a good giggle.....written by????

Arena: Place where humans can take the fun out of forward motion.

Bit: Means by which a rider's every motion is transmitted to the
sensitive tissues of the mouth.

Bucking: counter-irritant.

Crossties: Gymnastic apparatus.

Dressage: Process by which some riders can eventually be taught to
respect the bit.

Fence: Barrier that protects good grazing.

Grain: Sole virtue of domestication.

Hitching rail: Means by which to test one's strength.

Horse trailer: Mobile cave bear den.

Hotwalker: The lesser of two evils.

Jump: An opportunity for self-expression.

Latch: Type of puzzle.

Lungeing: Procedure for keeping a prospective rider at bay.

Owner: Human assigned responsibility for one's feeding.

Rider: Owner overstepping its bounds.

Farrier: Disposable surrogate owner; useful for acting out aggression
without compromising food supply.

Trainer: Owner with mob connections.

Veterinarian: Flightless albino vulture


Only Horse People:

- believe in an 11th commandment: inside leg to outside rein...

- know that all topical medications come in either indelible blue or
neon yellow.

- think nothing of eating a sandwich while mucking out a stall.

- know why a thermometer has a yard of yarn attached to the end of it.

- are banned from Laundromats.

- fail to associate whips, chains and leather with sexual deviancy.

- can magically lower their voices five octaves to bellow at a pawing
horse.

- will end relationships over their hobby.

- cluck to their cars to help them up hills.

- insure their horses for more than their cars.

- know (and care) more about their horse's nutrition than their own.

- have no problem speaking of semen, abscesses and colic surgery at
the dinner table.

- have a smaller wardrobe than their horse..

- engage in a hobby that is more work than their day job.

- know that a good ride is better than Zoloft any day.

Buddy Sour! Not as tasty as a whisky sour...

Well, its happened, I have had to actually work on separation anxiety in my own horses. This never was a problem until now when I have only two on a small farm, isolated from other equines in the world. Its not like I haven't taught this lesson before, its just that I haven't needed to on my own horses. "Dern it" and "oh goody" all at the same time. Obviously, this opportunity is adding to my own horses training. Its giving me more practice in learning to teach a very in demand lesson. It sets a good goal for me when my lesson plans seem to have wandered down a path to no where. But "dern it", like trailer loading, its one of those less glamorous skills to teach. So where do I start? Well, since Boo doesn't seem to be the "sufferer" in this instance and she is the one going to be leaving the property for a clinic in May, we began with Cuervo. I shut him up in my round pen which is in the middle of the turnout where they both live. Like with teaching trailer loading, I do not put any hay in there for him. After all, I need to gauge his responses and hay would definitely prove to be a distraction that would cloud true results. I then get Boo ready to ride right by the round pen. With in nuzzling range. One can also simply do this whole exercise on the ground as well,which is what is recommended if both horses seem agitated by separation. I however have chosen to ride, as I mentioned Big Boo is not at all fussed about where her roomie is or is not. My goal is to raise Cuervos emotions just a little by moving Boo away from his pen and bringing her back as soon as he begins to look a little bit worried. In the beginning he was beside himself bucking and pawing while we simply brushed and got tacked. So even this had to be broken down into smaller bits for him to digest. In other words, I would brush her a tiny bit and return to the rail to hang out with Cuervo, playing lip games and brushing his face. Then I would return to brushing her. Returning to him before his behaviour escalated into pacing laps or bucking jags in place. This only took one 30 minute session and I was able to brush, saddle and mount Boo the next session with nary a peep from him . I actually added walking and stopping around the pen just over the rail for the first few minutes before walking a few steps off the rail and back. I increased the length of the walking increments as he was able to tolerate her moving around the outside of the pen. If he started to trot ahead of us, exhibit driving behaviour, or paw the ground we simply stopped and stood until he relaxed again. You see some horses will actually look worried and whinny to their mates. Cuervo, however, tends toward stallion like behaviour or full on flight with bucking and farting. In some circles this would not be accepted as anxiety but "bad" behaviour and he would most likely be shut up in a barn to "work it out" so the other horse could be ridden with out influence from the "bad" horse. This technique is well accepted and is called "flooding" in behaviour modification circles. If it fails as it has a 50/ 50 shot of doing, the repercussions are miserable for the horse who didn't work it out not to mention for the trainer called later to fix it. I don't approve of this type of behaviour modification for horses nor to do I approve of chemical intervention unless its an emergency situation. Like all other skills, this lesson can be taught and is a life skill that the domestic horse is going to be required to master. Not many of us can ride both of our horses at the same time after all! We are still a work in progress. However our last session (before the gallons of rain) Boo and I where all over the turn out with cuervo poking about the round pen in a very disinterested manner. Next will be to have him in a the smaller turn out while Boo and I continue in the larger one and then reverse it by having our ride in the smaller and he in the larger. Then we will ad stints outside the turn out and stints inside the trailer, out of sight. Until he is ho hum about all of this I will not give him hay as a distraction. By clinic time I expect he won't care that we are gone for the day. Stay tuned......

Riding Simulator!

Some of you know that I took a whirlwind trip to Ca this past weekend. By whirlwind I mean It was 39 hours long. I flew,I drove, I rode, I drove and I flew again. It was not for the faint of heart let me tell you. I went to visit Carmel Valley, a very pretty area in Northern Ca chock full of lovely scenery and wonderful horse people. It also just happens to be my favorite time of year out there. When everything is green and blooming. I took this crazy trip to try The Riding Simulator. As seen at Equine Affaire and other horse fairs across the west coast. I met "Luke" and his owner/importer Barbro Ask-Upmark. Luke is quite a stud! 1200 pounds, 15.1 or so , solid black, long main and tail, and a schoolmaster in every sense of the word. He stood for hours accepting every ones attention, with nary a peep or irritated swish of the tail. When he was called on to perform he was 110% on. His feed back was honest and fair. I got to ride this wonderful fellow at Steinbecks Horsemans Day. It was educational and fun. When I wasn't riding Luke I enjoyed the speakers.

Riding simulators are not a well known tool in many circles and even in the circles they are known, they receive some snarky comments. To those people I say, don't knock it until you try it. I had my doubts, I mean really, why would I ride a mechanical horse when I have two perfectly good, living, breathing ones right outside my door? Simple answer? BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO SAVE THEM FROM MY LACK OF RIDING SKILLS! Now, beyond that, I was just plain curious. Does this simulator really feel like a live horse? YES.. What can it teach me? ALOT! Will I think its just a novelty? HELLS NO! Should this be taken seriously? IF YOU ARE SMART, YES! Why? Lets take other serious sports that operate at dangerous speeds on highly sensitive equipment: Car racing,motorcycle racing, piloting aircraft, bike racing...you get the picture right? All of these things have training simulators in common, and none of them pilot a living being with its own ideas. So in my book, our sport should be based on simulator style learning before actually being allowed to touch a real horse. In Europe school masters are common at good riding schools, allowing riders to learn position basics on a lunge. Here in the USA? Good luck with that. I couldn't even get a paid instructor to give me regular lunge lessons on my own horse. This is where that void is filled. Luke is fitted out with multiple sensors, a computer brain and screen and several programs to test ones abilities. On the teaching program he will visually tell you via a glaring red dot on the screen, if you are out of balance, off center, or just plain behind the motion. His side sensors tell you what leg is engaged and where. His bit sensors tell you when they have no contact, to much contact or simply imbalance between right and left. He responds without ire, honestly, and immediately to the input he receives. He is a computer after all, and your "typos" will be visible in his performance and even in his database. He records your ride and can play it back so you can see how well you fared! Let me ask you something, how often have you bounced around a lesson feeling for that second of "ahhhh" with your horse? One hour of blood, sweat and tears for a snapshot of what it can be like. Who pays the price for that, I ask you? Sure your butt is sore, but what where you slapping against to make it so sore? That's right, your beloved horse! What if you could find that "ah" moment and better yet ride it for as long as you wish. Then take that muscle memory and transfer it to your breathing equine? Now that moment of "ahhh" can be shared. Your horse will be so glad you got it worked out!

My ride on Luke told me something I already know, my left leg is weaker than my right. But, I had no idea my weaker left hand was more consistent, than my stronger right hand! And with a little physical manipulation applied as we where in working trot by Barbro, I found the sweet spot in the saddle that I would never have found on my own, no matter how loud the instructor yelled! By the way, that proper seat felt crooked as all get out to me until I got used it and could find it myself! It was fantastic! Aside from the "serious" work one can get done on the simulator, its also a gas! I couldn't stop smiling, much like the first time I rode a gaited horse. The audience had fun too. They got to watch it video game style on the large screen. My dressage test was pretty entertaining. Forget scoring in the 60's and 70's, I could hardly ride a straight line down the rail. I think I even stepped outside the arena and back in. In any case, all you gamers out there would appreciate working out your tennis stroke on Wii. Your first couple of shots go wild until you get the feel down. I could have ridden forever trying to perfect my feel, except for the fact that I was popping a sweat and my inner thighs where beginning to sing. Yes, like riding a real horse, it is a work out! So much so that there is a calorie counter as well. See? yet another application for a simulator. Hard winter? No worries stay in shape, indoors! Coming back from an injury? Ride in safety, no bucks or spooks here! Horse laid up? not this one, never lame, never throws a shoe, never an off day! Confidence problems, grow it with core strengthening practice. So, whats a girl to do? It is a perfect piece of equipment for a trainer such as myself. Well, as it turns out you can buy one of these wonders for your very own. And that's just what I did. Amerika , my own black beauty will be on her way to NC by the 15th of March. Sign up now as I have a feeling she will be very popular!

my ride: http://sharing.theflip.com/session/63dccd26098ddd12b96270122f565f66/video/107

Living in the "momo" (moment)

Talking to my dear friends farther north has made me grateful , kinda, for my soppy, coastal swamp. Even if you have never owned animals that require outdoor care in inclement weather, I'm sure you can imagine what dealing with feet of snow, gale force winds and plunging temps can be like while attached to a one thousand plus pound animal who finds the whole deal as vexing as you do. Horses are experts at mixing "yikes" and "woohoo" in large and equal amounts. This usually results in a awe inspiring athletic display that makes us wish we had our cameras, OR picking ourselves out of the nearest mud puddle, thicket, snow bank, and/or tree branch and wondering why all our money and time is spent toward this very frightening, very ungrateful animal!

I hear stories all the time about how old cream puff became"weather challenged" and uncharacteristically mashed their human, while their human was trying to "rescue" them from said weather. What to do ? What to do? This is simple miscommunication folks. Here's our take on the situation: "oh no its_____________(insert weather challenge, snow wind, rain , thunder) out! Poor Cream Puff I better go out QUICK and get her to shelter!" So then we attire ourselves properly against the elements and feeling very confident our animals are thinking just what we are, we scurry out to right this wrong. What are we feeling? Well, angst, tension, hurry, fear,impatience, misery from what ever element is washing over us....and we approach our yikes/woohoos with this. They on the other hand are thinking "weeeeeee, yikes, weeeeeeeeeeeee, yikes yikes, waaaaahooooo!" Then they spy a oddly bundled energy bomb moving quickly toward them. they recognize that this could mean, "food, change of venue or just as easily...... hey, shes come to yikes -woohoo with us. YAY!" Here's where the trouble starts. We have all heard the saying"leave your emotions in the tack room" This is very good advise. But don't forget "train where you can and not where you can't" and "it takes as long as it takes". The "where" in the last statement includes emotional spaces not just the obvious physical spaces like a challenging spot on the trail or by the"scary" end of the arena. Emotional space is your mind set and energy under the same distractions your horse is experiencing. Are you thinking about how quickly you can catch him up and get you and he out of this weather? Are you wishing the snow wasn't dripping down your cheeks into the neck of your jacket? Are you wondering if all the horses are out to kill you by being way the heck down the field away from the gate? Are you wondering why this is taking so long and why you tried to do this in the first place? hmmmmmmmmm? Probably! Human nature after all. But what should be considered is the fact that you will have to be focused, flexible and serene for as long as it takes to achieve your goal...which may or may not be your horses goal.

Always attend to the horse you have today, in the moment. Not the horse you usually have. Now , you may think as you read this that I advocate training during a dangerous weather event, that's not the case. But I am saying that you should be prepared to if you have chosen this time to interact with your horse. Relax, Focus and Breathe. Start training where ever your horse tells you to start and watch your successful experiences pile up.

The Turtle and The Hare

The following is a true account about two riding buddies. One rode a horse that had no "go". Let's call him Turtle. Turtle and his mom called me for help because all she wanted to do is take a nice trail ride with her friends, but Turtle was so hard to keep moving that riding with anyone became an unbearable slog that left her exhausted and close to tears. Her best riding buddy had a horse we'll call Hare. The Hare pranced and danced and rode in a very big bit. Hare, often charged way ahead down the trail only to balk at something and turn around. At which point they would meet back up with Turtle and the two women would head home. Both of the women had the same problem. But neither woman believed me when I told them so. Well, of course they agreed Turtle had a "go" problem but not the "Hare", he flew if you let off that bit even one inch. Turtles mom even said she wished she had a horse more like the "Hare". Both gals rode together often as all the other riders at the stable had doled all the advise they had for both ladies and then became "unavailable" for any further rides.

For each horse we returned to the ground work to lay a foundation that would allow for both sides ( equine and human) to draw from as we progressed back to riding. Each horse and rider team worked on the exact same exercises. One focused on the clarity and quality of "go" and the other on the clarity and quality of "whoa". Hares mom quickly noticed that she completed roughly double the repetitions per session than did her friend with Turtle. But to her consternation Turtle seemed to be making progress faster than Hare. He was more consistent in his answers. Turtles mom however envied the amount of energy that Hare put into his work and was not as willing to accept Turtles progress. Soon riding was added to their weekly lessons and Hares mom spent double the time in the saddle than did Turtles mom. Who had to keep dismounting and going back to groundwork. Meanwhile Hares mom moved on to new exercises under saddle. Turtles mom envied Hares"progress". Both Woman gave 110%. The moment of truth came on their first trail ride together since embarking on lessons. Hare as usual, was in the lead, but he had slowed enough and turtle had moved out enough that the women could still converse for most of the ride. But then something happened. The Hare came to a creek crossing. The creek was swollen from recent rains. He balked and was trying to turn around when Turtle arrived at the creek. Following her template from her lessons, she focused on the quality of the go and not the quantity or distance traveled and soon found herself across the creek. Hares mom cheered her from the other bank and went to work on Hare. Using the under saddle lessons to calm and focus him. After twice the time that it took Turtle to cross the creek, she to was able to cross as well. The woman where thrilled with their progress but questioned this at our next session. "Why," they asked "was a horse with so much "go" like Hare not able to navigate the creek as quickly as Turtle?" Quite simply, Turtle had way more practice at "go". When a horse like Hare is ridden, his rider is often more focused on keeping any cueing of forward to a minimum. After all the animal is champing at the bit to go right? Not in reality , no. The horse is so excited its energy is taken for having a "forward" so the rider never gets to practice "go". Riding him becomes more like popping a clutch in a car. On a horse like Turtle, since he is not moving "go" becomes what is practiced. The under saddle work that Hare got to work on was to focus and calm him so that eventually he would slow to a natural pace at which point true practice on "go" could happen. The amazing thing about this study of opposites is that they will reach the same level of training at roughly the same time. They just get to practice different areas of the lesson at different times. By the time Turtles mom had enough "go" to practice the under saddle exercises that Hares mom practiced near the beginning. Hares mom had enough "whoa" to practice exercises that developed Turtles "go". The result was two riding buddies on horses that rode together at what ever pace was dictated by their riders in all situations. The lesson learned was horses with energy may not have a go and horses with out go can achieve it with practice.

"Gives" a given?

Billy and I using gives for directional control...


What is a give? A give is the opposite of a brace. That seems fairly obvious right? But if you want the Lyons definition here it is: " a Give is no pull, not just neutral, and energy and movement in the direction you want to go" The kicker is, that a give can be asked for and given from any part of the horses body. Most of the time you will hear the word give in reference to the horses jaw. And you certainly want to teach a horse to not brace against your rein aids. But a give is also about controlling one piece of your horse. Can he give his hip? Can he give his right front foot? If you control just one piece of your horses body you control the horse. The hardest part for a rider to master is the simplicity of this concept and the ability to focus on just one piece of the horse at a time. It takes practice. We are always taught to ride the whole horse. We have two arms, two legs, a seat, a very busy brain, various artificial aids like bats, spurs and fancy bits. We also have supporting artificial aids like martingales, chambons, gouges, figure eight nose bands, and side reins. Whew, with all this going on its no wonder we cant understand why we aren't more successful with our horses. All that stuff should do its job right? Well, no actually. Imagine being as sensitive as we know horses are and being confronted with all that "noise" from all that stimulus. Its like being thrust into the middle of a Christmas sale a Macy's. I don't know about you, but the thought of a loud, crowded,holiday decorated mall makes me break out into a cold sweat.

So how do we learn this concept? Well, just like with our horses we should start were we are successful with it. Like say on the ground. In a good learning environment, with few distractions. There is plenty of time to test your new skill in more distracting locations but don't start there after all, you are learning( and teaching) a new skill.

Baby, its cold outside....

BRRRRRRRRRR!

31 degrees and windy and she finally fluffs the coat! Whats funny is that when it warmed up to 40 degrees she was in the shade by the barn dozing!

Coastal "snow" aka heavy frost!

One inch of ice on the trough!