Onceagain I failed to prepare Prince enough for the task that I wished to accomplish. But I think that this time maybe, just maybe, I will have learned the lesson!
Today, one of the things that I wanted to play with while we were riding was simple lead changes, one of the only things that Prince and I can't do that needs to be done for our Level 3 Freestyle Audition. Well, I don't know if we can't do it but we haven't tried because we have been working on the ingredients for them.
Prince and I played on the 22ft line in the arena but since the ground was hard, it was frozen so it was hard for Prince to canter on the circle a lot. We were able to get some nicer circles. Prince some how cut his upper lip a little bit so we had to wait until it stopped bleeding before we continued.
So where I realized I made the mistake was I went right into the Bowtie pattern after we did some sideways, indirect rein and pivots etc and what I should have done was done some cantering a long the rail, making sure Prince could do that. But alas hindsight is 20-20 right? :)
What happened was Prince got confused and then it started loosing interest in what I was asking him to do. He wasn't in a learning frame of mind when we started so he gave up trying. Totally understandable! I would have done the same :)
I realized what happened and so we went to Follow the rail and did lots of transitions. Once Prince was able to canter in both directions and on the correct leads then we ended. We then went out and rode the Question box Prince did really well with that. So I definitely know what I am going to do next time to better prepare Prince!
Ruffian and I had a really good play session today also. It was short but meaningful. We played again with our hindquarter disengagements and he was quite a bit better. He had more confidence and was responding instead of reacting.
We did some circles with transitions and a couple changes of directions. Ruffian was confident and playful! It was great!
After that we went over to the fence and just hung out there. Twosox came up so when I let Ruffian go they both took a nice nap in the sun while Mom was playing with Knightly. We did some saddle fit and such trying to get the right shimming pattern for Knightly. As we were doing that Twosox and Ruffian both decided to lay down. So when I had the chance I went over and sat with them. It was neat. They both looked like they really enjoyed it ;)
Well it is November 1st already! Can you believe it!?! Times really does fly when you are having fun!
Today Prince and I played in the fields on the 45ft line again. We did 3 laps each direction at the canter with rhythm, relaxation and connection!! It was really amazing. We both had a lot of fun and Prince did so well. Then we played with some changes of directions. Prince still leaned on the halter a bit before he changed direction but we got some nice ones in the end. Up next was spirals at the trot! Prince did really well and was very light even when the circles got smaller and smaller.
After all that we went over to the one corner of the field where the big hills are and I backed Prince up the hill and to the end of the 45ft line and then after a short rest I asked him to come trotting to me down the hill. Then we played with maintaining gait and directions while going over some other hills. Prince did really well and only broke into the canter once going down the hill but after that he maintained the trot. We also did that at the canter which he did really well with.
We then head back to the arena and rode! We tested out indirect rein with out reins and Prince was even better than yesterday! We got two pivots this time with out any leg pressure! The next thing was the Clover Leaf pattern. Going to the left we did it with my reins at support if I needed them and that went so well that I decided to try it with two carrot sticks when we went to the right. Prince was incredible! There was a couple times that I had to use one stick to support what I asked in my body but most of the time Prince responded with out them! It was such a cool feeling!
Here is a short video showing the first complete Cloverleaf, of which we did two...
After that we went over to the gate, opened it and then headed over to the middle of the field and rode the Bullseye pattern! Going to the left was better than to the right but in the end we got both going fairly well. I have to make sure that I balance stopping in the middle and stopping on the outside of the circle. If I stop in the middle more than on the outside Prince will put a lot of effort into going into the center while we are riding the next circle. So it is interesting!
Here is short video of us riding the Bullseye pattern...
We didn't do any cantering today because it was muddy in the arena but we still had a lot of fun! Hopefully tomorrow we shall be able to play with our simple lead changes!
Since the weather wasn't very nice yesterday I didn't go out and play with Prince but today it was much nicer and so mom and I headed out.
We ended up playing at Liberty in the round corral first. I wasn't quite ready to dive in head first... or should I say ropes first, and get all my ropes wet and snowy, that ended up happening though ;) Prince was absolutely incredible!
I wasn't going to ask him to do a lot of trotting/cantering because I wasn't sure about how slippery it would be with the snow on the grass but it was actually fine so we did some hindquarter disengagements and once those were going well and were light we did some circles. We started out with some simple circles at the trot and then I asked Prince to canter, he cantered 4 laps in each direction!! It was to cool!! We haven't played at Liberty in a round corral in... well a long time but Prince was fantastic!
Then we did some changes of directions which set us up for better Figure eights. At first Prince just thought I was asking him for a change of direction so he would miss the barrel but still do a really nice change so I didn't want to make him feel bad for that so we just took it slow and eventually he was able to get it right. Then we ended. I wanted to keep it short, interesting and end when Prince was motivated!
We then played Online for a little bit. Prince did really well cantering circles. We are now playing with changes of direction with a drop to trot lead change. Prince is pretty good but he still leans on the halter a little bit before he changes. It will get better though.
We did a little bit of jumping, sideways, Falling leaf and some other small things and then we played with mounting by the neck! It was interesting because Prince and I haven't done that since the spring so we had to play with it for a while. But eventually we got it. It wasn't the prettiest but Prince kept his feet still, which was the hardest thing to get :)
We started with Figure eights at the trot which went fairly well. Then we rode the Cloverleaf but since I only had the bareback pad on, after a while it got really uncomfortable to sit Prince's trot. So we only did one direction. But Prince did well and for our second day it was really good!
After that we played with some smaller things, particularly indirect rein with out reins. Prince got so light that I didn't even have to put my leg one. I just shifted my weight and focus and he pivoted a full circle like that in both directions and he was putting speed into it also!!
We finished by riding back to the small gate which leads to the pasture where Prince is staying. When we first got here Prince had a huge threshold right by the barn where we had to go between the barn and the electric fence, a long the driveway. He was fine walking up there Online but not while riding. So we just left it because we really didn't have any need to go up there. But today I decided that we would go up that way to get to the gate. We opened the gate in the arena and off we went. Someone of a four wheeler went by and I wasn't sure how Prince would react to it coming so close (it was with in 20ft of us) He was attentive but he didn't spook. Then we continued across the field and over to the driveway.
Prince didn't have any problem going between the barn and fence. So it either shows how our riding has improved and that Prince trusts and excepts my leadership more, or it is just because Prince had gotten over it. I am not sure but I was still really happy!
Here are a few pics that my mom took...
And of course a short video of us mounting by the neck... or at least a good attempt!
Prince and I started out playing with sideways at a trot this morning, one thing that we have been playing with more recently but having some trouble with. Today we had a small break through though and so that was really good.
After that we went out and played in the fields on the 45ft line. Prince did really well and we got 2 circles at the canter in each direction with rhythm, relaxation and connection!! Then we did some traveling circles, spirals at a trot, changes of direction, maintaining gait and direction while going up and down big hill, backing up the hills, and lots of other fun stuff! We both had a lot of fun!
Then we headed back to the arena and we rode. Prince and I started out with circles. They are getting better and better! Even though it was hard at some points because it was really windy and we were riding straight into the wind... so it got a little hard to stay focused and balanced! But we made it. I only had to make 1 or 2 corrections each direction. My goal is to be able to do it with my arms folded which I think we are really close to getting.
After that we rode the Cloverleaf Pattern! This was our very first time riding ring because we don't have enough room in our riding ring and we don't have corners so it makes it hard but Prince did so well today! We rode it in both directions. The first one was the hardest but after that Prince just kept getting better and we both really liked it! We did it at the trot and I think it is going to be one of those patterns that we shall both end up loving ;)
The last thing we did was some Follow the rail at the canter. I am starting to ask Prince to canter farther distances now and he did so well!! To the right we cantered just over half the arena and to the left we cantered two sides!! I was soooooooooooooooooo happy!! Prince picked up the correct leads fairly easily, he had a little bit of a harder time to the left but he still got it pretty quickly. It was incredible!!
We then opened the gate and rode out... I let Prince eat for a bit and then I got off and we went back to the pasture. Prince is doing so well and we are both having a lot of fun. I am not sure how we are going to adjust back into being home when the two weeks are up but somehow we shall.
Twosox and I went through a similar issue as Ruffian and I went through yesterday except for this time it wasn't because Twosox didn't move, he was moving to much and in the wrong directions. It took a while but finally he started keeping his front feet still (or almost still) and pivoting his hindquarters. So once we got it going well on the other side we took a little rest and then went to the other side. This time, even though it still took a while, it took less time and Twosox seemed to understand what I wanted more.
That is what we focused on for the whole session. It was a short but meaningful session that is for sure!
"For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day"
2 Timothy 1:12
I have been doing Parelli since April 2006. I bought my first horse, Prince, on April 21, 2006 at the age of 11. That was when I started this amazing journey.
I officially passed Level 3 in 2010 and with three Level 4 savvy passed my aim is to pass my Finesse within the next year and then start a new part of my journey as a Parelli Professional and help make the world a better place for humans and horses.
Thanks for stopping by my blog! Feel free to leave a comment! I love them!
Naturally,
~Keri-Lynn
Golden Prince
Golden Prince is a Left brain introvert, Halfinger.
We are playing in Level 4/5, Official Level 3 Graduate and Official Level 4 Online, Liberty and Freestyle Graduate... and loving every minute of it!! :) We are still learning but over the past years we have become true partners. I love learning and I love this journey and I can't wait to see what God has planned for me!!
The Eight Principles
1. Horsemanship is natural. 2. Don’t make or teach assumptions. 3. Communication is two or more individuals sharing and understanding an idea. 4. Horses and humans have mutual responsibilities. 5. The attitude of justice is effective. 6. Body language is the universal language. 7. Horses teach humans and humans teach horses. 8. Principles, purpose and time are the tools of teaching.
*************************** The 8 Responsibilities
There are four responsibilities for the horse and four for the human.
FOR THE HORSE: 1. Don’t act like a prey animal. 2. Don’t change gait. 3. Don’t change direction. 4. Look where you are going.
FOR THE HUMAN: 1. Don’t act like a predator. 2. Have an independent seat. 3. Think like a horse. 4. Use the natural power of focus.
****************************** The Qualities of a Horseman
1. Heart and Desire 2. Respect 3. Impulsion 4. Flexion 5. Attitude and Focus—Positive, Progressive and Natural 6. Feel 7. Timing 8. Balance 9. Savvy 10. Experience
