Clinic Sep 24/25 2010
Saturday
Calm, smart, brave athletic
Zones 1-5L3 play in zones 3-4L4 play in Z5 a lot, driving, long lines, 2 lines; Good to take a horse through level 4 on line before you ever ride a horse—zone 5 imp—what if biker comes up behind you on the trail?
Distance 12’ is level 1, 22’ is level 2, 45” for L3-4--L3/4 goal is to develop an amazing connection
Longer rope good to allow drift for RBE, keep RBI who wants to be close from running over you, LBE keep him away and budy, LBI good to help LBI want to move.
Phases: L1 promise, L2 tell, L3 ask, L4 suggest (horses do this w/each other “the look”Teach reinforce refine??? Check this
Parent /child—I’ll wait to 3.5 to do it to avoid the phase 4. So once they learn goi to a quick 234. Not nagging at a 2/3. If you are nagging at a 2/3 you will never get a phase 1
Level 4 look like the horse is reading the human’s mind becauser the phase 1 is so good.
We did
1. Walk with Try 15’ or so behind. Goal to stop and have her back—want her to move more than me and use string/string aimed between her legs
2. Driving 2 22’ lines—focus walk stop back turn ? weave, pedestal
3. Circling: bring her in instead of change of direction and give her a cookie. 45’ line for communication
4. Porky all 4 legs from a snap (cookie). Also one leg front back lead by the leg
5. Yoyo driving over and back platform
6. Stick to me from z5 – liberty demo
Private riding session fluid rein, combing the rope:
Reach all the way to the mane, good contact
Do not sit the trot while doing this. Look for stretching and the feel of round up , more vertical me and use Linda physicality. Focus ¼ on the circle.
Sunday
1. Haunted house
2. Circling variations: important bring back and treats trot and canter for relaxation, flying change, drive the shoulder
3. Sideways from popper of the 22 with energy: treats only for good energy. Helper w/sideways towards
4. Freestyle riding session: lat flex and indirect rein from stick/2sticks/look and be relaxed—not leaning on the rope.
5. My bridling and saddling needs work.
6. Freestyle carrot stick weave and question box
7. Afternoon private session:
a. Combing the reins to get a good stretch
b. Hands close together
c. Relax my body but Linda’s physicality
d. Focus on the circle
e. Relax my shoulders and scoop out belly
f. Leg go when Try stretches
g. Did circle (not egg) bulls eys
h. Also leg yields on the rail w/suspension rein and inside leg
i. Lots of inside leg, suspension or direct rein to get good bend on the circle and hind leg really stepping well
Monday, September 27, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Phone call with Dan Thompson 9/21 to answer questions
Dan notes phone call 9/21/2010
1. Draw issue—Try stopping on the circle and turning head to look at me but not coming to me. Dan: remember Try is an extreme LB horse—this is not a confidence issue—I do not need to retreat i.e. remove pressure. Retreating/removing pressure will NOT create draw!! Two ways:
a. If Try is tired she will decide drawing to me is the better deal—that is her choice not mine—a decision made on her terms.
b. On my terms: Move closer and closer and add phases with stick and string—if still on the circle pressure in Z5—behind the tail. Even if Try leaves then we continue to play the game the next time around the circle. I don’t have to move my feet that much—see if she can find the good deal when she comes around again. I am still drawing and putting pressure in Z5. BUT THIS IS ALL WITH AN ATTITUDE OF DRAW supported by the driving game. Can spank in front of her also. I haven’t played the game until I truly do what it takes to get her to CARE. Currently I am playing the right game and but not strong enough. Occasional phase 4 if necessary. She will begin to respond more easily. If she has turned her body toward me that will probably be putting pressure in zone 2.
2. Energy, focus, intention—
a. I do less she does more. My question about teaching Try to respond to my energy: Continually teaching (REMEMBER TEACH CONTROL REINFORCE REFINE) just teaching your LBI to be lazy. Try already knows when my life and focus comes up that would mean something i.e. if it was another horse bringing life up she would know that meant something. So I am teaching her it doesn’t mean anything. This is like doing homework for your kid and the kid never learns the material. So long phase 1 (life up focus) then quick 234. Not longer phase 1 if Try is going blah blah blah but longer if the horse is trying to figure it out. i.e. backing—life up, focus, lean and Try goes blah blah blah then give her a phase 4 she CARES about and it will be better next time. If not, it wasn’t a good enough phase 4. The next day may require reinforcing this with perhaps a lighter phase 4. i.e. may require repetition. In time Try will need the phase 4 less and less.
b. Arnold Schwartzenegger vs Richard Simmons. Arnold is into power, Richard is busy busy busy. Both will go to a phase 4. What do LB horses responds to best: Arnold!! Try will love it.
c. Try has a high play drive. Short horse will play hard but not for a long time.
d. Don’t waste Try’s exuberance. ID it and decide how to use it. Don’t use it up on the ground and then expect to find it riding (you know what you’ll get instead LOL)
3. Girthiness
a. Honestly listening to her
b. People are often rude to LBIs—think they can handle anything.
c. From Try:
i. As a human do you know its going on? Awareness
ii. Human do you care?
d. Girthiness—just wait for her.
4. Indirect rein on the right—leaning.
a. I have been trying to apply phases and not being effective
b. Set my hand and let Try sort it out—her timing is so much better than mine.
c. I have taught Try that the second she releases I release.
d. Need to hold it longer and vary it i.e. 2 sec, 5 sec whatever so she doesn’t assume she knows what the game is.
e. Reward the slightest try for the teaching phases and we are way beyond that.
f. Find a more effective phase 4 if need be i.e. add stick??
5. These are all foundation things that will effect lots of different stuff.
6. Snappy go and stop. Used to be ok to go and stop slowly but not any more. Dan says Try will like the snappy go and whoa
7. Soft feel: Get to holding it longer and do more with it.
8. 2nd horse/new horse. Horsenality? Balance on impulsion scale how GOOD is the GO and Whoa. Quality is getting better.
9. Game of Contact:
a. in the beginning freestyle and finesse are separate but there becomes a grey area between the two. If you are excellent at freestyle and Try confidently understands and respects contact in freestyle then a lot of finesse is done. Its still all body language, do it without reins.
b. Isolate and separate:
i. Z1 game: Try—can you accept the contact,
ii. Respond to it and realize it’s a conversation that is occurring partly thru z1
iii. Body connection (Linda’s physicality) becomes the connection of the two of us
iv. OK to add my physicality to the 7 step soft feel
10. Circling game: leaning on the rope
a. Continually pulling the rope to get slack is like pulling the horse’s nose out of the grass.
b. Try’s sweet spot is the gate so she will be leaning on the rope on side closest to the gate and cutting in on the other side—thus the egg shape.
c. Remedy: When Try puts pressure on the rope—I am a fence post and I lean on the rope stead and drag my feet if she pulls steady pressure
d. Z5 stick and string if necessary—her reaction doesn’t matter—can turn with her—my standing in one place is L1! Not necessary any more. Turn with her if needed to maintain power position. Apply enough pressure that she will hunt for a better answer. When she pulls on the rope she is playing her game not playing with me. She likes her idea better. Cause her idea to be uncomfortable. When she slacks or checks in with me THEN release the pressure
e. Don’t chase the heck out of her but may energetically spank the ground.
f. NOTE: If she pulls harder or goes faster that means she CARES—cause her to care until she slacks.
11. Ear pinning on the circle
a. Same as above EXCEPT if she is bored take it personally!! Variety mix it up. ONCE she gets it you don’t need the 4-7 program at that point you’ve got to put it to a purpose.
12. How to be a better learner?
a. I don’t need to learn it all!! Can’t do it all—focus on some and progress on those.
b. This learning is difficult because it goes against our predator instinct and messes us up until the learning becomes instinctual.
c. L3 know more than lots of professional trainers.
d. Story L1 clinic 60ish ranchers there because their wives learned Parelli and out performed the young cowboys. Ranchers said they felt like they had never handled a horse before.
1. Draw issue—Try stopping on the circle and turning head to look at me but not coming to me. Dan: remember Try is an extreme LB horse—this is not a confidence issue—I do not need to retreat i.e. remove pressure. Retreating/removing pressure will NOT create draw!! Two ways:
a. If Try is tired she will decide drawing to me is the better deal—that is her choice not mine—a decision made on her terms.
b. On my terms: Move closer and closer and add phases with stick and string—if still on the circle pressure in Z5—behind the tail. Even if Try leaves then we continue to play the game the next time around the circle. I don’t have to move my feet that much—see if she can find the good deal when she comes around again. I am still drawing and putting pressure in Z5. BUT THIS IS ALL WITH AN ATTITUDE OF DRAW supported by the driving game. Can spank in front of her also. I haven’t played the game until I truly do what it takes to get her to CARE. Currently I am playing the right game and but not strong enough. Occasional phase 4 if necessary. She will begin to respond more easily. If she has turned her body toward me that will probably be putting pressure in zone 2.
2. Energy, focus, intention—
a. I do less she does more. My question about teaching Try to respond to my energy: Continually teaching (REMEMBER TEACH CONTROL REINFORCE REFINE) just teaching your LBI to be lazy. Try already knows when my life and focus comes up that would mean something i.e. if it was another horse bringing life up she would know that meant something. So I am teaching her it doesn’t mean anything. This is like doing homework for your kid and the kid never learns the material. So long phase 1 (life up focus) then quick 234. Not longer phase 1 if Try is going blah blah blah but longer if the horse is trying to figure it out. i.e. backing—life up, focus, lean and Try goes blah blah blah then give her a phase 4 she CARES about and it will be better next time. If not, it wasn’t a good enough phase 4. The next day may require reinforcing this with perhaps a lighter phase 4. i.e. may require repetition. In time Try will need the phase 4 less and less.
b. Arnold Schwartzenegger vs Richard Simmons. Arnold is into power, Richard is busy busy busy. Both will go to a phase 4. What do LB horses responds to best: Arnold!! Try will love it.
c. Try has a high play drive. Short horse will play hard but not for a long time.
d. Don’t waste Try’s exuberance. ID it and decide how to use it. Don’t use it up on the ground and then expect to find it riding (you know what you’ll get instead LOL)
3. Girthiness
a. Honestly listening to her
b. People are often rude to LBIs—think they can handle anything.
c. From Try:
i. As a human do you know its going on? Awareness
ii. Human do you care?
d. Girthiness—just wait for her.
4. Indirect rein on the right—leaning.
a. I have been trying to apply phases and not being effective
b. Set my hand and let Try sort it out—her timing is so much better than mine.
c. I have taught Try that the second she releases I release.
d. Need to hold it longer and vary it i.e. 2 sec, 5 sec whatever so she doesn’t assume she knows what the game is.
e. Reward the slightest try for the teaching phases and we are way beyond that.
f. Find a more effective phase 4 if need be i.e. add stick??
5. These are all foundation things that will effect lots of different stuff.
6. Snappy go and stop. Used to be ok to go and stop slowly but not any more. Dan says Try will like the snappy go and whoa
7. Soft feel: Get to holding it longer and do more with it.
8. 2nd horse/new horse. Horsenality? Balance on impulsion scale how GOOD is the GO and Whoa. Quality is getting better.
9. Game of Contact:
a. in the beginning freestyle and finesse are separate but there becomes a grey area between the two. If you are excellent at freestyle and Try confidently understands and respects contact in freestyle then a lot of finesse is done. Its still all body language, do it without reins.
b. Isolate and separate:
i. Z1 game: Try—can you accept the contact,
ii. Respond to it and realize it’s a conversation that is occurring partly thru z1
iii. Body connection (Linda’s physicality) becomes the connection of the two of us
iv. OK to add my physicality to the 7 step soft feel
10. Circling game: leaning on the rope
a. Continually pulling the rope to get slack is like pulling the horse’s nose out of the grass.
b. Try’s sweet spot is the gate so she will be leaning on the rope on side closest to the gate and cutting in on the other side—thus the egg shape.
c. Remedy: When Try puts pressure on the rope—I am a fence post and I lean on the rope stead and drag my feet if she pulls steady pressure
d. Z5 stick and string if necessary—her reaction doesn’t matter—can turn with her—my standing in one place is L1! Not necessary any more. Turn with her if needed to maintain power position. Apply enough pressure that she will hunt for a better answer. When she pulls on the rope she is playing her game not playing with me. She likes her idea better. Cause her idea to be uncomfortable. When she slacks or checks in with me THEN release the pressure
e. Don’t chase the heck out of her but may energetically spank the ground.
f. NOTE: If she pulls harder or goes faster that means she CARES—cause her to care until she slacks.
11. Ear pinning on the circle
a. Same as above EXCEPT if she is bored take it personally!! Variety mix it up. ONCE she gets it you don’t need the 4-7 program at that point you’ve got to put it to a purpose.
12. How to be a better learner?
a. I don’t need to learn it all!! Can’t do it all—focus on some and progress on those.
b. This learning is difficult because it goes against our predator instinct and messes us up until the learning becomes instinctual.
c. L3 know more than lots of professional trainers.
d. Story L1 clinic 60ish ranchers there because their wives learned Parelli and out performed the young cowboys. Ranchers said they felt like they had never handled a horse before.
Questions I had for Dan Thompson
Questions for Dan 9/18/10
1. Catch me—draw issue: On the circle Try is no longer turning away from me and when I back up she stops and alternates looking at me and looking straight on the circle and does not come to me. I think the good deal she has found for herself is stopping on the circle.
2. Energy, intention and focus. I have given this a lot of thought. Inner furnace from acting class. Now issue I am considering is teaching this or maybe better said is making this a new pattern for us to replace “my doing more.” So far as I experiment I am finding some success with huge internal energy and a mean face to get a backup and to get a HQ yield. With the yoyo backup I am not getting the idea across when I relax my energy that she should stop. I picked these games to use as ones where she would see/feel me the best and the movement is simple not requiring a complex combination of steps.
3. Girthiness. Too funny. She has really changed as far as nice ears when I pull the girth. BUT now I am getting more pinned ears on the prior steps. What a clever girl!
4. Swinging the saddle: I got the idea of buckle under the arm pit and holding on the diagonal and I am swinging it on her and better swinging it onto the fence that is lower. But next time I would like help to refine this.
5. Lateral flexion and indirect rein: This is improved for lateral flexion and indirect rein to the left. To the right she is still largely leaning on the rein. At first she would change so quickly from leaning to slack to leaning to slack that I was having difficulty applying phases. Recently she has been clearer and taking more time to either lean or have slack making it easier for me. I think as I continue to do this every time she is going to find the good deal is to maintain the slack.
6. Snappy go, stop, back and wait with the reins down: Snappy go and stop is better but I haven’t kept snappy in mind consistently. However, having her relax and not move off after cantering has been great most of the time—even with bowties.
7. 7 step soft feel—I believe I am getting the idea of this. Try seems pretty happy—infrequent reaction and I am varying what we do once I get the feel—walk, back, turn, sidepass.
Other stuff:
• I am borrowing another horse from a friend for the variety and am looking at the possibility of purchasing a second horse in the upcoming year and would like advice on a good match up. Bethanna, my riding instructor, would like us to talk about this as well. We are thinking better conformation for riding, more willing but perhaps lower on the impulsion scale?? I rode a TB at the barn this summer who was probably a 4 on impulsion scale and found getting him going easier for me than the kids who were riding him and that I loved his way of going.
• Try seems to be a 4 on the ground and I would like a 6-7. Riding--Try is a 6-7 which can be an issue when she is pounding on the forehand—as I am putting effort into helping her find a good rhythm (circles/cloverleaf) rather than focusing on improving my riding. I do want to encourage her to express her LBE side and would like advice on this.
• Energy: I would like to be able to truly light a fire under Try on line and liberty—when I videotape us I see a sluggishness that was nice and safe when we were learning L1/2 but I would like to see both of us dancing together now. I don’t know how to get the energy without ticking her off and guess this lack of energy is a dominance/leadership issue between us. I see a better energy at clinics but don’t know but what it is really in her nature to be so slow and laid back and uncomfortable for her to be otherwise.
• Specific issues where Try gets emotional or “up” when relaxation would be nice. i.e.
o Leaving the ring with a rider
o The gate (wanting the session to be over and hold over from trail classes??)
o Jumps—not emotional just over exuberant?? Have reinstated on line and riding walking over small jumps, turn and face and backup variations.
• Game of contact—I like what Linda is teaching about muscularity/alignment for the human. This is similar to what I did with 30+ years of ballet/pilates etc and I would like to incorporate it into my riding in an intentional manner. Obviously it doesn’t work for freestyle. Hunt seat equitation when there is a challenge my body automatically goes into that alignment/muscular mode. It seems for my physical conditioning it would be great to ride with this more of the time. When I take the 7 step soft feel should I add this or remain using the very relaxed freestyle use of myself? FYI: I have signed up to audit Linda’s Game of Contact 3 day course in Ocala in November—as part of trip to visit my Dad in Tampa.
• Lead changes: Try will do them for me but it takes a couple strides before she catches up behind so they are not really “flying”. We rarely do them, I likely need to know more about it, and flying changes are something that can get Try up and unhappily extraverted.
• I have been watching Pat’s mastery lessons and use of “tenshun”, lifting rein as a signal to the horse that coming is coming—how do I do that with bridleless riding—bringing up life in my body is that sufficient? Try does seem to know when I want to canter from the second I think it in my brain?!
• Circling game On Line: pinned ears and leaning on the rope. Pinned ears—my program is to quit when I get the best attitude—note: she pins ears in front of me and relaxes them behind my back. Leaning: I have been giving the rope a tug—she has at least learned that doesn’t mean stop but it isn’t effective, I haven’t seen any sign that she is motivated to not just go right back to leaning in a few strides.
• Learning: I am trying to figure out how to learn more effectively. Any suggestions would be really welcome. Presently I watch dvds and take notes--??2-3 hours per week and go out to the barn and play with concepts—some of it sinks in and some gets forgotten. Clinics: I take really good notes, play with it for several weeks and blog—some of it becomes a part of what we do and some gets forgotten as we move on to the next fun thing. Also this is not like intellectual learning where you are only challenged mentally. This is such a wholistic combination of mental, emotional and physical and thus more complicated to learn—and its two of us doing the learning not just one. This challenge may be why PNH is so exciting to learn but also frustrating not to learn as well as I would like.
1. Catch me—draw issue: On the circle Try is no longer turning away from me and when I back up she stops and alternates looking at me and looking straight on the circle and does not come to me. I think the good deal she has found for herself is stopping on the circle.
2. Energy, intention and focus. I have given this a lot of thought. Inner furnace from acting class. Now issue I am considering is teaching this or maybe better said is making this a new pattern for us to replace “my doing more.” So far as I experiment I am finding some success with huge internal energy and a mean face to get a backup and to get a HQ yield. With the yoyo backup I am not getting the idea across when I relax my energy that she should stop. I picked these games to use as ones where she would see/feel me the best and the movement is simple not requiring a complex combination of steps.
3. Girthiness. Too funny. She has really changed as far as nice ears when I pull the girth. BUT now I am getting more pinned ears on the prior steps. What a clever girl!
4. Swinging the saddle: I got the idea of buckle under the arm pit and holding on the diagonal and I am swinging it on her and better swinging it onto the fence that is lower. But next time I would like help to refine this.
5. Lateral flexion and indirect rein: This is improved for lateral flexion and indirect rein to the left. To the right she is still largely leaning on the rein. At first she would change so quickly from leaning to slack to leaning to slack that I was having difficulty applying phases. Recently she has been clearer and taking more time to either lean or have slack making it easier for me. I think as I continue to do this every time she is going to find the good deal is to maintain the slack.
6. Snappy go, stop, back and wait with the reins down: Snappy go and stop is better but I haven’t kept snappy in mind consistently. However, having her relax and not move off after cantering has been great most of the time—even with bowties.
7. 7 step soft feel—I believe I am getting the idea of this. Try seems pretty happy—infrequent reaction and I am varying what we do once I get the feel—walk, back, turn, sidepass.
Other stuff:
• I am borrowing another horse from a friend for the variety and am looking at the possibility of purchasing a second horse in the upcoming year and would like advice on a good match up. Bethanna, my riding instructor, would like us to talk about this as well. We are thinking better conformation for riding, more willing but perhaps lower on the impulsion scale?? I rode a TB at the barn this summer who was probably a 4 on impulsion scale and found getting him going easier for me than the kids who were riding him and that I loved his way of going.
• Try seems to be a 4 on the ground and I would like a 6-7. Riding--Try is a 6-7 which can be an issue when she is pounding on the forehand—as I am putting effort into helping her find a good rhythm (circles/cloverleaf) rather than focusing on improving my riding. I do want to encourage her to express her LBE side and would like advice on this.
• Energy: I would like to be able to truly light a fire under Try on line and liberty—when I videotape us I see a sluggishness that was nice and safe when we were learning L1/2 but I would like to see both of us dancing together now. I don’t know how to get the energy without ticking her off and guess this lack of energy is a dominance/leadership issue between us. I see a better energy at clinics but don’t know but what it is really in her nature to be so slow and laid back and uncomfortable for her to be otherwise.
• Specific issues where Try gets emotional or “up” when relaxation would be nice. i.e.
o Leaving the ring with a rider
o The gate (wanting the session to be over and hold over from trail classes??)
o Jumps—not emotional just over exuberant?? Have reinstated on line and riding walking over small jumps, turn and face and backup variations.
• Game of contact—I like what Linda is teaching about muscularity/alignment for the human. This is similar to what I did with 30+ years of ballet/pilates etc and I would like to incorporate it into my riding in an intentional manner. Obviously it doesn’t work for freestyle. Hunt seat equitation when there is a challenge my body automatically goes into that alignment/muscular mode. It seems for my physical conditioning it would be great to ride with this more of the time. When I take the 7 step soft feel should I add this or remain using the very relaxed freestyle use of myself? FYI: I have signed up to audit Linda’s Game of Contact 3 day course in Ocala in November—as part of trip to visit my Dad in Tampa.
• Lead changes: Try will do them for me but it takes a couple strides before she catches up behind so they are not really “flying”. We rarely do them, I likely need to know more about it, and flying changes are something that can get Try up and unhappily extraverted.
• I have been watching Pat’s mastery lessons and use of “tenshun”, lifting rein as a signal to the horse that coming is coming—how do I do that with bridleless riding—bringing up life in my body is that sufficient? Try does seem to know when I want to canter from the second I think it in my brain?!
• Circling game On Line: pinned ears and leaning on the rope. Pinned ears—my program is to quit when I get the best attitude—note: she pins ears in front of me and relaxes them behind my back. Leaning: I have been giving the rope a tug—she has at least learned that doesn’t mean stop but it isn’t effective, I haven’t seen any sign that she is motivated to not just go right back to leaning in a few strides.
• Learning: I am trying to figure out how to learn more effectively. Any suggestions would be really welcome. Presently I watch dvds and take notes--??2-3 hours per week and go out to the barn and play with concepts—some of it sinks in and some gets forgotten. Clinics: I take really good notes, play with it for several weeks and blog—some of it becomes a part of what we do and some gets forgotten as we move on to the next fun thing. Also this is not like intellectual learning where you are only challenged mentally. This is such a wholistic combination of mental, emotional and physical and thus more complicated to learn—and its two of us doing the learning not just one. This challenge may be why PNH is so exciting to learn but also frustrating not to learn as well as I would like.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Dan Thompson - August 24, 2010
August 24, 2010 First Session with Dan Thompson
3 incredible hours – so much I thought I understood and was skimming the surface
Liberty: Draw and Freestyle as preparation for finesse: impulsion and light response to reins.
We started with my doing a few things and I chose liberty because Try was already in the round pen. I said that figure 8 had been really difficult and showed it at a walk and we did it quite nicely. Dan said how about at the trot and I just laughed—who knew what would happen and sure enough I sent Try at a trot and we left me. GAME ON.
So we played the catching game for quite some time. Try out on the circle, when she passes my belly button back up straight to draw. If she doesn’t respond, more pressure, if she makes any response toward coming to me, less pressure. I need to be hyper aware of her. Note: she does not get to change direction toward the rail—that becomes Try in charge of the game—I redirect her quickly in the original direction—the comfort side –the other side becomes the uncomfortable side. Try (being directed by Dan) began to get the idea that she could choose to change direction away from the rail (that being ok at this stage). Also a no-no is Try blasting thru me. Eventually—she stopped or Dan stopped her and then waited –Try thought about turning toward the rail then thought better, then began to draw to Dan. Pressure on, pressure off. I did it also and she was really happy to draw and come to me. Good side and bad side. Teaching Try to seek the GOOD DEAL.
Back up at liberty: Dan used stick to keep Try on a straight line—directing front end—keeping his focus on where he wanted to go. Lesson: keep my focus—don’t get drawn into CHASING Body PARTS.
Sideways: Needs energy up—my body language directing her—I don’t necessarily even have to move my feet—I could really feels Dan’s energy making me move while he stood still. I was able to use my energy for really good HQ and FQ 360 yields/disengagement??? Then direct the sideways with way more energy and intensity, intension in my body but still moving my feet—something to strive for…. FOCUS can be on a body part or FAR AWAY to get the horse to go some place. I have to be going some place in my body if I want the horse to go someplace. E up/E down.
If I am truly going some place in my body, I might not have to move my feet! I want to be able to do less and cause Try to do more.
Try ‘s LBE play drive: IF she is LBE, she wants to play—engage her, don’t turn my back and deny her need to play. We both want to play. I laughed with pure joy at both of us being able to be LBE. ENGAGE her! Note confident horse engage, unconfident release the pressure.
Western saddle: ring under my arm, diagonal hold, swing w/hip and trust that I won’t hurt Try.
REALLY great improvement on the girthiness: Dan used STEADY pressure to pull latigos and more pressure/farther away so Try would actually feel it rather than be annoyed. Dan says this is a brace and right brain (baggage) rather than a left brain lean sort of opposition reflex. The release teaches—Try learns where the GOOD DEAL is.
Riding: Freestyle as preparation for finesse
Quality in zone one—how light and responsive is Try to the reins. That is necessary prerequisite to finesse riding plus the seat/sense of responsibility from freestyle.
If Try is leaning on the rein (LB) support with driving game in phases i.e. we did this with indirect rein. Phase 1 is contact, phase two is driving on looser rein (shaking rope), phase three is driving on contact, phase four is one big jerk on one rein! Dan like BA—no nagging—the one big jerk and then learn is better AND I didn’t do it—Try made the choice to do it to herself.
Impulsion: A perfect 5 on the impulsion scale is no good if both go and whoa are bad LOL.
We worked on getting a good immediate response to the go as well as good go, then a snappy whoa:
Ask and be effective (stick/string whatever—not necessary usually—much more body energy from me worked) get good pure gait not joggy-lopey stuff. Then ask for whoa—seat energy down lift or bounce one rein to contact. Example of working cows: energy off to cut from herd then game on, energy to keep cow away from herd. Game: good go, stop, back and reins down—will Try just stand there.
Drop to trot lead changes ie. Bow tie. Indirect rein, Z1/Z4 on downward transitions.
7 step soft feel:
1. Lift casual rein to take contact
2. Slide hand down
3. Separate to two hands WHILE MAINTAINING CONTACT
4. Finger—goes to fist so Try can feel it (567 the same)
Then can go anywhere—forward, back, turn change it up. If any reaction from Try wait for her head to relax.
3 incredible hours – so much I thought I understood and was skimming the surface
Liberty: Draw and Freestyle as preparation for finesse: impulsion and light response to reins.
We started with my doing a few things and I chose liberty because Try was already in the round pen. I said that figure 8 had been really difficult and showed it at a walk and we did it quite nicely. Dan said how about at the trot and I just laughed—who knew what would happen and sure enough I sent Try at a trot and we left me. GAME ON.
So we played the catching game for quite some time. Try out on the circle, when she passes my belly button back up straight to draw. If she doesn’t respond, more pressure, if she makes any response toward coming to me, less pressure. I need to be hyper aware of her. Note: she does not get to change direction toward the rail—that becomes Try in charge of the game—I redirect her quickly in the original direction—the comfort side –the other side becomes the uncomfortable side. Try (being directed by Dan) began to get the idea that she could choose to change direction away from the rail (that being ok at this stage). Also a no-no is Try blasting thru me. Eventually—she stopped or Dan stopped her and then waited –Try thought about turning toward the rail then thought better, then began to draw to Dan. Pressure on, pressure off. I did it also and she was really happy to draw and come to me. Good side and bad side. Teaching Try to seek the GOOD DEAL.
Back up at liberty: Dan used stick to keep Try on a straight line—directing front end—keeping his focus on where he wanted to go. Lesson: keep my focus—don’t get drawn into CHASING Body PARTS.
Sideways: Needs energy up—my body language directing her—I don’t necessarily even have to move my feet—I could really feels Dan’s energy making me move while he stood still. I was able to use my energy for really good HQ and FQ 360 yields/disengagement??? Then direct the sideways with way more energy and intensity, intension in my body but still moving my feet—something to strive for…. FOCUS can be on a body part or FAR AWAY to get the horse to go some place. I have to be going some place in my body if I want the horse to go someplace. E up/E down.
If I am truly going some place in my body, I might not have to move my feet! I want to be able to do less and cause Try to do more.
Try ‘s LBE play drive: IF she is LBE, she wants to play—engage her, don’t turn my back and deny her need to play. We both want to play. I laughed with pure joy at both of us being able to be LBE. ENGAGE her! Note confident horse engage, unconfident release the pressure.
Western saddle: ring under my arm, diagonal hold, swing w/hip and trust that I won’t hurt Try.
REALLY great improvement on the girthiness: Dan used STEADY pressure to pull latigos and more pressure/farther away so Try would actually feel it rather than be annoyed. Dan says this is a brace and right brain (baggage) rather than a left brain lean sort of opposition reflex. The release teaches—Try learns where the GOOD DEAL is.
Riding: Freestyle as preparation for finesse
Quality in zone one—how light and responsive is Try to the reins. That is necessary prerequisite to finesse riding plus the seat/sense of responsibility from freestyle.
If Try is leaning on the rein (LB) support with driving game in phases i.e. we did this with indirect rein. Phase 1 is contact, phase two is driving on looser rein (shaking rope), phase three is driving on contact, phase four is one big jerk on one rein! Dan like BA—no nagging—the one big jerk and then learn is better AND I didn’t do it—Try made the choice to do it to herself.
Impulsion: A perfect 5 on the impulsion scale is no good if both go and whoa are bad LOL.
We worked on getting a good immediate response to the go as well as good go, then a snappy whoa:
Ask and be effective (stick/string whatever—not necessary usually—much more body energy from me worked) get good pure gait not joggy-lopey stuff. Then ask for whoa—seat energy down lift or bounce one rein to contact. Example of working cows: energy off to cut from herd then game on, energy to keep cow away from herd. Game: good go, stop, back and reins down—will Try just stand there.
Drop to trot lead changes ie. Bow tie. Indirect rein, Z1/Z4 on downward transitions.
7 step soft feel:
1. Lift casual rein to take contact
2. Slide hand down
3. Separate to two hands WHILE MAINTAINING CONTACT
4. Finger—goes to fist so Try can feel it (567 the same)
Then can go anywhere—forward, back, turn change it up. If any reaction from Try wait for her head to relax.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Annie Shank May 1 2010 Make versus Want
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
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
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 :)
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