BFO liberty: test of quality and quantity of attention span

wow--new perspective on liberty!! new levels are so good.

Sat - magic day

level3 liberty basics:

1. enter and remove halter to promote stick to me--she easily moved her HQ as I did this.
2. friendly side and do more friendly--I did this
3. porky: lead by ears, legs w/string--wow we have never done part of this and she was light, following the feel and then suggestion
4. driving: which end does the halte go on/ HQ yield 2 eyes/stick behind the back/FQ yield--sharpen up--HQ yield much more responsive
5. stick to me: let stick and string drag and practice/sharpen up/ including back and trot good at this level
6. sideways from zone 1 get smallest try/reward/get off it--she understands this from pendalum rhythm--watch Annie again and then take this further.

Riding: posting trot and a couple circles of canter in baretek pad.

Next session: check all above and add catching attention game. from fig 8 or HQ yield/2 eyes.

1. flick rope and hold halter
2. coil coil coil and flick--looking at tail
3. look for ears, ?
4. spiral out to walk away take pressure off

TEST OF LENGTH AND QUALITY OF ATTENTION SPAN

3 days off Thanksgiving - new parelli levels packs

For Saturday plan

coming in from pasture: driving in zones 3-5
remember dwell/passenger

riding: baretek/pilates--passenger/6 laps no stirrups/canter/dressage pattern #4

level3 liberty basics:
1. enter and remove halter to promote stick to me
2. friendly side and do more friendly
3. porky: lead by ears, legs w/string
4. driving: which end does the halte go on/ HQ yield 2 eyes/stick behind the back/FQ yield--sharpen up
5. stick to me: let stick and string drag and practice/sharpen up/ including back and trot
6. sideways from zone 1 get smallest try/reward/get off it

Tue riding lesson

warmup then pattern #4 being more particular
Try didn't pick up canter immediately (left over from baretek over weekend) did walk, halt, back canter with intention to fix that ....

Sunday

Went to barn with intention after yesterday. Filmed online stuff and got video off to Kelly and Annie.

Saturday

goal: get stuff filmed to send to kelly

1. came in from other barn/breakfast--dwell and graze time. Warmup with touch it: wow black jump cup from 20 feet, straddled cavaletti pole vertically from a distance (on the popper)!! What a sweet heart. waited calmly while I set up camera and stuff in the ring. etc

lots of rest/treats/dwell between tasks and Try in great mood until I asked for S shape in circling and lope in baretek then ears/ears/ears!

2. got very nice FQ yield 361 degrees/pivoting on HQ on film
3. got improved figure 8 on film from the popper/not begging
4. one whole good section of spin/backing etc did not get filmed
5. circling never got a good send; breaking gait on the obstacle (cavaletti)
6. filmed baretek for me: lope only got a few steps

warm up did not wake Try up--needed stick to me backup or cutting game or something. The latter would be two good ones to send to Annie.

fri figure 8 and keystone

Went a little early to have some dwell time with Try and ended up sharing it with Haylee. Then brought Try in for breakfast and, because ring was being dragged, had a little extra time so went out back for liberty figure 8s--we got them both ways, slowish, and Try did not leave and I did not beg.

Then rode Keystone--better on the warmup and I love his canter. Then did dressage training level pattern 1 and it was a mess.
1. Getting the gait and the pattern was a lot for me. 2. bending on the circle remember use leg mostly and inside rein against the neck 3.getting a good shape on the circle 4. dnward trans no need to rush 5 upward need lots of energy and leg. etc

thur baretek pad

Finally got a chance to really ride in the baretek today after rain, clinic time etc. Used it for what would normally be a lesson of an English hack on the flat plus dressage pattern. Today we did not get to the pattern but found wonder of wonders that I could easily transition from posting trot to Enlgish sitting trot to western jog riding on the buckle. Could lope on my pockets and canter in an English frame. The latter better in the baretek than my English saddle! I did not feel that I lost any precision whatsoever in the English hunter riding. Who da thunk it! I can see that it is going to improve my seat and be a great weekend saddle. I love the fact that I can go play with western freestyle riding and English no stirrups posting trot strength work all in the same session. What a cool pad!

Tue

Yesterday Try and I went on a lovely little trail ride with Kat and Mac. Try enjoyed herself, after we trot back to the hay pile in her pasture together. I hung out awhile talking to Jim and Try kept coming up to visit and then going back to the hay.

Wed: I was sooooo direct line. boo hiss. trying to get some video for Kelly and be a good girl and apply all the stuff I have learned recently. Not enough time, hurried, did not warm up Try so she was still asleep in the beginning and some ears when we did the perkier stuff.

Good stuff--she still wanted to be with me, pretty turn on the haunches, and a few good steps in the hoola hoop, HQ spin 2nd one was pretty good--better to have let Try had time to think about it. circle ok I remembered to check ears/licking and chewing and diseng in the direction she is moving; figure 8s--better coord on my part, did it too many times--get off it.

Did get good clear video 1st time with new camera.

Mon

well I was so motivated but too tired when I got to the barn 2:00ish and was scattered in my thoughts and feel like I need to apologize to Try

FQ yields lovely pivots in place until I asked Try to keep her feet in the hoolahoop
Spin-carrot stick behind the back is still awkward
yoyo and backing are better, less sticky, conscious of ears

circle: forgot to shorten the rope to sent the shoulder out
did traveling variety and set up obstacles but did not really use them
bring back: good at watching for ears
better waiting for lick and chewing
half figure 8 is nice to the left

new camera for photos has video feature--accidentally turned it off but did get a couple seconds of HD and the difference in quality is tremendous. However it requires a converter software from .mov to.avi for editing in studio.

also rode just a little in new bareback pad with new girth--still working to get it just right--was a little loose still but fixable now. pad feels good--at least at trot I feel completely comfortable.

Balancing Respect and Rappore

Comments/thoughts based on private liberty session and video coaching from Kelly: todos to film for next coaching...

1. FQ yield - 361 degrees for respect
2. HQ yield - make this a spin so I am not moving my feet as much
3. FQ and HQ yields do these in a hula hoop
4. porcupine: head down to get good release from pressure with rope (online yoyo)
4. yoyo: vary the speed of the backup and get soft yield coming forward EARS
5. circle game: shorten the rope to send, shoulder needs to move out
6. circle game variety: traveling and obstacles
7. circle come back: watch for ?/ears/licking and chewing
8. circle: bend/shape/contact on the circle
9. Catching game - if she leaves me, throw halter and lead at zone 4 when she turns her shoulder/head away from me. Wait forthe ears and the ?, disengage and turn and walk away to draw.
10. half figure 8: allow her to leave, don't beg, apply catching game if needed. Continue online with belly of the rope on the ground. Send the shoulder, carrot stick under the rope, stick points at HQ, stand tall and super smiley friendly backup/draw.

Balance: what's in it for her: rest, massage, treats
Wait for licking and chewing between tasks
watch out for ear pinning

private session online with Annie Sat

Notes: Private Hour with Annie Shank 11/14/2009 Online

1. The first thing Annie taught all of us was staying neutral. She demonstrated with her husband Michael being the horse, how if we don’t have the belly of the rope on the ground our horse feels our every movement and becomes desensitized to the rope (and probably annoyed). I played with this during the day and Try really responded!

2. Overall I need to be holding the popper of the 22’ line.

3. I shared with Annie before we started (and in advance email) comments from auditions: online that I will need more exuberance from Try for Level 4 and that I was subtly micromanaging in the circling game. Freestyle: that I need to be more particular and Try needs to be more of a partner. That I was stuck on liberty with the figure 8 and had been working on respect/drive/draw to help. Annie addressed all of these and gave me some additional things to play with moving on from where I am online.

4. The first thing we did was the cutting game to get Try’s attention and exuberance—not a Level 1 etc task as it could be dangerous but I am fully confident with this knowing Try. It starts with a little tap on the shoulder to get her to move the shoulder. Progressed to beginning with suggestion with the rope phase 1 and follow up with tap on shoulder if needed. Try and I have done a little of this before but not with such clear how tos. I love this game and as Try being LBI and moi more LBE, I think it will be really fun for us.

5. If my memory serves me the next thing we did was the circling game. 4 laps each way and send at a trot—we did not worry about her ears on the allow and interestingly her ears were really nice when she was behind me. We did play with my dancing and jumping up and down to see the effect on her attitude. I was not micromanaging. I like the way Annie steps out on the send. Note: I did not need to correct Try for offering a canter then deciding to trot (I over asked) nor to correct her for a slow canter where she is trotting behind. Bring back: disengage in the speed up not slow down direction i.e. with her movement not against for a speedier bring back. Do not allow her to come in with ears pinned and back her up until the ears relax even if extensive i.e. back the whole weave.

6. We did a little smell the tail and I needed to be softer in asking but Try did it well and has really good lateral flexion.

7. Figure 8: lead it, carrot stick under, point at the hip then back up with a super friendly look. I LOVE this. I was impressed with Annie's use of facial expression.

8. Next Annie challenged me to do the weave 22’ away holding the popper at a trot. We found I needed to establish this at a walk first and then we were able to do this at a trot. Now I am wondering why this worked so well? Because Annie set it up from the warmup? It wasn’t because she was up being away from home as she was relaxed and happy as a clam the entire time at Mary’s except when she was the only horse in the barn.

9. Another fun thing is using stick to me to help Try get her weight back on her haunches: back Try up to get her on her haunches (and with her conformation she is naturally very much on her FQ—i.e. when she canters in the pasture on her own she really pounds on her front end), then lead off at a trot and IF she doesn’t respond correct with carrot stick/string back to haunches or whatever I can reach.

10. Pedestal: Annie said it is possible for Try to do 4 feet on the pedestal and we played with using savvy string around one hind leg until we reached success with her touching the pedestal with that leg.

11. Driving from zones 3,4,5 with ONE rein/line. This was frustrating to me—Try and I had not done this much in ??3 years, especially with one rope. (and a big thank you to Annie for getting us to do this) I was having problems communicating and being able to get back to zone 5.

1. Carrot stick on TOP of the rump to start the movement,
2. Little circles with stick to turn front end and little up down movement to slow or back.
3. If Try goes sideways then go sideways with her with my ribs really in. Using one rope rather than two is better for my learning to communicate.

Playing at the stations with the cards Annie and Michael provided—lots of good ideas. Try and I played with sideways 22 feet with my feet planted from the popper that was a challenge—tried it point to point between barrels to begin with and when that wasn’t so great went to the cavaletti pole which Try understands as sidepass and we saw some really good improvement and went back to barrels and improved there as well. It gave me food for thought about being too close to Try as a habit. We also played with the weave in various ways at the station.

Fri getting ready for Annie

Finally got Try clipped--needs some cleaning up but pretty good--just took an hour.

Packing up stuff for Try to spend the night at Mary's.
also took the opportunity to do catching game--asked Try to do 1/2 fig 8 (not begging)--she did it well, asked the other direction and she left so when she had her head angled away from me on the circle I tossed line and halter at her butt--only took twice before she was giving me ears and asking a question. I looked a little at her butt and turned and walked away and in she came licking and chewing.

Tomorrow one hour private time with Annie Shank, plus play stations.

rained out

Wed Thur rained out

1. did video lesson w/BA watching dressage training patterns etc at youtube. I learned that there is a huge difference between levels i.e. Olympic like Matinee and local training level. Communication is similar between disciplines. Much of the communication comes from the legs/aids should be imperceptiable (?sp). Different horses are more suited conformation-wise. Connection is perhaps do-able in the near future--collection for Try--doubtful. Benefit of doing pattrns: Try likes patterns and so do I. We can work on transitions of gait etc even if not having to deal with transition of stretching out/rounding up etc.

2. Susan sent the catching game video from 2003. Fun to watch. What was different--Pat was really driving horse's HQ by throwing rope and halter--imp--his belly button towards HQ and then watched for ear toward him/question and turned and walked away and allowed horse to come.

3. Sent video to Kelly on driving game issues: My notes/her replies:

My notes:
Other wise—have been playing with the issue of driving game from our liberty session when you were here and that is video I want to send. I was upping the respect end of things and stuff was getting really sour so I tried upping respect and laying on the rappore stuff all at the same time. It is now keeping her happy and I’m getting a little more from her but not enough. When we get through the rain I think I’ll go back to circle game at liberty.

Have been splitting time pretty much equally between my 4 savvies.

Riding: got dvd recommended in Oct savvy club dvd== pilates for dressage—nice warmup I can do for me while Try enjoys some passenger time. Also rereading Sally Swift. All ties in well to dance learning but doesn’t mean I am applying it unless it is residual from way back or I can find a way to build it in and discipline myself. Riding lesson: have been alternating riding TB with big stride and it has boosted my self-confidence. Playing with the training level patterns for dressage, just for fun and watching some videos—sometimes in bareback pad with posting trot and even some canter, riding on the buckle.

Looking forward to the new levels material.

Kelly's comments on video:
Disengaging hindquarter- move your feet less

Forequarter yield looks nice, opposition reflex, gone!

I want you to really focus on keeping the belly of the rope on the ground, particularly when you yo-yo her back! She is still giving you some resistance to game #2 on the poll!

Run backwards- even turn your back to her to increase your draw.

Play with speeds of the backup- slow then fast. Remember, your backup is your respect gauge 

Try this: do your forequarter and hindquarter yields with the front end or hind end in a hula hoop- this will tell you if they are moving too much!

Circle game- shorten the rope a bit at first so that you can touch her shoulder if necessary. You want her shoulder to move out and away from you and not to cut into your space- it is looking better, though.

Remember- wait for the lick and chew between each task.

Work on porcupine from the poll- get this really soft, with no opposition.

Second circle send looked good- very snappy. She also maintained gait- yippee!

Like the traveling circles- now she just needs to maintain gait and do them, add some obstacles- make it interesting!

Her contact/shape on the circle does look better- if she gives you the evil look, tell her to wipe that look off of her face- she is not allowed to come at you like that- she was a bit on the s bends towards you.

Liberty: Careful not to beg her!

My question
Great will work on those things and plan to film again next week.
One question: porcupine at the poll?? Didn’t realize I was working on that?? You mean I should be using game #2 to ask her to put her head down???
thanks

Kelly's reply
use your fingertips at first and can support by putting some feel on the snap to cause her her to move off pressure from the halter at the poll- in your videos, she gives you some resistance there- it is also a draw issue; however, working on that will help her alot when you put some feel on the rope and ask her to come to you :)

Tue

Tried clipping but ??blades old--ordered new.

Rode a little in new baretek saddle pad--even canter felt just like western saddle. Have ordered a girth for it--old one was way too big and pad kept slipping.

today: raining--hopefully clippers will be working with new blades and I can at least get that accoomplished today and maybe pack for Saturday.

Sun Mon

Sunday:
relationship repair day
grass, dwell time, fig8 (1/2),passenger, pilates warmup, dressage pattern #4, online circling variations, grass

Monday:
grass/dwell
online in ring: driving basics FQ HQ yoyo circle plain, to obj, traveling, Sshape
take time/rest/treats
afternoon-came back and bathed in prep for clipping tomorrow

Saturday

well filmed some and wasn't happy with what I saw micromanaging, no good drive, and Try snarky with falling leaf.

Riding: tried next dressage pattern--riding and reading at the same time--Try is so great at staying on pattern even when we don't know what it is yet ggg. Then cantered/loped in western saddle the requisite 10 laps--she was up/pounding just a little but overall nice and relaxed and it wasn't a bit deal physically for her.

New bareback pad arrives Mon ups--can't wait.

Thursday

figure 8 still a challenge: for tomorrow continue yoyo/falling leaf/s shape

riding lesson: Try/dressage pattern/no stirrups--stronger!/canter--try pounding on front end and did not settle in 5 laps. tomorrow western saddle canter til Try can relax.

Monday

Beautiful day. Try and I enjoyed liberty stuff and riding with Kathy and her horse Shirley and then dressage pattern at posting trot (bareback pad).

BUT got home and watched video. Try is really calling the shots and the leader in the round corral. I need to take the leadership, be particular about what I want and not be governed by trying to keep her in a good mood.

ok: pedestal/extreme friendly, lead by hocks, ball, jump cavaletti turn and face

needs attention: figure 8, circle, spin, lead by tail,stick to me maybe at least as means to travel from one obstacle to another

Sun am

Got out early to beat the rain

Try was so sweet
1. touch it--magic, follow my focus and her suggestion
2. circle bend - used chalk--we had it
3. behind the back - yes but I could have been lighter and used my phases better
4. pilates warmup
5. new dressage pattern - bareback pad and rope haltamore: walked the pattern--used reins for new stuff (Try has learned the previous patterns so well) and then repeated most of it at posting trot.)

Friday Try and I

Well, I was still sick and Try a bit distant ...

Warmup: touch it, lovely pedestal, ball on the rail--best ever (and Try did not even recognize these at Mary's Wed--tho she did "level 4" stand on the barrel LOL

Circle on line for bend: I think we had it--taking chalk with me and will ask BA to help as it is hard for me to see from the side.

Figure 8 online--great. liberty not so much--alternated as Tuesday with Try leaving, circling in a relaxed manner then coming back to me. Better draw than Tuesday.

Forgot: to check Try's attitude coming in to me but it was likely ok, also forgot to play with the exercise diseng HQ to get two eyes, stick behind the back and driving FQ with 2 hands on the stick.

even more catchups

things to consider in dressage patterns:

1. bend on the circle
2. ask clearly for the canter and short reins stay low
3. canter to trot wait a few strides to begin posting, calm energy
4. walk on a loose rein - still have to steer
5. be aware of Try's tendency to go to the gate, especially at the end

more catchups

Last week

DVD Pilates for dressage: did basic exercises two days--felt really good and once did 5 exercises todo as riding warmup and elaborated on them:

1. 100s
2. roll down
3. arm circle
4. saw
5. open chest to sky

also started Sally Swift's centered riding

4 basics
soft eyes
breathing
core
alignment

Friday, October 30

Catchup post

Last week: One really great morning with Try and I just playing at liberty--other than figure 8 and circle we have the rest--great flow--great energy. Try would focus on an obstacle--we would go there--play with it--treat/rest and try another. I felt like I understood the meaning of just playing with your horse.

riding lesson: Keystone had colic and was resting up so Try and I did the usual English including 4 laps no stirrups without stopping then the next dressage pattern which went really well--first time in English saddle and canter went really well.

THEN: sick chills and fever. went to dr. tamiflu and told not to do first day of Kelly's clinic. I was so disappointed. I did go the second day--good private session and watched wonderful young horses session online.

Private session:

1. some great ideas for a warmup i.e. starting easy is fine, no need to copy anyone else and that touch it makes a great warmup--Try gets to move her feet as much as she wants and feel really successful.

2. Circling game: Try has been hugging my side to avoid this game. Kelly had me go back online where I found that I have not been getting the bend thru the ribs I need for Try to be on the circle and therefor in mental contact with me.

3. Respect: I have been gradually losing respect as I've tried to keep Try happy so she will do liberty tasks and have been having trouble with any of the tasks that require much movement (LBI)--she takes off and has a temper tantrum when I ask for more than she want to give. SOOOOO time for me to take back the leadership--and if she wants to leave then she can do so on the circle until she asks to come in (and that this is ok to do especially if this is a left brain thing). Susan or Sara are loading me their copy of the Catch Me game to help.

4. Also Yoyo, drive and draw need to be reestabllished

5. Figure 8: isolate and separate--just do one circle at a time.

This week ... home from lakeland

Mon: flight home
Tue: round corral with Try: tried out Linda warmup with Remmer-liberty. Try got up really quickly but not obedient. Not a good bonding session. I need to rethink this as I am not Linda and Try is way more sensitive (and less athletic conformation) than Remmer. End--dwell, treats etc in round corral to change energy.

Wed: fun day--rainy and cold, basic riding lesson with Keystone, 16'2' TB--I get tired much quicker from his big stride w/suspension but feel really safe and comfortable. L3 impulsion scale. We did ??4 laps each 2 point, posting trot and canter and 2 laps no stirrups posting trot--the second lap at 2 point. Try--played friendly in the pasture.

Thur: Try - round corral lovely day, sideways 2 barrels away and toward, little circling w/diseng HQ game over, pushed the ball on the rail 2-3 pushes per treat. Then we had our first riding lesson with dressage pattern #1--we had worked on it and were able to do it with few corrections i.e. asking for canter to trot transition effectively. Try was lovely, knew her pattern and I think felt really smart today.

Fri am: wet, cold again. Try not anxious to come in from pasture. Slow warmup, great with one step and wait and sideways at the rail and wait but not licking and chewing but I was not intense in my energy. We played with squeeze over pole and towel and turn and face--first on line and then just fine at liberty. Little bit of stick to me fast and slow walks, back, little canter. One time our stop and back wasn't as good, she looked for treat, got none, we repeated and she had it just right. Also nice little bit of circling/change of direction online so I could check how I change hands w/the stick--I don't pass under--I change when rope goes behind my back.

lakeland notes: Linda on liberty w/LBI and LBE

Lakeland Oct 2009
Saturday afternoon – Linda – Liberty with LBE and LBI
Remmer and West Point!

Linda commented on natural horsemanship: only 5% of horse owners are following natural horsemanship and the # needs to be greater. It is especially important to stop unintentional abuse of horses.

How do you get an extraverted horse ready to concentrate? Linda showed West Point: Lauren’s dressage super horse prospect. ?17’2’ and ??200,000$ and WOW WOW WOW. What a horse!!!!!!!! What an athlete!! Extraverts like to move and are built to move. We watched the two horses at play. Remmer has much less desire to run around and is dominant. Note: dominant horse goes behind and drives the herd.

We need to be ambassadors of yes—not holding back the horse who wants to move. You can ruin a LBE by suppression.

Remmer can be very athletic for a short time. He is mental and loves to outsmart humans—you need to get to his mind. West Point you need to get to his feet. Note: left brain horses it is harder to move their front end; right brain, the hind end.
Linda speeds up her movement to draw West Point.

Remmer LBI – getting him prepared to concentrate

LBI’s are thinking thoughts all the time AND not necessarily good ones! LBI’s are the perfect horse for you if you don’t want to go fast and love to trail ride. But as you move up in the levels, they can be challenging unless you can get to their MINDS!

What does Try love? TREATS—so are you using them? What’s in it for her? She says—what do I need to do to get a cookie? Issue: becoming the human PEZ dispenser. ANSWER: become more interesting than the cookie. Use occasionally for incentive.

Linda starts the session with Remmer not interested in moving.
1. She asks him to move ONLY one foot at a time and got a bit more animation.
2. Then she asks for only one hind foot and starts to get more effort.
3. Then one step sideways.

So by this time, Remmer’s mind is saying what is going on here?
Linda is very intense and slow in her body while asking for few steps. Moving slowly and meaning more—slow but particular.

Next Linda yoyos Remmer back to the rail—while keeping him from assuming that the circle game is coming and leaving her—stopping with his butt against the rail. Then she moves him to position sideways next to the rail and asks him to stop and NOT move.

She is waiting for significant lip licking to know he is with her and ready to do something i.e. that she is getting to his brain. She repeats the sideways stop several other places on the rail, getting sorta ?s and mild licking which is not good enough. Then finally she gets a big sigh (letting out the tension) and significant lip licking, with a different look on his face.

Now Linda can use the go BUT she uses it to ask him to go SLOWER i.e. walk when he wants to trot.


Challenge: Getting Laps at the Canter

(Still in a warmup mode) Linda asks for the canter. Remmer responds with a slow lope-like canter but doesn’t break to a trot and Linda accepts that! (both directions) Note: Linda did NOT correct Remmer for the speed of the canter.

Linda says the worst thing you can do is to keep pushing Zone 5—IMPORTANT—let him make the mistake of changing gait THEN either

1. Bring him in and resend or
2. use a change of direction

Change of direction: SLAP (i.e. KILL) the spot where he should not be. This changes his energy and she got two gorgeous 360s. GAME OVER. Rewarded with rest. Important to reward at the right time.

Let the spin flow and tag the spot they should have left—you are NOT trying to smack the horse. Touch where the tail is when you have the thought.
GAME ON!! GAME OF TAG! HAVE FUN YOURSELF! SMILE!!
 
Making the Figure 8 Interesting

Step 1.
Set up the round pen so barrels are closer to the fence so horse will have to go around the barrels. Make it a game of tag. (Linda stepping back and forward to draw and drive.) Again, slap the spot where he shouldn’t be. Remmers life comes up and his mind is engaged. If its fun for you that makes it fun and a game. (Joy). Linda sees lots of liberty w/LBI’s where the human isn’t smiling unless it’s a slow LBI task with treats.

Step 2.
Move the barrels closer to each other. Step 2 is mental pressure. Move back more if the horse isn’t drawing to you. Use softer cues. Linda is now going slower and meaning more—very intense. Remmer is really licking his lips. Stop: rest, reward.

Step 3.
Physical pressure added and Remmer is really licking and hooked on. This brings out the leader in the human and is much clearer to the horse.


GAME OVER, Linda invites Remmer is but Remmer does so with his ears pinned. Ears pinned indicating that you aren’t drawing him, but he is driving you. So she sends him back on the circle.

Remmer is now showing LBI exuberance—bucking etc. His obedience is gone. Don’t stop when he is jumpin in the air and kicking out and don’t punish it. BUT when that play drive comes up—don’t let them close! When you get that exuberance, then you need to get the obedience back. Watch for change in facial expression and connection to you.

Remmer next offers to put his foot on the pedestal. Note: Linda says if she had asked him to do this when the session started he would like have been crabby and probably ignored the touch it obstacles i.e. pedestal or barrel. Pretended ignorance—“what barrel, what pedestal”. Too funny. “I didn’t see the barrel”. Or move in reeaaallllly slow motion to the barrel.
 
Now Remmer’s brain is up and its time for the cool stuff. Linda uses the energy for some great S bends, his gait is springy, loose and fancy—a different horse. She play cutting game with him, he rears up etc.

Ending the session:
Now, when he is on, is NOT a good time for a cookie or to leave. He needs some relaxation. Little circling waiting for his head to lower or for him to come in to her…


If your introvert goes extraverted then you have to get to his feet not his mind like Linda and West Point.

Linda tells of having a bad session with Remmer one day. The next day she goes out and he is hiding behind a tree in the far end of the pasture. She plays Hide and Seek with him in the pasture. The next day she repeats that, brings him into the center of the round pen where she sits and feeds him cookies—game over. The following day they don’t go into the round corral at all.

Catch up

So much going on from coaching/hotline/Pagosa/Beach clinic audit and I am too tired to pull my various notes and thoughts together.

yesterday: had great day w/Try--I think my leadership was better, catching moments, providing motivation yet asking a lot. We did the dressage pattern online sideways over cavaletti pole, vertical straddle, falling leaf and had pretty good rappore going went to round pen and sideways away and toward 2 barrels then test: fold arms, walk, trot, canter, dn trans/turn, halt back etc. Only had to pick up rein for canter in 2nd direction.

today: lesson on Keystone--50 min hack w/little rest, first no stirrups trot w/him he has suspension Try doesn't have & my butt was going way higher. He was sweet but a real effort keeping him going at impulsion level of 3.

But Try kept hanging around and I swear she seemed to be saying pick me, can we play? In her pasture--as a good by--treats, (no ropes/sticks) yoyo, stick to me, turn on haunches and forehand and sideways.

Tomorrow early off to Tampa and Fri/Sat Lakeland celebration.

Gina Torrell beach clinic audit

Gina Torrell Beach clinic audit 10/2009

1. Important to play in all 4 savvies
2. Calm, trusting, motivated, obedient: RBE-RBI-LBI-LBE
3. Pat: third rail—tracks 1-3 can you pass another horse in track 2 w/arms folded?
4. Idea: play w/ball on the rail online

Warmup:
1. Wait for the energy/motivation/spark during the beginning of the warmup
2. Dwell, match energy, come to you etc ?? wait for sign that Try is ready to do something
3. Warm-up start with slow stuff and then when ready go to peppier, snappier stuff
4. LBI play with slow stuff for the togetherness—feel that connection before moving on

Session
1. Patterns: progress by having belly of rope on ground, increase the distance, go thru them in order
2. For variety do same stuff in a different place
3. LBI Circling game: do traveling circles point to point in field and stop at the ends to eat grass
4. LBI Circling game: do it near woods or scarey place
5. Sideways point to point: pattern—she should know it—suggestion/don’t nag Should be effortless a suggestion
6. Idea: play with sidepass with me in Z1 instead of Z3.
7. Porcupine game not used enough. Ball vs chair. Rope around legs—follow the feel—your horse needs to be solid with that—less chance of panic i.e. barbed wire.
8. Imp is ability to stand still
9. Being particular—having a plan, stay with it til see improvement even if get off it and come back

Finishing session: Settle for a good try/walk away on a good note

circling, stick to me and figure 8

Stick to me was wonderful today with Kelly's suggestions to start by mirroring her energy and do transitions within gaits. We did slow medium and fast walks—she gave me lovely soft backups and offered to trot.

Circling game stunk:
1. Try avoided it by repeatedly sidepassing up next to me, then when that didn’t work for her, she took off at a canter. I may have goofed—she seemed to need some time to get herself together so I let her go—she quickly settled to a nice lope or trot but ignored my slow down transition cues so I let her go awhile then I got tired of it and gave her the hide-the-hiney look and she disengaged and came trotting to me licking and chewing.
2. Maybe I should not let her circle like that—it probably just prolongs the process of getting her over hating circling. (Call an immediate halt to the temper tantrum and find a substitute that will let her change mental gears.)
3. I did get 2 nice draws out of the circle w/o disengaging HQ and did not add on change of direction—made it game over and rewarded.

Figure 8: I think I will go back to the big ring online for falling leaf and s shape to work on draw and drive. It’s the drive part that is broken for figure 8. I did go back to L1 drive front end and HQ and yoyo and that was all good.

Anyway, tomorrow is another day….

Better atmosphere from me today:

dressage patterns and 6 laps canter

liberty: great lead by hocks and tail

rethink basics of stick to me/my energy/stop-go-back-turn/be particular/savvy stick string Z1/5

Mon Sep 28

Today, in the mood to get liberty done, I was really task oriented and I could see that on the video. Also I could see Try's reaction, which then made extra work for me to get results. How interesting!

Sat

Ring wet from rain but marked off dressage ring area in the ring--then walked the pattern, mentally rehearsed pattern, then got Try and we walk/jogged the pattern bareback.

sat

Sat am musings

Tired, sore muscles etc from riding Keystone--who would have thought it--although there is an effort to ask for upward gait transitions and to keep him maintaining gait, he feels soooo safe and easy and his trot at 7 and canter at 4 are so much fun. I look forward to getting more comfortable with sitting canter position in English saddle and to being able to do my no stirrups work with Keystone. BA says we can do lesson with him indefinately, weeks when Morgan can't get in three rides, I can pick up the slack, and perhaps even do a little Parelli online with him. BA says optimum for Keystone at his age is 4 workouts per week (sensible) to keep him from aging prematurely.

Try: If riding Keystone more, then I do not need to bore her with no stirrups posting trot BUT I do need to pay attention to conditioning for her and several lope/canter rides or online/liberty workouts per week.

Liberty: Put camera on top of the car--that works pretty well but haven't figured out exactly how to aim the camera to best cover round pen area.

1 figure 8 - started over and it is improved but I really could use some input from Kelly

2 pedestal/extreme friendly and dismount: really good

3 barrels - sideways 3 is good--need to cue less/be farther away and show some sideways towards

4 lead by hocks/tail: hocks got 10' but Try refused tail--also lead by ??chin/ear--what level

5 stick to me--fun, a little disorganized, good energy, works well if I trot backwards--how about some fast changes of direction? Try doesn't like backing as much.

6 circle game--not really getting the idea tho I did get some nice walk/trot/walk/halt/back on the rail. Ask Kelly or hot line about whether circle should be on the rail???

mon-fri

Well, we have been playing around casually with liberty this week and Marilyn came and rode Try freestyle and I did one freestyle/bareback/no stirrups ride. One day I did dwell til Try came then did a "task" til saw improvement then back to dwell etc.

Then Thur BA and I set up the round pen within the paddock and Try and I had a really positive 15 min together--1/2 of that dwell time.

Fri lesson on Keystone and Try liberty--attempting to find camera angles that work. I would still love to see a better figure 8, sidewards both directions over the barrel, and play with more creativity in the stick to me game. Also I think I have the order of tasks and spacing in the round pen worked out in my mind.

Friday, 1st liberty video

What an interesting day. I had a lovely time with Try and she offered stuff like crazy. However, I was filming and trying to get footage of 5/6 tasks I think I will be using for my audition. So even tho I stayed relaxed, slow, waited for her, she was not as responsive and tasks were not completed as well as I was offering little in the way of leadership.

Leadership/phases and liberty are something for me to rethink completely from where I am now in my journey.

magic day

1 hour w/BA going thru impulsion manual

then casual ride w/Try some partial disengage/go from seat/stop from exhale/turn at canter from eyes bellybutton

liberty: improvement - figure 8, extreme friendly at the pedestal, 1/2 spin and barrel sideways.

Tue/Wed Liberty

Tue: 30 min dwell time and figure 8 progress.
Call to hotline re impulsion mastery manual--ready for Wed go slow, wait for response etc.

Wed: hot in paddock. I didn't do what I wanted with going slow and waiting for response.

1. Pedestal: good, needed more urging than usual, went up--did a little friendly and a little extreme friendly--she wasn't expecting that and came down before I finished.

2. Stick to me: really good including canter and pretty good backup.

3. Lead by tail and hocks ok

4. figure 8: missing drive part of left loop

5. barrel sidepass ok--not enthusiastic about it!

6. circling game: canter only--very difficult in paddock with shape, size and obstacles.

How do I do the 360 simple spin???????

I had marked off area for camera and extra cones were confusing to Try. Also Try offered play with the barrel--rolled it with her nose and feet. Followed me and stayed with me really well. I wish I had been more fun for her.

Gold Summit - Notes

Notes – Pat Parelli – morning session

· Will prove to us between now and January that he can make passing level 4 simple by showing us the picture, giving us a clear destination.
· Can’t teach someone but can set it up for learning.
· Carrot person/stick person – both are wrong.
· Cite: movie Man from snowy River, Malcolm Gladwell Outliers.
· Freestyle riding: can you fall asleep and turn it over to your horse—don’t change gait or direction.
· Rappore, respect, impulsion, flexion
· Wax on/off—judo kid.

· Preview of how simple finesse can be—preview: marked out the chalk lines for dressage court. Finesse = precision riding or concentrated riding or 1st steps in dressage riding. 20x40 meter ring—will give lives to use and rules of engagement.
· Demonstrating: Emily Thompson on Porsche, Rob, Lauren, Mattie Sam and Lee riding Vision AR.

o Casual to concentrated reins, left hand on the pommel, right hand “I love you” 3x to lateral flexion—elbow to the rib
o Same soft 1,2,3 then use to move HQ
o Take weight back and move forehand
o Horse learns 1,2,3 I love you as what happens before what happens etc

· Showed use of lines to ride a precise 10 meter circle (or 20 meter circle). Need to know departure and arrival spots.
· We will need to purchase chalk.
· Pat called out patterns to the group.
· Showed 7 games: friendly, porky use legs to walk faster (steady pressure), relax and show w/driving game w/leg, yoyo lengthen or shorten stride etc. (Note: check out how I use steady and rhythmic pressure w/legs!)

· Puzzle solving is the opposite of direct line thinking
· Be particular without being critical or you will turn into dressage nazi.


Lunch break: one hour – great meal and Pat and Linda talked to everyon e.

Focus groups: 200 split into 3 groups – I met with Carol Coppinger – answered q uestions on white board: what got you here? What keeps you here? What deepens your experience? What makes you an effective advocate for the Parelli experience? What else do we want?

Linda Parelli – afternoon sessions on riding

General: How do we change the world for horses? One horse and one human at a time. 20 million horse owners, 25,000 current savvy club members and about 175,000 people following Parelli principles. Upcoming more members, 1 star instructors, ambassadors to coordinate activity, etc. Horsenality packs expanded and needing software fix—will be 100 page report on your horse, you and the match between you.

#1 LBI in an arena setting:
Sara Grimm (mastery student) and Smart 7. Fun, funny session.
· LbI and treats: human pez dispenser
· If you have leadership issues, treats don’t work
· How do you know if it is a leadership or motivation issue?
· Upcoming mastery manual—how to recognize respect (easy to see disrespect)
· LBI: “I am the leader unless you have something I want!”
· Ask him to go and leave him alone
· Same life in your body that you want in the horse’s body
· Make it a fun game: don’t prevent horse from stopping but they’ll wish they didn’t
· LBI don’t use legs too much makes for crabby horse ear pinning, tail swishing
· Strategy: tighten butt count to 3, pick up string and use driving game to bother him then cruise when you get some effort
· When he gets going—should you go do something? NO not ready. Let him stop and good boy
· Drive with energy i.e. 3 slaps fast to human shoulders—be careful with this, Smart 7 bucked like crazy—Sara rode it beautifully.
· Then smart 7 offered canter/licking lips etc Get to LBI thru their mind no their feet.
· If asks for treat tickle the lips rather than ignore him.
· I like you, you’re interesting, it’s a game.
· Short burst of energy—stop while its good
· Phases: 1. Squeeze butt, 2 reach for string 3. Slap shoulders w/string. Soon he will make correction from phase one.;
· Smart 7 not stopping when asked: Pulling reins/legs etc to get him to stop—making you work harder than he is. Back him as far as he went beyond where you asked and up your phases to really pump legs for the backup if need be. Then he will be lighter and stop when asked. This method does not hurt the horse physically--more it really bothers him emotionally—that is the goal. Pat calls it an off sides penalty. Horse will make psychological change and be more balanced.
· Going too slow: Have him go slower—it’s a mental brace. Then when you get a good trot stop. That way in a few weeks or even 1 year from now things will be different. However if you neglect the method and go back to nagging etc then the good results go down the tube.
· Note: no treats or cookies given.
· Problem was leadership not motivation.
· Bucking: If you aren’t ready to ride the buck, get off and fix it on the ground.
· At this level you should NOT need to use legs to get the horse to go—should come from the seat!
· Irritate without it being painful or aggressive.
· Go thru phases faster

#2 Opposite Problem: Horses that rush at the canter: Horses with lots of go. Jamie on Topsy an LBE with tantrums. And Ben on Morgan a RB horse.
· Partial disengagement on the rail—keep moving tho dropping to slower gait, causes relaxation. Then go back to canter but just for a few strides.
· Eradicate tension especially at the canter
· Pattern: follow the rail, RB emotional tension/LB mental tension
· Consistent approach, retreat thresholds. Continued forward motion. Little more leg than rein.
· LBE Says: “So You think You’re My Leader? How about now? How about now?
· Have to stay 10 steps ahead of LB horse.
· Program do this 7 days in a row.
· Million transitions for relaxation.
· See impulsion mastery manual for more info on Partial Disengagement.

Session #3 Fluidity/Rider makeovers.
· Increase skill poise presence
· Peddle legs to get in synch with a bouncy horse
· Exercise to find the diagonal: turn human’s shoulder to outside then inside—1/2 circle of each, which feels easier. Eventually do it w/very slight turn of the shoulders to feel it
· Pull up belly button with each stride on posting trot and push saddle back with your seat—will help your horse to get off his forehand
· Also shoulders down, inner thighs wrap, belly button to the spine, knit the ribs, seat pushes down

Wednesday

Off to see my sister Mary in NM--and Kanyon and Pete of course. Then on to Pagosa for gold summit!!

back to basics

Sunday: we made some real progress with the figure 8 at liberty. I realized I was not giving Try the responsibility of coming to me by cueing her with the rope so replaced that by cueing her with friendly facial expression and reinforcing with a treat and rest.

Canter: I wanted to see if we could find some full out joy and exuberance and do the equivalent of 6 laps for conditioning purposes. We got some WP lope, some nice canter and at the end some pounding on the front end canter.

We had dwell time, passenger time, grooming at liberty and a good showering off that Try seemed to enjoy. She loved having her ears rubbed and seemed to enjoy having her butt curried and bathed. Also I killed a fly that was biting her and then scratched the itchy place for her.

What does she have against the canter? Is it harder for her? Conformation? Does it make her anxious because her early WP training made her think it was bad????????

back to basics

Tuesday regular hunt seat lesson: concentrated on bending/lateral flexion. Then 8 laps (1.3 miles) canter for conditioning for Try and moi, then 4 laps no stirrups posting trot.

Real progress with figure 8 draw--coming to me with facial expression as phase one.Try was NOT thrilled about the canter but had lots of energy--she could have gone longer but not me.

But, she did not hold that against me--didn't seem to want me to leave when I took her back to her pasture.

catch up day

groom, eat grass, dwell, passenger, no stirrups
I think Try didn't want me to leave.
I was exuberant and joyful over having passed L3 freestyle

Best parts of results: relationship and riding skills.

L3+ We passed.

Filmed yesterday--not as nervous--some stuff not so good but as I could get it under 10 minutes I sent it in and about 4 hours later got email that I had passed at L3+. Our level 4 friendly stuff apparently counterbalancing the lack of jump, pedestal. gate.

I am sooooooooo happy and relieved. Onward ............

Tuesday freestyle

Some good stuff and some how interesting:

• Mounting and sideways towards
• Tarp--use short side over the head & walk to clover leaf
• 1/2 cloverleaf and 1/2 imaginery rail set up
• didn't do pedestal--move it--
• sideways both ways then jog to corner
• usual corner and add the 360
• bucket to barrels
• small trot, swing the carrot stick? and 2 large lope w/simple change
• ball better around the world transitions
• gate: emot fitness

catch up

well, I have not posted in ages--busy, busy. Try and I have put together yet another choreographed freestyle and filmed and are starting this week on one more. Found out from hot line call that we do not need to do a complete cloverleaf, corners game etc as Try's lovely pleasure gaits are so slow I was having trouble fitting everything into 10 minutes.

Am enjoying the Sand Savvy group--great group, great energy.
Now to do some no-stirrups posting trot to get back in shape.

Well, visited with Marilyn and also Jeanne, Ronnie and Jennifer. Try was a sweetie and I think enjoyed showing off, feeling smart and getting treats.

Rain or hot weather, ring messed up--so played in the field and with the gate Mon/Tue

Wed: more on the gate--we have various segments learned i.e. approach along side the gate, unlatch the gate, back up and exit. Still haven't added in stoppin in the exit--we do it great when I don't have to hang on to the gate. We also can approach the open gate and sidepass it back in place but not yet latching it.

Loped some, showered off good.

Visiting with new Parelli folks

well, just a little with the gate--next step is stopping in the entryway and relaxing.

Marilyn Biers came out to visit and we had lunch Thursday, Friday was golds etc and Saturday Ronnie and Jeanne Huffman and Jennifer Zavalney came to visit at the barn. Try was a real sweetie and seemed to have a good time.

No lesson this week or next--BA conflict or out of town.

Gate and phases

July 28 Gate and provocative phases while riding issue:

Forum: like the isolate, separate, recombine things that you are doing. Can you start putting the smaller bits together into larger bits?

LOVE that idea--instead of focusing on 'open and shut the gate' as that is something I need before filming L3 freestyle: Instead make the gate a game for me and think of new and different things we can do with the gate i.e. back thru the gate; go all the way thru the opening and do 1/2 a 360 to turn and face, walk the fence/gate both directions and forward and back. We have already been sidepassing lots of different ways. Or how many ways can I play with the chain that has to be fastened around the gate?? hmmmm Or--the gate opens both directions and that could lead to new ideas. hmmm. and if each little segment is simple like that, its so much easier to give treats and rest??? maybe it'll change the whole process into something fun and I won't have to think about upping phases. Also as an LBI it doesn't require much energy and she should love that.

HOT LINE:
did call the hot line and asked about phases when a horse is being bratty. I.e. not stopping and waiting at the gate--suggestion--a firm backup and then stop and wait (its not about the gate) and reward when relaxed. Another example of phase being using the end of the rope to spank myself or my horse. Kristy Madoney?? Firmer backup, she should stand quietly where I place her. Assertive yes ma’am and then reward and think about it. Pin ears at canter—phase 4, shut down zone 1 for bad attitude, spank with end of rope myself then Try phases

forum: Something that's worked for me (I have a dominant LBE) is to make the gate a resting place. In other words, we would do circles or figure 8's in another part of the ring and when it was time to rest and relax we did it by the gate. Pretty soon that gate becomes VERY attractive to the horse. Next step is to pet the gate while continuing to rest next to the gate, the fiddling with the latch while resting next to the gate...you get the idea.

easy day

I was still tired and took it easy on everything

no stirrups in ring before camp started including as passenger and question box

little bit of good sideways
did gate down the road with some progress in breaking down steps and relaxing

paddock
new pedestal - liberty--some exploration by Try
quiet time

Sunday

Sunday--tired after Sat play day at my house

new pedestal - played with coming off it forward
sideways on the rail toward the gate--I could have been more relaxed
gates - good

cloverleaf - started well, canter would have been better to go back to bridle or up phases??
question box weave and sideways - improv to find new stuff

paddock: liberty circle and stick to me

I was too direct line today.
Note: filled out horsenality charts again and saw a lot of change.

freestyle--working on ideas for L3 video

lesson

ball - around the world
gate - lots of variations and no complete solution
pedestal - Try did it!!
sideways - better going to the gate and stick in left side ??both ways
cloverleaf change--do everything in front 1/4 of arena, barrels 12 cones, jog, trot, lope
anticipate cutting in and slow and relaxed to start--maybe stop???

lovely day Tuesday

Try glad to see me and get to play

clip
gate variations good
20 min no stirrups posting trot passenger lesson
small jump walk trot
long trail walk
dwell time in paddock while I cleaned tack

Monday

gate wide open walk thru turn and face and relax 4x treats for relaxation
small jump--walk and trot over--no jump, turn and face relax

walk in ring w/cathy and shirley

canter for exercise and relaxation

fun with charlie

Saturday Emotional Fitness Day

yesterday--Try and I went slooooow playing with areas where emotional fitness is an issue: Found out for L3 freestyle--open the gate task requires closing it as well. gggg We haven't tried this for 3-4 years and last time, Miss Try would lose her emotional fitness. Possibly harking back to days of pressure in trail competition.

Anyway studied in L2 pack Linda's break down of the steps involved. We were able to go and stand by the gate and be very relaxed. Holding the gate/latch NOT SO MUCH. Next time I am going to open the gate fully and practice walking out turn and face and relax and walk back in turn and face and relax before going back to opening/closing the gate.

Also emotional fitness: took lots of time and stayed very relaxed with two areas where the adrenalin comes up for Try: small jump and bowtie simple lead change pattern.

makes sense to me--now that a lot of new learning goes well between us--its time to go back and relearn some areas where she has baggage from the past. Looking at it that way makes it feel like a fun challenge to me instead of something to feel guilty about not having already "fixed."

July 17 Kelly notes on L3 freestyle draft video

July 17 Kelly notes on L3 freestyle draft video

1. Open the Gate: go back to old L? booklet—sideways through the gate—play friendly with it, keep hand on it and hold it, use indirect rein and HQ yield, side to close it???
2. Bounce the ball ideas: punch it and have it go over her, stand or kneel and dribble (not riding)
3. Tarp BA ideas good: full length, over back/trot, twirl overhead and let down over face and side pass over side over it??
4. Trot: tail swishing not severe—ears were ok—so not as upset as I first thought
5. Show transitions: trot, walk, back stay on the rail.
6. Clover leaf could not see the pattern/pan out video and title it
7. Could do weave w/cones – show more patterns
8. Ring is huge???
9. Sideways—use less stick, I am micromanaging. Also need to see it both ways
10. Canter—ears a bit grumpy, stop, rest place and a cookie or something.
11. Dragging bucket is good
12. Pedestal—can it be cut down? Or use plywood
13. Jump issue—send reasons w/email and vet letter
14. ? box—get off and give treats to motivate
15. Tighten it up, small arena, transitions—happy and snappy

Update

Tuesday: ring soggy, camp at 9:00 so Try and I did passenger lesson in ring, up the road and in the field. Played and dwell time some in play paddock.

Thursday: camp. physically challenging lesson--strong in 2 point and 6 lap posting trot. led off in serpentine. Try objected to bowtie and BA fixed. It felt great to me to be so physical after cutting back with knee injury.

For Saturday: 6 laps of canter in western saddle for emotional fitness and do bowtie pattern at least at walk and trot. ??set up barrels for question box in paddock and lope circles???

Why and how--exuberance?

well--my being exuberant isn't going to automatically spark exuberance for Try.

Played today--I danced, ran etc. Try when asked would trot or canter a little--probably a little ears/tail on the send then ok and dropped her energy again pretty quickly.

BUT watching the video of the session, I have to say she really looks pleasant, sweet, content. Why does she need to be exuberant?

More thoughts

Did not see Try yesterday--in the morning I visited with Peggy and Champ and we seem to be having a lot of common experiences these days.

Today my plan is to go see Try, give her a lovely bath, then plenty of dwell/grass eating time out back interspersed with starting a cutting pattern.

Thinking out loud . . .

yesterday we did some preliminary taping for L3 freestyle and I could clearly see the tail swishing/ear pinning when I was cueing her.

It really upset me as this is supposed to be fun for us both.

thinking out loud here . . .

I am thinking fun things, things that make her feel smart, positive comforting things like dwell time and passenger time need to be an underpinning and perhaps a large percentage of our time together???? New, different, interesting things . . . Time with no agenda, deliberately relax and no thinking/planning/analyzing . . . just being together???

Then there are necessary things that are not necessarily fun that we just do like grooming, bathing etc. Course I guess they could be more enjoyable with good massaging and scratches???? Or necessary like my riding to improve myself--being ultra careful to cue with phases. Stop, Rest, Treat.

Then there is the concentrated learning/focusing stuff. I guess that is the 20% in the 80/20 rule and that needs to be something where she can feel smart, like she is figuring out the puzzle????

Then with all this, does she just automatically open up and get exuberant because she is so happy? Or should I be doing exuberant things with her to bring this about i.e. we both love stick-to-me. (I am a LBE who loves to move.)

what we did today to find the exuberance? Today we did1. trail walk up the road to explore and exploration online behind the barn. 2. 20 minutes of dwell time in our play paddock for eating grass. 3. To feel smart we did the pedestal once and 3 times played with prep for liberty figure 8 which was really good and brought nice treats as a reward.

readjust goals

Well, I want to change my goal of L3 by September--even tho it is possible, especially task-wise, what have I gained if my horse isn't happy working toward L3 freestyle and liberty!

I think--adjust my thinking to December, (maybe) and make Try's happiness and maybe even exuberance a goal. It seems impossible but, if she went from machine to curious, perhaps she can go from annoyed by precision work to exuberant about doing new things. ???????????? Certainly worth giving it a fullout try, if it happens I will have really learned something important.

hotline call

Gold Hot LineJuly 9 09Kristi Smith1-352-591-56451.

Where’s the joy or fun for Try (she looks miserable on freestyle video)? I have to be more interesting. LBIs learn quickly and you must progress to something new quickly or they get bored. Direct their brain, each day should be something new and different.

Do not be too particular about precision—get the exuberance first. Lots of variety and the unexpected. Do the opposite of what they expect. Start with the fun tricks to get her in the mood then ask for the precision/task.

2. 80/20 80% fun and 20% of something more precise. Loosening the string is enjoyment, tightening the string just 20% of the time.

3. Trail rides to same old place are boring. Walk/jog together because I am moving my feet also. Spanish walk? Pick up things? Hokie/pokie?

4. Question Box: show walk, trot and canter. With simple lead change at a walk thru the box.

filmed some freestyle

For lesson today--Tara not there to film so BA and I played with some stuff and filmed some

Played w/ideas ball tarp and pedestal
Filmed: bucket, patterns--cloverleaf, corners game and question box

uploaded to youtube--will send to Kelly for coaching

play with finding neutral and your horse having an allow. This will help your horse gain self-confidence instead of just confidence in you as a leader.

OR respect you for recognizing her ability to do it without micromanaging!!

Tarp etc

Tarp: we wore it, walked over it and then picked it back up with stick and carried it over head so I guess we are ready to go with this one.

sideways: she doesn't like it, butt drags, ??phases then reward

no stirrups

liberty: started figure 8, ok as stick to me, go back to online w/belly of rope on the ground.
stick to me canter--desirable for us to mirror from greater distances

Question Box

Sunday: question box, measured out the two 45' circles. walked and jogged them online then bareback walk and trot riding. Try was just lovely, very few leg corrections.

Monday: repeated riding portion. not as good a day. Try not as interested--focus on Angel in ring, weather--tense from humidity before rain, circling is boring etc. Also canter on the rail and canter 45'circles and the smallest circle. The small circle always seems to go well--lots of eyes, belly button from me etc.

Did not get to tarp and ball.

Lesson Day Thursday

Lesson w/BA prepping for L3 freestyle. Confusion between us as to how to set up question box. Will fix that this weekend.

Set up the pattern--use rake and ropes to make good 45' circles, then do lots of stuff with Try on the circles so they become a known pattern to us both. i.e. English riding stuff, walk-trot-canter, drag the bucket/tarp, etc

Play with trotting with the tarp as my cape or Try's cape??
Ball: fill ball more fully to see if I can dribble it while circling.

Remember to take my time, relationship first, rest/treats/strokes.

Lovely day

did not get to the barn until 11:00--already 86 degrees.

kept it simple: ball--push with nose only--treat only for three nose pushes in a row and treat and super fuss over her for enthusiastic nose push. She loves this new game!!

no stirrups

Saturday: Pleased with the playday, Try was very relaxed.

Tuesday:
Sharon's words--letting Try know she can relax whenever she sees the look that says “you are so beautiful and I just want to give you a big hug.”

From some acting courses at ECU and early social work sensitivity training—I know that my tension is fear in some form and also know some great visualizations to bring on a whole big “I love the world and everything in it” feeling.

Today I played with this some and it went well for awhile until she decided that we had done enough and I got frustrated (How interesting) and direct line. I should have quit while we were ahead but felt she needed some exercise.

Great lesson day

Lesson w/BA on freestyle patterns

Corners game: walk past the tree, don't worry about open side, but start gathering rope etc, sideways--be particular about Try's butt, canter stop-exhale, sit deep, use legs NOT the stick.

Cloverleaf: eyes, belly button, leg.............stick. DONT use the stick!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ride with the string only.

Remember to be an extreme middle of the roader.

wake up!

Wasn't going to barn but found some late afternoon time.

Did attitude check in round pen. Asked for circle, she wasn't responding, slapped string on ground a couple times and she took off. Then she dropped to trot and I asked for change of direction trying to "tag" her and she took off and maintained gait for three laps and then I asked her to stop. She came in a different horse.

Riding: western saddle, bridle, savvy string and 1 stick: started corners pattern with stick and she was ignoring it, started over and used bridle and asked for a full snappy corners game and got it--Try had to be reading my intention. Then did it with stick only and it was really good except for that long sideways was messy. Asked for cloverleaf at a trot and she offered canter so I took it--used bridle but rode on the buckle with VERY few corrections! Quit on a good note.

I think I have been a carrot person and now am striving to be an extreme middle of the road person.

How very interesting

Filmed freestyle patterns Tuesday: corners, cloverleaf, question box. Try was maintaining gait but most definately not direction--playing games with me or just not in the mood for riding. (in season)

By the end I wished I had upped my phases or gone back to bridle. I am sure that just because I am trying to create motivation and exuberance that doesn't mean obedience goes out the window.

Note: vary jog and trot. I look more fluid at trot and canter??? My LBE?? Also if I had not been constantly correcting with the stick, I bet I would have been more fluid. Eyes, belly button, leg, stick--right?

Canter passenger lesson

Sunday:

Online: tried chairs and treats to encourage making the turn at the end of weave pattern. Try enjoyed the treats and came around the bend with some enthusiasm.
Various circle games: s shape and traveling, going around a tree was cool as she got to stop.
helicopter haven't gotten the flick of the wrist--experimenting. Lead by the tail she offered that even without the lead by the leg before it--lead by 6-8 hairs, very light, one stop mid way. She offered lots of 10' or so sideways towards--could have been at liberty.

Passenger Riding: used saddle and very occasionally stick for safety: walk, trot and canter around the ring. Canter was great for self confidence as I was the passenger and did not need even the neck string tho it was there as a back up. Also she had plenty of go.

Coming into season--overall not feeling very motivated to move a lot but doing it from a light ask. Curious to see how she is feeling Monday. I was able to stop and think about my self-talk several times as well.

Cricket!!

Today I did my lesson with Cricket--LBE TB. Wow what a difference in stride etc! Did some bending/contact. Older, experienced hunter/jumper. By the end the trot was feeling super.

Habits: she walks away when you mount and is hesitant to enter the wash stall. Curious.

Catch Up Day

Well, rained out Tuesday.

Wednesday, little play at liberty and circle to treat under a cone, then freestyle riding BB/BL/passenger. Goal: take my time and watch what is going on with both of us. Tried repetition game but found that annoying to us both. I would keep drifting back to task even staying neutral as task and then remember and stop to see how Try was doing and what I was saying to myself

Thursday: knee injury--day off to study, catch up on stuff for play day, process some video for BA etc.

Tomorrow: lesson riding Cricket!!

PM Coaching with Kelly: See notes section all about LBI and online.

Monday, June 15

What a day

Not the best day with Try. She loved the circle to the chair and treats game. We like riding with string around her neck and one stick. But I didn't feel like we ever connected riding. Needs purpose and variety I think. Good trotting cloverleaf. Canter only on the rail because I knew Try had had it by that point.

Haylee won at her first show.

Scheduling September trip to Pagosa Springs for gold summit.

Passed Online Level 3

Passed!!!!! L3 Online

great obedience
for L4: motivation and exuberance
was subtly micromanaging circle game

Friday, June 12 Wonderful Day

Well, all that emotional fitness study, ?s etc paid off today.

1. We played online circling to jump, chairs, board with treats--cantering various laps until stopping at a treat. I would love to see cleaner, more consistant canter but good to see enthusiam. Some ear pinning but jollyed her out of it with more of my own energy.

2. Riding:

did the whole session with neck string and one stick and realize that is what I am most comfortable with now and that is level 4!

on the rail pattern:

1. sideways was slow but we made it. Sometimes just 4 steps--emotional fitness from me and treat, eventually about 12 steps to the corner.
2. little confusion in my cues to back
3. great turn on the haunches with little string and stick
4. enthusiastic walk, trot, great canter and canter stop
5. WISH I COULD HAVE FILMED THIS ONE

next canter fast/slow for relaxation--this was good for my confidence and I did whatever it took to get Try relaxed and down after revving up in a fast canter. Did approx 4 laps of ring this way.

finished with no stirrups: varied the patterns and rode on the buckle

Thursday, June 11 Emotional Day

Read the latest mastery manual on emotional fitness 5 times and went thru it with Bethanna in place of riding lesson.

Try: times when she lacks emotional fitness:

• Online: change of direction and canter--hates circling
• Freestyle: turns at a canter that are not part of a known pattern (my miscueing??)

I thought it was important that the faster she goes the more adrenaline and that I want to find a way to help her, relax. ??faster and slower game??

Most important: I realized my emotional fitness: I get frustrated, feel guilty, like a failure, etc and that energy does nothing for our relationship and wears me out. I did not realize how much negative self-talk I have been indulging in. When something doesn't go right, I figure its my fault for not knowing what to do or being accomplished enough, etc.

What we did today was lots better in feeling: stick to me at liberty in round pen walk, trot, canter, back. Little circling--Try pretty happy.

Riding western saddle, string around neck (didn't use it) one stick except sidepass 2 sticks. Little kids having lesson in ring so used the inside area for walk, trot, figures 8s and then in round pen (rail not available) sidepass and canter.

Lots of rest and treats.

Wednesday, June 10 Interesting

Went out to play with emotional fitness and take the time

• mount opposite side with sideways towards--found that sideways towards is not established and spent time teaching. Go slower--1-2 steps and reward lavishly
• tarp creativity?? 360 is possible w/sticks played with moving HQ--turn on haunches,??turn on forehand also??
• small jump: did not do
• patterns for L3 did not do. Figure 8 around jumps was nice
• Try appreciated my riding with just the string around her neck.

Lots of freestyle basics today.

She isn't real happy now--came in and out of it while we were together. Acted starved when she was in paddock out back????????

Monday, June 8 How Interesting?!?

Went out early to play around with freestyle stuff. Got there and Tara was about to do stuff with Riley and wanted help. Cathy arrived to ride Shirley. Try was in a bad mood, fussy and active about it. Today I wasn't able to change the atmosphere except in small doses. She wasn't happy and content until I showered her off. (Hot, humid, sticky, and she isn't getting much feed and no hay because of the grass belly????)

Set up the ring for open the gate, tarp, walk over the flower box, turn and face, and drag the cone. Mounting was good--western saddle from the rail and sideways towards--didn't work from the opposite side. Open the gait was nothing--check that off. Tarp we sidepassed but that wasn't interesting enough to film. Maybe bigger tarp and improv to see what Try offers? Can I learn 360--that would be cool on the tarp. flower box was lovely including turn and face and relax. We could trot it next time. I rushed the drag the cone but it was still good--we did it at a trot.

Round pen to gain her focus. Did quickly back, disengage, spin sorta, etc good energy.
Sideways with two sticks was so-so. Again take the time it takes!
Cantered cloverleaf but did it with casual rein. Not the day for sticks only.
Did question box--pretty good, especially considering the overall day.

Changed saddles and did my 6 laps of no stirrups posting trot.

Sunday, June 7

Two things stood out:
1. I really improved her mood. Cranky when I got there--sweet by the end.
2. We learned to drag the cone while riding bareback--can try next time to back w/cone in front, use bucket or have Try hold it instead of me.

Emotional fitness: I did pretty well today, I am a little stressed despite being conscious and doing a little exercise for it. (Do I need to get back to Golds?) I took the time and was laid back, aware that she didn't want to circle and let it go, perhaps got a little rushy once or twice but not bad.
On a scale of 1-10 of energy we were both about a 4. but both pretty clear minded--relaxed focus.

Started w/grooming in paddock and spin and go. Then in ring reviewed games 1-3 online as she was pretty out of it. We spent time online dragging the cone--she was a little curious and sniffed it for a treat but otherwise no big deal.

Mounted from the fence (do on other side next time) rope reins over saddle loop, and savvy string around her neck and 1-2 sticks. Pushed gate open w/carrot stick. Did figure 8 around some jumps--using body weight, guiding with my hands on her neck, leg--did not need stick. I don't really know what to do with savvy string?? Do you neck rein to turn or pull to stop--yuck.

Tomorrow in western saddle try savvy string only and carrot stick and canter clover leaf pattern.

finished in round pen with great sidepassing with sticks--did not need the rail. Also lateral flexion with stick is so-so but great in reaching for a treat. Took a little while to get disengage HQ with stick--haven't done that in at least two years.

360 spin with sticks?????????

Thursday, June 4 How interesting

Not feeling well today but decided to do my lesson anyway.

Asked for Bethanna's help with circling game changes of direction as they seemed so rough in the video. I asked very politely and got some nice walk and trot changes. Then I think Try just had extra energy or was bored with or ticked off (who knows) and took off at a canter. Oh Boy! Great, you want to canter, lets canter! I am not sure but what she falls between LBI & LBE as she really had some extra energy.

Then 3+3 laps of no-stirrups posting trot.

I am feeling sad after reading again the Feb article by Linda Parelli: "Putting the Relationship first." I missed so much on the first read. See LBI page for further info.

More Wednesday, June 3 Lovely Day

Cooler, cloudy morning.

Paddock: grooming stuff, saddle stuff, notes etc everything moved out there in advance.

Played treats on the barrels circling game with variations--not going whole circle and changing it into sidepass, change of direction, yoyo etc. hmmm make up patterns for this or get really good at improvisation??? use more obstacles, vary methods of driving from one place to another.

lovely spin and go the first time we did it
sideways towards and away--Try really understood

Saddling--best ever at swinging it up there. Try less girthy when eating grass!

Ring: mounting: nearly forgot rock, Try walked off too soon--need to anticipate and see if I am cueing her or if she has just decided its time to go.

Had planned to continue level 1 review but others coming out to ride so progressed to 2 carrot stick cantering patterns, change of direction w/simple changes. Some a little wild. On the rail--arms folded etc. cloverleaf at trot lovely, up at times in canter.

Sidepass:

1. did w/reins ala level 2 to let Try know what was coming
2. one stick--didn't work so well as need to block front end just a bit
3. two sticks--wow she had it 10 steps or so and briskly (my focus, body position)

Try knows stick as signal to move front end and disengage hind end.

But can I get full lateral flexion w/stick????

Wednesday, June 3 hmmmm

I really like this savvy club contribution this a.m.:

"And over the last few days / weeks, we hade an enormous break through! It feels to me, that she’s finally “letting her guard down”, really starting to trust in me, work with me. Don’t get me wrong, we had a great relationship before and were envied by quite a lot people for that, but I wanted more; she is a really strong LBI, so people often mistake her calmness and confidence as a good relationship, but I knew better… "

hmmmmmmmmmmm

Tuesday, June 2 visited Marianne and Skip

WOW--what a great relationship Marianne and Skip have--such a strong bond and they are both LBE. I did a little liberty with Skip and he is so easy--he wants to move and play.

For circling game and Try: consider variety and changing things up--travel, change gaits and direction, obstacles--change less frequently than Marianne and Skip and ask with lightest possible cues/have fun/emotional fitness. Check out patterns and circles for variety.

For tomorrow freestyle riding continued in western saddle:
review of level 1 continued and patterns.

Monday, June 1

Small paddock:
1. Try liked (and trotted) circling game w/three barrels set up in circle w/treats!
2. Our new trick is weave with sidepass away and toward--Try has been offering sidepass towards as the answer to everything. gggg.

Freestyle review:
1. Saddling--did this in the small paddock w/English saddle--awkward, visualize smooth transitions. Try send to saddle good. She was eating grass in paddock and didn't care about tightening the girth! (Tightened in about 10 stages. Unclear about how to work on girthiness.)
2. Mounting: I have this pretty smooth--rock her to be sure she has her feet planted and wait once mounted need to be part of program.
3. Lateral flextion and disengage HQ are better than they were at Double D two+ years ago. Try willing and seemingly easy for her to do. Did not get as up on the disengage HQ as she used to do.
4. Go and whoa: Go easy from bringing up life; whoa took slight lift of rein as she didn't want to be in the arena--other horses had left.
5. Casual rein and turning: good--eyes, belly button, leg were sufficient--would have been nice not to need leg. Practiced the old diagonal direct rein to turn.
6. Will add on next time--probably Wed in western saddle

4 laps no stirrups (2/3 mile)--Try was going to town on the trot--instead of usual urging trot on, I was asking her to slow--exhale, voice, couple of half-halts, etc.

BA says Thur lesson: play with online circling game transitions and phases--that I am nagging at a phase two. Then no stirrups etc. Next week: ride Cricket (winning TB hunter/jumper) for smooth canter, good bending, taking a bit of contact, etc. Probably just trot the first lesson. That will be fun and different and give me more time for freestyle riding with Try.

Saturday, May 30

Quiet Day

circling game 45' line in small pasture by barn--walk and eat, trot a little
arena: sideways towards and away. Try thought the answer to everything was sideways towards. circling game 22' line--walk and change directions. weave w/sidepass.

no stirrups 4 laps, cleaned ears etc

Friday, May 29 Day off

Not going to the barn today. Need catch up day around the house.
Maybe go to barn and mist Try off and give a few treats--graze a little???

Anyway: holes to patch/stuff to do

1. program: girthy
2. circle game
3. make habit to clean ALL 4 feet from same side.
4. program: clean teats
5. program: tilt head to me to halter
6. make habit to mount parelli way-western
7. using vocal cues
8. review basics of freestyle riding

idea for new game: sidepass away and toward the weave pattern.

Thursday, May 28

Filmed today:
some stuff good, some not so
trailer loading was good
weave bad around the ends--needed to be farther away
extreme friendly good
sideways towards not straight
lead by leg good; lead by tail stopped in middle
pedestal good
barrels good--better if I could be farther away
circling game: yuck had to work to get 6 laps at canter then rest was messy.
cavaletti good--better with less cueing

transitions from one to another need to be smoothed out--I don't practice these

More on Wednesday: Teleseminar/Hot Line

See Circling game blog for info on hot line call/Julia on
How can I make the circling game fun?

Teleseminar notes:

• Eating grass: don't ask them to raise their head
• patterns, patterns, patterns
• leadership: about having a plan
• cleaning privates--can use carrot stick for approach/retreat in beginning
• stiff shoulders riding--think pulling armpits down
• welcome to new level of incompetence

Wed May 27 Stinky Day

Wow what an off day. Was it me? Was it her? Was it us?

Trailer load, lead by hocks and tail and pedestal were great.

Extreme friendly she moved on 5th slap
Weave: soso took some time
barrel sidepass--not clean
Knocked over barrel with cone with gusto
Cavaletti: unclear about sidepass away and toward. Rest was good.

Circle game: yuck. Only part I liked was when she got ticked and took off with exuberance and I egged her on. That was fun for me.

Tue May 26 GREAT day

Try met me at the gate!

1. Try and I did circling game, cavaletti stuff and weave, lead by tail--see below.
2. 4 laps no stirrups
3. BA moved trailer out--took a few tries then 3 good trailer loads, the third sitting in the chair.

For Wed:
practice the choreographed routine for Thur filming, including trailer in arena.

Monday, May 25 Memorial Day

Quick trip to barn:

Online:
Circling game: good trot, 2 laps of canter, traveling circles, change of direction at the trot
Lead by hocks, tail: 10 steps each very light!!
Cavaletti: little confusion for Try--offering sideways towards for everything but fairly quickly got sideways away and towards, front foot, back foot and straddle vertically.
Weave: mess, did finally get it at a walk with me standing close.

Try very sweet.

Sunday, May 24 Quiet day

Easy day:

1. did barrels/treats again--still a walk but did it at liberty w/me 10' or so away. Just didn't see any need for the line.

2. Try offered sideways towards so tried w/cavaletti pole--sideways away and towards and it was there!

3. circle:

level 1 yoyo back wait, send at a trot 2 laps was good.
level 2: three tries, my emotional fitness, waiting allowing and being ready to use phases if necessary--by the third try I got one pretty lap of true canter w/o attitude and stopped and rewarded.

end of game
bath/fly stuff

Saturday, May 23 Dwell Time

I had planned to take the day off and go to gym instead of barn then realized an opportunity in that Try would be in her stall and bored because of heat/Bethanna out of town etc.

We went for a walk to the best clover. Then in ring set up two barrels with treats and walked from one to another several times. Interesting--Try never decided to trot--just walk to her next treat.

Then a trail walk up the road and back checking out the sites.

NO CIRCLING!! I did study circling this am and have a plan to review driving the front end and circling level 1 to re-establish things then move forward as we are ready. BUT today I thought we needed to stay away from it after the confusing day yesterday.

Thursday, May 21 first filming L3 online, Kelly Sigler's critique, Friday followup

Part 1:

1. Circling game 2+ minutes: walk/trot/walk/stop and back on the circle then change direction trot then canter 6 laps, disengage hind quarters to stop and bring in

we need to see the send- you were nagging a bit asking her to trot at first. She lost her contact- in the backup, you will see her looking away. When you asked her to canter going to the right, she looked a bit grumpy- think about setting it up so that she is more positive/happy and keeping contact. must do a change of direction without breaking gait at trot.
Add obstacles: cavalettis and cones to relieve boredom ??
Fri: obstacles good but confusing, breaking gait over cavalettis avoiding cones
BUT Try was tired and I need to go back to square 1 with circling game, clean, review for us both.
Cleaning: good at level 1 and level 2: Still need 6 laps of true canter, snappy w/o attitude.
Tue: 3+3 canter, s but not falling leaf. For Wed: put it together.

2. Extreme friendly game: helicopter, slap ground 6 times in zone 5

must be able to take your hand off of her and play the extreme friendly still
Fri: done, not an issue

3. Lead by the hocks and the tail
with a 22 foot rope, not your hands
Fri: done not an issue
Great: 10 steps, light as a feather with rope.
tue: even better
try to lead her with just a few strands of her tail and snappier
Fri: better, good idea to go for 10' for both of these each time. Lots of treats.
Mon: good, light ten steps, tail resting in palm of hand Tue: maybe 1/4 of hairs

4. Sideways towards
sideways towards is looking good!
Fri: WOW--try it with cavaletti pole, then maybe barrel!!! and alternate away and toward.


Part 2:

1. Weave at walk then trot
try the weave at a longer distance/ need the draw at trot so she does not break gait
mark out my distance w/cavalettis or 45’ line for practice
Needs clarity, trot and my distance before filming Tue: better, try going even slower, do less and reward but be farther away

2. Pedestal

pedestal looks good, might want to try four!

3. Sidepass 3 barrels in an L shape
nice sideways over the 3 barrels!

4. Knock cone off barrel without knocking over barrel
nice cone knocking (she is so cute)


5. Cavaletti pole: one foot on pole then straddle between front legs, hind legs, horizontally and vertically

great with the cavaletti
Clean up so it is clear to Try.
Tue: better away and toward, step in front for fr foot, one foot, back foot, then do vertical

1. Transitions, practice stick to me at the trot or drive z5
2. Time within the 10 minute limit for "jump to me"??

Tuesday, May 19 How Interesting!! Wednesday no stirrups

BA and I watched LBE/LBI dvd w/Linda, Lois and Clyde.
Discussed: I am not as LBE as Lois, of course,
Try is between LBI naturally can get quite extroverted easily and still be confident.
It isn't hard to get her going.

I am lightening cues, slowing down and rewarding all the littl subtle stuff she loves.
BUT she gives me attitude when I ask for canter in circling game.
From BA--Test: before beginning session, round pen, hide the hiney, ask for circle and gradually ask for faster gaits, if attitude at canter, up my leadership. THEN begin a session together

Worked into nice circling game canter and weave.

Wednesday: basic no stirrups workout on our own. hanging in there with 4 laps 2/3 mile until filming project is completed.

Monday, May 18 Raining

Then and Now

2008: I was wandering aimlessly between L2 (which was pretty solid) and L3, which seemed impossible. I was trying to focus on horsenality and anything that looked like fun.

2009: I feel so energized by the new levels--I am actually doing well with much of L3 and plan to film my online audition soon. I am looking at the ways my LBE energy impacts my LBI partner and finding good stuff for us both.

Friday, May 15 BFO

Amazing day of learning for me.

online savvy only--did part of course set up for audition. Thinking of watching my cueing--light, not nagging, not criticizing, not over asking etc

round pen warmup: friendly including slapping ground while walking 360. bounced ball on Try, lead by hocks was wonderful and she offered much with lead by tail--one ofthe best ever. Also a little hide the hiney from a look--she quickly gave 2 eyes

sideways towards: super even walking to me as I backed up. Lots a treats.

circle game: took my time and allowed Try time to decide to play just calmly reasked until we had walk/trot/stop/back in one direction. Then resend the other direction at a trot, asked for canter and got three laps of sloppy canter and called game over and gave treats. Figure that blew her mind that I didn't up my phases and demand a proper canter.

(If Try were a human, I would never have demanded a proper canter--just asked nicely, explained etc.)

Jump towards and back up--took my time keeping hq in line on the back.

Finished with knock cone off barrel--took a few tries but I believe Try understood the game!! Try did not seem to want our time together to end.

Try was offering lots of stuff i.e. going to a cone and straddling it, touch it games.

Wednesday, May 13 Another Great Day

Today:

set up arena for online audition toys/obstacles/patterns

took my time as much as I could as a LBE and treated, rest, strokes, don't know how long it took

I learned:
1. spread out the toys--confusing for us both
2. plan how we get from one toy to another
3. do not over cue--let her do it
4. see if better to do circle game before weave--both a big sluggish and Try not really focusing by that time.

Later:
no stirrups 4 laps
AND Question Box pattern: English saddle, no reins hooked to saddle--using body weight and leg only--no stick. Started great to do at a walk by the time we got to the final small circle Try started not listening to my leg which I may have been overcueing by that point so I upped phases. Then we did beautiful two large circle posting trots, my relaxing into my balance point to bring her back to the walk thru the ? box. Quit then on a good note.

Tuesday, May 12 Glorious Day

Wonderful day.

drove up w/ plan for online and no stirrups--ba asked if we could do Thur lesson.

lesson: question box and corners patterns, western saddle, haltamore ropes over saddle and one carrot stick. Biggest lesson for ? box is lightness with cues and constant conscious awareness of what I am overdoing with the carrot sticks. Pattern at a walk is place to check that Try is with me mentally and up phase with stick--not constant nagging and use of stick through out.

Corners: sidepass with stick???? I need to SLOWLY ask for shoulder/HQ bit by bit and not rush.

Showed ba online improvements: fabulous extreme friendly and 8 strides of sideways towards!!
Showed off pedestal to Cathy's BF Matt.

After looked for help in Level 3 pack for sideways with sticks and didn't see it. Rewatched the fabulous funny dvd w/Linda, Lois and Clyde LBE human and LBI horse.

Monday, May 11

Rained out but got to do some online stuff:
1. Great helicopter 360 degrees and slap ground from z5 and walk away
2. Try is really offering sideways towards and curious about all objects
3. 4 barrels/treats/sideways faster--just starting to give Try the idea
4. drive to saddle and sniff--not an issue
Then the rains came--ggg.

homework

homework--watch Linda, Lois and Clyde again.

Sunday, May 10 How Interesting!

Lovely morning, horses inside as it will be close to 90 degrees soon.

Try glad to see me.

We went out back and did basic friendly and rubbing then extreme friendly. helicopter walking in circle around her followed by one slap in Z4-A5 and then walk away and reward with treat. Did that twice then did it two slaps and walk away--treat and end of game.

sideways towards!!!!!!!!!!! Went to the fence and asked and she gave me a 1/2 dozen steps right off the bat. Rewarded. did it again but took a minute for Try to offer the 2nd time. Treats, dwell time.

walking and mirroring--up to the other barn and back. then dwell time in arena and play with cavaletti--treats.

shower (not tied), fly stuff, treats, back in stall.

Friday, May 8, private time with Kelly Sigler!!

Thank you Kelly.

GREAT private session with Instructor Kelly Sigler yesterday, we concentrated on LBI horse and LBE human!! Kelly pointed out instances where I thought my horse had higher energy than I did and the reverse was true.

I feel so ready to be a better human for the LBI I love. How interesting? and isn't this stuff just the greatest? I love Parelli horsemanship.

Online Savvy
1. Extreme friendly in zone 5: one slap and turn and walk away to take the pressure off.
2. Sideways towards: helper on the other side to reinforce/treats
3. Sideways faster: barrels treats, helper would be good to place treats
4. Stick to me: I need to mirror her not just demand that she mirror me!! And be more aware of her true energy level and mine as well.
5. Circle—played with just walking places, stop, nose on object treat—letting her choose the obj.
6. Pedestal: no 4 feet won’t fit
7. Try offered all sorts of stuff, trot, canter, walking over bridge, cavalettis—often I misread where she would like to go.
8. Lots of treats and rest
9. I know I over cue—conscious awareness—Try responds to lighter and lighter cues—her phase one and my phase one are not in synch.

Riding
1. Got to play with Parelli western saddle, pad, shims and cradle bridle. Fantastic opportunity.
2. Like my saddle better, I like the deeper seat that puts me on my balance point—should send pic to Kelly
3. I learned: when Try is away from home she is more up and my usual freestyle riding falls apart.
4. I was relying on reins and voice too much for slowing. Need to stop/slow riding in my body. At home why can I ride with no reins for an entire session???
5. Over cueing turns—go back to neutral rein as soon as she starts making the turn.
6. Saddle kept slipping to the right—left shoulder?? Check this
7. Point to point and figure 8.
8. Be prepared to spend 20 minutes with Try on girthiness program.

Other
1. Kelly suggested emailing her for cookie info, checking ulcer info for girthiness and offered to watch our videos for audition on youtube before submitting
2. Will consider coming back to Mary’s in the fall—hope that works!
3. This was a very helpful session for me—just what I needed at the just the right time, full of up to date LBI help.