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.