New Years Eve Day

Such a beautiful day. Warm, sunny, bright snow. Amazing to be able to spend time with Zaina.

Didn't expect her to catch me today, as she was busy having her bum licked by her over-the-fence boyfriend, plus thought that last time's extreme friendly game might have pushed her over the limit. So I just moseyed around, and when I looked up here she was coming, ear's forward, ready for hugs! So what did she teach me - Don't make Assumptions!

Very glad had already planned for undemanding time, as don't think I would have been savvy enough to leave well enough alone. As it was, she took me to the front of the property and pawed through snow for grass while I sat and soaked in the sun. Later she moseyed back to the barn.

Sigh.

Extreme Friendly Game

Z had a difficult time synching with me today. I was with her, but she was elsewhere. Needed to get more provocative but still maintain her confidence, so went on a touch it tour, and then walking and trotting  stick to me. Walk was great, trot was okay - but that is fabulous, because this is the first time I lost her at the trot. She was a teensy bit fast, and her head was up, but I stayed with her instead of trying to slow her down. Great fun!

Then worked on moving forequarters one step at a time, in order to move toward forequarter 360 turn on 22' line. Otherwise she rushes forward, and then back. The one step at a time helped a lot.

THEN, 1 hour spent on extreme friendly game with foam poles. She's been spooking when I bring them to her, so did everything under the sun (that I know of) to get her to relax. Interesting, RBE but no RBI. So I kept going. At one point she got tangled in the rope, and I let her go. She ran RBE away, but slowed and TROTTED SIDEWAYS OUT of the rope that was wrapped around both front legs!!!! Then looked at me with ears forward, and no anxiety. AMAZING. Thank you Pat and Linda for the sideways game. Pre-parelli this would have been another maniacal disaster.

So, kept going with the friendly game, at one point putting the poles on my head, which made her more curious and she wasn't as scared. Lots of tries to get them near her, then touching her, then on her back, which made her wild, for awhile, but then she settled. Ended session when she could walk and halt calmly with them on her back from left side. Good going girl (me and her).

I'd never before worked her completely through a spooking issue, always thought I shouldn't push the RBE. But it worked. Take the time it takes, etc etc etc.

RBI Touch It

Plan: Touch It with nose and feet, on 22' line, increasing distance

Equipment: cones in various locations, tarp, ball, upside down large garbage pail

Large pylons with ropes were in front of mirrors, causing Z stress and sending her RBI. I found myself rushing in my head to have her touch as many different things as quickly as possible. Even though I wasn't physically doing this, she noticed my emotions and shut down further. I stopped, gave her stretches, and played with lead by the leg, this brought her out of it, and me too!  Instead of thinking about touching everything, I slowed myself way down and focused on each item individually and Z's response to it. I'm learning, slowly but surely, as well.

Today Z taught me:  Can direct Z to touch familiar things from longer distance, but new things, or when in a new place (eg. cones in different places than on floor) she needs me close to teach her what she is supposed to do, or maybe to give her confidance.

With the tarp, I sat on the garbage pail and directed her from more than 10 feet away, yo yoing her back when her ears went back. This increased her confidence and she volunteered to touch it with her feet. Then when asked to come forward she did, with ears forward!!! Nice, we quit at that successful point.

Maybe she was more confident with the tarp today because I was further away, so not "nagging" her with my presence/pressure?

The Allow

Rewatched Level 1 DVD and was able to see details missed before. Sort of "a little more of this" and "a little less of that" kind of thing. Played with Z with this in mind.

Sideways, worked on not moving as she did, but sending her out on the rope. Found out I need to be moving my feet to begin with, but can then be still and she'll take it from there, for a few steps. Yahoo! Need to remember to look over her withers, not at her head.

Needle simulation: Great on left side, immediate relaxation. Right side, needed phase 4 repeatedly but then got better. More practice.

Lead by the leg: need to immediately release leg completely ie, take string off leg, when she responds with even thinking about forward motion, otherwise she thinks she should just stand still. Isn't pulling back, but I'm not being clear.

Now, big time learning for circling game: After a few false starts, but letting her play at changing direction and gait, rather than telling her she was wrong, I figured out how to BE QUIET once she was sent, and she did 4 LAPS at a walk, without changing gait, direction, and seemed to be looking where she was going. YAHOO. Learning is so much fun.

Friendly Game

When I first arrived Z pretended not to care, but it was easy to disengage her and she came over. Then I brought out her new blanket to try out, and she moved away. I just waited, chatted with someone for five minutes and she came back!!! Let me put the blanket on. As I chatted away from her again, after about 10 minutes she left her hay and came over to both of us. Neato. AND I remembered to give her a rub!

Lots of time grazing today, as I had no energy to synch with Z at first. Eventually started friendly game, as figured since my energy was way down, maybe she’d be less sensitive. Either that was working or the grass! Did lots of friendly string and rope tossing time, including over her head, and around her bum.

This helped me gain some energy (note to self) so went inside and checked out the new mirrors in the arena, then played with the mounting block as a pedestal. Achieved feet lifting toward it, with tons of encouragement.

Have noticed that Z’s walk is different now when she is being led. She’s got a much more relaxed stride, but still with energy, and she’s much more attentive to me. Leaving the barn she slows with me at the slightest indication, and doesn’t rush out. It is also much easier now to lead her from grass patch to grass patch.

Confident LB

Only able to spend a short time with Z today, but she showed even more confidence. Came right to me. 

On line she headed straight for the gate to go out into the yard. NO threshold through the gate even though she was surprised by someone walking out from a building! Then headed to the front yard for even more exploring.

I had to bring her back before she was finished grazing and she did a LB trot in circles around me to get at grass as we headed back.

Inside she responded to needle simulation and lowered her neck for her allergy serum shots.

Interesting though, I had no energy to offer her because of the sad news learned this morning about our Keisha. Z took advantage and was LB dominant in the stall, blocking me with her head, and being pushy. It is how she used to treat Classica, when Classy was lame. So I guess that Left part of her brain is gaining power!

LBI?

I think I met Ms. LBI today. Kinda challenging face when asked to circle. Initiated coming over for food treats when did what was asked. Super speedo gallop on circle, with slack rope and down to trot and coming in when asked with ears forward and bright eyes. Aha!

 Bit of RBI stuff when faced with foam poles on ground. I lightly wiggled the rope and she went back, then got kinda pissy, then shook herself out of the catatonia. Did this a few times, will see how it goes.

Very confident out in yard on grass. Took me down the driveway to mailbox. This is first time in the year we have been at the barn, that she has initiated this grazing pattern. You Go Girl!

Did traveling circles and trot changes to keep her interested given the LBI that seemed to be in the room. Hopefully didn't overdo it. We are clearly on the cusp of something/someone!

LB/RB Mirrors!

Z's left brain returned today, hooray! Challenged me to come get her in the pasture, wouldn't move her head/neck away from me until phase 2 (which for Z means press the hair), then would move really quickly, and stop. Had to shake the halter at her hiney and she thought about running away but came back!

In the arena, explored the whiteboard info about new mirror, rather than jumping at it, and walked ears forward right for the mirros (40 feet across back end). Sniffed and rubbed with her nose, got worried, moved away, came back. Played me and my shadow, she kept going to and away from the mirror. Then got sudden RBE and wanted to run so I helped her move her feet in small circles.
When she became fixated I asked her to move her feet sideways, or yo yo and she got mad at me LB. Even reared, swung her neck, "Can't you see I'm occupied!" she seemed to yell! Over time more and more interested in me, came to me as I walked backwards, ears forward (hers)!

I'm sooooo happy that I have parelli techniques and knowledge. In the past this would have been an endless RBE episode. Thank goodness I also now can have fun playing on line rather than thinking that it was important to get on and work it out that way (how dumb is that!)

Oh, and then back to the pasture, more LBE but again, came back to me after swung away. What a beautiful gal.

More Thresholds

Z was happy to play me and my shadow as she explored the arena with the new frame for the forthcoming mirrors in place. Also, for about 30 minutes gladly gave me her right eye. Then, urrrrr, put the brakes on, became tense, and almost catatonic. Feet were stuck, multiple thresholds, ears back. Took the time, held when necessary, did not urge feet (ie., game of contact), released quickly, sent back as many steps as necessary to get ears up again. Monitored my energy, and at one point closed my eyes and imagined her BEING with me, and bingo her ears came up toward me - how cool is that! But still came and went. There were lots and lots of releases though, between thresholds, so I was doing something right. Then, almost as suddenly as all this started, her ears were up and her right eye seemed to suddenly be really looking at me, or seeing me. Happy to follow me, and come to me. Then hesitant again, then resumed being happy. How so very interesting. Clearly I am the cause of much ambivalence. But  a harmonious end to our playtime.

Taking the time it takes

Played inside online, just the circling game with changes of direction.   Realized how bad and undependable my position is for changes of direction - can't be politely and passively persistent if I'm in the improper position! The latter negates the former.

Also noticed that Z keeps throwing her left eye to me, rather than giving the right eye, which makes changes impossible to do with savvy. So played with moving backwards and having her following me, but keeping straight-on and contact with right eye. Very difficult for her, but slowly improved. Then, she was able to trot happily toward me as I ran backwards!!!!!

Felt more in harmony after today's playtime than the last couple. It did feel better to just focus on one task, less pressure on her, and I could now focus on improving my savvy instead of learning/teaching the tasks. Also, realized that I had been forgetting to think about what her needs were before starting to play, rather than focusing on my goals. Tiny steps.

RBI

Z was RBI again today. Played on line inside, because of cold rain.  Set up two pylons (figure 8 at walk),
tarp (touch with feet)
deck planters, with foam ground pole (squeeze)
ball (touch it)

Was very interested in touching ball, confident RBI, and even moved it the tiniest bit with her nose. Was NOT at all interested in touching it with her legs, danced around it.
Interested in tarp, touched it confidently with front feet. Took a number of visits around it, before walked over it, but ears were back, UNTIL 45 minutes later, when food was in her stall, she walked over it confidently, ears forward.

Pretty confident walking figure 8 around pylons. I gave her praise when she came to me on return, before sending her again.

Would not go over ground pole. Moved it away, and opened up space between planters. Still unconfidant. Started to go internal, so I retreated and did other tasks. Never became confidant today with this game.

New touch it game, front feet on first step of mounting block. Was un-confident doing it on own, but okay when I lifted her leg, even allowing me to lead her by left leg to get to it when she ended up too far away. 

Played at liberty, stick to me, difficult because she wanted to go to her stall, but was able to go partway down wall away from gate. Then she left for the gate, LBE, head tossing, but that's okay.  Did lead by mane, ear and forelock, all developing well. Shaping Z is easy if I release at the SLIGHTEST try, meaning I have to feel for the try when she thinks about it. She was really floored by my not releasing her ear or mane when she walked back to the gate, and gave immediately after that! Polite and passive persistence in the proper position works, although I'm not sure I was polite enough with her ear, have to make sure I don't make her ear-shy.

Have been puzzled by the unconfident RBI today again. Maybe its the darkest before the dawn part. Maybe she's testing to see if I'll make her do things. Maybe I'm asking too much (ie., too many tasks). After reading through some of the savvy club horsemanship Q&As, next time I'll only do one task. Will do a pattern (figure 8, remembering to do it with a circle change of direction so her bad eye isn't toward me), and will do it 7 times, then quit. Then next time will do a different pattern, maybe the weave, 7 times then quit.

I'm also going to create a horsenality diagram to keep track of what she displays each time. Should be interesting.