Hi-Ho Hi-Ho, it's off to show I go!

We're getting packed and ready to leave for our Winter Horse Show today and as I write this there is excitement in the air. I spent some time last night with a barn buddy and I can't count the number of times she said "I'm so excited to go!"

They've completely changed the schedule of classes, order in which we ride them in and the flow of the show so this weekend should be VERY interesting.

This also marks my first *official* paint show with Jayden. We praciced last weekend at the Blue Ribbon Horse show (that's another story for later) and he did quite well winning under both judges in the 1st Year Green 5 & Under Western Pleasure class.

Gotta run, stay tuned for updates about the show, funny photos and some interesting video!

Learning Patience

Whew! Where has the time gone?! I looked up and realized it was almost 5 weeks since my last post - naughty me :)

Jayden and I are getting prepared to start showing together full-time. In preparation for that I've been hauling him to some schooling shows. I'm a firm believer in mental and emotional fitness in my horses because without it, it doesn't make a bit of difference how physically capable they are of doing something.

Last Sunday we hit a local show that is for beginners and a great place to school inexperienced horses. Needless to say, the horse I thought I would be taking never even showed up. Sure he loaded in the trailer, sure he warmed up great with the "falling leaf" Parelli pattern but then we did something we haven't had to do yet - WAIT.

If you've ever heard the expression "hurry up and wait" it's the most perfect definition for what we ended up doing. The show experienced some issues and what should have been a 15 minute wait, turned into over an hour. The longer my horse had to wait, the more unprepared he became. I watched my normally left brained introvert gelding turn into a borderline right brain extrovert. Was he acting "crazy?" No. But suddenly he couldn't stand still and he had to move his feet.

I decided to put this to good use and practiced backing, pivoting and maneauvering him around to try and re-engage his brain. As long as we were moving everything was fine. The second we stopped and stood still for a mock inspection it all fell apart again. I knew right then that we were in trouble so to speak.

We did make it through the class and he did perform well since only a short time during the pattern did he actually have to stand still. He tried hard, but he still moved during inspection. Lesson learned. This horse needs pretty involved mental and emotional warm up time when he's feeling unconfidant. Translation....for a day show there is A LOT more preparation involved than when we go to an away show where we have stable accomodations.

Later in the day I had him tied to the trailer while taking a short lunch break. Jayden stood still for all of 1 minute before pawing, striking the air and then turning to and fro trying to see the other horses in the arena. I decided to just observe him (that's probably not what I should have done) but I wanted to see just how upset he would get. For about 15 minutes he was constantly moving - I could see the emotional tension building in him. Finally after I couldn't stand to see him so far over a threshold, I untied him and put him back to work so to speak, moving his feat and re-engaging his brain. This worked well while I was on the ground but the calm we finally experienced on the ground did not translate to the saddle.

I won't bore you with the details and a blow by blow - but I do want to say that I've chaned my game plan again. We are working on retreating away from his buddies to the trailer (even when its at home) and when that's going well, tying to the trailer and learning to stand still. It's only been three days (the first day there was a BIG hole next to the trailer) but these last two he was much better.

All in all - we are both learning patience - with ourselves and with each other.

2009 off with a BANG!

HAPPY NEY YEAR!

My head is still spinning that 2008 is over, BUT I know I was ready for 2009. Usually I have difficulty dfor the first month or so of the new year and will continue to write the old year on checks and any lists that I keep.

Well move over 2008 because surprisingly, I haven't done it once! Now before you chuckle, I realize that it's only the second day of 2009, but what the heck, I can be optimistic right?

So in the midst of all of our end of the year madness, I just realized that I never posted for December. It seems I am falling down on the job.

Latelly I feel as though my heart and mind want to go in about a hundred different directions as I sift thrugh all I want to accomplish in 2009. In addition to managing two businesses, I also have to manage myself and my horse activities in a way that leaves me feeling satisfied. Have you ever felt so overwhelmed that suddenly things started to slip? I looked up at the beginning of this week and realized that I haven't ridden or really worked with Jayden in about 3 weeks. That feels like forever to me!

Horsemanship (just like anything) is an every day thing. Even if you're not at the barn....if you're a horse lover you're probably thinking about being there, what you'll do when you're there, how to make the most of the time with your horse (and you know the rest). For me it gets worse when I'm competing because I am always nervous that perhaps I haven't done enough to prepare mentally, emotionally and physically and that I'll push my horse past thresholds. Even though my whole goal is NOT to push past anything but to get him so comfortable that he wants to go show with me.

So even though I was so busy in December that I couldn't really squeeze physical time in with Jayden, my mind was nearly always with him (horses are an obsession! if you don't believe me, buy one and you'll be hooked :).

I'm going to jump ahead but stick with me....

I'm just returned yesterday (New Year's day) from Tucson and the Copper Country Paint-o-Rama. I showed in 2006 there and the weather was awful so I was a bit hesitant about going this year.

I had a blast!!!

I spent some quality time with my friends (thanks Stacy for just giving me a shove!) and laughed and spent time with my horse. What could be better than 24 uninterrupted hours at the barn?!

The result?

All my reservations were moot: the ones where I imagined that it would be cold (it was 70 degrees), the one where I imagined my horse wasn't ready and then the biggie....that I wasn't up to the challenge of being a good leader for him.

I've made no secret of the fact that Showmanship is easily my favorite activity in the show ring. I guess it's because I can really display the results of the ground work and relationship building I have done with my horse.

Watch the video below if you would like to see our performance in the Novice Amatuer Showmanship class on New Year's day.





My biggest mistake in 2008 was doubting the time I had spent with my horse; that somehow because I had been inconsistent these last few weeks, that I hadn't been effective when I was with him.

I think the point to all of this is that everything we do today with our horses is for tomorrow. I've heard Linda say this over and over but it finally sank in these past few days.

Happy horsing around!

Showmanship...can you drive AND be a porcupine?

That's me there on the right with Abbey, my 2008 super horse show partner. See that HUGE cheesy grin on my face?

Abbey and I finished the weekend as High Point Green Rider/Handler and overall Green High Point for the year with the Arizona Paint Horse Club!

I'm smiling because we just finished a great showmanship pattern at the Harvest of Color Paint Show in Buckeye Arizona this past weekend. Next to Trail, Showmanship is my FAVORITE class. Abbey is a showmanship queen - this horse can litterally dig a hole in the ground pivoting on her back right foot (when we pivote to the right) or on her left foot when we complete a pull turn and pivot to the left.

It was always fun to go into a class and show the judge how clean we can complete the maneuvers. I showed this horse at the Pinto World Show this year and if my nerves hadn't gotten to me (oh and that starting cone had been on my opposite side) I think we would have placed Top 10, if not snagged a championship.

I've been watching some of the other girls in the barn work showmanship with their horses recently and seeing how frustrated they can get when trying to teach their horses to pivot. At any given time we are asked to do 90, 180, 270, 360 or 720 degree pivots during a pattern either from a standstill or just after we've walked, trotted and come to a halt.

I realized some of the girls can DO showmanship with a finished horse - that is, one who already knows what to do - but not all of them can TEACH the various parts of it to their horse.

When you break it down, a pivot is really nothing more than the horse moving away from the pressure of you walking into his (or her) space while keeping a hind foot planted - in other words, driving game.

Your horse walking and trotting in sync with you when you walk and trot is really the "stick to me" game combined with the Porcupine game - follow the feel. Although a pivot can make or break your routine as far as the judges are concerned what's really thrilling is what comes before and after the pivot.

Great showman make it look effortless and easy...you can't even see that they are signaling or cuing their horse in any way. In fact, if you look again at the picture, you'll see that my hand is actually quite far down the lead. I almost never have to engage the chain for any reason - my horses know they need to follow my lead when I'm walking, jogging or backing; in other words they stick to me!

When I work with my gelding Jayden (who was TOTALLY wet behind the ears with this stuff when I got him), our showmanship time together is not a drilling session! It's a mix of fun Parelli games to help deepen our relationship, build his trust in me as a leader and to to have fun. I did enlist some assistance from my good friend and showmanship queen Stacy when I got stuck trying to get him to plant that right hind foot but for the most part, it's just me and my horse :)

Bottom line...anyone who does Parelli can easily teach their horse Showmanship. When Pat says there is litterally nothing you can do with a horse that isn't games 1-3 - he's TOTALLY RIGHT!

Next Up: I'm starting Trail (in hand) with Jayden to teach him to follow the feel and meaneuver through objects.

A "Boo"tiful Halloween!!

Tomorrow I'm off to the Harvest of Color horse show in Buckeye which runs October 31st -November 2nd!! The trailer is loaded, the preparations done and now all of my savvy will be tested this weekend.

It's the last show of the 2008 season (for me) and the last show for me and my 2008 show partner Abbey - so graciously on loan to me from my good friend Stacy. Abbey is one of those amazing horses that everyone wishes for...patient, kind, forgiving and willing. Thank You Abbey for an outstanding 2008 season; I have learned so much from you!

Last month I talked about finding success for my four year old gelding in the show ring (his first time out) via the big green ball. What an AMAZING tool that has become for me to help my horses overcome fear and build confidance and I have to admit, there is something soothing about bouncing a ball that takes me back to my childhood. I am always happily reminded that my horses are confidant and do look to me for love, language and leadership in equal doses at the show. Thanks to what I've learned from Parelli, I am able to keep the relationship with my horses FIRST and have a great time showing and doing what I love to do...ride!

But on to what I really meant to talk to you about.....

Did you catch my last Post on the abandoned horses? If not, you can read it here. You'll want to read the story of the rescued paint horses before reading on....

As we excited the clinic from the Body Condition & Nutrition talk last night with Josie (the 22 year old rescued paint mare), it was dark and we began to wonder whether she would want to load in the trailer to go home. Since learning so many great things from the Parelli program, I no longer am fearful of how or how long it will take to get something done...I always take the time it takes and it takes less time. The program has given me enormous confidance that I can communicate effectively with any horse and help them to trust me.

I was thinking all of these things and imagining how I would inspire her trust and confidance as we approached the trailer. My friend opened the door to the trailer and turned on the light. Josie pricked up her ears and once she saw the light turn on, she stepped up the pace and jumped into the trailer herself as if to say "I got it from here!"

Despite being thin, lame from thrush and shaggy looking - she is a confidant horse with clear, bright eyes and a willing spirit. Horses like these absolutely amaze me! They have been mistreated, neglected and left alone and still they look to us for leadership and display confidance and a willingness that I personally could not display (were I a horse) in that same situation.


The first time I saw Josie there was something about her that made my heart catch in my throat. Has that ever happened to you? You felt a connection you couldn't explain? Since that time, my mom has worked at some of the local horse show hot spots collecting donations to care for and feed these animals.

How Can YOU Help?

I attended a Body Condition and Nutrition talk last night at The Chaparral Veterinary Medical Center in Cave Creek Arizona with a good friend of mine who lives katty-korner to me. Chaparral has recently moved into their new multi-million dollar facility and the talk was held there. Typically these talks are held at Mike's Hay Barn, but last night we were to see up close and personal the effects the economy is having on horses all over.

My friend Marnie recently rescued three starving and emaciated horses from some folks whose home was being forclosed on who live behind her. She remembers the horses arriving to the neighbor about six months previous - they were in good health and were a good weight and body condition. After peeking over the fence last weekend, she found them nearly starved to death - no food, no water! Marnie is our neighborhood saint; a nurse herself, she loves all animals and can always be counted on to step in when needed.

Chaparral had come out to attend to the animals last week when she brought them home. The rescues were a 22 year old paint mare and a 10 year old paint mare with a 30-day old filly at her side. The prognosis was grim...they would be lucky to survive another 24-hours in the condition they were in. The vet scored the 22 year old mare (who has now been named "Josie") with a Body Condition of 2 and the 10 year old mare (who has been named "Joanie") with a Body Condition of 1.

What's a normal Body Condition score? Try 5-7....depending on the breed.

Marnie graciously loaned Josie to Chaparral for their Nutrition talk and they did a work-up on the mare yesterday. The *NEW* prognosis....12-18 month recovery time to bring her back to good health. This was a mare that 6 months ago was purchased for a child to ride and was in great health.

As we toured the hospital and saw Josie, there were gasps of outrage from the 35 people who had attended the talk. There was an outpouring of offerings.... to help, donate food, to find Josie a home.

Because most horsey people love their animals like family, I think it continues to shock all of us at the treatment these animals are made to suffer: both mental and physical. It's far easier to take these beautiful creatures and turn their world into a nightmare than people think. With the economy in its present state, horses are being abandoned in the desert (here in Arizona) as well as all over the country. ALL horse owners, whether believers of natural horsemanship or not need to come together to become advocates for horses without hope - for those who have been left behind.

Donate to your local shelter, watch in your neighborhood for horses that appear to be thin, suffering from a lack of care, or left behind (in the case of foreclosure or abandonement). Get to know your neighbors! If we all keep in touch it may be possible to prevent situations like these as homes can be found for these loving animals.

Success With The Big Green Ball!

After returning home from the 2-day Parelli event I was all fired up to help Jayden, my four year old left brain introvert (with a couple right brain tendancies) learn to deal with stimulus in Zones 4 & 5. Jayden is my new Parelli partner but he is also my new all-around show partner on the Paint circuit. Having come from a non-natural backgroud and now a Parelli convert, it is so important to me that he feel comfortable with everything I will ask of him: standing still to saddle, clipping, loading, shoeing, going new places etc. I definately want showing and traveling to be fun and I always try to put the relationship first.

We had a big show coming up (his first) and he tends to want to scoot forward if something comes up behind zone 5 or from either side of zone 4 that he hasn't already had a good look at. Because th warm-up arenas can be PACKED with horses coming and going, this can be a problem and un-nerving for a "green" horse (one that hasn't had a whole lot of experience). To help him, I decided that I would do a 7-day course of playing with the big green Parelli ball (focusing on all zones) really with the intent to help him overcome his fear of anything coming up behind him in zones 4 & 5.

Each day I worked would start boucing the ball while walking away from him...always ecstatic to see that although at first weary, he would quickly become curious and begin to want to follow me and the bouncing ball. Once he realized he could touch it and roll it for himself he couldn't get enough of it! He would try to bite it and push down on it.

I decided to let out the 22 foot line and play driving game, and to see if he would walk into the ball on purpose on his way to whereever we were going. It was great to see his confidance soar and his curiosity peak as to what he could do with the ball and YES, he did choose to seek out the ball on our way.

After he got comfortable with touching it with his nose, I started boucning it around all zones on his body. I made sure to let out the line if he got nervous and retreat to build his confidance. Not too long after, I could bounce it directly behind zone 5 as hard as I could and he didn't budge. Not only that, but I could simulate saddling (swinging the saddle side to side) with the ball and resting it on his back. Once that was no longer an issue, we moved to me actually bouncing the ball off him, he LOVES IT!

The end result...he was not nearly as sensitive with zones 4 and 5 this weekend as he used to be. His relaxation in the arena was apparent and he did wonderful!

Out of all the things that make me smile at the shows, I saw two people with Parelli equipment patiently working with their horses in the warm-up arena's this weekend! It's wonderful to see that the message of being natural is finally making it's way into the show ring.

Thanks to Pat & Linda for teaching us how to be at one with our horses!

Until next time...happy trails!