June 28, 2010 mounted

Played under saddle inside.

Arrived amidst a heavy downpour, but it stopped when before started riding. Kelley was riding as well, and this was distracted to z.

Played at walk, with changes of directions.

Played at trot, getting Z to relax. Needed to do finesse rather than freestyle to keep her calm and attention on me. She was distracted by Kelly and by wooden pigeon hanging by the doorway. With finesse I was able to work on my sitting trot and have her relaxed. I kept my thighs away from her, and used my body to move her into trots - this worked very well.

Nice downward transitions. If I keep my upward body relaxed, and moving with her, then I can feel how to stop moving, and so does she.

Did a lot of serpentines at the trot. Well done!

June 26, 2010 Online

Outside

Had a very low key playtime today, to make sure Z could destress from last time's over excitement. Groomed her outside, then took her to graze in the ring. I practiced dismounting to right off a barrel.

Sniffed the barrel, played squeeze game - difficult, I needed to walk her through them. Worked on backing through them, also difficult.

Went sideways along fence while Z was grazing. It worked if I stood right at her shoulder and brought up my energy.

Did same when I stopped her over cavaletti and went sideways. two steps each way! Yahoo - a start.

A nice calm, hanging around day. I did have to work hard to regain her attention between grazing periods, but that is okay. I found myself paying lots of attention to when I became a linear thinker and predator-like. Tried to direct her more from the back end rather than pulling one her - horses don't pull on each other, they push.

Ordered a set of shims for the front of the saddle. Plus levels 1/2, 3 and liberty and finesse patterns. We are on our way!

June 23, 2010 Online

Outside

Today, three blue barrels were in the outside ring. Z was apprehensive, but touched them and walked around them. When I sat on one, on its side, she would not circle it - too strange!

Backed over cavelleti (lowest position), front and back legs!

Played with walking and trotting over cavelleti in second position. Hesitant with doing both. Trotted/jumped over when going to right, but only went over it happily to left when I stood at her head on her left side. The cavalleti was next to the fence, so maybe need to pull it away, as she has gone over it happily when under saddle.

Canter - went nutso when asked to canter going to left. In retrospect, bad eye was probably scared by the barrels. Was really digging her feet in, and calling to other horses. When I was able to slow her she did four off the floor and reared. Finally got her to trot and come in. Relaxed. Asked for her to canter again and she did fine!

June 19, 2010 Online and Mounted

It was a very hot day; Z was inside; not too drowsy.

Saddled with rope on ground, no problem (on-line, level 2)

ON-LINE

Circling, Disengagement: At walk and trot on circle, was more particular about her managing herself, by swinging carrot stick when she stopped, and not clucking (didn't have string on carrot stick). Put more emphasis on disengagement then circling, bent from waist when Z had gone past me and light tug on line. She understood this to mean turn and stop or come in. I gave her lots and lots of praise. Repeated only a few times.

Canter on circle. This was first canter on-line with saddle on. Reassured her before starting. First time - going right, fairly calm, and when I tried to keep her relaxed she came to a trot, so I disengaged her and brought her in. Lots of praise, then sent out again. Better, calmer, not as worried about stirrups bumping, etc., after two circles I tried to disengage her - she went to trot but kept going. Had to be firmer with lead line to disengage, but wasn't a big deal.

Halting over pole. She was hesitant to move over pole with me bringing her towards me, but with encouragement she did, slowly. She seemed to be aware that I was going to ask her to halt, so she was a bit confused, and moved her feet slowly, looking for guidance. Easily stopped with front feet over. Lots of praise. Then forward, and stopped after hind legs were over and couple steps past pole. Only did this once.

Sideways. Attempted to have her move sideways over pole, but not successful. Somewhat successful moving sideways along pole, going towards her right. Still some confusion.

UNDER SADDLE

Mounted from far side (freestyle level 2). I was more balanced. Z had no concerns when lining her up in different direction to mounting block, nor when I mounted. Stayed at halt until asked to move on.

Hesitant to bend neck to right, as I rode on the right rein detached!. Z halted with just the left rein. Thank you Zaina! Plus, I mounted without block (but off side)

Walk on rail: My passenger walk is now very good, with transference of a relaxed back to my working walk. Walking without stirrups or use of reins with confidence. Z needed more reminders to stay on rail today.

Halts: Halts from walk very good. I'm better able to feel a change in my body - I think I was so stiff before that she couldn't feel a difference. I'm also remembering to left the reins first, and she understands this to mean a change is coming.

Weave through cones. Set up 3 cones and wove through them both directions using outside rein and body weight. They were close, so I had to make quick changes. Sometimes I did a full circle. Z is beginning to understand the directions without having to have her head pulled around or overuse of inside leg. I'm using more of my outside leg to push her, and remembering to keep my weight in opposite direction of where I want her to go.

Posting trot: To left, I am doing much better with my back flexing. We were able to stay on the rail as I did this! Started to feel how I am tightening my thighs though, and I think this is what is making her transition to a walk. Have to keep my body looser.

To right, more difficult. Z speeds up, and it is difficult for me to stay back and get the correct rhythm. When I do get it, she slows down. Still, was able to stay on the rail as a passenger.

Sitting trot: Was able to sit on my thumb to get feel of keeping my butt in the seat. This means keeping my chest open and sitting up, not gripping with butt. Still working out the correct feel - can't explain it yet. Again, better to the left, but was able to work for some time going to right, with improvement, as I relaxed my thighs and Z became more rhythmical. It was lots of fun, except my back feels the strain! Hers probably does too!

Another wonderful time.

June 17, 2010 Mounted

It was very windy today, and Z and Sophie were screaming for each other. It took more than the usual ground work to get her to focus, but it worked. Did primarily turns on the forehand from zone 1, moving sideways on the wall, and halting over pole and backing. This worked to get her focused on me!

Re Moving sideways. I think Z thinks I want her to walk forward. I need to direct more energy to zone 5 first, and balance with zone 1 - maybe work more on zone 2 and 3?

Under saddle, did a lot of walk - halt transitions, trying to have more contact before I began to ask, bending her head in slightly and using my leg, as well as sitting back. She seemed much more aware of what I was wanting and her halts were much better. She even halted over the pole!

Backing over pole: Fair to good. Does not care if she steps on the pole or it rolls under her foot as she moves back, so she isn't very careful or particular. This actually makes it harder to complete the task because she keeps stepping on the pole! Maybe she's playing with it????

Trotting: Today I worked on pushing my seat back into the saddle at the posting trot (pushing passenger idea, but because of the wind and her forewardness today, I used the reins to direct her a lot). I really began to get the feeling, and when I did, it was "sweet". Made me smile, and her head came down immediately! She like it so much she'd stop trotting! I wasn't able to do it all the time, but it's a start, and man does it work!

A really good ride, despite the noise of the wind. Z is looking after me now, as I remember to look after her. It is very special.

June 12, 2010 On line

On line
Touch the ball (goal is to push ball with chest)

• I put ball on chair. She touched it without hesitation, and moved her hindquarters around to touch it from side as well. Came back to it a number of times.
• When she was off line at end of session I brought ball to her and she touched it, and let me touch it on her left side.
• Outside of arena, on way to stall I placed ball in her way. She touched it. I moved it under her head, and after some waiting and encouragement she moved her head down and touched it (first the nose, then the neck...).

Touch It (goal is to direct her to touch objects from a distance)

• Directed to touch cones from a couple feet away. Needed encouragement - was at start of session, so quite dozey and perhaps not motivated. Once she understood she was able to do it a few times quite well.
  
  

Moving circles at walk and trot

• fairly good both directions. Needed to keep her attention at walk, as she tended to halt when I wasn't managing her. At trot she started to pay attention to where she was going.
  
  

Weave through cones at walk

• good. When on her right side she had tendency to look toward left so it was hard to keep her attention to turn her back to me during the weave. This might be a visual issue - wanting to look to the right because she's not seeing well?
  
  

Canter both directions 22 foot line, calm and relaxed

• to left she was more settled than last time, and clearly looking where she was going. To right, easier to calm down, I get talking to her, and she moved her head noticeably as if to find me in her sightline. In this direction she was also more prone to taking her head down to see what was on the ground, again probably the visual issue. A very good job, considering how things have been
  
  

change directions at trot

• It is difficult to disengage her hindquarters and thus make the "draw". She gets confused, and comes down to a walk, and it is more difficult to get her to go out on the circle in the new direction, as she seems to just want to come to me. Practiced a lot of changes at the walk on circle and coming toward me with exaggerating the disengagement to help her learn. I needed to pull her head toward me quite a bit. Don't know if this is appropriate.

Z had just come in from a morning out in the sun and on grass. She was sleepy, so I had to pick up my energy to get her connected with me, which worked. But I needed to provide lots of relaxation time between patterns to maintain her confidence/interest. But it worked out very well, and was fun. I'm asking her to be more particular with some things now, and she is handling it well as long as she gets to wait, think, and be positively reinforced.

June 9 2010 mounted

Training Plan and log

Play under saddle (robert with me)
Goal: Mount from far side. Play approach and retreat mounting on far side, Robert with Z's head. SUCCESS. Hardly needed any approach and retreat. She was a rock.

Eventual Goal: Calm halt lifting reins (freestyle level 1) Repeat game of halting at cones from walk and trot. Semi-successful. I don't quit riding effectually, and raise my reins too soon, instead of after passing cone. I need to be clearer. Will use leg and slightly turn her head to hindquarters, so message is clearer. When successful will go back to just using weight/body.

Goal: walk and trot over pole calm, relaxed. Set out one pole on each side, one on rail, one inside of rail. EXCELLENT at both walk and trot.

Goal: walk over pole in passenger lesson. Excellent.

A super fun ride. R took photos and videos and they look good. Z relaxed, and me too! Still need to use my body more for posting trot, I look stiff.

Did first passenger ride (sort of - still held reins, but no contact) at TROT (Sitting).

I'm most proud of mounting from far side. Tried to dismount from near side, but worried that wouldn't get leg over saddle, and foot would get caught in stirrup. Need to practice flexibility first.

Thank you Z., for another great day!

June 9, 2010 zaina video

Walking on rail
Trotting on rail

In both these videos Zaina is on a light or no contact. We are playing the "don't make me pick up the reins" parelli game, for the pattern "stay on the rail/trail". The point of the pattern and game is to have her follow the rail on her own, if she comes of the rail then I use one finger on the rein to bring her back. She really enjoys the pattern - being left to manage herself.

We've only recently progressed where she can do this at the trot. Now I need to work on flexing my back at the posting trot, as that will help her relax and lower her head. On the third time round, coming down the long side, she didn't speed up which is why I praised her and took her to a walk, then halt.

It was a neat feeling the day she understood what I wanted and just went to the rail and walked! Now I have enough confidence to do he pattern without reins, as well as without stirrups. But today I kept my feet in the stirrups because it was the first time I did the swirling arm stuff! At the end I have asked her to halt, using my body, by cones. When she went too far, I used the reins and backed her up.

June 2, 2010 Mounted

Under saddle, inside

HUGE achievement. After the ride, played passenger game and Z went to door to look outside. I had set up a pole running from gate inwards at a slant, and for most of the ride didn't go over it, but around it. After Z finished looking outside I turned her to move down length of pole, but she turned toward it and STEPPED over it at about 2 feet! I tensed up afraid she'd throw her back legs over but she STEPPED CALMLY over it, despite my horrible tension (I tried to sit back and give her reins but was very afraid). I was sooo happy. I halted and gave her a treat, then we went to middle of arena and I got off. What a beautiful thing - a partnership day!

June 6, 2010

Outside on-line

Eventual Goal: Open Gate (freestyle level 2) Worked on moving closer to objects by playing porcupine and squeeze game around the mounting block forewards and backwards. Skeptical but willing.

Eventual Goal: (freestyle level 1) Mount from off side. Played the friendly game with her standing with off side toward mounting block. She's skeptical but played the games.

Eventual Goal: (on-line level 2) Lead by leg. Played friendly game using savy string on her near front leg, and used lead line to bring her forward onto leg. She understood idea after second try.

Eventual Goal: In saddle -Cantering under saddle calmly; on-line, maintain gait 2-4 laps (level 2). Played circling game both directions at canter. Canter to right was quite good, maintained gait, stayed calm. To left she becomes RBE.

REMEMBER TO MOVE WITH HER - MIGHT BE VISION ISSUE AS HAPPENS AT SAME PLACE ON CIRCLE.

Had to disrupt the pattern at level 4. After friendly game in middle of circle sent her out again; better. Brought her in for friendly game, third time was MUCH calmer, stopped after a couple of circles maintaining gait and pace.

Eventual Goal: Moving backwards and sideways over obstacles. Walked over cavaletti in second position, eventually was able to halt coming over each pole. GOOD JOB ZAINA!