Horsemanship is more than just horse riding. ---------- Blog tips are short, interesting, quick and easy !!! Thanks for reading - the Little Darlings would sure love to have you here !
Showing posts with label adult riding lessons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label adult riding lessons. Show all posts
10/13/17
The Doctors at Adventure Horse Riding in NYS
Adventure Horse Riding in NYS Smilla13@gmail.com (Mary Dixon) www.RideNYS.com
3/9/17
It Simply Takes the Time It Takes !
 |
| Going down a steep step. |
This is one of the better lessons in horse riding that I
have learned. The actual quote goes as
follows: it takes the time it takes and
it will take less time
.
The translation of this is that every single horse is
different. What may take one little darling
only 5 minutes to learn, it may just as easily take another horse 5 days or 3
weeks or whatever to learn the same darn thing.
So, it can be frustrating.
And aggravating. It is really Important to remember that when you
are teaching or training your horse, it is NOT about the GOAL – it is
about the partnership.
Once we adults get that darn GOAL THING in our heads when it
comes to horses we get stressed out, crappy, impatient and all kinds of bad
things.
We got into horses because we love them and to relax and
have fun. Once we start doing the stupid
goal thing we’ve negated all the reasons we got into horses in the first place
.
So, spend the time needed with your horses – take breaks –
you don’t need to do “drill” sessions that is bothersome to you and your darling. Try to make it a game.
Each session generally, though not always, gets better. And takes less time.
When you stick with it for however long you need to do it, it will go from maybe 3 hours to do something to just 5 minutes, then pretty
soon, it takes no time whatsoever.
 |
| Sacking Out. |
Adventure Horse Riding in NYS Smilla13@gmail.com (Mary Dixon) www.RideNYS.com
3/2/17
The Living Patience Pole !
My hot Paso
Fino has a really tough time standing still – especially on her way back to or
simply facing the barn.
I request her to
stand still – she can stop but when wound up she jigs around – then I ask again – she jigs again – then I ask
again.
Well, you get the picture.
Clinicians
use what they call a patience pole to teach their horses to stand still and
learn to be patient. They stand there
for hours at a time.
I, instead,
have become the living patience pole.
When, eventually and finally she stands still, we just sit there and
wait – and wait – and wait – for 5 minutes or 10 minutes which feels like an
eternity – can you say boring?
We do this
over and over and over and over again at various places where she gets
jiggy. It takes bunches of repetition
but it works. She is getting it. Sometimes.
HINT: You do not want to be crabby when doing this –
and you can just spend 10 or 15 minutes at a time on it –however much you can
stand without going crazy.
2/20/17
BACK AGAIN to the Walk-Stop Exercise - and Hanging in There !!!
On Jan 13
thereabouts I was talking about the importance of the walk stop exercise – 2.5 months ago - walk
3 or 5 steps, then a complete stop, then again. The exercise teaches them to listen to
you. It is good for the go go go horse
and for the slow slow slow horse.
I learned
this from John Lyons years ago and have always used it in training or
retraining one of my darlings. It has
always worked.
BUT, my
goodness, it takes PATIENCE, but sure worth it in the end.
Back to my
crazy little high speed 18 year old Paso Fino that I bought this fall. I now have 32 hours on her. I do get a tad discouraged and a bit
frustrated in teaching her to slow down.
So, a while back, and it did take forever, she would be able to get to
the 60 steps in just walking but no more and not consistently
.
So, weather permitting – it has been a bear with
snow, ice and cold in upstate NY , I just kept working on it when I could . Can you say boring ? and frustrating, etc. ?
Well, today
we broke the 200 walk step and complete and wait stops – twice !
This may not
sound like a BIG DEAL with a lot of folks – but it shows you the patience and
repetition and consistency you need when it comes to working with the little
darlings. You just can’t give up.
My Jose was
similar to Cassie – and he was my greatest & most difficult partner ever – and I got it done
with Jose and I have no doubt I can get it done with Cassie.
 |
| Cassie and Mary |
So, I guess,
as I blather on and on, my advice to you is just hang in there. It will happen, even with a heck of a hot
horse.
This is the stuff I breathe, love and live for.
4/15/14
#109 That Set up for Success Thing
.JPG) |
| Molly - the renegade mule - saucy little wench . |
I haven't ridden Molly for about 3 months. One day, out of the blue, or so it seems, she just decided she is not going to leave the front barn area for hell or high water - VERY frustrating - obviously my patience was at a low ebb - and we had several battles - needless to day say, I lost each and every one of them.
So, I do know one has to ALWAYS QUIT ON A GOOD NOTE and I settled for just a puny 10 steps in the direction requested - when she did them I got off. Did not get on her then for months - knew patience was not a strong point for me this winter.
Yesterday, it was time to get the show on the road. Did not want to but knew it needed to get done and at least the weather was cooperating.
Tried to figure out how to set the two of us up for success - meaning no battles and discouragement on either end (and knew I'd best prepare mentally for the worse).
Hit on the idea of tying one of her buddies up in the middle of the whole area where Molly would see her and had refused to ride earlier. Ended up riding all over for about 1/2 hour including out to the road and out of the pasture - no problems - idea worked - yeah baby !
I decided that was enough for the day and quit on a good note. And, a good day it was.
Set up for success - for both you and your little darling - it generally works. At least I did have a set of brains on yesterday.
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