Thursday, April 9, 2009

Thursday, April 9

Sideways towards: still good on left side, could not get the right today--will try again when Tara is there to help on the opposite side.

Lots of good online stuff: weave at a walk clean, offered to sidepass barrel, etc. After riding ended with pedestal--waited to see if she would offer it at liberty--just put foot off--but did put both front feet up online with just a suggestion.

Riding freestyle: she was up today--two carrot stick riding then cloverleaf with casual rein.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Tuesday, April 7

Sideways towards: she is really getting it! I stood on table and she sidepassed right to me even tho she wasn't lined up all that well. Did not have time to work out the other direction.

Pedestal: easily got 2 feet on pedestal--she seemed really happy there. Want to get photo. Also she sidepassed around the pedestal by disengaging HQ with bigger steps than adjusting her front feet.

Lesson:
2 pt trot warmup: weight needs to be farther back which puts my body lower--counterbalance to legs
trot: think more about my legs doing the posting
canter: "flying" change--I did not communicate well.
no stirrups: 4 laps with some walking to rest

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Sunday, April 5 MAGIC DAY

Sundays seem to be the best day: I guess I am rested and relaxed and feeling laid back.

Sideways towards: From the picnic table, Try did it perfectly the first time then took several tries before she got it the second time. After riding, we came back and she did it immediately both times--knowing there was a likely treat. Next time I will see if I can add (staying at picnic table) Try sidepassing towards with the right side of her body!

Pedestal: I can not even believe how fortunate I am that Peggy's husband made a gorgeous wood pedestal with rubber top, bottom handles, cantilevered etc. WOW. Played with it the first time this morning. Try immediately put her nose on it, with little urging then checked it out rubbing the top with her right foot, then got treats for resting first her right foot then her left on top. Next time I will see if she will put both front feet on it.

Riding: First time I have had 4 laps of no-stirrups (2/3 mile), posting trot where I felt completely strong, in control and almost the same as if I had stirrups. Accomplished by doing the first two laps without stopping then walk 1/2 lap trot 1/2 lap until finished.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Saturday, April 4 Filming Peggy

Filmed Peggy's L1 this am. Learned a great lesson: I don't need to stress over perfection--it won't be perfect--some stuff will be really great and some won't really show what we can do. Its all about emotional fitness.

Friday, April 3 Sideways Towards

Well, I mentioned to Bethanna that I just had sideways towards left to self assess for L3 online. We had watched the recent savvy club dvd on fear together and saw sideways towards to line up the horse. Sooo Bethanna took a break and helped me--she stood on the picnic table with carrot stick and brought Try in--I stood on the other side to help line up Try and encourage sideways as she already knows it. We got two great sidepasses towards, gave treats and left it at that.

Then Try and I rode: usual warmups of 2 point trot, posting trot, then posting trot on the buckle with no stirrups--I was tired and only got 3 laps--a little more than 1/3 mile. Then we finished with canter at 2 point and some passenger time.

Try and I finished up with sideways towards. I stood on the picnic table. Try was not getting it so I got Tara to stand on the other side to get the side pass started. After getting two good ones without Tara, giving treats etc we quit for the day.

Hopefully, because sidepassing is Try's favorite game that she offers all the time, she will quickly figure out side ways towards. When she gets it easily at the picnic table we can use other places and then from my being on the ground.

We didn't stop for clover today because her pasture is now lush with it. We did drive from zone 3-5 coming in and going back out.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Thursday, April 2 Rain day video

watched video on rider/fear w/BA:

I think the amount of time with friendly stroking etc could be a great mood setter for both Try and I, particularly when either of us have a different mood going.

NOTE: called Parelli office about 3' jumps--I will not do them due to Try's age, conformation, training, and arthritis in back leg.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Tuesday, March 31 UT OH

Well, I felt that I was finally coming up with a plan for order/tasks for OL3 and went to barn with plan to brush up on several and do some no stirrups with plenty of time for loving and clover, etc. Concept to consider: non adversarial

We spent 3 hours together and Try wasn't really in the mood and at times my emtional fitness went out the window. Walked in leading from Z3 with my hand on the withers.

Extreme friendly: began with rubbing and friendly and moved to slapping string--could not get to zone 5--she kept disengaging HQ. So a step back from yesterday. But I had to remember how long it took to teach disengage HQ from a look and was able to laugh and move on. No helicopter.

Sidepass barrels: yes to one or two. Try not trying to figure out what I want. I felt like I was making her instead of her offering.

Weave: set up cones in play paddock because BA and Tara were riding 3 year olds in the ring. Weave was good at the walk (drive/draw). At trot Try came unglued. Backing the weave--interesting diagonal back and disengage HQ works.

In the ring:
Cavaletti: sidepass and straddle walk--pretty good.

Jump toward me and back to jump--today we got one that was great.
Also sidepass at a trot on the rail, circling traveling.

No stirrups felt strong:about 3 laps (1/2 mile) Canter was fairly relaxed but I kept helping her to be relaxed.