Sunday Funday: Sledding With Horses!

Today I got the chance to scratch something off my horsey bucket list. The weather has been absolutely horrible thanks to the polar vortex of doom here in the US. However, today we decided to take advantage of the snow and play with something new. Yesterday, one of the girls at our barn decided it would be fun to hook her ponies up to a harness and have them pull a sled. After hearing about it and seeing the videos, of course I wanted to try it with my two horses!

With this plan in mind, I started my session with Rydel with a lot of friendly game. My ultimate goal was to get her to be able to drag something behind her confidently. I have to say, when I pulled the tarp out (after conveniently stashing it away all winter), Rydel's snorts and skepticism quickly had me thinking this was not going to be as easy as I had initially anticipated. After playing various versions of the friendly game in every zone for about a half hour, Rydel was still not very confident having the tarp or bag dragged behind her. Sensing the need to retreat, I decided to take a break and focus my attention elsewhere. After a short but sweet time at liberty, I decided to hop on Rydel bareback and watch as my fellow barn-mates took turns having their horses pull the sled. After some more friendly game following them around on horseback and of course, after I took a turn riding in the sled myself, I decided to bite the bullet and put the harness on Rydel. I wanted to see how she would react, and I was basically prepared for the worst.

At first, Evan stayed behind and put a little pressure on the rope while I lead Rydel around. Once we got the hang of that, I had Evan get in the sled and led Rydel again. I was AMAZED at how well she did. She really seemed to understand the purpose and even leaned into the harness to give herself more leverage. Before I knew it, we were trotting around and having a great time! We played with this with both Rydel and Lilah and they both did great! Even though we were having a lot of fun, we kept our playtime short, sweet, and successful, knowing that we would definitely be practicing with the sled again.

At the end of our playtime with the sled, Rydel let out a big yawn and had a big emotional release. I could not be more proud of the confidence she demonstrated today, and I am even more humbled that she so willingly accepted my leadership and attempted something scary that she had never done before. What a great way to end the weekend!

What is on your horsey bucket list?

Positive, Progressive, and Natural!

As we ring in 2014, I cannot get away with not talking about my goals for this new year. I have decided to set myself up for success this year and keep my goals simple and attainable. I was recently reading 3-Star Parelli Instructor, Jake Biernbaum's newsletter in which he reminded me to keep working on my horsemanship, keeping the phrase "positive, progressive, and natural" in mind. What a perfect theme on which to base my goals for 2014 (thanks, Jake)!

2014 Horsemanship Goals

1) Seek out more support to keep a positive attitude throughout my journey

2) Teach my horse something new every month to stay progressive

3) keep it natural, always!

What are your horsemanship goals for 2014? Feeling stuck? Take a look at the eight principles below to help you generate ideas!

Note: This photo is property of Parelli Natural Horsemanship.

"The Success of Your Horse" on the Parelli Central Blog

I have recently had a blog post featured on the Parelli Central Blog...Enjoy!

Click here to go to the blog!

So It's Been A While...

I'm sure you have all probably forgotten what it looks like to have my blog pop up in your reading lists and dashboards, but alas, I am alive and humbly seeking forgiveness from disappearing for so long. I have no real excuse other than the fact that blogging has not been a priority lately. Well, today I'm hoping that will change, as I have lot's of exciting things to share with you.

Rewind back to the winter, it was cold but not miserable and Rydel and I were doing a lot of riding. I have never been a particularly confident rider, but the trust and confidence Rydel has gained in the last year has inspired the growth of confidence within myself, and with each day of playing with and riding Rydel, I felt more and more willing to try bigger and bolder things.

When I got Rydel eight years ago, she was totally green and terrified of being ridden. The day I went to trial her before the purchase, the owner lunged her for about 15 minutes, tied her up and forced the saddle on her. She could not be mounted without someone forcing her to stand still, and she was so agitated with the whole situation that she threw her head so violently that she flipped the reins over her head and literally flipped the bit completely over inside her mouth. Even after witnessing all that, I still did not comprehend what a challenge this horse would be for me. She has been my greatest challenge, a wonderful success, and most importantly, my best teacher.

This is a video of me riding Rydel back in February of this year (Link Below). The purpose of this video is not to show off any great skill or ability as a rider; there are many people who ride more gracefully properly than I do. Instead, I am proud of this video because of the confidence and trust we have both gained as partners. Never in a million years would I have expected to accomplish the things I am now accomplishing with my horse. This sweet little Arab has taught me to dream a little bigger every day! :)

(Here's the video link. I couldn't get it to upload directly!)

Perfect Landing

This past weekend Evan and I made the 8 hour trip east to move myself, some of our things, and our horses to my new (and Evan's old) home in Pennsylvania. It was a long drive for us, and even longer for the horses, but we all eventually made it safe and sound and had an absolutely "perfect landing" when the horses stepped off the trailer in their new Oxford, PA home for the first time. Rydel was a little stiff (as to be expected) but back nicely off the trailer and just stood and waited for me to give her the next cue. I slowly walked her into her outdoor dry lot which had been set up for the night with hay, water, and fresh straw bedding in their run-in. I gave her a good once over and hit some of her acupressure points to help ease her pain. After Lilah got off the trailer and we squared up with JD Hughes, our amazing transport driver, our barn owner said something that I wouldn't have expected. She said... "Never have I ever seen two horses step off the trailer and act so calm and comfortable here." With a smile, I looked at Evan and knew he was thinking the same exact thing, It's all thanks to Parelli! Our horses are adaptable, they act like partners, and they look to us as their leaders to tell them whether they should be nervous in their new environment. Evan and I were well prepared for the moment they would step off the trailer and in being centered ourselves, we allowed our horses to be centered as well.

We allowed our horses to settle in overnight, and I was amazed to find two perfect partners waiting for us the next morning right at the gate ready to greet us! We took the opportunity to spend some undemanding time before letting them out in their pasture for the first time. They both walked about 5 feet before stopping to graze, and meeting their over the fence neighbor was a non event. Deciding they were content, we left for about an hour to pick up supplies at a local feed and tack store. One we returned, as we walked through their dry lot and over to the gate that leads to their pasture, we saw four ears perk up over the hill. Rydel had been grazing next to Lilah who decided life is much easier when you can graze from the ground!

We then allowed our horses to catch us and escorted them into the barn for the first time. Again our barn owner was amazed to see them walk so calmly around the unfamiliar territory of the farm. As we walked, I kept checking to see how connected Rydel was to me by stopping and seeing how much it took to get her to stop with me. Once inside, Rydel confidently put her nose on the stall doors, horse blankets, and even the clock! She backed confidently into the wash rack before getting to explore the magnificent indoor arena.

Having the large indoor to ourselves, Evan and I decided to let the horses off their leads to play at liberty, and we had such a great time! Both Rydel and Lilah stuck to us at the walk and trot all around the arena as we explored the mirrors, jumps, and mounting block. Even as the barn owner opened the large doors to the indoor exposing us to the open barn leading to the outside, Rydel's attention to me never faltered and she stayed with me the entire time completely at liberty!

I'm so happy to have such wonderful horses! And I'm convinced that our prior and proper preparation with Parelli has allowed this transition to a new state to be a purely positive experience!

Weekend Of Savvy

This past weekend Evan and I went down to Murfreesboro, Tennessee to volunteer again for the Parelli  Horse and Soul Tour and we had an absolute blast! From the moment we got there we were greeted with open arms from our friends on the Parelli Road Staff. It was so cool to be part of the "inner circle" and I believe wonderfully amazing things are in store (Can't wait to divulge more about it!!) In the meantime, here are some pictures from the weekend.

The first night we all went out to dinner and had a hilarious time trying to hook Liz up with the server! 

Juli Piovesan, Parelli Professional extraordinaire! <3

Carrie (who sold us Evan's horse) showed up with her family!

The girls: Athena, Jill, and me!

Evan sporting the new Parelli Outerwear and showing his support for Breast Cancer Awareness!

Pat demonstrating it's not about the trailer!

We love volunteering!

Blue skies on our ride home. :)

Refreshed.

I've been avoiding writing this blog post because I just don't know how to sort out all of the emotions I've encountered this past weekend. Today though, I am refreshed. It was a weekend of total catharsis.

 For those who are not aware, the Parelli's just came to Columbus with their Horse and Soul Tour and I was lucky enough to be accepted to volunteer. There have been defining moments within my horsemanship journey and I must say that volunteering has been added to the list of those moments. In fact, it positively changed my life. Something totally snapped during those 60 hours of sorting, bagging, lifting, explaining, helping, laughing, clapping, and crying (yes, ending with lots of crying)! During my time as a volunteer I went from a Parelli Student, someone who admired the Parelli's wholeheartedly and strived to follow the program in an attempt to better the world for horses and humans, to a Parelli Team-Member, an insider, someone who is personally invested and affected by the success of the team, someone who strives to achieve that success not just for herself but for the good of the whole. We Are Parelli, I Am Parelli, they are one in the same.

Columbus, Ohio 2012

This experience did not just reaffirm my belief that I made the right decision to not give up and get serious about my relationship with my horse, but it has humbled me. I feel grateful to be a part of a group of individuals who care so passionately about one another, who share the same beliefs about horsemanship, and who have a vested interest in changing the horse-world for the better.

Yes, I realize Emily used this picture but It's just SO perfect! My Girls and Pat!

Furthermore, this weekend I learned a lot about myself. I learned that I gain confidence when I'm around like minded people. I also learned that despite this confidence, I'm still an introvert and I bottle my emotions like crazy- bad emotions, good emotions, it doesn't matter. As a result, I sometimes "blow myself up" and end up a blubbery mess trying to say thank you and goodbye to her beloved Parelli Professionals. :D

All in all, I'm addicted. I love this program. I love these people. And I can't wait to volunteer again in Tennessee!

Why I Love My Right Brain Introvert

My RBI has taught me more than I could have ever imagined and for that I am very grateful. While it is often easy to focus on the negatives of Horsenality, or use it as an excuse, I wrote this poem to focus on the positives of my horse's Horsenality. It is also to say "thank you" to the best horse in the world!

Why I love My Right Brain Introvert

Dear RBI, you are SO willing to please,

you try very hard and offer a squeeze.

A very sensitive horse you are,

a little pressure will go quite far!

I take my time, wait and see,

just how great you can be!

Foot on the pedestal, a jump or two,

it doesn't take much to be a breakthrough.

You taught me balance and how much is too much,

Cones, barrels, tarps, with your nose you now touch.

Sweet little horse, you are just what I need.

Together as partners we will succeed! 

It's The Little Things

Yesterday was a really great day with the horses. Evan and I got there early enough that we were able to let the horses out to soak up some sun in the pasture for a few hours. The gang (Rydel, Lilah, and Sonny) were eating and running and jumping and just all around enjoying themselves.

Later, I brought Rydel in, cleaned her up (sort of!), and brought her into the arena to play. Not only did she give me really good sideways with a fence in both directions, but she had the most beautiful allow on the circle at liberty. It was awesome to just stand there relaxed and have my horse trot a lap around me in a perfect circle! Then when I wanted her in I gently looked at her hind end suggesting her to disengage and there she was walking toward me with a good expression on her face! As if that wasn't enough to make me happy, we worked with the mounting block- something that has recently become a stressor for me- after about ten minutes of just having her relax and stand quietly next to it I began asking her to move her hind end toward me and the mounting block. She got nervous about this as usual, but for the first time ever she actually took a step toward me!!! This is huge for a horse that finds safety in retreat and moving away from scary things. She trusted me enough to take that step so after lots of friendly I asked for her front end and then her back end to move toward me again, slowly but surly she started to get the concept and become more and more confident about it! :D I can't wait to keep working with it! These little joys are what keep me coming back for more. I love this journey!

Haha! (Right after rolling)

Lilah Rose

My Girl

The Gang

:)

She's so smart!

Beauty and Power

Best Day Of The Year! (So Far...)

I realize this is a little bit late but bear with me as I recap the beginning of my week and explain why Monday, January 16, 2012 was hands down the best day of the new year...

The day started off exceptionally well because despite my lack of sleep, we had no classes that day due to the MLK Day Holiday! So to celebrate, Emily came over early that morning and she, Evan, and I all went to Equus Now to look for new breeches and other fun horsey things to buy. After leaving with a brand new pair of black full seat breeches and a pink sparkly curry comb, we all went to Waffle House to eat and relax. After we were full of breakfast food we hurried home to change and head out to the barn, where once there we cleaned up our horses and prepared for the lesson we had schedule with Juli for the day. Well, our lesson really helped put the finishing touches on our games online and helped me progress into the basics of freestyle riding!

First Juli helped me fix our often crooked back-up during the yo-yo game, making it look crisp and clean. Next we worked on really getting the sideways game to click for Rydel by half-circling her to the wall and then using a forward motion with her carrot stick toward her hindquarters and balancing out the nose with my rope hand. Rydel really picked up on the whole concept very quickly and she also helped me learn a few things about her thresholds. You see, Juli helped me realize that Rydel has 3 types of hesitations- "I cant", "I'm confused," and "I wont". While sometimes these three hesitations may appear similar, upon closer inspection they are actually very different and need to be treated differently. This is a huge insight and I think I know it will improve my savvy when dealing with this situations. During the whole lesson up to this point Rydel was very relaxed and didn't feel the need to move her feet as much (like she had done so much in the past). In fact, she even offered to come up to Juli and stand by her confidently. With Rydel feeling so calm and focused we decided to saddle up and work on a few freestyle techniques, at which point another boarder brought her horse into the arena along with her trainer and both of her parents...Great! However, just when I thought Rydel would get nervous and distracted with another horse, riding in the arena, she did great by staying calm and keeping her attention on what I was asking her to do! We worked on getting into the power position for stopping, and "tromboning" the reins. We also learned how to do a hindquarter yield by using an indirect rein (my new favorite thing to practice)! Overall it was a great lesson and I though the day couldn't get any better...Boy was I wrong!

When I got home I got on my computer to catch up on Facebook and relax as usual and eventually I got around to checking my email. Much to my surprise, the Parelli Team had already processed and scored my level 2 online audition and I PASSED 2++!!!!

I was so ecstatic (and honestly shocked) to see that I had done so well! It is really a huge motivator to myself to keep going with the levels program and keep striving for the best- especially considering I didn't even want to send one in in the first place! I am so grateful to Pat, Linda, and everyone who supported and helped me so far! This really is a great start to the year!!

Holy Cow, My Boyfriend Has a Horse!

From the time I was a little girl, I had ideas about how wonderful owning my own horse would be. I also had ideas about who my Prince Charming would be and what he would be like. Well, never in a million years did I expect that my Prince Charming would also be into horses, let alone actually own one! Much to my ultimate surprise, this past weekend the unthinkable came true...My boyfriend got a horse! This past  Sunday we made the 7 hour trip back from Tennessee to bring home Lilah Rose, Evan's one and a half year old American Bashkir Curly Horse!

I feel so lucky to be dating someone who is so accepting and supportive of my dream with horses. I am also especially lucky to have someone who has his own dream with horses! I am so excited to see how things progress with Lilah and Evan's relationship- they are already off to a fantastic start! And think how lucky that horse is to have a leader and a partner who has never known anything other than Parelli! I have great expectations and I'm sure I'll be posting lots of updates. :)

It's A Brand New Year.

Thinking back on 2011 has made me realize just how far Rydel and I have truly come. As I was going through old Facebook posts one day, I came across the date that I moved Rydel down to Columbus with me: September 14, 2010. It's amazing to think it has only been a little over a year that I have had her here with me, but what's even more amazing is the fact that my first lesson with Jesse was August 28, 2011- Almost an entire year since Rydel came to Columbus- and that was really where it all came together for us. From that day forward, the rest of 2011 had become a whirlwind adventure full of horsemanship, an incredible new friendship, and consistent improvement.

The Holidays flew by with a blur but were wonderful and relaxing as always (Ok, they were a little busy too considering I have not had a chance to update on here). Anyhow, I received a fantastic gift from Emily, an engraved leather bracelet that bears the phrase "live your dream", an incredibly symbolic and appropriate gift with which to start out the New Year.

As cheesy as it sounds, this bracelet reminds me that I have the ability to hold my dreams in my hand, to take charge of my life and stop making excuses for myself. My new years resolution is to never lose sight of my dream with natural horsemanship, to always strive to reach my goals and to never settle for less than better than best. I love that Emily has one too, reminding us that we are in this ride together as best friends, personal cheerleaders, and horse lovers.

I am so excited for whatever this year will bring, and I'm sure it will be full of surprises but it will also be a year of living my dream and building on that dream and making it bigger. I'm ready for some incredible transformations in my relationship with my horse and in my life in general! 2012, BRING IT ON!
______________________________
And of course, I didn't forget. Here is my Natural New Year's Resolution #3: Make the Switch! Whenever possible, switch to organic products. I have always used organic cleaning products such as Greenworks dish detergent, but I also just recently switched my makeup and makeup brush to all organic products. I recommend Physicians Formula Organic Wear and Covergirl Natureluxe products. Let me know what organic products you love!