Try’s Fear of Losing Control: I have known Try was strongly
motivated to be in control pretty much always and remember back in days of
Liberty and Behavior pack Linda talking about LB horses being afraid of losing
control. So what do I do to help Try? Intense catch me game.
It is a
balance. Sometimes I will need to push her until she decides the good deal is
to give up control. It is ok for this to be ugly. She will put up with a lot of
discomfort to stay in control so need to push hard enough that she sees the
contrast and gives up the control. She needs to hunt for the good deal. Right
now I know it’s good for her but SHE doesn’t. To an onlooker this can look bad
but I am taking care of the relationship. IT will make Try’s life better. IT is
exhausting to have to stay in control all the time. Nice sometimes to not be
important and kick back and let others be in control. BALANCE. I am thinking
Try needs some of this in varying intensities at least every 2.5 weeks.
Try is
clever she can follow my intention (read my mind), be relaxed and still NOT be
giving up control i.e. with that little testing of me in subtle ways. She may
be physically doing a task and somewhat mentally engaged but emotionally not
there.
Dan says
this is a journey or evolution and will take time. Sessions with Dan I could
see a fast progression BUT there is a great need to be careful as it could harm
the relationship Try and I have.
Control is
just one piece of the puzzle and has become a priority right now as its holding
back out liberty progression as Try and I have difficulties with playing at
farther distances from each other.
Changes
could come in fairly short order BUT even so I can expect this to be a
maintenance thing. This such a strong habit for her as a 21 year old horse that
this will likely continue to come up.
But it can
become a new pattern. As it shows up and we play, the amount of intensity can
become less of a big deal for Try. Repetition creates a pattern so it becomes a
process whereby Try says ok it’s that control thing I don’t need any more. This
is similar to RB horse and extreme friendly—that horse when really scared the
extreme friendly game will cause them to focus and relax. Try can learn that
this is not a bad deal—oh I can relax and not be in control.
Facility—if
I need to play the intense catch me game
in the ring: Yes it can be done on line but must be done with no one else
around! Circling game at a lesser intensity could be done with others around.
Catching game walking to Try in pasture—driving
w/stick/string at HQ or FQ? This depends on what kind of connection we have: if
we are fairly connected, driving FQ is good to gain more respect from a
dominant horse. If Try is RB, driving HQ will create draw or safety. If Try is
leaving me, HQ will stop that. When Try takes a step with front foot forward
she is coming to me, backing that is fear/escape and sideways she is likely
going to leave me. Up to me to read the moment.
Purpose:
Dictionary
definition: reason—reason, point, idea, principle, rationale, function or use;
intention—intention, intent, aim, object, objective goal, target, end.
I gather
putting something learned to a purpose is to prevent turning off, boring or
frustrating Try. If she sees a purpose she will be more motivated. BUT some
purposes seem to be for the human and some for the horse. Does it need to be
for both? Obviously if both buy into a purpose strongly that is the best.
According to
Dan purpose has many levels and layers. It can be to break something down, fix
it and recombine. Purpose: To be successful at a task. Being particular,
progressing a task. Doing a job such as open and close a gate. To achieve
relaxation. To achieve a quality of gait. It can be a concept or idea.
For me green
ball as a warmup for Try: add a layer such as roll the ball between 2 barrels
and then disconnect with backup steps to signal game over. Or move to a
specific place and game over. Try needs me to be clear for both of us—when is
it OVER and accomplished—grey area. This purpose then is a destination.
Spanish walk
has purpose of achieving a maneuver by talking to an individual body part.
Note: Try
does mind reading. Ie she can be so in tune that she picks up emotion or shape etc.
and then does a task before I even think I want it.
Learning: I am setting up a Todos spreadsheet
so the todo items such as concept, habits, fears, and lastly tasks can be
sorted by factors such as priority, savvy, purpose, concept, etc. Dan says the
difficulty is that he as teacher has a systematic organization but passing it
on in a sequence for students is difficult. I want to get the information
organized so it becomes mine and becomes intuitive knowledge.
Teach
something new every day? No we all
agree that this is impossible and destructive to relationship. I could
frequently ask for some refinement. But a great point Dan makes that it is
great to have days when I don’t ask Try for any task whatsoever—no learning
goals. Just being together is enough. Athlete/dancers
enjoy just doing things they do well for fun and so does Try.
Focus: find my focus—ie back foo ton
hat—look at hat or back foot or both? Where we are going or which body part I’d
like her to move or simply intention?
When do I shut Try down?
1. When Try has an extraverted play
energy, Do not shut it down—play with it.
2. The idea that you can create
extraversion by stopping:
a. Only if you play with it and stop
before Try wants to stop.
b. BUT Dan says we have created too much
stopping and quitting
c. Horse needs to know he has done good
and now keep going rather than stopping especially for finesse or collection—carry
on in motion—maintain gait is the release.
d. Stopping creates a bad habit
When the horse sees we care, know and
observe them, when it is more about them than us, when they know we care about
what is important to them, they reciprocate that.
Journey of awareness.
