Our journey: We like puzzles!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

We like puzzles!

Our lesson on Tuesday was awesome, as usual!
Satin seemed to really get a lot out of this session as her tongue and mouth wouldn't stop moving! She was processing information like a butter churn.

We started by sending her to objects to touch-it. She showed much more engagement and curiosity than our last lesson. Karen immediately noticed the difference. Satin even looked for things to touch and was asking questions! YES! I had her mind here and there - how exciting!

My disengagement still needed work so Karen taught me a variation of the falling leaf pattern. I drive from zone 3 (which we are SO much better at now!), my friendly hand (the one closer to Satin) has the CS while my other hand holds the rope. I choose a moment and turn my body back towards her hind end and ask for disengagement. She swivels and looks, I back up and draw, then I am in the perfect position to drive her nose the other way. This made a lot of sense to both me and Satin.

There were times during the lesson when we had to solve a puzzle. Satin didn't understand that I wanted her to touch the small cone. I had to figure out how to send her to the cone without moving my feet. What a challenge mentally and emotionally.

Now we will focus on this falling leaf pattern and solving puzzles with touch-it.

This is so much fun!

1 comment:

Parelli Central said...: I really enjoy reading your blog, Kathy! Sounds like you and your horse experienced some major breakthroughs the last month...
Good for you both! Keep up the good play...

Petra Christensen
Parelli 2Star Junior Trainee Instructor
Parelli Central; September 30, 2010 at 9:07 AM

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Satin, 1997 Snowflake Appaloosa mare

Satin, my best friend. Her stall name plate (well, one of her stall plates) says it all, "Satin, Mommy's Brat"
She's been with me since she was weaned (too early) as a 4 month-old. I was barely 14 and desperately wanted my very own horse. My family was not horse savvy, although I did get my mom into riding when I started taking lessons as a girl. I dragged my parents across Sarasota, Florida, classifieds in hand, trying to find a horse for me. I still remember the ad catching my attention for two reasons - "filly" and "$500". She was cheap and she was a baby! I had no idea what I was getting into. Never had any experience with foals (I was 14!) and had no experience with any sort of training. I taught her how to halter, tie, load, clip, lunge, started her under saddle, dressage, eventing.. you name it, Satin and I did it on our own. She has taught me how horses talk and how important it is to speak in a way they can understand. Here we are in 2010, starting our new journey to an even better friendship!

Dancer, 1996 Chestnut TB rescue

When I describe Dancer to anyone, the first thing I say about her is "She has such a big heart." She is so loving towards other horses and my hope is that this Parelli journey will allow her to love humans just as well.
Dancer was considered trash to the TB breeding industry. She had 4 foals, then didn't take one year, then didn't take another year. So they gave her away. She was useless to them, so they tossed her out. Someone with no experience picked her up. They held on to her for a short time before realizing that 'owning' a horse is expensive and hard work! So they offered her up for "free" in the classifieds. This was before US slaughterhouses has been shut down. She was picked up by a kill buyer and brought to their transport facility. Fate was shining down on Dancer when she was bought back from the owner who's friends told her the whole deal was odd. She had given Dancer away for free but the buyer made her pay money to take her back. She picked her up the day she was to be shipped to slaughter.
That's when I met Dancer! Abandoned at a boarding facility, nervous of humans but totally a doll to other horses. I knew she needed some love.