Blue String Arrived!

On the 1st of November this arrived in the post!

Parelli Tumblr

I have had some of my photo put up on Parelli Tumblr! Check them out:


Me & Bella


Simmulation Day

Winter Workshop Series with 2* Terri Martinus

Over the winter I have been fortunate enough to be able to take part in a winter workshop series with Terri at Brinsbury College in Pulborough.  To enable me to learn better and not have to worry about emotions I borrowed a lovely mare called Kit that belongs to my friend Gill.  I have been riding and competing Kit on and off for the past 11 years so we know and trust each other well.  She was also Bella's 'nanny' when I first bought her.

Introducing Kit! 14.2hh Connemara x TB Mare 24 years young, RBI mainly, Still teaching us all a thing or two!

I had a few play session with Kit before the clinic to bring her up to speed (Gill has already got her through L1).

In the first Clinic we worked on doing the 7 Games but looking at them with 'Level 3 Eyes'.  Really working on refining and getting better quality in the movements.  We also did a lot of freestyle riding (which is why I brought Kit not Bella!).  It was great to be able to just get on and not have to think about her to much and focus on my body and getting things right so I can make them clearer to her.  We also got her first sideways when ridden which was really cool!

The second Clinic was all about focusing internally and being aware of out energy and how to control it to get the best out of our partners. I found this a challenge at first as Bella is a lot more 'tuned in' to my energy than Kit is but we soon got ourselves sorted and I found it was a great way to block out what was going on around me as I do tend to get distracted by spectators, what other horses are doing, saber tooth butterflies!

The third session was postponed due to snow but will be happening at the end of Jan so will blog about that separately.

Catch up .... opps been to long!

Ok Really SORRY! Just realized I haven't blogged since September!!! Bad bad me, but I have been busy so the next few blogs will be as a recap and then I will start again properly in 2011!

Were to start,

Horseless workshop - Run by me for the local Savvy Sussex Study Group.

In September I  held a horseless workshop for our small study group. The aim for the day was to be able to practice all those simulation that we have learnt over the past year in a fun and supportive environment where people can learn and not feel silly.  My field is quite isolated so it was the perfect venue. 

We started the day with some Carrot Stick Savvy!

For online:

·       Picking up the carrot stick (both hands):

1.     Using string ‘flick’ it up and toss it behind you

2.     ‘Flick’ it up and catch it  (can you get to the point where you can flick it up high enough that you can spin round and still catch it?)

3.     ‘Flick it up, catch it then hit a target WITH THE LEATHER POPPER!

4.     GAME of quick draw – Best of 3

·       Practicing an underhand flick, use a fence post

·       Pop a balloon – phase one then phase 4 =POP! Both over hand then underhand

·       Firm to friendly on a barrel – practice phase friendly and 4.  Then can you go to p4 and change it to a p1 mid way?

·       WACK A BARREL! P4 on a barrel then rub it – how quick does your energy come up and down?

For riding:

·       Tossing the carrot stick from hand to hand, can you do it walking, trotting, and cantering??

·       How to throw a carrot stick, in pairs throw it to each other … how far can you get from each other?

·       Throwing it on the move … figure of 8 every time you pass someone you have at swap carrot sticks, walk and trot!

Moving on to Online Skills

·       (halter and 12, 22 & 45 lines, working in pairs) how soon can you feel it and what does each phase ‘feel’ like on the different lengths of rope.  Blind folded – can you still tell now?

Conger Horses:

·       figure of 8

·       sideway with fence & with just a pole

·       circle – with change of direction

Then Parelli Puzzles!

5 tasks, 5 minutes!

Level 1/2 people: (Fran, Gill, Janie)

·       Squeeze between you and fence,

·        Z1 on pedestal,

·        figure of  8 – from 12’ft away

·       yo-yo over pole

·       sideway along the fence (1 gap distance)

Level 2/3 people: (Lynne, Jo & Liz)

·       Squeeze over a sml jump

·       Z1 & Z2 on pedestal THEN Z3 & Z4 on pedestal

·       Figure of 8 (from 12ft + away)

·       Sideways over a pole

·       Kick ball through two cones

Lunch !!!!!!!!!!

In the afternoon we did a bits & bridles simulation

Fluidity

Energy levels.  Walk , trot, canter then run as fast as you can then STOP!  How much energy did you put into it? What sort of walk trot canter did you do? How long did it take you to stop – no I mean stop! How quickly did you come of it?  

Balance point:

On a barrel with someone holding a SS, can they pull up of balance?

·       How you sit now (feet off the floor)

·       How you sit now (feet off the floor), but grip with your knees

·       On balance point

·       On BP but grip with your knees

·       On balance point and stick you chin out

·       On BP with arms bent

·       On BP with arms straight

·       On BP, chin normal, knees relaxed, arms bent = power position

·       Pedaling

·       Push passenger position

On a barrel on a slope, DOWN hill –

·       How you would expect to sit (trad taught)

·       Now on BP, weight back in seat, and pushing on hands (to simulate neck or saddle horn) – load the back end. 

·       Explain the ‘lockit and rockit’ concept

On a barrel on a slope, UP hill –

·       How you would expect to sit (trad taught)

·       Now on BP, weight back in seat, and pushing on hands (to simulate neck or saddle horn), but back almost upright so you load the back end

·       Bend their ribs to release a brace – go tight in your body, the bend your ribs until you CANT hold the brace anymore.

·       Stand on to blocks and try to pull each other off. Balance point

Freestyle Riding

Rein Positions:

·       Lateral flexion

·       Lateral flexion using CS

·       Indirect reins

·       Indirect  rein – backing up with CS on Z5!

·       Direct reins

·       9-step back-up

·       Sideways

·       pick up and drop reins with out looking

·       casual, bunny rabbit, butterfly, contact rein

·       suspension rein

·       California roll

In groups of 3 conga horses:

·       Stopping – just lift/pull back on both reins,  lift one rein, then one rein  but shift your weight onto your balance point 1^st – feel the difference.

·       Direct and indirect reins on the move

·       Cantering – correct leg (in pairs, focus)

·       Bowtie pattern

·       Sideways

Leadership

Blindfold in silence in pairs – follow my leader around an obstacle course, switch half way! 

Phew! What a day!! But loads learnt :)  Here are a few pics from Parelli Tumblr to give you a taste of the day

http://parellicentral.tumblr.com/post/1257402019/a-few-weeks-ago-our-local-savvy-sussex-group