I started this post with typing just the title. At the time, I had something on my mind....what it was.....now I cannot remember. That happens more and more as you get older. I am getting close to a milestone on my blog....any dang day now. Anyways, I think it had something to do with my journey and being 'stuck'....yet again. Feeling a bit lost maybe...not really sure.
I was scheduled to ride in a Mark Rashid clinic this week. But finances were tight and the closer it got the more I realized I didn’t want to ride in it. I really respect and admire Mark as a writer and a horseman. But when I met him in person, I felt so inferior I could hardly breathe. I don’t know why, but it appears I am intimidated by men Well, I do know why, but that is just “baggage from my past”. . I did not get this feeling when I met Linda, nor when I have met any other well known WOMAN, so I don’t think it is the notoriety. Regardless I felt it was silly to spend so much money for nothing. I would be a ball of nerves, probably not hear over half of what he says, and ultimately learn ZILCH. So, knowing there were other people on the waiting list, who would just love my spot….I backed out. I think this may have been what I typed the title for….a month ago before I got hurt.
I have quite a few posts, laying in wait to be completed…but at least there are words typed in them to help me remember what my ‘thought’ was….and where I was going with it. Here…nothing! Maybe I was just going to talk about how we shouldn’t let our baggage from the past….or our apprehension about the future……chain us to one spot. I am trying to remember if it was a good and inspirational moment about how I felt liberated....or if it was a sad and somber one feeling lonely and stuck. I just sit here BLANK…..staring……nothing but BLANK……Since I cannot remember where I was gonna go with this….let me just take you to where it took me……I am certainly melancholy lately….more than a few things to bog down the heart…..for some reason I thought of this quote…..so I just googled it. So, let me just share it with you and be done with this post. I think there are some good things in here for me to ponder….she was a wise woman for sure……..
“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”
― Mother Teresa
For now, I am going to concentrate on completing my 'draft mode' posts, get them published and then move on to milestone.....I have about 10 drafed posts, nearly finished....so let me get to gettin 'er done.
Savvy On
Michelle
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
Days without a learn burn…..36
Well, until a month ago…..I had racked up quite a good number of days since I had any kind of horse related injury, so long ago that I can’t even remember what/when it was…….but…..here I sit with a jacked up knee. Things are better today than a month ago for sure, but I can’t believe it has already been a month. Time seems to really have flown by without me, and we rolled the clocks back this last weekend. October is always the month in which all horse enthusiasts get in their last minute fun before the curtain closes on yet another season of horsing around. This week it will be pitch black when I get home from work, so weekdays will not be optimal for play time. I had surgery on my knee 2 weeks ago, but not much got fixed. They thought it was one thing, that would easily be fixed laproscopically……but got in there and found something all together different……that will require a cadaver donor to fix. I am going to pass on that for now……and hope I can return to somewhat normal activities with a knee brace…..and then just sit it out, wait and hope for the best. I can at least straighten my leg now, but the bending is going so slowly. I am at a 90* bend at best.....good news is.....riding only requires a 112* to a 135* bend. I rode a barrel at a recent playday, and having something between my legs didn't seem to hurt, so that is a plus as well. Biggest plus is that Rose is generally a good girl undersaddle so no glaring issues with that either.
So what did I do to jack up my knee you ask? Well....I was helping a friend with a wild colt. They could not touch him, much less halter him....so I went over to help her out. All was going good, I was just a minute or two from being done.....and I had done a mighty fine job of it too, if I do say so myself. The whole thing from start to finish, took less than two hours. I was haltering him and touching him well, approach was good, I got fly spray on him....and was giving the final 2 squirts when he turned his haunches toward me and bumped me. I was just too slow to get out of the way and my knee whent the wrong way. I flew through the air trying to get my feet under me and as I landed my knee went the other way! Tore the ACL ligament 90%. As I lay there in a pile of shit, I thought to myself.....the Moral of the story is......be carefull when you toot your own horn....you just may choke on it while you are tooting!
I havn't been on line much, very little to be exact, been riding the green fluffy couch for a month....watching my son hog up the computer to his hearts content!
Savvy On
Michelle
So what did I do to jack up my knee you ask? Well....I was helping a friend with a wild colt. They could not touch him, much less halter him....so I went over to help her out. All was going good, I was just a minute or two from being done.....and I had done a mighty fine job of it too, if I do say so myself. The whole thing from start to finish, took less than two hours. I was haltering him and touching him well, approach was good, I got fly spray on him....and was giving the final 2 squirts when he turned his haunches toward me and bumped me. I was just too slow to get out of the way and my knee whent the wrong way. I flew through the air trying to get my feet under me and as I landed my knee went the other way! Tore the ACL ligament 90%. As I lay there in a pile of shit, I thought to myself.....the Moral of the story is......be carefull when you toot your own horn....you just may choke on it while you are tooting!
I havn't been on line much, very little to be exact, been riding the green fluffy couch for a month....watching my son hog up the computer to his hearts content!
Savvy On
Michelle
Friday, October 14, 2011
The Tribe has Spoken
Ocassionaly I am moved to write about something other than horses when the emotion causes inspiration. So here is...my non horse thoughts....
As I sit and watch my country and more importantly my state, fall apart, I stare across my desk at the welfare office into the teary eyes of a hard working woman accustomed to a 6 figure income, barely surviving the last 6 months on her $1800mo unemployment that just ran out…… having just been told by us…..we can only give her $600 a month. My job for the day was to tell her, for that $600 per month she will need to do 32hrs a week of community service, or we will take the money away. Unlike our most of our other clients, who have never had a job, has not graduated high school much less college, and is a 4th generation welfare client……we cannot send someone with an AA in marketing to school, and I explained that she should be prepared to work somewhere equivalent to fast food, being that for some reason no company in her field of expertise will hire her. After a long talk about the reality of her hitting rock bottom, I mentioned her icy exterior and asked her if she was aware, despite being uncomfortable with her surroundings, that she was very short with me and seemed to have a large chip on her shoulder.
I know that many times, we as humans, are just unaware how transparent we can be, and that maybe she was giving off this kind of energy in interviews. As we talked, her face started to soften, and between her fighting back the tears and letting them flow, her eyes changed from steel to velvet. I told her she should consider walking away from her home and relocating if there was a job anywhere in her field elsewhere, as she is likely going to lose the home anyways, and that there is a glimmer of hope to save her home and rent it out, IF she can find a job else where. I tell ya, there is nothing like the cold hard slap of reality you get at the welfare office, no matter what side of the desk you sit at. I’m sure it felt to her as if she was living in one of those horror movies, in some alternate reality world, hoping for Alfred Hitchcock to come around the corner and end the show. But he didn’t, it was just me. I have calloused to it over the last few years, but am far from having lost all empathy. I had to harden for the sake of my own mental survival as I was having panic and anxiety attacks with each interview I completed with folks like her. Basically because it just hits way to close to home. My husband and I live paycheck to paycheck….and we are just one lost paycheck away from it being us on the other side of my desk.
A little while after this interview, I read an email from my uncle who is a Vietnam vet, and chain mails conspiracy theories daily to his entire contact list. Usually I just read and delete. Some are cartoons of our president, others honoring the fallen heroes, and some are warnings of the doom gloom that is about to befall us should our government continue on the his path. Today was no different, but this time I could feel the warning vibrate on the strings of my inner fear guitar. Then my heart jumped in like the base drum in a marching band. My God….have we become a socialist country without even knowing it? Are we really that close to no longer being the Alpha Country? Financially my husband and I are always hanging on by a fine thread…..and there is never an end in sight. My thoughts raced to all the years of war between our country’s political parties, who is right, who can save us…yada yada yada……and then it hit me.
What if we woke up tomorrow without a government. None of any kind. No one to siphon half my paycheck. No one to pay the fire department, police or schools. No one to hand out welfare checks or food stamps. No one to bail out banks and auto makers, who continue to make millions and millions in profits annually. What if we all, as a nation, had to live like they do on survivor. Obviously not on a paradise island, but right here where we already live…..where ever that may be. Would life, could life, be just like survivor. Either pull your weight and contribute to the good of your local society or be voted out at tribal council. Just like survivor, it would not be just a physical game, where only the strong well physiqued win in the end….it would also be a place where those who take care of camp, find food, have good social skills or a cunning and vindictive streak able to make power moves to either cut the dead weight or dethrone the beautiful bullies and make a giant shift of power in your own favor. But always the overall goal is the survival of all members of the tribe, to keep the tribe strong so that you could win battles with other tribes when there is some kind of dispute. If you didn’t like your tribe, you could leave and find a new tribe that has similar goals to your own. You would have to learn to fit in, in every way, in order to survive. Lets face it, we all have different things to offer a tribe, and few can do everything, so diversity is a must for survival, and there really would be a place for each of us to contribute. Would we then be socialists? Socialists with a twist….the twist….no government control or regime to make the rules up for us. It would literally be up to us to survive. Trading things with other members of the tribe, and with other tribes. Is this not how our country began in the first place? The only promise we were given in the beginning was the right and freedom to “pursue” happiness. Are the states really much different than a bunch of large tribes anyways? Where did we all go so wrong and can we ever fix it? I certainly am tired of pulling my weight, doing my fair share, and being forced to give it up for someone who is not. I would rather it be of my own choice to whom I my weight will carry. Let me pick and choose to whom the burdens I bear will benefit. Let me choose who will be invited into my tribe. Let us all sit down and work out who will be responsible for what. Who will farm, who will heal, who will fight fires, who will transport and who will entertain. We all can’t just lay around and be lazy.
What ever happened to true individual freedom, responsibility and contribution and reward for a hard days work. I stare in shock at my annual federal tax bill and weep for lost spoils. How on earth, does someone who makes as much money as my husband and I do, live the good life that we have worked hard for, when so much of it is taken away from us before we ever see the cold hard cash in our hands. We don’t live an extravagant life style, we do have a few toys, but honestly…..we make too much money to be living this poorly. And why is that? Why do I literally have to pay the way for someone that didn’t earn it. Won’t earn it. Refuses to earn it. They contributed NOTHING to my tribe, nothing more than suck the life blood right out of it, so that we all can be equal. Equally poor that is. I think that we the tribe should be allowed to vote them off. Let them request to join another tribe, the tribe that voted to allow those that don’t contribute, to live off those that do. Why not a tribe made up of only the slackers and those that voted to pay for them. Let them and them alone work hard to plow the fields, plant the fields, water the fields, harvest the fields and then hand their produce over to those who didn’t even have the courtesy to keep them company while they worked so hard. Not a drop of sweat shed from their brow, yet their hands and belly’s full from the rewards. Not so easy to do, when it is your hands that are actually dirty from hard work, much harder than sitting in a comfy chair at the capital, where the only sweat is that of your hands as you sign yet another law, bill or budget to further reduce the possibility of me actually enjoying the rewards of my hard work. Sounds to me like the only ones around here right now to out wit, out last, out play……are the people at the top. We need to have a secret meeting under the banana bush and vote this moron OUT of our tribe. That is what they call a power play blind side in survivor land. These are the only words I long to hear. Obama….grab your torch, the tribe has spoken, it’s time for you to go.
Hope to see you at Tribal Council
Savvy On
Michelle
As I sit and watch my country and more importantly my state, fall apart, I stare across my desk at the welfare office into the teary eyes of a hard working woman accustomed to a 6 figure income, barely surviving the last 6 months on her $1800mo unemployment that just ran out…… having just been told by us…..we can only give her $600 a month. My job for the day was to tell her, for that $600 per month she will need to do 32hrs a week of community service, or we will take the money away. Unlike our most of our other clients, who have never had a job, has not graduated high school much less college, and is a 4th generation welfare client……we cannot send someone with an AA in marketing to school, and I explained that she should be prepared to work somewhere equivalent to fast food, being that for some reason no company in her field of expertise will hire her. After a long talk about the reality of her hitting rock bottom, I mentioned her icy exterior and asked her if she was aware, despite being uncomfortable with her surroundings, that she was very short with me and seemed to have a large chip on her shoulder.
I know that many times, we as humans, are just unaware how transparent we can be, and that maybe she was giving off this kind of energy in interviews. As we talked, her face started to soften, and between her fighting back the tears and letting them flow, her eyes changed from steel to velvet. I told her she should consider walking away from her home and relocating if there was a job anywhere in her field elsewhere, as she is likely going to lose the home anyways, and that there is a glimmer of hope to save her home and rent it out, IF she can find a job else where. I tell ya, there is nothing like the cold hard slap of reality you get at the welfare office, no matter what side of the desk you sit at. I’m sure it felt to her as if she was living in one of those horror movies, in some alternate reality world, hoping for Alfred Hitchcock to come around the corner and end the show. But he didn’t, it was just me. I have calloused to it over the last few years, but am far from having lost all empathy. I had to harden for the sake of my own mental survival as I was having panic and anxiety attacks with each interview I completed with folks like her. Basically because it just hits way to close to home. My husband and I live paycheck to paycheck….and we are just one lost paycheck away from it being us on the other side of my desk.
A little while after this interview, I read an email from my uncle who is a Vietnam vet, and chain mails conspiracy theories daily to his entire contact list. Usually I just read and delete. Some are cartoons of our president, others honoring the fallen heroes, and some are warnings of the doom gloom that is about to befall us should our government continue on the his path. Today was no different, but this time I could feel the warning vibrate on the strings of my inner fear guitar. Then my heart jumped in like the base drum in a marching band. My God….have we become a socialist country without even knowing it? Are we really that close to no longer being the Alpha Country? Financially my husband and I are always hanging on by a fine thread…..and there is never an end in sight. My thoughts raced to all the years of war between our country’s political parties, who is right, who can save us…yada yada yada……and then it hit me.
What if we woke up tomorrow without a government. None of any kind. No one to siphon half my paycheck. No one to pay the fire department, police or schools. No one to hand out welfare checks or food stamps. No one to bail out banks and auto makers, who continue to make millions and millions in profits annually. What if we all, as a nation, had to live like they do on survivor. Obviously not on a paradise island, but right here where we already live…..where ever that may be. Would life, could life, be just like survivor. Either pull your weight and contribute to the good of your local society or be voted out at tribal council. Just like survivor, it would not be just a physical game, where only the strong well physiqued win in the end….it would also be a place where those who take care of camp, find food, have good social skills or a cunning and vindictive streak able to make power moves to either cut the dead weight or dethrone the beautiful bullies and make a giant shift of power in your own favor. But always the overall goal is the survival of all members of the tribe, to keep the tribe strong so that you could win battles with other tribes when there is some kind of dispute. If you didn’t like your tribe, you could leave and find a new tribe that has similar goals to your own. You would have to learn to fit in, in every way, in order to survive. Lets face it, we all have different things to offer a tribe, and few can do everything, so diversity is a must for survival, and there really would be a place for each of us to contribute. Would we then be socialists? Socialists with a twist….the twist….no government control or regime to make the rules up for us. It would literally be up to us to survive. Trading things with other members of the tribe, and with other tribes. Is this not how our country began in the first place? The only promise we were given in the beginning was the right and freedom to “pursue” happiness. Are the states really much different than a bunch of large tribes anyways? Where did we all go so wrong and can we ever fix it? I certainly am tired of pulling my weight, doing my fair share, and being forced to give it up for someone who is not. I would rather it be of my own choice to whom I my weight will carry. Let me pick and choose to whom the burdens I bear will benefit. Let me choose who will be invited into my tribe. Let us all sit down and work out who will be responsible for what. Who will farm, who will heal, who will fight fires, who will transport and who will entertain. We all can’t just lay around and be lazy.
What ever happened to true individual freedom, responsibility and contribution and reward for a hard days work. I stare in shock at my annual federal tax bill and weep for lost spoils. How on earth, does someone who makes as much money as my husband and I do, live the good life that we have worked hard for, when so much of it is taken away from us before we ever see the cold hard cash in our hands. We don’t live an extravagant life style, we do have a few toys, but honestly…..we make too much money to be living this poorly. And why is that? Why do I literally have to pay the way for someone that didn’t earn it. Won’t earn it. Refuses to earn it. They contributed NOTHING to my tribe, nothing more than suck the life blood right out of it, so that we all can be equal. Equally poor that is. I think that we the tribe should be allowed to vote them off. Let them request to join another tribe, the tribe that voted to allow those that don’t contribute, to live off those that do. Why not a tribe made up of only the slackers and those that voted to pay for them. Let them and them alone work hard to plow the fields, plant the fields, water the fields, harvest the fields and then hand their produce over to those who didn’t even have the courtesy to keep them company while they worked so hard. Not a drop of sweat shed from their brow, yet their hands and belly’s full from the rewards. Not so easy to do, when it is your hands that are actually dirty from hard work, much harder than sitting in a comfy chair at the capital, where the only sweat is that of your hands as you sign yet another law, bill or budget to further reduce the possibility of me actually enjoying the rewards of my hard work. Sounds to me like the only ones around here right now to out wit, out last, out play……are the people at the top. We need to have a secret meeting under the banana bush and vote this moron OUT of our tribe. That is what they call a power play blind side in survivor land. These are the only words I long to hear. Obama….grab your torch, the tribe has spoken, it’s time for you to go.
Hope to see you at Tribal Council
Savvy On
Michelle
Monday, September 26, 2011
Book Review: ***** "Lessons With Lendon" by Lendon Gray
I cannot begin to say what a great series of lessons this book is comprised of. Originally, back when I found them and completed them my self, it was a monthly article in a magazine. They were so popular, that they took them and put them in a book. Lendon has a sensible, natural approach to dressage, from step 1 to step 25, nothing is over looked, no short cuts taken. I had ripped out the articles and chucked the rest of the magazine, and still have them in a binder for reference. These are the 'lessons' that finally got me on the proper and classical road to success, that I had searched for, for so long. These are the lessons that finally fixed all the damage that an international "I" level dressage judge had created with us. These are the lessons that finally got Snookie to stop spooking and running for the hills with me barely attached. I highly recomend this book to anyone riding a horse of any level, you never know what steps you may have missed in your horses training, and you certainly don't want to create any holes with your new baby!
Lendon literally starts you off at go and whoa, because if you don't have that, what good is the rest of it? From the very basics to preparing for your first dressage show, she generously shares advice from an Olympians perspective. If you are working on your Finesse Savvy, you can't go wrong with this book as a resource. Dressage saddle not required!
Savvy On
Michelle
Feeling a little blue today....
I came across this old post that I never published, it was still in draft mode. Boy...I'm surprised I didn't slit my wrists that day!...........
As I was getting dressed for work this morning, my mind was realing, as it always does, thinking of 1000 things at once. Maybe if I had just been thinking of finding my blutooth, instead of everything else, I would not have searched the house 3x over to no avail. But there I stood, in between jamies and work clothes, and caught a glimps of myself in my closet mirror (12ft long, kinda hard not to) as I was having a conversation with someone else in my head, and it dawned on me.....that despite my best intentions and efforts....I will never be ME again. The 'me' I have been searching for now for 3ys. Well, OK....yes I 'could', but I am not sure I could handle the sacrifices I would have to make. Basically, I would need to give up all but one of my horses, so I could board again, to have daily access to good footing. That also in turn, means more time away from home.....and who would it be that I keep. Snookie cannot be re-homed at her age, and will not do well alone, even if i kept her and boarded one other. It is kinda like trying to decide which of your kids you will shove out the door. The reality of my property is just depressing. I feel like I have known this all along. Seems like I have. But it really hit me this morning. HARD. So what do I do now. I am not giving up, that's for sure. But clearly I need a different goal. This is something that I have also felt all along that I had. And maybe I did. There was an opening in the Mark Rashid clinic in april, I was first on the wait list. but I dont have the $$ right now for a clinic, and will have to wait until Nov for my planned clinic with him. But I soooo need it right NOW. I am thinking of what I can do in my 'arena', to make it honestly usable for more than just playing around. Something that I can feel good about asking my horses to work in. I think that has been a major set back, that I will not ask my horses to work on bad footing. Sucks enough that it is small, it should at least be proper for good biomechanics.
Savvy On
Michelle
As I was getting dressed for work this morning, my mind was realing, as it always does, thinking of 1000 things at once. Maybe if I had just been thinking of finding my blutooth, instead of everything else, I would not have searched the house 3x over to no avail. But there I stood, in between jamies and work clothes, and caught a glimps of myself in my closet mirror (12ft long, kinda hard not to) as I was having a conversation with someone else in my head, and it dawned on me.....that despite my best intentions and efforts....I will never be ME again. The 'me' I have been searching for now for 3ys. Well, OK....yes I 'could', but I am not sure I could handle the sacrifices I would have to make. Basically, I would need to give up all but one of my horses, so I could board again, to have daily access to good footing. That also in turn, means more time away from home.....and who would it be that I keep. Snookie cannot be re-homed at her age, and will not do well alone, even if i kept her and boarded one other. It is kinda like trying to decide which of your kids you will shove out the door. The reality of my property is just depressing. I feel like I have known this all along. Seems like I have. But it really hit me this morning. HARD. So what do I do now. I am not giving up, that's for sure. But clearly I need a different goal. This is something that I have also felt all along that I had. And maybe I did. There was an opening in the Mark Rashid clinic in april, I was first on the wait list. but I dont have the $$ right now for a clinic, and will have to wait until Nov for my planned clinic with him. But I soooo need it right NOW. I am thinking of what I can do in my 'arena', to make it honestly usable for more than just playing around. Something that I can feel good about asking my horses to work in. I think that has been a major set back, that I will not ask my horses to work on bad footing. Sucks enough that it is small, it should at least be proper for good biomechanics.
Savvy On
Michelle
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Barracuda's
Miyagi is back....and oh boy....was the dust flying. Got some good behavior on video, from alpha to omega!
Wild Thang! video of chacote's freedoms
This is why I do what I do.....rescue those that no one can or will. To be able to set a horse free....free from hunger, free from physical pain, mental suffering, emotional anguish, and downright imprisonment. Freedom from those that neglect their needs, and then freedom from the past. Freedom from themselves. Cha'cote was a long time coming to be confident to do this.....I love the way he is walking in this video...with purpose and self confidence....WANTing to be a part of the fun, and confident enough to make his own fun. It has been 1 year and 10 mos since I rescued him, wild and terrified....begging to be set free.....and we are finally there. Enjoy with me the beauty of freedom.
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
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Chacote makes a big move
Well he did it! He made the 75foot trek right after I fed this morning, leaving the comfort and safety of his sacred corner to eat with the girls! I guess the ant CAN move the rubber tree plant!
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
There's an APP for that!
Aa a very satisfied but techno challenged iPhone owner, I just found out there is a blogger ap! I can upload pics such as this one of my cat passed out under the curtain, or this one of my lovely Rose and my now sold cradle bridle! No video upload. But I find this cool, as often my son hoards the desk top!
Tech Savvy On
Michelle
Tech Savvy On
Michelle
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Who's My leader Now?...horse behavior video
Dear Lord we are at it again.! Horse sitting for a friend while she is laid up....here are the antics when I introduced them!
So, I told you all about the new draft mare Syrah and my TB mare Rose....war for pasture domination.....it was about 2.5 weeks before Rose conceded that Syrah was the leader....or so I thought? They are best buds now, and I don't see Rose ever being able to move Syrah, and she does move out of Syrah's way....but I don't really see Syrah leading her anywhere. they just seem to go places together, but when push comes to shove....it is Rose who moves....
So now enters Hoss.....other pasture mates are Chacote the RBI mustang and Spirit the RBI(with humans)/LBE(with horses) shetland....whom is very VERY loving and playful with new horses! Everyone scatters about the pasture, Rose seems to be the dominant protector of the herd. the one to try to keep Hoss from the others, and the one to drive him away, and from what I could see, was 'herding' Syrah. there were times when Syrah was moving him, but mostly it was Rose. It didn't take long, and Rose n Syrah where at one end of the pasture, Hoss n Spirit at the other, and poor chacote in the middle. Spirit n Hoss were play biting each other for about 20 or so minutes, like geldings like to do, taging each others face, chest, neck n leggs to see who can take it the longest without moving. Too cute! I figured all is well for now and proceed out to help my son with his homework. I came out to feed later....and this is where things got ugly.....
Normally feed half the hay respectively in each upper corner, about 100ft apart, with a blind curve in fence so they really can't see most of what the other side is up to. girls eat at one end, boys eat at the other. i always feed girls first, they never come over to boys side, until they are nearly done. Just as when I put Syrah in there, both Rose and Syrah came over to boys hay and stole it. I though this was Rose, tagging along with Syrah, but when I couldn't find Hoss I started to look around....got a flash light, and found him in the lower furthest corner from everyone and all the food. Hmmm.....I called him, from the girls side as it was closer and the girls were at the boys side, he started to come, traveled about 5ft.....and Rose came tearing out of the darkness, she only had to go about 1/4-1/3 away from the boys hay, to effectively dominate both territories. Quite impressive IMO, to be able to dominate over half of that pasture while staying in a relatively small area herself. she went back to boys food, i called him, he tried again, took 2 steps, she went half the distance she did the time before....and was again...impressively effective. I tried one more time calling him, after she had turned back to the hay...he started to take a step, i heard movement from boys corner, but this time she must have gone only a few feet as she never appeard out from the dark corner....and was yet again effective. Sooooooooo....I had to go get a lead rope, CS/string and go get him and do some effective chasing of my own..........
I chased them from the boys hay, spirit stayed at girls hay, chacote was grateful to have evil girls away from his sacred corner, left Hoss with chacote, and then Rose and I had stare down. All the other horses were eating but her. Hoss was behind me in the corner, I stood with the body language that said....this is MINE....MY teritory, MY horse, I would not walk this way if I were you. She stared at me, in 'gear' 'foot waiting to let off the clutch' ....it was a SHOW DOWN....for 5...FIVE...minutes.......the second she lowered her 'posturing'....I lowered mine and stood in a neutral but still in a facing her position. As soon as she turned away, I did so as well...that took about 3 min......I then hid where she couldn't see me, i fiddle with the gate to make the noise so maybe she would think i left, to see if she was going to charge him if I wasn't there. she did not. i waited 5 minutes. I know later she did chase him....but the poor guy stood no chance of eating at all, at least he got a little before she chased him off.
This morning, i awoke to him and spirit, eating scraps of hay from the night before, and when I fed, I thru a few flakes farther down the hill so if he got chased off, he would stand a better chance of eating......I had to go in again and get him. even though they were not chasing him....he learned his lesson well last night and was afraid to pass them by himself....
anyways, i made a video for his Mommy to watch while she is laid up. he is like her baby and she misses him terribly. at least she can see pics of how he is getting along while she is in the hospital.
I got some good footage of the Rose and Syrah "herding" and "taking territory-ish' behavior, and was wondering if anyone else could see who they would choose as the 'leader' Rose or Syrah....cuz now I am confused....or maybe the dynamics changed when the new horse was introduced, and gave Rose the chance to be leader again...or maybe she was all along and I got it wrong.....
Savvy On
Michelle
So, I told you all about the new draft mare Syrah and my TB mare Rose....war for pasture domination.....it was about 2.5 weeks before Rose conceded that Syrah was the leader....or so I thought? They are best buds now, and I don't see Rose ever being able to move Syrah, and she does move out of Syrah's way....but I don't really see Syrah leading her anywhere. they just seem to go places together, but when push comes to shove....it is Rose who moves....
So now enters Hoss.....other pasture mates are Chacote the RBI mustang and Spirit the RBI(with humans)/LBE(with horses) shetland....whom is very VERY loving and playful with new horses! Everyone scatters about the pasture, Rose seems to be the dominant protector of the herd. the one to try to keep Hoss from the others, and the one to drive him away, and from what I could see, was 'herding' Syrah. there were times when Syrah was moving him, but mostly it was Rose. It didn't take long, and Rose n Syrah where at one end of the pasture, Hoss n Spirit at the other, and poor chacote in the middle. Spirit n Hoss were play biting each other for about 20 or so minutes, like geldings like to do, taging each others face, chest, neck n leggs to see who can take it the longest without moving. Too cute! I figured all is well for now and proceed out to help my son with his homework. I came out to feed later....and this is where things got ugly.....
Normally feed half the hay respectively in each upper corner, about 100ft apart, with a blind curve in fence so they really can't see most of what the other side is up to. girls eat at one end, boys eat at the other. i always feed girls first, they never come over to boys side, until they are nearly done. Just as when I put Syrah in there, both Rose and Syrah came over to boys hay and stole it. I though this was Rose, tagging along with Syrah, but when I couldn't find Hoss I started to look around....got a flash light, and found him in the lower furthest corner from everyone and all the food. Hmmm.....I called him, from the girls side as it was closer and the girls were at the boys side, he started to come, traveled about 5ft.....and Rose came tearing out of the darkness, she only had to go about 1/4-1/3 away from the boys hay, to effectively dominate both territories. Quite impressive IMO, to be able to dominate over half of that pasture while staying in a relatively small area herself. she went back to boys food, i called him, he tried again, took 2 steps, she went half the distance she did the time before....and was again...impressively effective. I tried one more time calling him, after she had turned back to the hay...he started to take a step, i heard movement from boys corner, but this time she must have gone only a few feet as she never appeard out from the dark corner....and was yet again effective. Sooooooooo....I had to go get a lead rope, CS/string and go get him and do some effective chasing of my own..........
I chased them from the boys hay, spirit stayed at girls hay, chacote was grateful to have evil girls away from his sacred corner, left Hoss with chacote, and then Rose and I had stare down. All the other horses were eating but her. Hoss was behind me in the corner, I stood with the body language that said....this is MINE....MY teritory, MY horse, I would not walk this way if I were you. She stared at me, in 'gear' 'foot waiting to let off the clutch' ....it was a SHOW DOWN....for 5...FIVE...minutes.......the second she lowered her 'posturing'....I lowered mine and stood in a neutral but still in a facing her position. As soon as she turned away, I did so as well...that took about 3 min......I then hid where she couldn't see me, i fiddle with the gate to make the noise so maybe she would think i left, to see if she was going to charge him if I wasn't there. she did not. i waited 5 minutes. I know later she did chase him....but the poor guy stood no chance of eating at all, at least he got a little before she chased him off.
This morning, i awoke to him and spirit, eating scraps of hay from the night before, and when I fed, I thru a few flakes farther down the hill so if he got chased off, he would stand a better chance of eating......I had to go in again and get him. even though they were not chasing him....he learned his lesson well last night and was afraid to pass them by himself....
anyways, i made a video for his Mommy to watch while she is laid up. he is like her baby and she misses him terribly. at least she can see pics of how he is getting along while she is in the hospital.
I got some good footage of the Rose and Syrah "herding" and "taking territory-ish' behavior, and was wondering if anyone else could see who they would choose as the 'leader' Rose or Syrah....cuz now I am confused....or maybe the dynamics changed when the new horse was introduced, and gave Rose the chance to be leader again...or maybe she was all along and I got it wrong.....
Savvy On
Michelle
Sunday, September 11, 2011
DVD Review:*** Egon von Neindorff: School of horsemanship
This was a nice view into one classical master horsemans life. It was a little bit of everything from history of horses and classical dressage, his life's work and his school of horsemanship. You get to see the master at work with many horses in hand, and lovely riding from his students. This is not an educational dvd, but in horses, there is always much to be learned just by watching a master crafting his art. It is like a glimpse into the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, as his principles are similar and of the same high caliber horsemanship. If you like dressage and you love horses, this is a great dvd to watch, but educationally you wont die without it.
For more info on Egon von Niendorff click here
Savvy On
Michelle
DVD Review:** Leslie O'Neil Olson: 5 Simple Steps to Success
Five Simple Steps to Secure Solid Success **
Well, I was a bit disappointed in this dvd. The part that disappoints me is that she really missed an opportunity to make a top notch dvd. 60-70% of the dvd was testimonials from students of hers. I'm all for testimonials, but as the advertisement to watch the dvd, not the content OF the dvd. More on that in a minute. Of the other 30-40% nearly half was of a talking horse, cute but honestly I think it detracts from the credibility of the information. Then what you have left is the actual explanation of the 5 Steps. To add insult to injury.....it was a VERY short dvd.
Now let me get to the good of the dvd....the information she presents is VERY valuable. I like her style of classical riding and yes, the five steps are correct and classical and IS the proper classical seat, and you cannot go wrong following her steps. In the few minutes of view-able riding, I can see that she definitely is upholding the sacred classical riding principles and not riding in the 'modern' dressage style. If she was near me, I would be taking lessons from her for sure. Her students are fortunate to have her available to them. The problem is that this little bit information, is nothing you can't read in a good classical book, or take notes on 3x5 card, or that isn't already outlined extensively in other dvd's. It is simply the few laws of good equitation that we have all heard (albiet have difficulty doing) a thousand times over the ages. This is where she failed miserably as far as an educational dvd goes....
Ok, so you showed us WHAT to do, could you please tell us now HOW to actually do it?
The testimonials from her students would have been more valuable, had she shown video clips of before and after of her STUDENTS. Maybe even shown clips of lessons with them, to show how she helps them get from point A to point B. While proper equitation IS simple in design, it is far from easy to achieve....especially on your own without an eye on the ground. There was a few minutes of clips of her journey 'before' and 'after' and even one clip of taking a horse she currently rides, and then riding him the wrong way to show the difference in him, and how it negatively effects him, but in my opinion it was far from enough to honestly TEACH the principles. Also, she demonstrated the equitation 'laws' on a rider who was sitting still on a halted horse. It would have been far more helpful to then also show the laws in movement as well. And how you might go about changing bad equitation, in a lesson, and see the changes evolve in a rider going to good equitation.
She and her students do mention quite a number of times, that it is YOU who needs to change, not your HORSE.....no truer words could be said.....but it is far more difficult to do.
I gave this dvd 2**'s instead of 1*, because the information is in fact correct, though you can find other dvd's that are far more informative with more detailed information on the HOW to get your body to do the things in this dvd.
She seems like a warm, friendly and knowledgeable instructor, I only wish there was more content to this dvd.
Click here for more information on Leslie O'neal Olson
Savvy On
Michelle
Now let me get to the good of the dvd....the information she presents is VERY valuable. I like her style of classical riding and yes, the five steps are correct and classical and IS the proper classical seat, and you cannot go wrong following her steps. In the few minutes of view-able riding, I can see that she definitely is upholding the sacred classical riding principles and not riding in the 'modern' dressage style. If she was near me, I would be taking lessons from her for sure. Her students are fortunate to have her available to them. The problem is that this little bit information, is nothing you can't read in a good classical book, or take notes on 3x5 card, or that isn't already outlined extensively in other dvd's. It is simply the few laws of good equitation that we have all heard (albiet have difficulty doing) a thousand times over the ages. This is where she failed miserably as far as an educational dvd goes....
Ok, so you showed us WHAT to do, could you please tell us now HOW to actually do it?
The testimonials from her students would have been more valuable, had she shown video clips of before and after of her STUDENTS. Maybe even shown clips of lessons with them, to show how she helps them get from point A to point B. While proper equitation IS simple in design, it is far from easy to achieve....especially on your own without an eye on the ground. There was a few minutes of clips of her journey 'before' and 'after' and even one clip of taking a horse she currently rides, and then riding him the wrong way to show the difference in him, and how it negatively effects him, but in my opinion it was far from enough to honestly TEACH the principles. Also, she demonstrated the equitation 'laws' on a rider who was sitting still on a halted horse. It would have been far more helpful to then also show the laws in movement as well. And how you might go about changing bad equitation, in a lesson, and see the changes evolve in a rider going to good equitation.
She and her students do mention quite a number of times, that it is YOU who needs to change, not your HORSE.....no truer words could be said.....but it is far more difficult to do.
I gave this dvd 2**'s instead of 1*, because the information is in fact correct, though you can find other dvd's that are far more informative with more detailed information on the HOW to get your body to do the things in this dvd.
She seems like a warm, friendly and knowledgeable instructor, I only wish there was more content to this dvd.
Click here for more information on Leslie O'neal Olson
Savvy On
Michelle
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Ride an olympic cross country course.....via helmet cam.....video
For my best friend who used to do 3-day, but can't ride anymore due to back surgery.
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
Monday, August 22, 2011
Cha'cote update....tears of joy
History again, he was in a 12x24 stall for 6ys before I got him. He sat here for a year and a half, in his 30x30 corral alone. I tried for about 6mos, every weekend, putting him in with the herd during the day, to aclimate and re-naturalize him to herd life, as he was terrified of other horses and too fearful to make the journey to the water trough on his own. About 6mos after I got him, I would catch him every once in a while in the cool crisp early morning hours playing in his corral. He had just enough room to just barely get up a slow canter circle, a few bucks and kick out at his water bucket as I was filling it.
He has now been in the pasture with the herd for about 3 mos. Most of his time is spent standing in one corner of the pasture. It breaks my heart to see him like that, but I knew he would eventually come around, even if it took forever. He has only explored the upper half of the small pasture on his own, and only a handful of times been chased thru the unknown parts of down below, much to his horror.
Well this morning, around 6:30, as I laid in bed dreading getting up for work, the dogs were barking un-relentlessly. I finally got up and looked out the window to holler at them to shut it....when I saw them all facing the pasture.....hmmmm.....I looked over toward the pasture to see a most glorious sight. Cha'cote PLAYING! He was galloping the length of the upper part of the pasture, with everyone else staring at him like he was a fool. He was bucking and snaking his head and kicking up quite a bit of dust. I stood and enjoyed the sight before me for a few minutes, and then thought about catching it on camera. By the time I got dressed and to the kitchen window, he had slowed down a bit and Rose had joined in the fun. Sorry no video this time, the crummy view thru my window and screen caused poor quality after uploaded, but I knew if I went outside they would see me and stop, so I guess just I gets to relive it again and again. I am just thrilled that he finally has the room to truley enjoy his morning play urges and can BE a HORSE. Makes me wish I had a hidden camera out there for these early morning treats that obviously go on while I am still in bed!
Savvy On
Michelle
He has now been in the pasture with the herd for about 3 mos. Most of his time is spent standing in one corner of the pasture. It breaks my heart to see him like that, but I knew he would eventually come around, even if it took forever. He has only explored the upper half of the small pasture on his own, and only a handful of times been chased thru the unknown parts of down below, much to his horror.
Well this morning, around 6:30, as I laid in bed dreading getting up for work, the dogs were barking un-relentlessly. I finally got up and looked out the window to holler at them to shut it....when I saw them all facing the pasture.....hmmmm.....I looked over toward the pasture to see a most glorious sight. Cha'cote PLAYING! He was galloping the length of the upper part of the pasture, with everyone else staring at him like he was a fool. He was bucking and snaking his head and kicking up quite a bit of dust. I stood and enjoyed the sight before me for a few minutes, and then thought about catching it on camera. By the time I got dressed and to the kitchen window, he had slowed down a bit and Rose had joined in the fun. Sorry no video this time, the crummy view thru my window and screen caused poor quality after uploaded, but I knew if I went outside they would see me and stop, so I guess just I gets to relive it again and again. I am just thrilled that he finally has the room to truley enjoy his morning play urges and can BE a HORSE. Makes me wish I had a hidden camera out there for these early morning treats that obviously go on while I am still in bed!
Savvy On
Michelle
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Playday 8-20-11
OMG...I had the best time today. I have been in desperate need of getting out of the house and making me some horse friends, and I just hit the mother lode! Rose was a complete basket case RBE today, first time ever! So completely not like her. But, it is the first time to go anywhere without Snookie in 3ys. She calmed down relatively quickly after a few 'thanks i needed that' smacks. She heard the herd whinnying for her as we loaded in the trailer and that is where it started. She traveled better on the way home. There were quite a few people there brand new to parelli/nh, and I enjoyed being able to help them out. Rose and I played a couple fun games with everyone before I had to rush out of there early for Jason's first soccer game of the year. Poor kid, they lost 5-0. I can't wait to go there again next month!
Savvy On
Michelle
Savvy On
Michelle
Thursday, August 11, 2011
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
