It's Not Having What You Want, It's Wanting What You've Got

My lack of posts lately has been due to the huge sale we had at our farm Saturday. The sale included 27 horses and I rode 6 of them. They were all sport horses, so either dressage or jumping. I rode 3 jumpers and a few really great dressage horses. It was really awesome to be doing so much jumping and dressage work. It  definitely made me a little bit sad when I went back to my little paint horse.

Today the fancy horses went home and I got to spend some time with Sonny. I already missed the springy dressage horses and those that had me confidently jumping 2'9", but it did feel good to be back with Sonny.

The weather was perfect so I busted out the 45'. We haven't played with the 45 since like July so I wasn't expecting much. To my surprise, Sonny was fabulous. He was SO responsive! He did something today that he has never done before: he maintained gait backwards. It really shocked me; to the point I was questioning what was going on. I asked him to back with a phase 1, then he kept backing with only my energy. Once I relaxed, he stopped. I did it again just to be sure that was really what happened and sure even I asked him to back and he continued until I relaxed. Whoa. How crazy is that? It's hard to believe he used to be so hard to back and now he is maintaining gait backwards. Wow!

We tried some bigs circles and he was excellent. He maintained gait over poles, responded to my slow hand, did multiple trot circles without slowing down, even had a few really great canter circles, and most importantly: he ask asked a lot of questions! I was so thrilled!

Considering he put so much effort in today and did so well at the end of the 45', I decided to quit early. To finish up my day, I asked him to lay down. After he laid down I asked him to lay flat. He did without protest, which is something that is hard for him. As he was laying out flat I laid over him and we soaked up the sun. It was so tranquil; so peaceful and relaxing. I got up and he laid there until I gave him the verbal cue to get up. He normally pops right up when I stand up so it was really great that he waited for me.

I walked him back to his pasture at liberty. After walking him through two gates and over grass, and having him stay right will be and so connected, I realized that this is everything I want. He was so amazing today and tried his heart out for me. He will never be a fancy dressage horse or jumper, but he will also be the best partner I could ever ask for. I am so in love with him and wouldn't trade him for the world.

It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got. So I am gonna soak up the Son♥

 

Just What We Needed

Juli Piovesan came out yesterday for the first time since she got back from Colorado! I am sure she had an awesome time, but I definitely missed her a lot! So did Sonny ;).

I knew I wanted an online lesson because, for one, I wanted to play with zone 5 driving and for two, Sonny and I have hated it lately. We were stuck and neither of us ever wanted to play online. I knew that meant something was wrong so I asked for help.

We started out in our slow warm up, playing the touch it game to try to cause him to ask questions. He was touching everything I wanted, even with the leg I was aiming for. Then he touched the jump standards with zone 5 without any problem at all. I was pretty impressed; he is usually so scared to touch things with zone 5.

Zone 5 touching the jump standards! 

From there we moved onto figure 8s. Not to focus on the pattern but to see what it would take for him to ask me a question. He would perk up an ear as he came around the outside of the barrels but then go right back to his LBI face. We experimented with a few ideas, but none of them really  influenced him to connect with me and ask me a question. We tried keeping his feet moving until he perked up an ear. It was a long, slow process of backwards, sideways, forwards, and again, and again, and again, without even a hint of a question! Then, he wasn't being responsive sideways so I made it snappy and tagged him and he gave me two ears and a big question :). So it seems like snappy might be the key to unlocking the questions and happy faces.

Such a happy face ;).

From there we went to play with zone 5 driving. We did a LOT of really awesome preparations. After watching the levels, I was left really confused and unconfident about Z5D. Juli isolated and separated the whole process so we could recombine smoothly into Z5D. I felt really left out in the dark after the levels and Juli really, really, really made sense of everything.

Better expression!

Sonny was an absolute superstar. He was even cantering beautiful circles around me in zone 3 with my featherlines on. He would even trot off with just my leading hand :). He was being so responsive I couldn't believe it! Even his expression improved! :) So we didn't actually get to Z5D but she put about a million arrows in my quiver and gave Sonny and I something really fun to play with! :)

Somewhere along the line in our lesson we were discussing playing online. She told me that we play online to 1. teach the human something new 2. teach the horse something new 3. for preparation (like trailer or farrier). Okay, I have herd those a bunch before and it makes sense. Then she made it clear that those are the only reasons we play on line. I have been playing online just to practice, but unless you are trying to develop a skill or prep for something, you shouldn't just be playing online. Lightbulb! That is why we hate it! It completely blew my mind and made sense of everything that has been happening lately. I think that was a huge breakthrough for me and I think it will really change a lot in our relationship!

Finally, Juli helped me with feeding. As you all know, now that Sonny is at the barn I manage I get the pleasure of feeding him almost every day. When I first started he was pushy and such a challange. All summer I have played the driving game to get him to back up and wait for me to dump his grain, then wait for him to ask if he can eat before I allow him to. He does okay with it but he is always a nervous wreck and super anxious. So I asked Juli if she could help me have him relax at feeding time. She asked me to put his halter on, dump his grain, and back him a consistent amount of steps. Then, once the butterflies settle and he asks a question, I can guide him to his feed bucket. So I did just that. Backing him wasn't too back but it took him a little while to let the butterflies settle (I love that analogy!). Once he seemed relaxed I guided him to the bucket, but he came to me instead :). That was a super, huge warm and fuzzy moment for me! He knew the grain was in the bucket and he came to me instead :). He came to me with this super sweet, soft face and it melted my heart. Definitely the perfect way to end our lesson!

Needless to say, I am so thrilled and excited to continue to play with the ideas that Juli gave me! I am so happy that she is back and so lucky to have her around :)

Snappy

Today was lesson six with Parelli Professional Juli Piovesan. She is leaving soon for the externship, so I am really glad we got to squeeze in one last lesson before she goes. I bet she will have a wonderful time, but we sure will miss her!

We started out on the 45' today; my first time playing with it in front of someone. She said we were off to a good start, but pointed out a few areas that would be good to work on. One was bringing him in to me; we have been trying to focus on it lately but he is still having trouble following the feel. She noted that I am not able to run up to him in any zone to play the friend'y game; in order to have him be more confident trotting towards me, I should practice the running friendly game. Makes sense!

Another point she brought up is that if I can't get responsiveness on a 12' line or 22', then it won't come on the 45'. Duh. Just like how we test everything online before we ride, I should test responsiveness at a shorter distance before trying it on the 45'. Lightbulb! We played with the 'snappy game' that she showed me a few lessons ago. Although this time it wasn't so much about the back as it was about the response. Again, I need to make things a game! Although Sonny was backing from phase 1, he wasn't putting very much effort in at all. So I did a really subtle phase 1, 2, 3, don't make me move my feet, phase 4! After a few of those, he stood at attention and gave me a really great face. Huh, how interesting!

Along with that, she encouraged me to start playing more with his faces. Again with backing, back him up until he asks a question or has a better face, then reward. I need to make backing seem like something other than a punishment, which I feel like might be how he interperates it.

Finally we played with some sideways. After the snappy game, he was really focused on me. We went sideways his bad direction and it was beautiful! He went so far and barely went forward. Definitely out best sideways that way. So exciting!

After that I got on and we played with all of the same concepts. Being snappy and responsive. He was totally focused on eating, zero attention on me as we followed the rail. We transitioned to sideways game along the rail. Juli wanted me to focus on seeing how he responded to each of my phases. In the beginning he was just "nom nom nom" grass!! After a few minutes, we had him thinking sideways after I only shifted my weight, and he stopped eating. Huh, how interesting!

From there we played with a figure 8 to help improve his transitions. It really helped me figure out our strengths and our weaknesses. Perfect timing to be able to address those weaknesses before our clinic this weekend!

Now I am itching to go ride and play with all the things we covered today!

At the End of My Rope

Literally.

During my last lesson with Laura, she brought up that in order to pass level 3 online, I need to get Sonny out at the end of my rope. Common misconception: Just because I am holding my popper doesn't mean that I am at the end of the rope! Having most of the rope on the ground and only 3 feet between Sonny and I isn't what they are looking for ;). Although slack in the rope is good, I still need him out and away from me more!

At the end of my rope, but with lots of slack.

So last night I took ahold of that idea and it went so well! I started out the day with my normal touch-it games but this time I challenged Sonny to see how far away I could stand and still get him to touch it! It was a little difficult at first, then we both realized its the same game no matter where I stand.

I applied the distance to everything we did. I brought out the tarp for the first time in a while. Not only did he walk across it from 22 feet away, he backed onto it from 22 feet away!

One of the best parts of the night was our sideways game. I combined what I learned from both Juli and Laura in the past few weeks and man, oh, man was it great! He marched sideways right out to the end of my 22, then marched right back in sideways towards me when I asked. WOW! I was extremely impressed with the speed he used on his way out and how easily he came back in. Best sideways we have had so far!

Now I feel like I have a much better understanding of what level 3 quality is and am dying to get my audition sent in!

Parelli Workshop

On Saturday, Melissa and I had the privilege to participate in an online/freestyle workshop held by 2* instructor Juli Piovesan. It was an introductory workshop to teach people about not only the levels, but horsenalities as well. Juli brought her horse, Ames (RBE), Melissa brought Rydel (RBI), Debbie brought her Sonny (RBE), and I brought my Sonny (LBI).

We started out online and went through the seven games as Juli explained them a touched on how horsenalities affect how you approach the games.

Porcupine from the chest. 

Debbie showing some sideways on the rail. 

Melissa using the 'triangle' to improve her squeeze game.

I was particularly proud of the circling game Sonny and I had. Right off the bat he maintained a trot for multiple circles! Usually he stops during our first circle and I have to reminded him that it is his responsibility to maintain gait and then he trots multiple circles. But yesterday he was a superstar and held up his end of the responsibilities perfectly!

So his head may be cut off, but you get the point!

Melissa and I with walk circles.

After showing what all the games were, she set up some challenges for us, which were so much fun! Our first challenge was to yo-yo between the barrels without going over phase two. Melissa and Rydel did FANTASTIC with this challenge! Sonny backed really straight, but very sluggish. After doing a few 'snappy' back ups, his yo-yo was much better.

Love this picture!

Here is a picture of the sideways challenge on the rail: go sideways away from you and back without going over phase two. 

After we were confident our horses were ready for freestyle, we saddled up! We then went through all the seven games in the saddle. Juli pointed out to me that the same long phase 1 quick 2,3,4 still is affective in the saddle, just like it is online. This goes back to the point that if there isn't a good phase 4, then there is no reason to be responsive to phase 1. Light bulb!

Sonny was great following the rail!

Juli also had us move the forehand then the hindend to bring it down to a halt from a walk. In our last lesson, we practiced moving the hind end until he halted but it was a bit unclear to me. Having Juli there to show us what it looked like helped tremendously! Now that it has clicked, I can't wait to play with this!!

Juli then had two people sit in the middle as cones, then the other two of us figure 8 and circle them. This went perfectly with my lesson with Laura the other day! Sonny walked around them in a figure 8 or circle without me using my carrot stick or reins and with minimal leg. Very impressed! Trotting was a bit more complicated, but definitely improvement!

This is an excellent picture of Juli and Rydel in the middle! 

The absolute best part about the day was the relationship between Sonny and I. Throughout the day he gave me such wonderful, happy faces! Even through the yo-yo between the barrels, he had two eyes and two ears locked on me! And he never is happy about backing up. He was so happy to do things for me and to be with me that I couldn't have been happier myself. It was definitely one of those moments when everything you have been working for is suddenly right in front of you and you get all warm and fuzzy inside. :)

I would like to thank Juli for holding the workshop and giving us the opportunity to share Parelli with other people and for the wonderful experience! Also, for all of her help in general; Saturday would have not have been as great as it was without all of her help over the winter! I would also like to thank my boyfriend, for all the long nights and hard work he put into getting our trailer ready at the last minute to use. As well as for driving us there, and being such a huge help throughout the day without even complaining :).