Sunday mini workshop on horsenality

What I learned, or maybe better said, experienced.

1. Horsenality/Humanality and match and positive and negative charts are just scratching the surface of these topics. This left me feeling overwhelmed.

2. Simulations: Arnold and Richard variations. I got to do these with Sherri and I must say she is a lot easier to engage than Try. Sherri and I both being RBEish and Try being LBI--loner and not really interested in relating to humans or horses as much. hmmmm Also I know I can be anxious about relating to horses as there is a possible danger factor But I don't know how deeply I want to relate to humans either and I would be careful about choosing the human. hmmmm

Also it was easy to see how coming at Try with big Energy without warning is obnoxious. But there are different kinds of energy and intensity that I can have and the Arnold type isn't me. Also I know I can have too much internal energy around some horses and that I could actually scare them i.e. Spiderman or Angel. However the Richard busy busy busy that has been me can, I know, be soothing to an unconfident horse or cause a left brain horse to tune out. Some combination of a little internal intensity, a sense of fun, and just a bit busy could be intriguing to Try and I would like to play with that.

3. Dan suggested we need to know where we want to go with our horses--what is the end result? What is the goal or ideal? When I got home I went searching for video to use as images for the perfect scenario with Try. I watched Stacy Westfall, Mikey and Red Sun and Honza Blaha. After, I realized that none of these fit some idea I had never really thought through of what I want.

Random thoughts on the ideal:
1. Try is soft, relaxed, fit--in an almost etherial way. Light, floating.
2. Try reads my mind and is responsive to task and matching level of energy.
3. We can dance together effortlessly, improvizational--without thought--joyous
4. Full out energy and movement is relaxed, floating, lyrical.
5. Try thinks being with me is the best part of her life and the most engaging of anything she has ever done.

NOTE: ideal image isn't something necessarily achievable and I did not even realize this was what I had far in the back of my mind. wow Also I didn't realize how much I was relating horsemanship to the 30+ years of ballet/dance.
The ideal is not
1. Big inner intensity on my part to scare her into doing things.
2. Try having the desire for lotsa full out "recess" time.
3. The ideal is not ugly

Audited Saturday--lots of great info and insights!

Today was so much fun and very little pressure auditing. I was pleased to feel such a part of the clinic and that I could incorporate that into my learning, as the topics were all so much a part of where Try and I are at. A special thank you to Chris for including me.

AM session on the ground (couldn't stay for afternoon riding):

1. Drifting HQ on the circle. It was so helpful to see Dan coaching Chris to stay with it until she got the result and this is so much a part of my highest priority right now. i.e. not quitting too soon--at the first bit of try--settling for good enough.

2. Next simulations on one handed zone 5 driving using contact. I got Chris as a partner and was finding all sorts of stuff from the Game of Contact course I audited last year making sense. I love that I can see a purpose to contact without having to ride with contact as I just don't feel that is the right thing for Try and I right now. The fluid rein running through one hand while maintaining the other felt really good. Also I like the feeling of steady contact similar to when Cobie did that when I was her horse/partner at GoC--like slurping up through the belly and full torso. I remembered this am that Linda had said that this contact with a lead rope feels great and that I have been practicing it with Try when ever I would actually want to use the lead rope rather than hold it as if at liberty. Further this ties in to the clinic last year with Kelly when I was using the fluid rein to ask Try to stretch. Yahoo!!

3. Then Dan reviewed using game 2 porcupine to ask the front end to move in zone 5 driving. This rather than asking for the forward moving by shaking the ropes (driving game). He used me as the demonstatee and that rope shaking felt really rude. I was just standing there pleasantly and here comes all this shaking. wow Again I really watched Chris here as she was doing exactly what I need to be doing with staying with the game until it is won (not settling for good enough). I saw her truly win and make such strides in her relationship with Tye and I want that. I want to not wimp out with Try. I want to recognize when she is emotional and stay with it til she relaxes. I want to be more particular about tasks and stay with them as long as it takes--not for the task itself--but for the relationship. Some how, though I have known this for some time and struggled, it is making sense in a new way. Double Yahoo!

Great day.

Dan T Oct 21 2011 Good Enough is no longer Good Enough

Got to barn--tractor broken so scooped 5 muck buckets of Angel's poop out of back paddock so it would be available to session.

Session: 30 minutes or so of talk to begin then..will sift through that discussion later and maybe post.

In the back paddock: Started with curiosity game--crouched behind Try and tossed dirt at her butt til she turned and came to me to see what was up.

Then as Dan figured Try was dreading one of the "round pen" intensity sessions to change it up he said to get on her back. So went to the fence and mounted.

Well this was TRULY bareback (no bareback pad) and truly bridleless. So all I had was carrot stick, my legs and the ability to hold onto her mane when she felt emotional/scattered.

We started with passenger lesson with the parameters of today's game being that Try would need to figure out that she could choose a different sweet spot than the gait. So I would swat my shoulders with the savvy string etc. This went on forever.

Then we moved on to being particular about point to point, yoyo, turn on haunches and sideways with the purpose being to help Try when intensity makes her emotional to find that she is ok and intensity can be her friend that she can work thru it and everything is good. I had trouble communicating with fewer tools and insecurity of bareback but learned that I could stay with it long enough to be both successful at being particular AND that I could win the game by having Try be relaxed doing it. I am winning when Try is relaxed and I don't feel the need to hold mane.

 At one point Try was confused and "took off" at a canter--and I found that was not a big deal--it was a slow canter and no more than ??30 feet. I was glad to know this is ok. I am strong enough to ride it and had legs and could hold mane.

My quitting too soon is like being codependant with alcoholic. I am not helping Try to get over being emotional and upset about intensity by quitting or avoiding. Also learning that Try as LBI might enjoy being particular.

Then we went into the field be the ring. I have never ridden in this field and was wary because this area was filled land with surprize potholes etc in a lot of the area but knew the far left area was a pretty good area. Also this is currently Try's pasture.

So mounted from the salt block (LOL) using western saddle chosen by me to promote my concentration to help Try with emotional fitness not to improve my riding.

So Dan and I were checking trot and canter for emotional fitness and quality within the tasks of go and whoa. I learned that I need softer cue for whoa than the exhale and that I need to decide what that will be and distinguish it for Try from relaxed riding.

Next Dan had us play with speed within gaits. Try has a western pleasure jog, and medium and fast trot--I knew that but was pleased that she made the transitions fairly relaxed. Next the canter: well I did not know if Try would remember lope as a slow canter but she immediately did and was fairly relaxed with transitions within speed of gait BUT would be emotional when I upped the intensity within the canter. So to help with that the exercise became to be slow on the straight line and increase intensity and speed of canter on the turn. Also Dan suggested using bend at ribcage to engage HQ in western pleasure lope to prevent the trotting behind.

Although physically we didn't do all that much today. Try and I were both really tired at the end. Emotional and mental work.

 Thoughts and discussion—more

My biggest goal/concern for the day was further exploration of Intensity is our Friend and helping Try get over being emotional when things get more intense.

1.     What prevents me from doing this? Why do I choose good enough and quit too soon? I can stick to something book learning, dance, physical fitness, LBI great so why not with Try. Dan says and I agree the reason is my RBE desire to avoid conflict and have Try like me!!!!!!!!!! But this creates the codependence—see above.

2.     A thought: although Try may be a difficult LBI as far as I am concerned the worst thing she ever did was wonderful. She is truly my choice of the best horse for me. I feel so safe with her.

3.     Finding the emotional so we can play with it: if it doesn’t happen from my inner energy its ok to use my extraversion.

4.     Upping phases—I can see that I need to use this but use it well. Catch the moment and be fair and use phase that matters to Try. If too consistent with phases Try will tune it out.

5.     Also with phases need to push buttons to get some emotion from Try to have something to play with.

6.     I asked how to id LBE in Try as I think I only see RBE. Well, if Try goes RBE and then relaxes but still has heightened energy then that can be LBE. Also fine line between LBE that is a little unconfident and RBE that is fairly relaxed.

7.     Good enough is no longer good enough.

8.     Call Neil Pye

9.     GoC—I don’t care about contact with Try’s mouth at this time and maybe never.