I'm so excited each time I play with my partner Fiona. She's just mellowing so much from a RB freak to a thinking, participating partner! It's so fun! Two days ago we played in our Parelli Playground and she was calm going out there (first time no RB tendencies upon leaving the field) and when we got there she offered sideways a few times. I got on the pedestal after having invited her up there, and had her move her hindquarters all around the pedestal both ways. She did brilliantly. Eyes calm, blinking, just lovely.
We moved over the the tire and when she got there she was unsure so we backed up a few times, ended with her putting foot on tire (tractor tire with no dirt). I liked my friend Shelley's suggestion of leaving it open to put all feet in and pivot. so far we've not gotten that far but she will sniff and paw it and put one foot sort of in it. It 'grabbed' her foot and there was no freak out and hystronics like there would have been in the past. She did have her head come up a bit but quickly figured out how to lift her foot out. I was so proud of her!
Progressed to the little jumps. Did stick to me over the jumps (about 18 inches tall) and then some sideways (me out in front 15 feet-3 meters) and she did really well but going to the right her HQ lagged. But eyes very attentive on me and face soft, engaged. I told HQ to straighten up and they did. To the left it was pure poetry. Made me smile really big!
I am trying to be subtle with body language and this sensitive mare apprecaites that. She is amazingly soft and responsive.
Have worked on put your head down and working towards me mounting via her neck. Very good in that area. No problems there.
all games are very solid.
(just for my reference for later, you don't have to read this)
-Porcupine is phase 1 on left side, front. phase 2-3 on her right but HQ is phase 1-2. .
-Driving is phase 1 on all sides, front and back.
-yo yo phase 1 mostly on backing. Just starting out phase 3 to come to me....then later she comes way more easily.
--Falling leaf and S-bends are really nice and we always end with her getting a lovely look and coming in. Zone 1 used to be a problem (stiff) but now gives easily with no bracing.
-Friendly all over. No problem except: Front left ear is a problem. She doesnt' want me to touch inside her ear. I'm working on it. Loves being scratched all over, belly, between teats, massaged on legs. Massage tail. No prob.
-Circling--sometimes she does stop behind me or come in prematurely. Sometimes it is a perfect circle and we have done travelling circles with me kicking a barrel while she did perfect circles. needs a tiny bit of work.
--Squeeze is really great. She has a few moments with tight squeeze but we retreat and advance and it gets better very easily. nice.
Still have problems getting her OVER an object to jump unless it's small. I know this is squeeze at work and we'll keep at it.
hope you enjoyed this installment. more later!
on our Parelli Journey together, Fiona and me. Next will work some more on Pushing Passenger. That is my weakness. I've had some fear issues since a horrible broken ankle about sidelined my walking forever.
gotta do approach and retreat with myself, too, evidently.
March 28, 2008
March 14, 2008
a wonderful breakthrough
Two days ago it was Very Windy and cool. I wondered if it might be too windy but them I remembered, It's not about the wind. So out I went.
I put all horses into a small paddock so she could catch me as there have been some running away issues lately and that HUGE pasture was just the ticket to ignore the human in. SO..I put her in a place that she couldn't ignore me, I walked by, and she caught me. Easy.
We went out a new gate. Scary for her, so advance and retreat and soon we went a little further. There was a flapping tarp which threatened to eat her so we advanced and retreated a little more and walked sideways and backwards. Soon she offered to pass the tarp. I was very happy with this. But kept quietly telling myself Fiona was going to freak out and attack me --she did the first time I took her out of the field so it threatens to stay on my mind. (I got a grip and re-told myself it was going to be all right, that there was NO chance I'd let her go there, and to get a GRIP, Shelly.) I mentally slapped myself and carried on. No more mental chatter.
We walked to a barrel of pine cones and sticks that had blown over with the wind and the dogs. She offered to lick it and sniff it, then put her foot on it. I quit everything and let her explore to the point that she cracked the trash can! (don't tell my husband). Kept putting that huge foot on it. OK by me. Carrot time.
Then we played games with the horse trailer like I stood on the ramp (you can't go in there) and did circles to left and right ending with side of trailer. Then we put a specific foot on the ramp. She was starting to get into it with a soft eye and two eyes on me, two ears alert. NO freaking, NO attacking and all was well. I had hay in the trailer and a tarp on the floor. She offered head on ramp, then feet, then neck. As light was fading we quit. Good place and her face was so sweet and soft. Wind had died down, too. Nice evening. I turned her loose, she walked away and then IMMEDIATELY CAME BACK! HUGE! HUGE! Put her head on my hand and lowered head. Very sweet! I was tearful.
I was chuffed as my friends say.
She kept her eye on me and kept coming in to me for comfort. I allowed it each time, as each time I did let her come to me her head went WAY down and she was very calm. I let her stand with her head on my chest for a few moments stroking her face and throat then asked her to very softly move away and she did with no problems. And she came in with a very soft expression. NO dominance at all. This was a very RBE and now she's evolving to a LB. I'm amazed! So far no extreme behavior except when she has the occasional revert to RBE (usually because the herd is yelling at her and bucking and running) and then I quickly get her attention with turn and face, turn and face, and let's do it quickly...and she almost immediately gets control again. It's amazing!
On Monday I took her out to my Parelli Playground, which at this time consists of a Tractor Tire with no dirt....four jumps in a circle....some poles laying on the ground, and a pedestal. And a fence along one side.
We got there by retreat and advance from the gate after about 4 mins. She did rather well.
Played with all things in the playground and rotated, not staying at one thing very long. Kept it moving and fresh. She offered to get on pedestal and put foot on everything. We did sideways over a post first time today!
cool!
Great day and no freakouts. But she ran from me when we were finished. :(
I put all horses into a small paddock so she could catch me as there have been some running away issues lately and that HUGE pasture was just the ticket to ignore the human in. SO..I put her in a place that she couldn't ignore me, I walked by, and she caught me. Easy.
We went out a new gate. Scary for her, so advance and retreat and soon we went a little further. There was a flapping tarp which threatened to eat her so we advanced and retreated a little more and walked sideways and backwards. Soon she offered to pass the tarp. I was very happy with this. But kept quietly telling myself Fiona was going to freak out and attack me --she did the first time I took her out of the field so it threatens to stay on my mind. (I got a grip and re-told myself it was going to be all right, that there was NO chance I'd let her go there, and to get a GRIP, Shelly.) I mentally slapped myself and carried on. No more mental chatter.
We walked to a barrel of pine cones and sticks that had blown over with the wind and the dogs. She offered to lick it and sniff it, then put her foot on it. I quit everything and let her explore to the point that she cracked the trash can! (don't tell my husband). Kept putting that huge foot on it. OK by me. Carrot time.
Then we played games with the horse trailer like I stood on the ramp (you can't go in there) and did circles to left and right ending with side of trailer. Then we put a specific foot on the ramp. She was starting to get into it with a soft eye and two eyes on me, two ears alert. NO freaking, NO attacking and all was well. I had hay in the trailer and a tarp on the floor. She offered head on ramp, then feet, then neck. As light was fading we quit. Good place and her face was so sweet and soft. Wind had died down, too. Nice evening. I turned her loose, she walked away and then IMMEDIATELY CAME BACK! HUGE! HUGE! Put her head on my hand and lowered head. Very sweet! I was tearful.
I was chuffed as my friends say.
She kept her eye on me and kept coming in to me for comfort. I allowed it each time, as each time I did let her come to me her head went WAY down and she was very calm. I let her stand with her head on my chest for a few moments stroking her face and throat then asked her to very softly move away and she did with no problems. And she came in with a very soft expression. NO dominance at all. This was a very RBE and now she's evolving to a LB. I'm amazed! So far no extreme behavior except when she has the occasional revert to RBE (usually because the herd is yelling at her and bucking and running) and then I quickly get her attention with turn and face, turn and face, and let's do it quickly...and she almost immediately gets control again. It's amazing!
On Monday I took her out to my Parelli Playground, which at this time consists of a Tractor Tire with no dirt....four jumps in a circle....some poles laying on the ground, and a pedestal. And a fence along one side.
We got there by retreat and advance from the gate after about 4 mins. She did rather well.
Played with all things in the playground and rotated, not staying at one thing very long. Kept it moving and fresh. She offered to get on pedestal and put foot on everything. We did sideways over a post first time today!
cool!
Great day and no freakouts. But she ran from me when we were finished. :(
March 9, 2008
Savvy Journey With Fiona
2006 Aquired Fiona, an Irish Draught (ID) broodmare. She had been ridden a total of once by a local "professional Predator" who Fiona ran off with! She came to me pregnant and completely Right Brained. Talked to her and petted her every day for a year.
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