Linda's Wisdom

Linda’s Words of Wisdom During Game of Contact, November 2010

When horse is having difficulties, you can’t work on riding position. Just do what can do until fix horse’s emotional problems, then can fix own riding.

Posting Trot
•    Sit trot peddling until power naturally lifts you up.

LB Introvert
•    More you bring up your energy, less horse will do.
LB & RB Introvert
•    Don’t wiggle rope hard, use body life instead.
•    If goal is to get better leave, bring back very soon as a reward (accept a little, reward often).
RB Introvert
•    Need time to process. If need to get firm, wait rather than hammering away.

Yo-Yo
•    When doesn’t go back, draw back – do the unexpected, accept a little reward often.

The Draw
•    If horse stalls don’t pull. Back horse up and keep slack in rope.

Stick to Me
•    Don’t micromanage with stick to keep forward movement, otherwise always need to use it.
•    When using stick to move back, use it with purpose, otherwise it’s a friendly game.
•    Backing and horse doesn’t follow, keep backing softly, then smack ground in front of Zone 1.

To Catch
•    Stay in zone 5, if he looks right, go to left. Put more pressure on by getting sneakier.
•    When doesn’t move, get closer, when moves, get further away.
•    Big reward when feet move (left brain horse, if disengage zone 4 too often will start biting you; go to zone 5 instead).
•    Drive creates draw, more draw is obedience not desire.
•    If runs to you with ears back, horse is driving you. Drive horse back if happens.
•    When have time limit just take one of these things, ie., nose, neck or feet, then leave.

For Safety
•    Short casual rein instead of long if horse is worried.
•    Introvert fear: look at object and back away
•    Extrovert fear: look and move sideways around it.

Mouth Chattering
•    Extrovert – going too slowly
•    Introvert – going to quickly

Contact
•    Need to be very particular when pick up reins, no “noise”.
•    Pick up reins with “trombone”, smoothly; put moving hand beneath other when switching to two hands, and then close fingers like 9 rein back up.
•    Loose hands, floppy wrists hurt horse’s mouth.
•    Work on straight lines when teaching contact, as circling much harder to keep even contact.
•    When neck is inverted and pulls reins up, go up too, instead of pulling back.
When bend, don’t throw away outside contact (don’t disengage). Turn shoulders to turn. Hands stay in same place (practice freestyle first, with shorter reins).
•    Do not ask horse to hold contact for long when not fit.
•    To transition down (or want more collection) belly button and pelvis tips up.
•    Forward, or extensions, belly button forward.