Saturday, April 29, 2017

Wet Saddle Pads. Hard Drive FULL!

WORKSHOP REVIEW

Beautiful weather. Warm, sunny with a breeze!
We pretty much had the arena all to ourselves.
BBQ LUNCH! Be sad if you missed it.

We covered the concepts of Body Language, Body Position and “Quiet Conversation” with everyone. This is VERY ILLUMINATING because 80% -90% of the horse-folks don’t use these concepts effectively. It was a BIG focus throughout the workshop. When folks used the concepts effectively the ability of the horse to understand what is being asked rises greatly!

We then covered SIX Groundwork Exercises (one of which combines FIVE distinct exercises into one awesome pre-flight check) which helped everyone improve their communication and control. These exercises really drove home the concepts we were working on and how important they are to being involved in a successful partnership with one’s horse.

Then we saddled up (after a water break)! We worked on THREE riding exercises which challenged everyone’s idea of “softness” and “quiet conversation”. With everyone getting some wins we called it for LUNCH.

BBQ LUNCH. Yep. It was good.

Then after we did a pre-flight check we saddled up again. We worked on FIVE MORE under saddle exercises. Communication and control “standards” were challenged and taken to new levels. When we wrapped up we had achieved the triumvirate of Concentrated Training, Long Rides and Wet Saddle Pads.

It was a good day!

We hope YOU can join us in May for the next Workshop!

Saturday, April 15, 2017

PRACTICING AT THE PARK!

PRACTICE IN THE PARK

A nice, breezy Saturday practice occurred at Pioneer Park Arena, Not, to be clear the arena is IN the park so all the “holiday festivities” folks were enjoying became “desensitizing opportunities” for everyone! Today we experienced:

  • ·         Screaming children who run up to “see the ponies!”
  • ·         The dullard parents of the screaming kids who think it is a pony ride situation (seriously).
  • ·         Yippy dogs.
  • ·         Balloons.
  • ·         More dullard humans who think horses live in packs (again, seriously).
  • ·         Flags.
  • ·         Bicycles.
  • ·         Motorcycles.
  • ·         GOATS (Swear to God…GOATS)!
  • ·         Frisbee passing nearby.
  • ·         A self-propelled (by a HUGE rotary fan) Para-Sail!

To say that we did quite a bit of “desensitizing” and “public relations” work today would be an understatement.

Still, we did get actual training done too.
Groundwork happened first. Between each exercises we flexed 5-6 times each side (it adds up quickly) and did some sort of desensitizing. Then we got into the following:

  • ·         Lunge for Respect #1 and #2.
  • ·         Backing with Steady Pressure, WWWW, and Tapping the Air.
  • ·         Yield the HQ #1 and #2
  • ·         Yield the FQ.
  • ·         Side Pass along the Fence.
  • ·         Leading w/ Back Ups
  • ·         Ground School Circles.

So, roughly 13 exercises on the ground. We saw improvements in communication, control, focus and body language! Even with all the distractions the work got done and learning happened!

Then we saddled up and had some fun! Warmed up with Cruising and One Rein Stops. With all the distractions around this took a bit to accomplish but once “focus” was achieved we moved on to the following:

  • ·         Forward, Back, Forward Transitions.
  • ·         Vertical Flexion.
  • ·         Yield HQ at Standstill.
  • ·         Rollbacks.
  • ·         Yield FQ.
  • ·         Forward, Back and Yield HQ.
  • ·         The “L” Box Forwards and Backwards,
  • ·         Serpentine through Cones (two gaits).
  • ·         Ground School Circles Under Saddle.
  • ·         Side Pass along the Fence Under Saddle
  • ·         Lateral Work though Cones.

So, roughly 13 exercises under saddle along with some work on puddles and crossing water. It was mentally taxing and physically demanding but at the end of the practice some MAJOR WINS were achieved.


It was a GOOD day!

While we say that Cearra is "advanced green broke" we KNOW that she is MUCH better than other "green broke" horses and even some horses that are supposedly "trained". Our standards of performance are high but we believe that though the process, she will be ready to move into whatever discipline her future family may want to try.

Yep...a very good day!

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

WEATHER, WORK & REFINEMENT!

WEATHER & WORKING IN THE PROGRAM!

Well, it seems that the weather is NOT cooperating with us at all this season. We have had more rain and snow! Sigh. Super hard to be consistent with our horses right now. Grrrr,

Cearra is in the “Refinement” stage. Because of the weather (and other factors) we are focused on making her already known skills even better. We are asking for a more active “yes, sir!” response when we ask for a maneuver. So far she is meeting the challenge! She did have her first real “season” of the year last week. Our poor geldings never get left alone. Cearra is like the annoying sibling right now. It is kind of funny actually.

Refinement of ALL her ground skills is how we start off each session. Work under saddle focuses on softness, conditioning, control and cues. She is already nice under saddle. We just want to take it to the next level. Collection and vertical flexion is the goal. It is coming along. During the last session we had a great ride. Even got to work around a stroller…which we all know eats horses…and she did great.

We hope to introduce more “intermediate” level skills (at least by our program standards) this week and to begin to market her to potential families on sites such as Dreamhorse, Horseclicks, Bay Area Equestrian Network and other sites. We will ask $4500.00 (OBO) which we feel is VERY fair with her bloodlines and foundation training.


Let’s see what happens.

We have a Golden State Horsemanship practice on Saturday and a Horsemanship Workshop on the 29th. Cearra will be an active part of both sessions which is always good for her development.
Should be a good time.

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

WHAT IS “COOPERATIVE HORSEMANSHIP?”

Recently I was told that the term “natural horsemanship” was a deal killer while trying to re-home a project horse. This really surprised me because in my experience most the training exercises found in “natural horsemanship” programs are pretty spot on. That being said there really isn’t anything “natural” about what we, as humans, do with horses. Think about it. In nature they eat, run, eat some more, poop, pee and make baby horses. What we ask them to do –wear a saddle that is made from dead animal (leather), take a bit (metal in the mouth), sit on them, use reins and so on – is NOT natural. Yet the trust us to lead them and keep them safe.

Well horsemanship may not be natural but GOOD HORSEMANSHIP  certainly is cooperative!

So we have begun to use the term “cooperative horsemanship”around the barn, at practices and in workshops. Simply put this is a training approach that works with the horse – the way it thinks, the way it interacts with the world – to achieve all the things we want in a horse/human partnership. The approach is simple (though not always easy) and helps the horse gain confidence in itself and the leadership of the human. It improves communication. It improves control. It sets the human and horse up for success.

Now, let’s be clear. This is NOT something we invented. In fact this type of horsemanship dates back to around 400 BC as Xenophon wrote about it in his treatise Cyropaedia. In his writings we find many same basic horsemanship concepts we see many “branded trainers” today use (and make money on). The horse has not changed all that much since 400 BC. Neither has effective horsemanship. In the 21st Century we like to be able to describe and categorize everything. We want our lives and our horsemanship in neat little packages. The reality is that, like so many Arts, Horsemanship cannot be quickly learned and neatly packaged. The journey is what it is. “Cooperative Horsemanship” is just our way of helping the modern student of the horse to categorize the approach.

So…that is it in a nutshell. Cooperative Horsemanship is a term we use to describe an approach to building communication, confidence and control in the framework of partnership between horse and human. We focus on the “quiet conversation” and giving the horse the best deal when asking for an action. No fear, no intimidation, no heavy hands, bits or techniques. Just good solid horsemanship with respects the horse and the human.

Any questions?


Come and see the results!

Sunday, April 2, 2017

New People, New Language, New Experiences

MEETING NEW PEOPLE

Cearra met two new potential families and has been getting a bit of interest lately. This is a good thing! Her “summer coat” is coming in all silver and shiny too.

FIRST: If you have been following Cearra’s journey in this Journal you know we have often spoken about how critical intent, focus, position and energy is when communicating with a horse. Yesterday proved this once again. Both families brought really positive energy, good focus and solid body language to the meeting. It showed CLEARLY in how Cearra reacted to these horse-folks. One of the awesome humans was pregnant and her body language, subtle as it was, had a protective feel to it. Cearra reacted to this, which was cool to see. Her rwaction were less “yes ma’am” and more “cuddly and slow” with the lady. Cearra LIKE her husband though. He had clear energy and body position. It was reflected in Cearra’s reaction to his “leadership”. Very illuminating! Later in the day the second batch of humans spoke the same language but had a different accent. Cearra worked at understanding them and everyone got along really well.

THOUGHTS: Cearra was CONSISTENT in her efforts (and in her sass too) with everyone. This was GOOD because (at least to us) it indicates that her foundation is strong and her willingness to partner up with folks is solid. We were very proud of her.

GROUDNWORK & RIDING: We put her through her paces on the ground, demonstrating most of the “fun” exercises and some of the “most used” ones too. Cearra was a tad lazy – and in season – but performed well. Then we invited the various humans in to work with her. Everyone got along fine and good connections and conversations happened. It is what you want to see when a horse you have been working with meets new people. NOTE: She was in season (heat) at the time of these meeting and there were some “new-to-her” handsome geldings nearby. She was interested in them but was able to maintain her focus on us when we required it. That is a win!

Under saddle she did well even with the “new-to-her” riders. Walk, trop, bending, stops, backing…all went well. She did protest once with a little kick-out when she was asked to lope again after she loped a bit. She did this with each person (at least she was consistent). We suspect that this is her “testing” the new-to-her person. We know that if she is worked consistently this protest doesn’t happen. Both sets of riders took it in stride and “won” by getting what they asked for. It was the only blemish on an otherwise great set of meetings.

AND NOW: We wait and see. The First Family wants to add a lesson horse to their horse camp string. They have a unique program and seem like great folks. We are not 100% convinced that Cearra is ready to be a lesson horse “right now” and feel that she would need more rides/miles over the next 2-4 months to be “lesson horse ready.” Still it could be fun for her as she loves the attention. Second Family would be more of a “personal horse” partnership. This feels a little more like what Cearra would be happiest with. Her person working with her on their horsemanship journey. We like both Families so that is a win.


We have more meeting slated for the days ahead. The Right Family will come along. In the meantime we will continue to get rides and training on Cearra.