Buying Your First Horse!

Shaman and the boys

I have been writing back and forth with a student who is looking to buy her first horse, and my husband read the letter and exclaimed, this is a blog!  So here you go! Names have been changed to protect the innocent!

In preparation for getting your horse - 

Rascal and Kate

I would love to get into a lesson routine with you. I would suggest twice a week and to add in some 'hang out' time with that. (like an hour lesson and grooming/hand walking for another hour). I don't leave my horses unsupervised with anyone because every interaction is training, but for you to have time to groom Shaman and learn about pressure and release, while he's a liberty in a round pen, would be excellent for you, as would walking with him.   I would be around, but not instructing during that time. I might be grooming or working with another horse.  I am thinking that we could consider a monthly 'package'.

Shaman and Kate

You will benefit greatly by working with a trained horse. What is so unique about Shaman is his generosity of spirit. You can experience what it's like to have a connection with a horse, without having put the time and work into creating that connection in the first place. Shaman in particular is so willing to offer it to you. I think it's like learning dressage from a schoolmaster, the horse teaches you what the movements feel like. Sometimes Shaman is the teacher and I act as guide/translator, sometimes I am the teacher/educator and he is there so you can practice - when you get it right- he'll respond by doing what you want. It's quite different than teaching the horse. I would like for you to have that experience as well, but it's best to learn first from schooled horses! 

The more you know about how to handle a horse the better able you will be to evaluate the horses you are looking at. If you fully understand the 7 games, for example, you can use all of them when looking at a horse, and each will tell you something about that horse.

As for the woman with the Percheron, who sent you a video,  I would ask her for a better and larger formatted video. She can load it to Youtube. I'd ask for her to demonstrate his ground skills. Show him being haltered, brushed, his feet being picked up and cleaned, how  stands for grooming and harnessing.  I'd pay a lot of attention to his willingness - does he go up to the trainer/owner and willingly put his head in a halter, does he stand quietly and contentedly, is it easy for her to lift his feet?

Snow Angel!

Then I'd ask for a video of him pulling the forcart/wagon and being saddled, mounted, walk/trot/canter both directions, standing while mounted, how he handles with another horse in the corral would be good too. If he's had Parelli training, have her do a video of the 7 games with him as well. Find out how many hours of riding has he had. How many hours of pulling a cart? What happens when he's stressed and upset. Is he easy to read? On a scale of 1-10 what is his temperament and how would she describe it. Would she consider him a seasoned horse good for a novice? ( I could go on.... !)

The rest of this letter will be tomorrow's post. So, come back tomorrow!




 

Shaman At Liberty

All my mustangs love the snow! Here is Shaman hanging out with me at Liberty in the middle of a snowstorm. He loves to walk with me, matching every footfall, stopping as I stop, trotting when I jog, being cute up on the stump. No matter what I ask of him, he is willing. Why is that?

It's all about Connection. It is the result of many, many hours of playing with Shaman and making it fun for him. It's about developing a language that is subtle and kind, and a relationship that puts the horse first.

Shouldn't all our relationships be that way? Full of focus, kindness, play? Thinking about how the other one feels. Is it fun for you too?

Black Elk Companion Walking 1 12

This video shows us walking together, but I am not leading him. While walking beside him, it is more like riding, and the horse has to take greater responsibility for himself. It develops his bravery and self-confidence. He also has to listen to me and stay with me, stop when I stop and back up when I back up, turning both directions. To ask him to walk I have several cues, such as some pressure in his ribs, the word walk, or pointing. He understands them all. He is free to leave me at any time, but mostly he stays connected.

Jin Shin on My Horse Rascal

Rascal had a very different issue. But the great thing about Jin Shin is that it works on many levels: physical, emotional and spiritual. Of course, the issue might show up on all those levels - or just one. Rascal's presenting issue was a persistant soreness in his right hip, so Pam and I worked on his back and his hips. It is interesting to see his expressions, so I have included lots of photos in this blog. He was not as expressive as Black Elk, but I don't think the issue was nearly as deep either.

 While it is best to have your horse loose while doing Jin Shin, Rascal is like his name and he's into everything, so I tied him to the trailer, so he'd stay more in one place. You can see that some energy is beginning to move by his pawing and the arch in his neck in the next photo.

 Like folks who smoke or eat all the time, Rascal works out his displaced feelings with his mouth, so here he's eating the trailer.

 I was working on the hip that was stiff, and Pam was working on the opposite hip. Even on her side there was very little energy.

 By now, he seems to have some release and is feeling better.

 Usually at the end of the session the horse seems to say 'thank you'!

As for me, I want to thank my Jin Shin Peeps.. Pam Frye and Teri Murrey! They are pure magic!

Jin Shin with my Horse Black Elk

On my birthday, January 5, my Jin Shin friends came over to share Sushi and Jin Shin. I had just come in from a lesson that focused on 'relaxation in movement' with Black Elk. I was in a feeling mode, not in my head and very clear about what I felt about Black Elk. He tries so hard to please. He wants to do it perfectly, so perfectly that he has a terrible time relaxing into the movements, even though we have done them many times and he's really very good at each of them.

My fellow Jin Shin Practictioner's were listening and as I heard myself talk about Black Elk, I heard the words too. Perfectionism, trying too hard or as Mary Burmister says: Pre-tense.

We all agreed that he needed the heart flow. 

Kate and Pam work on Black Elk

In the lesson, we worked on asking for a movement and then not releasing or letting him quit until he showed signs of relaxation. (He was familiar with all these movments, but he tended to relax only AFTER he stopped) We wanted him to learn he could relax WHILE  he was moving. What I found during the lesson was that unless I slowed things down a lot, he would go and go but not relax, until he got to walk or stop. I felt if he could learn to relax while moving we'd both be happier.

So, Pam Frye, my Jin Shin teacher and I went out to work on Black Elk. He's an introvert, which means among other things that he's shy, and has trouble showing what he's feeling.  It also means he'll stand still while you work on him, which is great.

I did the heart flow on him while Pam worked on the 12's - which is all about unloading garbage from the past- releasing. Why we didn't have the camera going is beyond me. It was amazing. He dropped his head and began yawning and yawning, opening his mouth so widely he looked as if he wanted to vomit. (Horses can't vomit, by the way)  He twisted his tongue so it was sideways in his mouth, he stuck it out - untill about 8 inches of tongue was showing, he continued to yawn, stretching his neck down, shaking his neck, pawing, rolling his eyes, chewing, mouthing, sticking his tongue out again and again. Deep breathing, sighs. This went on for 10 minutes or more. Until he was quiet. He looked back at me with a big quiet eye.

His actions reminded me so much of some very intense therapy I had done on a very painful childhood issue. At times I felt as if I would vomit, and I would often dream of vomiting. In Elena Avila's book: "Woman Who Glows in the Dark" (a Çurandera) she says that naseau and vomiting are always signs of brining a soul back into the body, back to earth, to ground, to recapture that lost part of ourselves, it is a true spiritual cleansing. (see page 211)

I think this happened for Black Elk. For the past two weeks I have seen him come out more and more, playing with toys, with the other horses, acting like a big kid, cantering in lovely small circles.

And in our work together, he is learning to relax while moving.. but more about that later.

Liberty Work

For years I have noticed that my mustangs much prefer working at liberty versus with a halter/rope/lunge line. Neither Rascal or Black Elk would really do their best work while attached, but let free in the arena, with no contact they offered me the best they had to give.

In order to keep their attention I 'resorted' to treats. I struggled with - is it OK to give them treats - is this incentive, bribery or just babying them? They were so  willing to work for a small slice of apple, a tiny bite of carrot, a few pellets.  But was this really 'correct training'?
(ah, the Catholic girl is still in there!)

Then I went to a Robin Gates Clinic. Robin was a student of Carolyn Resnick's for 20 years. She is certified to teach her method. Both teach Liberty Work with the goal of 'connecting to the heart of the horse'. Carolyn wandered with a herd of mustangs as a child during her summers and eventually was made a member of the herd, even riding the horses at Liberty. Although both Carolyn and Robin are skilled dressage riders, their work is so far from the military style it makes me giggle. And treats - Well, let me tell you at the clinic - there was a complete snack bar! Buckets of pellets, sliced carrots, LOTS of treats!

What I witnessed at the Clinic at 'FromTheMotherFarm' - was just what I had experienced at home, except MORE .... so much MORE!

The horses had bright, shinny faces. Enthusiasm, joy and attention - even with 25 spectators, a new place, horses in adjacent fields, they were attentive! Moments of pure connection stretched to minutes of connection, stretched to many minutes of connection. This might have been the horse 'companion walking' with the person, or playing one of many 'games.'  One of the games was 'pay attention to me'- what an easy and very powerful game. When the horse focuses on you - you give him/her a treat. No pulling, no tapping with a whip, just waiting and a reward. Pretty soon instead of looking at everything else, your horse is looking at you!

A word about treats. Each horse is taught to be respectful around food, I will stand with a bucket of grain in front of me and my horses will stand 2-3 feet away and wait until I say 'head down' or point to take a bite of the food. Then I say 'head up' and ask them to back. When the horse is done chewing, I will give him a task. It may be a 'simple' as focusing on me, or it may be circling at a trot or a canter, or leaving the bucket to companion walk with me, in sync with my body, stopping when I stop, turning when I turn, slowing down, going faster and then eventually back to the treats. (Robin kept the treats out of the arena) I usually work with treats in a pan, or in a fanny pack, depending on what I am doing.

So, why the treats? What I see is that it's like 'Clicker Training', which is how I gentled Black Elk. The horse goes into seeking mode - thinking, looking for  the answer- motivated by the treat. Soon the horse learns that I am the key to the treats, and like the lead mare, the treats are available only when I say so. That makes me pretty important. And they learn there are things they can do to get what  they want - pay attention, back up, stay in one spot, circle, walk with you... well  the list is endless.

If you have read my earlier blogs you will know that I have walked the trails with my horses at liberty and what a wonderful feeling that was for me.   But, I felt so alone in my journey and I longed for others who could see the benefit and fun of working at liberty. I found that at Robin's Clinic. It was so deeply satisfying to be with a group of like minded souls doing this heart cenerted work that I could hardly speak!

The first week after the clinic I had a student for a week doing an intensive for 2-4 hours a day... so, that is what we did. We had a blast. Shaman and Polly were learning things at lightening speed. It was so much fun!  (Polly also had her first riding lessons on Rascal!)

I feel like this is what I was looking for with horses - the joy and freedom that horses represent - the connection with a kind, generous animal. Interspecies communication, Respect for one another, Love. It's all happening. No pushing, no pulling, no hurting. If the horse is disinterested, he walks away - what could be simplier than that!

So, you may wonder, does the horse just wander off? Sometimes, but less and less as time goes on. Mostly,  they LOVE to play, they WANT to be with me, and they want the treats and it seems that figuring out how to get them is part of the fun.  They get so excited that they offer one thing after another: ' what about a side pass? how about rolling the barrel? how about a nice big trot? what about standing on this stump...or the mounting block?" They are thinking and they are having FUN!!  I am having fun and  laughing - their ears are up, their eyes bright, they look interested, excited -  we are happy with one another.

There have been many gems along the way:  calling to Rascal who is out on grass, having him put his head up, look at me and come happily to go play in the arena. Calling all the horses and having them come as a herd. Watching Rascal figure out something new and seeing how excited he is. Having the horses always be aware of where I am and calling to me. Walking with the horses at liberty in companion walking on the property and on the trail. And we are just beginning.....

Pat Parelli writes on Learned Helplessness

Walking the Woods with Black Elk at Liberty

Yesterday, I read a recent blog post by Pat Parelli refering to his younger days and how he has grown as a horseman. He said he suffered from Young Man's Disease- as many young men do. When it shows up with horses it's not pretty, but it's very common. It has to do with forcing a horse, making the horse do something - about overpowering the horse, showing him who is boss!

I have thought deeply about  with HOW to Work/Play/Be with a horse, how I want to be with horses. There is LOTS of conflicting advice. I rode in my youth with two Polish Calvery Officers. They were as you might imagine - very Yang in their approach to horses and riding. Their jobs as Officers in the Calvery was to get young men able and trained enough to ride horses into battle. 

While I was happy to have some mentors, it was not a really comfortable fit for me. I wanted the connection with horses, but 40 years ago.. no one was talking about connection/ partnership/respect for the horse. 

I wanted a friend, a companion, a pal who I could go on adventures with, and I actually acheived it!

I had a beautiful,  off the track TB who's father won the Belmont. His name was Especially You, I called him 'Shally".  He was fast, but generally lazy. When he didn't want to do something he'd just back up. Little did I  know how of all the choices he could of made, that one was the easiest for me to deal with!

As time went by, and we spent hours hanging out, and wandering the countryside, he rarely wanted to back up anymore.. we were not only moving forward; we were becoming partners. A few years after I got Shally,  I moved to Martha's Vineyard and although the young party crowd interested me for a while, I soon was back to hanging out with my horse out in nature. He lived in my back yard, and we talked out my bedroom window. We spent days trotting through the pine forests and swimming in ponds, exploring the wonders of Martha's Vineyard.  In the winter we went to the beaches and played at the water's edge, and raced through the woods. 

From the Vineyard we moved to the south of Boston. Again, I found a great spot for him, and daily we would canter the trails, often with a child behind the saddle with me. Then we were off to Vermont, where we lived on a farm along Chunk Brook Road. It was an old ski lodge, and there Shally and I traveled down every dirt road and logging trail we could find. He simply did as I bid. He was my best friend, my buddy, my traveling companion. I realize now how this happened - it was time spent together. Simply, a lot of hours. 

When we traveled, I had an old, awful, single axel, wooden horse trailer. At night we'd stop in a field and I'd tie him to a tire so he could graze. In the morning, I'd ask him to load up and he'd jump right in that awful dangerous box. No matter where I took him, he was relaxed and seemed at home. I didn't even know what I'd acheived!

So, you might say I suffered from "Young Women's Disease". Now, I think I had no illness that needed to be cured. I was on the right path, like many young women and their horse friends.

One of the things I have thought alot about in relation to working with horses is  "Learned Helplessness". When I was able to label certain training methods with this term, it all became much clearer to me. It took it out of  a feeling state  (it makes me feel bad, it doesn't feel right) to something I can get a handle on. The power of words cannot be underestimated! You can see my blogpost about Learned Helplessness in January.  Pat Parelli wrote about the same term in his latest blog. It's nice to know we are thinking many of the same thoughts! Yeah, Pat!