Saturday with Lisa, Tiara and Try

Yesterday, I had a good time, learned things. Lisa and Tiara did great. Enjoyed visiting and sharing thoughts.

I learned: if I can't change Try's cranky mood, she will not really align. To get her to "catch me" I needed to stop the B Me and go back to whatever it took Parelli/Dan stuff to get the connection. I was embarrassed at how unwilling she was--certainly not a sincere thought to do things with me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE0CaFDRzJU

I am feeling frustrated with myself to not know what to do to help Try out of her current malaise.

Friday - More on Catching the Thought from MMJ

MMJ sent video to watch on furthering catching the thought: End has incredible slow motion of this beautifully done.

Good video on Catching the Thought:

11 12 MMJ\catch the tht more.mp4

11/21 video sent to me by MMJ to further catching the thought—incredible slow motion of Dance doing this beautifully.

Review:

1.      Be clear about the goal. It is not about the feet. It is about the THOUGHT!! About the horse thinking of shifting their center of gravity back as the result of catching my thought.

2.      Softening in the shift will transfer to the saddle i.e. ½ halt—not just backing. Rebalance.

Two things to recognize:

1.      The pressure (TM alignment) goes to the center of the chest so horse recognizes this. Look to her chest muscles to tighten as first physical sign of the thought registering. The second will be the beginning of the horse rocking or making a weight shift.

2.      Softening the front of the body and coming up through the topline. This is to be taught separately. Reward only one thought at a time with a horse. MMJ: “When I touch the horse’s face, I want him to soften—soften through everything—his front end, face, poll, neck—all to melt.

a.      Ignore the backup and wait for the softening. We don’t care about the feet—only the face.

3.      Lastly when 1 and 2 are well taught, horse will put the layers together

4.      Remember to release on the softening

Thursday - Started studying Silke pack

Really like this--seems like a bridge between Parelli and B Me

Silke – 7 Games

Dvd1

4 Qualities of an Exercise

1.      Reward the slightest try

2.      Don’t break gait/slow and right

3.      Speed up w/o pressure/fast and right

4.      Healthy mind/body/emotion

Friendly Game

·        Rhythm, relaxation and retreat

·        Cock the back leg to encourage mirroring relaxation

·        Toleration is not relaxation—reward the slightest relaxation tiny

·        Give tiny releases for tiny tries: eyes, ears, nose etc

·        Good better best, never let it rest

·        Phase 1 is human’s relaxation

·        Fawn stretches HER back for horse to mirror

Massage techniques in friendly game

·        Lateral, with the muscle, circling skin over muscle

·        Watch for slightest relaxation

·        Smile and think how proud I am i.e. 60sec GM cookie

·        At a walk/trot touching at withers—can she relax—release on the try

·        Can she mirror my long, low body

·        Lifting the horses back from under carriage—soft hands can she lift

·        Good to teach the lift on the ground before asking for it in the saddle

·        If she is grouchy don’t do it, call your therapist

Porcupine Game #1

·        Gives you lightness

·        Transfers to riding aids—reins and leg

·        Increases the relationship

·        Reward the slightest try, not break gait, speed up, healthy

Backup

·        First from the nose then from halter knot a la MMJ

·        Mind, flexion, weight, feet

·        Flexions according to Silke: lateral, vertical, longitudinal, latitudinal, head and neck

·        Teaching vertical flexion in the backup is healthier for the horse than backing flat

o   Soft, open hands, reward the slightest try

o   Careful not to feel rough to horse as then she can’t understand

o   If a little bracey and head low, lift head a bit so horse doesn’t evade

o   Gives a mental connection

o   Reward connection and relaxation

o   Mini releases for mini tries; big release for big try

Thursday - Best day with Sephira and Try lethargic

Today began with walking to Sephira's pasture and Try catching me on the way to say "pick me." Gave her treat at the fence then went back to barn and came out again with BA to help her get Lexie. Try walked away from me!! That was fun as we got to play the catching game--she came to me but I likely quit too soon. Then a little attention in the pasture and left to get Sephira.

Today with Sephira--no tricks, really working with me, walk/trot/canter. Canter lovely compliments from Bethanna. With the trot I took a soft feel and tried to identify when she was "soft on the bit." I realize I have had years of not caring about this. BA has been taught by Joey to jiggle legs to get her to soften. I would have used ring fingers softly on the reins to do the same thing. After good with alignment and catch the thought but not so much with softening the front end.

Then went back to Try and went to lovely new round pen with new footing. Cool. Try honestly did not feel like moving. Played gently with lots of Parelli games and B Me alignment and catch the thought. She was resistant in catch the thought today after being lovely the last time. Tiny bits of trot not sustained/liberty. Circling on the rail, sidepass to me from intention. Concentration scattered. Also she snapped at me when I went to put her halter on in pasture 2nd time. I know she was saying to me. LEAVE-ME-ALONE-I-DO NOT-WANT-TO-DO-ANYTHING! NOT IN THE MOOD!! I do not know what to do--vets don't see anything. I think perhaps it is arthritis and wildly changing weather.

Monday - I'm back and Tuesday ride with Sephira

Starting to feel that I am getting back into the swing of things.

1. Sephira--riding with draw reins--lovely trot and canter. Remember to use leg for forward energy with Sephira especially at the canter.

next time: ride the canter on a loose rein and for the trot--light connection looking for softening, jiggling LEGS to soften.

B Me:
1. Sephira--after riding.
a. Did fairly well with alignment--she was able to "see me" so much better than yesterday.
b. "Catch the thought" shifting my weight and focusing energy and line of lead/halter to her chest was the answer. The energy ribbon was clutter.

2. Try--her usual self today--groom, hang out and B Me:
a. Some melting, aligned well by 2nd ask
b. catch the thought--she was even better than last Thursday. Nose and chest in one movement from focus on her chest. She knew what I was asking and offered--several nice ones--the third with several steps back. Gave treat and quit.

Tuesday rode Sephira with draw reins WTC on the grass in front of the barn as that was the best footing on the farm. Went really well.

Sunday

Sephira
Getting her to see me in the round pen. BME didn't work, circling with lots of walk/trot transitions and back to B ME and it was getting better. Then pleasant ride and at the end played with alignment and catch the thought and was much better--especially when I had my act together remembering all the pieces.

Try quick B Me in her pasture. Not as good as Thursday but easy back/didn't add the nose nearly as well.

Thursday - Try, Kathy and "catch the thought"

Try was great: enjoyed the lesson especially the canter--she was using her HQ for longer than before in the canter. We also played with task 2 catch the thought and Try was awesome--third attempt she put back and nose together.