Online notes

Ok; so this has been extraordinary for me! I've had three sessions Online since my last OL post. For sessions 6 and 7 of purity of gait program, I remained on the 45' line and my horse has begun to offer canter and is much more consistent at maintaining the trot. I used change of direction as a strategy if she broke gait. She would go in the opposite direction and I would say, "great! ...and then some". It was going well.

THEN...I received the new Level 3 pack I had just ordered and watched Pat show us what Level 3 OL is all about.

So, two days ago, after riding, I had the chance to play with all the new ideas I had after being so inspired by the video. I went to the 22' line and used the techniques Pat showed (or at least tried to:). My horse was truly riveted! Very little arguing; just a couple snippy small kicks with the hind leg. I hardly used the stick; mainly the strategies. My horse eventually got her ears on me, was showing exuberance...yes; my horse was showing exuberance! Now I know what it looks like:-) It was going so well and I knew I needed to change games when she offered so much so as not to nag or bore her, so I decided to focus on the squeeze game. Lots of small limbs and palm frans around the field, so I started small and slow. Then, I asked for more impulsion. Then I increased challenge of squeeze with my final goal as the barrel. She jumped it four times! Time to stop and REWARD!!! Man, what a feeling!

Note: at the barrel, she got caught between wanting to move it and jump it, as she figured out what I was asking for. Next thing I knew she had kind of stumbled on the barrel with her front leg putting her weight on it. It gave a bit and cracked. Just wait, I thought; let's see. She looked at me, I stood there calmly and breathing. She got her weight organized and stood back up. Back to the game, I said.
Whew!

So, THAT'S WHAT PARELLI HAS DONE FOR ME! I've got a horse who has stepped on the reins and gotten a front foot through, had the saddle under her belly (twice I'm embarrassed to say), stepped in a huge sink hole that could've been a leg breaker, and laid on a barrel that cracked under her...all situations which she thought her way out of and NO BIG DEAL. Thanks Pat and Linda! If I never progressed from here, I'm already there:-)