First up, when R was out at the farm with me yesterday, he took a few short videos of me riding Finn in the new saddle. I wanted to keep it simple, so I rode a large circle around him and he shot a lap or two of each gait. Here is the finished product:
R over-exposed so I'd be able to see detail around the saddle, since that was the main point of the project. Must say, I like how it looks on us!
I think this will also serve as a better "before" video for our study of Dressage, Naturally because I have figured a few things out since that last video that have really shifted some things. For one, Karen's presentation about the four different postures helped me gain clarity. In this video, I am committed to the "whatever" posture... ie - I'm letting Finn do as he pleases. I'm not asking him to hols himself in any particular way, and I'm not being super particular about his energy. I'm just rolling my bubble along and expecting him to stay in it.
One thing I do want to note is that this video definitely shows me I need to revise my feel for energy a bit. Finn is really moving well in this video... certainly not super active and inspiring, but he is a flowing mover with a long stride and a natural desire to stay balanced. While we will, over time, be more balanced and do higher energy things in balance, I think it is a bit unfair of me to pick at him incessantly over this neutral energy, as he is certainly not crawling.
I sort of wish we'd taken some video of our transitions, because our transitions have really gotten better since I started experimenting with "go is release" and being more deliberate about the "get ready" part of the transition. Far from perfect, but so, so much better!
Next up, I took the tarp out with me today and alternated playing with it and playing with the cavalletti. Finn ACED the cavalletti, by the way... even at the canter! He definitely showed me that he understood the objective of maintaining gait through the canter poles, and even adjusted his stride approaching the poles to meet them at a doable distance. Super horse!
Back to the video, though, this is just one of the things we did with the tarp today. I was super pleased with Finn's reaction. This is where we ended up, obviously; not where we started. Even when we started, though, he was very self-controlled. I kept tossing until he could refrain from moving his feet to sniff the tarp where it landed.
You can see in the video that a couple unexpected things happened, and Finn handled them like a pro. Go pony!
We also worked on crossing the tarp and had the interesting revelation that sometimes more is better. For example, crossing the tarp at a trot might be easier than crossing it at a walk. And getting a walk across the whole tarp laid flat might be easier than getting the walk when the tarp is folded in half. All in all, I'm happy I was able to keep an open mind and be flexible in search of what would help Finn accomplish what I was asking of him!
Showing posts with label Videos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Videos. Show all posts
Monday, November 3, 2014
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Super Horse!
I had super and very different sessions with Finn yesterday and this morning. Yesterday, I was still feeling pretty unmotivated and bummed about my saddle, so I decided not to ride and instead pulled out our old "friend" the tarp.
I realize our long and checkered past with the tarp precedes this blog, so to briefly sum it up: we have had issues. We spent a great deal of time working with it early this year, but we were stuck at tolerance, not acceptance. While I could toss it on and around him, have him walk over and across it, and even get him to put his front feet on it for short periods of time, he was not truly calm about any of it.
Finn's injury in March interrupted our program with the tarp, and when he was 100% again, I decided to let it rest a while longer. We were making so much progress in other areas, strengthening my leadership and our mutual trust, that I wanted to see how his feelings about the tarp might change just because so much stuff between us had changed. Well, based on his response yesterday, I'd say this was an excellent decision!
To be honest, I cannot believe this is my horse. I have studied this video and the others I took over and over again wondering if he might be "catatonic," but as best as I can tell, he is simply relaxed, which is how I read it in the moment, too. What a novel concept! Seriously, I am in disbelief.
Next up, crossing:
This might not look like much, but it is SO improved. Earlier this year, I could get him to cross, but he felt like he might leap 20 feet in the air at any moment if the tarp so much as wiggled a smidge. At first he would rush, and I would reward him with a break only for walking. Then he figured out he was supposed to walk, and it was the TIGHTEST walk I had ever seen!
He started out super yesterday, then back-tracked a little into uncertainty, then ended on what you see in the above video, which I consider absolutely awesome. This is a horse I could imagine riding across a tarp without fearing for my life. That is major progress.
There are still a couple things I'd really like to get solid with the tarp. First, actually tying it to my saddle and having Finn carry it through some ground work. Second, having him be able to stop and stand on it 100% relaxed. Third, crossing it confidently from the saddle. And fourth, dragging it from the saddle and even being able to pull it up and over him. The thing is, I feel 100% closer to all of those things after yesterday's session. Now I feel like they are all within reach.
Moving on to this morning's session... I have been getting some inspiration and ideas from a new series of free videos released by Karen Rohlf, and I finally felt motivated enough to actually play with the D,N exercises again. I went out today with the intention to focus on 100% clarity in the simple things.
The nice thing is Finn and I actually have quite a lot of clarity already. I think even an objective observer would agree that our communication is high quality. Not perfect, but certainly above average. What was really helpful, though, was the reminder to strive for 100% clarity, and the high level of focus that requires, at all times. Also, the reminder of how important 100% clarity is to helping the horse be a confident, motivated and willing partner. Of course the horse will be more interested in working for someone who remembers to tell them how absolutely right they are!
After working at this for a while, I shifted to thinking about creating "inspired" movement. After listening to Karen's videos, I was thinking a lot about how to help Finn feel truly inspired and eager to let his power come through. In other words, really getting to the core of the conversation about energy we've been kinda stuck on for the last several weeks.
I asked Finn to show me what freedom looks like. I told him I knew he was so full of power, and I'll love if he could show me some of it. I showed him some freedom in my own body, exaggerating my body motions and really shaking it loose. I went out to really and truly PLAY with it, instead of having a certain way of doing it in mind. And the last thing I changed was I tied my stirrups up, to remove one reason he had to hold back while working on line while saddled. (While he is not afraid of the stirrups bouncing around, he finds it unpleasant, and I can't blame him.)
Well, among those changes we found the key, because we really got it today, first on line and then under saddle. I felt transitions so free and flowing I almost missed being stoked about it because it felt so easy! We quit our on line session on a walk-trot-canter transition in which Finn showed me three strides of the biggest, most elevated, most powerful trot I've ever seen him offer. While the riding was, by design, a little less exuberant, the last transitions felt no less free. And I made sure Finn knew he had gotten it, 100%! Yes, yes, yes! I told him he was my hero.
I am realizing how important and powerful it is for the horse to feel safe to make such a big offer, and how critical it is to make it SO clear to them that's exactly what you wanted when they do. Especially for a quiet, timid type like Finn! This is how we inspire a horse through 100% clarity.
So, both days offered big victories, and opened the road to so much more I want to play with! That's always a good thing. While it's lovely to dwell on moments like these, one makes progress by continuing to move forward... onward and upward.
I realize our long and checkered past with the tarp precedes this blog, so to briefly sum it up: we have had issues. We spent a great deal of time working with it early this year, but we were stuck at tolerance, not acceptance. While I could toss it on and around him, have him walk over and across it, and even get him to put his front feet on it for short periods of time, he was not truly calm about any of it.
Finn's injury in March interrupted our program with the tarp, and when he was 100% again, I decided to let it rest a while longer. We were making so much progress in other areas, strengthening my leadership and our mutual trust, that I wanted to see how his feelings about the tarp might change just because so much stuff between us had changed. Well, based on his response yesterday, I'd say this was an excellent decision!
To be honest, I cannot believe this is my horse. I have studied this video and the others I took over and over again wondering if he might be "catatonic," but as best as I can tell, he is simply relaxed, which is how I read it in the moment, too. What a novel concept! Seriously, I am in disbelief.
Next up, crossing:
This might not look like much, but it is SO improved. Earlier this year, I could get him to cross, but he felt like he might leap 20 feet in the air at any moment if the tarp so much as wiggled a smidge. At first he would rush, and I would reward him with a break only for walking. Then he figured out he was supposed to walk, and it was the TIGHTEST walk I had ever seen!
He started out super yesterday, then back-tracked a little into uncertainty, then ended on what you see in the above video, which I consider absolutely awesome. This is a horse I could imagine riding across a tarp without fearing for my life. That is major progress.
There are still a couple things I'd really like to get solid with the tarp. First, actually tying it to my saddle and having Finn carry it through some ground work. Second, having him be able to stop and stand on it 100% relaxed. Third, crossing it confidently from the saddle. And fourth, dragging it from the saddle and even being able to pull it up and over him. The thing is, I feel 100% closer to all of those things after yesterday's session. Now I feel like they are all within reach.
Moving on to this morning's session... I have been getting some inspiration and ideas from a new series of free videos released by Karen Rohlf, and I finally felt motivated enough to actually play with the D,N exercises again. I went out today with the intention to focus on 100% clarity in the simple things.
The nice thing is Finn and I actually have quite a lot of clarity already. I think even an objective observer would agree that our communication is high quality. Not perfect, but certainly above average. What was really helpful, though, was the reminder to strive for 100% clarity, and the high level of focus that requires, at all times. Also, the reminder of how important 100% clarity is to helping the horse be a confident, motivated and willing partner. Of course the horse will be more interested in working for someone who remembers to tell them how absolutely right they are!
After working at this for a while, I shifted to thinking about creating "inspired" movement. After listening to Karen's videos, I was thinking a lot about how to help Finn feel truly inspired and eager to let his power come through. In other words, really getting to the core of the conversation about energy we've been kinda stuck on for the last several weeks.
I asked Finn to show me what freedom looks like. I told him I knew he was so full of power, and I'll love if he could show me some of it. I showed him some freedom in my own body, exaggerating my body motions and really shaking it loose. I went out to really and truly PLAY with it, instead of having a certain way of doing it in mind. And the last thing I changed was I tied my stirrups up, to remove one reason he had to hold back while working on line while saddled. (While he is not afraid of the stirrups bouncing around, he finds it unpleasant, and I can't blame him.)
Well, among those changes we found the key, because we really got it today, first on line and then under saddle. I felt transitions so free and flowing I almost missed being stoked about it because it felt so easy! We quit our on line session on a walk-trot-canter transition in which Finn showed me three strides of the biggest, most elevated, most powerful trot I've ever seen him offer. While the riding was, by design, a little less exuberant, the last transitions felt no less free. And I made sure Finn knew he had gotten it, 100%! Yes, yes, yes! I told him he was my hero.
I am realizing how important and powerful it is for the horse to feel safe to make such a big offer, and how critical it is to make it SO clear to them that's exactly what you wanted when they do. Especially for a quiet, timid type like Finn! This is how we inspire a horse through 100% clarity.
So, both days offered big victories, and opened the road to so much more I want to play with! That's always a good thing. While it's lovely to dwell on moments like these, one makes progress by continuing to move forward... onward and upward.
Thursday, August 28, 2014
GoPro!
First off, I am disappointed to report that my Tekna arrived broken! Everything was in perfect condition except one of the clips that fastens the interchangeable gullet system. I did take the opportunity to set it on Finn's back and the fit wasn't great either. Potentially workable, but not great, primarily because the panels are too steeply angled at the back of the saddle, and it rocks on him. I am so bummed, but figure there's nothing for it but to move on.
Today I took a GoPro to the barn with me to see if I could get useful footage without a camera operator. I clipped it on the arena fence and captured about 15 minutes of video before it ran out of battery. (It was not fully charged when I started.) Here are a few highlights:
It's already late here, but I want to point out a few things about the video... First off, I put that part in the beginning in on purpose, because I thought it was kinda funny.
On a more serious note... The next two clips are showing what Finn offered as a "default" walk and then what I got when I tried to bump him up one "notch." So, if the first walk was a four, I tried to bring my intention to a 5 and have him match and sustain that. It was VERY helpful for me to see the difference I was feeling. Also helpful to be reminded that Finn offers his bigger walk in the form of a longer stride and more "swing," instead of a quicker tempo.
Next up, the HQ/FQ exercise. I only included the last of several that we did. While I see a lot that could be improved, both in my position and Finn's footwork, this is notably improved over the last time I took video. Finn's commitment to the turn on the HQ is much stronger. In this example, he actually does pivot on the outside hind. In others from today, he pivoted on the inside hind, but at least he is pivoting! That's something.
I feel I need to work at getting the HQ part of the move sharper, because I am getting too many steps before I feel ready to ask for the FQ. Maybe if the initiation of the HQ was more clear, this wouldn't be such an issue?
I included a bit of short serpentine that felt really nice to me. Finn really nailed that one from the get go today, at least so far as I know.
On the trot poles, the first go is what Finn was offering as a "default" trot, while in the second I have bumped him up a number on the energy scale. It is an interesting contrast to see... in the second clip he is definitely quicker, where if he was more relaxed with the energy I thing he would lengthen his stride more. Interestingly, after the camera ran out of battery, I ended our ride working on getting Finn to commit to maintaining a more active trot... I'd say maybe a 5 or 6 out of 10... and he actually started stretching through his top line much more than he had been at the 3 trot he was offering. While it took a bit to feel like he really committed to 100% the energy I was asking for, he was certainly not resistant... it MUST have felt better to him to push from behind and lift me on his back instead of plodding along letting everything be hollow!
Finally, I did canter the line of poles today. While you see a 3.5 stride line in the video, I did get off and shorten the distance to better match his natural pace. We got several neat 3 strides after that. I tried to put together a little course of canter poles, but that proved challenging because Finn told me we had no precedent for needing such sharp turns at the canter. He's right, really, so I just took note and we'll work on getting that better as we go.
That's pretty much all there is to it. Overall Finn felt really willing today; I was so pleased with him! And in the end I think the GoPro footage is useful, even if it is somewhat frustrating at times to watch myself be sooooo tiny! I'll keep experimenting to see what it can do.
Today I took a GoPro to the barn with me to see if I could get useful footage without a camera operator. I clipped it on the arena fence and captured about 15 minutes of video before it ran out of battery. (It was not fully charged when I started.) Here are a few highlights:
It's already late here, but I want to point out a few things about the video... First off, I put that part in the beginning in on purpose, because I thought it was kinda funny.
On a more serious note... The next two clips are showing what Finn offered as a "default" walk and then what I got when I tried to bump him up one "notch." So, if the first walk was a four, I tried to bring my intention to a 5 and have him match and sustain that. It was VERY helpful for me to see the difference I was feeling. Also helpful to be reminded that Finn offers his bigger walk in the form of a longer stride and more "swing," instead of a quicker tempo.
Next up, the HQ/FQ exercise. I only included the last of several that we did. While I see a lot that could be improved, both in my position and Finn's footwork, this is notably improved over the last time I took video. Finn's commitment to the turn on the HQ is much stronger. In this example, he actually does pivot on the outside hind. In others from today, he pivoted on the inside hind, but at least he is pivoting! That's something.
I feel I need to work at getting the HQ part of the move sharper, because I am getting too many steps before I feel ready to ask for the FQ. Maybe if the initiation of the HQ was more clear, this wouldn't be such an issue?
I included a bit of short serpentine that felt really nice to me. Finn really nailed that one from the get go today, at least so far as I know.
On the trot poles, the first go is what Finn was offering as a "default" trot, while in the second I have bumped him up a number on the energy scale. It is an interesting contrast to see... in the second clip he is definitely quicker, where if he was more relaxed with the energy I thing he would lengthen his stride more. Interestingly, after the camera ran out of battery, I ended our ride working on getting Finn to commit to maintaining a more active trot... I'd say maybe a 5 or 6 out of 10... and he actually started stretching through his top line much more than he had been at the 3 trot he was offering. While it took a bit to feel like he really committed to 100% the energy I was asking for, he was certainly not resistant... it MUST have felt better to him to push from behind and lift me on his back instead of plodding along letting everything be hollow!
Finally, I did canter the line of poles today. While you see a 3.5 stride line in the video, I did get off and shorten the distance to better match his natural pace. We got several neat 3 strides after that. I tried to put together a little course of canter poles, but that proved challenging because Finn told me we had no precedent for needing such sharp turns at the canter. He's right, really, so I just took note and we'll work on getting that better as we go.
That's pretty much all there is to it. Overall Finn felt really willing today; I was so pleased with him! And in the end I think the GoPro footage is useful, even if it is somewhat frustrating at times to watch myself be sooooo tiny! I'll keep experimenting to see what it can do.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Rainy Day Riding
It has been raining for most of the last 48 hours, which is both VERY unusual in our high-desert climate and really excellent for everything... except riding. Nevertheless, I took a chance and drove down to the barn this morning, and I was rewarded with a solid three-hour stretch without rain.
It was actually quite lovely for riding... foggy and overcast and cool enough to wear a jacket! You can see how it was in this quick clip I caught of Finn coming up to meet me at the gate, which ALWAYS makes my day. Seriously, there is very little better than a horse who responds eagerly when you call his name:
Since it seemed apt to start raining at any time, I tacked up and rode out of my car by the pasture gate. In an effort to make the most of whatever time we had, I didn't even brush the mud off Finn's rump and head, just cleaned up the saddle area and got to it. We had a very productive session, working on our goals for the month. We also worked on reversing Finn's 'druthers. Initially, he was reluctant to head up the driveway towards the barn, so I gave him more work to do near the pasture and more rest time closer to the barn. By the third trip back towards the pasture, he was no longer so sure that's where he wanted to go... which is exactly what I was hoping for.
It's actually really late, and I'm getting up early to go for a ride with S in the morning, so I think I'll leave it at that. We ended our ride today with a nice graze (away from the pasture, of course) and then a good grooming since the rain was still holding off. Finn was looking so handsome, I decided to see if I could snap a decent conformation shot of him, and ended up with this:
It was actually quite lovely for riding... foggy and overcast and cool enough to wear a jacket! You can see how it was in this quick clip I caught of Finn coming up to meet me at the gate, which ALWAYS makes my day. Seriously, there is very little better than a horse who responds eagerly when you call his name:
Since it seemed apt to start raining at any time, I tacked up and rode out of my car by the pasture gate. In an effort to make the most of whatever time we had, I didn't even brush the mud off Finn's rump and head, just cleaned up the saddle area and got to it. We had a very productive session, working on our goals for the month. We also worked on reversing Finn's 'druthers. Initially, he was reluctant to head up the driveway towards the barn, so I gave him more work to do near the pasture and more rest time closer to the barn. By the third trip back towards the pasture, he was no longer so sure that's where he wanted to go... which is exactly what I was hoping for.
It's actually really late, and I'm getting up early to go for a ride with S in the morning, so I think I'll leave it at that. We ended our ride today with a nice graze (away from the pasture, of course) and then a good grooming since the rain was still holding off. Finn was looking so handsome, I decided to see if I could snap a decent conformation shot of him, and ended up with this:
Not too shabby, if I do say so myself. He is really looking mature these days, at least to my eye. As you can see, his mane has "officially" gone back to the left side now that I've stopped practicing my braiding on it. I briefly considered making an effort to keep it on the right, but ultimately decided it wasn't worth wasting time on.
We're exploring a new trail head tomorrow and it'll be the first time I've been out with S in a while. Stay tuned for the story!
Friday, July 11, 2014
Puzzling...
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| View from the barn tonight. |
While I did have an interesting ride expanding on the thought process I stumbled into yesterday, tonight I want to write about our liberty sessions, which have been equally interesting and puzzling. We’ve been continuing to play with the “Find Your Herd” exercise, but our connection is such that we don’t spend too much time there. We’ve also been playing with some basic yields and getting into a pattern of having conversations about space. Well, today and yesterday, we started out in the same place… Finn was definitely connected, but happy to follow me at his own pace, no doubt confident that he would catch me eventually.
Yesterday, I decided to experiment with sort of narrowing the safe-zone… When Finn got too far behind, I turned around and cleared the space/sent him to find his herd again. Admittedly, this felt not-great… very disharmonious, because I felt like I was breaking the connection when he was still sure we were together. If you could see the look of bewilderment on his face the first time I did it, you’d understand. It was like a confused “You don’t want me to follow you???” But I gave it the good old college try and after having to get quite loud to get him to understand that he should clear out, it did ultimately result in him quickly coming back with more energy.
After that, I stayed more high-energy and erratic, and he got more enthusiastic about following me… and also quickly more confident about my unpredictable changes of direction. The session ended with this:
I see a lot of good there. Perhaps my favorite part of the whole thing is the first few seconds where he leaves his leaf-snack to follow me without any reminder on my part. For sure he is sticking with me, and putting effort into it! But on the whole I really wondered about the session… did I break the intention of the exercise to get the result I wanted? I’m honestly not sure.
Today I took a different approach. After establishing that we had following going on, I moved onto practicing our basic yields, which went superbly. I then went back to FYH to see if I got any more motivation… the answer was no.
So, I moved onto blending having conversations about space with having conversations about energy, and tried to see if I could clear space effectively enough to have him trot off. I didn’t ask for a circle, but it’s what he offered… I think it happens pretty naturally when a horse is connected like he is. We got some really nice transitions from walk to trot through this, and I was able to send him off from a halt, too. All in all, I was really pleased with this! But when I went back to FYH, he was happy as ever to follow along at his regular amble. Hmmm.
I decided to send him out trotting and then turn and jog the other way… that got him catching up to me at a trot. I jogged around a bit, keeping things much more relaxed and flowing than yesterday, and he kept with me; maybe not RIGHT THERE with me, but matching my path and energy for sure. One thing that was interesting to me is I made a few gentle loops towards the rail to change direction, and he matched them perfectly by making a similar loop and switching sides behind me so he was still on the inside. That struck me because it was a REALLY different feeling that a game of Stick-To-Me, where I’d insist that he stay on one side and hustle to keep up. And yet it felt really… together. Together like a school of fish or a flock of birds. It was a nice feeling.
Eventually I ended the session when I got a really prompt transition to the trot, perfectly matched to the moment I started jogging. We didn’t get anywhere near the exuberance of the previous session, but on the whole today’s experience felt more harmonious. Perhaps because there was never any point where I really sent him off.
All in all, I’m not really sure if one approach was better or worse or more or less appropriate than the other. I’m still thinking about it. Possibly, they were both valid. Perhaps the first day would have felt more harmonious in the end if I had been more conscious to transition back to real peacefulness between our run-arounds. Ultimately the end goal is to have harmony and exuberance, so maybe these two sessions were just a really excellent way for me to practice having one and then the other… and if you transition between two qualities often enough, eventually the horse will offer them together.
Anyway, this liberty stuff is quite an engaging puzzle… especially so since I am trying to piece together a new approach to it from second-hand information. But I remind myself that I can’t go too far wrong if I keep the qualities of the end result in mind, listen to Finn, and keep a light-hearted attitude and an open mind. I also have to remember that perfection is NOT the goal, so there’s no point in fretting over not making mistakes. After all, it is when we fumble, get confused, and then find our way back together that our relationship grows stronger.
Monday, June 30, 2014
Thinking About Liberty
Way back in 2003 when I first started studying Parelli Natural Horsemanship, I wanted Liberty SO BADLY!! Watching Pat or his high level students play with horses at Liberty was like magic, show-casing the kind of connection with a horse I’d dreamed about before I reshaped my dreams to match the world I was living in. And so, as a novice Parelli student like so many novice Parelli students before and after me, I “needed” Liberty so much that I could hardly have repelled my horse more!
It took a little over four years of tough lessons before my Liberty started to take shape, and by 2009 Journey and I were really starting to get it together:
While this video shows us playing in an arena, we also practiced our Liberty in wide open fields… in fact, we had some of our best Liberty in the “back 40.” Still, what I like about this video is A) It’s all Liberty and B) Although we sometimes miscommunicate, never once in this session does she have any inkling to disconnect from me… not a chance. It’s not the world’s best Liberty, but I don’t think it’s too much to say it’s something pretty special Journey and I shared.
So… to bring things back to the present, I have had Finn about 3.5 years now and have made no deliberate effort to develop his Liberty. Recently I’ve been thinking about that. Asking myself why, and whether it’s something I’d like to change.
It’s not that I ever chose NOT to want Liberty anymore, but two factors contribute to my current lack of investment in it. First, I did at some point make the conscious decision that I REALLY wanted to improve my skills in the saddle. I had SO much fun and learned TONS with Journey on the ground, but upon reflection when I was moving forward with developing another horse, I realized I wanted to be as good and as confident on his back… and with time being a limited resource such as it is, I decided that when it comes down to it, I wanted to invest more effort in the saddle. Second, having “gotten it” with Journey, I just didn’t have such a desperate desire for it. Having since observed both poor Liberty and excellent work on a line, I had a new understanding for the fact that quality and connection don’t hinge on the presence or absence of the rope as much as one might think they do. Beginning Finn’s education with that perspective, I just figured his Liberty would be there when it was ready, presuming I developed him on a line with quality. And it has been.
Although I haven’t “developed” him at Liberty, I have taken the line off and seen what I have every now and again. This handful of brief Liberty sessions scattered throughout the years have all been successful, in the sense that I’ve never “lost” him at Liberty. (Actually, I did once. Totally dumb thing I did there.) I’ve also never really asked a whole lot of him, but I’ve asked more than most people would think to.
I’ve thought from the beginning that Finn would make a great Liberty horse. He has a natural desire to connect that sets him up for success, and an athletic flair to his movement that adds a little something to the effect. And though I haven’t made an effort to bring these things out, I HAVE made an effort not to diminish them. From the very beginning with him, I have prioritized that desire to connect over everything else when developing him on the ground. That’s a maturity of horsemanship I did NOT have when I started with Journey!
Anyway… lately I’ve been feeling like it might be time to put a little more conscious effort in on our Liberty. Why? Well, I miss it. On some level, I’ve always expected that having a connection with my horses at Liberty would be part of my horsemanship from now on. To be honest, if you’re handling a horse with genuine feel on a rope, you have some Liberty whether you choose to use it or not. Additionally, the mental challenge of Liberty is engaging to me, and I’d like to get back into it. Further, I wonder if there isn’t something really meaningful to be found for Finn and I in developing this aspect of our relationship… mostly something that might help him embrace that I am always and will always be his herd, no matter what else might be going on around us. This speaks to the partnership part of my overall vision. I believe Liberty will help us shape that us the way I’ve been dreaming of. And lastly, a friend of mine shared some notes about a Liberty exercise to play with, and it just sounded like fun, so I went out and did it!
The exercise is called “Find Your Herd” and addresses the most basic quality of Liberty… the horses desire to be with you. I’m not going to describe it in detail here -- at least not right now -- but I tried it with Finn last night at the barn and found his connection was already pretty strong. (I wasn’t surprised by this, but I did try not to expect it TOO much, in case I found it wasn’t as there as I thought it would be.) What I’d love to do is challenge it in a slightly more difficult environment, and I anticipate doing that this afternoon, as S and I are planning to play with it over in the arena at Washoe Lake.
I doubt we’ll do THIS today, but I’ve even been thinking about possibly playing it one day over at Washoe while S rides away on her horse. If my connection with Finn was strong enough to persist at Liberty, even while one of his best buddies rode off into the distance… well, I think that would mean BIG STUFF for our relationship as a whole.
So, here’s to the beginning of a new aspect of my relationship with Finn. I can’t wait to see where it leads.
It took a little over four years of tough lessons before my Liberty started to take shape, and by 2009 Journey and I were really starting to get it together:
While this video shows us playing in an arena, we also practiced our Liberty in wide open fields… in fact, we had some of our best Liberty in the “back 40.” Still, what I like about this video is A) It’s all Liberty and B) Although we sometimes miscommunicate, never once in this session does she have any inkling to disconnect from me… not a chance. It’s not the world’s best Liberty, but I don’t think it’s too much to say it’s something pretty special Journey and I shared.
So… to bring things back to the present, I have had Finn about 3.5 years now and have made no deliberate effort to develop his Liberty. Recently I’ve been thinking about that. Asking myself why, and whether it’s something I’d like to change.
It’s not that I ever chose NOT to want Liberty anymore, but two factors contribute to my current lack of investment in it. First, I did at some point make the conscious decision that I REALLY wanted to improve my skills in the saddle. I had SO much fun and learned TONS with Journey on the ground, but upon reflection when I was moving forward with developing another horse, I realized I wanted to be as good and as confident on his back… and with time being a limited resource such as it is, I decided that when it comes down to it, I wanted to invest more effort in the saddle. Second, having “gotten it” with Journey, I just didn’t have such a desperate desire for it. Having since observed both poor Liberty and excellent work on a line, I had a new understanding for the fact that quality and connection don’t hinge on the presence or absence of the rope as much as one might think they do. Beginning Finn’s education with that perspective, I just figured his Liberty would be there when it was ready, presuming I developed him on a line with quality. And it has been.
Although I haven’t “developed” him at Liberty, I have taken the line off and seen what I have every now and again. This handful of brief Liberty sessions scattered throughout the years have all been successful, in the sense that I’ve never “lost” him at Liberty. (Actually, I did once. Totally dumb thing I did there.) I’ve also never really asked a whole lot of him, but I’ve asked more than most people would think to.
I’ve thought from the beginning that Finn would make a great Liberty horse. He has a natural desire to connect that sets him up for success, and an athletic flair to his movement that adds a little something to the effect. And though I haven’t made an effort to bring these things out, I HAVE made an effort not to diminish them. From the very beginning with him, I have prioritized that desire to connect over everything else when developing him on the ground. That’s a maturity of horsemanship I did NOT have when I started with Journey!
Anyway… lately I’ve been feeling like it might be time to put a little more conscious effort in on our Liberty. Why? Well, I miss it. On some level, I’ve always expected that having a connection with my horses at Liberty would be part of my horsemanship from now on. To be honest, if you’re handling a horse with genuine feel on a rope, you have some Liberty whether you choose to use it or not. Additionally, the mental challenge of Liberty is engaging to me, and I’d like to get back into it. Further, I wonder if there isn’t something really meaningful to be found for Finn and I in developing this aspect of our relationship… mostly something that might help him embrace that I am always and will always be his herd, no matter what else might be going on around us. This speaks to the partnership part of my overall vision. I believe Liberty will help us shape that us the way I’ve been dreaming of. And lastly, a friend of mine shared some notes about a Liberty exercise to play with, and it just sounded like fun, so I went out and did it!
The exercise is called “Find Your Herd” and addresses the most basic quality of Liberty… the horses desire to be with you. I’m not going to describe it in detail here -- at least not right now -- but I tried it with Finn last night at the barn and found his connection was already pretty strong. (I wasn’t surprised by this, but I did try not to expect it TOO much, in case I found it wasn’t as there as I thought it would be.) What I’d love to do is challenge it in a slightly more difficult environment, and I anticipate doing that this afternoon, as S and I are planning to play with it over in the arena at Washoe Lake.
I doubt we’ll do THIS today, but I’ve even been thinking about possibly playing it one day over at Washoe while S rides away on her horse. If my connection with Finn was strong enough to persist at Liberty, even while one of his best buddies rode off into the distance… well, I think that would mean BIG STUFF for our relationship as a whole.
So, here’s to the beginning of a new aspect of my relationship with Finn. I can’t wait to see where it leads.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
The Week in Review
So far as riding goes, for me and Finn this week is done, and I'm calling it a success. When isn't it, really? But I was able to stick to the plan quite closely, which we all know doesn't always happen. Living in the land of sunshine helps.
It was SUPER windy the night I had R out to video, so things were a bit rougher around the edges than they might otherwise have been. Still, I learned a lot. For one, although my HQ/FQ turns have improved, they have a LONG way to go. In the FQ turn, Finn still isn't planting his outside hind for a pivot foot... and I can't tell that he isn't. So my feel needs work, and we need to keep working on it.
For another, although our soft feel has a long way to go, it is really developing nicely! I wanted to make sure I wasn't rewarding Finn for over-flexing, and after studying several minutes of video frame-by-frame, I am pleased to say I am happy with what I'm releasing for. Case in point:
If you look closely, you will see I have JUST let go of my reins in this photo... you can still see the coil falling out of my left hand. And I am happy with what Finn is offering - to my mind, his flexion here is very appropriate for his level of development. And doesn't he look adorable?!
Watching the video of us playing with the soft feel, in addition to other thoughts I've been thinking about, has made me more committed to the idea that I want to develop Finn's dressage primarily via Karen Rohlf's approach. An open mind, however, can see that Buck's concept of the soft feel, applied correctly, is not so different in many ways, so I don't feel like what we're practicing now has been counter-productive. I just think that adding in the Dressage, Naturally insight and approach will result in a horse more appropriately developed for my goals.
Another boon from the night we videoed was this little clip of Finn trotting some ground poles:
I'm really pleased with this, mostly because he is so relaxed and maintains such a consistent rhythm. He also directs a good bit on my focus and leg, with the support of a light rein cue in some cases, and for the most part, stays straight as an arrow over the poles. We could use a bit more energy, but I'm happy with where we're starting.
The next evening, we had a lovely little ride around the farm. Finn's confidence and willingness continues to expand, and every time I ride out I take him further from his comfort zone than the last time. We took a long trot from partway down the driveway up to the arena on the hill, and Finn handled it superbly.
Wednesday we hit the trial for real, with trail buddies S & T. We rode at Fay-Luther Canyon, a great trail and a lovely view:
Finn was a little over-attached to T at the outset, but a few leap-frogs and he was feeling much more connected to me. The trail we chose was a bit of a climb, not terribly steep, but consistently uphill. It was probably the hardest Finn has ever worked! Going uphill, I had a hard time keeping him in front of my leg... something we really need to work on improving. On the way back down, he felt much more forward, no surprise there!
Finn's forward walk is still no match for T's ground-covering march, though, so we got left behind a little on the way back towards the trailer. No mind, it was a great opportunity to test out connection. While Finn definitely got a bit concerned about T's disappearance, he kept his cool rather well and I just felt the need to calmly remind him that he needed to stay with me both physically AND mentally.
All in all, it was a great ride... although Finn made it quite clear that he is NOT a fan of the horseflies that were hiding out up in the woods. We headed back to S's for a bit, and Finn got to have another great learning experience, standing tied at the trailer quietly, even if your buddies "leave." Although he got a bit worked up about that, he settled down in a few minutes. That's what I like to see.
It was SUPER windy the night I had R out to video, so things were a bit rougher around the edges than they might otherwise have been. Still, I learned a lot. For one, although my HQ/FQ turns have improved, they have a LONG way to go. In the FQ turn, Finn still isn't planting his outside hind for a pivot foot... and I can't tell that he isn't. So my feel needs work, and we need to keep working on it.
For another, although our soft feel has a long way to go, it is really developing nicely! I wanted to make sure I wasn't rewarding Finn for over-flexing, and after studying several minutes of video frame-by-frame, I am pleased to say I am happy with what I'm releasing for. Case in point:
If you look closely, you will see I have JUST let go of my reins in this photo... you can still see the coil falling out of my left hand. And I am happy with what Finn is offering - to my mind, his flexion here is very appropriate for his level of development. And doesn't he look adorable?!
Watching the video of us playing with the soft feel, in addition to other thoughts I've been thinking about, has made me more committed to the idea that I want to develop Finn's dressage primarily via Karen Rohlf's approach. An open mind, however, can see that Buck's concept of the soft feel, applied correctly, is not so different in many ways, so I don't feel like what we're practicing now has been counter-productive. I just think that adding in the Dressage, Naturally insight and approach will result in a horse more appropriately developed for my goals.
Another boon from the night we videoed was this little clip of Finn trotting some ground poles:
I'm really pleased with this, mostly because he is so relaxed and maintains such a consistent rhythm. He also directs a good bit on my focus and leg, with the support of a light rein cue in some cases, and for the most part, stays straight as an arrow over the poles. We could use a bit more energy, but I'm happy with where we're starting.
The next evening, we had a lovely little ride around the farm. Finn's confidence and willingness continues to expand, and every time I ride out I take him further from his comfort zone than the last time. We took a long trot from partway down the driveway up to the arena on the hill, and Finn handled it superbly.
Wednesday we hit the trial for real, with trail buddies S & T. We rode at Fay-Luther Canyon, a great trail and a lovely view:
Finn was a little over-attached to T at the outset, but a few leap-frogs and he was feeling much more connected to me. The trail we chose was a bit of a climb, not terribly steep, but consistently uphill. It was probably the hardest Finn has ever worked! Going uphill, I had a hard time keeping him in front of my leg... something we really need to work on improving. On the way back down, he felt much more forward, no surprise there!
Finn's forward walk is still no match for T's ground-covering march, though, so we got left behind a little on the way back towards the trailer. No mind, it was a great opportunity to test out connection. While Finn definitely got a bit concerned about T's disappearance, he kept his cool rather well and I just felt the need to calmly remind him that he needed to stay with me both physically AND mentally.
All in all, it was a great ride... although Finn made it quite clear that he is NOT a fan of the horseflies that were hiding out up in the woods. We headed back to S's for a bit, and Finn got to have another great learning experience, standing tied at the trailer quietly, even if your buddies "leave." Although he got a bit worked up about that, he settled down in a few minutes. That's what I like to see.
I planned to ride this morning, it's true, but the ride yesterday really was something far beyond what Finn is typically asked to do, so I decided to give him the day off. He'll have another three days off as I'll be gone braiding this weekend, but you know, he's earned it. He's been trying really hard and has progressed a lot in the last couple of months.
So this morning, I fed him his supplements, gave him a good grooming, red-lighted the scar on his knee and hand-grazed him for 20 minutes. I also washed his sweaty, smelly pad and girth from yesterday's ride. It feels good to know everything is in order before I go. I think Finn enjoyed the lazy morning, even though the wind was blowing like crazy out there!
Next week, I'll have Monday and Tuesday morning to ride before I go braiding again. Then I should be back in time to have a ride Saturday, as well. I might be able to squeeze rides in Sunday and Friday after my returns, but I'm typically pretty useless those evening after I've driven home from braiding on only couple of hours' sleep. So the next few weeks will be lighter for Finn, but I am determined to make the most of the days we will have together!
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Wait, Where'd the Demons Go?
I’ve been putting off having Finn carry the flag tied to his saddle for a few weeks now, because I was pretty sure it was going to be quite the affair. Not for no reason! Last time I tried, it was an affair, with the positive side of the experience being that at least Finn is now halter broke enough that he skittered around within the confines of the lead rope instead of flat out bolting.
He didn’t skitter for too long, but he also couldn’t relax about the idea. Couldn’t stand still and couldn’t take his eye of that dangerous flag, not even for an instant. This, even though I’d been using the flag around him for months. I speak to that briefly in the video below.
By that point, though, I was already seriously regretting my decision to go there, as I felt Finn was still a few weeks away from being 100% on his injured knee. I definitely didn’t want to chance setting back his recovery with more skittering! So, I found the most minute positive change you ever saw (he briefly attempted to look at me instead of the flag), took the flag off, and didn’t go back there for several weeks.
Yesterday finally seemed like the day to open that can of worms again… for some unknown reason, I was in the mood to face our demons! I got out my 22’ rope (the better to hold him with should he lose his cool), stocked the arena with water and an extra shirt for when the sun went behind the mountain, and was prepared to be out there for hours if need be. As it turned out, it was no big deal:
We still have work to do, but this was a MAJOR success for Finn and I! It seems some of Finn’s demons moved out while I wasn’t looking, and some of mine are definitely packing their bags right now.
On Finn’s side of the equation, I think our partnership has really turned a corner. On the last day of our clinic with Buck Brannaman, I felt something powerful and amazing: Finn turning loose. For real letting go of his fears and putting faith in my judgement. My friends, THAT has been a LONG time coming, and I often wondered if it ever would. While things are by no means perfect now, I feel a lot more willingness in Finn to trust me and stick with me when he’s unsure. That changes everything for the better.
Even when Finn had his eye on the flag last night, I never felt like he was going to blow me off and lose his cookies. Look at the trot in that video! You may not be able to see every detail, but I can tell you he was not so sure when the wind started flinging that flag around. But the tiniest bit of support from me was all he needed to keep his cool, and that makes me feel good about our chances of surviving the unexpected.
As for MY demons… well, last nights session went a LONG way towards reassuring me that my horse is actually broke. It was a little bit of healing for the scar left by a clinician I respected telling me I’d stolen rides on him, confused him, and gotten really lucky so far. While I believe some of that was unfounded, I feel like some of it was true. Don’t even ask me how many times I’ve thought to myself in the last year: “Am I insane to even be riding this horse?” I probably took it a bit too far, but it sure did push me to seek out knowledge we definitely needed.
On another note, I have admittedly held on to a fear of tying anything to Finn’s saddle since about this time last year when we had a bit of a mishap with the tarp. I had the tarp snapped on my 22’ feather line and had run the line through Finn’s stirrup, planning to play a little approach and retreat with him dragging it behind him. I thought the line would slip out easily if anything went haywire, but in fact when Finn took a big spook and broke away from me at an all out gallop, the line caught on itself and the tarp chased my terrified horse for several minutes before the stirrup itself finally fell off. Although an hour later, Finn was dragging the tarp, and then carrying it in a glob tied to his saddle with plastic bags attached to the spare D-rings, what stuck with me was the failure. And boy did it cut deep.
Ever since then, I've felt it was an issue that needed to be resolved, and I won't feel like it is until Finn can confidently carry the tarp draped over his back and tied to the saddle; walk and trot, maybe even canter. Until I can drag the tarp while we're riding, and then pull it up over the saddle without concern. And until he can not only cross it walk, trot, and canter confidently under saddle, but also stand on it completely relaxed. We put a lot of time in with the tarp before Finn's injury this Spring, but progress was slow to non-existent. Truth be told, when we started in on it again in January, I think I was as scared as he was! Not exactly a recipe for success.
But now I feel like we're on track to get there. We have the tools, and we're building a partnership that will stand us in good stead. The tarp is a demon that will be with us until we conquer it, but now I feel like it's just a matter of time. And I just sent one of it's younger cousins packing.
So, how do I plan to move forward from here? Well, you can bet that flag is going to be tied to Finn’s saddle for the vast majority of our groundwork until I am really sure he couldn’t care less. One thing we didn’t address yesterday was circling with the flag on the outside, which in the past with other objects has brought out another layer of his concern.
Meanwhile, the tarp has been in my garage since Finn injured his knee almost three months ago. I’m somewhat tempted to get it out now, but I think I will let it sit another few months. I’m curious to see: after a busy summer spent building our partnership on the trail and getting our communication and trust going better than ever, then where will we be? Is it possible that one day I’ll shake out the tarp expecting a demon to emerge, only to find it disappeared as well? I guess a girl can dream.
He didn’t skitter for too long, but he also couldn’t relax about the idea. Couldn’t stand still and couldn’t take his eye of that dangerous flag, not even for an instant. This, even though I’d been using the flag around him for months. I speak to that briefly in the video below.
By that point, though, I was already seriously regretting my decision to go there, as I felt Finn was still a few weeks away from being 100% on his injured knee. I definitely didn’t want to chance setting back his recovery with more skittering! So, I found the most minute positive change you ever saw (he briefly attempted to look at me instead of the flag), took the flag off, and didn’t go back there for several weeks.
Yesterday finally seemed like the day to open that can of worms again… for some unknown reason, I was in the mood to face our demons! I got out my 22’ rope (the better to hold him with should he lose his cool), stocked the arena with water and an extra shirt for when the sun went behind the mountain, and was prepared to be out there for hours if need be. As it turned out, it was no big deal:
We still have work to do, but this was a MAJOR success for Finn and I! It seems some of Finn’s demons moved out while I wasn’t looking, and some of mine are definitely packing their bags right now.
On Finn’s side of the equation, I think our partnership has really turned a corner. On the last day of our clinic with Buck Brannaman, I felt something powerful and amazing: Finn turning loose. For real letting go of his fears and putting faith in my judgement. My friends, THAT has been a LONG time coming, and I often wondered if it ever would. While things are by no means perfect now, I feel a lot more willingness in Finn to trust me and stick with me when he’s unsure. That changes everything for the better.
Even when Finn had his eye on the flag last night, I never felt like he was going to blow me off and lose his cookies. Look at the trot in that video! You may not be able to see every detail, but I can tell you he was not so sure when the wind started flinging that flag around. But the tiniest bit of support from me was all he needed to keep his cool, and that makes me feel good about our chances of surviving the unexpected.
As for MY demons… well, last nights session went a LONG way towards reassuring me that my horse is actually broke. It was a little bit of healing for the scar left by a clinician I respected telling me I’d stolen rides on him, confused him, and gotten really lucky so far. While I believe some of that was unfounded, I feel like some of it was true. Don’t even ask me how many times I’ve thought to myself in the last year: “Am I insane to even be riding this horse?” I probably took it a bit too far, but it sure did push me to seek out knowledge we definitely needed.
On another note, I have admittedly held on to a fear of tying anything to Finn’s saddle since about this time last year when we had a bit of a mishap with the tarp. I had the tarp snapped on my 22’ feather line and had run the line through Finn’s stirrup, planning to play a little approach and retreat with him dragging it behind him. I thought the line would slip out easily if anything went haywire, but in fact when Finn took a big spook and broke away from me at an all out gallop, the line caught on itself and the tarp chased my terrified horse for several minutes before the stirrup itself finally fell off. Although an hour later, Finn was dragging the tarp, and then carrying it in a glob tied to his saddle with plastic bags attached to the spare D-rings, what stuck with me was the failure. And boy did it cut deep.
Ever since then, I've felt it was an issue that needed to be resolved, and I won't feel like it is until Finn can confidently carry the tarp draped over his back and tied to the saddle; walk and trot, maybe even canter. Until I can drag the tarp while we're riding, and then pull it up over the saddle without concern. And until he can not only cross it walk, trot, and canter confidently under saddle, but also stand on it completely relaxed. We put a lot of time in with the tarp before Finn's injury this Spring, but progress was slow to non-existent. Truth be told, when we started in on it again in January, I think I was as scared as he was! Not exactly a recipe for success.
But now I feel like we're on track to get there. We have the tools, and we're building a partnership that will stand us in good stead. The tarp is a demon that will be with us until we conquer it, but now I feel like it's just a matter of time. And I just sent one of it's younger cousins packing.
So, how do I plan to move forward from here? Well, you can bet that flag is going to be tied to Finn’s saddle for the vast majority of our groundwork until I am really sure he couldn’t care less. One thing we didn’t address yesterday was circling with the flag on the outside, which in the past with other objects has brought out another layer of his concern.
Meanwhile, the tarp has been in my garage since Finn injured his knee almost three months ago. I’m somewhat tempted to get it out now, but I think I will let it sit another few months. I’m curious to see: after a busy summer spent building our partnership on the trail and getting our communication and trust going better than ever, then where will we be? Is it possible that one day I’ll shake out the tarp expecting a demon to emerge, only to find it disappeared as well? I guess a girl can dream.
Monday, June 2, 2014
Now I Know For Sure
I love riding at Washoe Lake State Park because it offers a great variety of things to do. Sand dunes, sage brush, dirt roads, grassy meadows, a public arena, and the beach -- its crowning glory. I had a fantastic ride there a few evenings ago, and want to share this heavenly moment, fortuitously captured on video by my wonderful trail buddy:
I've watched this a dozen times (well, probably more) because it makes me so happy. There is my future event horse, confidently splashing through the water. There is a horse maturing into everything I ever hoped he'd be.
I admit I lost faith in us, but persistence -- my stubborn refusal to give up combined with his unwavering willingness to give me a chance -- was enough to get us through. Now it's coming back, in glimpses and inklings and beautiful moments like this one. We're going to make it; now I know for sure.
(ps- I encourage you to view this video in HD; it's much better that way.)
I've watched this a dozen times (well, probably more) because it makes me so happy. There is my future event horse, confidently splashing through the water. There is a horse maturing into everything I ever hoped he'd be.
I admit I lost faith in us, but persistence -- my stubborn refusal to give up combined with his unwavering willingness to give me a chance -- was enough to get us through. Now it's coming back, in glimpses and inklings and beautiful moments like this one. We're going to make it; now I know for sure.
(ps- I encourage you to view this video in HD; it's much better that way.)
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