Here is a blog I started about 9 months ago, but never finished, so now I will have posted two blogs in one night! I hope it inspires others not to give up on being the best horseman they can be.
It's been an amazing journey thus far helping Wendy and Bingo towards their Level 3 Freestyle, through our 21 Days to Shedding Predatory Habits. We've also come to call it their Parelli Immersion. Now that they have their Level 3 online (a fabulous accomplishment) I knew from the start that the key would be getting Bingo to partner up under saddle, something Wendy has had trouble getting since starting her "Bingo Journey". To really appreciate how far they have come, here is a look back.
When Wendy decided to get a horse, she wanted a good trail horse. When she started looking around, she found out about a horse that had very good breeding, had had about 30 days of training, then been abandoned in a field for 11 years, neglected and living with cows. When she saw him, 200 lbs underweight and miserable looking, her heart went out to him and she didn't even hesitate. She bought him immediately. She knew he needed rescuing. It was unlikely anyone else would save this horse from oblivion. Her relationship with Bingo had begun.
Wendy and I live in the same area, and at the time, both of us kept our horses at a barn facility near our homes. Before the barn, we had not met one another. I'm not quite sure what Wendy thought of me before we started talking to one another, but since I was the lone PNH student at this particular place, no doubt she probably thought I was a bit strange as many there did: carrot stick and savvy string instead of a "whip", a rope halter instead of the usual web halter, playing with my horse on the ground with yacht ropes, or better yet, with no ropes or halter, riding around without anything on Walker's head, well, you get the picture. I was not of the "normal" horse world.
I now know that Wendy is an innately curious person with a keen mind and an open heart. She is also not prone to quick judgment or ridicule unless seriously provoked, so what she saw me doing may have peeked her curiosity just a bit...
I do remember what I was thinking when I would see Wendy ride or try to lunge her horse. Bingo had huge energy, and it was mostly out of control. The lessons she was getting were not helping her at all. I felt sad and frustrated that she was not getting the help she needed. I also did not want to butt in. After all, outside of exchanging a few pleasantries, I didn't know her at all.
One sunny weekend day, I was walking back to my car after spending a couple of lovely hours with Walker. As I turned towards the parking lot, I saw Wendy again attempting to lunge Bingo in an outdoor arena at the entrance to the barn. It wasn't going well.
She was trying to get him out on the circle, and he was trying to run on top of her. I was very concerned watching and knowing how dangerous this could be. I knew I could help her, but again, I did not want to butt in. However, my concern outweighed my reticence, so I hung out by the arena fence mentally willing Wendy to ask me for help.
And, amazingly, she did! She turned to me, and said something like, "Can you help me with this?" Wendy now refers to that day as her Parelli Intervention. Once she saw what a few simple techniques could accomplish, she was all in. Of course, neither of us saw how far that moment would take us.
Now, that lonely, neglected horse is blossoming under Wendy's care and guidance. And with our 21 day Parelli Immersion, finishing Level 3 is a goal within site.
And without that encounter with Wendy, I'm not sure I would ever have become a Parelli Instructor. Her encouragement was always been a great help to me.
And so, the journey continues...horses and humans together, creating something more than either could be alone.
Saturday, October 18, 2014
A Year?!
It's really hard to believe it's been more than a year since my last blog post. I suppose that is bad and good: so busy, it's been hard to find the time to write a blog or it's a shame not to document my thoughts and feelings of the journey this last year.
One thing is for sure, nothing ever stays the same. There have been moments of real triumph as when Walker and I got our finesse flying lead changes passed. Then getting the devastating news that he suffered a medial suspensory ligament injury in his right hind leg, leaving us up to this point, still not ready to finish our finesse audition. However, as this journey has shown me over and over, the bad comes with the good, you just have to learn to roll with it and make the most of it that you can.
The good news is his injury did not end his riding career, and Walker is almost fully rehabilitated now. But we've lost 6 months of not being able to trot or canter for most of that time. For an LBE like Walker, getting him back to that frame of mind when he was doing lovely cantering circles willingly and learning to do his flying lead changes without opposition is hard fought ground to have to recover. Not hard fought in the way many people would think, but in the Parelli program, using psychology, communication and understanding on Walker's time line, a standard I meet 95% of the time now.
To that end, I decided he had to learn to be ridden out in the park where we could do long lines of trotting and cantering, the best for rehabilitating his injury. It's been a bit crazy getting him to feel more confident out there and staying relaxed enough to listen for that which I am asking him to do. In addition, we've had an enormous amount of rain this summer, so being able to ride in the park on the gravel paths has been a needed godsend.
And this past Friday, after about an hour of play on the ground and in the saddle, he did the most beautiful circles on a loose rein around one of the trees in the park, EVER. It's funny, he really seems to know when he's earned his release, because as soon as I asked him down to the walk, I could feel his confidence and "spark" rise. He gave me a huge and calm walk back to the barn.
So, it won't be long before we get those finesse circles and lateral moves filmed, despite how challenging Walker is. He has been and continues to be one of my best instructors...
One thing is for sure, nothing ever stays the same. There have been moments of real triumph as when Walker and I got our finesse flying lead changes passed. Then getting the devastating news that he suffered a medial suspensory ligament injury in his right hind leg, leaving us up to this point, still not ready to finish our finesse audition. However, as this journey has shown me over and over, the bad comes with the good, you just have to learn to roll with it and make the most of it that you can.
The good news is his injury did not end his riding career, and Walker is almost fully rehabilitated now. But we've lost 6 months of not being able to trot or canter for most of that time. For an LBE like Walker, getting him back to that frame of mind when he was doing lovely cantering circles willingly and learning to do his flying lead changes without opposition is hard fought ground to have to recover. Not hard fought in the way many people would think, but in the Parelli program, using psychology, communication and understanding on Walker's time line, a standard I meet 95% of the time now.
To that end, I decided he had to learn to be ridden out in the park where we could do long lines of trotting and cantering, the best for rehabilitating his injury. It's been a bit crazy getting him to feel more confident out there and staying relaxed enough to listen for that which I am asking him to do. In addition, we've had an enormous amount of rain this summer, so being able to ride in the park on the gravel paths has been a needed godsend.
And this past Friday, after about an hour of play on the ground and in the saddle, he did the most beautiful circles on a loose rein around one of the trees in the park, EVER. It's funny, he really seems to know when he's earned his release, because as soon as I asked him down to the walk, I could feel his confidence and "spark" rise. He gave me a huge and calm walk back to the barn.
So, it won't be long before we get those finesse circles and lateral moves filmed, despite how challenging Walker is. He has been and continues to be one of my best instructors...
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
21 DAYS TO SHEDDING PREDATORY HABITS: AN IDEA IS REALIZED
As Wendy Carpenter and I were chatting at the barn about 6 weeks ago,
the subject of my trip to Colorado to study under Carol Coppinger, 6
star Parelli Professional, came up again. Wendy graciously listened as I
talked about my experiences learning how to steer Maverick like a boat
and riding without reins or sticks. There were a lot of frustrations and
aggravations in the process, but what emerged for me was life changing
as it regards my horsemanship. The idea that you can really ride your
horse with ONLY your legs was a big challenge, but one I have taken very
seriously. The two consecutive weeks in Colorado honing my thoughts and
skills were invaluable.
I also explained to Wendy how I now felt that our ability to do this with our horses was critical to our success in the Parelli program, but also with anything we wanted to accomplish with our horses, in or out of the arena. The concepts I learned from Pat and Carol during the trip have now been forever incorporated into every task or goal I have for my horsemanship. The residual benefits, among others, are a higher level of consistent effort from my horses, more efficient learning for both me and my horses, a great feeling of accomplishment and LOTS OF FUN!
The Colorado trip also made me realize that I have not been ambitious enough about my horsemanship, something Pat challenged me with while I was there. For a long time, it had been a form of recreation and stress relief with no real goals in mind. That isn't going to be what it's all about anymore. I'm not sure where this journey will lead me, but I know one thing for sure: I want to be a master at Levels 1-4 of the Parelli program. That is going to take higher levels of grit, determination and dedication.. The feeling reminds me a great deal of when, after about 5 years of practicing dentistry, if I really wanted to be masterful at it, I was going to have to put massive effort into continuing education and then putting that into practice. I am in a similar place now with my horsemanship. So what that I am 55? Actually, it's a good thing it's now, much later and it might not be possible...
Wendy was so intrigued by it all that not only did she want to know and learn more, but she really wanted a similar experience to the one I had had in Colorado. For Wendy however, a two week trip to Colorado is completely impractical. As a very busy wife, mother and full time radiologist, the only way to achieve such a wish would be to have Colorado come to her.
I then started talking about how I realized in Colorado the one who really had to make a change was me. I had to break habits that had become automatic. I had to become truly determined to do so. I talked about how studies had shown that humans need at least 21 days to break bad habits and establish new ones to take their place. And I thought out loud that my horses had been waiting for me to do so.
To which Wendy replied that perhaps we could do it together, a 21 day game plan where I would help teach her the concepts I had learned in Colorado in order to complete her L3 freestyle. In the process, I would come to find that helping Wendy would also convince and inspire me even more that I can completely trust that the Parelli program works. Every time. Without fail. As long as the human has the desire and determination, natural horsemanship is achievable.
Wendy refined the idea even more: practice makes progress possible, so if she were to break her bad habits and establish good ones quickly and efficiently, her 21 days would be under my direct supervision; no practicing without me there. After all, the highest achievers don't go perform anywhere without their coaches right there with them, right?
And I thought to myself, what better way to ingrain these habits into ME, by teaching them to Wendy? As a concept, it seemed a win (Wendy), win (our horses), win (me)! Of course, Wendy won't be able to do them the days consecutively, so it won't go as fast as my Colorado trip, but I see lots of benefits to that, especially the chance to be able to process and internalize each new day in the process.
So after some back and forth as to the name, 21 DAYS TO SHEDDING PREDATORY HABITS was born. Wendy and I were about to embark on a unique horsemanship journey...thanks, Wendy, for taking this journey with me!
I also explained to Wendy how I now felt that our ability to do this with our horses was critical to our success in the Parelli program, but also with anything we wanted to accomplish with our horses, in or out of the arena. The concepts I learned from Pat and Carol during the trip have now been forever incorporated into every task or goal I have for my horsemanship. The residual benefits, among others, are a higher level of consistent effort from my horses, more efficient learning for both me and my horses, a great feeling of accomplishment and LOTS OF FUN!
The Colorado trip also made me realize that I have not been ambitious enough about my horsemanship, something Pat challenged me with while I was there. For a long time, it had been a form of recreation and stress relief with no real goals in mind. That isn't going to be what it's all about anymore. I'm not sure where this journey will lead me, but I know one thing for sure: I want to be a master at Levels 1-4 of the Parelli program. That is going to take higher levels of grit, determination and dedication.. The feeling reminds me a great deal of when, after about 5 years of practicing dentistry, if I really wanted to be masterful at it, I was going to have to put massive effort into continuing education and then putting that into practice. I am in a similar place now with my horsemanship. So what that I am 55? Actually, it's a good thing it's now, much later and it might not be possible...
Wendy was so intrigued by it all that not only did she want to know and learn more, but she really wanted a similar experience to the one I had had in Colorado. For Wendy however, a two week trip to Colorado is completely impractical. As a very busy wife, mother and full time radiologist, the only way to achieve such a wish would be to have Colorado come to her.
I then started talking about how I realized in Colorado the one who really had to make a change was me. I had to break habits that had become automatic. I had to become truly determined to do so. I talked about how studies had shown that humans need at least 21 days to break bad habits and establish new ones to take their place. And I thought out loud that my horses had been waiting for me to do so.
To which Wendy replied that perhaps we could do it together, a 21 day game plan where I would help teach her the concepts I had learned in Colorado in order to complete her L3 freestyle. In the process, I would come to find that helping Wendy would also convince and inspire me even more that I can completely trust that the Parelli program works. Every time. Without fail. As long as the human has the desire and determination, natural horsemanship is achievable.
Wendy refined the idea even more: practice makes progress possible, so if she were to break her bad habits and establish good ones quickly and efficiently, her 21 days would be under my direct supervision; no practicing without me there. After all, the highest achievers don't go perform anywhere without their coaches right there with them, right?
And I thought to myself, what better way to ingrain these habits into ME, by teaching them to Wendy? As a concept, it seemed a win (Wendy), win (our horses), win (me)! Of course, Wendy won't be able to do them the days consecutively, so it won't go as fast as my Colorado trip, but I see lots of benefits to that, especially the chance to be able to process and internalize each new day in the process.
So after some back and forth as to the name, 21 DAYS TO SHEDDING PREDATORY HABITS was born. Wendy and I were about to embark on a unique horsemanship journey...thanks, Wendy, for taking this journey with me!
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Walker and finesse
It's been a lot of fun playing with Walker getting ready to film our Level 4 Finesse. He's such a challenging horse. One day, he may do things just as planned, the next, he has a totally different opinion of the whole thing and gives me serious attitude. Yesterday was a particularly interesting day. I believe in planning when playing with horses, but with Walker, we often can't follow the one I have in mind.
The weather began changing, with a cool breeze coming off the Gulf and a cover of clouds scudding over the landscape. Walker's state of mind was, well, jumpy. It's difficult to reinforce anything with Walker when he is in this frame, but to be fair, I don't think I would be ready either if I felt that way.
Also, we have had an enormous amount of rain over the last 2 weeks, so the large arena is a sloppy mess. The indoor arena is good for some things, but not when Walker is on edge. When the extrovert is antsy, it's best to be in wide open spaces so he can really move out. So, it's out to the park we go. We are very fortunate to have the park to play in. It can absorb a lot of rain and still have good footing for riding.
I don't want any more life to come up in my horse, not at this moment. Some of you may have ridden a horse who feels like he has fire coming from the ends of his hair, but for those of you who haven't, it can make the human feel pretty jumpy too. It's akin to feeling like a passenger on a projectile in a slingshot that's been cocked and is ready to be launched. Exhilarating, and scary all at the same time. Since I am now 55, I make it a point to stay away from scary.
So, I figure walking a long focus on a casual rein will be good for him. We have trees in every corner of the park area, which is fabulously handy. It's as though they mark a nice 700 ft. by 225 ft. arena area. We start and he is walking big long strides using that energy he came with while looking around at our surroundings. He does a pretty good job following my focus until we actually get to the first tree, but despite my focus, he goes right by it. "Ring, ring", I lift my reins, ask for the hindquarters to go away to get him to face up on the tree. As we get there, I lower all my energy and say aloud, "Now, hurry up and relax, Walker." He can only stand there for two seconds before he has to walk away from the tree. After the third time we repeat this at this same tree, I start to count in my head how many times we have to do it. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 times! On the eighth try, he sticks his head far into the branches of the tree, as if to say, "OK, I get it!", and after ten seconds of standing still, I ask him to move off to the next tree. I repeat this going to the right until he actually stops at a tree and stands for 10 seconds without having to redirect him or ask him twice to stand still at the tree. I think we took two full trips around the park to get this.
Lather, rinse repeat to the left. This time, it only take two trees (half the park arena) for Walker to get it, and I know I now have a horse who is ready to do something. Thank you PNH! Without the tools and techniques to get my LBE into the game, we could never have progressed this far.
In an open area, I started first to ask for a shoulder in to the right, his easy side and then the left, the side that gives him difficulty at every thing. Walker has difficulty keeping himself balanced going left, however some balancing exercises first always help. Today, his shoulder in going left feels really good, so I start to ask for walk canter transitions.
He does the best ones, by far, he has ever done, so we stop and as I reach for his mane to get off, he give me a big "get off nicker". He only does those when he knows he's done something really well. This is not my imagination. He knows when he has put in good effort, and he is rewarding me with that nicker when I reward him by hopping off.
There is just no feeling like the one you get when your horse and you are so in sync.
The weather began changing, with a cool breeze coming off the Gulf and a cover of clouds scudding over the landscape. Walker's state of mind was, well, jumpy. It's difficult to reinforce anything with Walker when he is in this frame, but to be fair, I don't think I would be ready either if I felt that way.
Also, we have had an enormous amount of rain over the last 2 weeks, so the large arena is a sloppy mess. The indoor arena is good for some things, but not when Walker is on edge. When the extrovert is antsy, it's best to be in wide open spaces so he can really move out. So, it's out to the park we go. We are very fortunate to have the park to play in. It can absorb a lot of rain and still have good footing for riding.
I don't want any more life to come up in my horse, not at this moment. Some of you may have ridden a horse who feels like he has fire coming from the ends of his hair, but for those of you who haven't, it can make the human feel pretty jumpy too. It's akin to feeling like a passenger on a projectile in a slingshot that's been cocked and is ready to be launched. Exhilarating, and scary all at the same time. Since I am now 55, I make it a point to stay away from scary.
So, I figure walking a long focus on a casual rein will be good for him. We have trees in every corner of the park area, which is fabulously handy. It's as though they mark a nice 700 ft. by 225 ft. arena area. We start and he is walking big long strides using that energy he came with while looking around at our surroundings. He does a pretty good job following my focus until we actually get to the first tree, but despite my focus, he goes right by it. "Ring, ring", I lift my reins, ask for the hindquarters to go away to get him to face up on the tree. As we get there, I lower all my energy and say aloud, "Now, hurry up and relax, Walker." He can only stand there for two seconds before he has to walk away from the tree. After the third time we repeat this at this same tree, I start to count in my head how many times we have to do it. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 times! On the eighth try, he sticks his head far into the branches of the tree, as if to say, "OK, I get it!", and after ten seconds of standing still, I ask him to move off to the next tree. I repeat this going to the right until he actually stops at a tree and stands for 10 seconds without having to redirect him or ask him twice to stand still at the tree. I think we took two full trips around the park to get this.
Lather, rinse repeat to the left. This time, it only take two trees (half the park arena) for Walker to get it, and I know I now have a horse who is ready to do something. Thank you PNH! Without the tools and techniques to get my LBE into the game, we could never have progressed this far.
In an open area, I started first to ask for a shoulder in to the right, his easy side and then the left, the side that gives him difficulty at every thing. Walker has difficulty keeping himself balanced going left, however some balancing exercises first always help. Today, his shoulder in going left feels really good, so I start to ask for walk canter transitions.
He does the best ones, by far, he has ever done, so we stop and as I reach for his mane to get off, he give me a big "get off nicker". He only does those when he knows he's done something really well. This is not my imagination. He knows when he has put in good effort, and he is rewarding me with that nicker when I reward him by hopping off.
There is just no feeling like the one you get when your horse and you are so in sync.
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