Monday and Tuesday

Warm, sunny weather. Christmas Glow and Flow. Time with my horses--Try offering uphill canter as the answer to everything and awesome at liberty in the field--no ropes or sticks etc and Sephira lovely to be with and relaxed and melting into the ground. Happy horses. Life is good.

Thursday - Lovely day with Try

Went out to the barn early and moved Parelli toys behind the round pen.

Then went to see Try in her pasture. Began thankfulness time sitting on log and Try came to me within a couple seconds and we breathed on each other. I thought she might be ready to play then but she was not--so played with liberty--GM then quickly into alignment--she was great by the 2nd attempt so asked for catch the thought part 1 which was lovely. Put halter on and into barn for grooming.

Barn: high energy level with guest farrier doing Richmond's feet--stallion and scarey smells for Try. She was uncharacteristically a bit up and nervous. Left for ring and a lovely ride--decided to ride there as I thought Try would enjoy riding with Ramone more than being in her pasture with Lexie tho Lexie was good about leaving Try alone today.

Took plenty of time to warm up--walk/little jog/walk/suppling etc. Then a couple of laps of trot, some nice cantering.

Finished with more B Me--GM good, alignment-good, catch the thought part 1 fabulous, part 2 softening and bringing head in/down from the chest I am confused a few tries but not so good on my part--need to review. Went on to direct the shoulder for the first time--in the beginning Try offered other stuff and was confused--then I helped her a little with lead--she got it, quickly rewarded the thought and 2nd time was fantastic. Quit--treat--goooood girl--session over.

Back to the barn--second farrier had arrived--both ends of the barn blocked--got Try in, tack off, brush--Try nervous then back out to her pasture and visit/dwell time.

Monday - Try and Wednesday - mostly Sephira

Monday: Today I enjoyed Try's company

• She seemed happier, relaxed, responsive
• nice turn on the haunches
• enjoyed the canter
• weaves were fabulous
• BMe good and also stick to lme

next time: canter on the rail

watched BA ride Sephira--BA is enjoying getting to ride Sephira to learn dressage and I enjoyed watching Sephira being good at learning. BA trimmed her mane and she was amazing and not in a good way!

Wednesday: I enjoyed reviewing with Try the B Me lessons in her pasture and she was just lovely in all ways. BA gave her a partial clip on Tuesday and she is looking good also.

Sephira--I rode her and loved it

• She was pleasant, relaxed and responsive
• We did 2 laps of canter on the rail and she broke gait only one time to poop--I was able to easily catch any other potentials breaks of gait.
• Her canter is fabulous
• We had a lovely fluid serpentine with the changes of bend flowing nicely
• She was agreeable about a bit of vertical flexion--a non issue

next time: I have a plan including canter on the rail 2 laps.

Sunday Nov 30 with Kathy and Try

We discussed habits--mine

I would like to make good progress in replacing several old habits:

1. maintaining my leg by the horse's side--bounce leg to correct/cue

2. maintaining hands close together

3. make turns with my torso while I look where I am going

4. open upper torso

Today I really liked mini serpentines going forward without asking for a bend.

Today we played with the concept in bends of asking for more bend in the HQ.

I am truly loving the difference in Try's canter using her HQ!

Last week in November - "Vacation"

It rained and was muddy and cold through Wednesday so I caught up on Christmas stuff. Thursday Thanksgiving. Friday watched Lisa's lesson with Kathy.

MMJ BMe Update

On Sun, Nov 23, 2014 at 7:13 AM, Elizabeth Pope <ehpope@embarqmail.com> wrote:

Hi Mary,

Lisa and I got together yesterday. I thought she did great with Tiara--was able to see Tiara progressively relaxing, increasing the alignment and the catch the thought goes pretty well for them with the dressage background. That's the good news. 

I learned a lot playing with Try yesterday. Mainly I learned if she isn't in the mood and I can't change it, there will be no sincere alignment so no point in going on.  

(Note: Try bit two people this week and snapped at another when they tried to put her halter on her in the pasture--very uncharacteristic for my perfectly wonderful warm, loving, safe friend. Both vets have checked her out and found nothing physical. I have asked Try what is going on and she is saying to me--if I am hearing her correctly--"I am in a bad mood, I don't know why, I am confused, I don't want to do anything, LEAVE ME ALONE, do not ask me to do anything.") 

2 minute video--not sure it is worth your time to watch but link is included below. 

1. Because Try was cranky I picked her to play with thinking she might enjoy the low-keyed attention in the sunshine etc.

2. GM she was fairly relaxed but tuned out--energy ribbon not leading to more relaxation so went on to alignment. I kept trying to find a way to reward the slightest relaxation and release but she wasn't offering any. I stopped and rubbed her forehead at one point and she did melt for me really well--this is our go to spot for relaxation.

3. Alignment: although it got slightly better as we went along and we did both sides, I could see her cutting her eyes at me and she was so slow--no energy put forth to connect with me--I was embarrassed to see the video. I am wondering if I need MORE TM energy in some way. Today I plan, however, a session just to see if I can change up the mood.

4. Catch the thought: I could see her chest tighten and this was not difficult for her and she responded quickly but she did not have the lovely catch the thought and round up simultaneously that she has had twice in the previous week.

5. A question about teaching Try to soften when I touch her face--am I correct that this is while focusing on the center of her chest and will this lead to Try rounding up every time I touch her face with GM whether I holding lead or not--just touch lovingly while focusing TM energy on the center of her chest?

6. Do you reckon she is bored with what I am doing and do I need to somehow change things up?

7. Will let you know if I have good results today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE0CaFDRzJU&feature=youtu.be

From Mary:

Try has so very much pre-exhisting communication with you - she could be getting frustrated when she thinks she should know how to answer you - yet it is not resulting in reward - I would be quick to get out and move on to something else when she first starts to soften in the face the slightest bit - was this video in one time frame? She had a great shift of Energy early on - but then seems to tune out as you went - try to notice when you get a 2 + 2 is 4 and go on the something else.

yes to 5 - but only if she understands clearly that this is the answer - it sounds like she has a lot of other things she is pretty certain are the answers and is getting frustrated if she does not know what path you want her one -

make it really clear just with the slight pressure on the nose for now - lessen the exaggeration of you body moving into hers - and just work on that one 'sheet' of communication - when she softens her face  release - and treat if you want - be real quick to get out and change it up to something else to reward her - she has a lot of well paved roads - we want to be helping the communication on those roads even clearer.

Mary

Mary,

I think this is huge--ordinarily I would be rewarding in so many ways step by step i.e. good girl, pats, rub her forehead, wait, treats (I have 3 categories of treats and am careful how I give them and when--gave treat too late in the previous session then too many. I have so-so treats for ok stuff that I still want to reinforce, good treats for big improvements and a super treat when the session ends.)

In my desire to be perfect in my BMe learning I was only just trying to reward with GM cookies and I think we were both frustrated and communication was so unclear between us.

Also Try is absolutely a horse not to drill--move on when she gets it!

Will let you know how it goes--between rain and barn being inundated with water, I have lost consistency.

From Mary:

Please keep me in the loop on Try's progress - Anytime I've had anyone say their horse was nippy or cranky it has usually stemmed from the horse being frustrated by the human's communication - and this is one of those things that can be really hard to diagnose via internet - if I need to come up for a short visit just for you and Try - I am willing to do that to ensure I am helping guide you both in the way I intend - just keep me posted please :-) MMJ

Will keep you informed. Try has cranky periods. She had a bad one August of 2013 and vet found arthritis issues--injected hocks/adequan. I have whatever vet is at the barn continuing to check this and so far no need for repeat of this. Last January, Try was cranky and vet thought it might be hormones in aging mare. But now if it is physical neither vet can find anything. I am considering chiropractor for accupuncture or massage therapist.

Also she is grumpy in her pasture when I drive in before she even sees me AND her biting people/children when I am not even there and Try doesn't even know them--doesn't seem an immediate reaction to human communication. It could be a general frustration to humans, weather, her 2 y/o pasture mate, arthritis. I am very concerned as I want this to be a good time in her life when she feels good, is healthy and feels loved and valued.

Will let you know.

Thank you for offering the workshop and sharing your expertise!!! YES to continuing with the workshop on a monthly basis.

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COURSE WRAPUP QUESTIONS: I would like to ask that you respond to the following questions with candor and heart. (you may reply in the body of an email or attach a word doc)

1. What have you discovered is your best way of creating GM within yourself? Little smile and think of my golden girl Try. I even think of it as GM golden mode. I think of how much I love her and love to stroke her golden coat. I have this linked to the "one with the universe" state of mind I learned to create years ago. I don't always remember to bring GM forth in me LOL!! However, if I want it, its there.

2. What have you discovered is the best way to guide your horse to reach GM? Stroke her forehand and ears and she will melt. She doesn't see the energy ribbon as a cue to melt--just tolerates it. I believe I de-sensitized her to it. OR perhaps I need to find ways to give her a reason to want to relax/be released from pressure.

3. Out of all 8 Sessions - which was the easiest for you and why? I just looked back through them and I don't feel that any of them were/are easy. In a way working on myself is the most difficult as it requires working on some fundamental change and the need for fairly constant awareness of my relaxation and positive thinking. On the other hand, applying sessions with Try and Sephira are more difficult because I am not the only one in control of what happens.

4. Which Session was the hardest and why? Session 1 thankfulness/GM/relaxation--creating in myself what my horses would like to experience.

5. Was the workshop what you expected it to be? Please elaborate. I had few expectations--my feeling was that I just wanted to learn more about using energy and visualization with my horses. So the workshop exceeded my expectations.

6. What was the most challenging part of the workshop as a whole? I have tried to not use Parelli methods along with the energy ribbon/B Me to further my learning and I think it was a mistake as it takes me away from using my intuition to focus in so much on learning a technique. (I am task oriented enough as is.) I have done the Parelli so long that I am not sure it is even Parelli but just me--I do have the right brain/big energy/artistic creativity part very strong in me and my intuition with horses is good if I will just let it be the highest priority.

7. What would you say that you have gained from this workshop? Belief in my ability to communicate with Try and Sephira on a deeper level.

8. Is there any constructive criticism you could offer to help the program help more horses & humans in the future? I have not tried session 8 yet with Try and Sephira. The fact that the workshop went eight weeks was a positive for more time for exploration but I suspect my de-sensitizing may have come from not moving along when Try and Sephira needed it. When I signed up for the course the Aug/Sept time frame was a selling point for me--i.e. to use that hot August time productively. I knew October would be difficult with trips/projects etc and I dropped the ball for nearly a month and lost momentum and lost the depth of GM I had been using/creating.

I wonder if there is a way for the facebook group to be more learning oriented. I am happy to like and support everyone--that is me. I am not comfortable posting there all the time if it is more than others as that feels selfish.

I wonder if there is a way to make journaling more a part of the workshop--I blog and make notes on the course each time I play with my horses and I am keeping a notebook with the course text, my notes, your notes, private session notes, etc.

I actually think I have a fairly good intellectual grasp of the course work BUT when I am with my horses I lose pieces and am never as effective as when you are there. I do make a list of key points and memorize them before I go to the barn and still have trouble in action remembering 5 or so points simultaneously. LOL I realized with Lisa and Tiara--that the points to remember come to me so easily, steps to follow etc--when I am just WATCHING. I want so much to read my horses moments as they happen and not miss important stuff.

ok I am rambling. Thank you for undertaking sharing your knowledge with us.!!!!!

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Learning to be good with horses?

Learning to be good with horses

A complex pursuit involving human emotional fitness, physical fitness, knowledge as a rider, ability to read and understand the horse’s emotional needs and what is needed for the physical development of the horse—all the while forming a partnership between 2 very different species. If the prerequisite to riding is calm, connected and responsive—that requires the understanding of helping the horse to be relaxed, mentally connected with the human and desiring to follow the suggestions/desires of the human. Setting priorities is important as it is impossible to do it all.

ME

1.      Emotional fitness requires physical relaxation and positive thinking as prerequisites to the magic of communication in great times and trying times. This is homework that can be done before going to the barn and requires conscious awareness at the barn. Also homework for identifying and changing unhealthy states such as fear of injury.

2.      Physical fitness for riding to me requires homework of strength training with weights and abdominal work and flexibility conditioning is huge to prevent injuries. I am relying on riding for aerobic conditioning.

3.      Mentally homework is study. Study of written/video/audio coursework in the areas of natural horsemanship, rider bio-mechanics and dressage for the physical development of the horse. The amount of material available to study through internet and home study, clinics, lessons is vast to say the least. Study includes planning priorities for sessions at the barn and assessment of those sessions afterward.

TRY

1.      Emotional fitness: Try is calm and brave and not particularly motivated to move her feet unless she becomes emotional. She is especially safe to ride and be with, even when emotional--she does not lose sight of relating to humans. She fears pressure in learning situations and fears losing control. She is very expressive of how she is feeling. She and I are hugely emotionally connected. She reads my mind.

2.      Physical fitness: the dressage training is being fantastic for Try with positive changes in muscular development occurring at her age of 23. She is not getting the aerobic training she was getting from hunter riding and this could be added although carefully as laps bore her greatly.

3.      Mentally: Try enjoys the accomplishment of learning, nickers when she gets it, as well as licking and chewing easily. Mental challenge is important for her as she gets bored easily and will not desire to be “responsive” if so. She does a lot of stuff for me just because she knows I want it—not because of any genuine ambition on her part. However, she seems to enjoy having human audiences and perhaps is competitive with other horses in showing what a great learner she is. She has been a student of western pleasure, gaming, reining, natural horsemanship, English hunter riding on the flat, dressage, and responds to the beat of music, energy levels and subtle cueing.

SEPHIRA

1.      Emotional fitness: Sephira is calm, brave but not quite as much as Try. She is more introverted than Try. She does not have Try’s emotional swings, staying, at least on the surface, calm and sweet. She gets emotional over rough handling in grooming—more offended than fearful. While having a reputation for sweetness, especially in riding, she also has a big ego and knows she is gorgeous, special and an advanced dressage horse. She is tolerant of two kinds of riders: intermediate but kind and not asking too much of her and also advanced riders who are very clear and fair and also do not push her too far or fast. She is confused about relating to a human on a deeper level though we make strides--though consistency is lacking on my part. We are sometimes very connected and other times there is no connection. She draws easily to humans but will crowd their space if allowed. She is curious.

2.      Physical fitness: this is increasing at a good pace after years of inattention. Hunter hacks and dressage lateral and vertical flexion 3-4 times per week.

3.      Mentally: Sephira is a good learner under saddle. She is pretty clueless about learning tasks on the ground and tunes out mentally. She is enormously smart and enjoys testing humans, especially with ground manners issues. She has not found satisfaction or enjoyment in learning on the ground but does enjoy dwell time and liberty. She has learned dressage to at least FEI Intermediate level and although she burned out--that learning and accomplishment says a lot.