Even thought Christmas Eve is tomorrow it feels almost like spring here. It's warm and sunny so we continue riding outside. I secretly wish for one day of snow but maybe it's for the best.
Juliano was a bit annoyed with the whole world this past week and yesterday was the first day he wanted company and wanted to do things. I got on him and we went for a spin around the arena.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoRVnHYWRE4
Tomorrow we will go for a walk into the woods as part of our Christmas tradition. We wish you a very Marry Christmas and as much time as possible with horses.
2013-12-23
2013-12-12
Juliano freestyle transitions Dec 2013
A quick movie from our ride today. There was only a short strip of
dry sand to practice transitions as rest of the arena is covered with
mud.
2013-12-09
Trust
Yesterday we went for a walk with Juliano, Dum Dum, Magda and her dogs into the woods. It was pitch black but as we know this forest quite well we've decided to give it a go, we could always turn back.
Juliano was walking in front of me and leading the way. As we walked deeper into the woods it got darker and darker and we got to a point where we could literary not see a thing.I could just as well close my eyes and it would be the same. Even though I was holding on to Juliano's rope I couldn't distinguish weather I was on the right track or am I going to walk into a tree. Few quick thoughts - turn back, look for Magda, stop and I was on a verge of panicking. I quickly caught up to Juliano, grabbed his tail and allowed him to lead me through the forest. This blind walk lasted for few minutes until Juliano turned onto a field where we could finally see silhouettes of trees, dogs etc. From there the road led through less dense forest so we could continue walking, giggling and talking with Magda.
After we got home I was thinking about why I trusted Juliano so much and why the second I have reached for his tail I got calm. Maybe it's because he walked rhythmically, he was confident and didn't spook or hesitate once. If he would jump in fear even once I would be completely lost. Maybe that's the secret behind trust, you have to be calm and steady to be trusted. You can't demand trust, you can offer your confidence and in time earn trust. As they say "It's a delight to trust somebody so completely". Juliano got me out of trouble in his, animal world. If we switch roles, I should be able to do the same for him in out human world. Hmmm... how interesting, when we walk through the village I always lead, as we set foot in the forest Juliano want's to walk first. Coincidence?
It was a very interesting experience and I recommend it to everyone who thinks horses are spooky for no reason at all. Think what pushes you out of your comfort zone, maybe it something as simple as a forest at night. Now who is the spooky one?
Juliano was walking in front of me and leading the way. As we walked deeper into the woods it got darker and darker and we got to a point where we could literary not see a thing.I could just as well close my eyes and it would be the same. Even though I was holding on to Juliano's rope I couldn't distinguish weather I was on the right track or am I going to walk into a tree. Few quick thoughts - turn back, look for Magda, stop and I was on a verge of panicking. I quickly caught up to Juliano, grabbed his tail and allowed him to lead me through the forest. This blind walk lasted for few minutes until Juliano turned onto a field where we could finally see silhouettes of trees, dogs etc. From there the road led through less dense forest so we could continue walking, giggling and talking with Magda.
After we got home I was thinking about why I trusted Juliano so much and why the second I have reached for his tail I got calm. Maybe it's because he walked rhythmically, he was confident and didn't spook or hesitate once. If he would jump in fear even once I would be completely lost. Maybe that's the secret behind trust, you have to be calm and steady to be trusted. You can't demand trust, you can offer your confidence and in time earn trust. As they say "It's a delight to trust somebody so completely". Juliano got me out of trouble in his, animal world. If we switch roles, I should be able to do the same for him in out human world. Hmmm... how interesting, when we walk through the village I always lead, as we set foot in the forest Juliano want's to walk first. Coincidence?
It was a very interesting experience and I recommend it to everyone who thinks horses are spooky for no reason at all. Think what pushes you out of your comfort zone, maybe it something as simple as a forest at night. Now who is the spooky one?
2011-07-19
Liberty flying lead changes
We are playing on-line and at liberty every day with Cash. Usually I go out with a plan, we play around a certain idea. Every time the plan is modified either by conditions or Cash. To be flexible - hmmm how interesting. So today we set out to do driving from zone 5. We ended up at a round corral.
We have tried stick to me at canter and finally got it :) Before, I would go up to canter, she would follow but after I went down to walk she would zoom past me in canter. Today I thought to myself, canter to walk can be quite hard to synchronize between human and horse so why not make a transition from canter to trot instead. It worked! We could go up to canter together and go back to trot also together. After that we were both in quite playful moods and Cash offered quite a few flying lead changes. It was a great morning.
We have tried stick to me at canter and finally got it :) Before, I would go up to canter, she would follow but after I went down to walk she would zoom past me in canter. Today I thought to myself, canter to walk can be quite hard to synchronize between human and horse so why not make a transition from canter to trot instead. It worked! We could go up to canter together and go back to trot also together. After that we were both in quite playful moods and Cash offered quite a few flying lead changes. It was a great morning.
2011-07-12
Hello from Pagosa Springs
So here I'm in Colorado, Pagosa Springs doing a Fast Track. I got here over a week ago but with all the things going on I didn't have much time to write.
I'm riding and playing with a very nice AQH mare - Cash. She belongs to Petra Christensen - 2 Star Parelli instructor. She is very, very sensitive and trying her best to understand me and what I'm asking of her.
Me and Cash at Parelli Games on Saturday
We are starting to build a strong relationship and I think we are going to have a lot of fun together. By the way, we got a green ribbon for on-line and black ribbon for liberty on Saturday at the games :)
Parelli ranch at Pagosa is amazing - it is surrounded by mountains, amazing nature, animals like deer, chipmunks and beers passing by. I'm learning a new thing every minute that I'm here - thanks to our superb instructors and Cash. It is a place where a horse is never wrong and people are trying to understand horses every step of the way.
Juliano is back home and he is doing great. Magda is looking after him and playing with him. It seems he is having a great time with his best buddy Dum and all his mares. I miss him like crazy but there is a reason why I'm here - to become a better horseman especially for him.
I'm riding and playing with a very nice AQH mare - Cash. She belongs to Petra Christensen - 2 Star Parelli instructor. She is very, very sensitive and trying her best to understand me and what I'm asking of her.
Me and Cash at Parelli Games on SaturdayWe are starting to build a strong relationship and I think we are going to have a lot of fun together. By the way, we got a green ribbon for on-line and black ribbon for liberty on Saturday at the games :)
Parelli ranch at Pagosa is amazing - it is surrounded by mountains, amazing nature, animals like deer, chipmunks and beers passing by. I'm learning a new thing every minute that I'm here - thanks to our superb instructors and Cash. It is a place where a horse is never wrong and people are trying to understand horses every step of the way.
Juliano is back home and he is doing great. Magda is looking after him and playing with him. It seems he is having a great time with his best buddy Dum and all his mares. I miss him like crazy but there is a reason why I'm here - to become a better horseman especially for him.
2011-05-26
Canter sideways!
We have done our first sideways in canter! I got on Juliano bareback and we have practised sideways in trot then circled a bit in canter. After Juliano's canter got slow and rhythmic I thought "Why don't we try sideways in canter" and guess what Juliano did - few steps to the side. We are taking baby steps, J only does 2-3 stides sideways and then I ask him to continue cantering straight on and we stop. After 3 successful tries I got off Juliano and allowed him to go back to eating grass. He came back in few minutes for some scratching and yawning :) One thing that hit me today is how sideways slows the horse down. Once we started doing sideways in trot Juliano's canter got slower. Today after sideways in canter Juliano didn't rush of he did the opposite - went back to a walk when asked.
Etykiety:
freestyle
2011-05-21
Couldn't be more proud...
Today's freestyle ride was one of the calmest we've ever had. We started off really slow, doing full zone 1 turns with hindquarters not moving. Then, sideways in walk and trot. Once Juliano delivered a precise sideways in trot we could move on to canter. As we were both very calm and focused on one another we could do graceful walk to canter transitions and after that come back to a walk. After few circles of walk-canter-walk I asked Juliano to come back to a walk after 4 strides of canter and we made it! I was super excited and proud. For some horses it is easy to come back to a walk but for us it was always THE most difficult thing - to stop. We never made it in 10 strides let alone 4. It was always: canter, please come back to a walk, 30 strides later and we are still cantering or doing a choppy trot. It was an amazing feeling when Juliano just calmly glided back to a walk.
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