JULY 2012

 JULY 2, 2012
Online: Too hot for much! More play on the tarp, change of direction at trot on circle, beautiful soft jump while maintaining trot gait!

 (Finesse, 30 mins) Nice soft freestyle at walk. Backing circle; sideways; figure 8. Then Z wanted to play the GoC. Session 4. Moving into stage 3 when traveling to the left. Almost there going to the right. Much much calmer horse. Going to the right still running when stretches down at the trot, but otherwise big mental and emotional changes for the better.

JULY 4, 2012 (On Line, 60 mins) A beautiful play day with 11 year old Ada learning level 1 skills with Zaina. Then Ada helped to hold up the string with plastic hanging for Z to squeeze under. Today Z was able to go underneath the area with plastic, with it rolled up. Earlier, we played friendly game with the plastic over her head and body.

JULY 6, 2012
(On Line, 30 mins) Touch it from a distance, and squeeze over higher jump. Very good after a couple of reactions.

(Freestyle, 15 mins) Walked half the ring on the rail, and doing circles, no reins, just CS!
Beautiful 20ft sideways (after lots of this online - forgot to mention in that posting).

(Finesse, 30 mins) Day 4 GoC. Lots of stage 2, then bit of stage 3. Getting better overall in terms of Zaina's willingness.
Oh - and she reached for the bit when bridling!

JULY 9, 2012
Today, the saddle slipped right over her side when I was mounting. Zaina simply stood, thinking "dimwit", as I wiggled back onto the mounting block. Pretty good for a RBE. Yeah Parelli!

(On Line, 15 mins) Simple sideways with more intent, and pre-flight check for riding. Tons of licking and chewing..

(Freestyle, 15 mins) Today Zaina let me trot her in freestyle! Much much steadier horse. Used the carrot stick while trotting!!!!!

 (Finesse, 15 mins) More GoC progress. Rounded back for a moment, walking on left rein, when made a downward transition.

 JULY 12, 2012
 (On Line, 60 mins) 11 year old A. played level one touch-it (the ball, pole, and cavaletti block), yoyo, beautiful HQ yield. Also working on using her energy to keep Z out of her space.
  
(Liberty, 15 mins) Brief liberty session after Zaina was played with by 11 year old A. Stick to me, with changes of direction. Lost her a couple of times at the trot, so turned into canter catching game, but then back to very nice stick to me at walk.

JULY 15, 2012 
Today, for the sideways game, it was clear that Zaina is now "getting" it, ie., understanding what I am asking. Sooooo neat to feel that physical and mental connection from a distance. Too cool. This has been a long time developing, with lots of going forwards then getting stuck. The difference, I became more persistent, and now a few plays letter it's gotten to her brain.

(On Line, 30 mins) Today, circling game to the left only. Now understanding why important to keep a steady length and not lengthen one's arm - otherwise how does the horse understand the limit? Steady walk and trot, and a couple good laps of canter. I'm also understanding better about the horse's responsibility being - the horse's. It's up to her to be calm on the canter, it's up to me to change the situation if necessary, but not through micromanagement. I've been trying to manage her emotions, and in doing so, have actually been getting in the way.
Then an obstacle, worried - still her responsibility. Ways to go on this one.

Freestyle, 30 mins. 2nd trotting with carrot stick ride. Million transitions to walk. Getting better.

Finesse, 15 mins) GoC only to the right. Working towards stage 3, but getting stuck, as hind feet aren't coming through. Still, ended on a good note, with relaxation.

JULY 17, 2012  
Today, was 11 year old A.'s 4th play with Zaina. At the end of the session she took Zaina over to the 1x3 foot plywood board and wanted to ask Z to keep her back feet on it. No small task for Z, and I'm only successful 50/50. On the 3rd attempt, Ada, working very hard to control her energy to ask the front feet off, hind feet to come on and halt, it was a success! Truly amazing. Now I know who to call when I'm having difficulties.....

 (On Line, 90 mins) A.'s fourth play with Z. Over an hour walking on the rail, developing confidence in keeping Z out of her space, and working on a longer line. Wonderful to see Zaina so quickly responding, and thus A's confidence further developing. A wonderful partnership already. Then to the plywood board for an amazing touch it game with hind feet, posted on our wall.

JULY 19, 2012  (On Line, 45 mins) Nice wondering around grazing time with a bit of sideways along the tall grass field and squeeze under low tree branches, while waiting for hoof trimmer. Beautiful day. Zaina very zen.

JULY 21, 2012  
 Husband built me a Steady Eddy. Rode him using the information from the GoC dvd set - boy did Eddy have a lot to tell me! WAY too much energy when posting, and when turning I hollow my back and left my butt up.
Today's live ride was hugely different when I was able to post softly and turn correctly. No barging, no bracing, and the CS wasn't knocking my head at the trot! Steady Eddy is helping me be steady.
The GoC is not just about contact - if you have a rushing horse and have struggled to sit back, you'll find the info invaluable.

(On Line, 30 mins) Beautiful sideways!!!! Along wall and fence line. Lots of understanding happening.
Circling game - letting Z figure out her emotions and trot until quiet. Took some time, but we got there. I'm thinking circling is like zen - letting things happen as they happen.

(Freestyle, 45 mins) Changed shim pattern to great effect - no issues with girthing. Shifted my position from my steady eddy learning, and can feel Z right through the saddle now. Walked with no rein contact, one carrot stick - follow the rail, and disengage to change directions. Can almost circle without reins!
Then to the trot - wow HUGE difference when I can keep my position correct. Z not barging ahead and HARMONY. Much more difficult for me to sit correctly going to the right. Kept at it "'till we both liked it" - thank you Karen M-B via Don Halliday.
Oh, all this in the hackamore - no brace.

JULY 24, 2012
"The better your horse goes sideways, the better he does everything else" - PP. How true. Having achieved our major sideways breakthrough online, Z will now back easily with the featherline ask, straight and between obstacles. Mounted, she was able to stand straight next to a target and stay relaxed while I played friendly game with it. Sideways changes brain connections, clearly.

(ONLINE120 mins) Played sideways between grass munching, then inside where Z easily went 12 feet without me moving my feet. I then sent her back (without me moving to be in front of her) 20 feet and between two ground poles. She did it quite easily. HUGE change.
Then A. played with her. Refining "protect your space" and Point to Point, massage legs, friendly game. Then fun with the plywood board. Z went on it happily and had major destressing yawns. 

 After that, A. asked her to stand with her hind legs only on it, with great success.
Then it was my turn again, and we set up the carwash, this time with the plastic hanging all the way down (which is only half way down to the ground). Z took a look, selected the most open area, cautiously and a bit nervously went through. Second time, she kept calming herself. Stopped there, no need to go on with it today.
 
We released her and she went over to the board. I put her on, then A. did the same, and then asked her to walk over it. A's first liberty task! What a rush.

JULY 26, 2012 
 Advanced the sideways game with playing it over a ground pole. This has been one of her most difficult tasks, quite stressed about moving over the pole. I asked her to step over it at the midpoint, and sideways close range to the end. Step by step, lots of praise. She didn't rush, but was hesitant.
The big deal is, I moved on to the circling game, and she walked half the circle then walked back to the pole.

Positioned herself on its opposite side (went back to the side we had been on), at the end. I sat down (we are on the featherline), and waited while she licked and chewed. She positioned herself over the pole. With that offer, I moved next to her and asked for sideways. She wanted a treat with every step, but I waited until she reached the end. Which we did, slowly (it seemed like a very long pole) but without stress.
I didn't bother with the circling game.

(Freestyle, 45 mins) Lots of hands free walking. Couldn't keep my position at trot, so not as successful as last time. She spooked and ran (first time in forever), and I was able to stay calm and bring her to a halt. She braces though, so almost impossible to bend her.
 
After that I put her into a faster trot then she asked for. We trotted trotted trotted and trotted some more. Finally she blew out. This is clearly what she needed. I ENJOYED it. Now that I'm sitting back and not leaning on the reins I don't feel like I'm going to fall off or that she was out of control. Maybe 
I just have to get used to the idea that she has a big trot, and deal with it?
Unsaddling the pad slipped and fell at her feet. She didn't jump. In fact, she reached down to inspect it. Wow.

(Liberty, 15 mins) Asked for circle, and used learning from this months dvd - slap the ground behind her when she leaves in opposite direction. Wow - that worked. Two times and beautiful calm trot circle in each direction. That's all I asked for as way too hot for more - just wanted to re-establish my leadership at liberty.

Sideways to position her for a bucket rinse off. She was at first going to leave, but changed her mind, and stepped over beautifully.

JULY 27, 2012
Progress continues to be exponential. No matter what I asked of Zaina today, she agreed with softness. Even when asked to go sideways over the cavaletti block at the end of a ground pole. She couldn't get all the way over it, but she tried, and when she got stuck politely left.

Other firsts: beautiful (i.e., with a phase one ask) changes of direction at walk and trot on circling game on line AND at liberty! Since watching the July savvy dvd, I've treated her like a left brain extrovert at liberty, and our circling game which was P-poor, immediately got fixed and has now surpassed expectations.

Oh - and she's more like an LBE on line too. After our sideways game along the pole, she took herself back to the pole and looked to me for a treat. When none was forthcoming she walked over the pole and looked for a treat. None was coming, I asked her to take a step over the pole and then go sideways. She did, treat time! Zaina's no longer looking to treats as praise, but is playing a game for treats!!!!!!!!
  
 (On Line, 45 mins) Zaina continues to go beyond the beyond in her progress. Online, sideways over pole and then also asked for sideways over cavaletti block at end of pole. She was able to do two small sideways steps and get half way over.

Point to Point at length of feather line. Sideways along line, length of feather line - I only had to move my feet once.

Circling game changes of direction phase one, walk and trot; backing on circle without turning in; stopping on circle without turning in.
Played her own "where's the treat game" with the pole which I've written about on my wall.

(Liberty, 30 mins) Astounding liberty session.
Phase one for circling game (with one "tag") and she walked and trotted, and changed directions. Also offered to go over ground pole at the circle.

Stick to me at trot, and change of direction without leaving.

Squeezed over ground pole. This was funny - she would rather not, and started to go sideways so I encouraged it. Mmmmmm, stopped. Over pole? No, More sideways. Mmmmm. Rather not. Over pole, etc etc. Yes, finally over the pole was HER decision. This stuff is way too much fun.

JULY 28, 2012 A's play with Z. Friendly game (massage legs), improving yoyo, friendly with tarp, and touch it with tarp. The latter required A to really up her energy to create a wall with the CS and String so that Z understood what was being asked.

JULY 29, 2012 (On Line, 60 mins) Playing today with more "go" , more distance, and being more particular, as needing to correct inappropriate patterns that I've ingrained. Excellent touching board with feet from distance, figure 8, and backing through two paddocks to get to the big field - the latter generally with phase 2-3 - so a major breakthrough in Z's confidence, responsiveness, and respectfulness.