Satin and I have officially embarked on the Parelli Natural Horsemanship journey. We have our halter, rope, and homemade carrot stick. We've begun to play the seven games and I am already amazed at her responses to things like simple yielding to pressure.
While playing the porcupine game for the first time, Satin did NOT want to yield to pressure. I started with the tiniest pressure and slowly built up in phases the amount of pressure. She pinned her ears and angrily bit at the stick. I was shocked! Satin has never shown a propensity to bite or be unyielding to pressure... so I thought!
With consistency she started to disengage her hindquarters. But her shoulders, head, and neck were a totally different story. I can't believe my girl doesn't respect me! WOW! I am truly blown away that I have gone this far with her and have not had her respect. I must have been in such denial!
I demand respect from all horses... except my little baby girl. But I see how that has had such a negative impact on our relationship. Satin WANTS me to be alpha, but I have not been performing up to good alpha standards.
On Sunday I went to a Parelli Play Group board members meeting. I am now a board member of the North Central Florida Parelli Play Group. I am hopeful that this group will offer the social support that I need but often deny myself. John came with me and actually enjoyed it! He said it was reassuring to hear that one of the members, Danny, didn't 'get into' horses until he was 39! And another member, Barb, didn't have horses until her 40's. So John feels better about being able to build a strong foundation even though he's started handling horses late in life.
Now if only this darn cold spell would go away! I hate playing with horses in the frigid cold!
And one last little note: Satin jumped a 4 foot round bale this morning! John said she cleared it but tipped it with her back hooves and made a clean landing. She was just being silly and really had no reason to jump it! She is such a playful girl!
2 comments:
I have often found the shoulders are forehand to be stiffer and less yielding then the hind quarters so don't feel bad, i think it is normal. As for biting the stick she is a sass what can you say :)
That has also been my experience. I'm surprised that Satin, who willingly turns on the haunch and forehand while I am mounted, refuses to yield to me on the ground. I'm definitely sensing her "blah" attitude towards me - "I don't have to do that", she says. But I love it when I follow through consistently and she looks at me like, "Whoa, okay! This is interesting now!"
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