May 25

I have switched to a new system for motivation and have not been updating here. Have started a book of notes of what I am concentrating on as a word doc and as a printout, doing study of 20 min per day average and reviewing all my notes and making monthly and weekly plans.

Make versus Want

Private 2 hours with Instructor Annie Shank yesterday!

I had emailed Annie in advance my issue with consistency, wanting a lovely relaxed, soft attitude from Try instead of the mild brace that I often feel. What follows is an incredible session where I was able to learn how I was making Try do things rather than causing her to want to do things--allowing her the choice. Needless to say, with Try "make" is not going to go over well with her extreme left brain nature--frankly, it ticks her off. Also as a 19 year old with so much experience in various disciplines, overcueing and making her do things is rude as it ignores her great ability to take responsibility and do it herself. So hopefully, I can relearn from square 1 the "want" versus "make", I can have the "magic" Try, the soft, relaxed lovely Try more often.

WINNING THE FRIENDLY GAME:
I thought because Try and I were getting 4s on our auditions for friendly game that we were doing great. NOT--I was missing the point. Winning the friendly game is not about Try standing still tolerating or being oblivious to whatever I do in the way of extreme friendly--it is about what I am doing in the friendly game bringing about the kind of relaxation and softness that we would both enjoy!

Games:
1. Swinging string over Try's back with rhythm and a little energy until I see the slightest sign of more relaxation then quit--its the release that teaches. Signs to look for--any softening, lick/chew, head lowering, exhale, blinking.

2. The ball: Next we walked to the big green ball and of course Try offered to push it around some. Annie had me bounce the ball on her top line and her side. Try was a little bothered by it on her side. Again watching for relaxation and quit, rub etc the release teaches.

3. Patting Try with rhythm and energy beginning at her neck and working toward her flank. Try seemed to prefer having her belly patted to her topline--more like a massage. Same principles of release, etc.

4. Patting top of her neck with coiled 45' line until Try lowers her head even the slightest bit. Note: my arm got tired after awhile--at home I could stand on pedestal to do this one to prevent the interruption it caused.

All of the 2 hour session was really about friendly game but a caveat is that at home I will need to be CREATIVE in coming up with different friendly games or this will get really boring to Try.

Next we went to the WEAVE on the 22' line with the object being lightness, NOT using the rope and my being as far away from the cones as I could. I quickly learned how I had been using the rope AND over cueing. I was using the rope to bring her thru rather than draw AND I was oversending with the stick and found that Try responded well to my simply pointed with just a bit of energy. ??draw was it just my backing up?? can't remember.

To improve DRAW we went to the backward S (circling game, change of direction) BUT Annie taught me about the double S where not only is Try doing the S but I am as well. Took awhile to get it--I back up in zone 5, point stick at zone4 but low and focus ahead not at Try's butt until she decides to give me two eyes (draw) and then redirect/change of direction.

Next we played with my looking at Try's HQ--just LOOKING--for a loooooooooooooooong phase 1 then quick 234 until I was getting a good HQ disengagement from the look.

Then to change to the otherside which Try did not want me on her right side. I loop my hand under her jaw and hold til she gives with my elbow low enough that she can get through. Permission to change sides then repeat looking at HQ for disengagement on second side.

Walk looking at HQ, get the disengagement until two eyes come thru, stick behind my back and FQ yield.

NOTE: THERE IS A GREAT DISPARITY BETWEEN TRY AND I ON HER LEFT SIDE VERSUS RIGHT SIDE!! THIS NEEDS TO BE HOMEWORK.

Next we played with SIDEWAYS TOWARDS on the right side. Annie helped with a little porcupine on the other side. The release teaches. I have forgotten some of the learning here. She did offer as a suggestion for when I don't have a second person to help to use savvy string around her midsection to get a step so Try will understand what I am asking.

Then we went back to patting the 45' line on Try's neck--see above.

Then we played with the FIGURE 8. I had been looking for two eyes before backing before and learned to look for the question instead and not to switch hands on the stick until that moment. Also to back STRAIGHT back not on the diagonal. (Not sure why tho.) This really got a much better 8.

We took a water break and then finished up with the PEDESTAL as I would like Try to be able to put 4 feet on the pedestal. Again not MAKE but WANT--so not using string on back leg but encouraging Try to come forward. For now, just getting her to walk over the pedestal will be good. Annie suspects when Try AND I are comfortable with that that Try will offer to stay on the pedestal with 4 feet.

Monday

wow!!!

When I arrived Try was in her stall for a hot weather day and happy to get out to play. I backed her into the round pen and took off halter and asked her where she would like to wear it. GGG

Then
1. figure 8 was fabulous and she got the special treat
2. pedestal, extreme friendly and helicopter also everything I would want to see plus added backing off the pedestal from back from horse tail few hairs, then hocks then 2-3 hairs.
3. sideways away and toward over the barrels
4. stick to me--took a little reminding which was fine. walk trot halt back transitions
5. circled over the "jump" at a walk stopping 1/2 way and sideways to me THEN at a trot turn and face that took a try or two and we had some good exuberance
6. circle game at trot only 2 circles each way and I got some ear pinning. I stood on pedestal and used stick string to ask for walk, halt and back.

Then
to the arena/bareback pad for 4 sorta laps of no stirrups posting trot as passenger--put bridle on Try's neck with just a few reminders

Relaxation

Possible ways to promote relaxation:

1. friendly rubs and scratches
2. dwell time
3. bathe/shower
4. after good physical activity
5. light cueing
6. rewards, promoting sense of having "got it"
7. passenger time

yesterday attempted liberty after a riding lesson--not a good idea, took awhile for Try and I to get together mentally, physically, emotionally LOL

Great news: we are back in business for riding at a trot--did about a mile of trotting with no adverse affects.

Today: lovely figure 8 at liberty and a little bareback riding with Cathy and Shirley including 4 laps of no stirrups.

New goal: relaxation at a 1, "magic"

LB what??

Some thoughts:

Looking for relaxation,rhythm, contact--I am thinking differently about relaxation. Try as an extreme left brain I/orE, often has an "edge" to her that I have not thought about as tension but it is not relaxation. I think it is a dominance/type tension. It feels like a lack of "sweetness" or a separation from me.

How do I break thru this?
how do I keep from putting her here?

Monday

Vet says ok to ride: walk/jog!!

liberty yesterday:
1. figure 8--Try seems to really get it now
2. stick to me--good at walk trot stop back, my use of stick
3. circle transitions trot to walk to halt to back good