Sideways from 12 feet!

This week has been crazy and to say the least I haven't been able to spend time with Jayden as I had planned. I've turned him out, fed him lunchto keep him busy and had to satisfy myself with simply a passing nod and pet to him as I went about my outside chores. Yesterday he was somewhat grumpy with me when I approached the stall and I admit, I deserve it. I haven't been able to participate in our horsemanship journey this week the way I would like to.

Just before going outside to see Jayden I had a rather emotional phone call to a company who is designing a logo for me. I'm an affiliate for them and I send them lots of business. Finally today I called in complete frustration as I realized they had AGAIN ignored my instructions to them on the current project. I took a deep breath before going outside and I realized that moving through the groundwork exercises and games with Jayden was going to feel really good. I work really hard to keep it fresh and interesting; to have a consistent pattern in what I do just a variance in how I do it.

Maybe it was how I looked at him or the energy from my belly button but Jayden's expression was totally different when he saw me. He seemed to be melting towards me in a "hey, I'm ready to play today!" kind of way. His ears were forward, his eyes bright. Our friendly game in the stall consisted of me taking off his blanket and hood and then currying every inch of him. He LOVES it!

He shoved his head in the halter and off we went toward the arena. We backed in, then turned sideways (me in zone 3) and sideways we went. I then turned him again and he backed up in a continuous rhythm. Linda wanted us to get this game really good and I struggled a bit with my tools the last time I tried. We were also very sticky and couldn't go very fast. Today Jayden through in A LOT of effort and it came together nicely. After sideways to back to sideways a few more times I ended up in front of zone 1 about 12 feet away. I had just started thinking "I wonder if he'll go sideways (with no help from me) when I'm up here and not holding the rope" when I moved sideways and motioned with the carrot stick for him to move and SIDEWAYS HE WENT for about 20 feet!

I felt like jumping up and down. Although it's a small movement, it's respect and rapport from a distance and boy did that feel great. :)

Natural Horsemanship = Balanced Horse

On January 5th I received notification from Parelli that I passed my Level 2 online!! I'm awaiting my red savvy string and certificate from Parelli for my official Level 1 pass (I skipped straight over this) and then for my certificate for my Level 2 pass online! I passed two levels at once online but until I pass my L2 freestyle I won't receive my blue savvy string. This was a HUGE moment for me!!!

Natural horsemanship has transformed my previously grumpy, sometimes frozen and slightly unconfidant horse into a horse that is equal on both his right and left sides, can be clipped without a twitch, will put his feed on ANYTHING, will trot out when I ask and will follow and stick to me where ever I go....with or without the halter. Last week he came to me while running with two other horses with just a small indicator of body language. He just put the brakes on did a sharp 90 degree turn and zoomed over to me. I almost cried. If you've never had your horse come running to you, it's a feeling you can get addicted to fast.

It's raining here in Glendale and it looks like it might drop 3-5 inches on us before it's all done this week. Probably no riding for me :( I am awaiting my new Parelli Finesse reins, Level 4 materials and 45 foot line. We're working most things at 22 feet and ready to start heading father down the line. I can't wait for it to stop raining and we've got 4 days of storms to go!

Busy Arenas Help Horses Relax

Today was a blast!

Since we stopped boarding horses, I mostly ride alone in my arena. Today however was a blast from the past.

Beth, Marnie and Stacy were all riding while I was doing my warm-up and audition footage. I'd forgotten what fun a busy arena can be and it's great for the horses. Not only do they become accustomed to traffic and other horses moving in and out of their space, they learn to focus on their human and not necessarily what everyone else is doing.

In my video you can see Stacy practicing the Follow the Rail exercise in a halter and lead rope. Watch for her to ride by flipping the rope over Abby's head in the background. This simple exercise alone can help your fluidity and the power of your focus on riding with an independant seat.

Marnie was giving Beth a high-level Dressage demonstration and doing some incredible movements; basically dancing with Spice! Beth was watching but also perfecting her trot and canter with Kolby and I think I was on my own planet!

Today marked my 5th session with Jayden this week and I think I spent about 10 hours total playing with him. We filmed my audition video today, you can see it here. What I loved about this video was watching the level of relaxation my horse has. When I first started out playing with him 3 months ago he was nervous with me in zone 4 (his hip) and zone 5 (behind the tail). Watch me as I move around him swatting the ground with the carrot stick and string. He is relaxed, I can lift his tail and his posture is one of confidance and maybe even a bit bored! Just 3 short months ago I couldn't do this exercise without him flying sideways. He is no longer bothered by things swinging in his hind zones and doesn't kick when tied and frightened at all.

Working this program has definately hightened my communication skills and our joint understanding of him. I can read him so much better, know when to retreat from something (whether an idea, a threshhold or simply pressure) and when to push farther. His confidance as a learner has skyrocketed!

Audition Warm-Up...Lessons Learned

Michael helped me film the first practice video for my Level 1/2 audition!

Today was the first time I filmed myself with Jayden on the ground. I've seen video of us riding but seeing myself on the ground was REAL eye opener. Suddenly I was able to see most of what Linda has been working with me and talking to me about. I always felt confidant about my body language but I could see my horse wondering about me a bit and THAT was a total eye opener.

It was great fun and we learned about where the camera needs to be to provide the best view. I was a bit nervous and left out a few things I wanted to show so we are planning to film it again tomorrow.

On a positive note, Jayden backed up from 22 feet away with a Phase 1 ask. Incredible!

Groundwork Improves Impulsion!

Today's lesson with Linda was 3 hours long. It flew by as we played with ground work, Jayden's confidence in my body language, my skills as a leader and then transitioned to riding. Every time I think I'm getting "good" at being a leader Linda show me ways to improve that I hadn't even thought of. Ways to be lighter and more effective with even less pressure. It's amazing! Jayden and I learned a lot of new things and his impulsion is improving every day!

When To Step Back

This last six months has been an interesting period for me. I saw many advances in my horsemansip and I had many failures as well. I think you learn more from the failures almost than you do from success. Well...usually.


Two months ago I had my first lesson with a Parelli professional. It was amazing. Life-altering in fact. I've been studying natural horsemanship via Parelli Natural Horsemanship for the last few years and I'd gotten pretty good with horses on the ground. I can't remember the last time a horse scared me or made me nervous on the ground. All my confidance has come from moving through their Levels Pathway.

Having a lesson with one of their professionals was inspiring in a way I can't even begin to describe. I thought I had taught my horse to handle pressure....NOT in their book! If you want your horse to be a sconfidant as possible, NOT be a robot but still work for you, this is definately a program to look at!

Squeeze Game...It's Everywhere!

Today's ride saw a few breakthrough "aha" moments. Yesterday I blogged about my cues needing to be lighter and lighter for my horse to really be happy. After rolling around Pat & Linda's helpful hints on motivating introverts and how they can be offended by how loudly we ask for something, it dawned on me that perhaps some of the behaviours I see in my horse under saddle are because I'm asking too loudly for what I want.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not up on top of my horse yelling, at least I don't think I am - but it's what he thinks of what I'm doing that really matters.

Many things that we expect horses to do (calmly) involve squeezes of a sort: walk through gates, load in the trailer, walk underneath an overhang, oh yes...and go quietly while I sit on you with my legs wrapped around you too. Yep, this one is a BIG squeeze game. I've known a few horses in my time that the more leg you gave them, the faster they would seem to squirt forward. I didn't have a label for it back then (this was 15 years ago and wayyyy before I know who Pat Parelli was) but you just knew they were uncomfortable with it and more sensitive was probably how I would describe it. Stick with me here for a moment....

While riding today I was walking around on my horse while talking to my instructor about my theory of how loudly I'm asking Jayden to canter off and how that might be why he seems to want to lift up his head and overbend his head and neck to the right (when going to the right) which bows out his outside shoulder. In summary, I think he's giving me feedback on HOW I'm asking. So perhaps what should be a Phase 1 request is actually is being interpreted as a Phase 2 or 3 and the result is that his feet slow down rather than going forward.

We thought on this for a moment and then decided to experiment with it. I focused on sitting up a bit straighter but relaxing all the pressure in my whole leg, well both legs. I use my voice a lot with this horse and my tone plays a huge part in his relaxation levels. In preparation for his transition I asked hin with my voice to canter, barely asked with my leg while playing very gently with the rein - the result was a much better transition. There were less steps needed to get collection.

While cantering we practice circles if he becomes anxious or quick underneath which pulls his brain back into gear and allows us to compose ourselves. Today I noticed that when he would pick up speed rather than coming more round, through his back and collected, if I relaxed my leg to drape around him we might not need to do the smaller circle to achieve balance and collection.
When I drapped my leg, I noticed that he eased up, didn't grind the bit AT ALL and suddenly we had collection - mental, physical and emotional collection.

My theory for this horse proved correct...although he has gotten better with his issues with squeeze game, it's the mastery of my own body and fluidity that will help him inch that dot for claustrophobia more to the mild side.

Success!