Dan - December 6, 2012

Thursday - Dan Thompson - 3hours

December 6 2012

Since September

1. Low keyed, less intense connection—this was a good thing—trust myself
2. Lessons with Kathy—giving up control and HQ/FQ isolations
3. Old age fear—Dan dealt with this—examples and lt less physical cueing a good thing
4. More intuitive and less planned and goal oriented – still a good thing
5. Parelli materials fig 8—information only—need a more narrow focus rather than try to absorb the clutter of all Parelli info
6. stopping over jump—trot and maintain gait or stop over pole—see below heavy on FH
7. Need reset as to connection--get back on track as to control/distance/right side/ and giving up HQ

Stuff to do maybe Figure 8 online and liberty: right hand loop

1. Stopping over cavaletti pole
2. Opening and closing gate while mounted
3. Quality of canter gait

Impressions and ah ha’s

1. The greatest moment was the figure 8 on line. Try was motivated, happy and playing with the pattern as an LBE which freed me up to be able to enjoy the RBE that I am.
2. This was accomplished not by mechanics of what am I doing right or wrong in my body nor motivating Try as LBI by smacking the ground in the middle LOL.
3. This happened because Dan helped me make this pattern interesting for Try.
4. It had never occurred to me to vary and be particular about shape and distance.
5. First—a good circle shape as Try had the tendency to hug the obstacle to avoid the game.
6. Then two circles with my turning my body to accomplish that.
7. Then distance small and large circles, maybe one small and the other large
8. Shape can be circles or infinity sign etc.
9. From this I realized that the Parelli dvd on the subject sent me in the wrong direction with my thoughts and plans and I need to be careful as Try is her own self and we are in L4. My avoidance of the dvds may actually be a good thing—my instincts better and Dan/Kathy one on one coaching better than one size fits all dvds or magazine articles. Balance and not overdo to keep Try happy also important.
10. Another example was my taking the exercise from magazine to develop Try stopping over pole and sidepassing towards to get off the pole.
11. I thought this would be good as we already sort of had it. BUT putting on the breaks was the problem, talking with Dan I realize this exercise requires Try to fall onto her FH—something we are trying to avoid at this stage. Thus I am putting this task as a priority 4 to reconsider at a later time.
12. Another big ah ha was the fixing/development continuum. As we have made progress with the fixing we are able to happily proceed with dressage physical/intellectual/mental skill development for both Try and I.
13. Especially as Kathy watches the fixing portion with Dan and incorporates it into our development lessons IE giving Try time to figure things out rather than make her do stuff which doesn’t facilitate learning AND helping her learn that she is safe to give up control i.e. of her HQ.
14. So my guilt over not doing fixing with Parelli ground work was off track—it was being done in lesson. I was doing a good thing by using on line and liberty as a pleasant warmup to get us loosely connected for riding.
15. Also a fix is my lack of big goal focus and energy and frustration.
16. The Gate: Try does not like confrontation and positively pushing into pressure is an issue.

WHAT WE DID

ON LINE

1. Catching game
2. Stick to me to the gate to get halter and rope
3. Played with sticking together on the rail: walk and stop on my HQ and back using stick in front and asking for nice backup ENGAGING to a stop. To prevent the stop to be falling on the FH.
4. We were then able to take this onto a circle—relatively small at first to make it more like stick to me. Try would swing her HQ away on the stop so I would drive Z1 to straighten and then back straight. (Repeating this in round pen would likely help with stopping on the circle.) On circle phase 1 is lifting the rope.
5. This exercise helped me understand why I want to stay away from the stopping over the pole that either results in falling on the FH OR relaxing to a stop!!
6. Sideways towards—Drawing HQ only from intention Prevent FQ from moving, lean back to draw. Wait it out until she figures it out. Life up.
7. Next was figure 8—an incredible high moment—see above. I feel so energized and proud that we are on track to good stuff!!!

RIDING

1. Girthiness: rub friendly
2. Tip nose and continue in opposite direction for counter bend
3. Indirect rein with good energy in HQ (stick?) then change of direction and maintain counter bend until I decide to straighten. This becomes set up to ask for canter depart using HQ. Falling leaf pattern.
4. Canter: my role in vicious circle of FH/back hurting/tension.
5. Flying lead—changing bend at shoulders plus HQ engagement
6. Can we engage HQ rather than disengage to a stop?
7. Offensive sidepass: pushing into pressure?? Lift rein and keep[p opposite leg on—sidepass in the bend not straight. Had to wait a long time for Try to give up control. The first time she was relaxed and kept suggesting other things then got frustrated and figured out what we wanted. The second time she got frustrated and emotional tho giving the task—we sidepassed a long ways until she relaxed and when we quit she fast walked away—still emotional. WAIT

END: unbridling—keep contact until Try relaxes.

1% better for 100 days = 100%

Old age—doing less is goal anyway

IMPROVEMENTS since September

1. Try offering to put one hind leg on an object
2. Picking me up at mounting block which will improve when we get drawing HQ from intention.
3. Backing (while not exactly desired—has so much better impulsion)
4. Figure 8—I saw and loved LBE fun. Joy for us both—my being able to recognize it as joy.
5. We are improving in fitness, skill, fixing control, giving up HQ, Try figuring it out, balancing fun with development sessions, relaxation within pressured learning.
6. Catching game
7. Moving from fixing to development while not neglecting fixing
8. Sideways towards from intention instead of phase 4
9. Old age: doing less is good anyway
10. More partnership

CATCHUP/CLEANUPS

Yoyo draw
Right side, zone3/4/5,