Invaluable Pause

When I think of making progress I think of forward momentum and action. When I evaluate my progress with Satin I often feel as if we are not moving fast enough, and sometimes I even feel stuck. I usually get down on myself for being stagnant which often results in a lack of positivity.

Something I have realized recently, partly due to my deepening understanding and practice of yoga and partly due to my expanding savvy from PNH, is that an integral part of progress is pause. Just like yoga is founded on the breath, in and out, deep and allowing, our horsemanship journey needs to breathe. We benefit from a pause -- a full inhale and a deep exhale – to clear our mind. As it relates to PNH, I find it so important to take those moments often to remember how far we have come and all that awaits us. A moment spent playing the friendly game is invaluable. Friendly moments are the foundation of our relationship.

Put your heart in your hand and touch your horse with your heart. – Pat Parelli

Take the time it takes, and it will take less time. – Pat Parelli

Yoga doesn't take time, it gives time.  -Ganga White

Growing up and Getting Particular

As Satin learns and understands, I also must become more particular.

I spent every day for the week after my lesson playing with Satin. Sometimes it was just driving from zone 3 from the barn to the pasture. Sometimes I met her in the pasture and played "hide your hiney." But I was focusing on the basics - friendly (especially on the right side because she appears to have issues with looking at me with her right eye), porcupine, and driving games. I was rewarding the slightest try.

She gets it now - she understands when I approach her hind end and apply pressure (with my posture, my stick), then she should swivel and face me, just like she would to an alpha horse. I was very particular with her "walking through me" and kept her out of my bubble, knowing she would try to take that extra step into my space if I allowed it. So I didn't. It was hard because she is constantly taking that extra step and suddenly her shoulder is in my space. I have to be so vigilant!

We had our third lesson on Thursday and it was amazing!

Karen said she noticed an immediate improvement in my horsemanship from the moment I unloaded Satin from the trailer. I was disengaging that hind end left and right as Satin attempted to ignore me. But Karen made another observation right away: it was time to take my assertiveness up a notch. I was being sort of a pushover. Sometimes when I would apply pressure to disengage the hind Satin would look the other way, pull on the rope, and lead with her shoulder away from the pressure. We would walk in the lazy circle until she finally would give up and turn toward me half-heartidly.

What I learned:
1) ALWAYS offer a suggestion first.
Example: Leading from zone 3. The suggestion is: bring up your life, lift the rope.

2) Neutral, neutral, neutral! Satin does not yet understand the concept of "keep doing what I'm doing when my human partner is in neutral". She would move her feet before I asked her to do anything, and usually she would move into my direction.

3) Correct immediately. I may be asking for hind-quarter disengagement, but if she starts to move forward - correct her. Make the suggestion first (stick in front of her chest or head), then increase phases as needed. But she needs to know that when I ask for hind-quarter disengagement, that I don't mean "move your feet where ever you want". I get very direct-line thinking and I focus on "hindquarters hindquarters hindquarters" while she's moving her feet forward and thus we're defeating the purpose of the game. I have to correct that immediately, then go back to the hindquarters and ask again.

4) Satin tells on herself. This was a funny comment from Karen. She said, "Satin tells on herself and on you. She's honest. She doesn't hide her emotions. This makes her much less of a challenge to teach!" Satin pretty much wears her heart on her sleeve. She tells you how she feels and why. She's honest and straightforward. I'm not peeling away tons of layers to try to find out why she does what she does. If she doesn't like pressure, she pulls away or blows through it. If she is disrespectful, she walks into your space. She's a banana, not an onion.

5) The "Driving Line" is real! Karen took Satin to demonstrate how I can help Satin understand the beginnings of the send. You suggest with your "lead it, lift it"... and if you need to help them move forward all you have to do is get your pressure behind the drive line. It was like magic!

6) Satin lacks impulsion. Impulsion and flexion are connected/intertwined. Sometimes gaining one will bring along the other. Satin's lack of impulsion might be the root of several of her issues. She doesn't want to go forward when driving from zone 3, so if we gain impulsion, this issue might become obsolete.

7) Becoming particular. It's time to get more particular. When I ask something that she knows, expect an answer. She needs to be a partner and I promise not to be a predator. I give suggestion, phase 1, phase 4. By the end of my lesson Satin was behaving like a different horse. She was actually responsive. Karen thinks she is a sensitive horse (really? Satin!?) but has fallen into these cycles of dull and bored and lacking impulsion. When I step up to the plate as an alpha, Satin perks up and puts a smile on. I need to be particular with my questions now. I asked you this, this is what you should want to do. Make the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard.