My Parelli Journey with Fiona the (formerly) runaway brood mare.

First Draft Level 2 On Line

2011-04-22T03:14:00.004-04:00

http://youtu.be/CoeRFCwmCnY

OK. Here is the ROUGH, very rough, first attempt at doing Level 2 audition on line. Please do not laugh. And be kind. PS...I have written a song that will be on my finished attempt! It is going to Nashville to be made into a demo! I'm psyched! (hint: it's about things Parelli).
THanks!
:)

Level 2/3 Camp

2011-03-26T00:04:00.000-04:00

Just returned last weekend from a Level 2/3 Camp with Kelly Sigler, *** Parelli Instructor. It was amazing and fun, with a little bit of crying thrown in. I learned a lot and had to REALLY up my leadership when Fiona and I got home as she decided to really test me. Snaky head, head tossing, the whole lot. She ran from me (hadn't done that in a long time).

Hmmm, instead of getting upset, I got busy being a great leader. I got myself together, put her and the herd in a smaller area and played catching game for real. When we were through she came to me, I was able to disengage her from way far away, we did some on line lovely stick to me, then drifted back to zone 3, 4, then 5 with moving friendly. Progressed to zone 4 driving with the new little lines (I love them). And had fun. She was engaged, in tune, and was obedient.

I had such fun with my friend Allison, but was sorry my sister, who is recovering from foot surgery, couldn 't be there.

As no one has sent me any pics of me here is one of my friend and her horse Sunny.

Fun with Tarp

2010-09-30T23:46:00.001-04:00

Moderate breeze today so of course it was great weather to play with a tarp. Really wanted to give O'Rion confidence so flapped it while walking backwards from him. He finally got curious, so I let the wind take it a little more, then placed it on the ground and motioned him towards it.

Usually I put pressure outside zone 1 he pushes against it and goes toward pressure, then runs off. So I'm really trying to do LOTS of friendly but supporting my notion of pressure when he's not afraid. I want him not afraid of the CS or me. But I need him to do what I ask (he's huge and could hurt me). First time he was asked to go to my left with pressure outside his left zone 1 he immediately went forward (success) so I quit in mid ask.

He lipped and bit at the tarp for quite a while while Exy grazed with one foot on it. Cute pics but I can't get them on the computer. Pity. I need to take my camera more often.

Exy allowed the folded tarp to be placed all over her and then I left it briefly on her back while I got the pic. Exy did really well.

After that O'Rion kept biting and pawing it. This went on around 10 mins or so. I put the folded tarp in his zone 1 and did friendly with it. Called it good.

Really nice session tonight. I'm pretty happy.

When I slapped the ground Exy ran to me so that was amazing. :) She's coming along just fine. I am trying to get him and her both to load comfortably so that perhaps one of these days we can go somewhere easily. Tried the other day but thresholds kept us from getting there. No worries, we'll keep working on it.

That will give me something to have a program with. 7 day loading program for Exy and O'Rion both.

Meanwhile Fiona's ear is still scary looking but it's healing. Will not be asking her to do anything til that ear heals. The halter would possibly hurt her ear so that's out taking her anywhere.

Nice healing session with Fiona tonight. I did Healing for Horses (basically healing touch) on her and she blew and put her head down, very relaxed. I thought to myself
that I just wanted to offer her this with no expectations for a return. Just then I had the urge to cry....I went with it and then she began lipping and grooming my shoulder. She tucked her head into my chest and we stood like that for a while. Sweet moment.

Stick to Me Walk and Trot with Exy

2010-09-28T20:29:00.003-04:00

Fiona as a Pirate no more...

Today I noted that Fiona's mask had cut her right ear right in the crease pretty badly. I took it off....I"m sick of it and so is she. ENOUGH already. Her eye still has a small white haze on upper middle of eye, but she can see. I'll keep treating it but she's been through enough with that dang mask...enough. After 2.5 months with it on ENOUGH.

Fi's Beautiful ears. I love her ears...almost cried when I saw the right one today...cut is about 6 inches long and 1/4 inch deep. This happened either last night or yesterday after I saw her. It wasn't there then. Mystery. Treated it really well, cleaned, put cream and anti-fly cream around it. She's been through enough I think. I do not want to totally ruin our relationship.

This is what happens when I'm out in the fields.

exy the sweet and funny. We had such fun tonight.

Rode Boss bareback, he's 26, I basically just sit there as he's Mr. LBI I can't move...so I sit if he wants to stand there fine with me. He's AMAZED I'm not making him do anything...it's blowing his mind!

She on the other hand...loves to play and is in my pocket the whole time I'm out. I had a blast. Exy is my nap girl...she loves to nap. I find her lying all over the field with everyone else standing guard.

I'm all sweaty and stinky right now from playing with my horses. However, I had a wonderful session with Exy, my dapple grey mare. She is actually pretty amazing and very funny. We are playing at stick to me...and she loves to jump on the tarp if I drag it just like a little frog...stiff legged and jumping...it's hilarous.

Tonight I had her walk and trot mirroring me...if I walk, she walked....if I sped up she trotted but I did have to reinforce the trot, but she got it right away. I stopped by exhaling and relaxing..then stopping, she stopped. This went well on one side and pretty well on her other side....preparation for ridingbareback with no bridle. (not sure if I have good enough balance for that but it's my goal at least at exhibitions. also I ran from her and she chased me...she got it right away.

The other horse behind her, O'rion, (rose gray) is a big scaredy cat and I played with him doing lots of friendly, but he wanted to duck out of pressure like put his nose to the ground and then paw. LOTS of friendly and he wanted to bite/lick/chew the carrot stick so I let him. I did a few things with him then let him go. Backed through two fences in stages, let him graze in between, with friendly on gate and friendly on him, too. LOTS of retreat with him...but he's still afraid. I kept thinking "you're ok, I'm ok." didn't seem to help. Also "do what I say but don't be afraid" to myself. He wants to go introverted as a learner, but loves to play with Exy...so I'm trying to be really really patient.

Albie is working nights this week so I did most of the chores alone and fed all the critters. Lovely weather here after it cleared up from this am's rain. I'm grinning from ear to ear. Exy makes me laugh out loud...I need to take pictures of her faces. If you scratch her in the right spot she pokes her lips out and wiggles her lips.....hilarious.

Making the best of Confinement

2010-09-20T21:22:00.004-04:00

Fiona is still alone in a smallish paddock behind the barn and posing as a pirate with her one eyed mask on (small holes to peek out of the other eye)--autoimmune problem with blisters that almost ruptured the eye. It's now stable but we have at least three more weeks of treatment. Yikes. We BOTH are about over it...I'm doing lots of friendly on the eye before and after treatments and tonight she put her head on my chest and sort of snuggled, and I must say she didn't give me too much trouble today. She was very sweet. Yesterday a different story. Think bobbing for apples...that's her head. Down up down up down up...get away from my eye!

Today I did some back by the tail. went Very well...two tries and she shifted her weight back first time, then almost took a step back second time...I quit. Trying to tap it in...not hammer it (I have to REALLY work on that cause I get excited and want to do it again and again and again! yay! ) Horse is looking at me like what's your prob? I'm bored.

Then stick to me. Not very good. She kept thinking I wanted her to back when I wanted her to go forward. She was afraid so I laid the halter over her shoulder and then she got it with the connection and we walked all over the field...over a log...and then back to the water trough. Hate to just have her standing around in the field with her mask on and all these months going by...really working on the relationship and trying to make sure she's ok with trailering and all the stuff we have to go through to treat the eye.

friendly and slap the ground, treat. Rinse, repeat...I want her to come to me when I slap the ground. We did that about 4 times and then she started getting it so I quit. (trying hard not to torture her).

At this point I noticed Exy standing in an empty water tub (it's knee high to her). So I zoomed over there and asked her to keep front feet in the tub and move hind end around in a half circle both ways. Funny expressions. When we finished she seemed stuck in the bucket so I asked her out. She got out and then put herself right back in. I walked away figuring she'd figure it out. When she did make it out of there, I dragged the tub with her chasing me. watch those toes!

O'Rion came to investigate so he got lots of scratches. We played about three turns of "shoulders" and he's not getting it. Feels too much pressure and runs off. Gotta do that on line.

Having trouble with him flipping from RBI to LBE. He can be a pill--very naughty and loves to play--as well as be Mr. Fraidy cat.

Really really want to ride him. He's been played with in the games since he was born and now he's 5. but he's SO BIG that I'm afaid really to be the first one to put lots of miles on him. I need a western saddle so I'll feel a little more secure. Still dealing with pesky fear issues. Same for Exy...I need to get to riding her but am afraid to really do it....but I"m convinced it'll be a non-issue...but still have trouble going forward.

gotta get to riding...I WANT to ride....just want a little less grass green horse. And Fiona is half blind these days with the pirate mask.

I'll work it out....one of these days.

No Water and Playing with a Bag

2010-09-12T19:24:00.000-04:00

Our water has ruptured. Sucks... We're roughing it til Albert gets a day off and digs up the water line...it's bubbling up when the pump is on right outside my kitchen window. Can't figure out what went wrong...tree...old age of line? Who knows.

So watering horses is a trial... went out to make sure they had plenty of water for the next couple of days. They did so of course I wanted to stay out with them.

But it's HOT...so I keep directing everyone to the shade.

First Exy. We did stick to me, friendly with the rope. She was doing brilliantly and then I think a gresshopper jumped on her cause she exploded bucking and I saw a grasshopper shoot off her back! That started lots of running and bucking...and she was kicking out in MY direction, so I encouraged her to move her feet really fast and now! She made a huge circle and then kicked O'Rion. So I asked her to move some more. She ran around for about 4 minutes and it was so hot I allowed her to have a sip of water, then asked her to move away from the water and move her feet since her last circle had her head turned outside the circle.

This time her head was turned to me so I allowed her to drink again. She stood there blowing for a while and she faced me so I retreated and she followed. Lots of friendly.

Then approach and retreat with the bag on the end of the carrot stick and she almost immediately tried to jump on it, so I was happy with that. It took about 30 mins of approach/retreat to be able to put the bag on O'Rion and he did start to go introverted once, so I retreated more than approached, and he finally allowed me to pet him with the bag. He nuzzled it once, so I called that good.

Boss took direction from accross the paddock when I was trying to get him to go out. I pointed softy, shook the bag to zone 5 and he went out. Nice.

knee is hurting today (Physical therapy starts this week for 6 weeks then they decide if I have surgery). I'm going to prop up on couch. All animals fed so Albert can give hay and haul water.

Fiona's eye (autoimmune problem with cornea) is doing well BUT we went to Univ of Ga Wed and they cut her cornea getting out the catheter. (eye roll) so now we're dealing with that. Small cut, and I'm hoping it's all healed up by Tuesday at the latest.

She still has her pirate face/eye mask on. Hopefully this will end soon.

My Parelli Journey with Fiona the (formerly) runaway brood mare.: More Fun Liberty with Exy and O'Rion

2010-09-01T22:01:00.000-04:00

Parelli Natural Horsemanship

More Fun Liberty with Exy and O'Rion

2010-09-01T21:57:00.001-04:00

Today was hot as hades here, in the 90's, so I have to admit I was not that motivated to play, so of course we ended up playing like maniacs and had a blast! Honestly I forgot all about my knee pain during this, it was fab! (hurt knee x 1 month ago, Doc appt. Friday).

Initially I took my CS out to help with crowd control when I let Exy out of the small pen (she grabs everyone's food so we just stick her out of the way of trouble).

I thought let's do stick to me! and it was a total bust as a HUGE, I'm talking prehistoric Horse Fly from HADES got on her butt and the bucking and farting started. GAME ON...Exy will Zoom up to me to get flies swatted and this time she zoomed up, and zoomed on by bucking and farting...I was glad she didnt' stop so as she was looking out towards the woods away from me I encouraged her feet to go faster. SLAP on the ground. Neutral position...O'Rion joined the game bucking, galloping and farting. I noted that Exy went wayyyyy down the other end of pasture and took a turn so fast her hind went almost out from under her...she was very athletic jumping a limb and more bucking and I thought it was a good thing I was not riding that!

I moved them around a bit then turned them at the fence on either end....they turned towards the fence, so I encouraged more movement. When they cantered by I cantered to establish harmony (we're talking wimpy cantering but I was thinking I'm cantering) and there was a lull in the action when they slowed and trotted, so I trotted, too. (it worked! :) ) so I allowed a stop and drink. Exy wanted to come to me but she was Way too on adrenaline, so I softly asked her to go away and she BLASTED by me again. You would have thought I had taken a HUGE bite out of O'Rion's butt the way he blasted off. Silly boy. I took pains to do lots of friendly at this point.

By this time sweat was rolling down my chest and face...shirt soaked and dust all over my nice shoes (what was I thinking to do farm work in Bjorns?!) LOL...I had been on a date with my husband to dinner and didn't change clothes...poor planning I guess. Or just lazy in this heat?

Boss (26 yrs) just stood eating hay prolly thinking what are these idiots doing in this heat? No way I'm in on this madness. Smart boy.

We got into harmonious cantering again and then trotting and they looked calm so I asked them both in. Both stood about 6 feet away and heads down, breathing hard, so lots more friendly and then some belly and ear scratching...I wished I had my camera as Exy now has a new itchy spot I found and her face was hilarious! O'Rion just put his head way down so I scratched my way up his mane. This boy has to be 17 hands. He's a monster!

Such a fun day!
Now the plan is kick back with some lemonade on the couch and become a potato.
Have a lovely evening of your own. :)

Update on THE EYE

2010-09-01T21:42:00.000-04:00

Today Fiona's eye, which they tell me is an autoimmune condition that may or may not have had a fungal infection and/or a bacterial infection (but they said it was not trauma, for which I'm forever grateful, as I was afraid I'd hit her in the eye with my Savvy String) is looking a tiny bit better, I'm happy to report. It still has a small milky patch right at and below the pupil on the cornea but she can see (I tested it) and seems fairly comfortable EXCEPT when I'm either pulling on her eye catheter to make sure it's seated (like they told me to do) and when I'm injecting the meds. We clean the mask twice a day, change pads, and put meds every 8 hours. I"m tired of this routine, I have to admit. But I'm doing what I have to do for my girl's eye...ready for this eye to heal!

Please send all the happy thoughts/prayers/healing energy you can for Fiona's left eye.
Thanks!

updates Fiona at UGA

2010-08-01T20:57:00.000-04:00

Fiona's Opthamologist is a terrific guy who calls me "Mom" when he talks about Fiona...as in "Mom, we're doing this or that." I love him!

Updates are very positive although they had a scare where she quit sweating and respiratory rate went to 60. This was after shavings were tossed around her (and me) and I noticed I was having trouble breathing in the shaving dust. They told me that wasn't it (I'm not convinced). I was afraid for her...but she's improved now. They put two fans on her and She's breathing around 40 bpm now.

They are to call tomorrow to let me know if I can go pick her up after 12noon. I'm getting the truck ready first thing in the AM so I can go pronto!

Wish us luck. Albert (hubby) is taking day off to help bless his little heart.

I'll get him to drive down there while I keep leg elevated (I hurt my knee) but I'll drive my girl home. :)

Fingers and toes crossed for her to be home tomorrow! We'll have to treat her every 6 hours for weeks. No worries since I do this at work, too. Can't wait to have my pretty girl back home.

Keep her in your prayers and me, too.

Fiona Emergeny Trip to UGA (warning ugly picture)

2010-08-01T20:47:00.001-04:00

my pirate girl.

arriving at UGA

On Saturday I noticed that Fiona had a horrible looking eye, called the vet. No one called me back. I was freaking, gave her some antibiotic ointment. FINALLY got someone on the phone on Sunday, he says he is out of town, and a vet is coming on Monday to see patients. Sheesh! I'm ticked.

OK so I work all night, get the vet there first thing, and she says ya gotta go to Univ. of GA vet school.
I'm still mad cause someone should have looked at her eye on SATURDAY. Not her fault, so I don't take it out on her.

Got Fiona loaded in about 15-20 mins. This is a record. She is TERRIFIED of the trailer and I just kept saying to myself, "this is not about the trailer, this is about me as the trusted leader." She snorted a few times, I let her go on and off a few times, and then we closed the doors in stages, open closed, open closed, repeat a few more times, I closed them and took off. Stopped at McDonald's to get a bite and checked on her--she was sweat soaked-- offered her water (she would not take any) and then we were off for good. I threw a little water on her to cool her at least. Drove a little more than 1.5 hours to UGA (I'm lucky I'm that close) and they admitted us.

I asked for a few moments to "settle her." I had her walk sideways and backwards, and then we went to the barn.

First time in the barn she was a little RB calling and head was up but not on the ceiling, I was happy with her. She immediately began calming.

Hopped right up on the obstacle (I mean scale). They were impressed.

Took her right away to an exam room and they poked and prodded her, she behaved gloriously taking it all in stride. I was about to burst with pride. I told everyone who would listen "this is a Parelli horse. check it out! Parelli.com." yes, I'm a nerd.

Head was occasionally up, but I asked her to put it down and she calmed. Re-read the blog title...she was a STAR!

They sedated her (she did VERY well with the needle--one guy, no histronics) twice--did well both times. Again, about to pop with pride. She was SO BRAVE. And SO Well behaved! Yes!

They put a catheter in her eye under her eyelid and that was a tiny bit hard to watch cause a student did it (Main Doc supervised very well). Fiona tolerated it very well (drunk) and when she was coming around they were still sutering but she took it amazingly well.

I brought treats and when she could have them she got some! Also used Lavendar aromatherapy during the procedure and she eagerly sniffed it. I left it with them for her.

coming home without her was HARD.

Relationship and Draw building

2010-08-01T20:28:00.000-04:00

Spontaneous session today.
Dad came over and picked up a broken lawn mower, and some of our dogs like to bite the guests' tires, so carrot stick in hand I prepared to defend Dad's tires.

Exy watched the proceedings so I thought let's play!

Asking her to come to me, very successful and she actually stopped outside my space, which is huge. (she's a space hog=dominant). Something I've been working on, making the horses staying out of my space.

I rewarded her for that with some scratches.

We went to the two salt holders and did at Liberty figure of 8 around the holders with salt. At first I was able to get her to go in a circle one way, but when I drove zone 1 it was too much so she left (although calmly) so I went to her, got her attention, smiled and backed up really fast inviting her. SHE CAME! I was so happy I scratched her some more. Lip action (must bring camera for that, she's hilarious) so I was successful with my reward.

Trying to keep my energy WAY down as I'm LOUD with body and energy sometimes, and she's very sensitive and I can throw her into RB behaviour with too much asking/demanding.

So that was my focus. Be gentle, be calm be clear. Take breaks. Not straight line. Think laterally...(hard for me).

Moved front end and hind end around with phase 1 and then had to touch her hair a ltitle, so that was good. I'm proud of her, she's really trying to get it and do as I ask.
Pause for dwell...licked, chewed. Waited til she looked at me and then we moved on.

There was a grazing incident and I had to stalk hineys...everyone gave me their face pronto! I was just going after Exy's butt but everyone else was in on it, too, and turned and faced. Good herd. I greeted Boss and let him touch me.

We did liberty put your nose on something after that and she got it right away...good girl. Nose on the ball, nose on fence. She stuck with me pretty good but then wanted to get behind me. Got a little frightened when I applied pressure in zone 4/5 way out from her body come up here with me. Tried to before this do friendly on whithers and would have driven from there but couldn't reach there she was so far back. She walked away and started grazing (I'm boring?) so I made noise, she looked at me, and then we started again. Was coming to pop her under her tummy or something to get her attention (yes, I'm the leader, sister) but she gave me it before I got there so I didn't have to go there.

A couple of times she lagged so I ran backwards and she came to me with a lovely pert expression.

I quit and came in, cooked a lovely pesto with basil from the garden and am having a glass of wine.

:)

Amazing Draw! Just Like Black Beauty!

2010-07-12T16:40:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I had an amazing day, so amazing just like I dreamed as a little girl--AFTER Exy threw a fit, acted all crazy, tried to dominate me, and then came at me with evil intention (I retreated behind the fence but kept the I'M THE BOSS WITCH! Attitude going) and her feet moving. After all that mess, there were still more MAJOR freakouts. O'Rion came over and I chased him away protecting my herd of two. He started bucking and farting and trying to kill one of my dogs, which set Exy off RB. Phase 4 to snap her out of it made her worse. Circles against a fence fixed that. He freaked out again, and she spooked but then looked to me as her trusted leader and chilled quite quickly. It was impressive. Albert bought me a special heavy duty tall cone, so we played with that. Sweet guy!

I had planned to ride Fiona but she ran from me when I took her tack and began scratching her with it, so since Exy ran TO me I played with her. I had planned to start riding Exy but her behavior was NOT rideable so that plan was nixed quite early on.

Anyway, I played with her on some patterns and then did "Stay in that box" when she kept trying to take over and come in to my space. At that time I was shaking and taking deep breaths cause she scared the poo out of me a few moments earlier. stay in box is a good game to play when you're trying to get your stuff together. I was actually shaking! she had been squealing and flying straight up into the air then at me...yeah, I was frightened for a moment. but kept telling myself YOU'RE THE LEADER YOU'RE THE LEADER NOT HER. You can do this! You're ok, You're ok. I did think out loud at one point towards her "I was afraid there briefly but now I'm ok and so are you."

We had some AMAZING liberty after that, but even with me turning away she felt too much pressure and zoomed off. I was deep breathing and just doing friendly but it was too much for her. I was actually turning my back to her when she ran. So I kept going away, regrouped, did friendly whilst retreating. Then signalled her sweetly to come to me.

Oops, she's back. she came GALLOPING to me and stopped right in front of me! It was amazing! Ears forward, wonderful expression, that moment right there was when I thought of Black Beauty and how I loved my herd and life with horses.

We did more liberty, she felt too much pressure again from me and ran off...I did friendly with the whole herd and when they went ZOOMING by I closed the little gate to keep myself from running over 15 acres, and just contended with 5 acres. I moved them when they turned away and retreated when they faced me.

They tried to drink. I allowed one drink them MOVE off, sister!~ (it was hot).

Exy immediately caved and turned to me as leader. Breathing hard, she stood right behind me and followed me wherever I went. It was lovely. I put her in front of me and tried to join Fiona with Exy in a line in front of me. Never did get that.

Fiona next, but she was hesitant to approach. I kept up friendly and retreat, and then she did approach me. I scratched her with her tack again and then left. She was like WHAT WAS THAT, You're not grabbing me? Again a little while later I asked her to come in and she did, I scratched her then left. More ogling at me. funny!

O'rion faced and stood with a "what mom???" sweet expression so I took it.

O'Rion approached the fence and I played a short game of shoulders with him. After three times of turning him he got scared and ran away...I guess my energy was ZINGING after Exy frightened me.

Exy was running the herd as she's currently in a campaign to take over as boss hoss. LOTS of rearing, bucking, farting, darting through trees, I wished I had my camera...nice shots were happening all around me.

I said to myself I"M BOSS HOSS HERE, all face me!
Exy turned her bum so I stalked it and WHAP! Then turned around innocently "who me? I didnt' do that!"
funny. She faced me all the time then!

Third time, they ran around like maniacs, Exy ran straight to me and stopped. I backed her up three steps and disengaged myself, called it a day. Walked smiling back to put away my unused bareback pad. A successful hour!

Fiona and the Squeeze

2010-06-30T13:25:00.000-04:00

Knee probs have kept me from playing much lately, but I wanted to be with the herd so I took my girl grazing and wanted to do something benign that wouldn't have me running or having an RBE moment with her (knee can't take it) so I did some sqeeze through a circle of PVC that was around 7 feet tall. Sort of flimsy so I had trouble holding it up and getting her to go through...enlisted hubby and she did it brilliantly. I was proud....however when she went through from right to left he put it down before she'd gotten more than three feet from it and she spooked slightly. zone 5 was not ok so must pay attention to do more there. However, I backed her under hanging strings (from a tree branch, looks tacky but it works) and INTO a wind chime with zone 5. I've used that wind chime a lot for all zones backing into and sidling up to. Nothing, she was ok with it. Funny.

Then the trailer. I had hay in the right stall so there was lots of hay grabbing, but we did circle on the ramp, back on and off ramp, circle around trailer. then yo yo onto and off of trailer. When she got all the way in she discovered there was nice hay in the manger. And I gave her a treat, too, scratched her back and did friendly when she was on the trailer rubbing her back and scratching her. She maintained a nice expression and no more freakouts so I called it quits. All in all a successful trailering/squeeze session.

Hose and Splashing Fun

2010-06-30T13:15:00.000-04:00

Two of the herd, O'Rion and Exy, are freaks about the water...they LOVE LOVE LOVE IT and will paw and splash until there is no water in the trough, so I have two troughs, one on a tall platform so they can't get in it! lol.

Fiona and Boss are not as great, although Boss LBI has had things done to him and he didn't seem to mind. Although I know now that he did mind, and was afraid of a bath.
He freezes and hardly ever exploded in the past, but he was almost comatose and staring with glazed eye if he became unconfident.

So yesterday I tried again (this has been an ongoing thing with him) to play friendly with the hose and water.

I did friendly with the water just as if it were the CS and string. Figure 8 around me with the water turned away from him. some staring. Retreat, he looked, I bent the hose so no water came out. Lick, lick, lick. Nice.

Repeated this for about 30 mins and my husband came over "What are you doing with the hose???" he didnt' get it...that's ok. I explained but he looked at me like I was a nut. I'm ok with it.

Retreat and advance with hose flinging a wet figure 8 (rhythmic pattern for relaxation) that didn't touch him. I was breathing with him...leg cocked (mine) and thinking "I'm ok, you're ok." Lick, lick. Every time he turned to me I bent the hose in half and backed a step away. Eventually he started turning 100% toward me and even advanced to the water. I put it on his feet, he started glazing over so I kept at it rhythmically with the silly figure 8 until he licked and looked at me...I bent hose and walked backwards. This is when the big breakthrough happened, he started tracking me with ears and turned to me and advanced wherever I went. Finally put water on his withers and back, and rump, (it was hot! and he is old, I wanted to cool him down) and he was ok with it.

Success! I gave him belly scratches while holding the hose in other hand, and he never glazed over again in this session. Each time I retreated he came to me and had a lovely soft expression. I ended on a very happy note, and a cool one, too, as I squirted myself to celebrate. :)

Hide your Hiney

2010-06-17T21:15:00.000-04:00

I think Hide your Hiney with the herd when I'm just ambling about is hilarious. O'Rion tends to get a little complacent about thinking of me as alpha...so his is the target usually...the others revolve around me like I'm a little sun. If I get behind, they turn. I love it. Not O'Rion and lately Exy made this mistake, too.

I have thrown pine cones, a tiny pebble, some sand, used the CS (of course) and then when they turn I'm looking at the clouds, like 'who me?' giggles. O'Rion only takes one time before he joins the planets that revolve around me, and he likes to peek at me a lot to make sure I'm not behind him. He's a card.

Today I was doing approach and retreat with the water...if anyone had come at me today with water I would have mobbed them yelling 'squirt me! Squirt me!' But Boss was a little skeptical. He got in the farthest corner and turned away, so I kept the water towards him but retreated, when he looked at me sideways I turned away taking the water away. Only took three times of this to have him face me but the hose was not long enough to get closer so I called this quits. To have someone to squirt I squirted myself and called it good.

Fiona has really been coming to see me lately, as I've decided we're not progressing until SHE takes an interest. She's so lovely, I just want to squeeze her, but she has to want to be my partner, so I'm playing with everyone else. She's more and more curious and that's what I want.

I really really want to ride, so that's good considering how fearful I've been in the past.

PS..I thought O'Rion was worried about going to the left over the log the other day because he stopped, started lipping it and looked like he was going introverted, so I backed him away from it and let him look at it, then asked for the other direction. That went well, so I reversed again and let him go left again. He was slow to pass over the (very tiny) log, but I didn't ask him to, just let him make that decision. He was able to paw the log and finally go over it. Success!

Hello Followers!

2010-06-17T21:04:00.000-04:00

Thanks so much to the people who have commented on my blog. However, I have a dilemma: I do not know how to contact some of you! Please email me at chebs1@aol.com if you want me to comment back to you on the comments you left (coming to mind is Petra). :)

I so appreciate your taking the time to ask me a question or just ready my adventures...it means a LOT! Thanks.

Shelly

Exy Playing with Tools

2010-06-13T20:13:00.000-04:00

Exy is another piece of work. Put halter on, she shook head and acted all pissy. So i took it off, wrapped it up and gave her a good scratch with it. Put it back on, with some wiggling for friendly and she took it MUCH better.

Then put saddle pad (hoping it would stand in for bareback pad) on the ground and directed her to it, letting her paw, bite, sniff, and lick it. In the background O'Rion went for the bareback pad on fence and was doing his best to demolish it, so I directed him to saddle pad and he went at it with Exy. They pawed and bit it, with gusto.

I began to feel better with O'Rion as he obviously had some issues...so let them bite it and carry on as long as they liked.

When I got way too hot standing in the sun I called it a day, took off her halter, and came in to the A/C.

Wanted to ride today. Plan changed.
Off to the pool.....

Can't get Permission

2010-06-13T20:01:00.003-04:00

Today I'm afraid I'm a little bit heart broken. After 5 years I STILL cannot get permission to get on to O'Rion. Oh my Gosh, WHAT THE HELL DO I HAVE TO DO?

I have studied Horsenality. To that end I have determined that he is RBI/LBI. With the occasional LBE thrown in.

O'Rion caught me right away. Played all games, and he offered to back up (nice). I started out today with lots of friendly. Retreat, mirroring. He finally licked and chewed. Took a long time.
Took him to water three times and he would not drink.

Got on the bareback pad with savvy, tightened in four steps and did lots of friendly in between.

Got him to go over a log. (tiny one.) Asked for a trot over it, he was worried to the left, but then played with the log. Bent him both ways (stiff to right although he got it quickly). Would easily disengage hind on both sides.

Played Mirror Me all along the fence, and he was brilliant!

Took him to the fence, climbed on it and gave him a treat, and then scratched him all over. Then asked him to come get me. I was there thirty minutes. Three times I tried to do the savvy mounting--got him in position, gave scratches. Waited. Big sigh, so I tried to rock him, and then grabbed mane and rein softly and put my leg on his side, he walked away. Repeated this multiple times, once tried to put my belly over his back and do friendly. He walked away again and never would get by me again. Pawed fence and ground. (I took this as a sign tension was building so I quit asking anything and just petted/scratched his mane and when he gave me his hind I scratched that). He did use his head to wipe me out once, or tried to. I did body blocks.

Seemed worried although I didn't ask anything except to have him stand by me and receive friendly scratches.

Finally I took off the bareback pad and halter/reins, put it on the fence and let him sniff/bite it. He seemed very interested to do so.

I am very disheartened. This horse was raised DAY 1 with Parelli and STILL I can't get on him with his giving permission. I"m sad today. Did think "this is for tomorrow" but DAMN, how many tomorrows does this take? I"m ready to ride and planned just to go passenger and bending, but if I can't even get on then why do I have these horses?

Had camera to take pics but never even thought of it once I got outside.

I AM very pleased that I know to ask permission, but would be pleased to advance some. Trying to rein in my emotional fitness, but just reporting how I feel.

Intriguing Stuff-Boss, Fiona, and Exy

2010-06-05T23:35:00.001-04:00

Today was lovely, I was very tired so slept til 4pm. Had no expectations.

First fed everyone, had Boss (old guy QH ) in paddock so he'd get all his feed. I'll start there I think.

So after he eats I do a lot of scratching and petting and such...LBI. My goal today is to get him to pick up his back feet willingly and with a very soft touch....feather-like. (this has been a challenge for us both).

first lots of friendly.   Then did some massage, as he has been quite stiff at times. He loved it! Put me where he wanted me which I love, so I worked on his haunches and really dug in there. If he could have laughed he would have.

Lots of friendly on back legs,
Now hovered over the cap of hock. Air, count to three, hair, count to three....waiting for the tiniest weight shift.
got to phase 4 and held it forever (hand cramping) I'm thinking PATient and passive persistence....I actually added a little friendly while holding phase 4 with right hand on cap, to his flank so he'd know I was ok, he was ok, but I wanted something and not to be afraid (he looked sort of going off into staring). This friendly on the flank produced some of the BIGGEST yawns and licking. I was on to something!
Weight shift and it was over.

change sides, he did the left side to phase 3 with friendly on flank.
I repeated sides three times to make sure he got it. Second time on his right I had to phase 4 it again...more flank friendly and HUGE yawns.

Third time on right it was phase 1 morphing into phase 2~ NICE! I quit, then thought I'll do ET! So I did saddle block, butt shots, and some of his shoulder and neck, and top of head. (with breaks). He loved it.
Lots more licking and chewing although instead of processing he was ready to leave the paddock, so I let him. He seems to be moving much better.   Lovely expression upon the end of session and he comes to me which is huge for our relationship (or lach thereof for 15 years. This relationship has TRANSFORMED). amazing.

Second: Exy eating...lots of friendly all zones, then scratch whithers (one of her spots) and then I went from sitting on fence to leg on her back. No response, so I laid accross her back. I was on there about 10 secnds, she took a few steps away and I just slid very softly off. This girl is ready to move on (I'm mega slow and want someone to put some hours on her correctly so the framework will be there, but so far I've done it all.   I'm pretty proud of our relationship, too, as she'll leave the herd for me and stay glued to me if I let her! (sometimes I have to protect another herd of two and it breaks my heart to send her away as she truly wants to stay with me.)

Yoga in the herd next as I'm working on my mind to quiet it and connect with the energy of the herd.
My yoga is one or two poses, so don't get ahead of me here, I'm mostly working on the mind with a stretch thrown in. ha ha.

Anyway, while I'm doing my thing Fiona comes up to me. Sniff, sniff.
I quietly began breathing in concert with her and put my body in alignment with hers.

Then did some slow deep massage strokes down next to her spine and along her rump. The reaction.   Amazing.

She looked at me with great surprise and then as I repeated the move she pushed against the move and slowly walked so that i was at her rump....leaning into the massage. face of bliss...
I worked on her butt and did long deep strokes with my knuckles and palms and she just leaned into me and cocked her hind leg, head down, ears on me. She lipped my neck and head. LONG time since she's done that. It brings me to tears the moment is so lovely.

The herd at this point leaves but she sticks with me. Lately I have felt our partnership is smoke, all on my part, and she's not into it at all. right now I feel connected, it's lovely.   I've kicked around the thought of just taking on another levels partner (Exy or Boss) but right now as we've come so far I hate to change although to be honest I have actually added them just not deleted her. Fiona's spook used to be the whole field. (at my house) She ran away with the "trainer" who rode her first. Now it's about 10-20 feet. I did that. That's real progress and this was a run away with the previous rider. I want to be what she needs. Have also started trying to ask WAY less with her to get more. She's SO sensitive I just forget sometimes that she's way ahead of me. So let's persevere...

She begins to graze so I mirror her with one hand on her whithers and one hanging like I'm grazing. I mimic her posture, breathe in concert, and we slowly walk and graze (me on her right side with my right hand plucking the ground, mirroring her steps, left hand on her and my spine mirroring her spine. She turnes to the right to look at me many times, (what are you doing?) so do I turn to right. We lift our heads to scent the air and look. We become one as we slowly move in concert. A lovely synchronization. she pics up a walk and I go with her. We rejoin the herd.

She watches me leave and the ears and face are soft, more with me than she's been in weeks.

for the tail end of the day I've had a lovely evening and as I go to help my husband bring in the night I smile a secret smile.

behind on bloggin

2010-05-24T20:46:00.000-04:00

I'm behind but that doesn't mean I've not been playing with my herd.
O'Rion was my recent selection as he caught me and off we went.

Played with building his confidence so did things he's comfy with and then added a tiny bit of new. rinse and repeat.

When I first started playing with this RBI/LBI guy I thought he was more LB than he really is, so I blew him up a time or two. I have slowed WAY down and that gets him confident, so that he can go faster--and I have to be on my toes cause he gets bored and then wants to get into trouble.

He's mouthy and can be the poster child for Alure's twin!

let's play tag!

He's funny and I LOVE watching him as he's another horse that was born right here and I think he's gorgeous. (I've not really seen any ugly horses, I might add). He is an Irish Draught who is going to be mine forever along with the others of the herd. His Mum was imported from Ireland and a friend was so kind to let me buy her when she dispersed her herd after her husband died.

(his nose is dirty)

I"m having the time of my life with my horses, and if I never ride again, I'll still have fun.

Exy

2010-05-24T20:33:00.000-04:00

This is Exy, my almost four year old. Her Birthday is 6/6/06 so her name, Exy, is "6" in Greek. She is hilarious and one smart cookie. All she's known is Parelli from minute one and it shows. She likes to jump on tarps, will play with anything. I have sat on her but need to ride her but have had a few fear issues, although she's really calm and pretty brave if she has a strong leader.

I love this girl, born right on my farm (a rescue, her mother was pregnant when I resucue the mother--a PMU mare (have found a forever home for Mom), so no flames about breeding please as I will keep this girl her whole life).

I plan to play with her tomorrow with the idea of sitting on her and just sitting, perhaps a little flexion and nothing else. (will do that from the ground, too, and have been all along).

This is a true Pocket Pony, who will leave the herd to be with me wherever they are. I can turn around and voila' there she is standing right behind me with a sweet expression and always wants to play.
I love this girl! Plan for her to be my partner long term. :) The journey with her is fun and she's so easy to teach. Thanks once again to Parelli for letting my dreams come true.

I ALWAYs wanted to raise a foal, but I did not have the savvy. Thanks to Pat and Linda I started her Naturally day one and have never looked back. this is one super duper horse!
I"m so lucky it just blows my socks off!

Smiling again.....

I RODE!

2010-05-24T20:03:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I decided to go with the easiest horse (duh) although this has not always been my intent or path. I wanted to learn the most and ride my dream horse (VERY SENSITIVE mare, my Partner Fiona).

Well. Once again, I have to kick myself for not knowing what I had. Dancer's Boss, very smart QH, who had a jarring trot, so I dismissed him as someone I would not be interested in bonding with (pre-Parelli) and now....he takes my breath away. I finally understand him and understand what he's been saying to me all these years. I've had him since around 1986 and he's always been the "guest horse," the one that anyone can ride, (can you say idiot me) and the one that I overlooked.

OK, enough hair shirt.

Yesterday I decided to play with and ride Boss. I WANT to ride, and I'm not afraid of him, so I thought I'd get on if possible (plans always flexible).

We played some games, did friendly (lots of that as he's sceptical of the CS) and wove cones, did fig 8 with cones, circled with obstacle (small log) and then I put the BBP on him with savvy...lots of licking and chewing. He's never liked being saddled and I'm afraid he was manhandled/abused before I got him, so the baggage was NOT from me. I've always been gentle with Boss and he trusts me.

SO...we did games with the pad on and then I got on. Lots of sitting. Lick, lick, chew, chew.

I did flexion and backing (on ground, too) and he was stiff/bracey on right side, more soft on left.   hmmm..how interesting.

Tried to get him to go out of the field...gave him an option, pointed towards open gate to playground, and he avoided it...so i retreated to the herd and did pushing passenger, tit for tat, and then tried again. Asked him to move ONE FOOT. then Stopped, said out loud to myself "don't' hurt yourself moving your feet! Let's just stand here." Lots more licking and tongue hanging out. funny.

After four tries (I was riding for the playground) he decided it was also his idea and out we went.

DREAM Realized. We got on the playground and circled a few obstacles--break for lush grazing...
and then he put his feet on the pedestal with me on his back!!! Yay! I was happy....more grazing...

then went back to herd and stood around swatting at flies. LICK, CHEW.
I played with him/rode for about an hour and a half total, maybe. Then called it a day.
His LBI horsenality was thriving on the treats! He was all about the treats and stopping to graze. It was lovely. I actually was comfortable to ask for a couple of trot steps! THAT IS HUGE for me with my fear issues.  I was beaming from ear to ear.

Today when I went out he was RIVETED! Nice! Ears way forward, pleasant expression,
and a Bonus...Fiona came to see me. I petted, scratched her and walked off. Her turn later.   :)

Bareback riding with Boss

2010-04-23T21:21:00.002-04:00

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!

She RAN to me~ :)

2010-04-19T23:42:00.002-04:00

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.

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.   :)

following blogs

2010-04-15T10:43:00.001-04:00

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.

Lovely Sunny Good Friday--one hour play

2010-04-02T23:27:00.001-04:00

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.

Finally Back playing

2010-03-20T20:10:00.000-04:00

After weeks of snow, rain, horrible wind, I'm BACK!.

Today was a snorting, rip-roaring, bucking, farting sort of day. I took my saddle pad and bridle (ha!) and opened the gate to the playground...thinking (snort) that I'd ride today. NOT. when I got outside I heard a huge machine tearing up the woods accross the road. They were NOT happy with this as it was clanky and loud. Messed me up...but I kept saying to myself it's not about the loud machine. It's about my leadership. so continued on.

First of all Exy Cantered to me. I thought Yes!~ this is going to be good...then the whole herd including Exy went roaring by and bucked, kicked, bit each other..reared....just general pandemonium. I saw Exy biting Fiona so I'm guessing she's taking over the lead mare position or trying to.

I had every horse turn tail and RUN from me full tilt! Each time I approached and retreated you'd have thought I was breathing fire and had a big I EAT HORSE sign on my chest. good grief.

It took me about an hour to have a horse approach me and catch me (Exy). So I played with her...she's pretty funny and a circle is really close for her....I tried to get her to back off some but didn't want to ruin the relationship over it. I took what she offered which was a lot. We played touch it with nose and feet. Circled over logs, did porcupine with hands. Squeezed over a log, turned and faced.
I was happy with a little today. LOTS of scratches and pauses in between. Lots of licking and chewing and today was the FIRST time a horse has rolled on the end of my line! I was happy with that.

O'Rion next. I only played touch it and lots of friendly with him....lots of scraches and letting him see/play with the line and halter and let him go. Blew his mind! I also was going REALLLLLLY slow and walking slow, not asking much at all. He was funny. The slower I'd go the faster he went. He's a hoot.

OH MY WORD I must have put my fire breathing person back on....more herd bucking and rearing up....freakout in general.

I did friendly with rope and halter and walked away..aproach... and retreat when they faced me.

FINALLY my partner Fiona licked and chewed and came to me.

She was so soft and pretty....I loved all over her with the halter and rope...they scratched her. More licking. The carrot stick scratched her....licked.

I played about three games then let her go.

Then led by leg both sides, moved HQ and FQ with fingertips and that was it for today.

Forget riding.

FAB Day Today

2010-02-03T16:23:00.002-05:00

I'm MAD! Took a pic of what I did today WHILE I WAS on Fiona and it was a FANTASTIC piccie, and now it's not on my camera.

OK, my plan today was friendly with all 4 horses of my herd, and PRACTICE MECATE REINS with the 22' (thanks, S!).

Went out with only 22' and halter. Fiona came right up (they all did) so I put on halter, went slowly as she seemed a tiny bit unsure. Threw rope from Z 2 about 8 times...head came down so I proceeded to tie reins. Did games with the reins like this and Fiona was So SOFT and SO Expressive, I thought "this looks rideable!" (!!! BIG THING FOR ME).

SO...I took her to an adjoining field and we played at the fence with the other horses, stick to me and move all quarters. Was trying NOT to think about riding (escalating fear in the past from just that) instead tried to concentrate on getting WAY more from WAY less. It worked! Phase 1 with fingertips to move fore and Phase 2 to move hind.

I thought, OK I'll get on the fence and practice the sweet spot pickup. That took WAY less time than in the past and she sidled right up with a little tweeking, but stood calmly. I rocked her (giving her plenty of warning. Shortened rein...put my belly on her back/withers. And rubbed, just hanging there til I could BREATHE. She and I just stood.

I slid off cause I thought about it. She did NOTHING. Nothing to even deserve that thought, but I'm working on MY brain, so I did it.

OK..moment of truth.

Got back on fence, she came right up and picked me up. I just stepped on and sat there.

She blew out, I did, too, and we both just stood breathing. NICE and NO FEAR AT ALL.

So the plan was follow the fence. There was lots of tweaking but she got it on the second pass down.

Then bend (I realize I should have done this first but was so happy to BE ON MY HORSE that I forgot.)

I did the rein positions that Pat sent in the last video and she did fantastic...right side was not quite as perfect as left, so we repeated both sides bending/disengage front. Last time I tried it was lovely and soft both sides but right is not quite perfect yet.

Then disengage hind.
Once I got MY body right she followed right along.

LOVELY!

So I called it a WILDLy FANTASTic SUCCESS and got off.

Then did more at liberty with follow a feel with the rope....
Fiona followed me at a zig zag with the tail of the rope over her neck. NICE!

I left and she came to the fence to see me off after a lot of scratches and rubbing and loving all over her.

amazing feeling....she was blowing and licking big time...we have a breakthrough with BOTH of us, I feel!

I FEEL 10 FEET TALL RIGHT NOW!

I RODE MY HORSE!

To answer especially Mary's questions: HOW did playing with Kelly's horses change my play with my horses or help me any? Wow...well it showed me that I was accepting things that were unacceptable. That my horses could be WAY more responsive than I was wanting/asking for/accepting. And now I want that...and I can see it peeking in to Fiona's and my play...she has become way more responsive because Buckly taught me how to ask, perhaps? Or she showed me what was possible in a real way and not "out there somewhere with some horse I'll never see." if that makes sense. :)

Attack Horses--Defending their property! (Beware of Horses?)

2010-01-30T01:25:00.000-05:00

OK this may be weird, but today there were two dogs who were wagging their tails, came to visit (they had a cat in tow). When my 5 dogs went to investigate them in the field the cat skedaddled, but they were all sniffing and wagging...until the idiot pit bull ran and body slammed one of the dogs. Chaos ensued with the two new ones trying to pin the pit bull. (he's a goof really).

Out of the blue, Exy and O'Rion gallop over and CHASE OFF the two dogs who were trying to fight my one dog. They ran them off good and proper. I wish I had seen all this...it was relayed to me by Albert, who witnessed the whole thing.

Funny.....I have attack horses!
Maybe I should change the sign from "beware of dog" to "Beware of Attack Horses....they will kick your butt."

2 1/2 hours, three horses

2010-01-12T17:25:00.002-05:00

I was taken to CAVALIA for my 50th Birthday in Atlanta by my sweet hubby. We had a lovely meal and then saw the show. Fantastic! I highly recommend it, although there was one stallion who did not seem happy with his job, most horses had ears forward and seemed to be happy with what they were doing. It was Lovely!

It was COLD. Do I look like I'm riding this one bareback? Ha ha!

NICE day today!~ It was 40's F today and not much wind. The farrier (new one and less expensive but I think just as good and one that will not pop my horses! Yes!) was coming today so I played with each horse before I gave him/her to the farrier. They all did outstanding! I was proud.   First was Boss (QH). We did friendly and then stick to me. Then moving HQ and FQ because of some nasty ears. Then friendly (he IS afraid of the stick). Circle with an obstacle (tree). Yo Yo over a log. then straddle the log and stay there. Then back and stay there. Lots of licking at this point. Circle of 8. Weave around some poo. Nice expression. Ready for farrier.

Next Exy. We did friendly and lots of that, some extreme friendly and driving in zone 3. Ready for farrier. she wants to play! Is very exuberent and I did not want to get her wild for the farrier. Just in a calm frame of mind. Success.

Third was Fiona. Friendly (she's afraid of the stick, too). I really did lots of blowing with the intent to bring WAY down my energy. She responded to this beautifully and was way more relaxed today (so was I and I could really tell she was trying hard to do what I asked.) We did Stick to me (beautiful!) and some moving FQ because of nasty ears. when the ears came back forward we moved on. Match my energy came next. Transitions on a circle up and down. REALLY the BEST ever today! I thought Walk...she walked, TROT, and upped my energy...what do you know...she trotted. (I had to support with the stick just a tiny bit the second time). Other side was brilliant! No stick support at all. Good girl! OK here comes her bugaboo...canter. I had to really keep my energy way up and WHACK the ground zone 5 but she got it and although I was thinking CANTER loudly in my head, I blew and relaxed while keeping my molecules cantering...she BLEW (lips flapping) and slowed her canter down beautifully...and when I trotted in my body so did she...then a duck landing on the ground. That girl STOPPED! YES! I was so proud. This is an extreme runaway who has had such strides of improvement! We did that three times each side and it was lovely with lots of scratches and a rest period on there (for both of us) in between. It was fantastic! Now if that can just transfer to the saddle we'll be cooking with gas! I'm chuffed!

Tried something that I did with Buckley, Kelly Sigler's horse, the passage. I thought UP and then did stick support under her chin and belly. She got it. Nicer banana than the fat belly hanging. Then we trotted and I supported under her chin/belly while I was ridiculously throwing my knees WAY HIGH...and trotting in place doing Passage with my body (it was hilarious I'm sure). She didn't get it at first so I stopped, showed her UP with head and belly again, and then tried it again. I think I got a little suspension that time (a tiny tiny tiny bit) so I called it good and moved on. She licked a lot....and had a really nice expression on her face! I'd say fascinated! Belly scratches.

I bowed really big and picked up her right front and brought head down....we did that three times and called it good. More licking. (really trying to do something way different than we usually do). Trying hard not to be BORING! I think Fiona really enjoyed our play time today.

Then did lead with tail. Fairly non-successful but I think I missed her giving HQ to me...so my fault that time.

Last was O'Rion, my bad boy...very mouthy and playful/naughty! Lots of friendly then extreme friendly zone 1/2/3. He did very well.
Circle of 8 with two piles of poo.   LOTS of licking and chewing and he picked it right up. Weave with poo.   He REALLy licked and chewed this time. And I gave him lots of time in between as he's LBI and can go over to RBI/catatonic if I push him. I laughed a lot and blew (trying not to get myself so straight lined and hyper).  Tongue was hanging WAY out licking..it was hilarious. Wish I'd had the camera. That'll teach me! It was a lovely day. At first we did have a little nasty ears back so moved FQ some...ears quickly nice.

(remember we have a playground but were at the fence waiting for the previous horse's hooves so poo looked really good to play with!).

O'Rion wanted to play with the rope so I said GREAT! Let me help you with that....and pulled it tight. he let go.

Lead by front legs. He did AMAZINGLY WELL, got it right away!    I was proud of my boy!

He did pretty well for farrier. Yay!

Late NOTE: The other night he choked. Albert left off his 5 inch rock (slows him down or he chokes). I heard him choking after Fiona put her head right up giraffe style...so I checked him out and found him choking. No air movement. Massaged his neck and got the food to go down....watched him for a while.   He stood quietly and let me get the lead rope/halter on even though he was making a horrible noise. I'd say just enough air to keep alive. It was VERY frightening.

Albert felt badly so I didnt' scold him, just asked him NEVER feed O'Rion again without his rock in the bucket! I feel without Parelli this horse would have been fighting for his life. He could not breathe!
I thank God every day for Pat and Linda!~

nighty night. My cat just gave me a love bite. she's a funny one.

Frozen hoses

2010-01-05T00:00:00.000-05:00

We had to haul water today as the hoses are frozen. It's COLD here!

Horses ran around like crazy...we put a new round bale of hay in the field. For some reason they thought they should help. It was fun. I love my horses..they really make it lovely around here.

Too cold to play but I got in some undemanding time and treats...scratches. Had nice times with all four today. Just simple undemanding .....nice!

talk to you soon!

Played with Buckley!

2010-01-04T21:36:00.000-05:00

AMAZING day yesterday!

Got to play with Kelly Sigler's Buckley...he was like a HOVER BALL! I thought something, he did it, and even did things I didn't realize I was sending out, but on reflection, I can see it. He did get his play drive up a little and we played shoulders...he really got BIG for a moment...so I backed off, but dang it was FUN! I was laughing.

Buckley likes to be CLOSE! So that was interesting with a horse I didnt' know, but he was right with me. Not over top of me but RIGHT THERE. He is AWESOME! did I mention I love Buckley!!

he sidepassed to me with just a string on his back and then faster than a walk....still sideways. Stick with me...LOVELY....

Drove from zone 2/3 then 3, then 4 then drove from zone 5! I was so happy.

We did spins. first time ever for me. He taught me how! (Nicola helped me see it).

Passage! Passage! We did Passage! Fantastic (on the ground). Made me really happy....thanks, Nicola!
She showed me how...and we were off! both sides easily....oh Buckley I love you!

Bad part: I had no camera. sigh....but memories are lovely.

He's the best. Hopefully I'll be better for my horse now.

thanks, Kelly!

part time job/barter

2009-12-23T20:00:00.000-05:00

Kelly Sigler is letting me do some computer work for her (data entry) and I'm loving being around her and on her farm. It's a lovely place. Eventually I'm bringing O'Rion to her to finish his saddle training (I'm not savvy enough at this point although I've made a good start). and Exy, too.

We'll be doing a workshop with Kelly at my sister's. Hope this is a trend, as it's certainly a DREAM COME TRUE to be around someone like Kelly.

I'm smiling. :)

Post Lesson happenings

2009-12-23T19:53:00.000-05:00

Private Clinic with Kelly Sigler, my 50th Birthday present from my husband...Birthday is December 28, went very well. I trotted without fear. a HUGE thing for me! Still licking over some things and it's really good. I'm still working on myself.

my herd

Fiona came home from Kim's house looking fit and more trim. we just never could get our schedules connected to ride, so I brought her home.

After weeks of putting Fiona on and off the trailer, driving just 10 feet, feeding her on there, ect...opening and closing doors, playing with lots of squeeze, we made the 15 min drive to the house and she was not quite as upset as going TO Kim's, she was pretty darned upset. Added to that fact that the herd went crazy running, squealing, bucking and farting all along the fence, I had my hands full (of her like a kite!) when we arrived home. She got off the trailer ok but was lightly sweating (an improvement) but then went completely RB aftter I had her in the yard.

We did lots of my back to the fence 180's and walked sideways all the way down the fence. FINAlly she calmed.

when I got her in the herd there was some pretty scary noises and striking. She was striking out at her beloved son, O'Rion, who had enjoyed a run of second in command while she was gone. Momma came home and took back over her herd...and it was fun to watch. I got some nice pics. :) Poor Boss was relegated to second and he kept trying to cut his herd out from Fiona, but finally the whole herd went with Fiona. It was sad to see him give up. He sort of deflated.

I've had wrist pain/numbness these past few months...it's flaring up now. so no typing.

I'm doing ok. Had a LOVELY Liberty session with Exy tonight (RBI/LBI) with a tiny bit of dominance, then softening and some lovely phase 1 (I'm going for feather touches and she responded well) yeilding in zone 3. When I had a little snake head and drove her away she went away sideways. I had to laugh. She loves sideays.

we had a community grooming sesson with Fiona, me and O'Rion, they were licking me and doing that soft teeth nip, then more licking on both hands at once. NICE...very soft looks from them and lots of licking and chewing right before the sesson.

I did some undemanding time with them both and they really responded.

Lovely ring around the moon tonight.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.
Love,
Shelly

Trailering

2009-11-01T01:12:00.000-04:00

For some reason say the word trailer in my home or take horse somewhere, and the truck and/or trailer hears you and acts up. Today is the back tire of truck. I've connected trailer to truck (Albert says WASH THE TRUCK AND TRAILER) like that's going to fix it. Anyway, put trailer on truck and noticed rear tire sort of flat. Albert takes truck to get tire filled. Today it's a tiny bit low. Tomorrow I"m on my own, he's working, so it's on me to put air, whatever it needs.

Fiona and I take off for the other side of town today technically so she can meet and greet with Kim's horses and freak out over the fence...then get turned out with them so we can have a quiet clinic (prior and proper preparation, right?).

I"M EXCITED! Kelly Sigler is coming here on Tuesday/Wednesday for a private clinic for Kim and me. This is JUST US TWO...no watchers, no one so we can get down to it. FEAR MAKEOVER is this clinic's theme. Kim is afraid to ride. I'm afraid to go above a walk. (a few trot steps is ok and FORGET jumping, my former passion).

I'll check back and let you know how it goes.

Fingers crossed Kim doesn't sell her horses. (she threatened to).

Umbrella Day /Happy Halloween

2009-11-01T01:04:00.000-04:00

Fascinating day with an umbrella and my trusty steeds. Started de-spooking on Halloween, funnily enough, (again for Boss and Fiona) and it was Hey the umbrella's here, let's play for Exy (LBI/RBI) and O'Rion (RBI/LBI). They quickly found out it was a toy and with a tiny snort and one backing off quickly, O'Rion joined Exy in trying to mob the umbrella. As learners they both go RBI but their curiosity and play drive is up and they love to play and explore their world. Lots of mouthing the brolly and trying to bite it. I let them somewhat but hey it is my umbrella! THEIR game then changed to Keep Out of my Space. Very successful with sending energy to them and a small stop with the hand or a step towards them with lots of energy sent their way. I was happy with it.

Meanwhile Bos (LBI) was having none of it and wanted to completely ignore me and then go catatonic on me. I noted not much breathing and some staring. We did LOTS of retreat with my back to him. Finally after about 20 mins he started turning to look at me. (I was halfway down the field by this time). Lots of time to process and he did a lot of licking with tongue way out.

It took about another half an hour but I was able to approach and retreat with rhythm and relaxation approaching his shoulder that he was able more often to look at me and actually took two tiny steps towards me. This is HUGE for Boss, who is TERRIFIED of an umbrella and has always been for the 20 or so years I've had him. I rewarded this by retreat and quitting for a few moments. More licking.

Finally I got to within 30 or so feet (10 meters) of him with approach and retreat and he changed his expression and then came to me licking and chewing. I retreated more and he sped up a little from the previous creep to an actual walk so I let him catch me. Sniffed umbrella, let me touch him with it. I was amazed. His expression was riveted as I was thinking the whole time I will not force you, come to me when you're ready. Finally I was able to rub him with the umbrella while closed (NEVER BEFORE, this was HUGE!) both sides minding my body language in neutral with one leg cocked. He then proceeded to yawn several times, and lick, yawn, lick. It was really good! I was smiling from ear to ear and stood with him with my hand on his withers.

NICE session and it was capped off by a lovely rainbow from the slight mist that caused me to get the umbrella in the first place! A huge bow that stretched from one side of the farm to the other in a complete arch. FANTASTIC STUFF!

Tomorrow I take Fiona to Kim's (my sister's farm) so that the squealing and freakout will be over by Tuesday...so we can have our PRIVATE CLINIC WITH KELLY SIGLER in peace! (no horse antics hopefully by then). I'm So EXCITED! This is my 50th Birthday present from my sweet husband Albert.

Forgive typos today...glasses are in the bedroom and he's asleep. I had to get up for a bathroom break and didn't want to wake him to get my glasses when I could not go back to sleep.

Nighty Night!

Preparation for Clinic

2009-10-21T11:52:00.003-04:00

Today it is get prepared to TRAILER to the clinc with Fiona. We did Touch It on the trailer. Nose first...she blew by that and put her feet on it. Good girl. I'm impressed by her as she loves to put her feet on things.

Remember, one of the last times we trailered it was a horrible wreck (she FREAKED out in the trailer and hurt herself coming down the ramp) so my focus has been "stand in the trailer calmly."

We did approach and retreat (it was not a bad reaction at all, but I wanted her to keep her confidence the WHOLE TIME). Stand on ramp. Graze. Ramp again, let's go forward. Retreat. graze.

Nose in trailer. If she leaned towards, I left her alone and it was hard to be in neutral. In my head I kept hearing Pat say "she has to act like a partner. Quit micromanaging." How did he get in my head?

Anyway, I just STOOD in neutral unless she leaned back or took a step back. It WORKED! She loaded herself essentially and most of what I did was just support backwards movement with a tiny stick wave. It only took tiny movements. This is big.

SUCCESS.

O'Rion and Exy began snorting and farting, running along the fence to our back with the dogs barking, this made her lose confidence, so I took her away from trailer and did S Bends and then finally falling leaf. She looked at me as leader, we returned to trailer and did beautifully with them in the background. It's not about the herd. She kept asking questions this whole time and I was pumped. VERY nice for her and not her norm.

So then I showed her all the doors and things and did friendly on the closing mechanism. Stroked the sides of the trailer, stroked the gate, stroked the partitians in the trailer with her watching, thought loudly :) Good Trailer, Good sides, Good door, Rattled it in front of her...showed her how things worked.

She asked LOTS of questions and seemed engaged the whole time. It was lovely.

We loaded again and I closed the gate partway then she tried to come out. I let her. Rinse, repeat. got it closed and asked her to stay on when she moved to come out. Very gently tapped on her HQ with stick. She took the suggestion and stayed. Gate closed briefly and then I invited her out. Nice expression at end of session and I called it a a day. I figured we'd build on that and I'd ask her to stay in with gates closed next session, then a short ride.

I feel really good about how it went.

Albert came home so that cut short our grazing session I had planned. I had to talk to him about a project we're working on, but grazing will take priority next session.

:)

Rode Fiona with Parelli Saddle

2009-08-06T14:28:00.002-04:00

well, silly me...didn't push down so felt like I was on a cushion of air...well I was!
I was tipped a little forward, but it was cushy and comfy and we had a nice hour or so ride around the little paddock. Also had a lovely liberty session before I mounted as she was going a little RB and sleepy, so I changed up the energy and changed the game. We forgot about me mounting and played games.

Fiona really woke up and liked that! Also I'm sure I was sort of wired about riding so it gave me a chance to sort all that out, too.

Stirrips were too little so I did not use them. Just used balance point and Pusing passenger, did tit for tat and mirrored, even when she shivvered for a fly I shivvered, too! She was licking and chewing a great deal and I noted she did turn when I would turn (tried to pretend I had no reins).

Nice ride!

O'Rion is on the list for a very gentle trainer this winter. (I don't bounce as well as I used to and he'll be very gentle). I checked him out thoroughly. Nice soft hands. He said I should be able to go to beach or trail ride when he gets done and for me to come ride, too, while O'Rion is there. He'll be starting one of O'Rion's half siblings soon, too.

Itchy Spot

2009-06-25T00:41:00.002-04:00

Had a funny time with Dancer's Boss (QH) yesterday. He showed me his itchy spot on his tummy and between front legs. I was scraaaatching...and then got to cleaning sheath. He just moved so my hands were back at the itchy spot and the lip was just a-going. He kept getting lower and lower, and trying to lean on me. He is so funny.

I went then to Exy and scratched her whithers and her chest. Also she likes right between the udders. This gets her to spread her legs and sigh. What a hussy. The lip was going immediately and her head went way down as the front feet went right out in front as if she were parking out. I was laughing before long. Wish I'd had my camera.

Fiona next. She likes a good scratch between the udders, too, as well as right at the girth line. She's more covert about liking it and although she puts her head down she rarely puts her lips out and makes faces. She will watch me and put her belly right back where my hand needs to be if I move it. Miss Subtle.

O'Rion likes anywhere scratched. And he's HUGE so it's pretty funny...I usually get up on the fence so I can reach him and he'll back up to the fence for a good bum scratch. He loves his withers and belly done, too. And ears...he LOVES his ears scratched. HE makes all sorts of funny faces if you do the ears. I'm teaching him to hand me things and he's getting it pretty quickly. He hands me his bowl as well as branches and a jolly ball. Smart boy!

Pushing Passenger on Dancer's Boss (RBI)

2009-06-19T01:06:00.002-04:00

OK. I've said before that I had not realized what I had in Boss. He's a GEM. I have been scratching his belly a lot lately and he is hilarious. LEANS toward me...and if I scratch somehwere else he puts his belly right next to me. I move to the bum or tail, he moves so that his belly is right there. (I admit to scratching other things just so he'll show me his itchy spot. After all these years he has FINALLY done it and I'm so pleased).

Got on him the other day with a cushy saddle blanket under my bareback pad (he's an old guy and sort of bony although I'm working to get him more of a fat layer) and we did it after lots of scatches and treats. He was fine with it. I did pushing passenger and tit for tat. Then I did let's go here for a great grazing spot, let's go sideways to that grazing spot. Let's back up--and graze. He is a smart cookie and got it right away. We did this for about an hour and I had a fantastic time. Rode in the herd and had to swing a savvy string to keep O'Rion and Exy away..they were really happy to see me and wanted to come over to mess with me (ORion is too mouthy and I might get a nip)--not to mention I was leading/defending my herd of two. Boss really licked and chewed when I drove them away. :)

I feel ashamed that I wasted all these years with such a great potential partner and I thought he was a jerk. He USED to be very dominant and scary at times. Now that I can speak horse (thanks Pat and Linda! Get the Horsenality DVD right now if you don't have it!)he's so much better and we are forging a new relationship. He actually looks happy when he sees me and nickers really low in his chest. Makes me smile SO BIG! I nicker back.

Any problem of his--it was MY PROBLEM and I'm sad. But I thought, what the hay, I'm going to enjoy him if he's ok with riding. he seems to be! Especially when I take my magic bag on my waist with the treats! And we have really lush grazing right now (unlike the blasted heat of hell that we'll have later on in the summer) so I'm going to take him into the woods for a trail ride soon.

My friends from Scotland are coming this week! Julie, Chloe, Iain, Rosie, and Stuart. When I visted my friend Shelley I was able to bring Julie and it was the first time she had been around horses in years. Her Mum used to be a jockey, too. so you can perhaps know what that meant to her. Thanks, Shells! I can't wait to hear the lovely accents once more! I'll try not to greet too hard when they leave!

Anyway, back to my adventures.

Went to have a tire fixed off the horse trailer and the guy had TWO HUGE tractor tires and he gave them to me for FREE! We had three men load them in the truck. Albie unloaded by himself (what a stud) and we have yet to place them in the playground. I'm very chuffed about having more tires!

Can't Get Rid of Exy!

2009-06-19T00:53:00.003-04:00

I'm thrilled. When I walk in the field (10 acres) if I turn suddenly--oops! I bump into my lovely Exy's nose! She goes with me EVERYWHERE and is such a pocket pony. I love that. We've played some games at liberty and she is doing a lovely job. Her weakest game is porcupine but I'm working on it. (her mother was a draft horse..Percheron...you could porcupine her for days and she'd just look at you...I tried!)

I do have to work not to ask too much of this RBI girl (as a learner) or she'll shut down. But if I WAIT WAIT WAIT she gives so much. I'm having fun with her. When I feed her I put all my weight on her back and it's a non event. LOTS of scratches with that, too. I rub her with my leg while I sit on the fence and then put the leg over (maintaining my grip on fence) and LEAN. She's ok with it. I'm just afraid to take it to the next level. MUST work on myself more.

Brilliant day with O'Rion and Fiona

2009-05-31T19:22:00.002-04:00

I played a total of 4 and a half hours yesterday with O'Rion and Fiona and it was going so well I didnt' want to quit! Only darkness stopped us. Today I'm sore as I've been a couch potato for two weeks due to being ill. Yoga this morning and a good stretch helped. Albert did some with me after MUCH ribbing on my part (he thinks it is easy and sissy) and he changed his tune. Realized it was harder than he thought! He's stiff.

Back to yesterday play session: First went O'Rion as Fiona completely ignored me. He caught me and we went to the play ground (a platform, some cones, a green ball, two tractor tires, poles and some logs. Sometimes a tarp.)

He was so engaged and so smart! This LBI/LBE boy was a whiz at the puzzles I put out for him and we went fast and loose. Two barrels with a green ball in between: he pushes that green ball right out and goes through. Easy peazy. He pawed at the pedestal a lot as he'd not been on it but briefly once. Pushed the ball around.

Once he lost his confidence but was LBE on adrenaline and wanted to go fast, so I helped him go faster and put an obstacle in front of him to jump/interrupt pattern. Lovely stride and lovely round jump. I enjoyed it! In the past I would have freaked out as he's a LOT of horse especially on adrenaline....there was a moment when I gave him a phase 4 with the buckle and he stopped and said THANKS! I needed that! His old self came through then. Amazing. This Horsenality stuff has completely revolutionized how I play with the horses and it is so freeing! I used to be clueless as to what to do if a horse got really big and it really scared me! Now it's no biggie. I like that. THANKS to Pat and Linda Parelli I'm on the path to my dream.

Fiona came next. I studiously ignored her and she came right to me and caught me at the fence. I was leaning on a fence looking off into the distance and I felt this gentle touch and then sniffing all on my back. My girl Fiona had come to play.

My goal for this session was to take a walking trail ride and expand her horizons. She has lots of thresholds so we did approach and retreat with me driving her and watching for thresholds. Lots of licking and chewing ensued as we retreated each time her head came up or she gave a blow, or she just looked worried. We retreated so much we didn't get much of anywhere but I think we made LOTS of progress. I am going to take the time it takes. No shorter, no longer. She offered a lot of things while we were playing like getting on the pedestal without my asking. However, once she got up there she had trouble figuring out how to get down. She got up there three times and got stuck. I finally helped her down. She weaved and did fig 8 brilliantly. I'm so proud of her!

Then I took her back to the playground and put the bareback pad on, and got on after about 10 mins of friendly with carrot stick and with my hands and body. She's still worried about that stick. It was getting dark so I just rode a few mins. When she started off fast in the wrong direction (not fast and no big problem really) I bent her to a stop and got off because of my brain and trying to decrease fear. I thought "OH MY GOD SHE'S GOiNg FAST." so I got off...although my mind really understood I was in no danger somewhere deep inside thought YIKES. So I felt silly but glad I did what I had to go to preserve my trust in myself.

Sick x 2 weeks but now I'm back

2009-05-28T01:42:00.004-04:00

I just wrote a VERY long blog. NOT sure what happened but I'm talking epic and now it's gone. I will shorten it and type some of it again. I'm ticked off.

Exy's LUMP is going away very slowly but going away! Yay! I'm very happy about that! It really had me worried.

Had the flu (swine? who knows) for two weeks. Now I'm much better although my voice is all dusky and sexy. can't quit coughing. STOP already.

Played with Boss, my 23 year old QH. He used to be LBI Extreme and attacked me twice until I figured out LBI. now he's a joy. He weaved like a champ, did circles with an OBSTACLE (key) and grazed after each game. I showed him barrels and just stood there like do what you want, ok? and he pawed at them. With gusto. He's a love. He tried to get on the pedestal but tripped. I took the TRY and moved on. good boy!

More grazing.

Scratched his belly and got the lip out and quivering. Hilarious! I was chuffed at the whole day.

did some LIBERTY with O'Rion in the horses' field. Then came Fiona at liberty. She did well with friendly and porcupine FQ and HQ and backwards. Driving she left. I spent a LOT of time with Friendly on the string and CArrot stick. She licked at the end. And came to pick it up with her mouth. BIG. She has NOT been curious about anything much. I was happy with that. LOTS of more friendly and then she left me. I got too direct about it! (can't seem to learn that lesson?!). she's very sensitive to pressure.

I sort of wandered where she was, ignoring her...and just happened upon her--OH! Youre here. did the Laborador Retriever energy and panted, pretended to be a dog frolicking and all around her and all over her and she allowed me to do much more. Yep, I was too direct line as myself. Note to self: LIGHTEN UP!

OK, I had much more here but can't do it all over again...hope you're well and living your dreams. Let me hear them!

check out Shelley's blog at Savvyscotland.com.

Till Next time....
Shelly

Exy has a lump

2009-05-08T05:21:00.001-04:00

My 2 year old Exy has a lump. I'm watching it, had the vet out. He said wait and see. I'm a little nervous. It's raw and oozing...and swollen.

Share Parelli

2009-05-08T05:19:00.002-04:00

Playing with my LBI O'Rion

2009-04-29T23:51:00.002-04:00

Hi,
Back again in a short time! A record for me.

Two days ago I played games with O'Rion, my 3 year old RBI. He's pretty funny and can be LBE with his peep, Exy, but as a learner he can go to RBI and even introverted if pushed so I do not go there!

Anyway, I was stalking his butt (he's a slow mover and sort of devious about making ME do all the work!) but he got into it and was really moving around--took off bucking and farting and looking at me like I was crazy. I did Zap his butt once...that was all it took! He never let me out of his sight after that. He came to me, I scratched him in all his very best itchy spots, threw out hay and left. He was like WHAAAA???? hilarious.

can't wait to see how he acts next time I go to the field.

No riding lately as I have zoomed here and there...

SO..when I had a plan to ride, wouldn't you know, the horse that showed up that day was FIONA THE UNCONFIDENT. So I just played with her a little, did a lot of waiting around and doing nothing...then let her go. Treats, scratches, and ditched my plan. (I was disappointed 'cause had really gotten it in my head I wanted to ride, but I read her and it was a no go that day.) sigh. My girl comes first! So no ride.

Perhaps Saturday?

Hope your journey is going well. I'm slow but having fun.
til next time...

First Sit On Exy!

2009-04-29T23:45:00.002-04:00

After LOTS of friendly and relaxing (us both as I was soooo excited/nervous!) I finally sat for the first time on my girl Exy! She's now two. (Perch/QH). A very laid back and happy RBI (I do NOT push her as she has been known to go introverted). she loves to play and has LBE tendencies but as a learner she's RBI. SO...I did approach and retreat, took about an hour and loved on her, lots of scratches, then put her next to the plastic mounting block and she wanted to get up there with me! (not good!) so we retreated and repositioned and I put my leg on her...scratches, then boosted myself up and sat on her! She rocked back and forth. I got off. It was a non-event lasting about 10 seconds. Success! I have actually started one of my own foals myself! This is a dream come true! Thanks, Pat and Linda to you it was a non event and so nice! I look forward to lots more...but I'm going VERY slow and mostly doing ground work with her til I get to Level 3 with Fiona my main levels horse.

BIG SMILES HERE!

Shelly

an older note

2009-04-01T23:08:00.000-04:00

Fantastic play sessions the past two days! I'm so excited.

first I watched a video on the savvy club that showed a French girl playing with her pony on the beach at liberty then riding with no
bridle or saddle. It inspired me so I went right out and played with Fiona. The girl had a lot of upward transitions (I mean the horse
going up in the air) so I tried it! Fiona got it first time! I had her walking like the fancy Spanish horses right away and she was riveted!

We played with the trailer (float) and she did circles with the ramp, then backed in then yo-yo in and out backwards. Nice and soft. I was so
proud of her!

We did undemanding and a lot of friendly then I tried to get her to balance on a wide post but she sidepassed over it (offered that) so I called that good.

Today I selected O'Rion to play with as he's mouthy and pushy, and wanted to establish more of alpha with him. If I don't have the Carrot stick he crowds.
With it (even if I ask nothing) he stays out of my bubble pretty much.

Anyway, went out, played friendly with the halter in zone 1, then put it on. He had a soft look and was very into playing. Eyes following me with ears pricked.

We did squeeze over a 4 inch log in between me and fence, then did some "put your nose here and there" and he was brilliant. When I asked a squeeze in between a cart and a tree
it was too much pressure so he got mouthy with the rope. I caught it and just stood letting him process...lots of chewing then.

Tried to do the lead with the leg but he thought it was too much, (got starey) so I did friendly with rope and stopped. Will pick that up later.

We walked sideways with the fence (only a few steps) and
I called the next game.

Falling leaf and S bends. He was bracey on zone 1. S bends he got that soft adoring look so I quit. NICE!

Lots of Rain

2009-01-19T23:18:00.002-05:00

Hi, January here already and it's 2009! Can't believe it, time flies. I just returned from New Zealand. My Dad had a stroke while on a cruise to Australia and NZ and when they said he might not make it, I had to go. Especially since I'm a Critical Care RN. Got a Medical team together for a meeting, got a plan and am working the plan. All is on go and he's recovering nicely. Even helped cook his own breakfast today! Good news.

Horse time has suffered since Dec. 22 when we learned of my Dad's stroke but I've done a lot of undemanding time and lots of scratching. Still wishing my horses would present the itchy spots to me but I know where they are for the most part, at least, and will get the funniest expressions from Boss and O'Rion and Exy. Fiona is one tough customer and I've only ONCE in the four years I've owned her seen that hilarious lip-is-poking-out-and-I-can't-help-it expression. She loves to be scratched right between her teats. loves it. funny girl.

O'Rion loves his withers scratched. Exy is a chest and tummy girl as well as withers. She gives hilarious lip faces. O'Rion does, too. I LOVE MY HORSES!

They look pretty scraggly right now with this rain and cold and wind. O'Rion has major tangles. Going to be a mess when I finally get around to grooming.

Can't do it all, eh? I can't beat myself up too much. I'll get to it.

Ta ta.

Been Slackin

2008-12-31T01:12:00.005-05:00

Hi, Been Slackin' on charting my progress, but I have made some and that's good.

Exy is really great about following me around and so we do patterns at liberty (she does almost better at liberty than on line--perhaps I'm so straight line with her on line?). She is a lot of fun, but does want to crowd me at times and for the first time EVER she blatently (it's been subtle up til now)challened my leadership and nipped me! This while walking SIDEWAYS through the gate and she reaches over and nips my sleeve. Well. Took me aback, I'll tell you and it made me re-assess my leadership--or perhaps I was pushing too hard? She's becoming more and more LB all the time (I was enjoying her being RBI to tell you the truth!). Sigh...gotta up the savvy. A stretch for me sometimes, unfortunately.

Now I have two LB's and Two RB's. I handle the RB's better I think. Gotta get myself to ramp it up a notch.

Been really tired and depressed lately since my Dad has a stroke on December 22, 2008 whilst on a cruise to New Zealand and Australia. He ended up in the hospital there and we were not sure he'd live, so I have put the horses on the back burner for now unfortunately. Have been out to love on them of course but no playing for a while now. Perhaps with the new year I'll feel more motivated and with the HD Video Camera that Santa brought me (to video my Parelli Levels!) things will look up. As I type this my Dad is still in NZ and is having trouble but at least he'll live. I'm so thankful and credit all the prayers from people all over the world as being a great help! THANKS! Thanks to God as well. He has spared my Dad in the face of a potentially fatal incident and I'm so grateful.

Starting to get cold now, too. I love cold weather (hate the blasting heat of our Ga summers).

Perhaps soon I'll be back to normal and will continue to play with my horses. Two of them are new to riding and I'm doing all I can to ready them and make it a non event. O'Rion has been ridden about 5 times and Exy I'm laying accross her back with no saddle and giving scratches and love.

Rain Rain Go Away

2008-11-30T04:12:00.004-05:00

It is raining like crazy here with heavy fog so I've not had any horsey days lately. Been working a lot of overtime, so just had some non-demanding time while feeding hay, some scratches and did chase my O'Rion's butt one day when he turned it toward me, but otherwise nothing to report.

Exy has been more and more Left Brained and is doing well with patterns. So far we've done Figure 8 approx 4 times and she's getting it. No more dominant behavior for now. I had to get firm with her on coming on top of me!

O'Rion is doing well with figure 8 as well although he wants to squash the cones.

Fiona wants to sidepass through the cones. She's hilarious!

Will get back here soon, at least as soon as the dreaded fog lets up!

Savvy on.

Patterns with Fiona-Figure 8

2008-11-10T14:20:00.000-05:00

There have been many interesting moments since I purchased the Patterns the weekend Kim, my sister, and I, visited the FLORIDA TOUR STOP OCT 2008--the Last (sob) tour stop. I mean where else can you go for FREE to see the greatest horsepeople play? and to learn? I ALWAYS learn a lot when I go to Tour Stop.

Even though money is an issue, I purchased Gold Celebration tickets! I say go for it, and go in a big way, and I believe the money will come when I need it. (not to mention I've scheduled myself to work overtime!) So the world helps those who help themselves, right? I'm trying to help myself and trusting the rest will just work out.

Fiona loves the interaction of the patterns and she offers more than ever. FIRST time we did cones in figure 8 she OFFERED to do sidepasses in the middle. FANTASTIC!~

Exy is trying some dominant behaviors with snakey head and barging my space. We will NOT be going there as I'm nipping that in the bud. She's more left brained extrovert all the time. Sounds like I have a challenge on my hands. I'm up for it, thanks to Pat and Linda! All the hard work I've done with this filly is paying off as she's brave, calm and curious. Yes! This should be fun.

I'd love to hear from you. Let me know how you are doing and about yourself and your horses!

Blessings from Georgia,
Shelly

Exy Figure 8 first try

2008-11-10T14:16:00.003-05:00

Playing patterns with Exy: she did well but wanted to pounce on the cones each time around. I didn't get on to her (relationship first) but laughed a lot. We both had fun with our first FIGURE 8 Day. then I had her follow me at liberty through the figure 8. she did this successfullly about 4 times. I was THRILLED!

2008-11-10T14:10:00.001-05:00

Exy preparing to ride

2008-10-01T21:47:00.001-04:00

Yesterday Exy and I played games for a while until she was confident and calm. We used the mounting block as a resting point as well as circling around it and sniffing it. She did excellent sideways without a fence both ways as well as basic games.

Preparing to ride: I put her next to the mounting block and did friendly with rope and lots of scratches. Then turned belly to eye, (she looked away) so i backed off.

Played more games. Back to mounting block. Put belly towards eye, lots of scratches (her lip poked out) and then I put my belly on her back. I was getting all excited and nervous so I quit for the day.

Played with Exy and a tarp and she became QUITE animated, jumping in the air then giving a little exhuberent buck, then Jumping on the tarp! I had to back off as she was so wild with that tarp! I let her have it and she sniffed it and pawed it. then I dragged it away and she pounced Again! it was hilarious!
I loved playing with my girl.

Then she followed me at liberty all over. Great day!

nice play day

2008-09-22T22:00:00.001-04:00

EXY and Boss Play notes: Exy did saddle program. did put it on her, took right off. Let her bite, paw, ect, the old rotted western saddle. she did great. used the saddle pad as a pedestal and had her stand on it. She pawed and licked it, did lots of chewing/some licking and one yawn. Saddled up and let her walk with saddle just sitting there not fastened then took it off. That is big for her and me as I learned to BACK OFF and let her process.
ended on a good note, she followed me all around. Then I turned to boss.

got boss (both these horses caught me and that's BIG for boss). lots of friendly. did trailer games. Do NOT get on that trailer but put your foot on ramp, back on ramp, circle on ramp, retreat, graze, eat apple pieces, let's get on the trailer a little.

Sideways with fence. did get a little head up, eyes wild. did turn and turn and turn and he relaxed.

to trailer. back out, put zone 1 on tire. zone 2 on tire. relax. Get on trailer. *he only put front in and I was great with that. get off, get on, get off. graze. when he had front in up to shoulder I quit. called it a day.

good fun! Both my horses were fantastic today. I was pumped to play and did have fun myself!

Spanish Walk

2008-09-14T13:58:00.003-04:00

Two times now after playing with Fiona I've wondered what I can do on the ground to challenge myself. Up is a direction I usually Do NOT want to go while on horseback (chuckling) but on the ground I asked Fiona to go UP. She got worried, but when i put the rope up, pointed UP, tapped her foreleg lightly she put her leg UP in the most lovely Spanish type walk. Both legs. Two play sessions. She really is getting this pressure concept!

I love Fiona. Can't wait to see what is next !

Last night she ran from me, so I played with Boss (I was too direct line thinking LOUDLY evidently). When we were nearly finished he offered the most lovely side passing for about 30 feet, so I called it quits, let him graze, gave him scratches, then let him go (the whole time we played I paused quite a lot and lovingly with a soft look stroked his face). Due to his fear in the past, I did LOTS of friendly and retreat. Only one little head up incident. But turning my back took care of that.

We stood for a long time and this play session had him licking and chewing and a little yawning at first. I just waited. He was amazed and engaged. Nice bright face and eyes, trying to figure out what I was asking (mostly get on the pedestal or put a foot or look at the pedestal, SOMETHING, ANYTHING and I'd turn my back. He stumbled at first, thinking how to get up there. Then one foot, then both. Didn't stay but that was enough. In between these sessions we jumped a log then went back to pedestal. I broke it up into sections. Log. Pedestal, circle with fence or obstacle, friendly,pedestal and repeat. We did about three turns of each and then we quit.

Nice day.

Then Fiona and I played as previously stated, when some one across the road began shooting a shotgun (dove season, sigh). She was still as stone with ears at half mast, still doing what I'd asked. Relaxed and let me throw ropes all over.

I did hindquarter disengage, pick up rope and step back as I leaned back. She did well. Lots of scratches and friendly for her, and stroking with love in hand. Head down, relaxed, I leaned against her and watched the sunset.

BIG SMILES.

My Parelli Journey with Fiona: getting better....

2008-09-14T13:54:00.000-04:00

My Parelli Journey with Fiona: getting better....

Previous Post Late to Publish.

2008-09-14T13:49:00.002-04:00

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!

Exy--2 yrs old Boss--22?

2008-09-08T12:12:00.003-04:00

My LBI extreme fraidy cat, Exy, and I played two days ago. I went very slow (VERY) and tried to do things on Valium. She snorted a time or two so I just stayed with her and did lots of friendly with rope, walking away, and S bends. Not much circling but did the other games. She is worried about squeeze. Had to get a HUGE gap in between fence and her for her squeeze.

We had fun, but I'm not progressing with her like I am Fiona and O'Rion.

Boss, I think is 22, must check, sidepassed to the fence last night so I could brush his mane. big for him as I had the carrot stick and he'd been afraid of it. I have done LOTS of friendly with it, way accross the field, and never looking at him while having it in hand. He's finally getting over his extreme fear of it.

Boss is a wonderful calm LBI but easy to ride and will go anywhere and do anything. Since I've been playing in Parelli he's not offering to let me ride, however. And this is something I'm working on, getting him to offer as I know we can have a blast together.

My new love, the bareback pad, is fantastic. The saddle I have, a Wintec, has the adjustable gullet, so I can use it with all my horses and all sizes, but I do NOT feel balanced even though I have the Parelli English air saddle pad. Want a Parelli saddle but that will have to wait. And do have shims of all three sizes.

Boss is really funny as if a horse fly lands on him he ZOOMS to me or Albert at a gallop sometimes, and stops right by you with horsefly facing us. He wants us to swat them. The first time he did it I got a weird feeling thinking he's going to run me over. LOL.

O'Rion-3 yr. old RBI

2008-09-08T12:05:00.002-04:00

Been neglecting O'Rion some since Fiona and I've had such a good time, but I started him again and we found a really great time together yesterday!

Did lots of zone 1 friendly with halter (he's quite mouthy and bracy zone 1) and that went pretty well. He was quite bright eyed and seemed to have fun.

We did Shoulders (mirror my shoulders) and he didnt' do as well as Fiona (I'm sure I'm not as clear as Pat is!) and we'll work on that some more.

Put your nose here and there was Brilliant! Smart boy he got my focus immediately, first time.

put your foot is great, too. He loves to put his foot on things.

I'm very happy with him. Will try to ride soon. He has about 4 hours under saddle. So should be interesting. But I'm going slow (last year last time ridden...yeah, very slow) because of my fear issues and I want him to have a very easy time of it and not think it's a bad thing. I lean on his back all the time over the fence but he's HUGE and not sure how I'm going to get on (I'm short and stubby and he was supposed to be a more manageable height based on sire and dam. Oh well.) Gonna have to lose weight and grow some longer legs! (or teach him to lie down for me to mount!)

We had a blast and ended up with Falling Leaf and S bends. he got a little up (head up, life up) on falling leaf and S bends he gave me a sweet soft look so I quit.

Brushed manes and tails and stopped for the day. it was HOT....but I had fun.
THANK YOU PAT AND LINDA! I LOVE YOU BOTH!

Fantastic Play session with Fiona

2008-09-08T12:00:00.002-04:00

Lately things have been fantastic with my girl Fiona. Yesterday went to play and thought that I'd try some upward movement. So held rope up, pointed up, and tapped lightly on either front outer leg. got the prettiest Spanish steps you ever saw first try! Pressure makes sense to her. I was thrilled!

We played with the trailer (float) and did circles on the ramp, then backed in and then did yo yo in and out backwards. I was at the end of the 22'. This is a HUGE improvement over the first loading where she attacked me! And I was terrified! I'm so happy.

she did not offer me to get on, so I just stayed on the ground. (I did try but for some reason she turned away, so I let it be).

We did SHOULDERS (mirror my shoulders) and she got it after about 5 mins. and seemed like she enjoyed it! I rocked back and forth after a few steps forward and back. That was rusty and we never got a true rock, but we have a beginning. This is coming together (on the ground) and I'm really having fun.

Rain, Rain, don't go away! Brolly Training.

2008-08-22T17:58:00.003-04:00

Today raining like crazy thanks to the storm in the Gulf of Mexico...so I got my handy umbrella and went for some UMBRELLA DE-SPOOKING! Of course! What a blast!

Started out walking into the field with all 4 heads high, staring. Very still. I walked away gently flapping the umbrella. Stopped, waited. Three heads came down so I continued walking away. Had to go to the far side of the 10 acre field before Boss could lick. Walked back to them, gently flapping. Away flapping more vigorously. Rinse and repeat about 8 times.

Three horses came forward and two came TO ME to check out the umbrella. Exy, (LBI) the youngest (2)followed me closely as I walked away and I had to actually ask her to get out of my and the umbrella's space! Thrilling that she was totally unafraid after 5 minutes. O'Rion (3)and another LBI with some RBE tendencies was a tad more sceptical but he came all the way to the fence when I went out. Started to get worried, I walked away. Head back up. Waited, head came down, I was able to gently walk to him and rub him with closed umbrella.

Exy wanted to bite it (I let her) and actually it crossed my mind "she's going to jump on you" so I let myself out of the fence and conducted the rest of the session through the fence. BIG SUCCESS.

Boss never came to investigate per se, but he did join the herd in the middle of the field calmly grazing while I flapped the big scary umbrella before the two youngest checked me out, and this was really big for him. He's ALWAYS (20 yrs) been afraid of an umbrella no matter how I've presented it (must have pushed too much before although I THOUGHT I was being gentle). I was able to approach somewhat and he didn't freak as he has in the past. I'll get farther next time.

I had to stop myself from doing it again! We're tapping it in to them gently not hammering it, I told myself, echoing Pat Parelli at a Tour Stop. So I got myself to stop and flap all the way to the house as I retreated, and they ended the session calmly grazing.

MAJOR SUCCESS! YAY! And she jumps in a puddle in victory!

Travelling Circles

2008-08-19T17:18:00.003-04:00

Travelling Circles and a New Nephew!

2008-08-19T17:18:00.002-04:00

Fiona tried to make it seem she couldn't do travelling circles, so I just asked for circles, once she got that down I started walking slowly. when she'd stop I would SMACK the ground (not her) where she had just been standing (she got it, I was not out to get her). Lovely travelling circles! and at a lovely nice cadenced trot. Success!

On another note: went to the hospital to see my nephew, Nicholi's baby. He hadn't been born yet, so I got to help deliver! Really nice! He's Maxwell Brenton New. 6 pounds, .128 ounces. 19 inches long. He and mother are home and doing fine. New Dad looked Shell-shocked!

Fiona changing even more

2008-08-19T17:10:00.002-04:00

Nowadays I have noted that Fiona is becoming more and more LBI so I'm hanging out and offering comfort. But she can sometimes be dominant and try to bamboozle me into thinking she can't do anything so I have to watch that fine line between leadership and overdoing.

Yesterday we did all games with obstacles and she is STILL afraid of squeeze over anything more than tiny. So I just lead her to a log and let her look at it, did not force. Then backed over. (no problem backwards). Interesting.

Backing into a doorway, no biggie. coming out? scary. So I never asked her to come out. just let her come whenever she wanted to and that worked.

played games on the trailer (float) ramp and backed her on and off the trailer. No biggie. She grabbed some hay for good measure on the way out as I had left some in there for her.

Went very sleepy, not quite catatonic when I asked her to walk over a 3" log. So I just stood with her and didnt' ask anything at all. Let her come out of it, and backed up. Then advance and retreat. And slow. She offered to put her foot on, we called it a day.

Nice session but there are a LOT of thresholds and I'm not sure we'll ever get to a trail ride! Just going around the property is getting to take forever! I know eventually she'll trust me more but it's just that I used to Hunt and go all over, so this is a little boring at times not going anywhere, but the relationship part is fun, so I enjoy that. I'm very happy with what we've accomplished, just want it all (we've worked on this relationship for three years. One of them PNH and the other two I was not asking that much.). Sometimes I just feel I should be much farther along.

all for today. I'm off to do chores.

Starting Liberty

2008-08-07T01:32:00.003-04:00

Hi!

Yesterday started really getting down to playing at Liberty with Fiona. I can do Friendly, lead with the leg both sides and out to the side at liberty, move zone 1 with fingertips or carrot stick, and yo yo. but when I go after moving the hind end...she drifts away. that is better than before when she'd RUN away. lol. We're making baby steps.

I'm reminded of Dan Thompson telling us "if you get 1% better for 100 days, you're 100% better!" so there we are, working on our 1 and 2 %. It's all good!

Gotta love those magnificent horses.

My girl's eye is clouding over. She has some scar tissue in the left eye from an old injury and it is getting worse. She seems confident to let me lead her and I hope this is as bad as it gets. She had a drain in it a while ago as she lacerated her eye before I got her. Just a note that she's ok with going wherever I point her.

Did I mention I love this girl? She teaches me a lot each time we get together. She just sniffs me all over and puts her head on my shoulder.

She has had a few Introverted moments lately. she's really emerging (her true self) and it's lovely to watch! Changing from RBE all the time to RBI and LBI sometimes. She thinks more and more and takes way less time to get back to her thinking self if something startles her. That head goes WAY up there not nearly as much as it used to!

I'm having a blast!

Watched the two youngest playing in the water trough and did some squirting with the water hose. They are funny...love to get wet. Well, it's 100 F here! Who wouldn't ?

Boss coming around?

2008-08-02T19:01:00.003-04:00

Today i randomly wandered in the field and just HAPPENED to wander in front of Boss, whose been having pressure issues (I'm really working on NOT being direct line) and I stopped about 20 feet from him with my back turned. I waited.....and I heard licking and then HE CAME TO ME! this is great and I'm very happy as I wanted to cut some tail hair for a bracelet. Mitz on Savvy Club is making me one! So I got the hair, gave scratches, got him to poke his lip out quite comically and then left. He was giving me soft and happy looks. NICE!

did liberty with Exy driving game. She was Brilliant! Both ways were terrific. First real game at liberty all the way through. I'm pleased with all of our progress today, a great and lovely sunny (hot) day.

Hit the pool to cool off, and now off for a chinese take away and a movie.

Boss has a soft expression today

2008-07-29T22:11:00.003-04:00

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

2008-07-29T22:06:00.000-04:00

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!

Thanks Pat and Linda! I love Parelli!

2008-07-29T22:04:00.001-04:00

Thanks Pat and Linda! I love Parelli!

2008-07-18T03:04:00.003-04:00

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.

2008-07-18T00:50:00.002-04:00

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!

2008-07-13T21:29:00.003-04:00

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

2008-07-13T21:29:00.002-04:00

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

2008-07-12T00:49:00.000-04:00

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 :)

-

Contemplating a new partner

2008-07-08T18:05:00.000-04:00

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).

2008-05-27T17:52:00.001-04:00

I did go ahead and decide to officially switch to Boss. I'll still play with Fiona but I think I may need a little more savvy with her. We'll see how it goes.

Yesterday I did a LBI session with Boss. Plenty of grazing and treats when he'd do something and I noticed he really started to offer after he noticed I had more treats! When he got a little sullen I quit for a while, just rested...scratched.
Then got on and did a mirroring Pushing Passenger. he licked and chewed the whole time....I think exactly BECAUSE I asked NOTHING of him. Blew his mind. Actually before I got on he went to nip, so I backed him 1/2 the length of the field! Attitude adjustment. Head down and eyes soft, a change from a moment before with hard stare and trying to bite!

Stood quietly then for mounting (bareback pad) and it was a non issue for me. Very low key. He stood in the same place for the 20 minutes. Nice and quiet, no pressure on either of us.

We both lived. And he followed me around when I let him go after I stalked his hind end a little. When I turned away when he looked at me he "got it" that I wouldn't force him. Nice.

Sideways through hula while circling-45 mins.

2008-04-02T21:07:00.000-04:00

Today we worked on going on a circle and putting a hula hoop at spot along the circle to use as a point to slow, go faster, stop in, ect. Once we circled and then through the hula hoop did sideways! Both sides although going right she sideways stepped behind the hula. Fiona is going more LB all the time and it's wonderful to see. She is so responsive and lovely. I am just over the moon! Having lots of fun!

getting better....

2008-03-28T00:21:00.000-04:00

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.

a wonderful breakthrough

2008-03-14T02:30:00.000-04:00

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. :(

Savvy Journey With Fiona

2008-03-09T22:05:00.000-04:00

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.