Wednesday

Good day today!

Rode Try and she was an absolute dream. Follow my focus--no need for reins WTC. She offered canter--both leads and it was light and lovely using HQ. (We had done some HQ suppling before that--tea for two etc.) I could have ridden with two reins but Try was happier riding on the buckle with one hand. I think when I start back with both arms I will need to build up endurance. Depo or no depo she is just the greatest!!

More good news:
Ronald adjusted Sephira's trim.
Katherine Dzimitrowicz rode Sephira and we all looked for any stumbling and did not see anything.
Perhaps just an occasional little hitch in her giddyup so to speak--nothing that would be a problem for a rider.
Katherine loved her--especially her flying changes.
BA suggested I only ride her at a walk until we are sure the big stumbles were caused by the previous trim.
If that doesn't fix it--then ask Karen Bullock and perhaps there is a better trim.

Tuesday

Try was magically wonderful. Went out back--waited for her to explore and then come to me. Nice long grooming with Try just standing there happy and relaxed. Then we pursued the "new" circling game a bit and we really have the send and she is connected--instead of thumb in the pocket did rope thru the beltloop because of left shoulder out of commission. Then played with HQ yield on the circle--didn't get idea across at first then stopped and asked for plain HQ yield from and halt. Went back to the circle and matched and mirrored in my body and she was stepping across. Back inside--a little clipping/clean up/treats and back to her stall.

Sephira--my plan was to play out back with some simple communication. She ate hay, hid in the corner of her stall and pinned her ears at me. I was intimidated and was able to get her out of that mood/attitude just by dwell time and waiting--40 minutes. With Try I just would have laughed, said "game on" and had fun playing hard with intensity. HMMM

Monday with Try

Lovely ride--Try was full of herself and still in season. Walk/trot--played/messed around with transitions, patterns, suppleness. Turns on the haunches, sideways, tea for two, whatever. Careful groom and shower after--BA saddled western saddle for me. My shoulder did not hurt in the trot. Still riding with one (or no) rein but relatively pain free. What a privilege to be with Try.

Thoughts from phone coaching with Marie last Wednesday

Hour coaching call with Marie to follow up and prepare for the next session.

1.      4 hour session and my endurance. OK more talking and breaks/dwell time. I should participate in ideas for topics to explore. Examples I can think of from the last session would be

a.      The catching games—I know 4—what are the merits of each?

b.      Many HQ/FQ flexibility exercises

c.      The concept of bridging from what Try or Sephira already know? Is it rude not to do this and expect them to figure out the known puzzle answer from really different cueing?

d.      4 hours with Marie is an incredible opportunity to—

                                                    i.     Brush up on Parelli learning

                                                   ii.     Be up to date on Parelli learning

                                                  iii.     Bring my learning up to L4 ways of doing things

                                                  iv.     Have better communication with Try—assumptions, sloppy, quit too soon?

                                                   v.     Try likes being particular if I can be clear. Solving puzzles makes her feel smart.

                                                  vi.     Try does not need to be retired—could become depressed over lack of mental stimulation. Marie and Joe: Joe still WANTS to play.

                                                vii.     We have had golden time together—this cannot be forced to continue—especially by not asking anything of Try on the ground—better to pepper in a bit of cleaning up/new learning/being particular in the midst of games we know and can do successfully. This way we can have the golden feeling of doing fun things together with no direct line/agenda—experiment and play, Jim Carrey—still doesn’t matter if we get anything or not—it’s still about the quality of the time together. Leaving on a good note.

2.      My LBI/RBE dichotomy—will I drive Marie crazy with this? Will it put road block between us? The whole analyzing/intellectual/list making/planning to the extreme vs the let loose/out there RBE stuff?

3.      Misc

a.      Drip it in early to give it time to percolate i.e. soft feel years before I use it, pepper it in, Drip it in to progress finesse until the horse is ready for it.

b.      Kathy lessons--both horses for 20 minutes each??

c.      Sephira and a freestyle plan??

d.      Intent vs agenda?

e.      Practicing with Try before exploring with Sephira

f.       Suppleness from HQ yield to relax rib cage—inside rein—partial disengagement

g.      When would I trust to ride Sephira in a hackamore?

h.      Transitions, dwell/lick and chew time/ giving both horses breaks during riding session

i.       SHORT sessions on the ground and in the saddle!! MH is great for this!!

Talking with Sephira??

On Fri, May 30, 2014 at 8:57 AM, Elizabeth Pope <ehpope@embarqmail.com> wrote:

Hi Sharon,

I have a couple issues: When she said the following to you--

"She asked if you’d take a few minutes daily and open yourself to her..and trust!"

I am trying this and have no idea if I am actually communicating.

Also Sephira tripped and I fell and injured my shoulder am not able to do much with her right now. Bethanna is filling in and riding her until I am sure I won't be reinjuring the shoulder. Bethanna's approach is good but not as soft and loving as my approach--she isn't going for the kind of depth of understanding I am. 

I am worried that Sephira might think I am throwing her to the wolves tho I know Bethanna is NOTHING like the dressage stuff Sephira experienced. I hope Sephira knows and understands this is temporary.

From Sharon:

Oh No!! That's a longgggg way down! Did you break it? (been there) Ouch!!

I apologize! I should have finished my thought and not expected you to.."and trust the information you receive."

She does hear what you share, and she does understand you didn't throw her to the wolves. Although, she isn't particularly fond of Bethanna and her ways she'll manage until you feel confident enough to continue. She's very sorry you were hurt!

So..no worries, just heal so you can move forward! S

From me--attempting and thinking maybe I am not only sending but perhaps receiving unless I am kidding myself and that is just my own little voice answering--from my house to the barn. Discussed her exquisite trot and my desire to be in sync with her. She seems to understand and the thought came to me (from her?) about my own fitness issue in this.

Thoughts I have--I feel that horses communicate with each other this way. The Alchemy books seems to put forth a scientific basis for this. I have had some uncanny human to human communication a few times. Joey said he can communicate with Devon from Burlington to New Bern. Still this seems kinda creepy to me!! But it can't hurt to pursue any method to communicate well.

Note: vet visit reinforced in my mind Sephira's very good ability to teach us just exactly how she feels the humans should do things.

So for today at the barn: Dwell time in the back paddock and see if I can send thoughts and see any reaction. (After Sharon reached Sephira (and Try in the past) I could absolutely see a difference in the way they looked at me.) My plan is to discuss my desire for us to work together on the lightest possible cueing in the saddle (tho not riding today) and on the ground using the backup as an example.

WHAT HAPPENED TODAY (MONDAY)

On Mon, Jun 2, 2014 at 2:26 PM, Elizabeth Pope <ehpope@embarqmail.com> wrote:

Sharon

I believe I need another appointment.

Sephira “tripped” and nearly fell with Bethanna today just like she did with me the other week. BA did not fall off, but said she thought it wasn’t a trip but that her knee went out on her. Will get her to vet on Thursday but could use any info from Sephira before that.

Does Sephira know that this happens, how often, does it hurt? Does she have any advance warning—any way to let me know so we could stop and I could get off safely?

Afterward I rode Try and then went to Sephira to get her out of her stall to spend some time with her. She had her nose in the back corner and didn’t want to come out. I waited in her stall and tried to communicate and then just cried my heart out. After a while I pulled a treat out and she came. Afterwards she was happy to hang out with me in her stall and I could rub her head and she licked and licked and licked my hand.

I have made a big commitment to myself and her to provide her a permanent home for numerous reasons including that she deserves what I think I can provide. She is so sweet. If I can’t find a way to be safe riding her, I will not be able to keep her and I just don’t think I could stand that.

This weekend I played with sending messages to her from my home and I felt like she was answering but I could be kidding myself. I did not feel any answers today. But when I first saw her she gave me the look I get from her and Try after you converse with them.

Elizabeth

FROM SHARON

She's embarrassed and hurt emotionally. Not physically. She understands your concern about falling and your concern about a possible issue with her knees. She says it's not her knees. Check the angle on her feet. Has someone new been working on her? Is anything different? She thinks that's the problem.

She says sometimes your messages come in loud and clear. Sometimes they're garbled..like you have too much you want to say at once.

Try taking a few deep breaths with your eyes closed then send a brief question and open your mind for the answer. Keep your eyes closed so there are no distractions. The answer should come quickly. Just like you're talking to anyone. She may show you a picture and you can see it better with your eyes closed. If you get nothing, change your question just a little and try again. See if this helps!

Don't give up! I think you guys will go far! Hope I've answered your questions. For some dang reason I can't scroll back to find your message. Grrrrr!

This one's on me! Hang in there!! 

Tuesday phone coaching with Dawn

Tuesday phone coaching with Dawn—highlights:

1.      Using downtime after the fall—when the energy is there to use this as study time.

2.      Jenny Susser: life/sports coach/psychologist—saw that Dawn was holding back in her desire to be a good student for Linda. I really, really do this.

3.      Dawn and I may go to a looser coaching schedule.

4.      Sephira photos—she looks sad and even no one home, bit too high. Take photos again in one month, 6 months. I saw the no one home look enter her eye when she realized BA was going to mount for riding session. NOTE: I have seen this as some one goes to mount she goes internal.

5.      Dwell time—experiments with non-verbal communication and do not expect anything—no agenda.

6.      My need to be able to put the horse first in sessions with instructors: be funny, ask before session—I would like to be able to stop, ask ?s, regroup for myself and my horse. Take a break. I have the ultimate responsibility for my horse’s physical, mental, emotional well-being even if I am not the riding expert.

Weekly Plan

Horse development 8
Rider 7

Talent 20
Skill 20
Try 24
Luck 24

Scores are lower attributed to the fall. Also my inability to quickly identify and address situations.

Try
1. Clean up between us the send on the "new" circle game.
2. Gentle review of suppleness exercises
3. Yeehaw--when is it fun for Try? What about back and trot off?
4. Million transitions? can it be a game and be fun for us both?

Me
1. Dwell time with Try and Sephira: open myself, energy, state of mind, test--can I see any evidence of either horse reading my intentions?
2. Watch for pesky worry thoughts. LOL
3. Practice soft feel for myself

Sephira
1. Don't rush--give her plenty of time to consider in the here and now AND plenty of time to learn on her own schedule about relaxation and trust.
2. Leadership (I am better at the love stuff): use lessons if need be but pick things we can do together for clear language of leadership so she will respect me.
     a. The backup--take my time--phases--nose/chest/stick and string/rope--timing--VIDEO
     b. Asking for the right lead in the canter use clear phases then: one for nothing, a second attempt, then put spur on and repeat, perhaps alternating with the left lead or at least beginning with the left lead so she know it is canter I am asking and she knows I know she knows!
3. Little turn on the haunches for FQ flexibility use leg, little rein, other leg to push a bit if need be.