Quiet amongst the chaos...

I had a lovely afternoon! It was a beautiful sunny autumn day, and there was still some warmth in the air so when I put a stop to procrastinating and went outside to see what I could come up with.

I really wanted to ride Ruby, but I haven't practiced what I worked through with Kaye since she left two weeks ago. My thought for the afternoon was not to appear direct line. I didn't want Ruby to think I was going to get her ride her feed her leave her.

So when I went out, I went and mixed the feeds up first, and just observed what the horses were up to. Ruby was not standing in her usual prime position. She usually stands in the door of the feed shed, and all the others fight and bicker behind her, trying to get the next in line to the feed shed position. Today she was standing off on her own near my car watching the left brainers argue over 'her spot'. This was unusual. And another little reminder to make sure I haven't been getting too direct line...

I went and got a carrot, gave her a taste as I walked back past the car, and went back to mixing the feeds. Ruby was straight back over at her spot! I decided I wanted to use my imagination and not be predictable when saddling her. Ruby is very obedient, and will stand and be saddled at liberty, but I wanted to be aware of their being something in it for her. s
So I would go over, give her a bite of carrot, go back to the feeds, another bite, etc etc. Then on one of my visits back to her, I took the saddle and pad, showed her, got a totally positive response, so I put them on, gave her a nibble, and left her there and went back to the feeds. She kept a completely positive expression while I saddled her!

Then instead of riding straight away we took the dogs and bike and went up to the bus stop to get Jack. We got there early so plenty of time to graze. Came home again. And then we bridled and rode. It was a long preparation, and a very short ride. But it was successful. Ruby was happy and co-operative, and I was more aware of her needs.

Direction...

Tired tonight. But good tired. Tired because I have been stretching my brain...

I find that one of my biggest challenges in life at the moment is direction. I struggle with direction in my life generally, and also my horsemanship.

I find it hard to play with the horses if I haven't got a long term goal. And I struggle with what that long term goal with my horsemanship is. It has to be possible!

I don't mind instructing, but I don't think I am passionate about it. And I just don't see any way I can get overseas to do instructor training any time soon...

Colt starting get's me excited. To take an unmoulded horse and help it develop in to a reliable partner...but the more I learn, the better I want to get for my young horses before I touch them. I am tired of seeing unnecesarily damaged horses. To specialize in colt starting within the parelli system I would have to do the six month intern program...not likely before I'm 50...

I really enjoy helping out horses with a troubled history. This includes physical and psychological challenges too. I love to see a horse with a troubled background gently start to trust and gain confidence. I find that very rewarding. And this may be more do-able for me. I need to learn even more about nutrition and health, but I enjoy that. The problem is, some of these horses are very hard to move on, and I have a paddock full of half broken down horses!!! I really enjoy playing with a lot of different horses too.

Hosting clinics is a posibility... I love to promote natural horsemanship, gently, and I think I would enjoy hosting clinics. But the problem is the venue. I just don't know if I could ever get this place suitable...there is no room for a honeycomb or proper arena. So I just don't think that is practical either!

I guess competition is an option, but I have never competed in anything, and don't even know where to start, or what I would compete in even!

So I go around this never ending circle...I always seem to end up at the same place. I do a clinic, or speak to someone who is really motivated, and get all excited and enthusiastic again...but then my goals seem so far off I start going around that spiral again...

I find it hard to get excited about just developing my own horse for her and my benefit...but I think I need to be content with that for now, be happy with my lot, and stop worrying about the big picture for a while.

Lesson with Kaye Thomas.

Well, what a good day!

Kaye Thomas was in the neighbourhood, so we had her over here giving us some lessons!

Justin and Jack went first. They did an hour on line and learnt about rhythm, relaxation and retreat in the friendly game, close range driving game, keeping their feet still, and when to retreat when playing friendly game in the delicate zone.

Then they both rode in their bareback pads. Jack learnt about actually getting Honey to go before he can ask for her to do anything!! Justin followed the rail, learnt different ways to change direction and get back on the rail using a direct rein, transitions, including how to use a suspension rein to come down a gait.

They did so well, really concentrated and listened. And they loved Kaye!

Then it was Ruby and my turn. I was very nervous!! And Ruby had been so patient, saddled and waiting all morning. Kaye asked me to show her how Ruby responds to a freestyle figure eight, with no warmup. It was around two objects in the playground, set a long way apart, and up and down hill. Ruby did her usual freestyle effort, ducked and dived and ran off and pinned her ears. It was a perfect example of Ruby at her absolute worst!

It set us up for a fantastic lesson in how to help Ruby feel confident in freestyle riding. And the answer? Ride her with contact first!!! Ruby gets lost and worried and annoyed when left to her own devices. She is much more comfortable when her hand is held. I have to get her confident by holding her hand first, and then gradually give her more rein, as she gains more confidence, and get our freestyle going from there.

Kaye was fantastic. The first thing I learnt is that my energy is WAY to high for Ruby!! I thought if I was any more introverted I would be dead! But Kaye said no way, there is a lot going on in there...interesting. That blew me away right from the start!

I thought I was going really slowly with Ruby, but it isn't slow enough. I have to sloooooow right down... and be soft, soft, soft.

Ruby was fascinated, and responded so well.

Lots to play with!! I just can't wait to get out there and ride again tomorow morning!

Taking care of the little things...

Oh, I had such a good play with Ruby today!!!!

I wasn't quite sure what to do, but thought I better shim my saddle etc for my lesson with Kaye Thomas tomorow.

I saddled her straight away when I got her, I didn't play with her first. Ruby is an 'old faithful' now. I can get her out of the paddock, throw the saddle on, and virtually ride off. BUT, I always do my pre-flight checks as I move her around as I saddle her.

Linda Parelli is always saying she starts off really slowly with Remmer, her introverted horse, and I have also watched Anne do this with Rowley, so I had that in mind when I was moving her around, and right from when I went to get her out of her yard. I let her approach me at Ruby speed (about the speed of a stoned turtle) and while saddling I asked her to put her nose on a tree, with me in zone five, then I asked her on to the float, again with me staying in zone 5. I didn't ask her to go any faster than she was offering, and I found her offering more than I asked! With a positive attitude.

As she backed out of the float she felt her rear cinch 'grab' her, and she came flying out backward, and kept going backward, and eventually came to a stop, almost sitting on her haunches!! WOW! It was impressive backing up, but I was pretty glad I don't make assumptions, and assume that just because Ruby has been ridden in that saddle, with the same cinches, for the last five years, that there may be a day when It just doesn't feel right! It re-inforced to me why I back my horses up after I girth them, and before I get on them, EVERY TIME I SADDLE THEM!! I could have got on, rode her off down the track for an hour, and then asked her to back through a gate and have her flip over on me.

I remedied the problem by asking her back in to the float, relax, gently come out, still a bit quick, in again, relax, out, a big sigh... that's what I wanted!

We then went off and had the best ride ever!!! Ruby was really on her toes and we had fun and played with high speed yoyo games! We would canter off, slide in to a backup, and canter, or even gallop, out! Boy that girl has some power when she get's on her hindquarters!!! I can't wait to learn how to harness it properly!! I'm just playing around with how to get her attention. It seemed to do that, and I thought it was great fun!

Since she was offering so much, I kept it short, and then played with something that has been too long over looked. When I get on Ruby, she gives one little tail swish. It used to be a really sour face and a wringing tail, but it had got down to a little swish with her ears back, not pinned, but not happy. So I thought it was finally the day to tackle this! I stood on a chair in the round yard and she obediently came straight over and sidepassed up for me to get on. But instead of getting on I just stood there on the chair and rubbed her, and found an itchy spot in her mane. Eventually I put one foot in the stirrup, and when she flicked her tail, I just kept rubbing the itchy spot and up and down her neck until she relaxed, then I took it out again. I kept playing with this, then standing in the stirrup and getting down, then sitting on her and getting back off, until I was able to get on her and sit quietly and she kept her ears forward the whole time!!!

Isn't it amazing how we keep going forward and don't put the time into addressing the 'little' things!

Ruby and my relationship took huge leaps forward today! I haven't ever seen her with her ears forward so much!

Still plenty to work on with Kaye though...so stay tuned tomorow!!

Level 3 liberty audition.

Work today so no horseplay :(

So I am putting up the level 3 liberty audition that we filmed after Ruby and I made a program of liberty! The audition isn't perfect, but that isn't what it is all about. It is definately an improvement, and I can really feel the benefits of being dedicated to doing a designated liberty session each day, even if I don't think they really show up in this video!

For this audition I had the start planned, backing through the tiny gap into the yard, and the end, standing on the mat, but the rest of it I just took what came up.

And I vow I will never try and canter in deep sand again, my lead changes are terrible!!!

Emily's level 2 Freestyle audition.

The day started out beautiful, but then the weather closed in and I was a complete sook and didn't go out and play with the horses! So since I don't have anything to write about today, I am going to post Emily's level two freestyle audition. Good job Emily, But I really want to know how you trained Skip so well!! And can I PLEASE post the bit where Valla threw a tantrum and refused to go anywhere but up in the air!?!

Lara's level 3 online.

Ok, I can't help myself. I have to post Lara's online Level three audition. She is in Sydney, by the time she get's back and realises I have posted it every one will have seen in and it will be too late to kill me!! Lara hasn't sent off a level two audition yet, but I decided that was too easy for her and Bella, so we filmed the level three tasks and will see how she goes...