Bareback again

Doesn't Bronwyn look happy - so does Critey.

It's been a while since I rode bareback so today I thought I would. It was all a bit of a rush getting to Jool's on time - I had to go and buy some apples and carrots and on the way three loose cattle were at the end of our road, and about to walk onto State Highway 16, drove back up the road to ask Stanley if they were his, he said they were the people at the end of the road, they were out - luckily just then I think someone from the council arrived and we were able to leave them to it.

So when I got home Garbo was lying down asleep - but hooking the float up woke him up but he was dragging his feet a bit - a bit tired from Monday's ride most likely. I waited until it was his idea to walk forwards again and then loaded him straight on the float basically.

Gave Maraschino a handful of grass and off we went.

Bronwyn came too and she rode bareback too - next time I am going to lend her my spare hackamore. We had a great time.

We did some liberty afterwards and got a nice back up (first ever) at liberty so I was pretty pleased with that.

Forest ride

It was so windy today that when I got the float out Garbo started chasing the others. I wonder if it's excitement - he seems to do that quite often when he sees me get the float out (or worse still after getting the float out that I might hater Maraschino first!).

My plan was (for a 12.30pm ride) to play with Maraschino after grooming Garbo, and then leave. Well - I soon realised while grooming Garbo the wind was spooking him alot. His head was high, he couldn't stand still, and when I tried to put him in his yard he tried to jump out when I walked away to get Maraschino - so change of plan!

I realised I needed to actually play with Garbo to calm him down before loading and that I quickly needed him to realise it was ok (because he was with me). So we did some Figure 8! I figured the change of direction would get him thinking again. Then we did some fast circles.!

Luckily over by the float the house was acting as a wind shelter so loading was fine and off we went.

At the beginning of the ride Garbo went off on his own little cross county course - he is so funny.

Garbo was great - at one stage he did try to get in front of Critey, and I did some partial disengagement (if any dressage queens had of seen what we were doing without a bit they would have been green with envy) - Garbo looked amazing - and he calmed down a bit. Then again near the end when the track was really narrow he started trying to bite Critey's bum again so I asked Bronwyn if Critey could perhaps walk faster?? Garbo doesn't like to dawdle! That fixed it! He was happy then. We could hear the wind high in the trees above us but it was calm in there. Nice!

Afterwards he had a big roll in the sand and off we went home again (after nearly a whole hay bag before and after the ride). When we drove down the road I could see Maraschino and Coco eating happily in the middle (and not close to the gate) - Maraschino had only called out about twice (having grass probably helps!).

Oh - I tried out my new iPhone trail app - we went 3.9km and average speed was 3.5 km/p/h. 55 minutes!

Circle game update

Ok - so this is what we have been working on.... staying out, backing up nicely - amazing what a treat at the end of the back up will do - he now offers to back up! AND - he doesn't run back in when I turn to walk back to the end of the rope. Yay.

And - staying out - not really staying in canter for much - but you know - he does half a lap each time... guess he needs to get fit hey. He also still curves his body the wrong way (in) especially on the right rein.

This video really makes me laugh.

Level 3 Online Video

I haven't put this up on You Tube because I don't want to take the music off....

Garbo had fallen over two days previous so his canter was a little stiff and he didn't stay in gait hence the more driving than normal in the Circle game.

Anyway - I have sent it off..

Fingers crossed.

ps our circle game has improved alot since this video.... and our back up - it's back to being nice and polite and subtle. Funny how they yo-yo. Actually I look at this now - only 4 weeks ago and cringe at my 'barking' ! Yikes!

Ok - my critique (4 weeks on)..... too higher phases needed on yo-yo, didn't maintain gait in canter, didn't stay out on canter, sideways could have been straighter..... rest ok - actually the lead by tail and leg very good. :-)

Falling leaf finally

I re-watched Linda's Savvy Club DVD 35 on falling leaf, then again without sound, and headed out to practise. She does it the way I was trying to do it - and doesn't disengage the HQ's the way Russell showed me and it looks much easier.

So we did some circle first and we used the pole and he stayed in trot, went up to canter when asked but the most he got was 3/4 of a lap but then would go up a transition again when I asked, and we did this for about 10 laps all up I guess. Got to be making him fitter if nothing else!

I managed to get him to stay out on the 22ft too. And keep going over the pole. And the changes of directions therefore were also good being that he was out further. We have come a long way in the last few weeks. I kept on with my plan of rewarding him while he is out.

Then I tried the falling leaf - and I got it! In a very basic form - and I had to bump him if he went past me a couple of times but he stayed away from me and I managed to get the changes of directions on both sides quite well.

Staying out

Our yo yo out had become a little fuzzy - Garbo was taking it as phase one of the circle game so once a little way out he would go crooked and then head off in the direction he thought I was going to send him. It was quite funny deciding which way I would send him and have him guess.... he usually got it wrong but he tries so hard to get it right.

So today we worked on backing out - then I would drop the rope and walk to him and give him a treat, then I would back back holding my finger up so he wouldn't follow me in, and then either ask him in or send him on a circle. Then I would stop him on the circle (this aid is still unclear even to me to be honest) and walk to him and give him a treat.

If he caem in I would scratch him but no treats.

Boy did he get it quick!

At one stage I was walking back in (it got to a point where I could turn my back and walk away without him following me back) and I would look at him and he was backing away even further.

What a clever boy.

Still not alot of luck with the cantering circles - but we are getting there - well working towards it slowly anyway.

I am trying to achieve it without getting him stressed, or even harder, without him getting confused.

Lesson with Russell Higgins PP

I had a lesson booked with Russell for 5/5.30pm tonight and at 5pm I got a call saying he was running late. He had only just left the lady who had the other lessons.... and that was a good 2.5 hours away in peak traffic (not so much in normal traffic) but at 5 o'clock - heck I even avoid that stretch at all costs, at that time of the day.

I was already at Jool's so I saddled Garbo up (he was more than happy eating the arena grass for 3 hours!) and had a short ride. He was a bit distracted - we have never ridden much at 6pm before... Russell arrived at 6.50pm - and lately it's been getting dark at 7.45pm so we didn't have a lot of time (so much for a two hour lesson).

He asked me if I had a list - I didn't really but I wanted to work on Garbo's canter on the circle. He keeps in real close which makes it really difficult for him, then he turns to the outside instead of the inside! Making it triply hard!

As suspected, Russell suggested I do falling leaf. He seems to love that, as well as bow ties with riding. I tried but could not get my hands co-ordinated to pass the handle end of the carrot stick only under the rope (without changing the direction the carrot stick is facing).. so Russell offered to be the horse, and after one length of the arena I kind of had it - but a Russell Horse is 1000 times slower than Garbo and trying in real life with Garbo just resulted in Garbo crowding me and me trying to block him going past me with the carrot stick, which in turn made him canter - so reduced my time even more.

Russell had a go while I was doing something with the savvy string, just with the 22ft rope and basically threw the end and the coils of the 22ft towards Garbo and jumping at Zone 2... Garbo just about had a freak and of course - cantered on the 22ft a few laps - but to me it was not calm at all. Guessing that comes - but from then on Garbo was hiding from Russell, behind me and not letting Russell into his space at all.

By now it was dark - after having a break with some sideways refining, and we packed up. Garbo was a real star and loaded into a pitch black float, in a pitch black paddock - and it was so dark I didn't realise the personal access door and the tack box door were open - so they had been swinging open on and off the whole way (in reality most likely only on the downhill bit of our road and Jool's driveway).

Russell had suggested I reward Garbo for cantering on the circle by getting him to canter in to me while he was still in canter (not after he goes back into trot), but talking with my friend who has seen us together since we started Parelli - said that he has always loved coming in to me, so perhaps now it's time to start rewarding him for staying out - and stopping him on the circle, and not bringing him in, but go to him with the reward.

What a great idea!

Three horses to play with now

We had my brother and his wife coming for dinner and I had two hours to play with three horses, pick up three horses poos, feed them and have a shower, cut up fruit for the fruit platter and get the potatoes, beans and snapper ready for cooking. I did it in 2.5 hours - luckily they were 30 minutes late!

So first was Maraschino - he has a habit of chewing on the carrot stick at each rest period, and this photo shows him just after he was chewing it and he dropped it!

Anyway - he does the most lovely circle and bends in on the circle, eye on me at all times, and we even did some change of direction at walk today too. We started with transitions with the carrot stick today and also a bit of driving from Zone 3. Plus friendly game of course, and lots of waiting for my RBI.

Then I played a little with Garbo - just on backing at phase one again (without head up) and staying at trot on the circle. It was just a brief play.

Then while I had Garbo in his yard and Maraschino tied up in the wash bay I haltered Coco and tied the halter up quite high this time. In between scratching the scratchy spots!

He was a bit frightened with me being anywhere less except in front of Zone 1 when I have the stick and or rope. He was even quite scared during yo you - so I had a brain wave - I got Maraschino back out and did them together, just some leading and then some yo yo - this seemed to increase Coco's confidence alot.

After I took the halter off I made sure he didn't rush off, and scratched him - it's like the pay off - the scratches - he loves them so much - he almost agrees to anything lol.

How's that for puzzle solving!!??

Major breakthrough

Coco is such a brave little guy - he has been backing up to us for scratches and getting braver with his front end too. Yesterday we brushed all of them (the big boys tied up and Coco loose) and while the big guys were still tied I played a round a bit more with the halter over Coco's neck (after being on his back no problems) and I timed it so that I would move it and just as he thought about stepping away I would itch under his tummy on his itchy spot - and he would wait.... kept doing this for a while and then put the halter on his nose and held the ends while I itched some more, then let go, itched some more - did that about three times, then did the knot up... he was a little jumpy but not too bad.

So off we went!! We just had a little lead up the paddock, a teeny yo yo and lots of carrots and back for halter off and more scratches (and an apple)....

Today the halter slipped down too far down his nose and he got a bit scared, so I need to make it smaller...

Cool huh!!

Level 3 Online Audition

Hana and Jane arrived at my place at lunch time and Garbo decided he didn't want to be caught today and ran off chasing the others. I had originally caught Maraschino first with the idea I would play with him first but Garbo followed along badgering him, so I thought - ok your turn first then - and he ran away - what games he plays with me! You could almost hear him giggling. When I walked back to the wash bay he saw we had visitors and the curiosity of course got the better of him!

I had a quick play with Maraschino after they all got a brush since we had one person for each horse... and he was very good. Backed into the yard like a pro.

Garbo loaded fine and off we went with the pedestal and ball in the back.

Arrived at Jools and set up the arena and parked the float next to it. I had a wee trial run and of course Garbo proved me wrong and did the weave perfectly, and everything else, so I said - ok lets film before we lose it.

We started on the pedastal, got all 4 feet on, then he backed off it and back on again (offered that) - actually I think he was saying "errrr you missed it - scuse me I am on the pedastal - where's my carrot??"

... then we went to the ball - he sniffed it - didn't push it - oh well.... sideways along the fence at trot both ways - one way was better than the other....

A couple of half circles from the fence, then trotting along the long side with a transition, to the cones for the weave, he did it perfectly.....

then jumped the barrel, added in some circles somewhere there.... he was a bit sore I think so didn't stay in canter for long (after slipping over the other day), change of direction x 2, then trot to me... yay.

Rest...

We also did sideways over a pole, and backwards squeeze through the barrels.

Oh I forgot - we started with Extreme Friendly - he couldn't have cared less really - added in lead backwards by the tail and the hind legs (both at once)

and then trailer loaded, and a yo yo on the 45 - phew - not quite sure how we fitted all that in to 10 minutes but it was a rap!

He's such a good horse!

Thanks to my two amazing friends Hana and Jane for helping today - your photography and videography skills were amazing - not to mention the ginger cake and just 'being there'. Thanks guys.

Preparation

Well I had set Friday as the day for filming our online audition for L3, but it's been so hot it's hard to get any good work from Garbo (and myself).

We went to Jools today and I set up the arena with some of her barrels and a pole and some markers for the weave.

We had some trouble with the weave - he kept thinking I was asking for circle. He also had trouble jumping the barrels on the circle with me in neutral, but could jump it if we were playing stick to me (run with me in fact).... from about 20ft..

We got some nice sideways.... at trot to... better one way than the other...

Garbo checking out the mower.

I came home and was watching the patterns DVD again - and with the sound off like Linda suggests (on subsequent viewings), the circle pattern Level 3, Pat is playing with Casper on the 22ft (surprisingly).... and oh my gosh - that is so much like Garbo. If you watch without the sound you see how much effort Pat has to make to keep Casper out on the circle.... and at one point Pat rubs his nose (his own) and Casper comes in - that's how acutely aware Garbo is. Any reason to come in.

I also notice Pat uses the shaking of the rope to transition Casper down (not the carrot stick) which Garbo has problems understanding (the carrot stick in front means slow down).... he can do it at walk fine....

Oh well off to watch for muted DVDs.

Reiki

I had Tracey Fergusson (Hands On) do a treatment on Garbo and Maraschino last week. It was really interesting. She also does Animal Communication as well.

While with Garbo she said he had a very old solid energy - like a Kauri tree and when I was telling her how I lost my confidence he butted in and told Tracey that "she just needed to trust me"... sweet...

He said I was 'his' person and that without me he would most likely be a grouchy old man in the corner of the paddock (somehow I doubt that)...

She then asked how I make him think my ideas are his ideas.... funny.... I explained Parelli to her a little and told her about Tit for Tat etc.

She didn't say much about Maraschino - just that his energy was very "zing zing zing" all over the place.

Coco came in at this point after watching through the yard fence, and sniffed Tracey. As she was still doing Maraschino she slowly began touching Coco too - and scratching him. He backed up to her, she said she couldn't get much from him initially - but then she said lots of sadness. That we was locked in a yard with no food or water for a very long time. She said he didn't know this was his home - and kept expecting to be taken away again - we set him straight on that. And you know what - he has been very brave and curious since then! Even with loud strangers!!

Hay bales

I had 1.5 hours to play with Maraschino and Garbo and pick up poos and feed the boys today. I started with Garbo and we went out to the soft grass - there isn't alot of room there so we stayed on the 12ft and I got two hay bales and put them side by side so I could work on jumping Garbo over it and then Maraschino - and sideways along it with Garbo.

It didn't take long to get Garbo jumping the bales of hay, as well as pawing them, moving them, going sideways over them lol.

I also played alot with Extreme Friendly with Garbo while he was eating grass (thanks for that tip Jane) and he was great apart from when I approached Zone 1, but after a while he was fine.

I put the camera on his hind end and took a video!

3/4 hour went by so fast!!

Maraschino's turn...

So I had 15 minutes with Maraschino - that was enough - he trotted over the hay bales without even changing the height of his gait! As you can see he wasn't too worried.

I took him up the drive a bit and he was a bit giraffe like (he has't been up there in a while - maybe 6 months).... and got him on the pedastal and also putting his weight on it too.

Horsenality Report

Well I have completed the online questions for the Horsenality report - looking forward to seeing the results.

Savvy Club Answer

I found this answer on the Savvy Club Q & A (Level 3 Freestyle).

Interesting isn't it - oh the question was do do with a horse being aggressive and dominant and emotional when riding on a trail ride (towards other horses) but fine if she was on the ground (like he forgot she was riding him)....

The more challenging the horse, the more savvy you need. Are you working through the Harmony Pack step by step? If not, please do so, diligently. While you can have a good level of respect on the ground, once you get on his back there are certain things that can start to erode this...loss of balance, fear / unconfidence, rough handling of the reins, holding back on two reins, pulling, rough use of reins, lack of phases when using your legs or hands, lack of strong enough focus, etc. etc. Lots to think about!! Given that you are working on all of this and by your question you actually are showing a good degree of savvy (chasing / following, etc) there is still one other thing to think of while on a trail ride. Here's how it usually goes... You set off on the ride, everything starts off well because you've prepared your horse and yourself on the ground. Gradually, things start to get a little worse, mainly because you start chatting to your friends, looking at the scenery and you lose connection with your horse. Worse still, he loses connection with you because you're all he had! The loss of confidence translates into fractious behavior, jigging, increasing insecurity and as a result... shying, spooking... LOSING IT! The question therefore is... "how can you maintain your connection with your horse while on this fun ride with your friends?" Of course there's many ways and depending on your level of savvy, you'll have more strategies. First of all, use things that will engage left brain: backwards, sideways (for a mile or two if necessary!), turns involving disengagement, stopping and grazing, stepping over things, backing over things, getting the person in front of you to keep your horse off his tail (so you don't have to hold back on two reins.. very claustrophobic and seriously disturbing for horses!)... etc. If you are riding with people who would think you are stupid / a nuisance / a dummie / a weirdo for doing this, then STOP RIDING WITH PEOPLE WHO PUT EGO AND JUDGEMENT AND CRITICISM / HUMILIATION IN FRONT OF HORSEMANSHIP! When we do savvy trail rides, we commit to everyone being involved in the horsemanship process so we create rest stops (savvy stops) and little games along the way to keep people and horses connected, left brain and calm.

Ride and Saddle Fitting

Under the willow having lunch together.

After a quick burn in the Falco down to Whitianga for breakfast I took Garbo to Jool's place for a ride.

We played on the ground a bit as Critey didn't come because Bronwyn's leg is worse and she is on crutches! So he was a bit tense, but that didn't take long to sort out.

I have been thinking alot about how he was in the forest and I read a question in the Savvy Club Vault about it as well - it said to keep your horse busy like sideways or back up (for a mile if need be) and to only ride with Parelli understanding people. I think what I did today was what I need to be able to do in the saddle as well.

Anyway - I got on and he was not very motivated so we didn't do alot - and I got off again - his saddle is a bit tight and Abbie is coming tomorrow to fix - and it was really hot too!

We are going back on Sunday.

Next day Abbi came and she was awesome - she was so pleased to be taking the extra wool out of the front of the saddle finally and she couldn't believe how much bigger he was at the front end. I had not seen her since starting Parelli.

She complimented me on the work I had been doing with him, which she said was obviously doing him only good, and also on riding without contact - saying that many 'good' riders cannot do that - they just don't have the balance - and she wishes more of them would because then she wouldn't have to try and fix up horses/saddles that can't really be fixed (due to the way the rider rides).

So - she was really pleased with the outcome and it will be interesting to see how we go on Sunday...

Today at Jool's

Critey has been having a mini-break at our place for a couple of days before she heads off to Bronwyn's place for good - finally Bronwyn was able to buy Critey! Yay!

We decided that when Critey left we would go somewhere for a ride and then both of us go to our own places so that he didn't call out for her for hours like he did last time she visited. It worked really well - they were both really settled once at their respective homes. He loaded well both ways too - even with the added stress of him wondering if Critey was coming too.

The ride at Jools was just fab - considering we haven't ridden there since the New Year, and only been to the forest once. He showed me he could even do Change of Direction today too (properly) and transitions down with the carrot stick were marginally better too.

It was really hot but I didn't notice once we were doing stuff.... he went into canter really well with me putting my rail arm back under my bum to get the right lead, and cantering with my other hand. My canter position felt really secure today too.

His back up was finger light - his sideways a bit sticky but we can work on that.

Yay.

Muriwai Beach

Today Cilla was going to ride Annie on Muriwai Beach but I didn't really feel ready to get on Garbo - when we arrived he was tense (mind you there were no other horses in sight and he had not been there for like three and a half years).... so we just walked around and went over some logs and through tree gaps in the tie up area. The tie up area is really really huge now - hitching rails everywhere - it's very cool.

We had about 30 minutes before anyone else arrived but I knew he was not ready to ride - and wouldn't be - it was all too new for him. At one point I thought - gosh the two times I came her he was ok - but that was pre-Parelli and I bet he wasn't - I would have just been blind to it. No wonder so many people fall off.

So finally the others arrived and Garbo and I headed off on the 22ft to the beach through the access (deep sand track) - it took about 15 minutes on foot and he was leading the way all the way till about 3/4 way - where suddenly he could hear the waves.

He stopped. I asked him forward and he backed up fast - so we headed back to a safe point and waited for the others - it seemed like an eternity but finally the appeared. Garbo then followed the others with me in tow over the rise and down the sand dune to the beach.

He was unconfident but he trusted me - that's all that mattered for me today. We stopped with the others briefly and then they headed towards the water and along the beach and we just walked along - quite away from them. He was a bit unsure about the black sand lines coming from the shells in the sand, the tire treads and sometimes just the lines in the sand the wind had made. But he didn't stop or spook - just looked. He had two nervous poos though!

We got to the Estuary and he wasn't even interested in playing in the water - so the others went on and we headed back (alone). He was very keen to show me which way home was! But he didn't go faster and always stopped when I asked him to - keep coming to me but not walking into me.

At one point we actually joined up with his hoof prints from the way 'to' the estuary and he recognised them as his. He hauled me up the sand dunes (I was quite knackered by now) and waited while I trudged through the deep sand - he would take two steps and wait, two steps nd wait.

Back on the track he was not confident enough to graze again until the float was in sniffing distance. I tied him up for a rest and a think and had some water, then we headed home (3 hours after setting off).

I was really pleased with him today - and with myself for not riding. But also how confident he was just with me - completely on our own - walking away from other horses.

And the loading was fab too. Maraschino apparently had some little run arounds.