Thur Dec 23:
warmup, turn and gait transitions from my energy level etc
more like 20 minutes—find my focus, circling—ok 30 counting grazing
Playing with transitions within gaits, bending on the circle, contact or shorter reins. Hardest was the fast walk, easiest the powered up trot, canter some good things to try—keep a good rhythm and help Try lighten her front end. Try seemed happy with me and interested. She is developing some new muscle and using her hind end a bit better. yahoo!!
Dec 27: huge snow--little dwell time
Dec 28: The entire farm today was a slushy wet mess with snow and ice melting—even pastures a mucky mess so Try and I did 30 minutes of together dwell time. Hopefully it will be dry enough in places to play On Line at least by tomorrow.
Dec 31: 58 degrees--haven't seen that 50 degrees since ?? Thanksgiving.
Dwell time, sticking together, find my focus/back
Ring: walk, play with contact, speed within gaits walk and trot, back and sideways without reins, bareback canter etc. Ring still a mess but do-able.
Last day of 2010.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
well yuck I was confused today
1. Sticking together—the connection isn’t as strong as its been but improved a bit today. Needs consistency—weather or no weather.
2. (On Line, 30 mins) Interspersed—in the beginning we played the find my focus game—Try is possibly getting it but then not maintaining it when I ask her to back and then I have to remind my self to keep my focus LOL. We also did some circle game variation without more than a second or two of ugly ears and all but a stride or two of relaxed trot at a 6’ distance—still working on focus. Then at the very end we had dwell time at the rail before leaving the ring and she was so relaxed she was nearly asleep then we repeated the find my focus game—again with problems maintaining it as we backed out of the ring. Then we reblanketed and went for a graze/walk.
3. Freestyle, 45 mins) Freestyle was likely longer than intended as Jen and Katie were doing a jump course in the ring etc and I was attempting to stay out of their way. In the beginning walk until Try blew at 1.5 laps, turn from body weight was not as good but body weight to get walk/trot and trot/walk transitions was better than yesterday.
Flying leaf variation: easier coordination without the carrot stick but yields not as clean I am sure. Needs some more practice but I don’t want to do too much in any one day. Would be good to film to check quality. Also did swing the shoulder variations and walk/halt and trot/halt with suspension rein added to seat as cues—they got better and better. Then tried with the canter and Try was all too happy to halt BUT getting less relaxed here and there and I want that to be the priority tomorrow.
4. (Finesse, 15 mins) Ok maybe 10 minutes/5??—playing with taking contact at a standstill—got stretching down nicely but not walking off (no leg cues allowed).
2. (On Line, 30 mins) Interspersed—in the beginning we played the find my focus game—Try is possibly getting it but then not maintaining it when I ask her to back and then I have to remind my self to keep my focus LOL. We also did some circle game variation without more than a second or two of ugly ears and all but a stride or two of relaxed trot at a 6’ distance—still working on focus. Then at the very end we had dwell time at the rail before leaving the ring and she was so relaxed she was nearly asleep then we repeated the find my focus game—again with problems maintaining it as we backed out of the ring. Then we reblanketed and went for a graze/walk.
3. Freestyle, 45 mins) Freestyle was likely longer than intended as Jen and Katie were doing a jump course in the ring etc and I was attempting to stay out of their way. In the beginning walk until Try blew at 1.5 laps, turn from body weight was not as good but body weight to get walk/trot and trot/walk transitions was better than yesterday.
Flying leaf variation: easier coordination without the carrot stick but yields not as clean I am sure. Needs some more practice but I don’t want to do too much in any one day. Would be good to film to check quality. Also did swing the shoulder variations and walk/halt and trot/halt with suspension rein added to seat as cues—they got better and better. Then tried with the canter and Try was all too happy to halt BUT getting less relaxed here and there and I want that to be the priority tomorrow.
4. (Finesse, 15 mins) Ok maybe 10 minutes/5??—playing with taking contact at a standstill—got stretching down nicely but not walking off (no leg cues allowed).
Day 2 Dan Thompson December 2010
Watched part of Mary's lesson with Jake then Aimee with Sparkles--I appreciate the opportunity to watch.
Then 3:30-5 ish Try--mostly freestyle then a spot of figuring out when Try takes contact.
Warmup: We walked for Try to blow and it took longer than usual--
no doubt Try feeling/mirroring my not being as relaxed as usual--though it was a fun, joyous 2 days--still not as relaxed as when its just Try and I. Reminds me of dance rehearsal vs performance--the latter never being as free and glorious as the former as there is the knowledge of the audience.
Anyway, we broke up the walk with turns by my turning my whole body to look at Try's HQ. Then went to the trot and broke that up mentally for Try (to get her connection with me) by varying the speed of the trot from jog to medium to fast trot. (hmm ask BA about extended trot rather than fast).
Then falling leaf variation to lighten the shoulders etc:
1. walk then ask for HQ disengagement with my full body, lift rein hand elbow straight if necessary to keep Try's front end in place (turn on the forehand) and stick in opposite hand across our bodies to HQ as well.
2. After turning swing shoulders in same direction while wt is still back by using opposite rein/leading rein/?leg and if need be stick--holding downward to urge front end.
3. walk off in new direction with leading rein.
Practice bits til they become natural and join together into a dance.
Weave variations walk and trot swinging shoulders thru--so sidepass thru then proceed on a straight line.
Contact: Played with it at a stand still. We wait until Try takes the contact from me i.e. stretched down and then we walk off. Reins mean go.
Merlin/bullfighting
Linda Success Series lead change ladder.
Wonderful two days--glad I did not reschedule to January even though it was really cold both days. By watching other sessions it felt more like a clinic than private sessions only. Also interesting to consider would be the 6 day clinic in Hartsville SC.
Then 3:30-5 ish Try--mostly freestyle then a spot of figuring out when Try takes contact.
Warmup: We walked for Try to blow and it took longer than usual--
no doubt Try feeling/mirroring my not being as relaxed as usual--though it was a fun, joyous 2 days--still not as relaxed as when its just Try and I. Reminds me of dance rehearsal vs performance--the latter never being as free and glorious as the former as there is the knowledge of the audience.
Anyway, we broke up the walk with turns by my turning my whole body to look at Try's HQ. Then went to the trot and broke that up mentally for Try (to get her connection with me) by varying the speed of the trot from jog to medium to fast trot. (hmm ask BA about extended trot rather than fast).
Then falling leaf variation to lighten the shoulders etc:
1. walk then ask for HQ disengagement with my full body, lift rein hand elbow straight if necessary to keep Try's front end in place (turn on the forehand) and stick in opposite hand across our bodies to HQ as well.
2. After turning swing shoulders in same direction while wt is still back by using opposite rein/leading rein/?leg and if need be stick--holding downward to urge front end.
3. walk off in new direction with leading rein.
Practice bits til they become natural and join together into a dance.
Weave variations walk and trot swinging shoulders thru--so sidepass thru then proceed on a straight line.
Contact: Played with it at a stand still. We wait until Try takes the contact from me i.e. stretched down and then we walk off. Reins mean go.
Merlin/bullfighting
Linda Success Series lead change ladder.
Wonderful two days--glad I did not reschedule to January even though it was really cold both days. By watching other sessions it felt more like a clinic than private sessions only. Also interesting to consider would be the 6 day clinic in Hartsville SC.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Dan Thompson Day 1 December
Fun day today.
After catching up on goings on since the last visit ie BA going amature and Ocala trip, On Line in the new paddock. As a warmup--something slow and fun for Try i.e.knocking cone off a barrel--it is in Try's horsenality to like to push things around LOL. then Dan suggested sidepassing to the barrel and knocking it over or backing to a barrel and rolling it.
Then the main course: teaching Try to hunt my focus--to line up with my focus--focus not on her but on what I want to accomplish i.e. focus on tree to ask her to line up to back (preparation to preparation??) Trick is to use the right amount of energy/phase etc to ask without losing my focus then reward. Try was starting to get it--will take some time. Nice part is that I can start with L1 assessment sheet and we can work our way forward with variety built in and a clear path for me mentally.
Sideways: follow the focus--focusing over the withers--this one was easier both directions than backing.
Circling--more like following my intention: don't change gait or direction AND I choose the distance. Try had no trouble with increasing the distance as I let out rope and to decrease--I walk with her focusing in the direction as I reel in the rope. Note: we tried 6' distance--Dan says this is L4 and the hardest.
Then went to Kathy's and watched Dan help her with strategies for winning 7 games with an RBE and a great trailer loading session. Mostly I was impressed with life up and life down.
After catching up on goings on since the last visit ie BA going amature and Ocala trip, On Line in the new paddock. As a warmup--something slow and fun for Try i.e.knocking cone off a barrel--it is in Try's horsenality to like to push things around LOL. then Dan suggested sidepassing to the barrel and knocking it over or backing to a barrel and rolling it.
Then the main course: teaching Try to hunt my focus--to line up with my focus--focus not on her but on what I want to accomplish i.e. focus on tree to ask her to line up to back (preparation to preparation??) Trick is to use the right amount of energy/phase etc to ask without losing my focus then reward. Try was starting to get it--will take some time. Nice part is that I can start with L1 assessment sheet and we can work our way forward with variety built in and a clear path for me mentally.
Sideways: follow the focus--focusing over the withers--this one was easier both directions than backing.
Circling--more like following my intention: don't change gait or direction AND I choose the distance. Try had no trouble with increasing the distance as I let out rope and to decrease--I walk with her focusing in the direction as I reel in the rope. Note: we tried 6' distance--Dan says this is L4 and the hardest.
Then went to Kathy's and watched Dan help her with strategies for winning 7 games with an RBE and a great trailer loading session. Mostly I was impressed with life up and life down.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Update
Winter weather.
Monday/Tuesday: visited with Try a few minutes.
Wednesday/Thursday: COLD, sleet--did not even go to the barn
Thursday: finally an afternoon of 47 degrees and sunny. Felt sooooooooo good.
Try and I did not have the best day however--we were never really on the same page. Stick together was stick to her. Some nice responsive on line with new light 22' line. Riding alternating freestyle/finesse. Soso we did get some sidepass with arms folded facing a jump. Ride out of the arena--Try's energy came up and we circled and repeated until we could leave the ring calmly then went to the paddock and messed around some, dismounted and dwell time. BA said walk looked good and impressed with how calm Try was out of the ring and around the farm.
Monday/Tuesday: visited with Try a few minutes.
Wednesday/Thursday: COLD, sleet--did not even go to the barn
Thursday: finally an afternoon of 47 degrees and sunny. Felt sooooooooo good.
Try and I did not have the best day however--we were never really on the same page. Stick together was stick to her. Some nice responsive on line with new light 22' line. Riding alternating freestyle/finesse. Soso we did get some sidepass with arms folded facing a jump. Ride out of the arena--Try's energy came up and we circled and repeated until we could leave the ring calmly then went to the paddock and messed around some, dismounted and dwell time. BA said walk looked good and impressed with how calm Try was out of the ring and around the farm.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Sunday am break in the weather
Sunday morning tho muddy was 50 degrees with a break in the rain. Try and I did a little liberty stick together in the new paddock then saddled up with western saddle. Passenger walk trot canter in the ring but quit when Diesel kept following dangerously close. So Try and I went on a passenger trail ride around the farm, into pastures, etc then went into the paddock played with the 20x40 new precision pen, a small jump, new trot poles and a weave then trotted for awhile. Then grazed on line on the way back to the pasture.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Cold weather week continued
Monday and Tuesday visited with Try for a couple minutes. She was in the pasture under two blankets.
Thursday: weather just a bit warmer so we played liberty stick to me and online with the new feather light 22' line which I love it feels like a cross between on line and liberty.
Friday: Yeah 48 degrees--a heat wave--Try and I rode in the ring. Gently as neither of us were feeling real ambitious. A little game of contact at the stand still. A little trot and canter. Canter--emphasis on relaxation after wards. Folding my arms: backup good but not sideways so that is something to play with in the future.
We finished by riding out of the ring over to the new play paddock, walking around in there to check the footing for use as a possible riding spot then back to the barn and Try was nice and relaxed the whole time!
Thursday: weather just a bit warmer so we played liberty stick to me and online with the new feather light 22' line which I love it feels like a cross between on line and liberty.
Friday: Yeah 48 degrees--a heat wave--Try and I rode in the ring. Gently as neither of us were feeling real ambitious. A little game of contact at the stand still. A little trot and canter. Canter--emphasis on relaxation after wards. Folding my arms: backup good but not sideways so that is something to play with in the future.
We finished by riding out of the ring over to the new play paddock, walking around in there to check the footing for use as a possible riding spot then back to the barn and Try was nice and relaxed the whole time!
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