Oct 12 3 hours with Dan Thompson

October 12 Dan Thompson REally basic, foundation stuff. Nitty gritty of whats going on with Try, between Try and I, oh my!

To Try: I am so sorry for what I do not know and have not known. I love you. How could I not know you were going RBE in situations? Yesterday I was fascinated and excited to learn—the problem solving being more interesting than having a perfect horse. Today I am feeling a lack of confidence in myself and like a “bad person” for not being more accomplished. Also I am feeling that soon—I need to set that feeling aside, suck it up and go on.

1. Foundation: draw and confidence issue
2. Walking with each other in the round pen at liberty
3. I have still been doing to Try not with. (Back to want vs make?)
4. The new walking together stick to me game
a. My hand behind the withers—I am well back in Z3-4. Life up, point and use my hip pressing against her if need be to get her to move forward.
b. Just move forward, wherever and as much as she wants. Just lovely being together and being connected.
c. Can add change of direction together and change of sides. Basically I turn away from her and move her HQ. Change sides I move out in front enuf to direct FQ—see dvd from Joyce.
d. Can later move out on the circle—Try on the rail and me more in the center for the draw. Do not do change of direction here as it destroys draw.
5. Girth: rub the itchy place—its RB brace—wait, I understand and I care. LBI’s often bullied because they are laid back and tolerant—treated rudely.
6. Circling on line (part of tightening the girth process) Dan waves at me to break my pattern of extreme concentration. Bring back is phase 1—rock back only—no rope and keep backing in a small circle until she comes to me. She did this pretty readily both directions. (So I have been rude in using the rope.)
7. Riding: lead off with a direct rein.
8. On the rail: leg yields with a suspension rein. Issue: to be effective to get a really good leg yield—add stick if need be.
9. Talking to the feet: my legs talk to, which rein talks to which foot.
10. However, Try gets up—it is RBE according to Dan so we continue until Try relaxes otherwise if I stop I just teach her to be RBE. We did partial disengagement at a posting trot for forever. Try would intersperse with the stretching down—she really has that. Dan said reason it took so long was as RBE I needed to match her energy—if she was an 8, I was only a 5. Not get stronger and do more in my leadership but be the stronger leader by bringing up my energy.
11. Sooooo, we have situational impulsion issues i.e. level 2. I guess I knew they were there and Try has taught me to just not go there?? Examples are the reining stuff, lead changes, jumps, canter at times, coming off the rail, the gait, barn sweet etc. Also transitions in general. Western pleasure baggage as well. So plan is to take some of the most basic RBE things—ones I am confident to work on and do them until Try relaxes.
12. Approach and retreat—start at the sweet spot and make it less comfortable i.e. by annoying her by rhythmically slapping myself on the shoulders.
13. Homework: identify a plan for RBE situations. Enjoy some lovely time together with the new stick to me game. Study the dvd Joyce makes of the session. Review partial disengagement dvd.