This in from Stacey and Linda re horsenality cusp scores

"Hi Elizabeth!

I'm finally getting back to you, had a couple of weeks of madly writing lots of stuff, including the new information on cuspal Horsenalities.

Reading your modified report was actually great confirmation for me because the problem with people borrowing someone else's report on LBE (as in your case) is that this is not the core horsenality, so only parts of it will apply. So you have to start as LBI, the main training concerns are LBI, but as soon as the horse gets motivated (which will happen more quickly when they're on the cusp) you need some LBE tips - also how to recognize it.

So what you've done for Try is great - you took the LBE parts that would relate when Try goes there. I must say I am impressed by your grasp of this, you obviously have put a lot of time and effort into understanding horse behavior in terms of horsenality!

The reports that have been launched now have the cuspal information automatically attached. We will then be going back through our Silver and Gold members whose horses showed cusp scores and making that portion available as soon as possible.

I trust all is going well with you and Try :)

Yours naturally,

Linda"

Update

Sunday: day off.
Monday: not feeling well, but was able to do my no-stirrups strength exercises with Keystone and spend a few minutes with Try on stick to me from the May mastery dvd On line and Liberty/balance and counter balance. All was lovely.

Tuesday: trail ride with Try, Ruby and Splash. Try was a super star--she led the way much of the ride with great confidence. Did not even need reins--she knew what she was doing and was happy and curious, looking all around. My great thanks to Ruby for making this happen.

Wednesday: catch up day at home and study/reconsider goals.

Saturday

On Line

Try: really nice sideways with change of direction, backwards 1/4 turns and yoyo draw--from watching May mastery lesson

Keystone: progress thru 7 games plus touch it. Need more fun, friendly, dwell, grazing, touch it.

Friday

Try and I had a big morning:
1. played online with material from May mastery dvd: balance and counter balance. Did sideways and the change of direction and counter balance of the backing 1/4 turns. Then change of direction on the circle was lovely tracking left but got the nasty ears tracking right???? So Try decided she would like to move and I offered to help her with ??20 laps of canter--relaxed but mostly snarky. Afterwards we went on to some bareback freestyle: the best ever question box pattern--she soooooo knew it and I did not need anything but occasional bit of leg!! Then I did a little no stirrups posting trot for my strength. Cathy arrived and she and Shirley Try and I walked and trotted in Matrix's pasture with a nice big hill to go up and down.

Finished with Keystone in round pen. HOT by then and his first time in round pen--not hugely successful--just neutral. Next time do in the ring again, in the cool of the day and maybe play with the tarp.

Watch the level 1 online for ideas for Keystone and reward the May mastery dvd.

Returning to blog

Well, I guess I am returning to blogging--my idea to keep diary on hard drive instead, review notes daily and weekly has been putting too much pressure on me. That may have worked for law school which was intellectual learning but with learning that is emotional/intellectual/physical I seem to need more time to process so I think weekly review of diary and twice a month review study notes and continue to make notes from study of dvds etc at a more leisurely pace.

Victory: Tuesday Try and I will join Ruby and Splash for a trail ride.

Today's plan:
Try and I
1. On Line: Watched the May gold dvd on exercises to counter balance and preparation for liberty. I really liked some of the smooth changes of direction and want to try them today.
2. Freestyle: bareback pad, carrot stick play with patterns walk and trot. Perhaps get western saddle for canter.

Keystone: follow up for a few minutes on line: porcupine head down, lots of friendly, yoyo and perhaps play with circling a little.

Lovely day yesterday

Yesterday I had my first riding lesson with Keystone in two months and was pleased.

Keystone and I are playing with some Parelli basics this week also. I love the fact that he is so soft and relaxed and I can use light cueing even as I teach. Anyway, friendly is good--he is sensitive about his head. Porcupine: good and we are starting to learn to put our head down on cue so we can halter the Parelli way. Driving: good, even soft, nice 360s except that HQ requires some friendly so that its not a "ball" (as in ball/chair).

yoyo: he is getting the idea and backing from a phase 3, and draw is getting better as well, as he understands--he does seem to want to come be with me as a safe spot. We have been thinking of him as LBI but he feels RBI as well, perhaps because this is a vastly different learning experience for him. Certainly he is not as extremely left brain as Try.

circling: wonder of wonders, only a light send is required--and no problem with the allow with my being at neutral or upward transitions. Downward transitions--we need a better joint understanding--I think I may be confusing him. I am sure he has been longed on a line in the past but don't know how he was cued--Bethanna doesn't know either as no one at Rollover has ever longed him. Anyway, yesterday (day 2) he was just getting the idea of the HQ disengagement to stop, turn and face and ask permission to come in. I am amazed that this is happening so quickly and such lovely circling for a horse that needs encouragement to maintain gait for a rider.

Sideways: not yet.
Squeeze: this will be easy.
Touch it: Just starting to think about driving to move from place to place.

Update

1. Try and I have been attempting to come to terms on L3 liberty--concentration for the full 10 minutes is an issue and getting compulsories done in 10 minutes without lighting a fire under a calm, slowing moving Try as issue. Lighting a fire is not desirable LOL as it causes a loss of thinking.
2. I have signed up for 2 day clinic and 1 hour private time with Berin Macfarlane for the end of the month.
3. I am entering a 1/2 lease of Keystone to add in a different riding experience for the summer. Plan is to do my basic riding lessons with Keystone and my no-stirrups posting trot homework. (3 days per week total) This should allow for more time and flexibility for Parelli with Try. Will also probably bring Keystone along in L1/L2--lacking is sideways online and ??freestyle--I think its there--just confusing to Keystone that he can take responsibility. (LBI/RBI)