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glenatronGuessing game: Guess who was the first member of the class to hit the dirt today. Next up, guess who was the second...
This morning we got to ride our first set of young horses, putting a little more time on some of the colts they started last month. These were horses that had been sat on before but maybe not often.
Jake bringing some of the colts up to the working pens.
I was paired up with a little mare called Cookie, who was small and bay and not entirely certain of me but willing to give me a chance. We saddled up and then took their halters off and Martin moved them through from the indoor arena to the outdoor one so he could let them run loose for a while and get any excessive excitement out of their systems.
Martin moving Cookie along
When they had got a bit of movement out of their systems we brought them in and got to mounting. Unfortunately certain people didn't judge their horse well enough and didn't respond to Martin's clear instruction of "Do not get on that horse!" fast enough so they ended up on their back in the dirt collecting sand in their ears. I won't say who that happened to, but the horse was called Cookie.
Having rectified that and with me much more tuned in to when my horse was ready for me to get on, and when she was most definitely not, we went on to some basic work on moving around, turning circles and so on. Martin had us working with a bridge in the rein and the hand holding it forward on the horse's neck, then reaching up on the side with the other hand to create a really clear directing rein ( literally reaching beside the horse's head ) so they could really feel what was being asked of them.
We got from working indoors out into the outdoor school and went to working on some straightness exercises ( choosing objects on the horizon and nearer ones and then moving down the line where they were lined up with each other ) which went fairly well- Cookie kept bending the wrong way because I kept leaning the wrong way- these sensitive horses certainly show you up. Then on one run I asked for a trot, which I had done before fine, and something happened that got me bucked right off. Martin said it looked like she stumbled so I think that one really was bad luck, but it still was a bit sore and it broke my bridle. It was a cheap and poor quality bridle from the spares box, but I was surprised how easily it went. Fortunately my reins ended up around Cookie's neck and I still had the get-down rope so I was able to get her back and lead her in. It was near the end of the session anyways so we stopped there and I gave her back to her pen.
Then a couple of new colts arrived for starting and Martin decided to get them saddled and ridden right then and there. He does all of this from horseback, flagging the horse out to show them that they can be still in an anxious moment, offering them a bridle and bit and then getting one of the experienced students in to put the saddle on them and sit on board while he gave them a brief lead around. Once that was done, he turned the first horse loose and worked the other in the same round pen, finally turning both of them loose and showing them that they could be comfortable without having to be together the whole time. He makes a distinction between giving to pressure and seeking relief, working towards the second,where the horse actively looks for the thing you are asking for rather than just following instructions exactly.
After lunch a couple of other new horses had arrived and Martin went through the same work again. There is so much going on in this work that you could watch it hundreds of times and see something new on each occasion. Again these horses were saddled and carrying riders very quickly indeed.
Hard to believe these two had been saddled for the first time a few minutes before. Also, what absolutely bless ponies! I got told off for taking this picture instead of listening to what Martin was telling us at this point apparently "but they're so cute" does not hold water as an argument.
Then we went out to find our second horse of the day, which in my case I did with a little trepidation following on from my first experience. It turns out I didn't need to worry-the little dun horse I was working with was as sweet as anything and Martin suggested rather than my Treefree I used one of their Wade saddles, which is kind of the opposite extreme, but it's nice to have a big flat platform to disperse your weight when you're checking a horse out for rideability. Of course it did need a 15 minute remedial "how to put on a western saddle" session for me. Suffice it to say that whoever invented the term "it's a cinch" and suggested it should mean something was easy was clearly a sarcastic scumbag.
Once again, after saddling we turned them out and away they went...
The dun near the middle there was my horse.
Once they were a bit calm we mounted up and ( with a lot of support from Jennifer, Martin's wife and a tremendous horseman in her own right ) I did some rather less traumatic riding. I still wasn't really getting how much I need to leave the reins alone with these guys - they really do need to be almost totally slack and every change is meaningful to them. Martin talks a lot about how we tend to bring the horses down to our level when we should be lifting us up to theirs. After today's riding I can see exactly what he means, but it's going to be a hell of a climb for me, Probably with many more falls on the way...
The herd gets to run out together again- a picture I wish I'd been closer to take...
This morning we got to ride our first set of young horses, putting a little more time on some of the colts they started last month. These were horses that had been sat on before but maybe not often.
Jake bringing some of the colts up to the working pens.
I was paired up with a little mare called Cookie, who was small and bay and not entirely certain of me but willing to give me a chance. We saddled up and then took their halters off and Martin moved them through from the indoor arena to the outdoor one so he could let them run loose for a while and get any excessive excitement out of their systems.
Martin moving Cookie along
When they had got a bit of movement out of their systems we brought them in and got to mounting. Unfortunately certain people didn't judge their horse well enough and didn't respond to Martin's clear instruction of "Do not get on that horse!" fast enough so they ended up on their back in the dirt collecting sand in their ears. I won't say who that happened to, but the horse was called Cookie.
Having rectified that and with me much more tuned in to when my horse was ready for me to get on, and when she was most definitely not, we went on to some basic work on moving around, turning circles and so on. Martin had us working with a bridge in the rein and the hand holding it forward on the horse's neck, then reaching up on the side with the other hand to create a really clear directing rein ( literally reaching beside the horse's head ) so they could really feel what was being asked of them.
We got from working indoors out into the outdoor school and went to working on some straightness exercises ( choosing objects on the horizon and nearer ones and then moving down the line where they were lined up with each other ) which went fairly well- Cookie kept bending the wrong way because I kept leaning the wrong way- these sensitive horses certainly show you up. Then on one run I asked for a trot, which I had done before fine, and something happened that got me bucked right off. Martin said it looked like she stumbled so I think that one really was bad luck, but it still was a bit sore and it broke my bridle. It was a cheap and poor quality bridle from the spares box, but I was surprised how easily it went. Fortunately my reins ended up around Cookie's neck and I still had the get-down rope so I was able to get her back and lead her in. It was near the end of the session anyways so we stopped there and I gave her back to her pen.
Then a couple of new colts arrived for starting and Martin decided to get them saddled and ridden right then and there. He does all of this from horseback, flagging the horse out to show them that they can be still in an anxious moment, offering them a bridle and bit and then getting one of the experienced students in to put the saddle on them and sit on board while he gave them a brief lead around. Once that was done, he turned the first horse loose and worked the other in the same round pen, finally turning both of them loose and showing them that they could be comfortable without having to be together the whole time. He makes a distinction between giving to pressure and seeking relief, working towards the second,where the horse actively looks for the thing you are asking for rather than just following instructions exactly.
After lunch a couple of other new horses had arrived and Martin went through the same work again. There is so much going on in this work that you could watch it hundreds of times and see something new on each occasion. Again these horses were saddled and carrying riders very quickly indeed.
Hard to believe these two had been saddled for the first time a few minutes before. Also, what absolutely bless ponies! I got told off for taking this picture instead of listening to what Martin was telling us at this point apparently "but they're so cute" does not hold water as an argument.
Then we went out to find our second horse of the day, which in my case I did with a little trepidation following on from my first experience. It turns out I didn't need to worry-the little dun horse I was working with was as sweet as anything and Martin suggested rather than my Treefree I used one of their Wade saddles, which is kind of the opposite extreme, but it's nice to have a big flat platform to disperse your weight when you're checking a horse out for rideability. Of course it did need a 15 minute remedial "how to put on a western saddle" session for me. Suffice it to say that whoever invented the term "it's a cinch" and suggested it should mean something was easy was clearly a sarcastic scumbag.
Once again, after saddling we turned them out and away they went...
The dun near the middle there was my horse.
Once they were a bit calm we mounted up and ( with a lot of support from Jennifer, Martin's wife and a tremendous horseman in her own right ) I did some rather less traumatic riding. I still wasn't really getting how much I need to leave the reins alone with these guys - they really do need to be almost totally slack and every change is meaningful to them. Martin talks a lot about how we tend to bring the horses down to our level when we should be lifting us up to theirs. After today's riding I can see exactly what he means, but it's going to be a hell of a climb for me, Probably with many more falls on the way...
The herd gets to run out together again- a picture I wish I'd been closer to take...
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no subject
Date: 4 Feb 2009 12:00 (UTC)no subject
Date: 4 Feb 2009 12:29 (UTC)I like to spin this kind of thing as, "But look how much opportunity there is for learning and progress here!"
Or, on low expectations: "Can't disappoint anyone--can only impress them, from here on out!"
Or being way out of my depth and the less skilled/experienced member of a group: "Look how many more teachers I have than most of the other folks here!"
And so on. Which, y'know, easier said than done, etc. But still and all.
(The thing that foxes me about western saddles is, is it possible to tighten the girth while mounted? If so, I never figured out how. Alas.)
no subject
Date: 4 Feb 2009 13:23 (UTC)no subject
Date: 4 Feb 2009 13:25 (UTC)The buckle thing is probably similar to tightening a dressage short girth while mounted, only with more saddle in the way? I can do it, but it's awkward as all get out and takes, ah, a lot of faith in the horse's willingness to not take advantage.
no subject
Date: 4 Feb 2009 19:24 (UTC)The latigo knot isn't so tricky - you can reach down, push the end up through the knot and loosen it, then reach down with your other hand and pull up the slack until the cinch is as tight as you want it. Then you tighten the knot and tuck the end back in.
Clear as mud, yes? :D
no subject
Date: 4 Feb 2009 19:25 (UTC)no subject
Date: 4 Feb 2009 19:28 (UTC)no subject
Date: 5 Feb 2009 03:53 (UTC)no subject
Date: 4 Feb 2009 12:53 (UTC)no subject
Date: 4 Feb 2009 14:01 (UTC)no subject
Date: 4 Feb 2009 19:26 (UTC)no subject
Date: 4 Feb 2009 13:25 (UTC)no subject
Date: 4 Feb 2009 13:28 (UTC)no subject
Date: 4 Feb 2009 14:40 (UTC)I suspect normally you listen to instructions like "do not get on that horse" and so here I urge you to remember not to worry so much about what other people are doing or if you're staying caught up with the group, I urge you to focus simply on staying in the moment, as I find for me that is the very best way for me to prevent falls and serious injuries. They're throwing a lot at you all at once for sure, and I can relate the tiniest bit to that kind of climb being in front of you...such feelings of being completely overwhelmed and outclassed besieged me at my very first Parelli clinic and we didn't even ride!
I'm curious after reading this update how you feel about Martin's teaching style. The other clinics you've been to seem to all focus on the basics and on getting the relationship right with the horse and I sense here a more functional and less time-consuming approach. Fair enough when you're getting the job done but I'm not sure its the approach I would want as a student.
It makes me feel better to know you've done some martial arts and have experience with staying centered and breathing through situations that involve a lot of movement/action...I suspect that's going to come in really handy here over the rest of your month at Martin's.
no subject
Date: 4 Feb 2009 20:12 (UTC)no subject
Date: 5 Feb 2009 02:05 (UTC)I'm fine with that but it's a degree of mental discipline I am quite unaccustomed to. Martin will say something like "that horse was telling you that they weren't ready the whole time" and he'll maybe kind of expect you to be aware of that, but if you don't know and you ask he'll be very happy to explain in whatever detail you need until you understand it, but he will assume knowledge rather than ignorance so you do need to be ready to ask.
It's partly a case of getting tuned in to someone as well- we have only had a little time to evaluate one another and it's hard to accurately guage someone in that time. After another day I feel a lot more like I'm starting to get the hang of learning from him.
no subject
Date: 5 Feb 2009 04:45 (UTC)no subject
Date: 5 Feb 2009 16:19 (UTC)Good practice for listening to the horses, too!
no subject
Date: 5 Feb 2009 19:05 (UTC)no subject
Date: 4 Feb 2009 14:57 (UTC)LOL at the "it's a cinch" - I never worked out how you do one up easily, either.
no subject
Date: 4 Feb 2009 19:49 (UTC)no subject
Date: 4 Feb 2009 20:11 (UTC)Did you really have to bring your own tack? That seems like sort of a bad idea in several ways ...
no subject
Date: 4 Feb 2009 20:28 (UTC)no subject
Date: 5 Feb 2009 03:39 (UTC)Got to say, the Wade is better for this job...
no subject
Date: 5 Feb 2009 09:35 (UTC)hope you're not too sore mate.
no subject
Date: 5 Feb 2009 13:51 (UTC)