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Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you all had a good day.
With it being the holidays and all, things have been a bit crazy so I've only played with Lily a handful of times. The friendly game is getting much better, especially when it comes to her face because I had to get numerous burr's out of her forelock. First of all she was really not amused or ready to give her face to me but then she had her face rested into my chest, licking my coat, ahh.
I wanted to refine her driving on her right side as she was still a bit unsure of it all and that went well after a little while and plenty friendly game. Reward for the slightest try was a good tactic, especially seeing as she was introverted. When she'd done it right a few times, we moved onto figure-8 to give her a bit of a break and she got on adrenaline and whizzed around them in the blink of an eye. Its something we don't do often and at first I thought it was right brain adrenaline but although her movement was a bit choppy, she was blinking and pulling faces at times. It was funny but before I started flying a black and white cob kite, I brought her in and gave her some lovin' so she'd associate the endorphins of her adrenaline with me playing the friendly game.
Here's a question for you folks out there, I know it's the holiday season so not too many people will be reading but...
My next levels partner is going to be a Left-Brained Introvert and Lily's fieldmate, Molly, is also a Left-Brained Introvert. Lily has her introverted side but she also likes to move her feet and play so with two energy conserving ponies as her herd-buddies, is this going to frustrate her or make her look forward to our play sessions as I get more interesting to her? Please post your thoughts/reflections on this in a comment, I'd love to hear your views.
Stay Savvy! |
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Today was another good session, I really feel like we're connecting and understanding eachother a lot better. Previously feet have been a bit of an issue but I spent a good 10minutes giving her a leg massage and then she was an angel to pick her hooves out. I then spent some time playing the friendly game with gaining momentum on the rope and throwing it over her head and onto her other side which went nicely. I hoped to move it onto a nice porcupine game by moving the rope around her hind to get her to turn round and change sides but she was too tense and moved away too quickly, it'll save for another play. We sharpened up our zone 5 driving a bit more and I was trying to get her right side as good as her left but it still needs more time spent on it. It's sometimes tough to try and comprehend that what you do on the left side of your horse doesn't transfer onto the right side of them and to not expect that playing will be as great on both sides from the start. We had a few hairy moments where she forgot what back by the tail was and I knew the longer I left her wrong, the more I'd have to do to make it better. I nearly lost my cool because I didn't want another learned behaviour I'd have to undo but that was my old attitude and I quickly adjusted it to 'oh boy!'. Working on emotional fitness is just so tiring, as is making my whole new blog layout from scratch but you're just going to have to hang tight because its not ready yet. :)
Savvy out! |
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Since my last post, the hours I've been up the yard have been spent on field management, horse husbandry and undemanding time - they do take priority, especially in winter. But I thought I'd post because I came across something that really struck a chord with me and I'm sure others can relate to it to.
Its from Paulo Coelho's book 'Like the Flowing River' and it is my favourite book of all time. It's a collection of short stories and I read it a lot and particular stories jump out at me at different times. One month several ones might stir something inside of me whilst the next month different ones will, its why I love it so much.
His passion is archery and I don't know a lot about it but I do know that you have to get your energies just right to be successful. Sound familiar?
So here's the excerpt which is a quote originally from Zen in the Art of Archery:
'My teacher gave me a very stiff bow. I asked why he was starting to teach me as if I were a professional. He replied: 'If you begin with easy things, it leaves you unprepared for the great challenges. It's best to know at once what difficulties you are likely to meet on the road.'
As most of you readers know, Lily has been a huge challenge for me and I've often felt close to breaking point. I've told myself all along that, although it'll take me longer to get through the levels than some students, I will be gaining a lot more Savvy along the road. So by having a tough cookie from the start it is setting me up for success because I will be better prepared for the future. 'No journey worth going on has no short cuts or easy routes' and I'm going to enjoy every step of the way! :) |
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I had a nice session with Lily today, despite the weather. I decided that if her biggest issue is the friendly game, I was going to tackle it head on in the Savvy-est way I knew how.
So we played a variety of friendly games and by the end of the session I could smack the ground behind zone 5 with my Savvy String and her head was low and relaxed. We did play friendly game on the move but she has little tolerance for it sometimes and will walk with her ribs pushed in and her head faced out with her ears back. I thought extreme friendly game in zone 5 would get her to be more receptive and bending the right way around me and it worked. She was funny to begin with, she looked round at me with her ears flat back and prepared to lunge at me so she got a firm phase 3 sideways drive and she looked like the typical 'damn, she knows what I'm plotting!' LBi and ate some humble pie! A little while ago, that would've scared the heck out of me and I would've stopped but I didn't even give it a second thought so that's cool!
I had been thinking about what simulations would help her get more braver when it comes to riding and decided that jumping up and down next to her would be a good desensitiser - I really didn't think about how much it'd wear me out and hurt! It only took 5 minutes for her to be calm on both sides but MAN did that hurt because of my health and lack of physical fitness. I felt like my legs were going to fall off! lol. It was worth it though. Prior Preparation... |
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Hi all,
Two friends of mine, Josh and Em, have recently started blogging.
Check out their links and give them a Savvy Blogspot welcome! Oh and let me know what you think of Em's layout; I made it. :)
Josh's blog
Em's blog
Savvy out! xo |
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Finally! The past few days of being unable to play have felt like forever. The sun was shining and I had a really lovely play with Lily. We did plenty of friendly game and lowering her head because she had lots of burrs entangled in her mane and then we refined our simple porcupine games asking for little, expecting a lot and rewarding the slightest try.
Once she was in a confident learning frame of mind I thought that we'd carry on playing with driving from zone 5 using the follow the rail pattern. On Saturday her backups were fantastic but her forwards was wobbly because she was unconfident but today she was a lot more balanced; the backup was good and the forwards was good. After a few tries and wobbling off the rail, she got it and I only had to lift my hand a little for her to correct herself. I was so pleased with her yet again!
When she was in a good frame of mind and had her head low and relaxed, enjoying a rub on her neck I took her ropehalter off and ended the play session. I still spot glimpses of her wondering whether I can be trusted or not which is bound to happen with her, I don't expect miracles but those moments are lessening and I see a small change in her which is really good. :)
Over the winter when the grass isn't growing, we hay them and in previous years they've gotten over-confident and disrespectful when haying. This winter I am trying to remember carry my carrotstick, yesterday I forgot though and Lily got dominant and kicked out at me. So today after I finished playing with her, I went down to the haybarn and with hay under one arm and carrotstick in the other hand, I walked out into the field protecting my space and made them wait 30 seconds each time I put a bit down. Lily got a bit fed up of that so she trotted up to me with ears flat back and I drove her away assertively... She trotted off, licked and chewed and took two steps forward with a soft, quizzical expression so I let her have the hay; thats the face I want to see when I give her food!
I hope this good weather stays around, I love crisp but sunny winter days. |
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Since my fabulous lesson I have actually been looking forward to playing with Lily. I honestly do not remember a time that I looked forward to playing with Lily, I always look forward to hanging out with her but anything that could prove to make her lose her head I'd subconciously avoid.
Now I know that in order to be the best I can be for Lily I have to be progressive and I've changed my attitude. I'm going to have a blast with her and learn so much.
Although finding time to play with her is proving difficult, I was hoping to today but couldn't find the car keys which was irritating! Tomorrow Benji is going home so it may prove to be an emotionally draining day, if I can manage to get in a good mindset to play with Lily then great. If I can't, there's always Wednesday. The little daylight we have doesn't help either, roll on Spring!! :) |
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I am so happy and pleased with myself for the first time in ages! I have had such a great lesson today with Arran.
Recently, I've been absolutely ridden with self-doubt that I can't do this and each time I get up the yard to play, I wuss out and play friendly game in zone 2 & 3 because I know its something Lily is comfortable with or just go give Benj a cuddle. I was hoping that this lesson would give me a push in the right direction and give me a bit of faith that things'll come good. Arran reassured me that I sell myself far too short, that I've come a long way and I've made it a big deal when it isn't. I told him I think that the main problem is that I am taking things too seriously and not having fun. After showing him what I've been upto in the past month, he was very pleased and said we needed to kick it up a notch... Oh boy!
He asked me to show me a bit of our porcupine game, he said it was good but I need to refine it for next time and then I did some driving and he was pleased with that. So then, my dear readers, in the next hour I was progressive did something I never thought I'd be able to do any time soon...
I was driving Lily from zone 5 and backing her by the tail!!!
She was fantastic and I actually felt SAVVY! She was receptive, relaxing, licking and chewing plenty and we both got it so quickly and started having fun with it. I was smiling for the first time in ages and it felt good! We played follow the rail, walk forward one step, back by the tail two etc. and it was fab! After such a great play, we had about 20 minutes left but I wanted to end on a good note and Arran agreed.
I was concentrating so hard that about 10 minutes before the end, I felt dizzy all of a sudden and couldn't understand it. I had stopped breathing for ages and didn't even realise! So I made a concious effort to breathe and felt much better. Its so funny that, because I was thinking about doing so many different things, one of my most basic things I needed to do I forgot about!
After we'd finished, I was in complete shock that I did so well though, I'm still surprised. I was a completely different person, I was Savvy and I didn't doubt myself once.
I had been thinking of trying to put her out on loan to a level 3 student but Arran told me not to because I am more than capable of bringing her on myself and you know what? I'm starting to believe him. :)
Why backing by the tail can prove to be tricky for horses from my perspective.
Horses, being prey animals, are concerned about their safety and staying alive. Naturally, they would ideally want their pet predators (you) to be in zone 1 (nose and 1 mile infront of them) so they can protect their bodies and keep an eye on you. Usually, a person pulling on a horse's tail would make horses instinctively run forwards or lash out with their hind legs. This is because they are claustrophic, naturally lean against pressure and do not want to get their bum bitten. So going with the pressure by backing toward a human is the ultimate test of trust and friendly game. Some horses may also be hesitant about the task because they would worry about their leader reprimanding them for moving into their space. In the wild, they would not back into a horse unless they were asking for trouble!
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I will no longer let my fear of failure get in the way of playing with Lily. I get scared because I do not want to make Lily worse and that is me assuming I will because I have a low self-esteem these days. So before I even start the session, that is not setting myself up for success; I am expecting to fail by worrying about it so much. I am going to read 'Feel the fear and do it anyway' cover to cover, I have been meaning to and remind myself to look at how much Lily and I have achieved in such a short time and that I can do this! Sure, there will be good and bad days but the good days will outweigh the bad days in no time, once I have developed a little faith in myself. I tell myself that Lily needs a better leader and she does, I am going to step up to the challenge!
I want to be recreation for my pony and to be the best leader I can be for her. Its going to be hecka hard but it will be worth it. Days like this make all the blood (ropeburns, biting, kicking in the past), sweat and tears worth it!!
And a quick note concerning the forum activity yesterday: I am staying off the forum for a while because the tone has gone sour and I don't want it to drag me down right now.
Anyone who has a negative view of me now is welcome to; what people think of me is none of my business.
What I will remind folk of is that I personally did not insult anyone nor did I speculate on Allure OR Linda. I do not have an opinion on Allure's lameness, I do not know enough to have one but I got involved because I was learning about lameness and feet from someone who knows a lot about them (Leah) and purity of gait from others and wham, the thread was gone.
I was insulted by the faculty by not getting a response as to why the thread was deleted with no explanation. That is all I wanted to say and no, I do not want to talk about it further.
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My name is Lucy Middleton, I'm 17 years old and from the United Kingdom.
I started Parelli in January 2008 and it has been an incredible journey so far.
Pre-Parelli I did the best with what I knew but now I know better; I want to do better!
This is my blog to document my progress as a natural horseman.
Want to 'follow' my blog, fellow blogspotters? Add my url to your list on your dashboard to stay upto date!
View my profile
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I am owned by this gorgeous piebald cob mare, Lily. She's an interesting character, fun to play with and is a great teacher.
There's more about her on her own page.
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It's not about disposable horses; it's about relationships for life.
It's not about quick fixes and artificial aids, it's about savvy; true understanding and expertise.
It's not about winning and others losing; It's about win-win: you and the horse need to feel good.
It's not about me me me; It's about changing the world for horses, becoming a person of knowledge and influence, and sharing what you know.
It's not about fear and doubt; It's about unconditional love and trust.
Love for the empowerment of others and trust that you'll never ask the horse to do something that would hurt or diminish his dignity.
Reveal your horse. Discover your potential. Live your dream.
-Parelli
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Profile designed, made and coded by Lucy Parelli Student.
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posted by Lucy at 