"A horse is like a mirror, and it's reflecting what and who you are."


This is just a little diary of my horse life. I teach natural horsemanship and dressage. I am currently working on getting back to L4 Parelli after a car accident and surgery.


I suffered from a fear of failure, as things had not gone according to planned after my time off from my injuries. It had been an paralyzing disability (fear) but my healing is coming along nicely, and I hope to pass my level 4 before the end of 2011.


I don't know where I am going, but I am NOT lost!


I am now reviewing dvd's and books, and blogging my reviews. The link on the left in the categories (DVD Clinician Reviews)will take you straight to it. You will find links to the websites of all dvd clinicians I review and they are located on the left hand side bottom of page of the page. None of the clinicians or trainers I am reviewing, sponsor, endorse or authorize this site. For more info about them please click on thier link.

I hope you enjoy!

Savvy On,
Michelle


I will be giving Savvy Star Ratings based soley on my opinion of it's value to a parelli student as such


***** Must own

**** Must watch

*** Worth watching, but you won't die without it

** Eh' take it with a grain of salt, you will have to filter alot

* OK, but there is better stuff out there to spend your time and money on

0 stars....skip it, it just isn't worth your time.




Friday, September 23, 2011

DVD Review:**** 5Mike Schaffer: Right From The Start



Right from the Start****


It is refreshing to see educational dressage dvd's that so clearly show that many traditional and classical riders and their methods are 'natural'.  Most NH'rs think that the NH 'techniques' are what makes natural....well....natural....and they couldn't be farther from the truth.  The TRUTH is, natural is in your mind, it is in concepts and philosophy, not in a stick and a rope. 


Mike has a philosophy that if you start a horse on the ground to accept and give to the bit, before you get on his back, you will save him YEARS of confusion and pain.  I agree with this whole heartedly.  Another of his steps is to release knots in the neck with massage and to supple the horse with lateral movements on the ground before you mount up.  Nothing un-natural about that.  His technique was simple to understand and very well demonstrated with several un-started horses and horses he was re-starting that had years of evasions to the bit. His technique only took minutes for the horse to understand the lesson, because Mike understands.....it's all about the release.  He demonstrated this time and again.  He also shows a rider how to do this, and walked her literally one step at a time through the process, from ground to saddle.  The changes in the horse were nothing short of amazing.  


As for my dressage principles, I feel this is a great tool in teaching the horse to give to the bit, but I caution you, we do not want them so soft, that they travel around over bent longitudinally and behind the bit or vertical.......OR over bent laterally, crooked and falling out thru the shoulder.  This dvd is about 'giving to the bit', so remember, it all starts in the back end, driving your horse, straight, over his back, reaching TO the bit, TO the contact, and ACCEPTING that contact....not about a head set, or avoiding the contact.


I am giving this dvd 4 *"s as I believe very strongly it is a must see for anyone who is about to, or already has, put a bit in their horses mouth, and it is simple, concise, and not convoluted with any other content not related to the subject.


click here for more info about Mike Schaffer


Savvy On
Michelle
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