Friday - Devon

Today I rode Devon and had a pretty good hack: wtc and 2 laps of no stirrups. I attempted to work on my visualizations and did remember cueing, my frame, pleased and tension. However I was distracted as this was the first day of MH teaching Jennifer and I could not help but watch some and look to see if I was staying out of the way. I have no way of knowing how having MH's operation at Rollover will change things at Rollover now how to take advantage of it as an opportunity. Likely MH will not mind my watching as her assistant Lauren Hopper was watching as well as Jennifer's friend Rene (who does eventing).

Friday

Riding Visualizations

1. I am riding N Sync with Try and Devon

2. I am practicing full breathing while riding

3. I am identifying and releasing any tension

4. I can Isolate cueing with legs from my torso

5. I am frequently Pleased

6. I am using my Confidence image

7. I am Effective in my cueing

8. I can maintain a beautiful frame

Thursday - Try helps trim branches

Putting it to purpose: 

Try was voted most likely to succeed in being our ladder to trim tree branches in the ring. She was a champ--super helpful, moved easily to where she needed to be, then stood still, even when a few branches/leaves fell on her head. Thank you Try!!

Today Try and I rode:

For her: fitness--first real day back with walk/trot and canter. She was full of go. Great ride--a bit distracted at the end as trailer pulled in with handsome stallion and gelding warm bloods!

For me: I kept checking my mental list to improve my riding--
1. Am I in sync with my horse instead of pushing her
2. Can I identify and release tension--especially hips and lower back
3. Deep breathing?
4. Arm and hand positions, heels down, posting forward position
5. Channeling confidence and being above it all
6. Effective cueing

What I did: I often remembered in sync and freeing lower back and hips, confidence and position less often remembered, breathing I forgot, cueing I took care of as needed without much thought.

From Kathy on relaxation vs over riding:

    I worked on this concept with Suzanne and Lisa as both were at various stages of over riding, I had worked with Lisa on this last Saturday.  Besides showing the sensitivity of the horse to the subtle changes in the rider when visualizing what you want from from the horse, but also the quality of the gait that results when you ask.  As you found out, as you visualized with relaxation, the horse was picking up on your brain/body connection and then when you applied leg, inhaled and released your energy/life up with intent/purpose, the horse responded far better than if you didn't give that mental preview while you were relaxed.  This relaxed imagery is like a half halt in that it is telling the horse a change is coming and to be ready.  It continues to amaze Lisa at T's understanding and how much impact rhythmic breathing, relaxation and visualization has on improved understanding of what kind of engagement and what tempo within a gait the rider is looking for.  It is almost magic.  When used for longer periods while riding the physical aides become almost invisible!!!!  Yay!!!!!  The horse/rider interaction on this level becomes more dance like as aides are so subtle.  You never see anything written or taught on how to teach riders to feel.  I have always said riders have to think with two brains, one in their head and the other in their fanny; brontosaurus had two brains with one in it's tail.  The brain in your fanny is for feeling what the horse is doing, where the shoulders, ribs and HQ are in relation to straightness, engagement, throughness, self carriage and response to rider's aides.

  Rhythmic breathing is another thing that is rarely taught, yet relaxation hinges on the rider's ability to breathe rhythmicaly and breathing also helps in transitions - inhale on up transitions and exhale on down.  Life-up is also hinging on breathing.

  I think it would be fun to do something with Devon along the lines of what we did with Try.  And now Try has another job as a landscaping assistant  lol I am not surprised that Try got distracted when Richmond came lol It is going to be different having a stallion around, that's for sure.

Tuesday - Devon in the Field

Devon: 

quick groom then session playing with the topic of effective cueing to build respect and avoid nagging. Then did 2+2 laps of no stirrups posting trot for the first time. It actually wasn't difficult because Devon's trot was so big and nice and I could just follow him. Dawn commented she didn't even notice I didn't have stirrups and other comment--the no stirrups actually looked better than with stirrups for the second day in a row!

Then to the big field for the first ride trot and canter--watching for extra energy going toward the gate at the trot and using outside leg to prevent drifting toward the gate LOL. I am not confident yet and was wary not knowing how Devon would be with so much space. I do love the fact that it is so freeing to have such a long field--especially at the canter. My back was bothering me so the second direction I did in a half seat instead of on my balance point. Remember to follow the motion.

Finished with shower, rainrot shampoo, graze.

Try:

Dawn rode Try and she was in a cranky mood. Oh dear. I will ride Try next on Thursday and hope she is better.

For today--goals were to relax tension which I didn't address as much as I would like. Also to remember the visual image from the video of BA's ease, confidence and being above any tension/effort and I was able to play with this a good bit. Also I saw a too open arms on video and corrected it today in my riding.

Monday - lesson with Kathy

First lesson in over a month AND first time back actually riding for Try.

Kathy and I began with talking--I mentioned that I have learned from Devon that I use too much energy and in releasing that actually found a couple of incredibly free/floating on air moments with Devon at the trot and canter. Also I shared the following post from Jolene McDowell who is attending the Parelli Instructor Course:

Jolene McDowell 1* Junior Instructor said Parelli is like the porcupine game: you get it hair, skin, muscle, bone. It takes a while to sink in. Keep at it until it does. 

"Think about softness/awareness whenever you are around your horse, even walking up to them. Sometimes when we walk up even to the stalls, we walk like Zeus and blow through their thresholds. We have to learn to feel of and for our horses ALWAYS, even when we first drive up."

"The horses are trying to do it right. Something has caused them to be resentful. So when they dive, it's because there is peace in the grass. They are trying to find peace, but it's not there. Hands have to close slowly, open quickly. This is all about emotional fitness "Don't act like a predator" "How interesting". That's all about emotional fitness. The Friendly Game is The Confidence Game." 

"The porcupine, you must believe it is going to work or you are screwed at hello" 

Carol had us feel the feelings of peace, calm, deep breathing. Then she asked us to feel "dispeace", "displeased". "Your horse can feel that!" Being pleased is a "release" to the horse and it's the release that teaches. Think of being pleased as the release."

"If you are never pleased, you never truly release the horse. Try to be "pleased" often. That doesn't mean you are satisfied. That's what keeps driving you to improve. Keep your emotions in check. Feel pleased." Carol Coppinger

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We had an physically easy lesson with three short go's at the walk and trot working on releasing tension in my body and feeling pleased. Try licked and chewed as I worked on myself to relax especially in hips and lower back and let go of pushing Try and instead following Try. I cried after the first go in embarrassment over having ridden for 13 years in a manner where I could only have been frustrating Try and getting in her way.

This relates to what I have been working on in riding Devon/regulating my energy level and passenger lessons with Dan where I completely just follow Try in the posting trot.

I had a breakthru the last go when I found I could keep my body relaxed and ask for more energy in the trot with legs only instead of pushing Try with my whole body/hip tension. Try's response was amazing.

Also I watched the video of BA's flat class with Webster and compared how she looked riding with other riders and the video of my riding. She is so confident and it looks so easy--it looks like she is just schooling the horse and way beyond the level of horse, other riders including me of course. Even though that comes from a level of riding I don't have perhaps I can think of that image and ride with a sense of ease and being above it all, unconcerned with petty worries.

Tuesday thru Friday

1. I am going to lease Devon from now through December from Joey Barley and am more than a little thrilled!! Devon is pictured in this clipping from the Sun Journal being ridden by Bethanna Perry who owns Rollover where I board. (I will not, however, be jumping LOL.) Devon is such a sweet guy and I feel like I am floating on air in his big trot and canter.
   
   I will be learning from Devon as he has different talents and accomplishments than Try. I think I will be an improved rider by December and that is one of my main horsemanship goals at this time. BA has ridden him for ?two years and they have worked out a language between them that is so much like advanced Parelli "how light is light" cueing "from intention" and I am delighted to be playing with the same with Devon now. I am so very fortunate and grateful to Bethanna Perry and Joey for the opportunity.

Tuesday
Try: better, gave treats, visited with her in her stall.
Devon: boring frustrating ride in the mud.

Thursday
Devon: filmed--played with concept of identifying the quality of the gaits--he kept feeling like he would break gait at the canter and I nagged him and then we both got emotional.

August 22 Issues

General:

1.     Bridle: flat of hand at bit, jiggle, treat2.     Mounting block do not pick up reins, if he backs slap HQ to move forward3.     After riding—walk up and down the drive as release
4.     No stirrups is now 2 walk 2!!
5.     Balance: kindness, soft energy, soft hands with the respect I need in return. If I don’t fix things respect will decrease.
6.     Halt to walk and walk to trot cue by jiggling my ankles as phase 1
7.     Me: quiet hands, closer together, open torso, forward in saddle especially in posting trot to come down gently
8.     Warmup: this is an important part of the process—we do not want the energy necessary for quality of the gaits of walk and trot immediately. Nor do we ever want a snappy departure etc for a hunter horse. Devon needs time to warmup. We do not want impulsiveness.

9.     Discuss the canter/lope—quality of canter. Remember the video of BA and Devon jumping.
10.  Be aware of my energy and emotion!!

Video comments

1.     Walk: check foot  falls—shuffling along hind foot steps into print of front foot. A good walk hind foot print will be ?12” forward. It feels lighter when the walk improves.
2.     Trot: I look awkward when it is very slow—my posting isn’t in sync.
3.     If Devon is testing me with slow downs at trot (and canter) I need more leg/spur/kick rather than let this progress into a mess, loss of quality, loss of respect and negative emotion.
4.     We looked more in sync in the no stirrups posting trot—because I was concentrating on myself and Devon could go on autopilot.
5.     We also look more in sync in a good trot.
6.     Usually Devon’s canter feels good and he maintains a nice pace—this was an off day.

Last week I felt two moments—both trot and canter with Devon that I have never felt before riding. I felt completely free, no sense of riding or trying to make anything happen, following him without thought as if I was floating on a cloud or on a raft in the ocean. I believe this is what passenger riding is all about.

Try: bareback pad and bridle--walked around the farm.

Saturday
Try: back paddock--

• 
  

  Elizabeth Pope

  Today I decided to test the "pick me up at the mounting block" game for DISTANCE:
  
  I sat on the fence about from 25' from Try, called Try's name to get her attention because she was eating grass, leaned back a little, gestured "come" with my fingers and she walked over but was facing me, rather than in position to mount.
  
  So I gestured zone 1 away and leaned back to ask HQ to come forward so she would be parallel to fence.
  
  Then Try sidepassed up to me the remaining 4 feet or so. We finished with a pleasant bareback and bridleless walk around just for the heck of it. Gotta love Try--and aren't Parelli games the funnest?

  Also good was backup from seat alone.

Monday - Try - injecting hocks

Monday

Got to barn and bathed Try as she was covered in oily MTG for rainrot and had rolled in dirt. Rainrot was gone at least.

Basic hack with Devon: warmup, no stirrups, trot laps and canter at 1/2 seat, on balance point and 2 point. Really good groom and shower.

Karen Bullock arrived: Devon's dry skin is tumor--vitamin E or baby oil good to apply--area will grow. Also Devon is now getting supplement for hoofs.

Then Karen looked at Try and immediately found bad osteoarthritis in hocks and a lot of pain in hip area. She injected the hocks--was pleased she could penetrate the areas but there was blood in 3 out of 4 and only a bit of viscosity in the 4th. HA? to improve viscosity and cortisone. Also an anti-inflammatory for soreness and not ride until end of the week and easy ride then. Likely she will need pain killers and have hocks injected on going and ?? affect on riding/fitness. I feel terrible not to have known this was going on. Karen said Try had every right to be crabby. Try was a perfect patient through all of that.