Finding Horsehappys

2010-03-14T11:55:00.001-04:00

Though it looks like I am laying down on the job, my blog has moved to www.julierobins.com
on my new website!

See ya there! Julie

Student's Corner

2010-02-11T19:24:00.003-05:00

If you are looking for a fun exercise to try indoors, this one is great. It really helps you see how much direction you have to an individual foot. Don't let yourself get frustrated if your horse does not get this at first. In this video, I have to abandon the foot placement exercise to clean up some heaviness with Whimsy. Then I go back to the exercise, and since the "feet are cleaned up" things go a bit better.
This is from "101 Horsemanship Exercises" by Rio Barrett.

learning with whimsy

2009-10-21T18:43:00.002-04:00

Over the past few weeks, Dezi has been a wee bit off, so I have used the time to progress with Whimsy. She is a 7 year old Connemara, 14.2HH and full of girl drama. Patience is not her best virtue, so we have made a project out of that, and the results are paying off.
She now ground ties most anywhere and waits on me from a distance of about 20-30 feet. In a group setting, she prefers to hang closer to me (like when she works with me while I teach workshops), which work fine too.
How did we "make a project out of it" you ask. Well, I started by taking Whimsy with me to places where she could hang out and letting her hang out on the end of the halter rope with the middle of the rope on the ground. If she moved, even one foot one step, I politely corrected her without moving my feet. As she got the idea, I began to drop the rope and increase my distance. If she moved, I would ask with my body language first for her to go back to exactly where she was and if she did not, I would pick up the rope and correct her with the rope, then return the rope to the ground. Once she could stand for a nice amount of time (at first this was only 60 seconds), I would pick up the rope and go to another spot and start over, gradually increasing the time she could stand in one place. Now (a few weeks later) she can stand for as long as I like. The longest I have asked is around an hour. And overall, she is much more settled in her skin.

foot placement ex. 40

2009-09-17T10:55:00.003-04:00

I still have not figured out how to delete the sound or better yet, add music...but wanted to get this up. You will get to see us work a bit to get this. In the beginning she is heavy, pushing on me with her nuzzle and then her shoulder. I decide to abandon the exercise and send her shoulder out, work her in a circle, get a better hq and start over. I find when working on the isolation of a foot, if things get sticky, it is easier to move the feet a bit, then go back to the isolation exercise.
Looking forward to getting to the riding exercises!

ex. 33 from book

2009-09-15T20:34:00.005-04:00

So, here's exercise 33, prep for sideways. I did talk during it, but not sure if you can hear the sound. You might have to turn your volume up.
I do not hold the rope as closely as the book says, I find it too constricting. Take your time and move the hind, then the front. If one breaks, abandon the exercise and fix the end that broke and go back to the exercise.

Below is ex. 39, slipslide and ex. 24, changes of direction along a line. I needed to put a pole down because I needed to know what the camera could see...this was a "hit record, run do my thing, then hit stop". (the farm kid who was shooting wasn't around for today's shooting!) The pole also helped me see if I was going straight, which I see now, I was not.

In ex. 39, you will see I have to use a wiggle rope back up to correct her forward movement. When I see her move sideways, I offer a release to her by standing still, allowing her to move sideways away from me as I exhale and think positive thoughts.

I actually use 24 (hinds to fronts along a straight line) a good bit when wanting to make sure I have separation from front and back end and when my horse has way too much energy when I am leading or driving and I want to get to the mind but I need to get somewhere.

I am trying to learn to edit, but have yet to figure out how to do sound...I am not talking during this one, but there are lots of back ground noises I tried to turn off, but wasn't sucessful, so turn down your volume, otherwise the annoying leaf blower in the back ground will drive you crazy.

Hope these help you a bit, I see I need to smile a bit more! I am actually having fun!

and something funny

2009-09-10T11:38:00.004-04:00

thought I would share my horse Whimsy and what she thinks of a good belly rub! Gave all of us a good laugh!

That Whimsy is a funny girl!

hindquarters

2009-09-10T11:07:00.004-04:00

So here's an example of two requests for hindquarter yielding (indirectly, meaning not touching the horse when asking). The first you will see not much stepping under, watch the horse's feet, they do not consistently cross under and the horse sort of wanders out of it. Watch the position of the person in relation for the understanding from the horse. Think about rope angles in relation to what you want from the back end of the horse. This is Linda Crookshank and her morgan Chase in Big Indian, NY.

In the next video, she does not get the hq all the way around, but with a loose rope and positioning her body, watch the feet really step under. I would not recommend bending over quite so much, you don't want to get in the habit of getting your face 'in there' in case a horse kicks. The real difference between the two videos of hq is how Linda's position effects the footfall of Chase.

Thanks to Linda and Chase!

learning with others

2009-09-10T10:43:00.005-04:00

So, in my never ending quest to keep up with technology, I will attempt to use my blog to help illustrate some points brought up by questions from the online book forum class I have been teaching. The class is reading 101 Horsemanship Exercises by Rio Barrett.

I have short some short video segments I will post. Now I am not yet clever enough to add music, so you'll have to listen to my comments...so the first is hq to fq. This is Carol Fitzpatrick and her horse Twinks. Watch the first, then see what looks better in the second. Notice the position of Carol's shoulders, see how that directs her horse.

That was not so clean for a hq to a fq. She had to use her rope to back the horse up, then the horse wasn't sure where she was supposed to go. Separating the hind from the front is critical in really "getting to your horse's feet". This kinda follows exercise 50 in the book. You should take your time, if you do not get a clean hq, do not go on and ask for the front, just hq to a stop.

In the second video, you can see how the horse is following the feel. The hind is moving separate from the front. And the horse's footfall follows that of Carol's. When Carol's feet stop, so do her horses. Very nice, thanks Carol and Twinks!

having fun!

2009-08-29T12:43:00.003-04:00

Having fun isn't something that comes easy for me, especially when I consider it "work". Thanks to my time with horses and friends, I am better at it than I used to be. Horses, like Lakota (pictured above and who belongs to Julia Mitchell) make having fun easy. Lakota is very curious and interested in new things. Over the past several months, I have been encouraging this curiousity with giving her time and at times, "following her lead" if you will.
What's interesting here is that we had only been on a wooden pedestal when we were in SC several months ago. I had brought Lakota with me to this farm to ride her after I taught a lesson. I arrived in the ring, dropped the rope on Lakota to walk back to get the camera to take pictures of the student and turned around to see this! I guess she remembered the pedestal and thought she'd try it.
For me, it was a reminder to keep things fun. I am not sure I would have thought to try her on the pedestal here for I had brought her for riding. I am glad she remembered to keep the fun! My student and I both got a good chuckle, and I got a great picture to share with you.

summer goals

2009-07-05T10:35:00.009-04:00

"And where did you go today?"

Each season, as a way to progress my personal horsemanship, I try to set goals for myself with my horses. With my days filled with horse work and managing my horse business, it is often hard to make it a priority to work with my own horses. (Though with the lovely turnout here in NY and the other horses around, I doubt Whimsy and Dezi are disappointed when my business keeps me away! )
By setting goals, it inspires me to make the time to work with my horses and helps me to keep my personal horsemanship advancing.
One goal I have this summer is to continue to expand my horse's exposure and ability to go places together and alone. I call this "changing the environment". Many of you who have worked with me have probably heard more than once, "get it good, then go somewhere with it." Changing environment can be as simple as riding or doing ground work in a different location. For the horse, it helps develop an adaptable, calm and confident horse. It also helps alleviate boredom for both horse and rider. For my horses, changing environments means going to other farms, seeing lots of other horses and being in the right frame of mind to work regardless of what is going on around us.
One mantra that keeps coming up for me is "don't reward the anxious mind". It is easy to want to pet, talk nice and soothe your horse into relaxing, but a better way is to work through it by moving the feet, getting busy and having a job to focus on. With Dezi, the half-Arabian part gives me plenty of opportunity to work on just that.
So next time you think all is well and your not sure what to do next, try changing the environment. It can give you lots of feedback as to where you are at with your horse and can make thing more interesting and fun!

enjoying progress

2009-05-19T09:04:00.003-04:00

Appreciating progress is key in continued success, happiness and fulfillment as we continue on our journey of learning with horses. Being very goal oriented, I often forget to stop and do just this. Lately, I have been making a point to slow down and just take in "what is", particularly with my own horses. Being in the business of helping horses, I am often pushing, working and moving right along, not always taking the time to enjoy and/or appreciate what's been accomplished and what is working well. By taking 2 minutes at the beginning and end of work with my horses, I find myself overwhelmed with gratitude for "what's working good" and what each horse brings to the relationship. This has been a wonderful gift and has greatly influenced the tone of each of our work sessions. I find both myself and my horse more relaxed and much more connected to what we are doing. So I offer to you today a reminder to slow down and be grateful, you might just be surprised by all the progress you have made if you just think about it!

two blogs in one day

2009-04-14T17:30:00.004-04:00

So, here is test number three, let's see if this works. Again, this is video of Jessie Bongers with Maggie doing some very nice groundwork! I have really enjoyed working with Jessie and her sister Ashley, they are 8 and 10 years old respectively. They both have learned much in a very short amount of time. If this works, stay tuned for more!

prioritizing

2009-04-14T16:55:00.002-04:00

If you have been waiting a while to hear from me via this blog, please accept my apology. I admit, getting to my blog has slipped down my list of priorities. As the days have gotten longer, I find myself spending all my time outside. By the time I get inside, have a shower and eat dinner, I am off to bed. If you've been by the farm lately, you will see where some of my time has gone as there is new landscaping around the barn (thanks to help from Mary, my barn manager). Additionally, lessons and horses-in-for-help have been keeping me very busy.
I am happy to announce I have a new apprentice, Elizabeth Boggs. She is a wonderful young lady from Gilbert, SC who has already been a tremendous addition to our program in SC. She is starting a blog (since I can't get to it regularly, you might enjoy ready things from her perspective) which can be found at www.gallopingapprentice.blogspot.com
Hope to adjust my priorities and blog more soon!

finding the try

2009-02-09T10:24:00.004-05:00

One of the things I try to help people with most is to recognize "the try" in their work with horses. Sounds easy enough, but often people miss it. For example, after working really hard with softness and feel with their horse during a lesson, they grab hold of the lead rope and take their horse back to the barn without ever giving back or putting slack in the lead. For the horse, this feel like dragging and negates all that was done in the previous session. Or worse yet, once out the gate of the arena, the horse gets ahead of the owner taking the slack out of the rope and pulling them back to the barn. For the horse, this is really taking over and also negates all that was done in the previous session.
"Finding the try" is something that once learned, will really shift the horse/human relationship. Once you learn to see the try in a horse and offer up a release to reward the try, the horse will start trying in all areas to see if offers up the same results. A try can be as simple as the horse leaning in the direction you are asking him to yield, turning his head or cocking an ear in your direction when asked for attention, or moving off a weight shift under saddle when asked to follow a feel. To try this, simply look for what your horse does right before he does what you were asking for, then the next time, release when you see the first sign. If your horse does not follow through and finish by giving you what you asked for, simply ask again.
"Finding the try" should start as soon as you see your horse when you arrive at the barn and not end until you head away from the barn to go home. Play with this, give it a try and you will be amazed at the results of "finding the try."

working on bridle less

2009-02-07T13:51:00.006-05:00

One of my favorite things to work on with my horses is getting to bridle-less. For me, it is the ultimate in communication when I can direct my horse without ever picking up the reins. Often, to really illustrate how far you can take your riding to an advanced communication level, I take off whatever is on my horse's head. As I do this, I always say to people "don't try this at home." Every so often, a student will admit to me that despite my warnings, they have taken off the bridle and tried it. Most of the time, the rest of the story is not so good and often ends with the rider having a fall of some sort. For me, I have a check list before I take the bridle off. I have a communication system with my horse that is very specific. I check things out before I just take off the head gear. If things are not working or my horse is not sharp and listening, I won't take off whatever is on his head. It is only setting us up for failure. So, in case you are thinking bridle-less looks fun, please, check things out before you pull off the bridle. It is about communication, make sure you have some!

working through frustration

2009-02-03T21:34:00.006-05:00

My favorite saying in regards to horse work and frustration is Frustration begins where knowledge ends. In every case I can think of where I found myself frustrated, this has proven to be true, although at the time I might not have realized it. Many times, if I had known what to do or had a guess at what to try, I would have directed my energy into that instead of getting all bottled up in being frustrated.
Having been a student of the horse for quite sometime now and really understanding the need for knowledge, I rarely find myself frustrated. Instead, when I find myself at this place of getting stuck or not getting the results I am looking for, I feel perplexed and intrigued. I then allow myself to get really curious about what is going on in the situation at hand. This always opens up new avenues to information and I am happy to report, keeps the feeling of frustration far, far away.
So the next time you find yourself frustrated in a situation, take a deep breath and ask yourself if more knowledge would help you get unstuck. Then get creative and find ways to increase your knowledge and let frustration be on its way.

unspoken communication

2009-01-28T17:14:00.003-05:00

Dezi, the bay horse on the left, has been with me for over 15 years. Our relationship has seen it's ups and downs. I often tell people our relationship is much like an old marriage, we are very comfortable with it, we read each others minds, but are always looking for ways to add in some fun. Thus, Tommy 2Face, the jack puppy on the right. He has been with us for a year and a half, and has really added some fun into our world.
The two of them have a unique relationship, it has been fascinating to see how they work things out between themselves. Mostly unspoken, though Tommy offers a grumbly growl from time to time, they have developed quite the relationship. In the arena, Dezi is in charge and can move Tommy all around and out of the arena when he wants. Out on the trail, it seems Tommy is in charge, often leading the way picking the path for Dezi and I to follow. Between the three of us, we have an amazing flow of communication, though hardly a word is spoken. It seems I can think things and both Dezi and Tommy understand. And I like to think they think things and more often than not, I can understand them. When I saw this picture (to be honest, I cannot remember taking it), it made me smile and see the unspoken communication that flows, and keeps my days interesting.

a new year

2009-01-07T22:29:00.003-05:00

Happy 2009! With this New Year, I am filled with a sense of optimism and hope. There is so much to be grateful for, my health, my horses, my dogs, Andrew, my friends & family, Dragon Fly Farm, and Helpful Horsemanship, Inc. As I look back, '08 was pretty great. As I look forward, '09 has endless potential, even though there are obvious challenges with our current economy. I heard someone saying the other day that in tough economic times, when the panic subsides, a new joy is often found in the simpler things in life.
In my work life, I am blessed to be making a living doing what I love, helping people with horses and horses with people. What I teach is the basics, the foundations for which all levels of horsemanship can be achieved. And in these tight economic times, I encourage people with horses to invest in themselves. Now is not the time to send your horse away to some trainer who can "fix" this or that. It is the time to spend your money on yourself, getting the education to help you achieve and succeed with your horse. Whether it is with me at Helpful Horsemanship(obviously the best choice =) !) or with another teacher, get back to the basics and get out there with your horse. Get yourself good, solid education that enhances your safety and increases your knowledge base so you can do what you dream of with your horse! It is a New Year and a great time to set some goals for yourself and your horse! Happy 2009, hope it includes some "horsehappys"!

coming off horses

2008-12-20T19:50:00.007-05:00

Forgive me for my lack of posting...being in transition between NY and SC, I have been busy with horses.
What can I say, if you ride, you will fall off. It really is a matter of gravity at times. For me, it seems just when I am thinking well of myself (maybe too well!) and proud of my ability to master communication with horses (maybe too proud), I find myself on the ground. It seems to happen once every couple of years and I have come to call this my serving of "humble pie". A check if you will, that I don't get too big for my britches!
Last Sunday afternoon, I held a "Julie's back in Aiken, SC Demo and Social Gathering". I gave a nice demo with a couple of my horses to a nice crowd of folks who really seemed to enjoy themselves. As I was cleaning up that night and through the next day, I was pretty pleased with myself. Well wouldn't you know it, it was the next day that I came off a young horse! There were some extenuating circumstances, but none the less, I came off and have been a wee bit sore for the last couple of days. Maybe it is not a bad thing to slow down a little, accept help from friends,reflect on my personal horsemanship, and have my serving of humble pie.
Brace yourself and enjoy the attached video recently forwarded to me, credit to whoever put it to the music. Ouch, that had to hurt!

attitude of gratitude

2008-11-27T09:05:00.007-05:00

As the saying goes, "attitude is everything" and I can't tell you the number of times this has held true for me in my work with horses! Just the other day, I was working with a young horse who had just been brought back into work.

Prior to her extended break, she was going very nicely and had made much progress. I thought I had started at a good place, acknowledging what she knows but backing up enough to give her a chance. Well, I was wrong! With her overreaction, I responded with a disappointed attitude and a huge sense of frustration! This only added to the troubles. I backed up a few steps, got a few things better and called it a day. I carried my disappointment and frustration with me all night, dreading the amount of work that lay ahead of me with this horse. When I woke up the next day, those feelings were still lurking. But then I had an "ahaa", maybe my feelings and attitude were making it worse. So the first thing I did was change my attitude, right there before I got out of bed. I made a plan that got directly to the root of the troubles she was having and implemented it without attitude. Amazingly, she came right through in a short session of work and progressed farther than I had hoped. As we were working that day, I offered gratitude every time she "got" what I was asking for...it seemed to cause a proactive shift in how she offered things up. So once again, I am reminded, attitude has a huge influence on how things go. So on this Thanksgiving Day, I am grateful for Andrew, all of my horses, dogs, friends, family and amazing experiences living my passion! Happy Thanksgiving!

transitions

2008-11-23T08:00:00.004-05:00

Much can be learned from a horse in transitions. Transitions between gaits gives you all kinds of information about how connected to you the horse is, how well he is paying attention and what sort of influence you have with his feet. Additionally, transitions to new places will also tell you much about where your horse is mentally, emotionally and physically.
With my seasonal relocation to SC from NY, it is always fascinating to see how the horses adjust and take to the transition. This is the second seasonal trek to NY and back that my younger horses, Kaleigh and Whimsy have made. The first day after two days of travel, they were pretty tired. By the second and third days post travel, they were looking more rested and acclimated, happy to just be hanging out in the pasture for a couple of days. On the fourth day, I worked them lightly, checking transitions at liberty first in the arena individually. Both were connected to me and easy to speed up and slow down. Then, both had great quiet rides out and seemed to be interested and happy to go out. This is the fourth "transition" between north and south and each time it has gotten easier and easier for them. It has been a pleasure to help them have more tolerance for transitions.

the perfect horse

2008-11-01T16:37:00.003-04:00

This is an excerpt from a email that was circulating,
"...The Perfect Horse has problems; He will teach you to deal with them.
The Perfect Horse knows that you can't learn to be a skilled horseman if everything goes your way.
The Perfect Horse will challenge you, but only as much as you are ready to handle. He will teach you that you still have more to learn..."

I just loved this part, it really resonated with me. All of us have aspired for "the perfect horse". Some of us have bought and sold horses, looking for that perfect horse. About a month ago, I was daydreaming out loud to my soon-to-be husband, saying how my next horse will have this and that characteristic. He smiled and said to me, "Be sure to enjoy the horse you have. Remember, he CAN do anything you dream up! And be sure not to miss the perfect horse you have right now!" I am not sure if he had read that email or just said what was in his heart. It was a great reminder to love and enjoy the horses that are right here, right now. Here's hoping you will do the same.

there's no pulling in horses

2008-10-29T11:39:00.004-04:00

If I only had the chance to educate someone on a few things about horses, "no pulling" would be right up there on the short list. It is one of the biggest sources of frustration in relationship for both the horse and the human. First of all, horses do not pull on each other, they push. Horses need to be correctly taught to follow the feel of pressure. Second of all, it is human nature to pull, we can't help it. And when we pull, we expect to get results. I was reminded today how much no pulling means to the horse in helping with a trailer loading. The horse had loaded well for two years and only recently began having trouble. In weekly lessons with this horse and rider, we had made great strides in lightening up the horse on the rein and he was getting softer and softer. When it came to the ground work, we had not yet revisited how this increased lightness might affect the work on the ground. What came of out today's work was that the human was inadvertently and unconsciously pulling on her horse during loading. With a few suggestions, very quickly the human was able to load her horse once we took the pulling out. AMAZING!! For a bit more, see the short article on my website "Help Your Horse: Push, don't Pull"

the real basics

2008-10-18T08:03:00.002-04:00

I am often amazed at the people I meet who have been riding horses for years who are unconsciously oblivious to the real basics. I can totally relate, for I was one of those people, for years and years! When I started riding, I was taught the basics, "heels down, chin up, hands still, sit up straight, elbows in, yes, that's it, now ride!" I do agree that much of early riding is just getting the feel for how the horse moves, but what about the real basics?
Consider this- you get in your car, start it up, back out of the driveway and the brakes don't work. Do you drive on to where ever anyway? Probably not....so if you mount a horse and he doesn't stand still, why would you ignore the fact that the brakes are broken and continue on and ride anyway?
For me, learning the real basics meant learning things like that. Learning to see the very early signs that a horse is offering up and doing something about it. I now understand that if my horse walks off and I did not ask him to go anywhere, he has just run away with me. Now because he isn't galloping off, I am not unnerved, but I should be aware and communicate to him that this is not what we were doing...we were standing. I call this the real basics!

could vs. should

2008-10-15T09:31:00.004-04:00

In working with horses, I often meet people who find themselves struggling because they get caught in the "I am supposed to" of working with horses. This does not serve the person or the horse and often leads to accidents and injuries for both. I call this the "could vs. should" scenario.
This is easiest explained in relation to age. When I was in my 20's, I could do anything. I could ride a bucking horse, I could fall off and easily get back on, and I could make a horse do things. Sometimes the results were positive, sometimes they were not; but I could get up, dust myself off and carry on.
Now that I am 40, I am not so interested in the "could of it" if you will. Now I ask myself "should I"
...Should I get on the horse? Did I prepare him well enough? Are his transitions smooth and clean? Am I ready to ride whatever he offers up? Do I need to do more ground work?
...Should I ask for lead changes? Does my horse understand the basics that make up lead changes? Can he canter from a walk and does he yield his front quarters softly?
By shifting this one word in my dialog, I am able to shift the entire tone of the relationship with my horse. I am happier and safer because I am thinking things through. My horse is happier because I am checking the steps and working progressively. Our relationship has more partnership qualities that leads to more productive rides. Next time you find yourself struggling, ask yourself "should I..." and think of the steps that might help you get there and enjoy the process, you might be surprised by what happens.

riding dezi

2008-10-11T11:00:00.002-04:00

Dezi is my lifelong partner and teacher. He is an amazing horse, athletic and sensitive, response and fluid. He is always teaching me and testing me. A few days ago we were riding as a friend was shooting video of Zoe, a young horse I am trying to sell. I had Dezi and Zoe in the arena and was riding bridle-less, showing this friend a bit about riding with nothing on a horse's head. Dezi kept watching and watching Zoe, desperately wanting to go move her around...so I relented and we did. Working another horse off my horse is fun and a great way to practice skills and keep my ques sharp. When I figure out how to attach video, I'll send it in this blog.

to master, teach

2008-10-10T20:50:00.004-04:00

I am a big herbal tea drinker, especially as the weather cools off, and one of my favorite brands of tea is Yogi Teas. Not only do they taste great but I love the one liners they put on the paper tab of the tea bag. My favorite to date is:

to learn-read

to know-write

to master-teach

For me, this says much about my journey of learning with horses. When I started, I read everything I could get my hands on. I was hungry for knowledge. As I learned, I began to write. Writing helped me internalize and personalize concepts and ideas. It helped me to sort through things, re-live events and get my head around things better. Once I had a solid skill set, a few years of experience and a good working knowledge of the relationship between horses and humans (and I was encouraged by my friend Cowboy John), I began to teach. It was at that point that I became adept with the core concepts of horsemanship. I became skillful with the tools that I had learned about getting along with horses. It is one thing to do something yourself with a horse, it is quite another to teach and coach someone else to do the same thing with their own horse. It puts each concept, principle, and exercise in a whole new light and can show you a whole other perspective on the subject. I think that is why I love to teach so much, because I learn so much with every person and every horse, and every time I teach!

So thanks to all my clients, it is a pleasure to learn with each one of you!

Riding my own Horses

2008-10-07T18:22:00.006-04:00

From time to time, all the stars in the universe seem line up and I actually get to work all of my own horses in one day. Today was one of those days! It is interesting when you work multiple horses that are all your own, for each is a relationship in and of it's own. With Dezi, we are old friends, much like a mature marriage. We know each other in and out, are supportive of each other, and have the ability to quickly push each others buttons. It is the last of these that I am working on at the moment with Dezi, to break some of our old habits that really don't serve us for the future. One technique I have been using is breathing...as simple as it sounds, I have found that how I breathe really important to how we go.
With Whimsy, a six year old Connemara mare, we are like excitable best girlfriends who often get caught up in each others drama. One technique I have been using with her is being very clear with my intentions and follow-ups on that intention.
With Kaleigh, another six year old Connemara mare, we are like opponents on a debate stage, often asking each other so much about their last comment that we forget what we have been talking about.
With Zoe, a four year old tb-pony cross, we are like lunch buddies who really just enjoy hanging out with each other and we don't mind much if we ever get up from the table. One technique I have been using is getting both our energies up and finding something fun to do.
With each of these horses, it has been fascinating to see how these techniques have been helpful. Each one seems to work well for each horse and has had great results! All in a fun day's work!

Working on Bridle-less

2008-10-05T10:22:00.006-04:00

What can I say, I just love riding bridle-less. For me it is the utmost in ultimate communication with the horses. The first time I did this, it was not by choice, though I had seen it and had it as a "someday" goal. I was riding in an intensive clinic and the clinician came up, took off my bridle, put on a neck rope and asked me to canter to the other side of the arena! I was beyond terrified, but being a good student and not knowing what else to do, I did it. And wouldn't you know, that was the best canter I had ever had on that horse. (that horse was Ozzie, who had a history of running off with me)
Now, I ride this way often, though have to say, don't use a neck rope. Depending where I am and the circumstances, I may or may not take off the horse's headgear. Riding bridle-less can simply be done by not picking up your reins and simply riding. It amazes me at how much more my horse offers up when I don't have the reins in my hands. I have worked hard at having soft hands and try hard never to pull on the horse, but there is just a hugely different quality about our ride when my hands are off the reins. Maybe it is in the way I am without reins. Just yesterday, I was struggling a bit with Dezi, he was leaning on me with his left shoulder and I was struggling to "clean it up", so I backed up and did some basic exercises without the reins and was really surprised at how quickly it cleaned up!
One of my goals now is to bring it back full circle and get the same quality of ride with the reins as I do without. This will take some work and some lessons with my friend and mentor Del Wideman (www.delwideman.com) the only person I have seen ride tempi changes and get collection with nothing on her horses head (yes, more than one horse too!) So with lofty goals, I am off to the barn to ride and learn!

taking the time it takes

2008-10-02T22:55:00.002-04:00

This is such a true statement, and just when I forget this simple idea, horses have a funny way of reminding me. Just when I was thinking, "I will just turn this horse loose for a few minutes to check things", the horse reminded me that my idea of a few minutes and his idea were two very different things. At the time, I was inconvenienced by this and slightly frustrated, as I had my timetable for the day set. And wouldn't you know it, as I thought about this, things seemed to get worse and take more time. He got more and more frantic and fresh, not connecting with me at all.
As I checked my watch and resolved to the truth that I would just take the time it takes to work through this excessive energy and distraction, he changed. It was only two minutes more and he came in, gently moved away from pressure, yielded his hindquarters and changed gaits smoothly.

As I put him away and drove to my next appointment, I could not help but to ponder over what just happened. I know the truth of "take the time it takes", but during the work, I did not see how my attitide about that had an affect on my relationship with my horse. So, note to self, don't dwell on the obvious, just accept it and stay present. Work with what you have in the moment, you might just be surprised!

Mondays

2008-09-29T11:59:00.002-04:00

I am a self-admitted workaholic. What can I say, I love what I do! Helping people and horses feeds my soul! But you know what they say, all work and no play....well, I can't remember the rest of that because for years and years I did not believe it; for me, my work was play.
Well, this year I entered a new decade, yes my 4th decade on this planet, and I am changing my ways. I now try really hard to take Mondays off. For me off means no horses (other than feeding and basic care), no lessons, no paperwork and sometimes (not today), even no computer! The day has simple goals: catch up on sleep and find something to do that makes me smile. Today it will be play with the dogs and perhaps go sailing...

So Happy Monday and have a great day!

Riding my own horses.

2008-09-28T16:38:00.007-04:00

Since my profession is helping others with their horses (http://www.horsehappys.com/), riding my own horses is often put on the back burner. This past summer and fall, I have been trying to change this and prioritize my riding. Some weeks are better than others, but all in all, I have been riding my own horses more and really enjoying it!

Today I rode Dezi, my primary partner, the bay in the pictures on the right-hand sidebar. He is my constant teacher. He is half arab and half lusitano. I have had him since he was 6 months old and now is around 15 or 16 years old, though often has the curiosity and energy of a horse 10 years younger...we can thank the half arab side for that! My goal with him is to have the utmost in connection. We ride without a bit and have been working on collection, seeing how far we can get bit-less. (Some say true collection cannot be achieved without a bit, I beg to differ...but that's a topic for another blog!) Most of the time, when I ride, I do not use the reins, they are just there for correction. We also ride bridle-less, with nothing on his head.

Today we were working on softness in using seat and leg ques, in particular the moving the front end across, I call this a frontquarter. He has been showing me that breathing, getting prepared and then asking yields the most consistent and lightest results. When I am organized and fluid in my request, he is like butter, just flows with me on the lightest of aids.

Cowboy John used to say "use as little pressure as possible, but as much as necessary", I am enjoying learning how little little can be thanks to Dezi!

Finding Horsehappys

2008-09-27T16:31:00.003-04:00

I have been enamored with horses my entire life. My folks say I was born with it. I surely did not get it from them, my dad was a mechanical engineer, my mother was a registered nurse. Neither had hobbies that involved living animals. So I guess I was just born with it.
So what is "horsehappys"?
It is a word I invented quite honestly out of necessity to find a horsey word for one of my first email accounts years ago. By combining "horse"-the creature I love, "happys"-the smile and overall good feeling that makes life worthwhile, I devised "horsehappys"!

My definintion:
horsehappys -noun
1. that wonderful feeling you get when all goes wonderful between you and your horse.
2. the bliss of connection between horse and human.
3. overwhelming pleasure found in the company of horses.

For those who love horses, no explanation is necessary for this word; for those who don't, none is possible.

I hope you enjoy this blog, it is my attempt to share my journey of life with horses and my adventures in work with people and horses through my business, Helpful Horsemanship.