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This morning started with a Remuda for all the class, where we got to play with fluid rein simulations. We experimented with soft, hard and effective feels to the 'drag' which proved very interesting since effective was firmer than any of us imagined! Next, three fellow students, Filiz, Molly and Stephanie, were brave enough to ride for us demonstrating the fluid rein on horses at different stages of the steps. It was great to see the horses' reactions.
"Knowing I need to listen, and knowing how to listen is not enough. Unless I want to listen, unless I have the desire, it won't be a habit in my life." Stephen R. Covey.
Well, Covey's quote could not be more appropriate to today's topic taken by Kristi, Bit of Savvy, where the emphasis is on whether a tool is a communication device or a mechanical way to hide one's inadequacies (otherwise known as torture devices)! It is worth noting that tool progression is for the horse and should be at the horse's pace - imagine trying to complete you Degree Finals with a crayon and blank piece of paper - the tools we were given to learn to write with as 2-3 year olds! It is the same for the horse as it is for the child learning to write - we need to move from the crayon to the pencil, then the pen with the paper becoming smaller and the lines closer together.
The horseman will use a bit for communication only. As the horse is a large emotional animal, it is unsurprising that man used a mechanical approach (bigger and harsher bits) to deal with horses, but as Pat Parelli says, "We don't want a bigger bit, we want a bigger brain (in the horse)".
Another of Pat's sayings is that "If you can't walk, trot, canter, stop and backup without using the reins, maybe you shouldn't be outside an arena". Harsh perhaps, but true none the less! So the progression for Parelli is:
- Halter + 12ft rein
- Hackamore
- Single jointed snaffle
- Double jointed snaffle (fluid rein)
- Cradle bridle - elastic nose band, big rings
- Cradle bridle - non-elastic nose band, small rings
- Western performance - bosalito and spade bit
- English performance - double bridle
The cradle bridle should be used with the appropriate bit for the horse's horsenality:
- C1 for right brain extrovert where 'hand-holding' is required
- C2 for right brain introvert where a little 'hand-holding' is required, but no zone 1 block also
- C3 for left brainers where the extrovert is looking for a reason to brace and introverts to stop
Later in the afternoon we had a demonstration with Linda Parelli riding her extreme left brain extrovert Allure. It was very interesting to watch how she prepared to ride such an extreme horsenality and how much variety and playfulness she exerted. The riding did get hair-raising for a moment, when all 4 of Allure's feet seemed to leave the ground and make a height of at least 4 feet! Linda stayed on of course and by matching and mirroring his ideas first of all managed to get Allure to match and mirror her! Very cool! Linda was also kind enough to do the groupie thing and signed my course notes - so now I have the matching pair!
Again, with my back still tender I spent more undemanding time with Roget. He doesn't seem to be getting bored and as grazing is his favourite pastime I think I am accumulating lots of emotional credits for later on! Not counting those chickens though!
Thursday's topic for the classroom with Tina was Longitudinal Flexion, otherwise known as topline or flexing from the tail all the way to the nose. This is the first step towards vertical flexion and collection.
Longitudinal flexion is fluidity throughout the whole of the horse's body (with stiffness there can be no fluidity and with no fluidity there can be no collection). L.F. helps to improve the horse's posture and therefore their fluidity. Saddles, bits, emotional blockages and stiff riders may cause tension that inhibits fluidity. The horse may exhibit tension responses such as high head, short gait, inability to maintain gait, stiffness and poor foot traction. The question is whether this tension is mental, emotional or physical?
There are 3 steps to achieving L.F.:
- Confidence in zone 1 (no blocks or opposition reflexes)
- Topline stretch (lift back)
- Lengthen stride (tracking up or over-tracking)
The fluid rein technique helps to achieve the 3 steps - it should be taught at the walk and then the trot (do not teach at the canter as this will encourage horse to go on the forehand). This is a principle technique, not purpose, so it should be used only in short bursts. The correct tools to use for fluid rein is the confidence snaffle (2 joints for 2 reins) with the finesse reins. The halter, hackamore and single jointed snaffle (1 rein) are not suitable. After teaching steps 1-3 and the horse gives positive responses to the fluid rein, then the cradle bridle can be used.
How do you do fluid rein? As if you are swimming front crawl, reach down with one hand and comb both reins back towards yourself, then the other hand and so on. The combing 'drag' should be consistent and steady. When the smallest positive change occurs you should release the pressure for step 1 and for step 2 and 3 lessen the pressure.
Unfortunately I was unable to practice this with Roget today as I have been suffering with a little backache (everyone say 'Ahhhh!') and thought it best to rest so I can fully participate next week ;-( It is important to remember that I am doing the course so I can come home with knowledge to further my horsemanship journey with Dillon and that riding Roget is secondary to that!
This morning was beautiful again - chilly and still. Remuda with Kristi was a low energy affair, with lots of discussion regarding our use of fluidity the day before. It was helpful to hear other's successes and issues - it reminds us that we are all learning and experimenting.
Next, to the classroom, where Kathy took the lecture on the Parelli Formula and Leadership - this I was looking forward to, especially since Roget and I are still working on this area! So what is the Parelli Formula? Simply put it is a people training programme initially until the human has the foundation, then the human can begin training the horse. So what is the human's foundation? At the most basic level it is the first three levels on top of the philosophy of rapport. Read on for more detail.....
The Parelli philosophy is rapport - this means trust, understanding and empathy (walk in your horse's shoes). This is the most important building block as it underlies anything that comes after it. The philosophy is what makes Parelli horseman different - horses are not sports equipment, but life long partners.
So the first level of the human's foundation is the mental or respect building block. This is where safety, partnership, leadership, a positive attitude and 'Yes' versus 'No' responses are addressed. Next comes impulsion or the emotional where 'Go' equals 'Whoa', the human and horse start obtaining skills and relaxation is the emphasis. The last level in the foundation is flexion or the physical, the whole body is now addressed, including posture, collection and the human also starts obtaining tool savvy (bridle, saddle, stick, etc).
It is interesting to observe that if the human is fit in all this, as the leader in the relationship, any horse will start to look as if they are too! Remember the first step towards change is awareness and that your 'learning cup' is never full - there is always room for more knowledge.
The 10 qualities to obtaining the foundation and being the successful student of horsemanship are in the following progressive order:
- 1/2 Heart and desire (1/2 horse 1/2 human)
- Repsect
- Impulsion
- Flexion
- Attitude - positive, progressive and natural
- Feel
- Timing - both for the release and asking at the right time
- Balance - mentally, emotionally and physically
- Savvy
- Experience
Bruce Lee quote (just for Gareth!): "In learning to master yourself, you don't need to train your muscles, you need to train your mind. There is as much mental and emotional development to be learned as there is the physical".
This afternoon Roget and I worked on the leadership and respect aspects of our relationship! My plan was to allow undemanding time and then without any brace play one of the 7 games with an obstacle. This worked a treat - he really enjoys this type of format, and so do I - he gets to have lots of rest and chill out time and I get to progress my leadership and our relationship in a positive, brace and tension free way - perfect! Tomorrow, weather permitting, I'm going to do some riding using this same format with an emphasis again on the leadership.
This evening was the last campfire of the season, so everyone turned up including Pat Parelli, Tim Sullivan and Katie Drake. Unfortunately it did rain, so we moved from the fire to the lodge porch where the sing song continued unabated. It was a great night and I took lots of photos to hopefully remind me at a later date.
Today the storm and all that rain had blown away and we were left with a beautiful cold morning. Remuda with Kathy where we played the 'Sticky Hands' simulation, where you had to follow your partner's light, heavy and ultra-light hand movements - really interesting that heavy and ultra-light were equally annoying!
Then it was straight into the classroom for Fluidity taken by Kristi. I was a little worried this was just to be an overview of course 2 Fluidity I, but it proved to be the best day so far!
Firstly we covered the 8 responsibilities (4 horse, 4 human) in a lot more depth, going into areas I had never even considered - this left me 'licking and chewing' for ages! In fact I think I still am! Next we discussed fluidity and how it only needs concentration (conscious competence) until the muscle memory is made (unconscious competence). An interesting quote by Henry David Thoreau was given to us to consider:
"I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life through conscious behaviour."
This led to the challenge that we take responsibility for our outcomes - take all actions and reactions by the horse as feedback and choose what opinion to have for that feedback! This is emotional fitness.
Remember the stages of change......... Anger..... Blame....... Denial......... Chaos (known as the darkest hour before the dawn).
We played with simulations both using and not using our balance point in different situations to find that it enables the whole body to move as one and creates an internal power that is hard to move. This was after watching a Russian martial arts film which basically describes exactly what Parelli have termed 'balance point' - very interesting.
We had an overview of riding the gaits and then discussed how only perfect practice makes perfect and that muscle memory is created by stopping when the feeling is good. Pat Parelli says that ' you should do your thinking at night and your feeling during the day' so try not to concentrate too hard, use the power of feel and then analyze later.
Next was the best part of the day; it may sound a little crazy, but it was great fun and really helpful - this I will be doing every night when I get home! What am I talking about? Well, we all sat on our balance point on top of a yoga ball and watched clips of master horsemen riding whilst copying what they were doing with their bodies! I know, it's crazy, but in this case crazy works!
The demonstration today, again given by Kristi, was about fluidity in the horse. It covered how to use hill therapy, cavalettis and jumps to improve their fluidity and what is good/bad fluidity. As always it is fundamental that the 8 responsibilities and the mental and emotional fitness of the horse is your foundation before attempting physical changes in the horse.
I spent the afternoon with Roget working on leadership - it seems yesterday's Me and My Shadow may have given him the impression that he has more of the leadership than I do! Hopefully we resolved that misunderstanding and having then spent undemanding time together will start tomorrow on a good footing! He really is a character - testing me every opportunity he gets! The best kind of teacher a student could have...........
Course 3 began today after an awful night's sleep - the most enormous storm I have ever heard rolled down off the Rockies, with lightening lighting up the sky and thunder so loud the house shook! So as you can imagine, everyone was a little subdued and quiet for the first day!
We started off the day with Remuda taken by Cathy in the small coverall (hiding from the torrential down pours the storm left behind it). It proved to be great fun, with energetic exercises like Carrot Stick Dueling keeping us all warm. It was then back to the classroom for the day's lecture on Finesse and Brace, however this was delayed due to an impromptu visit from Pat Parelli.
After Pat left it was straight down to business, starting with the definition of brace - a devise that clamps; to press against to stay balanced; to fix, tense, tighten and steel. A brace in a horse is identified by a stiff, tight or tense look, tail swishing, pinned ears or bucking. The most important thing to remember about brace is that, although it has a physical manifestation, it started in the mind and emotions! There can be no finesse with brace; therefore to obtain finesse we must start with the horse's mind and emotions.
Finesse is not simply riding with concentrated reins. Think of achieving finesse as soon as you approach your horse; if you horse turns it's head away from the halter, then there is brace (or mental and emotional issues) to deal with that is stopping finesse in your relationship. Always task yourself with removing all brace and thus strive for finesse in everything you do.
Finesse is intimacy without brace. And intimacy is defined as familiarity, closeness, understanding, relationship and confidence. The question is "how do we remove brace?" The first steps are:
- Go slow (slow and right beats fast and tight)
- Use friendly game and retreat at first sign
- Lots of undemanding time, pique their curiosity and then change the attitude once rapport is established
The dictionary defined finesse as; intricate and refined delicacy, artful subtlety, skillfulness, flare, panache, artistry, tact, sensitivity and perceptiveness.
Finesse can be viewed as a dance - like Fred Astair and Ginger Rogers - the leader is nearly invisible, the partnership works as one.
With the weather horrid all day I played some Me and My Shadow with Roget and then played a little at liberty under the coverall. We played 'beat you to the cone' which Roget thought was really exciting and 'I'll give you a carrot if you...' which is always a favourite of his! So I think we practiced step 3 of removing brace in our relationship - which can't be bad! Hopefully we'll have better weather tomorrow..........
This weekend I had one thing and only one thing in mind - to recharge my batteries and rest. The last two weeks have been absolutely exhausting and the next two weeks are the Finesse course and therefore I will need all my mental, emotional and physical energy back to 100%.
With Roget I spent oodles of undemanding bonding time and we went for a little mosey around the ranch again, just soaking up the scenery and enjoying each others company. Perfect!
Have no fear - we will definitely be more active over the next couple of weeks!
Happy Birthday to my brother Aaron!
I think you are 36 this year? Anyway, I couldn't find a cake with enough candles on it, so you will have to make do with 6!
Have a fabulous day and I'll catch up with you, to celebrate, when I return in a few weeks time.
Take care and love to Rosie and Gosia.
P.S. I tried calling and couldn't catch you - sorry.
This morning started with a Remuda for all the class, where we got to play with fluid rein simulations. We experimented with soft, hard and effective feels to the 'drag' which proved very interesting since effective was firmer than any of us imagined! Next, three fellow students, Filiz, Molly and Stephanie, were brave enough to ride for us demonstrating the fluid rein on horses at different stages of the steps. It was great to see the horses' reactions.
