Saturday, July 23, 2011
Just had an awesome ride on Monarch, to the music of Caravan Palace. They are a jazz/techno/gypsy band, and they are a blast! (Think Django Reinhardt on hallucinogens, and you’ve got the idea, but way more fun) I particularly recommend tracks 1, 14 and 15 if you need to energize yourself or your horse.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Courage and confidence
Let’s talk some more about courage and confidence, especially as it applies to your horse. (Check out cegavt.blogspot.com/2011/07/courage.html) If courage is about overcoming fear, and confidence is not having the fear to begin with, what does this mean to your horse?
Courage in your horse is asking your horse to give a little more, push himself a little harder, try something he hasn’t done before, trust you. Confidence is all about that “look of eagles” that some horses have—they don’t know the meaning of can’t!
What happens when your horse is not feeling courageous, even fearful, about the task confronting him? He becomes tense, rigid, tight. His back may hollow, his jaw may lock up and clamp down, his neck becomes rigid, his gaits lose their fluidity. His muscles will tighten as he prepares to “fight or flee”. What does this mean for his performance?
A horse who is rigid and tight is only going through the motions. He may be technically doing what you ask, but something will be missing.
What is your job in this? What can you do to help?
The first thing, of course, is to know your horse, his personality and how his mind works. Does he thrive on challenges and learning new things? Does he need plenty of time to absorb the new task? Does he get tense, wound up, and have to be pushed/helped through his tension? Or does pushing him make him even more tense?
Some horses are naturally courageous, some are not. You can help your timid horse to be more courageous by first helping yourself to be more relaxed, of course-if you are anxious, you can bet your horse will pick up on it! Remember to center and ground yourself by using three deep breaths to release your own tensions. Ask your timid horse to expand his comfort zone incrementally, whether it’s leaving his herdmates a little farther behind, or tackling a slightly more challenging series of jumps. Praise is always a good thing, as long as you are praising for actual good behavior. And if you feel yourself becoming frustrated, take a break—don’t add to the stress level.
And remember that our horses are so often mirrors of ourselves. Take the time to really examine what’s going on, and ask for help if you need it.
What techniques do YOU use to help yourself and your horse relax and gain courage?
Courage in your horse is asking your horse to give a little more, push himself a little harder, try something he hasn’t done before, trust you. Confidence is all about that “look of eagles” that some horses have—they don’t know the meaning of can’t!
What happens when your horse is not feeling courageous, even fearful, about the task confronting him? He becomes tense, rigid, tight. His back may hollow, his jaw may lock up and clamp down, his neck becomes rigid, his gaits lose their fluidity. His muscles will tighten as he prepares to “fight or flee”. What does this mean for his performance?
A horse who is rigid and tight is only going through the motions. He may be technically doing what you ask, but something will be missing.
What is your job in this? What can you do to help?
The first thing, of course, is to know your horse, his personality and how his mind works. Does he thrive on challenges and learning new things? Does he need plenty of time to absorb the new task? Does he get tense, wound up, and have to be pushed/helped through his tension? Or does pushing him make him even more tense?
Some horses are naturally courageous, some are not. You can help your timid horse to be more courageous by first helping yourself to be more relaxed, of course-if you are anxious, you can bet your horse will pick up on it! Remember to center and ground yourself by using three deep breaths to release your own tensions. Ask your timid horse to expand his comfort zone incrementally, whether it’s leaving his herdmates a little farther behind, or tackling a slightly more challenging series of jumps. Praise is always a good thing, as long as you are praising for actual good behavior. And if you feel yourself becoming frustrated, take a break—don’t add to the stress level.
And remember that our horses are so often mirrors of ourselves. Take the time to really examine what’s going on, and ask for help if you need it.
What techniques do YOU use to help yourself and your horse relax and gain courage?
Thursday, May 19, 2011
What makes you tick? How about your horse?
As we move through life, striving to improve and grow, a key portion of this is finding out what motivates us to achieve our best. In our relationship with our horses, we also need to find out what motivates them. How do they learn best? Are they sensitive, “thinking” types, easily bored? Do they question everything we ask them to do? Are they good-natured, willing to comply with anything within reason that we ask of them? Do they need to think about a request, take time to absorb it, before they can comply? And there are many more ways to learn, especially when you put different riders and trainers into the equation.
In my barn, I have four horses, each with one of the learning styles I mentioned above. I have to approach work time with each of them differently. The sensitive thinker is happiest with doing something different all the time, keeping him happy and engaged. My just-for-fun horse will do anything, really, and will babysit anyone on his back, including my three-year-old grandson. Another is sensitive in his own way, needing time to process information before I ask again, and gets confused if asked again too quickly. And the mare questions everything! She should really have one of those question mark cartoon bubbles over her head, permanently.
None of these styles is necessarily any easier than the others—it all depends on us, our personalities, and how we approach our ride time. I’ve found that I need to be completely relaxed, have all the time in the world, for Mr. Sensitive Thinker. If I’m in a hurry, he gets stressed out. If I’m tense, he is exponentially tense. Of course, tension in us affects them all, but some of them hide it better than others. Mr. Easy-Going is my relaxation ride, but he doesn’t like to be taken for granted just because he is easy-going. Mr. Processor shuts down if nagged at. He will just give the minimum effort to get by. And Ms. Questioner needs to be asked, not told, to do anything. Try to force a situation with her and she will never forget it.
Essentially, I have to be four different riders with these four different horses, although the base line is the same: relaxed, focused, listening. These are my basic tools in my tool kit. Then I pull out others as I need them, depending on which horse I am working with. It’s made me a better, more well-rounded horse person.
What does your horse want YOU to know about how he learns? And what does he want you to know about how YOU learn, to be the best partner you can be for him?
In my barn, I have four horses, each with one of the learning styles I mentioned above. I have to approach work time with each of them differently. The sensitive thinker is happiest with doing something different all the time, keeping him happy and engaged. My just-for-fun horse will do anything, really, and will babysit anyone on his back, including my three-year-old grandson. Another is sensitive in his own way, needing time to process information before I ask again, and gets confused if asked again too quickly. And the mare questions everything! She should really have one of those question mark cartoon bubbles over her head, permanently.
None of these styles is necessarily any easier than the others—it all depends on us, our personalities, and how we approach our ride time. I’ve found that I need to be completely relaxed, have all the time in the world, for Mr. Sensitive Thinker. If I’m in a hurry, he gets stressed out. If I’m tense, he is exponentially tense. Of course, tension in us affects them all, but some of them hide it better than others. Mr. Easy-Going is my relaxation ride, but he doesn’t like to be taken for granted just because he is easy-going. Mr. Processor shuts down if nagged at. He will just give the minimum effort to get by. And Ms. Questioner needs to be asked, not told, to do anything. Try to force a situation with her and she will never forget it.
Essentially, I have to be four different riders with these four different horses, although the base line is the same: relaxed, focused, listening. These are my basic tools in my tool kit. Then I pull out others as I need them, depending on which horse I am working with. It’s made me a better, more well-rounded horse person.
What does your horse want YOU to know about how he learns? And what does he want you to know about how YOU learn, to be the best partner you can be for him?
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Spring in VT
Ahh, yes...this is the weather we’ve all been waiting for! Sunny, 70 degrees, nice breeze, puffy clouds but not too many! What are you going to doto get out and enjoy it? Just had a lovely ride on Sid, found a new trail in the woods that seems to go on forever....wish the weather would do the same!
Give yourself a treat....take back some time for yourself, and get out there for a walk, ride your horse, go sit by the river, get a lawn chair out of hibernation, but get out there! These days are gems!
Give yourself a treat....take back some time for yourself, and get out there for a walk, ride your horse, go sit by the river, get a lawn chair out of hibernation, but get out there! These days are gems!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Inspiration
Looking for inspiration in your life? Here are three things that come to mind for me, right off the top of my head.
First, watch the movie “Temple Grandin”. It is the story of a truly amazing woman, who has autism, but that assumed “disability” enables her to think in pictures (her words), the way animals do. I’m not doing her story justice, I know—so watch the movie, or read one of her books.
Also, because I am fresh back from the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, I am still thinking about that a lot. It was won by Mary King of Great Britain, riding the lovely King’s Temptress, a mare that Mary bred, raised and trained herself. Mary also took second place, on the gorgeous gray Fernhill Urco. First and Second place both? Unheard of! Unprecedented! Mary is no spring chicken, either—she is 49 years old. Oh wait, that’s how old I am!
Third place went to Sinead Halpin, who has NEVER competed at Rolex before, and her horse Manoir de Carneville. Sinead is only 29, and to watch her ride, and the love and credit she gave to her horse after her gorgeous show-jumping round, brought tears to many eyes.
We’re never too old, or too young, or too “handicapped”, to let that stand in our way. It’s no good sitting on our butts, wishing and dreaming, waiting for things to be different. Get up and make your dreams happen! Ask for help if you need it, but do it! What are you waiting for?
First, watch the movie “Temple Grandin”. It is the story of a truly amazing woman, who has autism, but that assumed “disability” enables her to think in pictures (her words), the way animals do. I’m not doing her story justice, I know—so watch the movie, or read one of her books.
Also, because I am fresh back from the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, I am still thinking about that a lot. It was won by Mary King of Great Britain, riding the lovely King’s Temptress, a mare that Mary bred, raised and trained herself. Mary also took second place, on the gorgeous gray Fernhill Urco. First and Second place both? Unheard of! Unprecedented! Mary is no spring chicken, either—she is 49 years old. Oh wait, that’s how old I am!
Third place went to Sinead Halpin, who has NEVER competed at Rolex before, and her horse Manoir de Carneville. Sinead is only 29, and to watch her ride, and the love and credit she gave to her horse after her gorgeous show-jumping round, brought tears to many eyes.
We’re never too old, or too young, or too “handicapped”, to let that stand in our way. It’s no good sitting on our butts, wishing and dreaming, waiting for things to be different. Get up and make your dreams happen! Ask for help if you need it, but do it! What are you waiting for?
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Spring happenings
Had my first ride on Simon today in several months. Yahoo! Half an hour of brisk walking, trying to maintain that nice steady 1-2-3-4 rhythm. Good for both of us. Couple that with the return of the songbirds, and the fact that it is raining and melting the snow, and I’m feeling pretty good about things.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Fun Day!
Just had a most fun ride on Burnished Monarch! Now I’m off to UVM’s Healthy Horse Day, where yours truly will be giving a talk on the Center for Equestrian Growth and Awareness’ programs. Check it out!
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