Dancer's Boss, my 26 year old QH is a solid LBI. He has to see the cookies to be motivated. So combining his love of food, and my fear of riding, I got him tacked up with halter and snap reins and had my husband Albie boost me up bareback. We were in a small paddock and I checked flexion. very stiff. Two or thee times and he softened right up.
We were off! On horseback I sidled up (a few false starts but finally he got what I was asking) and we opened the gate sidepassing towards it. (my cues were sloppy as I was sort of freaking out at being on horseback bareback).
The game today: the ONLY game today besides friendly: Let me direct you to a pile of hay.....you eat and be calm. Then follow my focus using the least cues possible to another pile of hay. rinse and repeat.
It took him about 10 mins of being introverted (I sat quietly and took deep breaths saying to mysef "I'm ok, you're ok,") before he really started to breathe and then figured I was not asking that much, and when he figured it out the game was on. First time I picked up the reins very softly...he tensed. Boss had been in his previous life kicked to go and pulled to stop....ect, you get it. So he's never liked riding or saddling or anything that didnt' have to do with eating.
So we went to the first pile and stood there for 10 mins....I could actually feel his skin slide into relaxation and he started breathing. It was really nice. I was tense, too, and really tried hard to stretch and relax...
We rode that way around the field for about 30 mins. He was soft and relaxed at the end...I put belly down and feet up on his hips trying to get him ok with me lying accross him.
Nice session and he was licking and chewing a lot.
I at one point burst out crying I was so happy or could it be shedding some old emotional baggage?
Very successful time with Boss....I'm happy!
April 23, 2010
April 19, 2010
She RAN to me~ :)
Today the white mare of my dreams who has broken my heart by running from me this week and last week and the week before....pricked her ears at me and ran To me! I could feel my heart smiling....watching that lovely face and a soft expression run to me. Ears pricked forward. Nice.
Ironically I was with another horse at the time and when I took a moment to smile at her, nod, and send her love, I had to protect my herd with Boss and send her away. It was something I didn't want to do but it made her want to be with me more! Boss is a gem that sadly, I did not appreciate until I found Parelli. He's an LBI with LBI tendencies occasionally (much less lately) and funny as heck. Smart, calm, a rock. I thought he wasn't good enough for me cause I liked BIG horses. What an idiot I was. I hardly ever did anything with him the whole time I've had him and now it's almost too late. He's getting older...26. Today I just did lots of belly scratches and the shedding comb, gave him some sheath cleaning and a treat here and there and he was parking out, putting me on the itchy spot and the licking and chewing...wow, his tongue was hanging way out! funny to see and sad, as our relationship has just started really after 15 years. I'm ashamed of that, but happy I finally got a clue at what a great guy he is.
Fiona has been running from me so I must change my strategy. Today was a lesson learned. I have to get this. Not to do the thing that I initially want to do always is sometimes great and wonderful. I wanted to grab her and hug her to me,stroking her soft and beloved face--which makes her want to run from me. Today I sent her away, which really was the thing to do as it piqued her curiosity. She kept trying to come to me...finally I finished with my 26 year old fuzzy bear Boss with a belly scratch and invited her in using the inhale and a tiny backward lean.
She came right to me and very briskly....this is something I have been working on...doing less and getting more. It was beautiful. I let her sniff my head and then had to do a little gentle arm block. This mare can be pushy but she's very sensitive and I feel that in the past I have yelled with my body language when just a tiny 'no, do not crowd me' in a whisper would do. Today I whispered and she gave me my space while continuing to want to be with me. She was inquisitive and sweet. I petted and scratched her all over, did a little front end movement both ways (phase 1), stick with me at liberty, lifted all four feet (found a sweet gum ball in one and got it out with the shedding comb) and just loved on her. Got her to put her head on the ground, she sighed, and I walked off.
Today was a really lovely day here. 70F and sunny with puffy white clouds. A slight breeze, which occasionally made me a little cool.
Exy (4) and O'Rion (5) were trying to come in but I was with Boss today...so I defended our herd of two. He's always been very dominant (with me previously and with the herd) and today it was nice to see that he accepted me as leader--just stood there while I ran everyone off and he never gave an evil look or any of the other things he usually does when they come in too close to him. His face remained soft and calm.. This is not the norm with this dominant horse. He was content to let me be boss mare...I loved it. The first day I tried Parelli games with Boss he attacked me. We have come a very long way and I've had to dig deep for patience with this guy...he will go catatonic on me if I push him. RBI tendencies. today he was rocking to keep my scratching in the right belly place and the licking and chewing went on for a long time...tongue just hanging out. He kept turning and looking at me and licking and chewing. This is big for Boss and I was so happy that I was able to spend about 30 mins currying him and de-shedding him.
He has gained weight and I'm thinking of doing a little bareback riding with Boss as he loves to go slow and so do I.
We're having fun. Might not be on the fast track but we're on our own journey of discovery and I'm smiling a lot. Must be right for me. :)
here she is taking an apple from a visiting non-horsey friend--converting her to horsey!
Ironically I was with another horse at the time and when I took a moment to smile at her, nod, and send her love, I had to protect my herd with Boss and send her away. It was something I didn't want to do but it made her want to be with me more! Boss is a gem that sadly, I did not appreciate until I found Parelli. He's an LBI with LBI tendencies occasionally (much less lately) and funny as heck. Smart, calm, a rock. I thought he wasn't good enough for me cause I liked BIG horses. What an idiot I was. I hardly ever did anything with him the whole time I've had him and now it's almost too late. He's getting older...26. Today I just did lots of belly scratches and the shedding comb, gave him some sheath cleaning and a treat here and there and he was parking out, putting me on the itchy spot and the licking and chewing...wow, his tongue was hanging way out! funny to see and sad, as our relationship has just started really after 15 years. I'm ashamed of that, but happy I finally got a clue at what a great guy he is.
Fiona has been running from me so I must change my strategy. Today was a lesson learned. I have to get this. Not to do the thing that I initially want to do always is sometimes great and wonderful. I wanted to grab her and hug her to me,stroking her soft and beloved face--which makes her want to run from me. Today I sent her away, which really was the thing to do as it piqued her curiosity. She kept trying to come to me...finally I finished with my 26 year old fuzzy bear Boss with a belly scratch and invited her in using the inhale and a tiny backward lean.
She came right to me and very briskly....this is something I have been working on...doing less and getting more. It was beautiful. I let her sniff my head and then had to do a little gentle arm block. This mare can be pushy but she's very sensitive and I feel that in the past I have yelled with my body language when just a tiny 'no, do not crowd me' in a whisper would do. Today I whispered and she gave me my space while continuing to want to be with me. She was inquisitive and sweet. I petted and scratched her all over, did a little front end movement both ways (phase 1), stick with me at liberty, lifted all four feet (found a sweet gum ball in one and got it out with the shedding comb) and just loved on her. Got her to put her head on the ground, she sighed, and I walked off.
Today was a really lovely day here. 70F and sunny with puffy white clouds. A slight breeze, which occasionally made me a little cool.
Exy (4) and O'Rion (5) were trying to come in but I was with Boss today...so I defended our herd of two. He's always been very dominant (with me previously and with the herd) and today it was nice to see that he accepted me as leader--just stood there while I ran everyone off and he never gave an evil look or any of the other things he usually does when they come in too close to him. His face remained soft and calm.. This is not the norm with this dominant horse. He was content to let me be boss mare...I loved it. The first day I tried Parelli games with Boss he attacked me. We have come a very long way and I've had to dig deep for patience with this guy...he will go catatonic on me if I push him. RBI tendencies. today he was rocking to keep my scratching in the right belly place and the licking and chewing went on for a long time...tongue just hanging out. He kept turning and looking at me and licking and chewing. This is big for Boss and I was so happy that I was able to spend about 30 mins currying him and de-shedding him.
He has gained weight and I'm thinking of doing a little bareback riding with Boss as he loves to go slow and so do I.
We're having fun. Might not be on the fast track but we're on our own journey of discovery and I'm smiling a lot. Must be right for me. :)
April 15, 2010
following blogs
Hello my Parelli friends,
I just wanted to say thanks for your blogs, your comments, your following me and allowing me to follow you. You inspire me to try harder, to play harder, to make progress. I wish you all lived right around the corner cause we'd have one heck of a play date!
Hope to see you either in person, on the forum, at a tour stop, or maybe one day when I get to the ISC. Can't wait to meet you if I haven't 'already. I have met some of you, and that's been really wonderful.
I'm in the Over the Hill Gang on the Forum and the Carpe Diem group, too. Great groups of people and I learn about a lot more than horses from you all. Thanks for that.
:)
Keep it Savvy,
Shelly
and Fiona my partner.
I just wanted to say thanks for your blogs, your comments, your following me and allowing me to follow you. You inspire me to try harder, to play harder, to make progress. I wish you all lived right around the corner cause we'd have one heck of a play date!
Hope to see you either in person, on the forum, at a tour stop, or maybe one day when I get to the ISC. Can't wait to meet you if I haven't 'already. I have met some of you, and that's been really wonderful.
I'm in the Over the Hill Gang on the Forum and the Carpe Diem group, too. Great groups of people and I learn about a lot more than horses from you all. Thanks for that.
:)
Keep it Savvy,
Shelly
and Fiona my partner.
April 2, 2010
Lovely Sunny Good Friday--one hour play
Rode Fiona bareback today..twice. First time she was soft and nice, I did pushing passenger and bend both ways. The herd was bucking and farting and her head was UP UP UP so second time laid accross her back, then got on and did an emergency dismount cause I thought of it. really trying to move closer stay longer. She was like...wha??? why'd you get off? but I was happy.
Then tried to get back on but she was never giving me permission so I took her out of the field...did some moseying, grazing, then games with the trailer. Loaded her once, did yo yo backwards on and off trailer...played can you put your back feet on the ramp? Can you go in circles around and on the ramp? never did try to load her again.
some back ears at first out of field...but then she calmed right down and when I engaged her mind ears came forward and she was ON me...looking and really present with our games. Nice!
Put zone 5 on things. One was a wind chime (a very large loud one!) and one a post and she never flinched. I was so proud of her!!! Nice expression throughout. No backwards ears with zone 5 touching.
grazed some more.
Synched our energy--stick to me and beyond that (spelling) and did transitions with upping energy and then a deep breath to slow/stop. I did sort of dressage on the ground with shoulders in and shoulders out--I had to look at her hind to get her in the right frame for this (she did really well) and then sideways both ways. (on ground with no touching). Had to touch her side with elboy gently once. Otherwise she offers sideways always...she loves it!
She offered to put feet on things, we did patterns, and she did really well. She tries to go sideways in the figure 8 middle. funny.
then let her go and did shedding duty on the whole herd. They are shedding like crazy. Exy backed up to me like "get my butt right here please." funny..the lip was going when I did scratch her tummy...
when Exy was eating I put all my weight on her and a leg over. she just stood there. I love that girl. She has that huge neck like Perch momma.
Then tried to get back on but she was never giving me permission so I took her out of the field...did some moseying, grazing, then games with the trailer. Loaded her once, did yo yo backwards on and off trailer...played can you put your back feet on the ramp? Can you go in circles around and on the ramp? never did try to load her again.
some back ears at first out of field...but then she calmed right down and when I engaged her mind ears came forward and she was ON me...looking and really present with our games. Nice!
Put zone 5 on things. One was a wind chime (a very large loud one!) and one a post and she never flinched. I was so proud of her!!! Nice expression throughout. No backwards ears with zone 5 touching.
grazed some more.
Synched our energy--stick to me and beyond that (spelling) and did transitions with upping energy and then a deep breath to slow/stop. I did sort of dressage on the ground with shoulders in and shoulders out--I had to look at her hind to get her in the right frame for this (she did really well) and then sideways both ways. (on ground with no touching). Had to touch her side with elboy gently once. Otherwise she offers sideways always...she loves it!
She offered to put feet on things, we did patterns, and she did really well. She tries to go sideways in the figure 8 middle. funny.
then let her go and did shedding duty on the whole herd. They are shedding like crazy. Exy backed up to me like "get my butt right here please." funny..the lip was going when I did scratch her tummy...
when Exy was eating I put all my weight on her and a leg over. she just stood there. I love that girl. She has that huge neck like Perch momma.
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