--still muddy mess but at least the ground isn't frozen the way it was yesterday.

1. Lateral flexion and one good HQ step each way from a stand still.

Lateral flexion was even better on the right side than the left. I need to videotape this.

2. Play with seat cues as warmup choose one to be particular ie backing.

From a walk, halt and back was great today. I think Try really knows seat cues. I believe the issue is do I use them consistently and then, if Try isn't responding use reinforcement cueing. So new plan is to focus on me--using a typical pattern etc--and just see if using seat cues can be my first thought.

2. Circling for HQ yield Dan and MH approaches

Not as good as yesterday. Did not do MH method with contact. Need to research for some different ways to play with this before it becomes "work." Perhaps wheelbarrow turns or find a different place to play?

Finish with leave the farm to graze in the green grass. YES we did this--its her fav.

Finally a day at the barn! Day 1 of the PLAN Thursday

First day to play with my new goals and priorities! Unfortunately could not find video camera--will borrow BA's tomorrow.

Goal/Concept #1
I want to help Try be more flexible in her right HQ yields.
What we did--
1. To give Try the idea we started with old level 1, 7 games driving game to move HQ. We fairly quickly had nice big steps with the inside hind leg crossing in front of the outside leg and they did not seem rushed or emotional. Praise and quit.
2. Later we took this to a circle or falling leaf on a circle and we lost precision in the step. ??Step was in front of hind but not crossing over on the circle.
3. Later still I did Dan's exercise riding ask first from a stand still for a HQ yield and got a couple of big steps each way but not on every try. I used the carrot stick. Then took it to a walk on the circle and I think a got one or two steps much better than the others and wished I had it on video. I know the feeling of a really good big step and did not get that.
4. Towards the end of the session, we trotted large and small circles with a soft feel and bend. More on the right side but on both sides.

Goal/Concept #2
Being free, having fun and being out of my head: nope, didn't do it. We did play sticking together (stick to me) to music.

Goal/Concept #3
Using seat cues first then leg cues in search of ever lighter cueing: I played "Can Yous" as warmup in the saddle. Try was not fully into it. But asked for go, halt, walk to trot and trot to walk and turning with NO
leg. Upward transitions used kiss some, sometimes she went from walk to trot with just seat and I bet if I made a program of it we could have it with consistancy. Downward transitions trot to walk are always good. Walk to halt were mostly good if I added a vocal cue of "aaaand whoa" A couple Try did from seat without vocals. Turning took leg and lots of body position until later on when we trotted circles from my body alone.

Goal/Concept #4 and #5
Expanding our comfort zones by releasing my need to please Try and increasing Try's mental fitness to be able to continue to "work" on something for a longer period of time: I thought about the energy I needed to be the leader but could not pull it together was not in the mood. (Actually a very sad day with my luck score slipping a bit.) I checked the on line circling and stick to me to quit before it got boring for Try--hope I achieved that. Try got irritated some in the riding but nothing like years ago with my using the carrot stick. She also inititally wasn't keen on the soft feel/contact but within maybe ??15 seconds had it and had so much better self-carriage than a couple months ago. She seemed at peace with that.

Also of note: Stick to me to music was a bit better -- day 3 not consecutive--slightly more energy, better syncing with each other. Better stopping on a dime goal.