Focus: Preparing on the ground, obstacles, trail riding savvy, open spaces. A fun workshop building to a trail ride out on the South Downs.
This weekend was all about trail riding ….. or should that be ‘it’s not about the trail ride?’
My goals for the weekend:
• More trust and confidence in Bella whilst riding
• Get on sooner than 30/40 mins into the ride (I always walk the 1st bit and eventually want to get it so I can ride out from the yard, but bit by bit)
• Have fun on the trail !
Our adventure actually started months ago leading up to this weekend. I have been spectating Terri’s impulsion clinics and working on them at home with Bella to help prepare her, and for me I have been using them as a form of approach and retreat so that the journey, new environment etc have a 0-level emotional level for me so that we aren’t both out of our comfort zone. This is one of my personal challenges … new places … so by using this allowed me to be a calm leader for her on the day.
The weekend started on Friday evening when we loaded Bella and made the hours drive to Terri’s. This in itself is a big achievement for us as I have been working on her confidence in a trailer after she lost it traveling in the lorry. Over the course of the summer we have gone from a 45 min Plus loading time to just 5 mins and all LB!!! YAY. On arrival we were made to feel welcome as always by Terri & Beth (Barling). Bella was so relaxed she even wanted to roll, but couldn’t quite keep her feet still long enough to do it, but still this is a HUGH change to the horse that I use to ‘kite fly’ for an hour or so when unloading in a new place. With Bella settled in and the trailer parked, I headed home for an early night ready for the 6am start I had the next day.
Saturday kicked off with a theory session and a Carrot Stick Challenge to which I came 2nd to the ever skilled Beth, then a bit more theory then off to play with the horses over obstacles in preparation for riding out. Bella was relatively calm considering a new place and tackled all the obstacles calmly which was great considering she was in a LBE mood this morning and running on adrenalin. As the morning when on she settled more and put in lots of try. We ended the morning session with a 20 min follow the rail to get us in the right place for the afternoon.
This is where I struggled. Bella was doing great, if a little distracted as you would expect. But my emotions where all over the place! I was sinking, no other word for it, and that really annoyed me as we can do it fine at home … by why was it so different here? I was about ready to quit and go home at that point as I obviously couldn’t do it so why bother staying right??? After a good talk and a small cry with Beth over lunch, who as always, came to my rescue and talked with me about comfort zones and not pushing myself to hard (as is my habit), I felt better and was feeling more positive for the afternoon.
The afternoon session started of with Terri doing a really useful simulation with barrels on a slope and using them to learn how to stay on our balance point going up and down hills. Then she talked about understanding and finding ‘edges’ in our confidence levels (Mmm, How interesting as Linda would say). Then she set us a challenge. Could we climb up onto an upright barrel and walk along the top of the round pen?!?! As always with Parelli …. it wasn’t about the task! It was about finding and respecting our edges and seeing what we needed to do to change them. For me this wasn’t a major deal as I used to be a gymnast, but interesting enough I felt I needed a hand to step of the barrel onto the beam (more for balance than fear) but once up there I could walk along with no help and even bow at the end! But it did make me stop and think about how I could take that to my riding in the afternoon.
Whilst everyone else got there horses out, Terri and I went off for a chat about what happened this morning. Terri helped me pin down what EXCATLY was causing my fear and helped me see what I needed to do. Interestingly it was when she said ‘ you have to decided, not now, but at some point, if the goal of riding is worth battling with the fear?’ And it sparked something in me. I am on the whole a RBI by nature, by when challenged by saying I can’t or shouldn’t do something I get very LBI about it and make dam sure that I’m going to do it! NOT of course that Terri’s was suggesting I can’t but she was helping me to see that I could take the pressure off and not if I didn’t want to, which made me want to do it more, funny that isn’t it ;) She also said: “if it was Bella would you punish her for being afraid” – Me “No “, Terri “What about if you where the teacher and it was a student” – Me “Defiantly not” Terri “Then why are you doing it to yourself?“
For the rest of the course we made the plan that we would prepare Bella as best a we could on the ground where I was confident and if and when I wanted to ride I would and if I didn’t I wouldn’t – no pressure.
We went out and joined the others and prepared the horses for the trail ride. Including ‘controlled catastrophe’ with umbrella and raincoats, up and down hills, muddy gates, loose horses, follow-my-leader and walking over a small log, and yes, I even did some of it ridden!!!
We then headed out on a small trail ride. At this point I decided to stay on foot, Bella was doing well but got quite extroverted again when heading out so I decided to keep the confidence I had gained intact. However once we reached the woods she settled down again and I rode her home. She did have a couple of small spooks but on the whole was brilliant and it is hard to believe this is the same horse I have had all my problems with in the past.
We ended the day on that good note and after tucking her up for the night I headed home tired and in need of time to lick and chew a bit.
Sunday - Unfortunately we were 3 riders short today for various personal and horse health reasons but the remaining 4 of us spent about and hour refreshing on preparing the horses and checking what side of the corral they have woken up on that morning.
Bella was in a better mood today and more connected although I did have to push her quite hard online to get rid of some of her emotions so that we could start riding. Terri then had me put her on a figure of 8 pattern around the outside of the pound pens to get us both relaxed and connected in the saddle. One by one the others joined me on the pattern and the horses all soon fell into line and started riding as a herd. Then we headed out.
I had decided with Terri that I would ride to the drive then get off and lead Bella till both of our emotions on the trail where in line. After about 15 mins I felt happy and hopped on and rode the remaining 1hr 40 min ride!!!
We had an amazing ride and Bella acted like a partner the whole way round, even whilst tackling obstacles such as steep hills (up and down), fields of cows, gates, dogs, hikers and a very cute Shetland pony! The only incident we had was when she decided to roll in the long grass whilst I was on her! But she did lay down then waited while I got off before she started to roll! I got her up quick though before any harm could come to my Parelli Western Saddle!!! But at least it shows that she was nice and relaxed!!!!!
By the time we came back we where all smiling and happy, somewhat tired, but everyone had reached their own personal goals and most importantly HAD FUN!!
Remember it's not about the ..... (circled in blue are all the things we meet/covered!)
Terri and her husband presented each of us with a printed out photo at the end of the day, which is a wonderful memento and memory of an emotional but amazing weekend. Thank you Terri ☺
