Boss has a soft expression today

Boss is coming to me now of his own accord. His expression is soft and he's friendly. Hanging arnd doing nothing has paid off for now. I'll slowly build him up to riding again. I want to really ride a lot bareback to improve my seat (it has been horrid til now and I'm strongly suspecting my saddle is way off balance).

Bareback pad is great and so is bareback. Actually, I'm surprised I feel way more comfortable riding bareback or bareback pad rather than with the saddle. (Wintec).

lots of friendly tonight.

Exy was pretty funny following me around like a little groupie. She makes me laugh. Such a sweet girl.

Signing off for now...be back soon.

Fantastic Play Today

Today: FANTASTIC play session with the horses. Started out with Fiona. We did lots of play with obstacles and little things like pine cones, fences, stick to me both sides with fence and out in the middle of the field. Lots of friendly. Went to jump and she got sort of inside herself. so i just stayed there, when she came out we retreated and did nothing for a while. Lots of licking....
She was SO CALM and wonderful that I tied the rope on her neck and put her by a wagon...and got on bareback. Rode along the fence, did stops by raising the rope and backed up. Back along fence. Then called it a day. I scratched her a lot before I got off...we just stood there. Jumped off and then she licked and chewed. She then came to me...and hung around. Such a sweet look on her face.
Then I stalked hineys in the field. 'Cause they kept pointing at me. so ...it took three times of getting behind zone 5 and WHAP! and then everyone turned to look at me as I stolled briskly around the field.
Boss came to me on his own with a lovely expression, and I called it a day.
When I fed the dogs and came into the hosue I could see Fiona watching me...I waved and came in to tell you guys all about it!
:) Good night!

Feeding time had been interesting in the past. We did have some behaviors that were obviously dominant. Although those behaviors have not stopped all together we have realized with Parelli's help, that ears pinned was NOT to be tolerated, and we've started sending O'Rion off with zone 1 any time he looks at us with ugly thoughts. This has brought about a rather interesting change of attitude and also the way he looks at us is much nicer. Here is a pic of him running to dinner with his Dad, Albert. Albert is my husband and while he's not in the Parelli program, per se, he's learning by default how to defend his space, how to turn away a horse at feeding time with pinned ears, how to do jumping jacks to keep LBI boy O'Rion out of his space with no conflict (dang, that man's crazy...I'm going over here, you can almost hear him thinking!) I'm very proud of Albert. He actually got ON Fiona when I'd played with her for an hour and she was so quiet and LB. This is the first time in 19 yeras he's been willing to get on a horse, and he did it with halter and 12' line! (I led him around, but still it's huge). The hand means "NO PICTURES!" Duh. He's an introvert..can you tell?

Lately I've had some interesting times with Boss (older QH). He's becoming more and more introverted whether or not I do ANYTHING. So I'm just hanging out with him trying to do Friendly. No pressure, no looking at him...just sitting nearby and letting him know I'm waiting for him to offer. Occasional treats and scratches help.

Last night he went starey and head down at the water trough. Hardly any breathing (hope no one sees me at this water trough). I had done nothing to him but squirt the others off to cool them. Apparently this was too much for him. So I just sat with him, not looking at him, and then did concentrate on the dirt on the ground in case I was sending sideways energy to him (looking with peripherals, ya know?) 10 mins. later he came over to me and yawned all over me, almost putting my knee in his mouth while yawning. I had a hard time not laughing at him. he licked my knee and sniffed me all over (this is big for this independant boy). Rubbing his head on my leg, he then quietly walked away. I called it good for a nice friendly session. HARD to do nothing ! but I'm making myself DO NOTHING. This is savvy that I totally attribute to Pat and Linda! In the past I'd be all over him like WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU????? SNAP OUT OF IT! chuckles. I'm smug in the knowledge that I, FOR ONCE IN MY LONG CAREER WITH HORSES, did it JUST RIGHT!

This QH is a rescue and when I got him oh, say, 18 years ago, he refused adamantly to put a bridle on unless you wanted to chase him with it for an hour....and he would pull back something horrible. I got the bridle issue sorted by myself, pre-Parelli, but I now realize I did it their way, approach and retreat, and gently. Never did I force him. So I always knew I wanted to do things a different way. Now I have the program to guide me. If there were any BIG problems I was stumped. But now I'm really quite confident I can handle almost (I say again ALMOST) anything. Fear is still an issue but that is slowly, quietly, dissipating. I have walked on Fiona (that's big for me, folks). I can do anything (this is my mantra when I get unconfident...go slow and you can do anything). It's helping!

Thanks Pat and Linda! I love Parelli!

Feeding time had been interesting in the past. We did have some behaviors that were obviously dominant. Although those behaviors have not stopped all together we have realized with Parelli's help, that ears pinned was NOT to be tolerated, and we've started sending O'Rion off with zone 1 any time he looks at us with ugly thoughts. This has brought about a rather interesting change of attitude and also the way he looks at us is much nicer. Here is a pic of him running to dinner with his Dad, Albert. Albert is my husband and while he's not in the Parelli program, per se, he's learning by default how to defend his space, how to turn away a horse at feeding time with pinned ears, how to do jumping jacks to keep LBI boy O'Rion out of his space with no conflict (dang, that man's crazy...I'm going over here, you can almost hear him thinking!) I'm very proud of Albert. He actually got ON Fiona when I'd played with her for an hour and she was so quiet and LB. This is the first time in 19 yeras he's been willing to get on a horse, and he did it with halter and 12' line! (I led him around, but still it's huge). The hand means "NO PICTURES!" Duh. He's an introvert..can you tell?

Lately I've had some interesting times with Boss (older QH). He's becoming more and more introverted whether or not I do ANYTHING. So I'm just hanging out with him trying to do Friendly. No pressure, no looking at him...just sitting nearby and letting him know I'm waiting for him to offer. Occasional treats and scratches help.

Last night he went starey and head down at the water trough. Hardly any breathing (hope no one sees me at this water trough). I had done nothing to him but squirt the others off to cool them. Apparently this was too much for him. So I just sat with him, not looking at him, and then did concentrate on the dirt on the ground in case I was sending sideways energy to him (looking with peripherals, ya know?) 10 mins. later he came over to me and yawned all over me, almost putting my knee in his mouth while yawning. I had a hard time not laughing at him. he licked my knee and sniffed me all over (this is big for this independant boy). Rubbing his head on my leg, he then quietly walked away. I called it good for a nice friendly session. HARD to do nothing ! but I'm making myself DO NOTHING. This is savvy that I totally attribute to Pat and Linda! In the past I'd be all over him like WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU????? SNAP OUT OF IT! chuckles. I'm smug in the knowledge that I, FOR ONCE IN MY LONG CAREER WITH HORSES, did it JUST RIGHT!

This QH is a rescue and when I got him oh, say, 18 years ago, he refused adamantly to put a bridle on unless you wanted to chase him with it for an hour....and he would pull back something horrible. I got the bridle issue sorted by myself, pre-Parelli, but I now realize I did it their way, approach and retreat, and gently. Never did I force him. So I always knew I wanted to do things a different way. Now I have the program to guide me. If there were any BIG problems I was stumped. But now I'm really quite confident I can handle almost (I say again ALMOST) anything. Fear is still an issue but that is slowly, quietly, dissipating. I have walked on Fiona (that's big for me, folks). I can do anything (this is my mantra when I get unconfident...go slow and you can do anything). It's helping!

Thanks Pat and Linda! I love Parelli!

just posting a pic of the first Natural ride with my LBI/LBE boy, O'Rion. He's three now and I'm concentrating on taking him to higher levels on the ground.

Big News:
Went to play with Boss, he IGNORED me totally, so to respect him, I left him. Another day. I figured I'd let him know I'd not force him.
Fiona seemed interested so I played with her. backed onto trailer, went circles around trailer, did one foot on ramp, two feet on ramp. Forward to ramp. Back off ramp. Both hind feet on ramp...back into trailer. EASY PEASY. One tiny RB (mild) when we got way away and O'Rion called to his momma. I upped the energy and she calmed right down. (yes, maam I AM the leader. Ignore that brat!) ha ha.
WELL...we did ALL sorts of things and it was fantabulous! She OFFERED first time to let me get on (fumbling and all, she stood still) and I rode with halter and lead rope (tied on for reins but I used one at a time). Pushing passenger, mirroring, and a little turn around the yard with direct rein (she started up without my really asking but my heart was pounding at first so my energy was up). I stopped with tromboning and each finger, backed two steps with leaning back first, then gently lifting and she did great. I jumped off, practiced emerg dismount, (she did great) then I GOT BACK ON...and rode around the yard a tiny bit. We grazed and I mirrored. I was NOT AFRAID and I GOT PICTURES!
THEN...drum roll..........Albert expressed an interest in getting on. This is the first time in 19 years. She was happy to just stand for him, so he got on bareback, and I walked him around the yard. I got pictures of this, and BECAUSE I took his pic, he jumped off. GREAT DAY. For some reason I couldn' t get on to photobucket or PSC with home computer but will keep trying. I'm CHUFFED as my Scottish friends say!

Played with Boss, made it short. Backed him thru the gate and then let him go. He was really engaged and seemed interested, even when everyone but him was eating hay. Nice session. Then Exy came over so I grabbed her. we did a few things, including friendly, (scratched her with the line and halter), porcupine, and squeeze between me and fence. Before that, it was put your nose here and there. she was a little bit scared, so I just stood for about 3 minutes (seemed FOREVER) until she licked. hard to do nothing! but I kept playing it over in my mind one of the DVD's where they said LBI needs time and do nothing. Hard to do! She had a nice expression when I let her go.

Then played a catching game with O'Rion, was going to stalk his hiney but he started coming to me so I turned and walked away...he followed a long way! I gave him a soft look and left. It sort of blew his mind.

Fiona: did a little friendly and scratch with the halter. Put halter on, took it right off...then let her sniff it on the ground. Then I Put it on her again, took it right off, and left. Head way down...lots of licking. i'm trying to be unpredictable! I think I was successful today!

Rained here, cool and very humid! Lots of bugs flying and biting. Got dark so I called it a day.

Night all!

Savvy on...

short sessions with everyone

Played with Boss, made it short. Backed him thru the gate and then let him go. He was really engaged and seemed interested, even when everyone but him was eating hay. Nice session. Then Exy came over so I grabbed her. we did a few things, including friendly, (scratched her with the line and halter), porcupine, and squeeze between me and fence. Before that, it was put your nose here and there. she was a little bit scared, so I just stood for about 3 minutes (seemed FOREVER) until she licked. hard to do nothing! but I kept playing it over in my mind one of the DVD's where they said LBI needs time and do nothing. Hard to do! She had a nice expression when I let her go.

Then played a catching game with O'Rion, was going to stalk his hiney but he started coming to me so I turned and walked away...he followed a long way! I gave him a soft look and left. It sort of blew his mind.

Fiona: did a little friendly and scratch with the halter. Put halter on, took it right off...then let her sniff it on the ground. Then I Put it on her again, took it right off, and left. Head way down...lots of licking. i'm trying to be unpredictable! I think I was successful today!

Rained here, cool and very humid! Lots of bugs flying and biting. Got dark so I called it a day.
Night all!
Savvy on...

Very Stormy

Yesterday lightening hit 20 feet from my husband. YIKES! Scary. I just realized (trying not to think of what could happen?) The tree I was standing by is the one that got hit 10 minutes later! I was 2 feet from the tree. scary...and so happy it waited!

I got Boss out of the pen, lead him at first then drove him to different things, put your nose here, put your nose there. No thresholds noted even when we went far away from the herd.
- We'd done some squeeze in between two trees, with carrot treat after. Success!
-Circle around the tree--oops you're wrapped around it...what to do? Lots of licking, and calmly walked out from behind the tree. got photos of this, need to download.
-put bareback pad on savvy way, No big deal with lead line on ground, Boss stood like a champ. I did put it on his neck at first and just looked at him. Funny expression 'cause he thought he knew what was coming. I'm trying to mix it up a little...so he won't anticipate my moves. Worked.
-porcupine is phase 1 hindquarters, phase 2-3 front (LBI--hard to move front end. hmmm).
-no biting, no kicking, no attacking, which is an improvement over the VERY FIRST time I tried 7 Games with Boss. He about pulled me off my feet first day. Now pretty smooth and easy. Success is in the small steps!
-Lots of pausing, backed to a really green spot with lush grass. WHAT? You mean you don't want me to do anything else? he seemed to say. Grazing is good. Funny looks, but he dove right in. Fiona wants to stand at attention and I have to practically force her to graze. Boss is right on it..."yes, Ma'am, I'm grazing now." He's a piggie really. Hogging up the grass. Funny really.
-sideways to the trailer with "put your side on tire". He was uncertain of what I wanted, but I stayed persistent and he got it. I relaxed, put my head down and went motionless when he got it. Lick, lick. Head down. nice!

I got up on a brick ring around a tree to try to get on the bareback pad. Well, this area needs some more friendly/work/not sure what. He was putting himself at right angles to me...no way did his back get near me so I could get on. I did circle sideways all around the tree. Moved away from trying to get on as that was a no go. Thought I'd change the focus. Tried again later but no go. More friendly needed, I guess, and more undemanding? We'll see how it goes. No hurry as I want this for the long haul, not just for today.

Lightening stopped my session when I had just gotten him all into it. disappointing but we'll live to play another day. I mentioned it hit right near hubby, it was about 20 or 30 feet from me but I was under the barn. Scared the poo right out of me! Thank goodness we're all ok. Put Boss right up and came into house, no more play today!

Savvy on and I'd love to hear from you!
Shelly :)

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Contemplating a new partner

Dear Cyber friends (not sure if anyone is out there, but here goes). :) this pic is a little blurry but my camera is acting up! This is Fiona, ID. Look at those ears. She's always been very friendly and comes to me whenever I go into the field. Very gratifying.

Been a while, just been really busy with the farm, getting up hay, and trying to work two jobs. I'm sure you know how it is.

Lately with my partner Fiona (lovely girl RBE with more LB tendancies these days) I have been having some fear issues with the RB portion of her mind....will she freak out when I'm on her? will I be able to stop her? Fear plain and simple...not fun.

My Quarter Horse Dancer's Boss (we just call him Boss) is 22 yrs old and a been there, done that kind of guy. He's LBI and can be quite a standoffish horse but if you can get his attention (give up the treats now!) then he's quite lovely. Anyway, I am thinking that my first experience with especially riding and getting the horses to know what I want should be easy. So I'm changing my primary partner (although I'll still play with Fiona as she is brilliant especially on line).

First day I did undemanding 30 mins. he ignored me totally.

Second day I rubbed him all over and played seven games heavily laced with horse treats. he was into it! Ears forward and happy.

Sat on him third day. Bareback Pad and halter. Asked nothing....bent toward which ever direction he bent in and just mirrored.

Day four tit for tat. Stood in sun (bareback pad) , roasting for 30 mins while he swatted flies. Then I got up my life and asked for us to go into shade (It was 98F that day). Stood there for 30 mins. Then he took me into the sun again. Thirty mins of roasting. Back into the shade for 30 mins.

LOTS of licking and chewing....I hope he realized I was not going to force him to do anything. We did give treats with the asking to go into the shade.

Fifth day treats were given a little less liberally (I don't want him to become a monster about it) and we did mirroring and tit for tat and let's stay on the fence. We used orange cones to give a visual place to turn around and he did brilliantly with the rope being thrown over his head. This guy is wonderful. I have had him for 18 years and he is such a nice trail horse. But he has a really rough trot. I'm begining to appreciate him, however, since he's just so laid back and easy going. I can take him anywhere on the farm and I'm not worried.

Once before Parelli my husband, a runner, said go with me...I'll run, you ride Boss. So along we went on a dirt road about half a mile from home. Boss stopped and wanted to back to the house. If I had known what I know now....sigh.

Boss is hilarious when we play on the Parelli playground. I have to not circle him as he can go Right Brained on me, but if there is an obstacle to jump over then he's ok. He can go introverted and then catatonic if I don't take breaks (we don't go there anymore).

Along with Boss there is Exy, who is now two years old. She is a Percheron/QH cross (her mother was a PMU mare from Canada. She has been immersed in Parelli Natural Horsemanship since the very day of birth and is a joy. She follows me around like a puppy! I just love her...she'll eventually be a wonderful partner. She's mostly LBI with some Exuberance at times. She needs lots of time and is very responsive to the most subtle cues. I just love her. Did I say that? In the middle of a month long program of saddling the savvy way. She is ok with saddling so far. I went right along with the video and did things the way they said. She was allowed to paw, lick, bite, chew an old western saddle I had (dry rotted so she can do what she likes with it) and she was ok with me putting it on her and taking it right off. I have put strings around her middle and tightened them, then loose immediately. Tight. Loose. Tight/Loose. She sort of jumped the first time, by the third it was a non-issue. I guess I'm coming up on GETTING ON HER FOR THE FIRST TIME! That will be interesting....I can feel my butterflies acting up although truly I'm very happy that I'm FINALLY in my life able to start a horse from scratch and do EVERYTHING. Not one other person has ever played with this horse or done anything with her. (BIG SMILE!) For some reason I'm fearful (what if this, what if that...) gotta master this. I've about had it with myself!

Was able to talk to Linda Parelli at the tour stop I attended, and she said treat myself like a LBI. Go slow...lots of breaks. So I am.

O'Rion is my three year old ID. He is a sweet heart. Very mouthy and Left Brained but can go introverted on me if I push too hard. I've had to learn to go slow with him but it's amazing how quickly he "gets it" when he's taught something! Very smart boy. he's playful and funny. Very obedient once he's in his halter and is a joy to work with. He LOVES the green ball and playing with it. So does Exy and I laugh at the two of them trying to play soccer with it. Not too long ago I turned my head and O'Rion pulled out the plug and the ball deflated. We were able to find the plug, re-inflate (albert said he pumped the green ball up for what seemed like an hour!) and play with it some more. Just took a second.

On July 4th some people came over wanting to see "that thing I do with my horses" :). So Fiona and I put on a "7 games with an obstacle" show for them. They were impressed! We did sideways with and without a fence with me 15 feet down the rope, mirroring along the fence backwards and forwards, squeeze game with a fence and another horse, And just think we're only Level 1-2 ground skills--we did all games with some poo and the fence, and sticks and whatever else I could find to back over, sideways over, whatever. Put your nose on this tree, (I was in zone 4). She is really a great horse, and I love her. Wish I weren't so stinking afraid when I get on her back (I guess watching how she USED to be has gotten me spooked, and to get over it I need a baby sitter--Boss).

Weather was growing stormy so we quit but hopefully I have some converts! Maybe they will buy the program and get learning before they buy a horse (they are looking for one now, and they love Gypsy Vanners, Shelley!) The lady wants a Vanner and the man wants my O'Rion. No way will I sell him! Unfortunately, O 'Rion is the type of horse that people might challenge and then beat as he might seem a bit unruly and dull at first, but get his cooperation and you're in! (TREATS and lots of them now and no one gets hurt).