Principle:
1-A fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system or belief or behavior or a chain of reasoning used as a rule to govern one’s behavior.
Many like to think that a technique is what guides us on this journey, or makes what we do ‘natural’ but it is not. Techniques are just a facilitator of our principles to help us achieve our goals. In the parelli system, those techniques and principles were chosen for us, but they are not unique to parelli. Having principles, adhered to and revered as absolute truths, is what lets us know if you are on the right track. Too often, students (of any method) get far to hung up on ‘perfection’ of a task or technique and the principles get lost in the fog. And I often wonder why. This is as common place at the highest of levels as it is at the lowest of levels. The FEI is one of the most notable to let the mebers of their group completely ignore the ‘principles’ and now Dressage is so far away from where it started…yet their own rules never changed……and to make up for it, our perception and definition of the ‘principles’ has become so distorted, we cannot even recognize them when we see them….Such as the principle of having ‘the poll as the highest point’…..it is a rare few individuals who can even recognize what it looks like. Most people ‘think’ they have it, and they could not be farther than the truth.
I have been studying French Classical Dressage lately, and the more I get into it, the clearer the connection between Dressage and NH becomes, most specifically Baucherism….though one does NOT automatically equal the other. (Baucherism is a method discovered and developed by Francois Baucher in the mid 1800’s after he studied François Robichon de La Guérinière’s work from the early 1700’s) In all systems, we usually have a relatively lengthy list of ‘principles’….but when you get to the heart of the matter there are usually only a select few that are highly regarded…and usually only one, maybe two, that are thought of as the “holy grail”…..that usually, if adhered to at all times, it will keep you out of trouble and make your road to success a short one. And usually you can say this about them,
“It matters not what technique you use, what style you ride, so long as you do nothing to lose (principle) and do everything to gain (principle)….you will always be on the road to success”
So I thought I would make a list of principles for myself, since I have been reminded by a book I am reading, just what MY holy grail is, and my lack of adherence has caused me great struggles in my pursuit of my own perfection. Obviously the ‘goal’ is improvement in tangible skills, but really those skills are a facilitator to a higher level of conceptuality and philosophical understanding of the principles….which then garner even greater skills…and so on and so on, repeating the cycle in a never ending circle of self improvement. There is a rule that states, if something applies in every situation than it is a RULE, if it does not, then it is a TOOL.
So here is my list of principles that state I can do anything I want so long as I have, create or do not destroy the following….
1. Relaxation (both physical AND mental/emotional) Front to Back
2. The relationship comes first
3. Never use force, be it physical or mental~ includes: Don’t act like a predator, don’t be direct line, Patience BEFORE justice(long phase one)
4. Lightness and Feel~ includes: Release of the aids, no micro management, Timing the aids at the moment when the horse can optimally comply
5. Hands w/out legs, Legs w/out hands
6. Poll the highest point (except when stretching down) & Nose in-front of the vertical, Back not Hollow
7. Keep the rhythm pure
8. Straightness
Principles I used to use that I no longer use, use sparingly, or only use in a safety situation, and why.
1. “The attitude of justice is effective.” It may be effective but it can be harmful physically if misunderstood and also because it can destroy relaxation, relationship, and rhythm and often eventually involves force.
2. “Immobile Neutral on a circle.” Too much mayhem goes on that is not seen by way of not watching the horse, and it pulls me away from many of the above principles that are FAR more important to me.
For now I think that is about it. Should I come across any more I will update this.
I think if more people put relaxation at the top of their list, they would avert many problems. It needs to be the first thing you get, such as when you first approach your horse, do not do things in that approach that cause him to become tense, as you begin your session, again, do not CAUSE tension…..then your first goal is to reduce and remove what ever tension he had there to begin with. Then you can move on to the days lesson, again not CAUSING tension with any of your requests. Should your request be met with tension….stop…find out what caused it and fix it before moving on. Was he not prepared for your request, was it too demanding due to his level of skill and understanding, did you ask too abruptly or strongly, did you ask at a moment he could not possibly respond correctly, was he distracted….etc….
Relaxation does not mean dead btw. It doesn’t mean create a mindless plug. He should still be alert, sensitive and responsive…..but FREE from tension, both physical and mental.
So these are my thoughts on this rainy day
Savvy On
Michelle
Showing posts with label Freestyle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Freestyle. Show all posts
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Happy 300th Post! Celebrate with me!
So lets see, I started this blog over 2 n half years ago, inspired by the movie "Julie and Julia" I left the theater and came home with the intention of doing ALL the Parelli levels tasks, level 1-4......in a year. Unlike the movie, I failed miserably. Lots of things got in the way of my goal, but my journey took many unsuspecting turns and twists, and thus so did my blog. I have reviewed close to 60 horse dvd's, but 8 or so are still in draft mode waiting for me to finish them. Those dvd's alone have changed my life and journey in so many ways, as well as the books I am reading, that I cannot find the words sometimes to express it. When I started my blog, I was still VERY paralyzed from my fears and still in a dreadful amount of pain from the car accident. I was still going thru a pre ride ritual, that involved cigarettes and mediation, and then I still had fear issues while riding. As of today, I am fear free, I just hop on and ride. And I hope to get the cantering thing tackled this summer.
Over the last few years, my relationship with Rose hit some really low LOWS.....and my relationship with Cha'cote hit some really high HIGHS. I have saved the lives of quite a few horses and a few dogs too. I have gained a few pounds, lost a few, and found them again....ugh. Been thru hell and back in my personal life and survived. I've lost some friends and made some new ones. And generally am doing alright. I got to conduct a huge social experiment, in where during a dark time for Parelli, the infamous Catwalk incident, I chose to take a drastically different "online" path than all of my friends, and opened up some wonderful dialog with parelli haters world wide. (click here) to read the thread, but I must tell you, it is long and pointless if you don't read the whole thing. I just wanted to prove that there is a way to talk to people and a way not to talk to people. That there doesn't have to be an "us" and a "them". We don't have to be at war with people who don't do parelli or anyone for that matter, just because we are different. So, anonymously I started a thread under the aka screen name 'tongue~n~cheek', and posted an offer to people who don't do parelli, to ask legitimate non 'anti hate' questions about parelli....and i would honestly answer those questions with OUT cramming parelli down their throats or making them feel inferior for not doing parelli. In the end I think I answered over 200 questions and another 200 private messages. It took me 5 long weeks of only 3-4 hrs of sleep a day to accomplish it. It started off rough, but in the end, I made alot of friends world wide and not a one of them was a parelli person. Just goes to show, when you open your heart before your mouth, wonderful things can happen. Linda Parelli herself read the thread and was impressed, and while she and I were talking about it, she mentioned that while Pat was reviewing my audition he remarked about me "you can see she has the savvy". Speaking of auditions, during this blogging time I officially passed 5 auditions. Woo Hoo! While it is not 'official' I am a L4 grad, and hope to someday make it official, though it is no longer at the top of the list of High Priority anymore. Probably the best of all, is my new found interest in French Classical dressage because although it is vastly different to my German Classical dressage past, it is completely perfect for where I am in my life with my horsemanship, where the German is not so achievable right now. But, after giving this thing a go during good weather in the upcoming months, I may never go back. I have found 'me' again, after searching for years! I learned some really good stuff with the Waterhole Rituals too. And I am certainly looking at horsemanship with brand new eyes, and what I am finding is REALLY good stuff. What more can I ask for? It has been a great journey that has brought me right here, right where I guess I need to be.
Thanks to those that have followed along. My little blog is just a few short visitors away from 12,ooo views. Here's to looking forward to the next 300 posts.....Stay tuned as I am working on some good stuff regarding bitless dressage and keeping the pole the highest point, and also working on a page about different types of horsemanship and the masters we all look up too. Don't forget to look around, there are over 100 video's plastered all over the place with both good and bad horsemanship to learn from.
Savvy On
Michelle
Monday, November 21, 2011
Do you REALLY know what Rhythm is?
Do you know the difference between Rhythm and Tempo? We’ve all heard (god I hope we have) that walk is a 4 beat gait, trot a 2 beat gait and canter a 3 beat gait. And we hear the three “R’s” rhythm, relaxation, retreat. But do you REALLY know what RHYTHM is? In my experience in the ‘natural’ world…..the answer is….probably not. You may know someone else’s definition based on ‘their’ overall goal….which is actually…..TEMPO. And also interchangeably use ‘purity of gait’
The greener our eyes are, the bigger we need the picture to be, in order to ‘get’ something. So it is easy for someone to say…..rhythm….in exchange for tempo…when talking about ‘behavior’ and ‘emotions’ in a horse. Or a green horse just learning to ‘rate’ his speed. So we wouldn’t want to see his canter go quickly then slowly then quickly then slowly…..we would like him to be consistent…..but this is actually TEMPO. So unfortunately we don’t, in the end understand and thus incorrectly use the term ‘rhythm’ for ‘tempo’ but it served it’s purpose of helping us identify and correct emotional inconsistencies in our horse, or helping a very green horse get his very basic bearings about himself.
However, in Dressage, Rhythm is a core element, and inconsistencies will cost you big time. It is suppose to be TABOO to cause irregular gaits….ie: RHYTHM…..but they take a fine eye and ear to recognize…..so it would be prudent to REALLY know what it is, what is correct, and what would be considered a crime against nature.
Rhythm: Unconstrained, forward flow of energy through “well timed” steps
Rhythm is the pattern of the beats of the gait….2 beat trot, 3 beat canter and 4 beat walk. It should be even and consistent. It isn’t the ‘beat’ in so much as it is the amount of time ‘between’ the beats….that defines the RHYTHM. We tend to think of the trot as 1-2 1-2- 1-2…. So to define the ‘even’ part….what you need to know is that the time between footfalls should be perfectly even, and it is helpful to think of it as 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8….which 4 strides of trot.
If you counted out loud as your horse trotted along…..
that is exactly what you should hear….1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8……..NOT…..1-—2-3-—4-5-—6-7—8.
Same for the walk there, which is the easiest gait to screw up and cause an ambling or shuffling as described above….mainly from too much contact not enough engagement. The trot however is usually screwed up by posting. So when posting, you should think of an imaginary saddle seat hovering over the pommel. You should be spending just as much time with your ‘front’ on the imaginary saddle as you do with your ‘back’ in the real saddle….and the time in between, spent rising, should be equal to the time in between, spent falling. Usually this is the reason for lack of even rhythm in the trot gait. Do it for too long, and you make it a habit hard to break for you and your horse. Now the canter is a whole ‘nuther story. While it is a 3 beat gait, we must remember there is a suspension phase as well, with it’s own ‘beat’ so to speak. Making the canter kind of like a 4 beat gait…..for the purposes of explaining the canter rhythm…………at least if you want your horse to not be totally flat with no elevation or space of time between strides. So a canter rhythm would be like this….. 123-123-123-123……..not 123123123123123…so it might be helpful to go ahead and count out the suspension beat like this 123s123s123s123s123s123s or how I like to do it….123412341234. The longer the suspension phase….the more uphill, springy, engaged, etc the canter will be.
Let’s talk about SERIOUS deviations of purity of gait. These are things you will see caused by such things as Rolkur and again serious lack of impulsion or odd mix of collection/impulsion….this is where the trot becomes a 4 beat gait because of diagonal pair of legs not hitting the ground simultaneously….or the canter becomes a 4 beat gait such as in the often seen 4 beat ‘pirouette’ where the horse is rearing on two hind legs, swings his torso over, then places his front feet down separately…..that is NOT a canter. This would be caused by focusing too much doing the pirouette on the ‘spot’ rather than focusing on keeping the gait pure (3 clear beats) and sacrificing the ‘spot’. As I said in the beginning, it is ‘suppose’ to be taboo to lose purity of gait or have an irregular rhythm. It is suppose to be taboo to not have the poll the highest spot, and taboo to have the nose behind the vertical….yet we almost exclusively see all these deviations from the most elite in the sport. Adhering to “Winning” above basic cardinal principles….will be nothing more than sacrifice at your horse’s expense.
So now that you know WHAT rhythm is and isn’t, let’t talk about TEMPO again. Because lets face it 1---2-3---4-5---6-7---8 IS a rhythm, it just isn’t an even rhythm or the one we are looking for…..it is an irregular rhythm.
So lets say you have a trot…..1---2---3---4---5---6 as your regular working trot….when you shorten or lengthen the stride…this will shorten….1-2-3-4-5-6 or lengthen 1-------2-------3-------4-------5-------6 but see how it stayed regular and even and consistent….if you ever got 123456…..your horse will likely to be found….on the forehand, strung out, emotionally scattered. Time needs to be spent doing lots of half halts and lots of cavaletti work.
Remember, while we want a canter to have a well defined suspension ‘beat’, we do not want him to move like Pepe Le Pew 123--------------123-------
Hope this has help clear up any confusion about what Rhythm really is……and don’t worry……with this knowledge, despite what Gloria Estephan says….the Rhythm isn’t “Gonna getcha’”
Savvy On
Michelle
The greener our eyes are, the bigger we need the picture to be, in order to ‘get’ something. So it is easy for someone to say…..rhythm….in exchange for tempo…when talking about ‘behavior’ and ‘emotions’ in a horse. Or a green horse just learning to ‘rate’ his speed. So we wouldn’t want to see his canter go quickly then slowly then quickly then slowly…..we would like him to be consistent…..but this is actually TEMPO. So unfortunately we don’t, in the end understand and thus incorrectly use the term ‘rhythm’ for ‘tempo’ but it served it’s purpose of helping us identify and correct emotional inconsistencies in our horse, or helping a very green horse get his very basic bearings about himself.
However, in Dressage, Rhythm is a core element, and inconsistencies will cost you big time. It is suppose to be TABOO to cause irregular gaits….ie: RHYTHM…..but they take a fine eye and ear to recognize…..so it would be prudent to REALLY know what it is, what is correct, and what would be considered a crime against nature.
Rhythm: Unconstrained, forward flow of energy through “well timed” steps
Rhythm is the pattern of the beats of the gait….2 beat trot, 3 beat canter and 4 beat walk. It should be even and consistent. It isn’t the ‘beat’ in so much as it is the amount of time ‘between’ the beats….that defines the RHYTHM. We tend to think of the trot as 1-2 1-2- 1-2…. So to define the ‘even’ part….what you need to know is that the time between footfalls should be perfectly even, and it is helpful to think of it as 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8….which 4 strides of trot.
If you counted out loud as your horse trotted along…..
that is exactly what you should hear….1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8……..NOT…..1-—2-3-—4-5-—6-7—8.
Same for the walk there, which is the easiest gait to screw up and cause an ambling or shuffling as described above….mainly from too much contact not enough engagement. The trot however is usually screwed up by posting. So when posting, you should think of an imaginary saddle seat hovering over the pommel. You should be spending just as much time with your ‘front’ on the imaginary saddle as you do with your ‘back’ in the real saddle….and the time in between, spent rising, should be equal to the time in between, spent falling. Usually this is the reason for lack of even rhythm in the trot gait. Do it for too long, and you make it a habit hard to break for you and your horse. Now the canter is a whole ‘nuther story. While it is a 3 beat gait, we must remember there is a suspension phase as well, with it’s own ‘beat’ so to speak. Making the canter kind of like a 4 beat gait…..for the purposes of explaining the canter rhythm…………at least if you want your horse to not be totally flat with no elevation or space of time between strides. So a canter rhythm would be like this….. 123-123-123-123……..not 123123123123123…so it might be helpful to go ahead and count out the suspension beat like this 123s123s123s123s123s123s or how I like to do it….123412341234. The longer the suspension phase….the more uphill, springy, engaged, etc the canter will be.
Let’s talk about SERIOUS deviations of purity of gait. These are things you will see caused by such things as Rolkur and again serious lack of impulsion or odd mix of collection/impulsion….this is where the trot becomes a 4 beat gait because of diagonal pair of legs not hitting the ground simultaneously….or the canter becomes a 4 beat gait such as in the often seen 4 beat ‘pirouette’ where the horse is rearing on two hind legs, swings his torso over, then places his front feet down separately…..that is NOT a canter. This would be caused by focusing too much doing the pirouette on the ‘spot’ rather than focusing on keeping the gait pure (3 clear beats) and sacrificing the ‘spot’. As I said in the beginning, it is ‘suppose’ to be taboo to lose purity of gait or have an irregular rhythm. It is suppose to be taboo to not have the poll the highest spot, and taboo to have the nose behind the vertical….yet we almost exclusively see all these deviations from the most elite in the sport. Adhering to “Winning” above basic cardinal principles….will be nothing more than sacrifice at your horse’s expense.
So now that you know WHAT rhythm is and isn’t, let’t talk about TEMPO again. Because lets face it 1---2-3---4-5---6-7---8 IS a rhythm, it just isn’t an even rhythm or the one we are looking for…..it is an irregular rhythm.
So lets say you have a trot…..1---2---3---4---5---6 as your regular working trot….when you shorten or lengthen the stride…this will shorten….1-2-3-4-5-6 or lengthen 1-------2-------3-------4-------5-------6 but see how it stayed regular and even and consistent….if you ever got 123456…..your horse will likely to be found….on the forehand, strung out, emotionally scattered. Time needs to be spent doing lots of half halts and lots of cavaletti work.
Remember, while we want a canter to have a well defined suspension ‘beat’, we do not want him to move like Pepe Le Pew 123--------------123-------
Hope this has help clear up any confusion about what Rhythm really is……and don’t worry……with this knowledge, despite what Gloria Estephan says….the Rhythm isn’t “Gonna getcha’”
Savvy On
Michelle
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Swimming Horses video, My Hillbilly Holiday
Well, I've been thru allot in the last 3 plus years, and I have been hurt allot. By friends, family and total strangers. This video is ME.....getting my LIFE back. This is for all of you who think you got me down.....HA HA....I won't say it is easy, but every day.....I get a little bit stronger....and every day I get a little bit more of ME back.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
DVD Review:**** Dr Gerd Heuschmann: If Horses Could Speak
If Horses Could Speak ****
Savvy On
Michelle
This is a must see for anyone who rides a horse, not just people who ride dressage. It was very informative regarding the way horses move when we ride them, without having to watch a whole series of dvd’s. It was in-depth, but for the purpose of making a point, not for lengthy detailed bio-mechanical education. There was enough in there that was scientific to educate you on why it is important to care about the way your horse moves.
It really makes no difference if you are striving to be a grand prix dressage rider, or working toward passing L4 Finnesse or Freestyle…..you should care how your horse moves beneath you and around you. As for being a classical dressage nut myself, I still don’t know how the world got so far away from the ideals of proper movement in favor of Rolkur and hyper flexion. It is an atrocity how most upper level horses move, and how people are so uneducated that they cheer for it. Cheering for a horse having stolen from him what god gave him, his grace and purity of gait and rewarding the thief with a gold medal. Sickens me for sure. We should not be asking a horse to do, what we have not prepared him properly to do. To ask your horse to circle, while mindlessly letting him travel head high and crooked and then wonder why he is lame or has behavioral issues, is irresponsible at best.
This video also speaks to, albeit not their intention, trainers of the western and natural world as well. And to be honest, I am ashamed that I let my horse move so horribly, for so long, all in the name of the all mighty ‘neutral’. We must take care to realize that learning ‘neutral’ is vital…but it is a temporary tool…..and teaching the horse his responsibilities should also be a temporary tool. We should not carry on for too long, ignoring the fact that our horse needs to move in a healthier way, and ignorance is not excuse. True, if you exercise his mind, his body will follow….but at what sub-standard level of quality? I am disgusted with myself, that I let my eye get so lazy to the bio-mechanics because I was so focused on the behavior. I am grateful that I have watched this, and can make a change NOW….because it is never too late to start building the horse of your dreams. Unfortunately, there are no quick routes to Rome though, it takes time to properly build an athlete, with out breaking him down before he even reaches his prime. Time to get back on the path of classical training. I give this dvd 4*’s, and invite everyone to look in the mirror, because whether we like it or not, intentional or not, educated or ignorant, either we are helping our horse or hurting him....there is no in between.
It really makes no difference if you are striving to be a grand prix dressage rider, or working toward passing L4 Finnesse or Freestyle…..you should care how your horse moves beneath you and around you. As for being a classical dressage nut myself, I still don’t know how the world got so far away from the ideals of proper movement in favor of Rolkur and hyper flexion. It is an atrocity how most upper level horses move, and how people are so uneducated that they cheer for it. Cheering for a horse having stolen from him what god gave him, his grace and purity of gait and rewarding the thief with a gold medal. Sickens me for sure. We should not be asking a horse to do, what we have not prepared him properly to do. To ask your horse to circle, while mindlessly letting him travel head high and crooked and then wonder why he is lame or has behavioral issues, is irresponsible at best.
This video also speaks to, albeit not their intention, trainers of the western and natural world as well. And to be honest, I am ashamed that I let my horse move so horribly, for so long, all in the name of the all mighty ‘neutral’. We must take care to realize that learning ‘neutral’ is vital…but it is a temporary tool…..and teaching the horse his responsibilities should also be a temporary tool. We should not carry on for too long, ignoring the fact that our horse needs to move in a healthier way, and ignorance is not excuse. True, if you exercise his mind, his body will follow….but at what sub-standard level of quality? I am disgusted with myself, that I let my eye get so lazy to the bio-mechanics because I was so focused on the behavior. I am grateful that I have watched this, and can make a change NOW….because it is never too late to start building the horse of your dreams. Unfortunately, there are no quick routes to Rome though, it takes time to properly build an athlete, with out breaking him down before he even reaches his prime. Time to get back on the path of classical training. I give this dvd 4*’s, and invite everyone to look in the mirror, because whether we like it or not, intentional or not, educated or ignorant, either we are helping our horse or hurting him....there is no in between.
He also has a book titled
Tug of War...."Modern" versus Clasical Dressage
Click her for more infoSavvy On
Michelle
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
What a great playday!
As for Rose and I, we did quite a bit more than I expected to. We got to work on all sorts of things. On the 45’ line, we worked on change of direction at trot, yo-yo, sideways over a barrel, driving from zone5, pushing a ball. At liberty we played stick to me, sideways toward, and draw backward from zone 5, and at freestyle we played with learning how to ride from a neck rope….stop, reinback and turn. We also did all the good stuff she knows well, sideways, fq/hq turns. It was no surprise; I was exhausted 3hrs later when the other ladies joined us. They got the trailer stuck between a tree and a propane tank. YIKES! I played a bit with them, but was so tired, I mostly just rambled on. No surprise there! I would have like to join them on a trail ride, but Bill was spent, and had already loaded the truck with all the toys. The cool thing was that one of the ladies was able to help me a bit with Rose. Rose has issues with other horses getting too close to her. So I asked them if they could approach her and offer a cookie, to see if it could change her mind. It did a little, which is the only thing that has ever made any appreciable….positive difference in her. So I think it is a great direction to explore further.
Savvy On
Michelle
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Did I achieve my goal? And where do I go from here?
Well, it is here, my birthday. 41yo today and what do I have to show for it? My goal was to complete my official assesments of L4 by today. So the answer is NO....I did NOT completely achieve my goal. Looking back....at the 'ME" of a year ago.....who was then looking forward.....I had quite a lofty goal. At first I thought it would be a no brainer. My horse Rose and I, were near complete with L4 before the car accident and I thought it was reasonable to get back what we had in a year. Of course things didn't go as planned and my strategy has had more than a few makeovers in the last year and a half. Turns out riding is a huge risk and one frought with pain as well, so that is certainly on the back burner until a more suitable and safe option comes available....ie some training for Rose and some pain pills for me. For now I can accept that, as depressing as it is. My goal of completing L4, originally was to be done with Rose.....but since the levels are about the human and not the horse.....I got in any vehicle (horse) that was capable of making the journey with me.
One of the first major overhauls to the plan, which originally was to just do my L4 auditions, though I had never officially assessed any level prior to this past year, I realized that starting at the top was the worst thing I could try to do. So, back to the beggining I went. I passed L1 without owning or knowing anything about the patterns program, nor having any reference video's on youtube to be a guide. I would have just died had I not passed THAT! From there was a bit of a depressed stale mate for a while, when all the 'fear of failure' stuff kicked in. Then I rescued Miyagi and Ochi, and taking a step back from Rose was a good thing and allowed ME to move forward and Pass OLL2 with Miyagi. It was just a minute later that Cha'cote fell into my lap, and he needed me soo bad, that I put my own goals and needs aside to get this boy to a place where he could have a normal life. One day in early spring I got a wild hair up my butt and pulled out Rose and hopped on and taped my FSL2 and passed that. Feeling a bit better about my self, I managed to get up the gumption with Rose, to tape my LibL3 one day, out of the blue, and passed that as well. Then I was really starting to get back to my self...I thought....BUT it was OLL3 that turned out to be my nemisis. Good lord, Rose and I were locked in a battle of wills for so long, I still don't know exactly how to fix it. It got to the point of realizing there was just NO way I was going to be able to tape it with her. Everytime the camera came was on, it brought out the worst in us both. Cha'cote luckily was just getting to that point in his journey, so I gave it a shot with him. And we passed. That whole thing of course was a side journey in and of it self that is documented in earlier posts.
So all in all, what have I gained and achieved, in my personal Parelli journey? An official graduation of L2, and only needing to pass FSL3 to graduate offically L3. I passed a total of 5 auditions, with the help of 3 different horses. I saved the lives of 2 miniature's and one mustang. I got my ass off of my couch, and out of a deep depression. I stood up for myself and fought for my achievments. The big question now is.......
.
.
.
Where do I go from here? What is my next goal? And what path will I choose to reach that goal?
I have discovered a few new friends along the way, and am in the process of unloading a bit of dead weight around my neck. For the moment, riding is on the back burner, obviously, so I think I am setting a goal of Liberty and Online L4 by 3-31-10. I have alot of fixing to do, in order to figure out my relationship with Rose, and alot of growth to tackle with Cha'cote. Neither of which do I think will be achieved in a short period of time. But I also don't want to leave my self with no goal in sight. I need something to hold me accountable, or the time will just dwindle away into nothingness. my 30's are gone, and my 40's are well under way. If I am not moving forward, I am just standing still.....and that aint good for no-one!
I am currently playing wtih Carolyn Resnicks water hole rituals, and I am trying to audit a Brent Graef clinic next month, as I believe that the biomechanics of the horse is vital and something that has been highly lacking in my journey for the last 9ys, and before my horses all turn up lame, I would like to study from someone who is both natural, but also puts proper movement at the forefront of the journey, not the tail end. I am eagerly awaiting some dvd's of Hempfling, Rashid, Royal, wrangler Jayne and Branneman. I think some of my questions will be answered in some of these other avenues. The Parelli levels are about the human, and technically I have already learned the material, I am just trying to get to a place where my horses and I can do it in harmony again. I think one of my issues, may be that because I have learned it, but am persistent in trying to re-create it, it is not doing what is best for the horse, as the levels are designed for the HUMANS learning. So now that I have an issue with my HORSE, I need to get out of the foundation classroom and step into the horseman's classroom.
Interestingly, a university has many teachers in many subjects. You gain the broadest education, buy being able to see a 'subject' from many perspectives, not just one. Just as a high level dressage test is judged by 5 judges sitting in 5 different places, that gives each of them a unique perspective. A fault or an accomplishment can often be seen well from one angle, be glaringly obvious, and yet at the same time, completely go un-noticed from another angle, like a blind spot. It is easy for faults to go unnoticed if you always ONLY look from the same vantage point. It is best to get the foundation and move on quickly, to step outside the pretty red-blue-green-black....'boxes" and see what else the world has to offer. After all, it was the outside world, who filled the 'boxes" to begin with.
The pavement behind me is in the past, I am currently in the bottleneck, there is a fork in the road, and my rest of my life ahead of me.......stay tuned to see which way I turn.
Savvy On
Michelle
One of the first major overhauls to the plan, which originally was to just do my L4 auditions, though I had never officially assessed any level prior to this past year, I realized that starting at the top was the worst thing I could try to do. So, back to the beggining I went. I passed L1 without owning or knowing anything about the patterns program, nor having any reference video's on youtube to be a guide. I would have just died had I not passed THAT! From there was a bit of a depressed stale mate for a while, when all the 'fear of failure' stuff kicked in. Then I rescued Miyagi and Ochi, and taking a step back from Rose was a good thing and allowed ME to move forward and Pass OLL2 with Miyagi. It was just a minute later that Cha'cote fell into my lap, and he needed me soo bad, that I put my own goals and needs aside to get this boy to a place where he could have a normal life. One day in early spring I got a wild hair up my butt and pulled out Rose and hopped on and taped my FSL2 and passed that. Feeling a bit better about my self, I managed to get up the gumption with Rose, to tape my LibL3 one day, out of the blue, and passed that as well. Then I was really starting to get back to my self...I thought....BUT it was OLL3 that turned out to be my nemisis. Good lord, Rose and I were locked in a battle of wills for so long, I still don't know exactly how to fix it. It got to the point of realizing there was just NO way I was going to be able to tape it with her. Everytime the camera came was on, it brought out the worst in us both. Cha'cote luckily was just getting to that point in his journey, so I gave it a shot with him. And we passed. That whole thing of course was a side journey in and of it self that is documented in earlier posts.
So all in all, what have I gained and achieved, in my personal Parelli journey? An official graduation of L2, and only needing to pass FSL3 to graduate offically L3. I passed a total of 5 auditions, with the help of 3 different horses. I saved the lives of 2 miniature's and one mustang. I got my ass off of my couch, and out of a deep depression. I stood up for myself and fought for my achievments. The big question now is.......
.
.
.
Where do I go from here? What is my next goal? And what path will I choose to reach that goal?
I have discovered a few new friends along the way, and am in the process of unloading a bit of dead weight around my neck. For the moment, riding is on the back burner, obviously, so I think I am setting a goal of Liberty and Online L4 by 3-31-10. I have alot of fixing to do, in order to figure out my relationship with Rose, and alot of growth to tackle with Cha'cote. Neither of which do I think will be achieved in a short period of time. But I also don't want to leave my self with no goal in sight. I need something to hold me accountable, or the time will just dwindle away into nothingness. my 30's are gone, and my 40's are well under way. If I am not moving forward, I am just standing still.....and that aint good for no-one!
I am currently playing wtih Carolyn Resnicks water hole rituals, and I am trying to audit a Brent Graef clinic next month, as I believe that the biomechanics of the horse is vital and something that has been highly lacking in my journey for the last 9ys, and before my horses all turn up lame, I would like to study from someone who is both natural, but also puts proper movement at the forefront of the journey, not the tail end. I am eagerly awaiting some dvd's of Hempfling, Rashid, Royal, wrangler Jayne and Branneman. I think some of my questions will be answered in some of these other avenues. The Parelli levels are about the human, and technically I have already learned the material, I am just trying to get to a place where my horses and I can do it in harmony again. I think one of my issues, may be that because I have learned it, but am persistent in trying to re-create it, it is not doing what is best for the horse, as the levels are designed for the HUMANS learning. So now that I have an issue with my HORSE, I need to get out of the foundation classroom and step into the horseman's classroom.
Interestingly, a university has many teachers in many subjects. You gain the broadest education, buy being able to see a 'subject' from many perspectives, not just one. Just as a high level dressage test is judged by 5 judges sitting in 5 different places, that gives each of them a unique perspective. A fault or an accomplishment can often be seen well from one angle, be glaringly obvious, and yet at the same time, completely go un-noticed from another angle, like a blind spot. It is easy for faults to go unnoticed if you always ONLY look from the same vantage point. It is best to get the foundation and move on quickly, to step outside the pretty red-blue-green-black....'boxes" and see what else the world has to offer. After all, it was the outside world, who filled the 'boxes" to begin with.
The pavement behind me is in the past, I am currently in the bottleneck, there is a fork in the road, and my rest of my life ahead of me.......stay tuned to see which way I turn.
Savvy On
Michelle
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Oh Ya! I Cantered.....BooYaahhhh
We were cantering like the wind! Ok, it was only for 1-10 strides at a time, but like the wind, none the less!
Reminder, cantering Rose was a huge problem that I was just tackling before the car accident. Have done nothing for 2.5yrs. I cantered her on memorial day weekend, in a round pen, with my friend in the middle helping at first. no more than a half circle at a time. BUT today it was in the big arena, with two loose horses.
Our first depart was a walk/canter transition to the right. we did it three times about 6 strides each............she is sooo light on the forhand, and VERY uphill. I love it, so smooth...........but then the LBE...........turned on me and she started to dive bomb things(barrels, green ball, horse, fence, friend) in the arena to get me to stop asking her. when that failed she got nasty. ears pinned, teeth grinding, head tossing, steering lost.......when THAT failed her.......she resorted to freezing.......with all the above too. I was calm, and used the only strategy that doesnt make it worse. which is to stay at phase 4 legs on, NO matter HOW loooooong it takes, until she moves.....then relax and go with what ever gait she gives me. I am going to have to get this on video tape, because I doubt alot of people would believe just how big a tantrum she throws to get her way. it used to work because it used to scare the crap out of me. but I spent a year working my way thru it, only to have all my hard word lost due to the car accident.....so now I gotta do it all again. but this time I am not scared.........woooooo hoooooooo
so once I got her moving again, she resorted to bucking instead of cantering. Her version of phase 4. but I held on, and pushed her thru it, as I am not going to let her bully me. if it was right brained even the slightest, I wouldn't push......but this mare oh no......it is deliberate, calculated and cunning
she never bucked going to the right, and it was mild on the left.....UNTIL.....my friends horse tore across the arena feeling very good about his kentucky derby winning sprint. Rose decided to go total bronc with him. Mind you, I AM in a dressage saddle. I don't know how, but I did stay on, and got her moving again. And it didn't scare me
I was only able to get her to canter from a trot going to the left, and only for a few strides, 6max. But oh, to the right, she was like riding a cloud. We even made it one time almost the length of the arena, but Snookie got in our way. I wish I could afford to board her there, so I could ride every day. Regardless, I now have a tangible hope of passing FSL3 this year. Of course I want it to be tommorow, but I know better than that
Woooooo Hooooooooooo
Savvy Me
Michelle
Reminder, cantering Rose was a huge problem that I was just tackling before the car accident. Have done nothing for 2.5yrs. I cantered her on memorial day weekend, in a round pen, with my friend in the middle helping at first. no more than a half circle at a time. BUT today it was in the big arena, with two loose horses.
Our first depart was a walk/canter transition to the right. we did it three times about 6 strides each............she is sooo light on the forhand, and VERY uphill. I love it, so smooth...........but then the LBE...........turned on me and she started to dive bomb things(barrels, green ball, horse, fence, friend) in the arena to get me to stop asking her. when that failed she got nasty. ears pinned, teeth grinding, head tossing, steering lost.......when THAT failed her.......she resorted to freezing.......with all the above too. I was calm, and used the only strategy that doesnt make it worse. which is to stay at phase 4 legs on, NO matter HOW loooooong it takes, until she moves.....then relax and go with what ever gait she gives me. I am going to have to get this on video tape, because I doubt alot of people would believe just how big a tantrum she throws to get her way. it used to work because it used to scare the crap out of me. but I spent a year working my way thru it, only to have all my hard word lost due to the car accident.....so now I gotta do it all again. but this time I am not scared.........woooooo hoooooooo
so once I got her moving again, she resorted to bucking instead of cantering. Her version of phase 4. but I held on, and pushed her thru it, as I am not going to let her bully me. if it was right brained even the slightest, I wouldn't push......but this mare oh no......it is deliberate, calculated and cunning
she never bucked going to the right, and it was mild on the left.....UNTIL.....my friends horse tore across the arena feeling very good about his kentucky derby winning sprint. Rose decided to go total bronc with him. Mind you, I AM in a dressage saddle. I don't know how, but I did stay on, and got her moving again. And it didn't scare me
I was only able to get her to canter from a trot going to the left, and only for a few strides, 6max. But oh, to the right, she was like riding a cloud. We even made it one time almost the length of the arena, but Snookie got in our way. I wish I could afford to board her there, so I could ride every day. Regardless, I now have a tangible hope of passing FSL3 this year. Of course I want it to be tommorow, but I know better than that
Woooooo Hooooooooooo
Savvy Me
Michelle
Monday, June 7, 2010
Saddle only, no bareback pad :(
Well I rode again yesterday. I took the girls to the local arena to play with after a couple of lessons. I brought my saddle, but was not in the mood, to change out of my shorts in the heat, so I rode bareback. Now, while I did pass my L2 bareback, it is glaringly clear that I am not ready for this. It was hurting my back, to try to stabilize myself for so long and then I over compensated and while ponying Snookie, my shoulder couldn’t take it. I am paying a hefty price this morning for trying to enjoy my life as I knew it. But….still a silver lining. I spent 90% of the session using only the neck string, and only touched my reins a few times. With the exception of while I was ponying Snookie.
I also did not have the confidence needed to canter……DUH…..and trotting was too much as well. I think it was a fear based, pre-emptive strike, to secretly make me believe I was too lazy to change my shorts, so I would NOT use the saddle, thus would not attempt too much. ARG….my brain is smarter than me!
Hmmmmmm How interesting!
So for now, no bareback pad.......saddle only!
Now for some major pooh removal, and then I plan on playing with Cha'cote. I have this idea.....as dumb or irrational as it may be, of attempting OLL3 with Cha'Cote. So, tonight I am just going to see how he feels about me being in zone 3/4/5 and ask him to play yo-yo. I certainly cannot lead by the tail, if I can't even back him with a rope from there. We'll see.....I'll let you know what happens!
Savvy ON
Michelle
Sunday, May 30, 2010
FS/L3 Cantering Breakthrough! Edited version from savvy forum
Wow, the last three days have been a doozy....I know I won't be able to walk tomorrow.
So I have been mulling (avoiding by hangin on my couch) over my L3 freestyle audition. Ride good ole, but old and out of shape 26yo Snookie. Or let Rose carry her torch, and figure this thing out with her. Also, now that I have passed level 2, and just recently my Liberty L3....I am finding a desire to do L3 things online....desire is not something I have had for a while. But, I felt confident on friday and started some zone5 driving with one rein. things went well
My second big move back into L3. Whew!
I trimmed feet on sat, so that was a wasted day (fear causes many a wasted day) but had a playday scheduled for sunday at the local arena with my friend. So today I met her there, Rose and Snookie, saddle and bareback pad, 22' & 45", not knowing what I would have the desire, confidence or skill to tackle. I just knew I needed to play with L3, with someone. I saddled Rose, and my body was in total shaky tremors. As is the ritual...prior to taking her in the arena, I had my final cigarette to help calm my nerves.
Breakthrough:
Turns out, after a great online warm-up working on yo-yo transitions...... the thing that was in our way of getting back in tune......
I had a wonderful L4 Liberty session with Rose.....with other horses in the arena, one of them being Snookie and she was loose at liberty as well. I only wished there were more obstacles to play with. She never once left me. We did a 30' long sideways to me, stick to me, circling, change of direction, pushing a ball, sideways from zone 1 and god only knows what else. I was in such a blissfull state....I can't even remember it all.
THEN....I mounted with cookies. After reading the little article 'nothing to brace against" pg 74 this months savvy times, she never even tried to bite me while I mounted or saddled either Which worked way better than just the loving and petting I was doing. I haven't "defended" my space while saddling or mounting for years, unless she actually got close enough to bite me. I have honestly tried EVERY technique known to man and the best one was loving her through her defensiveness to protect her dignity & body, as she will not tolerate things being done TO her. IE: you better have the right attitude and skill or you may not live through the experience to tell another of your failure. So I am proud of myself, helping her through this and being one of the few that she respects to touch her and preserve her dignity.
So off we went and we were in total harmony. I was using a neck string, walk and perfect trot transitions, sitting trot was AMAZING, porcupine sideways and turn on FQ/HQ was light as a feather, backing...perfect. I was in heaven and remembering how much I love this horse and what a magical and wonderous LBE she is. I'm gonna yada-yada-yada over the next part, where someone came in the arena couldn't respect that Rose has SEVERE issues with other horses not respecting her personal bubble,
and rather than asking ME if I would LIKE help and if so, how THEY could be of help to me, they way "I" would like to be helped....they just kept acting as if I don't know WHAT to do and barging into our bubble...........aaarrrggggg....unless you bring cookies....stay the heck away from me! 
I would love to have a session with other like minded riders, and have them approach us and give her a cookie and leave. Lather rinse repeat. It has been a great tool in changing her perception of saddling and mounting, and works INSTANTLY. So I have a feeling, it would change her perception of other horses encroaching into her space. The other thing I would like to try, which my friend and I were doing before interrupted, and was working well, was to have ME be a good protector of my herd, and ME keeping the other horses out of her space with the carrot stick. The problem is that she doesn't trust me to protect her bubble while in the saddle, so she assumes the leader position and attacks anyone who comes too close to her. So my friend obliged and let me shoo her and her horse away with the carrot stick. And it changed Rose's mood about her horse coming close. So my position on this is.... if you don't respect the way I choose to fix my horses problem, then at least respect my request to keep your distance.
I don't force my ideas on you, please don't try to force yours on me.
So we left the arena....as I couldn't take it anymore, but was not ready to give up my fun day. I ponied Snookie and we went on a trail ride around the ranch. I had my hands full with ropes, but it was fun and I was enjoying myself. It was hot, but I didn't care (not a good idea....heat exhaustion soon to follow).
After the trail ride my friend was done and dismounted and I told her wanted and needed her help cantering in the round pen. Her eyes got big and she asked if I was sure. "YUP" lets go. Snookie tied to the outside, friend in the middle of round pen, one fat old lady, and a leaping LBE.
I asked her to point and support with carrot stick, when she could see me asking for canter, I grabbed a bunch of mane and went for it. I porcupined with seat and legs and cantered with my body, she supported me...and Rose was a leaping. I held on, disengaged and asked again. She leaped again, and tossed in a kick for good measure. Lather rinse repeat, third time I kept asking until she quit leaping and actually cantered. woooo hoooo. We went both directions with her cantering from my cues only, no support from friend in the middle. About 6 laps each direction.
It was spectacular.....well I am sure hideous to watch....but for me it was SPECTACULAR. I couldn't have been more thrilled if I was riding a cloud.
Called it a day and got off.
I then proceeded to pass out! It was just snowing 2 days ago in the hills and now it is so hot I got heat stoke
I managed to make it to the barn, pack up, get home, unload and jump in the ice cold pool. AAAHHHHHH!
The best part was that I wasn't afraid when I decided to canter, and I wasn't afraid at ALL while I was cantering. NONE.....maybe it was the heat and I was delirious! But who care's....I wasn't afraid!
I can feel EVERY muscle in my body aching.....but I don't care.....today was a GREAT day!
I plan on getting my OLL3 taped VERY soon, maybe even today.
And now I have hope that I don't have to leave Snookie at home to go to the arena to tape my L4 Liberty, I should be able to do it with Snookie loose or at least tied in the arena with us.....whew! And I have hope that I can tape my L3 Freestyle before the end of next summer With ROSE! Then I will be getting close to where I was before the car accident, minus the Finesse and Freestyle, and can start to focus on actually continuing my education, instead of just trying to get to where I left off.
Thanks for a fun day Brit! Probably one of my best days in the last year....and if it is NOT.....I can't think of any that were better!
Savvy On
Michelle
So I have been mulling (avoiding by hangin on my couch) over my L3 freestyle audition. Ride good ole, but old and out of shape 26yo Snookie. Or let Rose carry her torch, and figure this thing out with her. Also, now that I have passed level 2, and just recently my Liberty L3....I am finding a desire to do L3 things online....desire is not something I have had for a while. But, I felt confident on friday and started some zone5 driving with one rein. things went well
My second big move back into L3. Whew!I trimmed feet on sat, so that was a wasted day (fear causes many a wasted day) but had a playday scheduled for sunday at the local arena with my friend. So today I met her there, Rose and Snookie, saddle and bareback pad, 22' & 45", not knowing what I would have the desire, confidence or skill to tackle. I just knew I needed to play with L3, with someone. I saddled Rose, and my body was in total shaky tremors. As is the ritual...prior to taking her in the arena, I had my final cigarette to help calm my nerves.
Breakthrough:
Turns out, after a great online warm-up working on yo-yo transitions...... the thing that was in our way of getting back in tune......
I had a wonderful L4 Liberty session with Rose.....with other horses in the arena, one of them being Snookie and she was loose at liberty as well. I only wished there were more obstacles to play with. She never once left me. We did a 30' long sideways to me, stick to me, circling, change of direction, pushing a ball, sideways from zone 1 and god only knows what else. I was in such a blissfull state....I can't even remember it all.
THEN....I mounted with cookies. After reading the little article 'nothing to brace against" pg 74 this months savvy times, she never even tried to bite me while I mounted or saddled either
Which worked way better than just the loving and petting I was doing. I haven't "defended" my space while saddling or mounting for years, unless she actually got close enough to bite me. I have honestly tried EVERY technique known to man and the best one was loving her through her defensiveness to protect her dignity & body, as she will not tolerate things being done TO her. IE: you better have the right attitude and skill or you may not live through the experience to tell another of your failure. So I am proud of myself, helping her through this and being one of the few that she respects to touch her and preserve her dignity.So off we went and we were in total harmony. I was using a neck string, walk and perfect trot transitions, sitting trot was AMAZING, porcupine sideways and turn on FQ/HQ was light as a feather, backing...perfect. I was in heaven and remembering how much I love this horse and what a magical and wonderous LBE she is. I'm gonna yada-yada-yada over the next part, where someone came in the arena couldn't respect that Rose has SEVERE issues with other horses not respecting her personal bubble,
and rather than asking ME if I would LIKE help and if so, how THEY could be of help to me, they way "I" would like to be helped....they just kept acting as if I don't know WHAT to do and barging into our bubble...........aaarrrggggg....unless you bring cookies....stay the heck away from me! I would love to have a session with other like minded riders, and have them approach us and give her a cookie and leave. Lather rinse repeat. It has been a great tool in changing her perception of saddling and mounting, and works INSTANTLY. So I have a feeling, it would change her perception of other horses encroaching into her space. The other thing I would like to try, which my friend and I were doing before interrupted, and was working well, was to have ME be a good protector of my herd, and ME keeping the other horses out of her space with the carrot stick. The problem is that she doesn't trust me to protect her bubble while in the saddle, so she assumes the leader position and attacks anyone who comes too close to her. So my friend obliged and let me shoo her and her horse away with the carrot stick. And it changed Rose's mood about her horse coming close. So my position on this is.... if you don't respect the way I choose to fix my horses problem, then at least respect my request to keep your distance.
I don't force my ideas on you, please don't try to force yours on me. So we left the arena....as I couldn't take it anymore, but was not ready to give up my fun day. I ponied Snookie and we went on a trail ride around the ranch. I had my hands full with ropes, but it was fun and I was enjoying myself. It was hot, but I didn't care (not a good idea....heat exhaustion soon to follow).
After the trail ride my friend was done and dismounted and I told her wanted and needed her help cantering in the round pen. Her eyes got big and she asked if I was sure. "YUP" lets go. Snookie tied to the outside, friend in the middle of round pen, one fat old lady, and a leaping LBE.
I asked her to point and support with carrot stick, when she could see me asking for canter, I grabbed a bunch of mane and went for it. I porcupined with seat and legs and cantered with my body, she supported me...and Rose was a leaping. I held on, disengaged and asked again. She leaped again, and tossed in a kick for good measure. Lather rinse repeat, third time I kept asking until she quit leaping and actually cantered. woooo hoooo. We went both directions with her cantering from my cues only, no support from friend in the middle. About 6 laps each direction.
It was spectacular.....well I am sure hideous to watch....but for me it was SPECTACULAR. I couldn't have been more thrilled if I was riding a cloud.
Called it a day and got off.
I then proceeded to pass out! It was just snowing 2 days ago in the hills and now it is so hot I got heat stoke
I managed to make it to the barn, pack up, get home, unload and jump in the ice cold pool. AAAHHHHHH!
The best part was that I wasn't afraid when I decided to canter, and I wasn't afraid at ALL while I was cantering. NONE.....maybe it was the heat and I was delirious! But who care's....I wasn't afraid!
I can feel EVERY muscle in my body aching.....but I don't care.....today was a GREAT day!
I plan on getting my OLL3 taped VERY soon, maybe even today.
And now I have hope that I don't have to leave Snookie at home to go to the arena to tape my L4 Liberty, I should be able to do it with Snookie loose or at least tied in the arena with us.....whew! And I have hope that I can tape my L3 Freestyle before the end of next summer With ROSE! Then I will be getting close to where I was before the car accident, minus the Finesse and Freestyle, and can start to focus on actually continuing my education, instead of just trying to get to where I left off.
Thanks for a fun day Brit! Probably one of my best days in the last year....and if it is NOT.....I can't think of any that were better!
Savvy On
Michelle
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
I am a blubbering FOOL
I am a blubbering fool right now. Snookie and I used to once be one. While I rode her, we did wondrous things so in synch, that no one else could see the cues. We were so in tune with one another, that I couldn’t tell where I ended and she began. She could read my cues by what felt like just a thought. Her legs felt like my legs. I felt like I was IN her body. I suppose I am lucky. Her career ended when she got laminitis so bad that her coffin bones almost penetrated her soles. It was a year before we knew she was truly out of the woods and would not have to be put down. That was 9yrs ago. I got an extra 9 years of her love. She has been barefoot for 6 yrs, and I have been her only hoof trimmer for the last 5yrs. She is old, but otherwise healthy. She has been my best friend and teacher for 22yrs now. I know her better than I think I will ever know any another horse. My best friend said to me that maybe it is time to let Snookie pass the torch to Rose. I think she is right. Not that I won’t give it a go. Expect nothing and accept what ever I get.I just feel like I bought a lottery ticket with my favorite lucky numbers. Held on to it so long I forgot I had it. Came across it in the pocket of my favorite old jeans…checked the numbers to discover that not only did I win the big jackpot, but also that the ticket expired!
Savvy On
Michelle
Savvy On
Michelle
Discouraged...but still hopefull
So I rode Snookie last night to asses where she is and what it will take to tape FSL3. Turns out a lot. Not training wise, but conditioning wise. In fact, I am not even sure she could do it. She is an old lady, and it is starting to show. Despite the fact that she lives on a hill, she is in no shape for something like this. At least not now. It is only a little set back in my fear of failure journey, but a big one in my levels journey. It leaves me with one of only two choices. Both of which will probably take the same amount of time, but only one of them could potentially get me killed. I can either start Snookie again on hill therapy and dig out her hoof boots, or I can suck it up and get over my fear of Rose bucking in the canter. Something I am not willing to tackle at home on my rock hard ground. Regardless, both horses need an arena for one reason or another. That =’s $$$$$$.
Of these compulsories, I have checked what should be relatively easy to do with each horse. Anything not marked means they will take time to accomplish.
Compulsories:
_x__Mounting
_x__Open Gate
___Simple Change
___Canter-Stop
N/R_Flying Change (L4)
Obstacles: (Choose 3)
____Small jump
__x_Cones
_x__Ball
_x__Tarp
_x__Pedestal
Gaits:
_x__Walk
_x__Stand Still
__x_Trot
____Canter
__x_Back up
Patterns:
_x__Follow the Rail
or clover leaf
_x__Question Box
_x__Corners
When I look at it this way….it doesn’t look so bad. I just wish I could describe how Snookie FELT while riding her. It breaks my heart that my dear friend has had the youth suck out of her. She was a magnificent spirit in her day. And now an old soul. She is a wise old lady, but still nutty as a mouse in a snake house.
I used to make excuses when I first moved up here about my 5acre ranch. I had no arena, and no relatively flat area. Took years to get a good round pen, then I made excuses about how small that was. I would now give anything to have that place back. To have my round pen back. I would give anything to have the last 2 yrs of my life back without the accident. But I can’t, so I guess there is not use crying over lost time. I vowed that with this property, I would not make excuses for it, and would make the best of it no matter what. So one of the things I am thinking is that I can ride in their pasture on the hill instead of the flat front yard. Seems a little backward, but my thought is that maybe if Rose is cantering up a hill, she wont buck. Would require some big rock removal though to create a track. And clearly get all issues resolved on the ground. I am thinking that I also need to start putting my pennies together to make a playpen, so I can work on liberty stuff. I think I am going to survey the land tonight with a measuring string and see what I really have to work with. No matter what, I have to deal with the horse that shows up. I am going to have to start from where we are now, not where we once were. I guess I am just going to have to focus on both of them and see who gets there first. Now all I need is a plan. How to get from here to there? One is a communication/fear issue, the other is an age/conditioning issue. Last night I was quite a bit upset about this. Thinking of horrible things….like the day I will have to put Snookie to rest and then of all the wonderful memories we have made together….what a tear jerker moment I was having. Jeesh….she ain’t dead yet. Today I feel better though. Have you ever noticed that the best solution to our problems is usually staring you in the face, and you are too blind to see it. And once you do….you feel sooooooo stupid that you didn’t think of it sooner? I have such a fierce grip on the past that the future, and quite honestly the present too, is invisible to me. I cannot move forward, if I can’t let go. Oh crud, her come the tears again. I just need to take the time it takes……so it will take less time. I don’t know, maybe this is more of the fog lifting. A Crisper clarity of mind. But HELLO….Follow the dang program….IDIOT! I may have to brush up on L1….cringe…but if that is where we are, even if it isn’t….it is not a bad idea. DO the PATTERNS. Rather than aimlessly stabbing in the dark. Follow a plan, and start at the beginning. Hmmm How interesting?
Big sad sighs. I think I need to re-evaluate my goal of L4 by my birthday, and hope I can manage at least L3 by then. More sighs and a couple more tears.
Savvy on
Michelle
Of these compulsories, I have checked what should be relatively easy to do with each horse. Anything not marked means they will take time to accomplish.
Compulsories:
_x__Mounting
_x__Open Gate
___Simple Change
___Canter-Stop
N/R_Flying Change (L4)
Obstacles: (Choose 3)
____Small jump
__x_Cones
_x__Ball
_x__Tarp
_x__Pedestal
Gaits:
_x__Walk
_x__Stand Still
__x_Trot
____Canter
__x_Back up
Patterns:
_x__Follow the Rail
or clover leaf
_x__Question Box
_x__Corners
When I look at it this way….it doesn’t look so bad. I just wish I could describe how Snookie FELT while riding her. It breaks my heart that my dear friend has had the youth suck out of her. She was a magnificent spirit in her day. And now an old soul. She is a wise old lady, but still nutty as a mouse in a snake house.
I used to make excuses when I first moved up here about my 5acre ranch. I had no arena, and no relatively flat area. Took years to get a good round pen, then I made excuses about how small that was. I would now give anything to have that place back. To have my round pen back. I would give anything to have the last 2 yrs of my life back without the accident. But I can’t, so I guess there is not use crying over lost time. I vowed that with this property, I would not make excuses for it, and would make the best of it no matter what. So one of the things I am thinking is that I can ride in their pasture on the hill instead of the flat front yard. Seems a little backward, but my thought is that maybe if Rose is cantering up a hill, she wont buck. Would require some big rock removal though to create a track. And clearly get all issues resolved on the ground. I am thinking that I also need to start putting my pennies together to make a playpen, so I can work on liberty stuff. I think I am going to survey the land tonight with a measuring string and see what I really have to work with. No matter what, I have to deal with the horse that shows up. I am going to have to start from where we are now, not where we once were. I guess I am just going to have to focus on both of them and see who gets there first. Now all I need is a plan. How to get from here to there? One is a communication/fear issue, the other is an age/conditioning issue. Last night I was quite a bit upset about this. Thinking of horrible things….like the day I will have to put Snookie to rest and then of all the wonderful memories we have made together….what a tear jerker moment I was having. Jeesh….she ain’t dead yet. Today I feel better though. Have you ever noticed that the best solution to our problems is usually staring you in the face, and you are too blind to see it. And once you do….you feel sooooooo stupid that you didn’t think of it sooner? I have such a fierce grip on the past that the future, and quite honestly the present too, is invisible to me. I cannot move forward, if I can’t let go. Oh crud, her come the tears again. I just need to take the time it takes……so it will take less time. I don’t know, maybe this is more of the fog lifting. A Crisper clarity of mind. But HELLO….Follow the dang program….IDIOT! I may have to brush up on L1….cringe…but if that is where we are, even if it isn’t….it is not a bad idea. DO the PATTERNS. Rather than aimlessly stabbing in the dark. Follow a plan, and start at the beginning. Hmmm How interesting?
Big sad sighs. I think I need to re-evaluate my goal of L4 by my birthday, and hope I can manage at least L3 by then. More sighs and a couple more tears.
Savvy on
Michelle
Monday, March 8, 2010
Freestyle L2..Pass 2+
Well Folks….I did it. I taped my Freestyle L2 audition and sent it in today. That’s right. I took Rose out, after not touching her for about 4-5months, and hopped on and taped it. Love being a gold member. No stress, just tape it and send it in. If I don’t pass…..I am not out $50 that I have to pay again with a resubmission, and I will get some feed back on what I should work on. Though I know what I need to work on. A LOT! I did it more for my fear makeover than my levels journey. Rose was a good sport, then she had a little LBE fit, then she got with the program. I can’t believe I used a bareback pad either. I basically just hopped on to have a little fun and see if I could do it. The hardest part was clamoring up onto the barrel to mount her. THANK GOD she didn’t move. It is hard to see in the video, but that barrel was not very sturdy. I was a little shaky at first, but my balance came back real quick. She has a wide enough back for me ride bareback on, unlike Snookie, whom is like riding a 2x4. Rose hates to be saddled, and boy was she voicing her opinion about it. I played Linda’s game that she plays with Allure, where she plays with his mouth more than he wants her to. Smacking her will only start a HUGE fight. She is very defensive about being saddled….Oddly….sometimes I even give her a cookie….it blows her mind. I don’t do it all the time though because I don’t want to set up a habit. The other thing I do with her, with the bareback pad is….
I reach under and grab the girth and then the billet with the same hand, so it is snug, and if she gives a dirty look or tries to bite me (almost a guarantee if we haven’t ridden in a while) I start to make the pad VERY annoying, sliding the whole thing around, bouncing the girth on her belly, pulling down on the pad….what ever I can do to make it annoying. As soon as her face softens, I stop. Basically she can be nice and I will be nice and saddle her with my very softest savvy….But if she wants to be a witch, it will be worse than she fears. And I always finish with a very annoying muzzle rub. This process is what worked, after many months of trial and error on a very defensive, claustrophobic extreme LBE!
She was really good on my mounting though…..also a big claustrophobic moment for her…usually. But she didn’t seem to mind much….that was good. We practiced the things I would want to do for the audition, and she got a little hard to steer. She is so sensitive, that if one side of your body squeezes just a hair more than the other, she will side pass, turn or bend in half. So then she started dive bombing things…..she likes to make me think she is going to jump something so I will stop asking her to work…..she knows I will stop her as I am too chicken to jump. Viola….she is super horse that doesn’t have to do any thing at all, and I am the low life human who loses again. So, we worked thru a few of those, got out my tummy butterflies about trotting bareback…..she has an amazingly swinging back and if I am not careful, I’ll bounce right off. But I didn’t….Yeah! She definitely needs some mastery in the porcupine and driving on the hind end, especially on the left side. I noticed that last year when we played together. So I will be focusing a lot of attention on that. But for this audition, I just focused on the relationship over the compulsories, and just doing it. Hoping that we would be able to complete all the things on the list before we ran out of our 10 min camera time….I did NOT want to have to scramble my way back up onto that barrel! So I put the video on my audition page. I should know in less than 6 weeks if I passed. And I couldn’t be happier that daylight saving is this weekend. The sky is black just around 7 pm now, so that means in one week, I will be able to do some serious playing after work during the week. Weather permitting of course. Right now, there just isn’t much time after a commute, wardrobe change and hugs n kisses for the family. So check out the video….nothing pretty…but it is more for my soul than my skills!
Savvy On
Michelle
I reach under and grab the girth and then the billet with the same hand, so it is snug, and if she gives a dirty look or tries to bite me (almost a guarantee if we haven’t ridden in a while) I start to make the pad VERY annoying, sliding the whole thing around, bouncing the girth on her belly, pulling down on the pad….what ever I can do to make it annoying. As soon as her face softens, I stop. Basically she can be nice and I will be nice and saddle her with my very softest savvy….But if she wants to be a witch, it will be worse than she fears. And I always finish with a very annoying muzzle rub. This process is what worked, after many months of trial and error on a very defensive, claustrophobic extreme LBE!
She was really good on my mounting though…..also a big claustrophobic moment for her…usually. But she didn’t seem to mind much….that was good. We practiced the things I would want to do for the audition, and she got a little hard to steer. She is so sensitive, that if one side of your body squeezes just a hair more than the other, she will side pass, turn or bend in half. So then she started dive bombing things…..she likes to make me think she is going to jump something so I will stop asking her to work…..she knows I will stop her as I am too chicken to jump. Viola….she is super horse that doesn’t have to do any thing at all, and I am the low life human who loses again. So, we worked thru a few of those, got out my tummy butterflies about trotting bareback…..she has an amazingly swinging back and if I am not careful, I’ll bounce right off. But I didn’t….Yeah! She definitely needs some mastery in the porcupine and driving on the hind end, especially on the left side. I noticed that last year when we played together. So I will be focusing a lot of attention on that. But for this audition, I just focused on the relationship over the compulsories, and just doing it. Hoping that we would be able to complete all the things on the list before we ran out of our 10 min camera time….I did NOT want to have to scramble my way back up onto that barrel! So I put the video on my audition page. I should know in less than 6 weeks if I passed. And I couldn’t be happier that daylight saving is this weekend. The sky is black just around 7 pm now, so that means in one week, I will be able to do some serious playing after work during the week. Weather permitting of course. Right now, there just isn’t much time after a commute, wardrobe change and hugs n kisses for the family. So check out the video….nothing pretty…but it is more for my soul than my skills!
Savvy On
Michelle
Saturday, August 22, 2009
3 big steps for horse, one giant leap for Freestyle
Hill therapy...today she actually took some BIG steps, about 12-15 inches in stride with the hind, going downhill to the right. They have been mostly been 4-6 inches. We always start to the left as I want her to have the warm up, joints lubed, before we go to the right. It was after 10 laps, she just went for it. I have been really watching how she moves, what muscles are engaged and when. The level of her head...almost to the ground at times.....and the best of all...all her licking and chewing. I don't know what it is that she is "digesting". All I am doing is standing in the middle and making sure she is moving. How she travels is totally up to her. I watched the top of her neck grow out of her withers today while going uphill, so round and "on the bit"....dressagy term...Then during her bath, I gave her a massage while she ate. I felt these new muscles behind the scapula and also on the hip. Cool! I got her enzymes in the mail today...yeah! Riding is just a hop skip and a jump away!Savvy ON
Saturday, August 8, 2009
AHHHH Freestyle
This will be the last savvy for me to get my L4 in. I know I could pass L2 right now on either Rose or Snookie, but I do not want to tape a L2 and waste $50, just to tape L4 when we finally get there. I have waited all these years for official assessment, I can wait a little longer. That way when I pass L4 freestyle, I will officially get L2, L3 & L4 all at once. I think though that I will start riding Rose around the yard with a neck string. We can work on doing all the patterns at a walk. Maybe I will do this for 5 min after each of my online sessions with her. Since I have alot of work to do to pass the other savvies, and another horse to get into shape, this one is gonna sit on the back burner for now. Who knows maybe I will be able to do it with Snookie. Just wanted a starting point for this savvy on the blog.
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