Prince: You can't force connection...

June 14 2010

This morning I went out and played with Prince. Even though it was raining that didn't bother us. I actually like playing in the rain now. The only thing bad about it is that you can't ride... but that is okay. I spent some time scratching Prince before I haltered him. He literally put his head in the halter. I guess he wanted to be played with ;) First we did smelling the tail. The first time I had to guide Prince's head around but then the next time Prince brought his head around part way and the last time as soon as I had the end of his tail in zone 3 he brought his head all the way around the kept it there!! I did place my hand on the side of his nose once he had brought it around just so that he knew to keep it there. Prince's nose and tail were touching for 6 seconds and then we stopped. Prince was relaxed the whole time and was very soft. It was so cool!! Prince is such a clever horse! 

Then we played around with some circles at the walk on the 12ft line. Prince had the rhythm and relaxation but not a lot of connection so we played around with some different things but nothing really helped. So I decided to go up to the riding ring where there are more room. On our way up we did some yo-yo's, stick to me and some other things then we did circles. I was planning on doing 30 laps each way or until Prince found the connection. Going to the right first we got to 26 laps and then Prince gave me a beautiful lap at the trot on the 22ft line and he was so connected to me. He was about 12ft away and had an amazing look on his face and actually arched his body around me!!! It was incredible! I could see it coming through out the 26 laps. At first he was trotting at the end of the line and the rope was off the ground about 60% of the time then his trot softened and he started getting more connected to me on one side but then on the side where there was a little hill he would take more rope. So I just waited and then he slowly started getting more and more connected to me and to the circle and on lap 26 he trotted a full circle being connected to me and to the circle and I brought him in. He got a long rest and then we went the other way. 

This time (going to the left, his hard side) it only took 6 laps!! Right off the start Prince had the rhythm and relaxation, something that he doesn't normally have until the 4 lap or so. Plus he didn't break gait! I could see him trying to figure out what he needed to do and the pieces were coming together and on the 6th lap he gave me an even nicer circle then the one going to the right!! I was shocked but totally happy! Prince was incredible! So what did I learn? You can't force mental connection, it has to be given, offered. How do you get the horse to offer it? Well I am still figuring that one you ;)

So after another long rest and big lick and chew Prince and I went over to the barrels and I wanted to play with getting Prince to straddle the barrels while I stood farther away. The first time I asked Prince to jump the barrels. He did that no problem. Then I asked him to straddle it, I was standing 22ft away, at the end of the rope, Prince trotted up to the barrels and all I had to do was relax and he stopped perfectly. Then he looked at me with the cutest look on his face and asked a question! 

Before I let Prince go I asked him to yield his forequarters over. He did it perfectly. His shoulder wasn't lagging and he put effort into moving over. Then I got down on my knees and took the halter off. Prince stayed with me though so we just hung out for a while and then I asked Prince to do some small things at Liberty. I wasn't planning on it but it went so well. I asked him to do hindquarter yields, forequarter yields, backing up and some other things and Prince was very light. Then I asked Prince to do a figure eights around two tires.... and he did!!! It was amazing! Prince was so connected to me and he didn't even think of leaving, which is big because when we used to try that in the riding ring he would just run off. 

When you have the connection Online, it will follow over to Liberty. Like Mr. Parelli says "Liberty is the truth" I think that a lot of the problems that Prince and I were having at Liberty before were just that our connection, even though good, needed to be just that much better. 

Prince followed me down the hill and into the corral and we hung out together for a while before I played with Twosox. It was truly an amazing play time. I learned a lot and will have to think about how it shall apply to everything else but I know that it will. I love learning! 

Naturally,

~Keri