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.

Photos from Kathy

 Thursday Kathy Glielmi took these photos at Rollover:
Sephira and Diesel

Friday

As I have had good experiences with Sharon Baldwin, animal communicator, when I was concerned about Try and couldn't figure out the problem, I decided to ask Sharon to do a reading on Sephira. Emails below:

Glad I could help, and no she's not telling me why her tongue's sore. She may not know..if she pops something out to me I'll definitely let you know. So good to hear about you, and Try! Can't wait to hear more!! Blessings, Sharon

On Fri, May 23, 2014 at 5:43 PM, Elizabeth Pope <ehpope@embarqmail.com> wrote: This is excellent!!!! Did she give any indication why her mouth is sore? Thank you--I soooooooo wanted her to know where I am coming from--that I want to be different for her. I will keep reading your notes over and over I am sure!! AND let you know how it goes. Try and I have been having a lot of magic times together. Elizabeth 

From: Sharon Baldwin [mailto:critterbanter@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, May 23, 2014 5:15 PM
To: Elizabeth Pope
Subject: Re: Sephira

Here ya go! She’s very abrupt in her speech. Interesting! She’s used to seeing life in a very cut and dried way of being. She’s trying to understand your quiet-ness. She’s stiff because that’s all she knows how to be. And..when I say stiff, I mean like the difference in a New Yorker, and a North Carolinian. She has to work on relaxing, and she’s willing.

She’d like to be your teacher. She thinks she’d be good at it. I’ve explained that works both ways and that you need to learn together and become a team. She understands you need to take care of each other and she’s open to see how it goes and if and how the bond strengthens. She’s never had that before so she’s a little unsure of commitment..just yet! I do feel it will happen! She would think less of you if you were a pushover so no worries on that count.

She says her mouth is a little sore. Her overall health seems to be good. She maybe a bit sore in the poll area from bracing even though it’s been a while since any of this happened.  Might want to check just because..could need some chiropractic although that’s kinda iffy!

She is very smart, and she’ll keep you on your toes. Don’t be too forgiving..She’s also willing to send you thoughts and feelings. She asked if you’d take a few minutes daily and open yourself to her..and trust!

She feels more comfortable by herself for now. She’ll let you know when she’s ready to have Try as a pasture-mate. 

I’m glad you have this mare, girl. I really like her, and with your knowledge and hers I think you’ll make a good pair. Just remember it took her many years to build these obstacles, and it might take a lot of time and patience to tear them down. I have faith in you, and the mare! Have fun!!

Sharon asked for pic/bio and my questions before proceeding:

Pic Sephira

BIO

17 year old Dutch Warmblood, shown third level dressage and training to at least FEI Intermediate. Lots of baggage—pressure, heavy use of aids and artificial aids, burned out and angry then owners got angry at her. Then turned out and nothing for several years. A trainer at the barn, loved her, thought her very spiritual and wanted to find her another home so she came to Rollover where I board for that purpose. That trainer thought Sephira and I would be a good match. She came to me as basically a give-away, throw-away. We are doing just a bit of ground work and just starting to ride together. She has an exquisite trot and easy canter—lovely energy. She is not comfortable with expressing thoughts and feelings and doesn’t get it about puzzle solving together as yet. She is smart and we are beginning to get on the same page more and more. I will need to find the balance with her of her respect that I am not a push over while at the same time I will do everything possible to have her be happy and content.

__________________

I would like Sephira to know that I know she has been mistreated and that I will do everything I can to prevent that from EVER happening again but I am not perfect. That I know that she has suffered too much pressure, overuse of aids, and rudeness and I am striving to be a different kind of human.

In return I would ask of her

1.      To be safe

2.      To have her be my teacher for some easy lower level dressage stuff

a.      To make me a better rider

b.     To assist me in developing knowledge of a horse’s physical needs

3.      Also I would like to know if she prefers being in a pasture by herself or would she like to be pastured with my horse Try/palomino in neighboring pasture.

Thursday - took a spill

Lovely grooming session with Sephira: no one on the farm but me. Very relaxed, soft, no opposition reflex.
Mounting and warmup walk and trot went really well.

Hmm--as I remember Sephira felt soft to me on Tuesday when I brought her in for vet--shots, coggins. Relaxed after Monday Parelli on line with Marie also. Tuesday BA commented that she has perfectly happy with BA brushing her forelock. But energy really changed with the vet--over shots/drawing blood or even energy she was picking up for vet. When I walked her back to pasture her energy made me nervous. I realized in a bit that I forgot her flysheet and went back and put it on her at liberty and she was perfectly lovely about it. So the +/-'s come and go relatively quickly.

Kathy arrived for lesson and I got her to hold Sephira while I made quick errand. That broke the energy we had going. Sephira would back at the mounting block. Warmup with Kathy ok as I remember it.

I was too tired and it took me awhile to understand what Kathy was asking with little 1/4 turn on the haunches with Sephira--when I got my weight right I did not need reins!!

However I was too tired and couldn't keep all my body parts working correctly and was quietly crying. I should have stopped.

About 30 minutes into the session we were trotting tracking left coming around the curve toward the tree when Sephira took a big stumble and I came off. Little hip soreness and shoulder majorly painful. Sephira just stopped near me. I was very glad that Kathy was there as it would have been difficult for me to get Sephira back to the barn by myself. Both of us spent time reassuring Sephira.

Kathy and I sat at the picnic table and had really good discussion about bridging the gap with Sephira--how to pick what parts of what she knows to build our rappore and what to avoid that might invoke negative feelings from the past.

For humans and horses: creativity requires positive atmosphere (love/fear--one-ness) and then the expression of thought and emotion can occur and horsemanship can be a creative/shared/joint art. The horse can not be a slave--obedient without personal expression. For that matter--neither can the human!! Ballet choreographers that remove the creativity from students through fear and intimidation! AND this means I can not blindly follow any instructor--I must have a relationship where I can be open with my thoughts and it be a shared partnership with common goals.

Kathy and I talked about using patterns as a bridge for Sephira from what she knows to trust. Kathy suggested lots of curved lines for suppling as her shoulders are stiff/tight. While I am at it I have my own shoulder issues which can be getting in my way and my horses' as well. WAKE UP CALL HERE. Kathy suggested repeat the exercise we did with mini turns on the haunches. Also careful not to throw her away with the reins. That Sephira is not ready for me to her straight--??--need to get clarification on that--because of stiffness in FQ?? Mental stiffness??

Followup: first fall in 3 or 4 years and never from Try! Shoulder sore, feeling a bit feverish and nauseated Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun. Monday: feeling better, range of motion nearly back to normal, much less pain. This is scary and makes me feel old. Bruise in photo

Thursday - Alchemy update in prep for lesson with Kathy

Alchemy of Lightness--see previous post

Jotting down my thoughts and quotes/restatements

Introduction

• If we believe/see the horse/human partnership as creative art, the horse and human need the proper environment for creativity--especially the horse?--prerequisites are 1. a positive, safe atmosphere, 2. encouragement of thoughts (inward), and 3. encouragement of personal expression (outward). So with Try and I--that good happy BF oneness feeling is a great place to start then both of us free to be creative--Try encouraged to express her thoughts and feelings--have them recognized and appreciated and then filtered within the scope of what we may be doing. By the same token can Try consider my thoughts and feelings and take or leave them in a positive way?
• Barbier says what the French school of dressge describes as lightness he calls elusive oneness achieved through what he terms Molecular Equitation--that is a flow of molecules in time and space that generate and enhance horse and rider communication with science to back it up.
• Scientific info on why people feel better around horses--bigger heart energy
• importance of visualization before asking
• to gain the horses trust we must give away complete control--then he gives us back a new type of consciousness--thus the horse becomes a means to enlightenment/spiritual development for the human.
• connected field of energy and horse and human

Chapter 1