Lemons and Lemonade

Well plan A went right off the retaining wall 3 weeks ago. In the photo i was making plans for the next few weeks of my Savvy journey. L3 online by Christmas, working on L3 liberty in January.

Unable to use my right arm means i have had rethink my goals.

So L3 liberty is my next goal. I think we were getting close before the accident and it will be my focus for Jan. I have been sort of good this year so i put a camcorder on my Christmas wish list.

Until next week i will just have to be more UDT. I know you can never do enough UDT but i just would like to get on and do more. Sigh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hummm which patch of sweet grass shall we stop at on the way home?

Used my 45" line.

Cuppa with Dad on return.

Special thanks to my Parelli Buddies Jane and Vicki for inspiration and support.

After a fun day yesterday with the above mentioned buddies, i went and found my dog clicker. Took the dog clicker and packet of raisins out to Buzz with no real plan. He has no problems with "put your nose on this" so he was very interested in the clicker and the bonus of a raisin very time it clicked. BFO he has trouble giving me his nose (he has a pink nose and every day for about 4 months i have to put on sun block) i can use the clicker training as a friendly game with the nose on my hand. Added bonus is that i could make it into a trick "high five" for when i ride bridleless at RDA (LOL Jane).

Inorganic Rubbish Walk

It was a beautiful day, but what is all that stuff, its never been there before?

Help i am scarred what is it?


Inorganic Rubbish

Anything of mine in there?

Day 5

Hill Therapy in the rain and mud. Hard to make any observations it was raining so hard, the rope was full of mud and water.

Again Buzz still has trouble completing a circle to the left. Next time i do HT i should try going to L first just in case its more of blah! blah! more circles.

Play Time

Fun time after some Hill Therapy.

Dinner Time

 

 

 

 

O happy day!

I haven't ridden for some time and as the paddocks have dried out thought i would have a ride today.

Spent sometime trying to get large lumps of mud off the boys hooves then took them to a nice patch of green grass for some G&T. Put Shaun in the pen a groomed Buzz before putting on the saddle. I still struggle with it as its heavy and i am awkward with it. I find it hard to swing it up and on but no complaints from Buzzmister.

Went down into the paddock had a little play online with 3 poles and 3 cones. Just as i was about to get on Sonshine Ranch are herding all 30 of their horses back to the barn. Buzz was very up with all those horses charging around. Decided to wait before getting on. Thank goodness i did as he went really RB kicking, farting and spinning in circles i have never seen him quite so RB. Asked him to do some more fig.8s and then more G&Ts. He then started really blowing hard through his nose i realize now how tense he was.

I then felt he was LB and asked him up to the fence so i could get on. He kept moving one or two steps away just as i was about to get on. I was not worried and just sat on the fence and fig.8 from the fence. But i dropped the rope and he sauntered off for some more G&T. I gave him my best "comehither too" look and finger and blow me down if he didn't walk a little and then TROT back to me sitting on the fence. He has never done that before. I was so surprised that i cannot remember if his ears were up or back. I was so pleased that i just gave him a scratch and hopped on. Rode some nice fig.8s and over poles but quit after about 10mins as he felt very up and i wanted to keep that good feeling. It was also getting cold and as he has a full coat i did not want him to be hot and sweaty.

I am only half way though the latest Savvy DVD i have watched the LBI & E several times i looked back on previous Horseanality charts and he has equal dots in both LBI and LBE. Having watched the DVD i think he is more LBE well today he was!

Beach Bums

We have had several sunny days in a row so i decided to go play on the beach. This is a continuation of the driveway game except now its on the beach. It also give me the opportunity to check out several things.

1. What does my horse look like when he is bored/curious/emotional/afraid.

2. As the drive to the beach is a short one, i can check out float fitness, what
knot to know.

We had the whole beach to ourselves and Buzz was very calm and enjoyed the walk along the beach. Patterns are wonderful because its gives me a plan, i can fig.8 around rocks, pools, shells, there is a little fence we can jump over and a concrete pad to stand on. I have to add he put his little hoofs on first ask and it was about 3 foot high.

We had two RB issues. On was a beautiful big black horse in a paddock beside the beach. Buzz did this floaty trot, head up, tail up. It lasted for only maybe a minute and looked beautiful. I did not read it that he was afraid more he was displaying his dominance over this beautiful black horse. The second was a large rock which to him looked like a "horse eating rock" and he was afraid.

Both reactions were RB reactions. With the 2nd we just played with approach and retreat. With the big black horse, i did nothing, i just stepped back and watch the beautiful display, fortunately he came back very quickly and we continued our walk. I was glad we were on line. But it made me think "what would i do if i was on board". Listen to the little voice that says "get off" and how important not to get tight he will not stay RB for very long. It was interesting how quickly Buzz went back to his LB self.

Covers on the Boys tonight. Brrr its cold.

No rain and lots of wind = dryish paddocks

Yea no rain today.

Day 5 of the driveway game. Leading from the mane, forward to go, swinging back to halt plus my energy and rope for safety net. I need to remember hands close slowly and open fast, and remember my phases. Put the dates on the fences posts and of course Buzz had to check out each fence post in case it had a date.

As the paddock is fairly dry went and played OL with poles and fig.8 anything we can find. Some of the poles are quite big and Buzz really enjoys jumping over them also because he gets g&t.

Decided my nice new Parelli saddle was not in danger of getting wet would have a ride.
Played with the poles and fig.8 anything. Rode around the paddock and up the driveway. Buzz really enjoyed riding up the driveway checking each post for a date.
Sadly he had eaten then all but i had a couple in my pocket.

He seemed to enjoy it we only had one tiny drama when the BGB rolled down to the fence and then the wind was blowing it from side to side. Just head up ears pricked so played a lot of approach and retreat. Also discovered he does not like his ears touched while i am on him. So will have to add that in to the program.

Driveway Date

Day 4 playing down the driveway. Thanks to Vicki for the idea i put dates (thanks Jane for that one) down the driveway. So we played point to point, Buzz thought this was a great idea and had to check out every post in case it had a treat. He managed to knock one date off the post three of four times, he is such a doofus he knows its there but keeps knocking it off but has not made the connection that its on the ground.

As he was in a learning frame we played with leading by the mane and trying to use phases which is still very clumsy.

Went into the paddock for a little g&t, not a gin and tonic, grass and time. Put out three poles and did some traveling circles and by the way watch out for those poles. I got a little particular that i would like him to jump all three which he did and then we went up to the barn for tea, massage and UDT.

Driving Game

Day 3 of the Driveway game.

Only spent a short time on this game today as i was becoming frustrated with Buzz's focus which is still on leaves, poo and going into the paddock for a snack. Somedays playing with a LBI is like pushing a wheelbarrow full of concrete uphill. I hope this is hump day and tomorrow will see a change. Thanks Jane for the advice re putting my hand on the little dip in front of the withers although i don't think that it is a confidence issue its boring, which is why we only spent a short time on this.

Mounted up with the bareback pad and rode up and down the driveway great to see how many things you can fig.8 around.

When i win lottery i will have the entire driveway put into ashphelt its very hard on a barefoot horse all those pointy stones.

A Groom with a view

Day 2 of the driveway game. I have changed the name of the game. We are still going up and down the driveway with a rest at the gate end and a nibble of grass at the other end. The game is now leading by the mane which is one of the Liberty games. Its quite interesting because there are many things going on. Interesting how Buzz takes over when he wants to eat leaves, walk on a certain side, smell horse poo even though its his own, or stop at a threshold. He takes over leadership about 60% of the time. I think i might need to be clearer on what we are actually doing and hopefully it will be clearer each day that we play with this. I also need to be careful with my phases when holding the mane, hands that close slowly and open quickly.

Read on the Parelli Tips forum about people getting hooked up on the horn of the saddle when dismounting. I am so glad that i have sorted out my dismounting problems. Basically because i was riding in the Balance saddle i was unable to dismount by standing up in the stirrup before getting off, the saddle would slip. Because i could not stand up in the stirrup i was getting off like a sack of potatoes. With the western saddle i would rate our dismount a 10/10 Buzz waits patiently while i dismount. This is really great as i was getting very worried about him making such a fuss. I did hear what my horse was saying but struggled with the answer.

Not surprising really that because i can now dismount i feel much safer riding. Now have to build my horses confidence in me as a leader in the saddle.

Sunny Sunday

I had an interesting conversation with Ian yesterday and he said a good way to build a relationship with your horse is to walk alongside him with your hand on his withers. In other words play the mirror me game.
So to get out of the mud we played the #2 game up and down the driveway. Its quite a long driveway and at each end we stopped until he realized what game we were playing, it was also a very long point to point. There was lot of licking and chewing at both ends. I am going to make a program for the next 7 days to do this. Too cold to sleep out and need to change from UDT. Grade 1/10.

As it looked like it was going to rain decided to have a quick ride. Rode with one rein and lots of fig.8s. Challenge to walk between poles on a straight line not easy with one rein. Lots of backup and sideways.

Darn it started to rain. Don't want to get my nice new Parelli saddle wet.

Cold and Wet

It was too cold and wet to ride. Just a quick play with a couple of patterns for no longer than 10 mins.

Brought the book Animals in Translation by Temple Grandin.

It's Riding Time

Another great horse day. Today i decided to ride as Buzz was over his spookiness. I am not sure what fixed it as a tried several things including limiting the amount of fresh autumn grass and a touch of Savvy on my part.

He use to be good at standing still while i get on, but as i am putting the relationship first i had a wait a little while for him to stop being unsure about which side i was to get on. So i made sure we did a lot of nothing once i was on board. I get on the side he says is most comfortable for him.

We spent at least 3 or 4 songs by Keith Urban just riding the rail. He was taking over so i worked on my lift the rein, ask, quick release, i do tend to hang onto the rein for too long. "The more you use your reins, the less he uses his brain". Funny how those little Parellisms come into your brain. We did some nice sideways, they seem better when i lift my supporting rein which stops him from creeping forward. His backups have always been good so i am progressing to just thinking and asking with my legs.

Brought some dates today (suggestion from Jane) and used them as a reward. Although i think the boys prefer my homemade horse cookies.

2 grated carrots, two grated apples, cup of molasses, cup of flour, 1/4cup of oil. Mix together and bake in the oven. Not sure how long but until cooked. I cut them into very small squares and store in the fridge. Warning be sure to tell your husband that they are horse cookies.

Great ride hope its nice tomorrow as will ride again.

Double Fun

I have not blogd for about 10 days due to Big time Spookiness. Whilst we have still been playing, it feels like we have not progressed. But wait maybe we have. Because instead of giving up or doing the same old same old we changed the game.

Whilst waiting for Buzz at the gate Shaun came first. This had happened a couple of times last week and i took him off and played, but this only added the Buzz's distress. So yesterday i took them both into the roundpen. What fun that was sending them both in a circle, it was so funny watching Buzz keep trying to bite Shaun's bum. Usually its the other way round.

We progressed to playing the stick-to-me game with two horses which was so much fun. When we stopped Shaun would get confused and squeeze through like a tube of toothpaste. We manage to get one complete circle, the three of us together.

We also played "piggy in the middle" could i get one horse to be with me while the other horse circled. You have to be so smooth otherwise the horse in the middle gets worried also had to trust that the horse on the circle stays on the circle. Lessons learnt for this game, quick release, how soft can you be and still get what you want. For my horses, its your responsibility to stay with me or if i ask you to circle to stay on the job.

Great fun on an awesome autumn day.

Spooky Sunday

Again today tried to play at Liberty. But something is spooking him not sure if its the fact that Sonshine Ranch is using Rob's paddock, dead chicken or maybe he needs some Toxdify. Cannot do anything about the 1st 2 so which go to the tack shop tomorrow.

All things considered not a total loss but need to really work on Buzz focusing on me. Watched the April DVD and have some strategies to work on. Know now i need to slow way down as he is winning the mental game with me. Used the fig.8 to get him to focus but hard when he is so scared about something.

Happy Horse Thursday

Should have realized when Buzz did not come to the gate that something was not right. But i went anyway. Did you put the relationship before the goal. NO. Buzz not happy. I wonder if he is still sulking because we went out in the float on Monday. Rode twice to the water trough 5/10.
Several times he was telling me to dismount as he would stop at the mounting block. But i always ask for a little more. Why because "my idea should be his idea". I wanted to ride a little longer.

Easter Monday

First day out in the float for ages. Buzz got onto the float but was not in mentally so spent a little time backing him on ad off before closing the door.

Arrived at Jane's and he was a quite unconfident in his new surroundings. Fortunately he could see Cameo, Rafiki and the twins and there was alot of "eyeballing" and tails up. But he took it all in his stride. Once we were sure he was settled, that means a roll in the bark arena, good for the itchey spots on a horse. Jane and I looked at each others L2 Online videos. Jane has done a fantastic job considering she has 4 horses to take care of.

Peter Jackson watch out, i videod Jane Online . I hope she sends it in as it was good. Even though Cameo took her skiing into the float. LOL.

A couple of times i checked on Buzz and he gave me a little nicker when i called his name.

Eventually we went into Jane's arena and played at Liberty. Played very slowly as there is a scarry corner in her arena. Played with point-to-point and fig8 pattern, and a&r to get him closer to the scarry corner. Quit when he fig.8 close to that horse eating corner.

Jane had a play with him too. He is such a cool dude and loves Jane.

Rain, Rain Go Away

Dogging the rain. Played friendly game in the barn while the rain passed. Would you believe Buzz is not afraid of a big green ball but a small rag blowing in the wind gets him a little worried.

Rain passes and off we go to play. Looking for relaxation in the circle game at a trot. Got some nice clearing out of the nasal passages after about 10 or 12 laps. 8/10

Using the 45ft line and making the circles bigger we got some wonderful fig.8s. Rewarded with grazing as forgot to take snacks. Added the ground poles to add interest. Funny bunny kept missing them. As soon as he squeezed over rewarded with some GTime. 5/10

Great liberty play with the big green ball. We love it. 9/10

You must be joking - not me!

Went out to ride Buzz. He had other ideas. But Shaun put his hoof up and said pick me. Big surprise as he was always hard to catch. Its ages since we have played together it hard not to do the "always do what you always did" so played with the ball. Had lots of grazing time. He was not sure but hopefully he enjoyed the g.t.

PS Lads had their worming paste.

Pedicure for the boys

Pedicure time for the boys!

Pre-soaked their feet as it has not rained for a couple of weeks. I think i am getting better at it. Wish my back thought the same.