Toys, toys toys

had to laugh. Vets are like surgeons, some know their stuff technically but when it comes to bedside manner they fail miserably. When Star booted Jazz the vet I got was ok. Jazz was fearful though so I asked the vet to just wait a sec so she could work it all out in her head. After that he actually clicked over into patient mode and spoke gently, told her everything he was going to do and quietly gave her 20mls of penicillin in the bum. She was so good, all on a loose rope and no fuss. When Star got colic he was in so much pain you could see his war face from a mile away. Different vet, no good with people....well he has issues with women but he was great with Star. I got the look from both of them as though I had given him colic on purpose. He stood and allowed the vet to do a rectal exam then drenched him with 8 litres of parrafin... then he got the pain killers (thought he should have done that first really but what do I know)?? This morning it's HOT...got up at 0730...dragged myself up really.....got a cold which sucks in summer. Went up the stables and chuffed around with the horses. Star actually asked me to get him out!! I was so shocked. I left Jazz in but not for long, I though Bruce had let her out but no.....she opened her gate herself for some quiet grazing!! Star and I played for an hour and a half and the time flew!! Not like when I was schooling and I would be looking at my watch..... We did lots of friendly, he's so scared of the string so we friendly all over with the stick and string held. When he's calmer we let the string go and let it move over his withers. He was good with that. I managed to get him happy with having the string moving to each side of him and over his head. We fixed our stops with the driving game, we did circling game and our stops were great. We did more driving game...still looks at me carefully with this one. We did sideways.....went really really well. We did squeeze game...at speed...his idea...then we got calmer and calmer...we went then and did circling game with me sitting on a bucket...that amazed him but he relaxed and went great. He was a little resistant on the yo yo till I realised I was smiling at him!!! Doh!! We finished with lots of friendly....he's asking me if he should walk through gates...a major milestone for him as his usual modus operandi was rush through the gate...it's going to get me!! I am looking at doing squeeze game over a little jump early tomorrow....Bruce is going to get me some toys!!

Up with the Sparrows

I must admit I am forgetting my down time really. I have been out in the paddock with them collecting the odd rock and they are amazed I am just out there. We are also having a big crowd over on Saturday and I have told Bruce that the horses are off limits. It all made sense when Linda talks about a big group of predators approaching horses who are in yards. Star gets so nervous especially as non-horsey people don't know how to be. I am getting very protective of them and who and how they meet people. Mistake 1. I am getting so focussed on playing, yesterday I wanted to play once at the beginning of the day and once at the end of the day...I just did some yo-yo stuff at the end of the day. Thank you for reminding me Will go up this morning and chill with them. It's going to be hot here today. We had over 50mm of rain last week so the dusts not too bad at the moment. I'm thinking of booking in for the course here with Christine Corbridge in Feb 08. Before then we have to get our floating a bit, well a lot better!!! Which I think I have mentioned. Oh well off I go to tend my flock...up at sparrows to get everything done b4 it gets too hot.

Hot days of January 08

Well we got up early and played this morning at 0630 as it was going to be quite warm and I don't like being in the sun less I have to be. We went well, friendly game is getting better!! Yippee.......we can get the stick to pat him all over...introducing the string slowly too. Played, friendly interspersed with driving, yo-yo and then circling game but we have forgotten how to stop now! I also forgot that I could go back to short line lessons with this and have watched my DVD again to re-afirm this. Today we got trotting forward then stop and back up! He almost looked so happy with himself I could have sworn he was going to take a bow!! Tomorrow morning I have planned to work on stopping, and sidways game more. We did some squeezes this morning but cause I was the silly human I forgot how to re-inforce the stop!! We are practising with a view to attending our first clinic so I have lots to get completed. We still have to work on the scary float!!! I need to get rid of my scary memories....floating accident.......oh boy.....lucky for us we both come with baggage!! Anyway will sign off now. I really enjoy writing on here every day...like my cyber diary.....never was a good writer in diaries but typing is something different!

New Year

Well we survived Xmas, hope you all did too. Progress has been great. Star yo yo'ed through his night yard gate on Xmas eve. Made me smile a mile! He's now asking me if I want him to go through the gate which is great as this was an area that was awful before. We had a terrible incident where he just barged over me, pinned me to the fence and then took offence to the fact I was there and tried to strike! I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and will never put myself in that position again. So since then we are still working on the friendly game, trying all sorts of options with it to ease him into the idea that the string and carrot stick will not hurt him. You know what, they do remember bad things much easier and longer than good. He's really quite anxious around it, to the point of showing the whites of his eyes. So we do a lot of walking with the string and stick moving in front of me and not near him. I carry it all the time with me and introduce it to him every morning. Seems to be working but I know it will be very slow. Jazz on the other hand is not fussed at all by the carrot stick, she's light with the porcupine game but her bubble is huge at times. She's really getting quite amused with me I think. When she tells me I am in her bubble I step back and look away, she then looks at me in a way I could swear she is saying OMG that's so interesting. Then she approaches me to make sure I am not an alien and then steps back. She is so calm and quiet but she's right brain when pushed. Most of the time I think she is a right brain sleeper.....she keeps it well hidden!! I am amazed at how much I am learning just watching them! Have re-watched some of my DVD's a number of times now to make sure I am getting it! I'm waiting for the sun to go down a bit here to go out and play...the weather is heating up and it's not much fun playing in the hot sun!

Well this morning got up the stables and there must have been some carry on last night, my night yards have a wooden frame around the edge to keep the shell grit filling in....Star has bashed one of the boards out......taken some hair off his front fetlock...goodness only knows what he gets up to at night! His yard looks like a bomb site while Jazz only ever does 2-3 poos and you would barely know she had been there she is so gentle on the ground!! Star on the other hand sure is leaving his kind of footprint!!!

Got halfway down the paddock yesterday evening. Jazz turned and walked towards me. I let her get close and then ran a few steps, she in turn trotted, this caused Star to blow a fuse and he came tearing over to see what we were doing. Jazz really gets stroppy when he comes too close to me. She bites him on the shoulder, swings her quarters and puts her war face on, all the while keeping Star away from me, she puts herself between me and her to block him. I think this is very interesting! I don't usually halter them to bring them in or let them out and have noticed a HUGE difference in the CALM levels of them both. Albeit Jazz is getting stroppy with Star a whole lot more than she used to. Do you think my idea she sees me as being under her like a foal is the case?

Well yesterday was an interesting day. Star was in a strop from the minute he got up I think!! Jazz as always is calm and willing. I let them out into the paddock and interspersed throughout the day Star could be seen roaring around, rearing and generally getting rid of pent up energy. My husband was asking me if I had fed him red cordial again?? Which for Star is extruded barley Nope I hadn't he was just being exuberant! Brought them in last night and the fun began. We were practicing he yo yo game, I had asked permission etc. got great response but all of a sudden he cracked. Started pawing with his front foot and stamping and carrying. I was so glad he was over there and not near me doing this. So I played the driving game, then we went into the arena for some more games. I stuffed up the sideways game and so decided to do all the others I knew and come in later and watch the DVD again for a technique brush up. Well he was great. Porcupine is getting very light indeed, yo yo is getting to the point where i can wave my finger!! So impressed with us both. Only have to touch his chestnuts and he's worked out he has to pick up his foot....after 2 weeks of massaging legs to give him confidence in me after a nasty event and a crabby farrier. Friendly game is improving out of sight but he still thinks the carrot stick and savvy string have to be carefully watched. He was hit badly with a whip by someone else before I got him and so he's super cautious. Circling game only have to lift my arm and point now rarely do I need to do anything else, although he's fan of stopping behind me. We did get 3 circles each way without stopping in the end. I got to the end of all this, time flew and i came out of the arena with such a smile on my face that my husband laughed at me. He said, I have never seen you two have more fun together when can I have a go. Well that's all for today, will go out and play later and practice sideways game now. I am having so much fun and gaining confidence it's wonderful. Hope you are all well. Only 2 more sleeps till Xmas!!

17/12/07

Well last night was funny, I got both of them coming over to me as soon as I walked up to their paddock. Jazz walked over first and then along came Star. Jazz then laid her ears back and told Star to stay away from us. I stopped and watched and thought "How interesting" They really are starting to change. Feeding time is still interesting. Star knows he is not allowed to come into the stable until I invite him. He tries all sorts of things to get his own way. However, he is getting better at respecting me. He even seems to bash his feed bin less. Once upon a time he would try and rull it off the wall. Now he just noses it briskly a few times and settles down to eat. This morning I got acceptance YIPPEE, I got the full ears forward, he backed when I asked and put his head down for his fly mask!! I was so happy I think he thought I was mad!!! Jazz as always looked and said good morning.....and then politely waited for me to open the gate. It is really interesting having 2 different personalities and also having one younger and one older horse. I am having a great time at the moment with them.

17/12/07

Well been studying my level 1 pack. Lots of common sense, some stuff that I know already. But it's interesting when you actually sit with them. I got the huffy look, ignored for 20 minutes and then when I thought he really despised me he sauntered up, sniffed me and then stood about 1 metre away watching me. I am sure he was stunned. Jazz on the other hand, nickered and walked right over and stood right next to me with her head down near me. She's so lovable. This morning Star really got up on the wrong side of the bed. I got ears back, head shaking and licking and chewing.....not sure what that all means...is he thinking...I am going to kill her when she gets close enough!! Well I opened the gate and he shot out......stormed off really...then got out into the paddock...did a wonderful Hi Ho Silver impersonation...rearing and pawing and then he was off down the paddock! Jazz as always politely walked out to the paddock , turned looked at me and then wandered off. Will be interesting this evening when I go out there! Oh well, nearly Christmas, a few days off....we are going out every night this week bar tonight...I have the whole house to myself so am going to curl up with my level one homework and luxuriate in my new knowledge! Then I am going to get an early night...I don't know about you but I am exhausted!! Seeya.

14/12/07

Hi there, Well my Level 1 pack arrived. My playing the other night went really well. My style is agricultural but hey it's all about refining. Star seemed to calm as we played. He jacked up when I asked him to play the circling game but I quietly persisted and he then went on and did as I asked. He was so calm afterwards. I then took him for a walk down to the mares I am babysitting. I needed to check their water. We played yo yo when I got close the the trough and he stood and waited for me to calm him in....this took a few gos but he worked out that he could look at the mares from the spot I asked him to stay in. Amazing...when he decided to crowd me I asked him to play the circling game and when he was calm I asked him to yo yo and then stand. I hadn't seen any of the info at that stage and was only going on common sense but it makes sense! I have also been offered an Andalusian gelding by a friend whose mares I am babysitting......so will see how Star goes first. Even Jazz is starting to respond to me which is lovely. She is more aware of the driving game and I have to be careful not to oversensitise her as she's sooo switched on. She's the one who brings Star to me every night....A confidence builder and a half Life is good for me. All my dreams are coming true. I have arrived at a place where I needed a teacher and one came. I have asked the universe to find me a new challenge in work and one came....I have asked to be a more balanced and confident person and the skills are coming to me through my horses.....sounds out there I know but wow I have had a shocker of a year and it's all changing before my eyes like a watercolour painting being filled in!

12/12/07

My two are getting on ok. Today they looked up, started walking over to me as soon as they saw me. I was amazed. I also got my new rope halters and 12" rope today. I was thrilled and got on to playing a little bit before dinner time. I got what I asked for with the yo yo game, got lip licking and chewing...some teeth grinding but that's him. We then did some driving, then asked him to stand by himself and then put him away. I am lucky to have a husband who sees this training as an important thing, he's willing to watch me learn and wants to learn too. He laughs more than me, can see things quicker than me...but he's a a newbie with this, untainted in his thoughts....I have to unlearn 30 years of old skool ways. He laughs at me when he sees me getting all serious and says....chill cowgirl....this makes me smile! He's threatened to get me a pink cowgirl hat.....

The very beginning - Xmas 07

Hi there, New to Parelli, glad I found this teaching though. Have just started out with my two horses. Jazz is a 24 yo mare, rescued to give her a good safe retirement. Star is my 7 yo TB gelding. Lightly raced but still bearing the scars of that ordeal. I picked two horses on instinct, was drawn to them actually. In the TB I have my work cut out for me. With Jazz I have a gentle old lady who is willing to teach if I will listen. She's progressing very quickly, it's almost like she's seen it all before. She is a RBI and Star is a RBE! I have ridden since I was 3. When I was 11 I had a retired stock horse from NT who taught me a lot. I rode him bareback 90% of the time with a rope halter and later worked out that all I really needed was a piece of binder twine around his neck. We jumped, trail rode and camped out together. I was on the right track back then. Later on I met a woman who was into dressage, we became good friends however she was quite against my "type" of riding. I was young and green and so I went her way. I became disillusioned with riding, sold a horse I shouldn't have, tried dressage, became a victim to peer pressure and in the end gave up miserable. It just didn't feel right any more. I had stopped having fun. I have missed riding, being around horses and for 7 years I denied myself any fun! Why? Maybe I was sour! I knew there was a better way, had heard about Parelli but had only been around people who were skeptics. I now have my own space, a husband who fully supports me and wants to share the journey with me and two horses who needed a second chance. I may not have picked the best horses but hey they will teach me so much. I have started out on this journey as Star nearly injured me seriously by not realising how big he is and how fragile I am. Now he is getting confident with our personal space, he's learnt the yo yo game in 2 days, he still tests my authority but I am determined to help him become who he really is. Jazz (my avatar) is learning the 7 games as well. She is a little more set in her ways but she's trying, she's patient and she's bonding with me. At the moment I think she sees me as her baby, she's very protective of me and from what I have read we need to turn the tables and she needs to see me as her protector. This morning was the best morning ever. Jazz always greets me with ears forward and a nicker to say hello which always makes me smile. She has been so badly treated by someone but she still has the grace to be kind to me. Star however can be a mish mash of feelings. Sometimes ears back sometimes disinterested. This morning I got, lip licking and chewing and ears forward and a whinny AND he walked to me! I got the full house! I am so overjoyed about this change. We have only been playing for 2 weeks but already I am seeing this lovely big boy start to feel more like being with me. I am so sorry this is an epic email but I need to keep my thoughts coming I am so excited to be having fun again. I am an avid learner and can't get enough of this training method. I hope to meet you all one day, if only here and not in person. I will post our progress so I can feel "part" of a friendly warm community of like minded people. Thanks for reading this and look forward to reading, talking more! Merry Christmas as well .

The start of something new.

Well I have decided to start a blog! New for me but exciting all the same. Sharing my trials & tribulations with my herd of 4.

They are:

Star - 8YO LBE/RBE Grey Thoroughbred gelding, 16HH, solid and athletic. His Grandfather was Attalak his Father Staraaq. I bought him as a dangerous horse, all I saw was a horse who knew his strength and knew how to make humans bend to his desires.

Scout - 14 YO LBE/RBE (mild) Appaloosa gelding, 15.HH, solid, dependable and cheeky. He's a street kid, been handed from home to home. He came to me after he became too much of a handful for his previous owner.

Jazz - 26YO LBI/RBI (mild) Anglo Arab mare, 14.3HH, Chestnut mare. Loving, sweet, patient and tolerant. Jazz came to us to see out the rest of her days with the best of everything. She has a big bubble but she knows we love her dearly.

Querida - 18 month old LBE Pura Raza Espanola filly, bay turning to steel grey. She is a wonderful blank canvas. My hopes are she will enjoy PNH, see purpose in dressage and enjoy her life with us.

I have been blogging on the PNH Savvy Club site for some time. Fear of losing my diary has seen me turn here. Will try and copy my post from there to here so this makes more sense!