Sunday, May 2, 2010
Make versus Want
Private 2 hours with Instructor Annie Shank yesterday!
I had emailed Annie in advance my issue with consistency, wanting a lovely relaxed, soft attitude from Try instead of the mild brace that I often feel. What follows is an incredible session where I was able to learn how I was making Try do things rather than causing her to want to do things--allowing her the choice. Needless to say, with Try "make" is not going to go over well with her extreme left brain nature--frankly, it ticks her off. Also as a 19 year old with so much experience in various disciplines, overcueing and making her do things is rude as it ignores her great ability to take responsibility and do it herself. So hopefully, I can relearn from square 1 the "want" versus "make", I can have the "magic" Try, the soft, relaxed lovely Try more often.
WINNING THE FRIENDLY GAME:
I thought because Try and I were getting 4s on our auditions for friendly game that we were doing great. NOT--I was missing the point. Winning the friendly game is not about Try standing still tolerating or being oblivious to whatever I do in the way of extreme friendly--it is about what I am doing in the friendly game bringing about the kind of relaxation and softness that we would both enjoy!
Games:
1. Swinging string over Try's back with rhythm and a little energy until I see the slightest sign of more relaxation then quit--its the release that teaches. Signs to look for--any softening, lick/chew, head lowering, exhale, blinking.
2. The ball: Next we walked to the big green ball and of course Try offered to push it around some. Annie had me bounce the ball on her top line and her side. Try was a little bothered by it on her side. Again watching for relaxation and quit, rub etc the release teaches.
3. Patting Try with rhythm and energy beginning at her neck and working toward her flank. Try seemed to prefer having her belly patted to her topline--more like a massage. Same principles of release, etc.
4. Patting top of her neck with coiled 45' line until Try lowers her head even the slightest bit. Note: my arm got tired after awhile--at home I could stand on pedestal to do this one to prevent the interruption it caused.
All of the 2 hour session was really about friendly game but a caveat is that at home I will need to be CREATIVE in coming up with different friendly games or this will get really boring to Try.
Next we went to the WEAVE on the 22' line with the object being lightness, NOT using the rope and my being as far away from the cones as I could. I quickly learned how I had been using the rope AND over cueing. I was using the rope to bring her thru rather than draw AND I was oversending with the stick and found that Try responded well to my simply pointed with just a bit of energy. ??draw was it just my backing up?? can't remember.
To improve DRAW we went to the backward S (circling game, change of direction) BUT Annie taught me about the double S where not only is Try doing the S but I am as well. Took awhile to get it--I back up in zone 5, point stick at zone4 but low and focus ahead not at Try's butt until she decides to give me two eyes (draw) and then redirect/change of direction.
Next we played with my looking at Try's HQ--just LOOKING--for a loooooooooooooooong phase 1 then quick 234 until I was getting a good HQ disengagement from the look.
Then to change to the otherside which Try did not want me on her right side. I loop my hand under her jaw and hold til she gives with my elbow low enough that she can get through. Permission to change sides then repeat looking at HQ for disengagement on second side.
Walk looking at HQ, get the disengagement until two eyes come thru, stick behind my back and FQ yield.
NOTE: THERE IS A GREAT DISPARITY BETWEEN TRY AND I ON HER LEFT SIDE VERSUS RIGHT SIDE!! THIS NEEDS TO BE HOMEWORK.
Next we played with SIDEWAYS TOWARDS on the right side. Annie helped with a little porcupine on the other side. The release teaches. I have forgotten some of the learning here. She did offer as a suggestion for when I don't have a second person to help to use savvy string around her midsection to get a step so Try will understand what I am asking.
Then we went back to patting the 45' line on Try's neck--see above.
Then we played with the FIGURE 8. I had been looking for two eyes before backing before and learned to look for the question instead and not to switch hands on the stick until that moment. Also to back STRAIGHT back not on the diagonal. (Not sure why tho.) This really got a much better 8.
We took a water break and then finished up with the PEDESTAL as I would like Try to be able to put 4 feet on the pedestal. Again not MAKE but WANT--so not using string on back leg but encouraging Try to come forward. For now, just getting her to walk over the pedestal will be good. Annie suspects when Try AND I are comfortable with that that Try will offer to stay on the pedestal with 4 feet.
Posted by Elizabeth at 6:41 AM 0 comments
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Monday, November 16, 2009
private session online with Annie Sat
Notes: Private Hour with Annie Shank 11/14/2009 Online
1. The first thing Annie taught all of us was staying neutral. She demonstrated with her husband Michael being the horse, how if we don’t have the belly of the rope on the ground our horse feels our every movement and becomes desensitized to the rope (and probably annoyed). I played with this during the day and Try really responded!
2. Overall I need to be holding the popper of the 22’ line.
3. I shared with Annie before we started (and in advance email) comments from auditions: online that I will need more exuberance from Try for Level 4 and that I was subtly micromanaging in the circling game. Freestyle: that I need to be more particular and Try needs to be more of a partner. That I was stuck on liberty with the figure 8 and had been working on respect/drive/draw to help. Annie addressed all of these and gave me some additional things to play with moving on from where I am online.
4. The first thing we did was the cutting game to get Try’s attention and exuberance—not a Level 1 etc task as it could be dangerous but I am fully confident with this knowing Try. It starts with a little tap on the shoulder to get her to move the shoulder. Progressed to beginning with suggestion with the rope phase 1 and follow up with tap on shoulder if needed. Try and I have done a little of this before but not with such clear how tos. I love this game and as Try being LBI and moi more LBE, I think it will be really fun for us.
5. If my memory serves me the next thing we did was the circling game. 4 laps each way and send at a trot—we did not worry about her ears on the allow and interestingly her ears were really nice when she was behind me. We did play with my dancing and jumping up and down to see the effect on her attitude. I was not micromanaging. I like the way Annie steps out on the send. Note: I did not need to correct Try for offering a canter then deciding to trot (I over asked) nor to correct her for a slow canter where she is trotting behind. Bring back: disengage in the speed up not slow down direction i.e. with her movement not against for a speedier bring back. Do not allow her to come in with ears pinned and back her up until the ears relax even if extensive i.e. back the whole weave.
6. We did a little smell the tail and I needed to be softer in asking but Try did it well and has really good lateral flexion.
7. Figure 8: lead it, carrot stick under, point at the hip then back up with a super friendly look. I LOVE this. I was impressed with Annie's use of facial expression.
8. Next Annie challenged me to do the weave 22’ away holding the popper at a trot. We found I needed to establish this at a walk first and then we were able to do this at a trot. Now I am wondering why this worked so well? Because Annie set it up from the warmup? It wasn’t because she was up being away from home as she was relaxed and happy as a clam the entire time at Mary’s except when she was the only horse in the barn.
9. Another fun thing is using stick to me to help Try get her weight back on her haunches: back Try up to get her on her haunches (and with her conformation she is naturally very much on her FQ—i.e. when she canters in the pasture on her own she really pounds on her front end), then lead off at a trot and IF she doesn’t respond correct with carrot stick/string back to haunches or whatever I can reach.
10. Pedestal: Annie said it is possible for Try to do 4 feet on the pedestal and we played with using savvy string around one hind leg until we reached success with her touching the pedestal with that leg.
11. Driving from zones 3,4,5 with ONE rein/line. This was frustrating to me—Try and I had not done this much in ??3 years, especially with one rope. (and a big thank you to Annie for getting us to do this) I was having problems communicating and being able to get back to zone 5.
1. Carrot stick on TOP of the rump to start the movement,
2. Little circles with stick to turn front end and little up down movement to slow or back.
3. If Try goes sideways then go sideways with her with my ribs really in. Using one rope rather than two is better for my learning to communicate.
Playing at the stations with the cards Annie and Michael provided—lots of good ideas. Try and I played with sideways 22 feet with my feet planted from the popper that was a challenge—tried it point to point between barrels to begin with and when that wasn’t so great went to the cavaletti pole which Try understands as sidepass and we saw some really good improvement and went back to barrels and improved there as well. It gave me food for thought about being too close to Try as a habit. We also played with the weave in various ways at the station.
1. The first thing Annie taught all of us was staying neutral. She demonstrated with her husband Michael being the horse, how if we don’t have the belly of the rope on the ground our horse feels our every movement and becomes desensitized to the rope (and probably annoyed). I played with this during the day and Try really responded!
2. Overall I need to be holding the popper of the 22’ line.
3. I shared with Annie before we started (and in advance email) comments from auditions: online that I will need more exuberance from Try for Level 4 and that I was subtly micromanaging in the circling game. Freestyle: that I need to be more particular and Try needs to be more of a partner. That I was stuck on liberty with the figure 8 and had been working on respect/drive/draw to help. Annie addressed all of these and gave me some additional things to play with moving on from where I am online.
4. The first thing we did was the cutting game to get Try’s attention and exuberance—not a Level 1 etc task as it could be dangerous but I am fully confident with this knowing Try. It starts with a little tap on the shoulder to get her to move the shoulder. Progressed to beginning with suggestion with the rope phase 1 and follow up with tap on shoulder if needed. Try and I have done a little of this before but not with such clear how tos. I love this game and as Try being LBI and moi more LBE, I think it will be really fun for us.
5. If my memory serves me the next thing we did was the circling game. 4 laps each way and send at a trot—we did not worry about her ears on the allow and interestingly her ears were really nice when she was behind me. We did play with my dancing and jumping up and down to see the effect on her attitude. I was not micromanaging. I like the way Annie steps out on the send. Note: I did not need to correct Try for offering a canter then deciding to trot (I over asked) nor to correct her for a slow canter where she is trotting behind. Bring back: disengage in the speed up not slow down direction i.e. with her movement not against for a speedier bring back. Do not allow her to come in with ears pinned and back her up until the ears relax even if extensive i.e. back the whole weave.
6. We did a little smell the tail and I needed to be softer in asking but Try did it well and has really good lateral flexion.
7. Figure 8: lead it, carrot stick under, point at the hip then back up with a super friendly look. I LOVE this. I was impressed with Annie's use of facial expression.
8. Next Annie challenged me to do the weave 22’ away holding the popper at a trot. We found I needed to establish this at a walk first and then we were able to do this at a trot. Now I am wondering why this worked so well? Because Annie set it up from the warmup? It wasn’t because she was up being away from home as she was relaxed and happy as a clam the entire time at Mary’s except when she was the only horse in the barn.
9. Another fun thing is using stick to me to help Try get her weight back on her haunches: back Try up to get her on her haunches (and with her conformation she is naturally very much on her FQ—i.e. when she canters in the pasture on her own she really pounds on her front end), then lead off at a trot and IF she doesn’t respond correct with carrot stick/string back to haunches or whatever I can reach.
10. Pedestal: Annie said it is possible for Try to do 4 feet on the pedestal and we played with using savvy string around one hind leg until we reached success with her touching the pedestal with that leg.
11. Driving from zones 3,4,5 with ONE rein/line. This was frustrating to me—Try and I had not done this much in ??3 years, especially with one rope. (and a big thank you to Annie for getting us to do this) I was having problems communicating and being able to get back to zone 5.
1. Carrot stick on TOP of the rump to start the movement,
2. Little circles with stick to turn front end and little up down movement to slow or back.
3. If Try goes sideways then go sideways with her with my ribs really in. Using one rope rather than two is better for my learning to communicate.
Playing at the stations with the cards Annie and Michael provided—lots of good ideas. Try and I played with sideways 22 feet with my feet planted from the popper that was a challenge—tried it point to point between barrels to begin with and when that wasn’t so great went to the cavaletti pole which Try understands as sidepass and we saw some really good improvement and went back to barrels and improved there as well. It gave me food for thought about being too close to Try as a habit. We also played with the weave in various ways at the station.
Nov #1 coaching Kelly
Kelly's comments on video:
Disengaging hindquarter- move your feet less
Forequarter yield looks nice, opposition reflex, gone!
I want you to really focus on keeping the belly of the rope on the ground, particularly when you yo-yo her back! She is still giving you some resistance to game #2 on the poll!
Run backwards- even turn your back to her to increase your draw.
Play with speeds of the backup- slow then fast. Remember, your backup is your respect gauge
Try this: do your forequarter and hindquarter yields with the front end or hind end in a hula hoop- this will tell you if they are moving too much!
Circle game- shorten the rope a bit at first so that you can touch her shoulder if necessary. You want her shoulder to move out and away from you and not to cut into your space- it is looking better, though.
Remember- wait for the lick and chew between each task.
Work on porcupine from the poll- get this really soft, with no opposition.
Second circle send looked good- very snappy. She also maintained gait- yippee!
Like the traveling circles- now she just needs to maintain gait and do them, add some obstacles- make it interesting!
Her contact/shape on the circle does look better- if she gives you the evil look, tell her to wipe that look off of her face- she is not allowed to come at you like that- she was a bit on the s bends towards you.
Liberty: Careful not to beg her!
My question
Great will work on those things and plan to film again next week.
One question: porcupine at the poll?? Didn’t realize I was working on that?? You mean I should be using game #2 to ask her to put her head down???
thanks
Kelly's reply
use your fingertips at first and can support by putting some feel on the snap to cause her her to move off pressure from the halter at the poll- in your videos, she gives you some resistance there- it is also a draw issue; however, working on that will help her alot when you put some feel on the rope and ask her to come to you :)
Disengaging hindquarter- move your feet less
Forequarter yield looks nice, opposition reflex, gone!
I want you to really focus on keeping the belly of the rope on the ground, particularly when you yo-yo her back! She is still giving you some resistance to game #2 on the poll!
Run backwards- even turn your back to her to increase your draw.
Play with speeds of the backup- slow then fast. Remember, your backup is your respect gauge
Try this: do your forequarter and hindquarter yields with the front end or hind end in a hula hoop- this will tell you if they are moving too much!
Circle game- shorten the rope a bit at first so that you can touch her shoulder if necessary. You want her shoulder to move out and away from you and not to cut into your space- it is looking better, though.
Remember- wait for the lick and chew between each task.
Work on porcupine from the poll- get this really soft, with no opposition.
Second circle send looked good- very snappy. She also maintained gait- yippee!
Like the traveling circles- now she just needs to maintain gait and do them, add some obstacles- make it interesting!
Her contact/shape on the circle does look better- if she gives you the evil look, tell her to wipe that look off of her face- she is not allowed to come at you like that- she was a bit on the s bends towards you.
Liberty: Careful not to beg her!
My question
Great will work on those things and plan to film again next week.
One question: porcupine at the poll?? Didn’t realize I was working on that?? You mean I should be using game #2 to ask her to put her head down???
thanks
Kelly's reply
use your fingertips at first and can support by putting some feel on the snap to cause her her to move off pressure from the halter at the poll- in your videos, she gives you some resistance there- it is also a draw issue; however, working on that will help her alot when you put some feel on the rope and ask her to come to you :)
Notes from private session with Kelly
Private session:
1. some great ideas for a warmup i.e. starting easy is fine, no need to copy anyone else and that touch it makes a great warmup--Try gets to move her feet as much as she wants and feel really successful.
2. Circling game: Try has been hugging my side to avoid this game. Kelly had me go back online where I found that I have not been getting the bend thru the ribs I need for Try to be on the circle and therefor in mental contact with me.
3. Respect: I have been gradually losing respect as I've tried to keep Try happy so she will do liberty tasks and have been having trouble with any of the tasks that require much movement (LBI)--she takes off and has a temper tantrum when I ask for more than she want to give. SOOOOO time for me to take back the leadership--and if she wants to leave then she can do so on the circle until she asks to come in (and that this is ok to do especially if this is a left brain thing). Susan or Sara are loading me their copy of the Catch Me game to help.
4. Also Yoyo, drive and draw need to be reestabllished
5. Figure 8: isolate and separate--just do one circle at a time.
1. some great ideas for a warmup i.e. starting easy is fine, no need to copy anyone else and that touch it makes a great warmup--Try gets to move her feet as much as she wants and feel really successful.
2. Circling game: Try has been hugging my side to avoid this game. Kelly had me go back online where I found that I have not been getting the bend thru the ribs I need for Try to be on the circle and therefor in mental contact with me.
3. Respect: I have been gradually losing respect as I've tried to keep Try happy so she will do liberty tasks and have been having trouble with any of the tasks that require much movement (LBI)--she takes off and has a temper tantrum when I ask for more than she want to give. SOOOOO time for me to take back the leadership--and if she wants to leave then she can do so on the circle until she asks to come in (and that this is ok to do especially if this is a left brain thing). Susan or Sara are loading me their copy of the Catch Me game to help.
4. Also Yoyo, drive and draw need to be reestabllished
5. Figure 8: isolate and separate--just do one circle at a time.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
lakeland notes: Linda on liberty w/LBI and LBE
Lakeland Oct 2009
Saturday afternoon – Linda – Liberty with LBE and LBI
Remmer and West Point!
Linda commented on natural horsemanship: only 5% of horse owners are following natural horsemanship and the # needs to be greater. It is especially important to stop unintentional abuse of horses.
How do you get an extraverted horse ready to concentrate? Linda showed West Point: Lauren’s dressage super horse prospect. ?17’2’ and ??200,000$ and WOW WOW WOW. What a horse!!!!!!!! What an athlete!! Extraverts like to move and are built to move. We watched the two horses at play. Remmer has much less desire to run around and is dominant. Note: dominant horse goes behind and drives the herd.
We need to be ambassadors of yes—not holding back the horse who wants to move. You can ruin a LBE by suppression.
Remmer can be very athletic for a short time. He is mental and loves to outsmart humans—you need to get to his mind. West Point you need to get to his feet. Note: left brain horses it is harder to move their front end; right brain, the hind end.
Linda speeds up her movement to draw West Point.
Remmer LBI – getting him prepared to concentrate
LBI’s are thinking thoughts all the time AND not necessarily good ones! LBI’s are the perfect horse for you if you don’t want to go fast and love to trail ride. But as you move up in the levels, they can be challenging unless you can get to their MINDS!
What does Try love? TREATS—so are you using them? What’s in it for her? She says—what do I need to do to get a cookie? Issue: becoming the human PEZ dispenser. ANSWER: become more interesting than the cookie. Use occasionally for incentive.
Linda starts the session with Remmer not interested in moving.
1. She asks him to move ONLY one foot at a time and got a bit more animation.
2. Then she asks for only one hind foot and starts to get more effort.
3. Then one step sideways.
So by this time, Remmer’s mind is saying what is going on here?
Linda is very intense and slow in her body while asking for few steps. Moving slowly and meaning more—slow but particular.
Next Linda yoyos Remmer back to the rail—while keeping him from assuming that the circle game is coming and leaving her—stopping with his butt against the rail. Then she moves him to position sideways next to the rail and asks him to stop and NOT move.
She is waiting for significant lip licking to know he is with her and ready to do something i.e. that she is getting to his brain. She repeats the sideways stop several other places on the rail, getting sorta ?s and mild licking which is not good enough. Then finally she gets a big sigh (letting out the tension) and significant lip licking, with a different look on his face.
Now Linda can use the go BUT she uses it to ask him to go SLOWER i.e. walk when he wants to trot.
Challenge: Getting Laps at the Canter
(Still in a warmup mode) Linda asks for the canter. Remmer responds with a slow lope-like canter but doesn’t break to a trot and Linda accepts that! (both directions) Note: Linda did NOT correct Remmer for the speed of the canter.
Linda says the worst thing you can do is to keep pushing Zone 5—IMPORTANT—let him make the mistake of changing gait THEN either
1. Bring him in and resend or
2. use a change of direction
Change of direction: SLAP (i.e. KILL) the spot where he should not be. This changes his energy and she got two gorgeous 360s. GAME OVER. Rewarded with rest. Important to reward at the right time.
Let the spin flow and tag the spot they should have left—you are NOT trying to smack the horse. Touch where the tail is when you have the thought.
GAME ON!! GAME OF TAG! HAVE FUN YOURSELF! SMILE!!
Making the Figure 8 Interesting
Step 1.
Set up the round pen so barrels are closer to the fence so horse will have to go around the barrels. Make it a game of tag. (Linda stepping back and forward to draw and drive.) Again, slap the spot where he shouldn’t be. Remmers life comes up and his mind is engaged. If its fun for you that makes it fun and a game. (Joy). Linda sees lots of liberty w/LBI’s where the human isn’t smiling unless it’s a slow LBI task with treats.
Step 2.
Move the barrels closer to each other. Step 2 is mental pressure. Move back more if the horse isn’t drawing to you. Use softer cues. Linda is now going slower and meaning more—very intense. Remmer is really licking his lips. Stop: rest, reward.
Step 3.
Physical pressure added and Remmer is really licking and hooked on. This brings out the leader in the human and is much clearer to the horse.
GAME OVER, Linda invites Remmer is but Remmer does so with his ears pinned. Ears pinned indicating that you aren’t drawing him, but he is driving you. So she sends him back on the circle.
Remmer is now showing LBI exuberance—bucking etc. His obedience is gone. Don’t stop when he is jumpin in the air and kicking out and don’t punish it. BUT when that play drive comes up—don’t let them close! When you get that exuberance, then you need to get the obedience back. Watch for change in facial expression and connection to you.
Remmer next offers to put his foot on the pedestal. Note: Linda says if she had asked him to do this when the session started he would like have been crabby and probably ignored the touch it obstacles i.e. pedestal or barrel. Pretended ignorance—“what barrel, what pedestal”. Too funny. “I didn’t see the barrel”. Or move in reeaaallllly slow motion to the barrel.
Now Remmer’s brain is up and its time for the cool stuff. Linda uses the energy for some great S bends, his gait is springy, loose and fancy—a different horse. She play cutting game with him, he rears up etc.
Ending the session:
Now, when he is on, is NOT a good time for a cookie or to leave. He needs some relaxation. Little circling waiting for his head to lower or for him to come in to her…
If your introvert goes extraverted then you have to get to his feet not his mind like Linda and West Point.
Linda tells of having a bad session with Remmer one day. The next day she goes out and he is hiding behind a tree in the far end of the pasture. She plays Hide and Seek with him in the pasture. The next day she repeats that, brings him into the center of the round pen where she sits and feeds him cookies—game over. The following day they don’t go into the round corral at all.
Saturday afternoon – Linda – Liberty with LBE and LBI
Remmer and West Point!
Linda commented on natural horsemanship: only 5% of horse owners are following natural horsemanship and the # needs to be greater. It is especially important to stop unintentional abuse of horses.
How do you get an extraverted horse ready to concentrate? Linda showed West Point: Lauren’s dressage super horse prospect. ?17’2’ and ??200,000$ and WOW WOW WOW. What a horse!!!!!!!! What an athlete!! Extraverts like to move and are built to move. We watched the two horses at play. Remmer has much less desire to run around and is dominant. Note: dominant horse goes behind and drives the herd.
We need to be ambassadors of yes—not holding back the horse who wants to move. You can ruin a LBE by suppression.
Remmer can be very athletic for a short time. He is mental and loves to outsmart humans—you need to get to his mind. West Point you need to get to his feet. Note: left brain horses it is harder to move their front end; right brain, the hind end.
Linda speeds up her movement to draw West Point.
Remmer LBI – getting him prepared to concentrate
LBI’s are thinking thoughts all the time AND not necessarily good ones! LBI’s are the perfect horse for you if you don’t want to go fast and love to trail ride. But as you move up in the levels, they can be challenging unless you can get to their MINDS!
What does Try love? TREATS—so are you using them? What’s in it for her? She says—what do I need to do to get a cookie? Issue: becoming the human PEZ dispenser. ANSWER: become more interesting than the cookie. Use occasionally for incentive.
Linda starts the session with Remmer not interested in moving.
1. She asks him to move ONLY one foot at a time and got a bit more animation.
2. Then she asks for only one hind foot and starts to get more effort.
3. Then one step sideways.
So by this time, Remmer’s mind is saying what is going on here?
Linda is very intense and slow in her body while asking for few steps. Moving slowly and meaning more—slow but particular.
Next Linda yoyos Remmer back to the rail—while keeping him from assuming that the circle game is coming and leaving her—stopping with his butt against the rail. Then she moves him to position sideways next to the rail and asks him to stop and NOT move.
She is waiting for significant lip licking to know he is with her and ready to do something i.e. that she is getting to his brain. She repeats the sideways stop several other places on the rail, getting sorta ?s and mild licking which is not good enough. Then finally she gets a big sigh (letting out the tension) and significant lip licking, with a different look on his face.
Now Linda can use the go BUT she uses it to ask him to go SLOWER i.e. walk when he wants to trot.
Challenge: Getting Laps at the Canter
(Still in a warmup mode) Linda asks for the canter. Remmer responds with a slow lope-like canter but doesn’t break to a trot and Linda accepts that! (both directions) Note: Linda did NOT correct Remmer for the speed of the canter.
Linda says the worst thing you can do is to keep pushing Zone 5—IMPORTANT—let him make the mistake of changing gait THEN either
1. Bring him in and resend or
2. use a change of direction
Change of direction: SLAP (i.e. KILL) the spot where he should not be. This changes his energy and she got two gorgeous 360s. GAME OVER. Rewarded with rest. Important to reward at the right time.
Let the spin flow and tag the spot they should have left—you are NOT trying to smack the horse. Touch where the tail is when you have the thought.
GAME ON!! GAME OF TAG! HAVE FUN YOURSELF! SMILE!!
Making the Figure 8 Interesting
Step 1.
Set up the round pen so barrels are closer to the fence so horse will have to go around the barrels. Make it a game of tag. (Linda stepping back and forward to draw and drive.) Again, slap the spot where he shouldn’t be. Remmers life comes up and his mind is engaged. If its fun for you that makes it fun and a game. (Joy). Linda sees lots of liberty w/LBI’s where the human isn’t smiling unless it’s a slow LBI task with treats.
Step 2.
Move the barrels closer to each other. Step 2 is mental pressure. Move back more if the horse isn’t drawing to you. Use softer cues. Linda is now going slower and meaning more—very intense. Remmer is really licking his lips. Stop: rest, reward.
Step 3.
Physical pressure added and Remmer is really licking and hooked on. This brings out the leader in the human and is much clearer to the horse.
GAME OVER, Linda invites Remmer is but Remmer does so with his ears pinned. Ears pinned indicating that you aren’t drawing him, but he is driving you. So she sends him back on the circle.
Remmer is now showing LBI exuberance—bucking etc. His obedience is gone. Don’t stop when he is jumpin in the air and kicking out and don’t punish it. BUT when that play drive comes up—don’t let them close! When you get that exuberance, then you need to get the obedience back. Watch for change in facial expression and connection to you.
Remmer next offers to put his foot on the pedestal. Note: Linda says if she had asked him to do this when the session started he would like have been crabby and probably ignored the touch it obstacles i.e. pedestal or barrel. Pretended ignorance—“what barrel, what pedestal”. Too funny. “I didn’t see the barrel”. Or move in reeaaallllly slow motion to the barrel.
Now Remmer’s brain is up and its time for the cool stuff. Linda uses the energy for some great S bends, his gait is springy, loose and fancy—a different horse. She play cutting game with him, he rears up etc.
Ending the session:
Now, when he is on, is NOT a good time for a cookie or to leave. He needs some relaxation. Little circling waiting for his head to lower or for him to come in to her…
If your introvert goes extraverted then you have to get to his feet not his mind like Linda and West Point.
Linda tells of having a bad session with Remmer one day. The next day she goes out and he is hiding behind a tree in the far end of the pasture. She plays Hide and Seek with him in the pasture. The next day she repeats that, brings him into the center of the round pen where she sits and feeds him cookies—game over. The following day they don’t go into the round corral at all.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Gina Torrell beach clinic audit Oct 2009
Gina Torrell Beach clinic audit 10/2009
1. Important to play in all 4 savvies
2. Calm, trusting, motivated, obedient: RBE-RBI-LBI-LBE
3. Pat: third rail—tracks 1-3 can you pass another horse in track 2 w/arms folded?
4. Idea: play w/ball on the rail online
Warmup:
1. Wait for the energy/motivation/spark during the beginning of the warmup
2. Dwell, match energy, come to you etc ?? wait for sign that Try is ready to do something
3. Warm-up start with slow stuff and then when ready go to peppier, snappier stuff
4. LBI play with slow stuff for the togetherness—feel that connection before moving on
Session
1. Patterns: progress by having belly of rope on ground, increase the distance, go thru them in order
2. For variety do same stuff in a different place
3. LBI Circling game: do traveling circles point to point in field and stop at the ends to eat grass
4. LBI Circling game: do it near woods or scarey place
5. Sideways point to point: pattern—she should know it—suggestion/don’t nag Should be effortless a suggestion
6. Idea: play with sidepass with me in Z1 instead of Z3.
7. Porcupine game not used enough. Ball vs chair. Rope around legs—follow the feel—your horse needs to be solid with that—less chance of panic i.e. barbed wire.
8. Imp is ability to stand still
9. Being particular—having a plan, stay with it til see improvement even if get off it and come back
Finishing session: Settle for a good try/walk away on a good note
1. Important to play in all 4 savvies
2. Calm, trusting, motivated, obedient: RBE-RBI-LBI-LBE
3. Pat: third rail—tracks 1-3 can you pass another horse in track 2 w/arms folded?
4. Idea: play w/ball on the rail online
Warmup:
1. Wait for the energy/motivation/spark during the beginning of the warmup
2. Dwell, match energy, come to you etc ?? wait for sign that Try is ready to do something
3. Warm-up start with slow stuff and then when ready go to peppier, snappier stuff
4. LBI play with slow stuff for the togetherness—feel that connection before moving on
Session
1. Patterns: progress by having belly of rope on ground, increase the distance, go thru them in order
2. For variety do same stuff in a different place
3. LBI Circling game: do traveling circles point to point in field and stop at the ends to eat grass
4. LBI Circling game: do it near woods or scarey place
5. Sideways point to point: pattern—she should know it—suggestion/don’t nag Should be effortless a suggestion
6. Idea: play with sidepass with me in Z1 instead of Z3.
7. Porcupine game not used enough. Ball vs chair. Rope around legs—follow the feel—your horse needs to be solid with that—less chance of panic i.e. barbed wire.
8. Imp is ability to stand still
9. Being particular—having a plan, stay with it til see improvement even if get off it and come back
Finishing session: Settle for a good try/walk away on a good note
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