Just checked to see that the preceding post was actually the last post written. Have been riding consistently but not writing it up. Not that there's anything to write about. We've been riding the hills, discovering new tracks or making old tracks rideable again ( have the bruises to prove it, earned by breaking through lantana bushes).
Looked through the collection of Parelli CDs mailed to me and realized I haven't looked at about 5 of them. Yes, the gloss has gone off the Parelli method. Nothing wrong with it but lack of motivation from me. I'm riding again and enjoying the riding, Part of that enjoyment is because we're not training. I became so focussed on improving whatever we were working on whether it was getting fit for endurance, being on the bit for dressage or finally the Parelli method that it wasn't fun anymore.
Having a goal is nice but when I rode as a kid it was the joy of riding that satisfied. Just being on a horse's back, being carried by these magnificent creatures was enough. Somehow I lost that with adulthood. I shed tears of frustration, fought back anger and beat myself up all for the sake of training, all for the *love* of horses.
Something is dreadfully wrong with that picture. Now I ride and if Balthazar gets a bit above himself, I bail. I have a few tools in my toolbox and 40 years of riding to help overcome problems but not being in training has solved the problems. In fact there is no problem. I'm laughing again when I ride. Singing too (Balthazar doesn't mind). It's fun again and it hasn't been fun for years. I look forward to riding rather than dreading yet another confrontation and/or failed session.
That's important enough to repeat. I look forward to riding again. It's not a slog, it's not a lesson, it's not something to be got through, it's not a clash of personalities, it's not an illustration of how much a failure I am as a human being, much less a horseperson. I don't care if he tracks straight or not. I don't care if he's bent like a banana to the left (hollow left, stiff right), I don't care if he doesn't always pick up the correct lead. I do care that he stops and goes when asked. I do care that he doesn't run away when he sees me coming with the halter. I do care that he has the fitness to roam these hills comfortably. I do care that he, despite being a thoroughbred, has enough nimbleness of foot to be surefooted on rocky trails. I do care that stopping while he has a pick and I soak up Nature is a common and happy occurrence.
I'm grateful to Parelli (and Peter) for getting me riding again but I don't think I'll renew my membership. I have no desire to get to level 4 (or level 2 for that matter!), to ride bareback and bridleless or to get Balthazar working at liberty. It'd be nice to have that result but I'd rather just hang out with him. And isn't that what the love of horses is all about? I lost it and now I've found it again.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Yesterday rode for 25 minutes in the arena. Worked on keeping him relaxed at the same time as requesting timely departs and halts.
I am feeling my way. Haven't yet looked at a Linda post about getting a connection with your horse. Did read that despite a horse doing the 7 games well it's more a going through the motions. The horse could still be focussed on the other horses or submitting because we've trained them to submit but without a connection. That's been my *problem* all along. Horses are smart. They'll do what needs to be done to get you to leave them alone - but is that what I want from our relationship? Balthazar submitting with no joy.
I occasionally get Balthazar from the paddock and take him for pick only, no work. But it's not every other day or anything like that. He must know when I'm coming to get him it means work. Still, like this morning, he usually gives a bit of a nicker (only for the carrot probably) and takes a step toward me. That's fine by me. Better than bolting in the opposite direction.
Today we went up Joe's Mountain. I dismounted and walked up so I wouldn't collect the huge spiders which make their web across the track. It's such a steep track with *jumps* of rock it wouldn't be fair, mid jump so to speak, to ask Balthazar to halt while I try and avoid one of those huge webs. Once we cleared the top I mounted up and we explored the newly bulldozed tracks. Much more relaxed about things. Me, I mean. I'm much more relaxed. So he wants to smell some manure or lick some reddish clay (wonder what trace mineral he's getting from that? Freya used to have a penchant for licking red clay too, so much so that she looked as though she was wearing badly applied lipstick), I don't have a problem with that - as long as he doesn't do it all the time. If I feel he's taking liberties I push him on. He breaks into a trot, that's okay as long as he comes back when asked.
One of the tracks not cleared by the bulldozer follows the fenceline halfway up the mountain. It girdles the mountain like a belt around a fat man's belly. It's can be challenging as the path is very narrow, only a goat track and on the eastern side it falls away sharply so that one misstep could bring us tumbling down.
It was so overgrown with lantana that I got off and broke branches to clear the way. Balthazar was a star. He waited patiently or walked forward when asked without crowding - and it was a tight squeeze for him. I was very proud of him and proud to call him friend. That quiet acceptance of being out with me, not fretting for the others, fretting to do something other than be where he was.
On the way down that steep track, again dismounted, I asked him to walk behind me. There are places where he could walk beside me which he tried to do but if he did that then I wouldn't be able to concentrate on the spiders because I'd be trying to guide him down the safest track. So I asked, just once, for him to follow rather than walk beside. And he did.
It was such a lovely quiet uneventful ride. Felt more like two friends out enjoying a Sunday stroll. Despite the strolling he is getting a bit fitter, losing some grass belly, not that he had much, and coping better with the up and down geography of the terrain.
I am feeling my way. Haven't yet looked at a Linda post about getting a connection with your horse. Did read that despite a horse doing the 7 games well it's more a going through the motions. The horse could still be focussed on the other horses or submitting because we've trained them to submit but without a connection. That's been my *problem* all along. Horses are smart. They'll do what needs to be done to get you to leave them alone - but is that what I want from our relationship? Balthazar submitting with no joy.
I occasionally get Balthazar from the paddock and take him for pick only, no work. But it's not every other day or anything like that. He must know when I'm coming to get him it means work. Still, like this morning, he usually gives a bit of a nicker (only for the carrot probably) and takes a step toward me. That's fine by me. Better than bolting in the opposite direction.
Today we went up Joe's Mountain. I dismounted and walked up so I wouldn't collect the huge spiders which make their web across the track. It's such a steep track with *jumps* of rock it wouldn't be fair, mid jump so to speak, to ask Balthazar to halt while I try and avoid one of those huge webs. Once we cleared the top I mounted up and we explored the newly bulldozed tracks. Much more relaxed about things. Me, I mean. I'm much more relaxed. So he wants to smell some manure or lick some reddish clay (wonder what trace mineral he's getting from that? Freya used to have a penchant for licking red clay too, so much so that she looked as though she was wearing badly applied lipstick), I don't have a problem with that - as long as he doesn't do it all the time. If I feel he's taking liberties I push him on. He breaks into a trot, that's okay as long as he comes back when asked.
One of the tracks not cleared by the bulldozer follows the fenceline halfway up the mountain. It girdles the mountain like a belt around a fat man's belly. It's can be challenging as the path is very narrow, only a goat track and on the eastern side it falls away sharply so that one misstep could bring us tumbling down.
It was so overgrown with lantana that I got off and broke branches to clear the way. Balthazar was a star. He waited patiently or walked forward when asked without crowding - and it was a tight squeeze for him. I was very proud of him and proud to call him friend. That quiet acceptance of being out with me, not fretting for the others, fretting to do something other than be where he was.
On the way down that steep track, again dismounted, I asked him to walk behind me. There are places where he could walk beside me which he tried to do but if he did that then I wouldn't be able to concentrate on the spiders because I'd be trying to guide him down the safest track. So I asked, just once, for him to follow rather than walk beside. And he did.
It was such a lovely quiet uneventful ride. Felt more like two friends out enjoying a Sunday stroll. Despite the strolling he is getting a bit fitter, losing some grass belly, not that he had much, and coping better with the up and down geography of the terrain.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Hardly worth writing here as I'm doing no Parelli stuff at all, only riding. I waver between being inspired and working with the exercises and not giving a stuff and just getting out there and enjoying the riding. Have ridden most of my life without benefit of Parelli so it's not as though I'm lost without it. Anyway.
Today we finally went up Wayne's Mountain. The land has been sold so wanted to explore it before it changed hands. The new owners (have met them) will probably allow me to ride their land but it's never the same - like tromping through someone's living room at will.
At any rate, I dismounted and walked beside him. It was a long steep climb and as Balthazar isn't fit (and he was already puffing) it didn't seem fair to ask him to slog up this never ending hill with me on his back.
It was brigalow country. We followed the outside curve of the mountain then tacked into trees and rocks and no grasses. Long inviting views on a level with other mountains. Felt very far away from civilization. Nice time with Balthazar. Don't know whether he appreciated me walking with him rather than riding him.
Rode along a fenceline on an animal track. No cattle are in this paddock so it was more a wallaby track we followed. As it narrowed and the bush closed in we had no choice but to turn around. Dismounted for the descent. That was the only time my treeless saddle has been less than perfect. Could've used a crupper as it started to slide over his withers. Because the track was slippery with loose gravel it was easier to walk down beside him. As it was, even on this cold day, he was completely soaked with sweat. Gave him a hose and a flake of lucerne. Will give him tomorrow off. Was a pretty big day for him.
Today we finally went up Wayne's Mountain. The land has been sold so wanted to explore it before it changed hands. The new owners (have met them) will probably allow me to ride their land but it's never the same - like tromping through someone's living room at will.
At any rate, I dismounted and walked beside him. It was a long steep climb and as Balthazar isn't fit (and he was already puffing) it didn't seem fair to ask him to slog up this never ending hill with me on his back.
It was brigalow country. We followed the outside curve of the mountain then tacked into trees and rocks and no grasses. Long inviting views on a level with other mountains. Felt very far away from civilization. Nice time with Balthazar. Don't know whether he appreciated me walking with him rather than riding him.
Rode along a fenceline on an animal track. No cattle are in this paddock so it was more a wallaby track we followed. As it narrowed and the bush closed in we had no choice but to turn around. Dismounted for the descent. That was the only time my treeless saddle has been less than perfect. Could've used a crupper as it started to slide over his withers. Because the track was slippery with loose gravel it was easier to walk down beside him. As it was, even on this cold day, he was completely soaked with sweat. Gave him a hose and a flake of lucerne. Will give him tomorrow off. Was a pretty big day for him.
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