What is important? True goals

As I sit pondering starting the Savvy series on line it occurs to me why I don't want to do it (in addition to wading through material that is hugely repetitious for me tho necessary for those starting the Parelli program.)

What is the goal? What is important?

The goal is a happy, confident, engaged, interested Try who can be pleased with her life and, for me, the enjoyment of being with her and the satisfaction of us deepening the connection by using the learning of new stuff. The stuff could be anything and is not what is important.

Thus the true goal each day is to serve our mental (and physical) health and enjoyment. It is never about achieving progress as a Parelli student per se. Parelli levels/materials are secondary--stuff to do to further the relationship although they do further relationship better than other stuff ie dressage, hunt seat equitation, and western pleasure. i.e. learning lighter and lighter cueing is something that makes Try happy and satisfies my learning needs.

When Dan would come, he would always ask for my thoughts on the session and structure it to fulfill those needs. My perceived needs were about the relationship and some how never about Parelli task. That may have been the way I was thinking anyway or Dan may have led me to thinking that way over the 3.5 years. However, with psychology and social work backgrounds it is likely that I always think that way and enjoy determining what is happening as far as emotion/psychology with Try and I.

Revisiting an old post

Funny how perception and meaning changes over time. I thought about this and "best friend" mode and Try and my abilities to affect each other's relaxation and sense of well-being. I want to continue to think about this so am reposting.

Post at ParelliConnect

Jolene McDowell 1* Junior Instructor said 

"Recent studies conducted by the Institute of HeartMath provide a clue to explain the bidirectional "healing" that happens when we are near horses. According to researchers, the heart has a larger electromagnetic field and higher level of intelligence than the brain: A magnetometer can measure the heart's energy field radiating up to 8 to 10 feet around the human body. While this is certainly significant it is perhaps more impressive that the electromagnetic field projected by the horse's heart is five times larger than the human one (imagine a sphere-shaped field that completely surrounds you). The horse's electromagnetic field is also stronger than ours and can actually directly influence our own heart rhythm!

Horses are also likely to have what science has identified as a "coherent" heart rhythm (heart rate pattern) which explains why we may "feel better" when we are around them. . . .studies have found that a coherent heart pattern or HRV is a robust measure of well-being and consistent with emotional states of calm and joy--that is, we exhibit such patterns when we feel positive emotions.

A coherent heart pattern is indicative of a system that can recover and adjust to stressful situations very efficiently. Often times, we only need to be in a horses presence to feel a sense of wellness and peace. In fact, research shows that people experience many physiological benefits while interacting with horses, including lowered blood pressure and heart rate, increased levels of beta-endorphins (neurotransmitters that serve as pain surppressors), decreased stress levels, reduced feelings of anger, hostility, tension and anxiety, improved social functioning; and increased feelings of empowerment, trust, patience and self-efficacy." The Alchemy of Lightness by Dominique Barvier & Dr. aria Katsamanis

My comment in January: "WHO KNEW there was some physical reason for the lovely feeling of being with a horse?"

Bridging

From David Lichman:

A secondary reinforcer is a sound, touch or action that signals to the horse the exact moment he did something correctly. It's called a "bridge" because it bridges the gap in time between when the animal does the behavior correctly, and when he gets his primary reinforcer (reward). 

The bridge, over time, becomes reinforcing in and of itself, and you don't need to use the primary reinforcer every time. In fact variable reinforcement schedules and amounts are more powerful. 

You can also have a version of the bridge that means "keep going" or "you are getting close." The bridge itself would be sharp or crisp - the keep going signal, or "intermediate bridge" would be more drawn out and said with an encouraging tone. If Jennifer Maxwell's horse knew this, she could encourage him as he's coming towards her - "good, good, good... you're getting it!" And pique his interest.

 

Tuesday - setting goals for April 1-7

How last weeks goals went:
We were very successful with distinguishing forward and back from seat cues and cleaning up sideways away and toward as we really have them.

I did not get to where is Try thinking and tapping the opposite side.
I did not stop to think much about learning/refining/reinforcing in cueing.
Also increasing liberty distance with longer ropes on line did not work out for various reasons.

Under consideration for next week:
From the dressage lesson from Kathy and comments from MH I am considering for next week:
1. quality of the trot rhythm--getting it and how long can we maintain it??
2. check circles for straightness--vs falling in or out
3. ask Kathy about how to cue 1/4 turns on haunches from intention LOL

Nickers is scheduled to come for a visit on Sunday in preparation
1. Research beginning with a new horse from Dan notes (Magic/Tango/Roscoe)
2. Begin studying on line and freestyle in savvy packs.

Also my fitness--getting back on track with pilates/riding dvd.

So for next week--I do not want to overwhelm myself with too much.

Horsemanship 8
Riding 7

talent 22
skill 20
try 24
luck 24

I. Cueing considerations:
Where is Try thinking and tapping cue.
Best friend mode.
Bridging.
Stopping to consider teach/refine/reinforce phases.

II Try riding 50% fun and 50% trotting rhythm and straight on the circle
III. Try distance on line/liberty
IV. Research at home for Nickers.
V. Fitness: pilates/riding dvd

Monday - Try was "wild"

Completely frazzled at renovations with workmen every where and left for the barn to escape.

Try was pacing the fence line when I arrived. When I got to her pasture she jumped the ditch and ran to me--way out of character. She was happy to leave the pasture and was covered in wet mud. So we spent some time grooming in a busy barn. MH was there and we decided to take advantage of the time for MH to ride Try with me doing the warmups.

Decided to start the warmups in the pasture because MH was riding her stallion Richmond in the ring and did not want to distract him. Try could not settle or concentrate and got a bit frantic so it did not work to explore the idea of liberty/distance/online.

Went ahead to the ring for pleasant walk/trot warmup and Try settled nicely. She really has the difference now in my seat telling her to go forward or back and can go from one to the other successfully.

Then tested sideways away and toward and fairly quickly we could cue one and then the other from energy and focus. Finished on line with the pedestal and cavaletti as things Try does well and sat together for a little dwell time.

MH then rode Try for 15-20 minutes. Try had not lost much at all since November! MH suggested I concentrate on maintaining a quality trot rhythm and checking Try for straightness on the circle using leg if necessary as a reminder. Also cautioned about slippery spot in the dressage ring and that it would be better to canter circles in the main ring.

Try and I finished with a shower and dwell time in her pasture. She was happy with herself and to be with me.

Thursday and Friday March 27-28

Thursday with Try

1.      Sideways away and towards:

a.      Try was so happy to see me after a week. I had decided to play with cleaning up my cueing of sideways away and towards in the field before coming in. Life up and she sidepassed away, a little lean back and ask and she sidepassed to me. No need to teach, refine, reinforce etc. It was simply there!

b.      I need to note that this is not so unusual. After I have been gone Try seems to read my mind. Otherwise, she needs to take time to decide whether she wants to do it and then we will likely have it, whatever it is.

c.      Later on I tested the sideways directions once in the ring with distractions from other horses—the beautiful Devon, magnificent Webster and her fav stallion Richmond in the adjoining pasture. It took a couple attempts to get it. At the end of the session tested it once again—distractions were gone and it was almost as good as the first attempt.

2.     Also on the plan for today was forward from my seat: at first Try backed when I went life up but repeated a few times and from then on forward was back to normal with little urging from my seat.

3.      I only once remembered “where is Try thinking?” and tapping her shoulder.

4.      Passenger—we did not get to that either as I had an appointment in town.

5.      What we did do—was a basic hack in the ring with changes of direction and changes of gait and rhythm within the gait from seat cues.

Friday with Try--"Adventure"

I thought we should do our 50% yeehaw fun and selected going for a long ride off the property as something Try might like as she seemed so happy yesterday to leave her pasture.

The ditch: we may go back to this but today was about fun. I have to decide about the ditch.

Saddled up in western saddle for the first time in many months. (Actually I only use it now if we need if her canter is rough and on the forehand—out of shape—and we need repetition or if I have a lesson/session with someone who might ask for something “crazy.” Try is an incredibly big, powerful horse—I have never felt like I might fall—but with osteoporosis—if I did it could be bad.

Anyway we started up the drive and Try was happy. We got to the gate area and Try spooked (without running off) like she has never done before. It was while crossing the electric fence wiring at the gate and I feared she had gotten shocked. We walked around close to the farm for at least five minutes before she relaxed. Then we walked her favorite direction where a major flatbed truck with tractor and other farm machinery came up—with workers all over the road (big tractor stuck in the mud in the field and major effort underway to get it out). So we turned and went the other direction.

The other direction is Try’s least fav as the road crosses flooding on either side of the road and water is a #1 fear of Try’s. Anyway we were fine with it though Try was very curious looking from side to side the entire time. Then we proceeded to the end of the road where the cows are and where some new construction is taking place before heading back so at least some new scenery for Try although she really just wanted to go home. When we got back I dismounted to go back over the wire and Try was careful not to step on it. Bethanna’s Dad was in the barn and said it should not have shocked Try but he checked it and sure enough it had shorted out and he fixed it. Try and I ended the day with some dwell time in her pasture. Today was supposed to be a fun day but it really wasn't.

Pleased to be Back on Track - Thank you Dawn.

Tuesday March 25 Coaching call with Dawn Roth

I am particularly pleased with this coaching as it helps me believe in myself. Also it is so positive and motivating. I jotted down Dawn’s compliments for my dedication and ability to be open minded, processing thoughts from various sources and making them my own. I came out of this session with some specific goals/tasks/challenges that I can enjoy playing with the next two weeks as the home renovations continue. Taking a foundation of principles and beliefs and apply them to various instructors and specialization trainers.

I am in mostly REFINING and reinforcing stages and want to be particularly mindful of this the next two weeks. 

Reinforcing: teaching ever softer/lighter cueing. Reinforcing with phase 1 and 2 then quickly to a 4. Remembering that 4 is whatever it takes for Try to care. Obviously this is not just whacking her as a phase 4 LOL AND not being afraid to use a phase greater than a two. Experiment with what is a phase 4.

Some things to play with

1.      Play with how much I turn my body or make a c-shape to set the angle/sharpness of the turn. Perhaps cloverleaf at the canter.

2.      Leg aids: Repeat the cloverleaf walk and trot—remember using leg is phase 3 or 4 tho a soft leg aid could be a 2++ supporting phases. Good to create new habit of not unconsciously pushing Try around with my legs. Cause her to tune me out or perhaps even get annoyed and say—it’s  time for session to be over—lets go eat grass.

3.      Discussed my idea of opposites of backing and forward in the saddle and sideways away and toward on the ground. A plan for back and forth is to remember the yoyo—whoa and go need to be equalized. Whichever is sticky gets the focus until it is good (reinforce). Taking the time it takes for each in turn until I can go from one to the other directly and it is good as the goal.

4.      Sideways: from intention—visualize, life up and then send message in my body to drive or draw.

a.      Clean it up and use reinforcement phases to follow refinement phases.

b.      Give Try time for the thought process

c.      Stay with it until we win and eventually can equalize and alternate.

5.      Where is Try thinking? When she begins to detach the Velcro—quickly use the cue of tapping the shoulder.

a.      Kinesiology base

b.      Which shoulder—from Dan—opposite shoulder to where Try is thinking.

c.      Timing is important—the quicker I catch it the better

d.      Be consistent.

6.      Liberty

a.      I brought this up as I was emailing Lisa on the subject this am.

b.      The difference between on line and liberty for me is distance, amount of time for Try to think and precision.

c.      Taking distance as a concept to play with

                                                    i.     Go back on line using 45’ rope and CanYous at 30’ away from Try and see what happens—that would likely translate to increasing our distance playing at liberty.  For example, working on the 22’ would translate to 10 feet at liberty.

                                                   ii.     Take my two driving lines and tie the soft ends together to avoid the issue of the 45’ line for now.

PLAN, PICTURE, FEEL