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Showing posts with label approach and retreat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label approach and retreat. Show all posts
3/9/17
It Simply Takes the Time It Takes !
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| 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.
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| 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.
2/17/17
Leadership: Nature's Way
Nature’s Way: Every Herd Needs A Leader
It is THE LAW of nature that
every herd needs a leader. If you and
your horse are together, then there must be a leader and that leader had best
be you. There is always what we call
“testing” by a horse. What he is
actually doing every single time he tests you is actually checking out who is
the leader of the herd. Since it is you
and him together, you have a herd of
two.
If you allow him to ignore
you or do his own thing, he is then the leader.
This is not a good position for you and soon you will have a
rambunctious, and possible dangerous horse on your hands. You will not trust him because he does not
trust you.
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| Tiffy - the leader of our herd |
Adventure Horse Riding in NYS Smilla13@gmail.com (Mary Dixon) www.RideNYS.com
3/19/12
#61 Riding Alone - How I Finally Did it
#61 Riding Alone - How I Finally Did It !
by Sue McGuigan (she is 43)
My good friend, Sue, wrote this for me - I had asked her to write what her experiences were to get to the point of solo riding.
I hope this is okay. I am not a writer like yourself so if you need to tweek it feel free. I am so sorry for this being so long
Riding alone was so scary for me I couldn't think straight. My hands would start sweating and my nerves would make me shake, literally. I woke up one day and asked everyone I knew if they wanted to go for a ride and everyone had other plans. The first thing I did was start making excuses for myself and thought of Raine doing something like jigging or spooking went right in my brain but it was just too nice out not to go. So the next thing I know I am texting Mary and saying I am taking Raine out by myself today and I am scared @#*^less and will text her when I got back to let her know how I did. The next thing I knew she called me. Mary gave me pointers on what would help me during my ride and told me it was okay to be scared and even if I went a little ways that it was okay just to go away from the barn even if it was a couple of feet.
As I saddled up my horse I was shaking thinking of all the things that could happen out there. So I started singing to myself. Stuff like saddling I am putting the saddle on now, I am going to do this then just saying stupid things really peanut butter and jelly yes that is right singing about the sandwich. Of course songs I love would just not register to my brain.
I did what I always do before I go out on the trail making sure I could move her feet backwards, forwards, left and right and the most important is walking forward calmly and stopping when asked. So there I am one step away from the barn by myself with my horse. Going away from the barn was easier then I thought it could of been I didnt think of where I was going to end up but what I was doing at that time one step at a time and singing about peanut butter and jelly. I did alot of walk, stop. walk three steps then stop. I counted out loud and needless to say had to walk more then three steps because Raine appartenly knows how to count and right after I would say three she would stop. Too funny when I think about that now.
The next thing I know I am away from the barn about 300 feet and no problems but believe me when I realize this I start thinking bad things like oh god what happens if I meet a deer or something could come out from the tree up ahead or just anything stupid so I starting singing about yes you said it Peanut Butter and Jelly. I dont have woods to ride in but I do have fields and one of the things that always scared me about that is open fields, not good she could take off with me at any time so I did alot of walk stop again and circling keeping my mind on my tasks and nothing else I would say okay we are going to the right or going to the left or walk, stop, walk stop, okay turning to the left again no I think to the right this time saying these things as I did them. The one thing that mary said to me was if you need to stop do not face her to the barn so when I did stop her or even circle I would always face away and even let her graze a little.
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| Sue & Raine |
I didnt go really far that day but I did go away from the barn and the horses to where neither of us could see them and that was worth a million dollars to me. That day I found my courage, confidence and a closeness to my horse that just makes my heart soar and the feeling that I was one step to going out by myself and not making excuses that are so easy to make and never waiting around for days on end for someone else to ride with me.
I did this 3 days in a row by myself and everyday got easier for me I still get nervous but not half as bad as the first time. When things creep in my mind I start circling and talking out loud or singing about peatnut butter and jelly and doing alot of walk stop exercises. I am lucky to have a special bond with my horse that has now gone to the next level and when I get nervous I know what to do and it helps alot. I am able to walk and trot and as spring is approaching and the fields start drying up my next step is to canter and yes I will try even if it is just a couple strides.
I wrote Sue's age because so many folks think they are just too old to do any of this ! NOT ! !!
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