Yesterday I went out to Raven with a plan of going through several of all we had done and to move on to some new tasks. But plans change. First there was the weather. It was snowing and blowing so much around here that I was getting cold after about 30 minutes and I was bundled up and moving around alot. So what I had hoped would be an hour or hour and a half turned into about 50 minutes of work. Secondly, I began with doing some invisible round pen work since I had her in that mode. My plan was to go into the round pen and do some ground driving and such. But instead we just worked on getting her to trot around me at liberty. I worked with her on this alot. I found that sometimes it is best just to work on one thing rather than trying to do multiple things. I really wanted to get her good at sticking with me at the trot. She left me a few times and I had to bring her back. However, in the end she stuck with me. It is an exercise that I just have to keep working on. Then I wanted to have come towards me and follow me on a circle with my two sticks and she did that pretty good. She does it at the walk fine. I then wanted her to leg yield away from me while was doing this. I got a couple steps in each direction. Which brings me to the third reason my plans changed. It was slippery for me out there. So I could not move as confidently as I need to in order to do these tasks. I don't have 4 feet to help with balance. If one of mine slips I go down. So I finally had enough and we found a good place to stop with her coming toward me as I walked backwards.
Sometimes our plans change and we have to adapt. The Scripture says that that Lord directs our steps, Prov. 3:5,6 and so if I make plans I need to be flexible and move with Him rather than against Him. As I am trying to develop Raven to be a willing partner and follower of me so God wants me to be a willing follower of Him. Sometimes, rather than trying to accomplish alot you get alot more done by just getting one thing done well. That is what happened to me yesterday. Today it looks really white and cold. We got a couple inches last night, but at least today it is not blowing.
So be flexible today. Don't think you have to get it all done today.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Day 17
Brrr! is it cold outside. I had a few minutes and thought I would work with Raven some. Got all bundled up and got the saddle out there and began to work with her. But I decided to not even saddle her up. Instead I worked on the invisible round pen tasks and refined them more. She was alot better even today sticking with me. No mind you this is all without a halter. I moved forward with her disengaged her changed intentions and changed sides. We moved forward disengaged 360 degrees not losing forward and then kept right on going. We did the 4th task having her at a walk and trot stay with me as we spiraled down into a smaller circle. Did task five which similar to task four only staying on the circle at walk and trot with me. I even have her backing up with me at the driveline which is task one from ground school. I worked mostly on task 6 while facing horse- drawhier to me at a walk and trot. I walk backwards in a circle with a stick in each hand beside her withers forming a vee with my arms and she walks towards me as I move backwards. I have her backing up too with my bubble. She does it well at a walk. We started to get the trot several steps and then stopped today. That was when I decided to not even saddle her. I didn't want her getting sweaty at all. Besides, it was a good place to quit. This is working so well, when I left the round pen she stood where I left her. I had to go back in a few minutes later and in a direct way release her from my leadership.
There are times when we just need a break from the everday. With a horse you might get something small accomplished and then quit for the day. It just seems like a good place to stop. But you come back the next day and make even more progress. It was that way in Jesus life. Repeatedly, I read in the gospels where Jesus went into the wilderness to pray, usually after a long day of people pulling on His time or when there is a big day ahead. One time after a night of prayer, He selected the apostles. That is good advice for us too. We need to get away and relax and pray or reflect and refresh. I do this daily in my devotions daily. Sometimes it looks like getting out and taking a walk with Brecht or if she is brave enough to weather the cold, Sharon. Sometimes I do my best learning just ruminating on some passage as I walk or drive or lay down and take a power nap. I advise you to do the same. Carve out a time where you can just relax and ruminate.
make time for R and R.
There are times when we just need a break from the everday. With a horse you might get something small accomplished and then quit for the day. It just seems like a good place to stop. But you come back the next day and make even more progress. It was that way in Jesus life. Repeatedly, I read in the gospels where Jesus went into the wilderness to pray, usually after a long day of people pulling on His time or when there is a big day ahead. One time after a night of prayer, He selected the apostles. That is good advice for us too. We need to get away and relax and pray or reflect and refresh. I do this daily in my devotions daily. Sometimes it looks like getting out and taking a walk with Brecht or if she is brave enough to weather the cold, Sharon. Sometimes I do my best learning just ruminating on some passage as I walk or drive or lay down and take a power nap. I advise you to do the same. Carve out a time where you can just relax and ruminate.
make time for R and R.
Day 16
I figured I better write this before it slips by me. I had a profitable time with Raven yesterday. I decided to just do a review of the tasks in the Movement course (3) before continuing on to the horseman's course (4) and the invisible round pen tasks. But I gotta tell you it is coming together nicely. I worked on the balanced turn on center from the ground and she does fine from the left side, but the right side is another story. Part of it is me, not getting out of the way so she can make a smooth transition, and part of it is that she doesn't like me on that side. It is just like us though. I am right handed, so don't ask me to write something with my left hand and be neat or to throw a ball with my left hand, I throw like a girl then. Raven just needs more work on that side. It is like this, God knows our weaknesses and strengths and usually has us work more on our weaknesses. The Apostle Paul said, 'When I am weak, that is when I am strong.' When we are aware of our weaknesses we depend more on Him for strength. So Raven has to depend on me on her weak side. So we will continue to work that side. When she can rest with me on that side that is when I know we have worked it enough for now, but it will always be something to come back to. I also did some more ground driving and she is getting more comfortable with that, switching sides and even givine me some leg yields, which I have to be able to get those consistently before I can move on from that exercise. She will get there it just takes time and persistence. We did all the mounted tasks except for the gauntlet and ball tasks, because I don't have them. She is getting real soft and I am even have just dropped the reins and directed everything from transitions and directions with my leg and seat. We did pretty good, but we need more work here.
Finally, we did the invisible round pen tasks mentioned in an earlier post. She comes right to me and is looking at me when she moves around me. I can move her off with me and have her trot around me in a small circle. Today given the chance we are going to review the tasks 1-5 which she can do and start working on task #6 which is -while facing horse-draw him to you at a walk & trot - in both directions. This is with me walking or trotting backwards on a circle and having the horse stay with me.
The last task for this class is 'from the driveline have horse canter around you in small circle.' But right now I cannot do this task because the snow pack is too icey. She slipped and almost fell the other day when I asked her to canter, so I have to wait until the footing is not so slippery for her.
All of these tasks are designed to make my communication with the horse as if we were one. As if my thoughts were her thoughts and she willingly does what I ask. Paul in Philippians 2:5 says, "let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." That is my goal, to have God's thoughts be my thoughts; to think the same way He thinks and in that way I can walk in tune or oneness with Him. My relationship with my horse simply mirrors that for me. I am not there yet, but it is a goal to go after and become.
So til next time, seek to walk in tune with God.
Finally, we did the invisible round pen tasks mentioned in an earlier post. She comes right to me and is looking at me when she moves around me. I can move her off with me and have her trot around me in a small circle. Today given the chance we are going to review the tasks 1-5 which she can do and start working on task #6 which is -while facing horse-draw him to you at a walk & trot - in both directions. This is with me walking or trotting backwards on a circle and having the horse stay with me.
The last task for this class is 'from the driveline have horse canter around you in small circle.' But right now I cannot do this task because the snow pack is too icey. She slipped and almost fell the other day when I asked her to canter, so I have to wait until the footing is not so slippery for her.
All of these tasks are designed to make my communication with the horse as if we were one. As if my thoughts were her thoughts and she willingly does what I ask. Paul in Philippians 2:5 says, "let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." That is my goal, to have God's thoughts be my thoughts; to think the same way He thinks and in that way I can walk in tune or oneness with Him. My relationship with my horse simply mirrors that for me. I am not there yet, but it is a goal to go after and become.
So til next time, seek to walk in tune with God.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
day 15
Sometimes you have to pull out of the day the time you can to do something you love to do. I only had about 45 min to work with Raven today. I am working the round pen tasks of the horseman's course, which is the fourth and last level. The first task is to draw your horse to you from walk, trot and canter. This is using a larger pen, no round pen, and no halter. This is what I have called working at liberty in previous posts. What you do is have to have the horse go around in you in a circle, no round pen, so they can go where they want. If they break away you bring them back and continue the movement on the circle. Raven does this no problem. The idea is to watch for the things that show the horse is really paying attention to you, ear cocked toward you, licking and chewing, head down and such. Then you ask them by your body language to turn toward you and face you. Raven actually will look toward me as if to ask me 'please can I come in and rest?' At that time I just step to her rear slightly and she faces up to me and comes to me. She does this at all the gaits. So this task is passed.
Task 2 is without a halter ask the horse to disengage hindquarters, change intention and change sides. So basically you are walking forward at the drive line and then move in such a way as to cue the horse to disengage while not losing forward motion and when the horse moves their head toward you let them move in across with their shoulders and change sides. Raven does this good too.
Task 3 is to do the same thing only disengage 360 degrees and then move right back in the same direction you were going. Again as with all the tasks this is to be done from both sides. Raven and I do this ok too.
Task 4 is a bit harder from the drive line at walk, trot -spiral horse into smaller circle. This one isn't as easy as it sounds. Without a halter you have to keep the horse with you as if you were leading them and you are positioned between their eye and the drive line moving in a circle with you on the inside. When they sort of lean their head toward you stop and rest. The point is to get them to stay really tuned into you and follow you lead both to move forward and to go in a circle. Raven does this well from the left side, but the right side she doesn't like me on it. So guess which one we worked on the most. She kept wanting to move away from me and trot so I just made her go then gave her an opportunity to rest next to me on that side. We quit when she willingly stopped and rested with me on her right side.
That is also where we stopped working the tasks. We will review these and then move on to the next task next time.
You can imagine why it is necessary to do these tasks. It is important for the horse to have you as his leader. Whenever there are distractions of frights if your horse is its own leader, well, you might be in for a wreck. But if you are the leader, well, she might just take her cue from you as whether or not its a good idea to be scared. That works spiritually too. I have learned that situations in my life are just God working me until I find my rest in Him. Jesus said, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matt. 11:28-30.
The rest in life is with the Lord. You can run on the rail if you want, by doing things your own way and not submitting to the Lord. But rest is in the middle with Him. Sometimes the rest is with Him in the middle of the storm in your life. And you can either have a wreck by going your own way or you can submit to His way and have rest. The choice is yours. When I work with a horse, I don't make the horse do anything. I simply make the wrong thing uncomfortable and the right thing easy. It often takes time for the horse to figure it out, so I help him by rewarding the slightest try he gives me. God does the same with me. The Bible says "the way of the transgressor is hard." Proverbs 13:15. But doing things His way is easier in the long run, and that is where He wants me. He doesn't want to run me ragged around the arena. He wants me and you to learn to rest next to Him. Sometimes it takes lots of running for us to figure that out. So ultimately, what I am after with Raven is the same thing God is after with you and me. A relationship based on a willingness to be together no matter what.
So til next time stay in the middle will ya!
Task 2 is without a halter ask the horse to disengage hindquarters, change intention and change sides. So basically you are walking forward at the drive line and then move in such a way as to cue the horse to disengage while not losing forward motion and when the horse moves their head toward you let them move in across with their shoulders and change sides. Raven does this good too.
Task 3 is to do the same thing only disengage 360 degrees and then move right back in the same direction you were going. Again as with all the tasks this is to be done from both sides. Raven and I do this ok too.
Task 4 is a bit harder from the drive line at walk, trot -spiral horse into smaller circle. This one isn't as easy as it sounds. Without a halter you have to keep the horse with you as if you were leading them and you are positioned between their eye and the drive line moving in a circle with you on the inside. When they sort of lean their head toward you stop and rest. The point is to get them to stay really tuned into you and follow you lead both to move forward and to go in a circle. Raven does this well from the left side, but the right side she doesn't like me on it. So guess which one we worked on the most. She kept wanting to move away from me and trot so I just made her go then gave her an opportunity to rest next to me on that side. We quit when she willingly stopped and rested with me on her right side.
That is also where we stopped working the tasks. We will review these and then move on to the next task next time.
You can imagine why it is necessary to do these tasks. It is important for the horse to have you as his leader. Whenever there are distractions of frights if your horse is its own leader, well, you might be in for a wreck. But if you are the leader, well, she might just take her cue from you as whether or not its a good idea to be scared. That works spiritually too. I have learned that situations in my life are just God working me until I find my rest in Him. Jesus said, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matt. 11:28-30.
The rest in life is with the Lord. You can run on the rail if you want, by doing things your own way and not submitting to the Lord. But rest is in the middle with Him. Sometimes the rest is with Him in the middle of the storm in your life. And you can either have a wreck by going your own way or you can submit to His way and have rest. The choice is yours. When I work with a horse, I don't make the horse do anything. I simply make the wrong thing uncomfortable and the right thing easy. It often takes time for the horse to figure it out, so I help him by rewarding the slightest try he gives me. God does the same with me. The Bible says "the way of the transgressor is hard." Proverbs 13:15. But doing things His way is easier in the long run, and that is where He wants me. He doesn't want to run me ragged around the arena. He wants me and you to learn to rest next to Him. Sometimes it takes lots of running for us to figure that out. So ultimately, what I am after with Raven is the same thing God is after with you and me. A relationship based on a willingness to be together no matter what.
So til next time stay in the middle will ya!
Day 14
We are moving through the tasks with Raven. I have been ground driving her and it has been interesting. Ground driving is harder than you think. It is one thing to get the horse to go forward while lungeing a horse. It is another to get them to go forward with calmness when they have a line hitting them on hocks or across their butt or getting caught underneath their tail. It really starts to get interesting then. That is why it is necessary to go through all the steps before you actually use two reins while ground driving. One of the tasks is to drive the horse forward then have them turn and change sides. This is huge, not only are you teaching them to follow their nose, but you are asking them to allow you to go through their blindspot which is directly behind them. They see you on one side and then you disappear and reappear on the other side and that can scare them real bad. However, this is why it is important to ground drive a horse. Think about it, a horse is a prey animal, you are a predator to them. You are teaching them that you are not a predator though. Think of it this way, you are in the wild and you make a deal with a lion. He is telling you he won't eat you and you just have to trust him. But a lion is a lion and you can process that information and reject it because you are human. You can think through these things and reason about it. A horse cannot, but that is what you are asking the horse to do. Remember God put in a horse to fear man, Gen. 1:26 and Gen. 9:2. So what you are asking them to do is to go against their God given instinct and trust you. Everytime I ask Raven to change sides while ground driving I am asking her to trust me that I am not going to eat her. It was God asks of us oftentimes when we are forced into a change. Like a job loss, or a move or health issues. He is saying to you and me, 'trust Me. I am not trying to destroy you.' It is a learning process that takes time in our lives. God demonstrates He is not out to get us by sending His Son to die on the cross for us. So everytime we think God is either not there when we need Him or when we think He is out to get us, look at the cross that should dissolve any doubt in your mind, Romans 5:8. So back to the horse. The only way to get Raven to become relaxed with me going in and out of her blindspot is to do that lots of times until you see her relax. Then back off. I want to do everything from ground driving that I do from her back: go forward, lateral flexion, leg yield, stop with softness, backup, change direction and so on. Yesterday I had her doing leg yields almost by accident because I was actually asking her to turn, but my position and her posture was telling her to leg yield. So I caught and kept asking her. She is better on one side with turning than the other so we got some work to do. She is getting softer with a stop and back up. This also teaches both us to pay attention to my body language. I need to get so I can push her forward with my body bubble without verbal or physical cues like slapping her with the line. She is getting real good at it though.
Then I worked on transitions with halter and she did pretty good at downwards ones from trot and canter down to a walk.
I got in the saddle and we went through our routine of lateral flexion, vertical flexion, backup using seat and legs, counterturn and disengagement. Then asked her to move off and did transitions of walk, trot, walk even cantered a bit. I wanted to work on another task of doing a figure 8 at the trot while posting on the correct lead and then changing leads and posting as we were going down the straight part of the figure 8. To pass the task I have to be able to do this correctly, meaning I change my posting in one beat and pick up the correct lead. So we worked on this and many more tasks before we were done.
I also moved up to the horseman's course, the fourth set. I worked on the first three tasks of round pen and had no problem doing those with Raven. I will list the tasks in a later post. But we are almost half way through the 30 day workout and things are progressing pretty good. I have seen areas I need to work more on. Other areas I just have to refine to a higher level. But progress is the key.
God bless you today and get out and enjoy some fresh air.
Then I worked on transitions with halter and she did pretty good at downwards ones from trot and canter down to a walk.
I got in the saddle and we went through our routine of lateral flexion, vertical flexion, backup using seat and legs, counterturn and disengagement. Then asked her to move off and did transitions of walk, trot, walk even cantered a bit. I wanted to work on another task of doing a figure 8 at the trot while posting on the correct lead and then changing leads and posting as we were going down the straight part of the figure 8. To pass the task I have to be able to do this correctly, meaning I change my posting in one beat and pick up the correct lead. So we worked on this and many more tasks before we were done.
I also moved up to the horseman's course, the fourth set. I worked on the first three tasks of round pen and had no problem doing those with Raven. I will list the tasks in a later post. But we are almost half way through the 30 day workout and things are progressing pretty good. I have seen areas I need to work more on. Other areas I just have to refine to a higher level. But progress is the key.
God bless you today and get out and enjoy some fresh air.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Day 13
Well yesterday had a good time with Raven. I worked on all the tasks up this point. Then worked on the 1/2 balanced turn and got that down. Then worked on the complete balanced turn from behind the drive line. I finally figured out that it wasn't that I was looking for her feet to cross over but rather for her entire body to be soft with bend and head somewhat down and relaxed. Then to walk down the diagonal and she will follow me while crossing her feet and then shifting to the other side and keep the shoulder moving. It took me awhile but I got her to do that. Then we quit. The next task I have wanted to deal with was the ground driving. So I hooked up the two lines and moved her off. She didn't like to switch sides at first but we kept at it and started to get more relaxed. I was able to move more behind her as if I was actually riding in a cart behind her. Then we just worked on getting a soft stop and changing directions. We did this for about 20 min. and then I got on her back and worked from the saddle and did all the tasks in the mounted class and most of the ones in the refined class accept the one requiring two riders and the figure 8. I am really excited to work on the next level after reading the tasks, because that is where I go bridleless and that is what I am working towards.
I will keep at it.
God bless
I will keep at it.
God bless
Friday, February 19, 2010
day 12
Oh boy! had the fun of playing with Raven again this evening, rather yesterday evening. I finally got the hang of the complete balanced turn on center from behind the drive line. I needed to pay attention to her softness and bend of her whole body and when my position lined up with hers then to draw her to me and across so that she switched sides and I could keep moving her feet over. We still have some practicing to do but mainly if I keep myself in position and get her prepared for the move it will happen.
Then I practiced sending her with the 22' line getting ready for ground driving. We are starting to get a good handle on this task. My main problem is my pen is too big and she can get going to fast for me to keep up. And my rope handling needs improvement. But we will get it. I can't tell you how much benefit I have realized there is from taking the time to work with her on the ground. She is so much more responsive and soft when I am on her. There is just a relaxing nature to it.
One other thing I restarted was asking her to kneel. She does it when I ask, but I upped the game with her. I don't let her up until the count of five and she is relaxed. My goal here is to ask her to kneel and to stay down so that I can get on then when I ask her to get up she will. So we will prgressively work on this.
Poor old Jake. I think he is feeling neglected because I haven't worked with him at all since I started this 30 day endeavor with Raven. He will get his turn though. I am going to do him next going through the same things.
Take it slow and easy today and you will have a more harmonious outcome.
Then I practiced sending her with the 22' line getting ready for ground driving. We are starting to get a good handle on this task. My main problem is my pen is too big and she can get going to fast for me to keep up. And my rope handling needs improvement. But we will get it. I can't tell you how much benefit I have realized there is from taking the time to work with her on the ground. She is so much more responsive and soft when I am on her. There is just a relaxing nature to it.
One other thing I restarted was asking her to kneel. She does it when I ask, but I upped the game with her. I don't let her up until the count of five and she is relaxed. My goal here is to ask her to kneel and to stay down so that I can get on then when I ask her to get up she will. So we will prgressively work on this.
Poor old Jake. I think he is feeling neglected because I haven't worked with him at all since I started this 30 day endeavor with Raven. He will get his turn though. I am going to do him next going through the same things.
Take it slow and easy today and you will have a more harmonious outcome.
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