August 24, 2010 First Session with Dan Thompson
3 incredible hours – so much I thought I understood and was skimming the surface
Liberty: Draw and Freestyle as preparation for finesse: impulsion and light response to reins.
We started with my doing a few things and I chose liberty because Try was already in the round pen. I said that figure 8 had been really difficult and showed it at a walk and we did it quite nicely. Dan said how about at the trot and I just laughed—who knew what would happen and sure enough I sent Try at a trot and we left me. GAME ON.
So we played the catching game for quite some time. Try out on the circle, when she passes my belly button back up straight to draw. If she doesn’t respond, more pressure, if she makes any response toward coming to me, less pressure. I need to be hyper aware of her. Note: she does not get to change direction toward the rail—that becomes Try in charge of the game—I redirect her quickly in the original direction—the comfort side –the other side becomes the uncomfortable side. Try (being directed by Dan) began to get the idea that she could choose to change direction away from the rail (that being ok at this stage). Also a no-no is Try blasting thru me. Eventually—she stopped or Dan stopped her and then waited –Try thought about turning toward the rail then thought better, then began to draw to Dan. Pressure on, pressure off. I did it also and she was really happy to draw and come to me. Good side and bad side. Teaching Try to seek the GOOD DEAL.
Back up at liberty: Dan used stick to keep Try on a straight line—directing front end—keeping his focus on where he wanted to go. Lesson: keep my focus—don’t get drawn into CHASING Body PARTS.
Sideways: Needs energy up—my body language directing her—I don’t necessarily even have to move my feet—I could really feels Dan’s energy making me move while he stood still. I was able to use my energy for really good HQ and FQ 360 yields/disengagement??? Then direct the sideways with way more energy and intensity, intension in my body but still moving my feet—something to strive for…. FOCUS can be on a body part or FAR AWAY to get the horse to go some place. I have to be going some place in my body if I want the horse to go someplace. E up/E down.
If I am truly going some place in my body, I might not have to move my feet! I want to be able to do less and cause Try to do more.
Try ‘s LBE play drive: IF she is LBE, she wants to play—engage her, don’t turn my back and deny her need to play. We both want to play. I laughed with pure joy at both of us being able to be LBE. ENGAGE her! Note confident horse engage, unconfident release the pressure.
Western saddle: ring under my arm, diagonal hold, swing w/hip and trust that I won’t hurt Try.
REALLY great improvement on the girthiness: Dan used STEADY pressure to pull latigos and more pressure/farther away so Try would actually feel it rather than be annoyed. Dan says this is a brace and right brain (baggage) rather than a left brain lean sort of opposition reflex. The release teaches—Try learns where the GOOD DEAL is.
Riding: Freestyle as preparation for finesse
Quality in zone one—how light and responsive is Try to the reins. That is necessary prerequisite to finesse riding plus the seat/sense of responsibility from freestyle.
If Try is leaning on the rein (LB) support with driving game in phases i.e. we did this with indirect rein. Phase 1 is contact, phase two is driving on looser rein (shaking rope), phase three is driving on contact, phase four is one big jerk on one rein! Dan like BA—no nagging—the one big jerk and then learn is better AND I didn’t do it—Try made the choice to do it to herself.
Impulsion: A perfect 5 on the impulsion scale is no good if both go and whoa are bad LOL.
We worked on getting a good immediate response to the go as well as good go, then a snappy whoa:
Ask and be effective (stick/string whatever—not necessary usually—much more body energy from me worked) get good pure gait not joggy-lopey stuff. Then ask for whoa—seat energy down lift or bounce one rein to contact. Example of working cows: energy off to cut from herd then game on, energy to keep cow away from herd. Game: good go, stop, back and reins down—will Try just stand there.
Drop to trot lead changes ie. Bow tie. Indirect rein, Z1/Z4 on downward transitions.
7 step soft feel:
1. Lift casual rein to take contact
2. Slide hand down
3. Separate to two hands WHILE MAINTAINING CONTACT
4. Finger—goes to fist so Try can feel it (567 the same)
Then can go anywhere—forward, back, turn change it up. If any reaction from Try wait for her head to relax.
