Feel

Feel

Priorities and progress

Posted on February 4, 2015 by horsegirlonajourney

Rocky and I are cantering and playing with soft feel, although not at the same time. River and I are riding around in the arena bareback and bridleless, and around the ranch in a bareback pad and halter. I have played with the 45-foot line, challenging River to back up to objects the full distance away. I have advanced in liberty with “Can You…?” games like walking with Rocky from the barn to the turnout after our session without putting a halter or rope on him.

I find that I feel a sense of renewal starting up sometime between December 25 and January 3 each year. I don’t make resolutions exactly, but I do pick a Thing to think about for the coming year. Last year I experimented with a “just this once” attitude toward horsemanship, and now I don’t worry about “if I’m not going to do this every day at exactly this same time, there’s no point in trying it today.”

This year, I am experimenting with “every day that I am home, I ride.” Even if the horse had a training session earlier that day, and even if the horse worked a lesson with someone else. Even if I am buried with work and have deadlines and travel looming. On the 3 days each week that I’m away for work, I make sure in the evening to read articles and watch videos and look for used Brenderup trailers online.

Of course, I adjust based on how the horse feels. A “ride” can be anything from sitting up there for 30 seconds to spending 90 minutes in the saddle playing with various patterns in all three gaits in both directions. If they really don’t feel like it, I’ll play some ground games from zone 3. I make a shorthand note on a small hardcopy calendar about what we did.

I’m asking more of all of us, and it seems to have renewed our partnerships rather than stressed them. River has more exuberance in her attitude, and Rocky is offering more relaxation more often.

I’m warming up with stick to me and other active games. I’m stretching more often. I’m allowing my body to find what feels comfortable and balanced rather than envision a particular position and get stiff and tense trying to keep it. I’m improving my ability to hold on with my inner thighs (active riding) instead of flopping my knees all out to the side (dead weight).

And I’m finding that I can smile, and breathe, and focus, all at the same time.

Categories: Feel, Reflections, River, Rockstar | Tags: parelli natural horsemanship | Leave a comment

Ground-driving with Rocky

Posted on November 10, 2014 by horsegirlonajourney

Rocky and I played with a new-to-us concept yesterday. I attached caribiners to the cinch rings to keep the feather lines from dropping to the ground, and spent 45 minutes traveling all over the ranch. By the end, we were much smoother at turning, and he had an amazing backup, all engaged.

For now, we’re just practicing our communication — I’m not attempting to teach him to go sideways to turn, the way he would have to if he were pulling a cart. With the video, I see a lot to improve in my own body language and arms and such.

Ground-driving seems like the perfect way to regain the fitness I’ve lost in the past few weeks due to the beforemath, duringmath, and aftermath of a severe cold virus. It combines “horse time” with “taking a walk,” and unless I want to be dragged, it’s pretty much a power walk the whole time if I’m to keep up with Rocky. I’d like to be able to match his stride so that we can move together in better harmony, but I know from playing stick-to-me side-by-side that my short legs can’t match his long strides for more than a few steps.

For perspective: When I took that video clip from directly behind him, I was holding the camera above my own eye level, attempting to capture his ears. My own eye level is about 6 inches below the dock of his tail….