Adventures with Merrida!

Well- last night I had my first really challenging play with Merrida. I have been constantly doing little things to try to increase her emotional fitness as I know that is something I need with my horses. They travel with me, they have constant environmental changes, herd changes, etc etc. I really want horses that are confident, stable and relaxed emotionally. 

So! I often do little things to stretch her. There is a round pen near her pen, and adjacent to a small arena that is used for turnout. So I turned her out in the round pen and a young LBE that I have been riding for a client out in the small arena. They played over the fence and hung out while I walked Damo, and prepared feed, etc. 

Then I returned Jaden to his stall, but left Merrida in the round pen.... Knowing that this feeling of being "left" is tough for her. Sure enough she ran, and bucked and paced the fence. Recently while assisting at a Dave Ellis clinic he talked about what he says when a student asks him, "why do you allow the horse to do that?" He said, "that horse could literally do ANYTHING he wants right now, and he is choosing to do that. This is natural horsemanship.... I'm allowing him to do what feels natural." 

Now- there are often ways we can help horses to have the tools or the emotional stability to be able to just relax in situations that they are finding stressful. However! Not letting them experience this, is not the way! That's what Pat says is being an "avoid-a-holic." 

So- Merrida lost her marbles and ran around for a while. I continued to go about my business, then when she made a slightt change I went over to see if she would connect with me. It took her a little while, but she came over, then followed me to the middle of the round pen and allowed me to halter her. We had a great play on the 22'.

In the spirit of "observe, remember and compare," I now can see where she hadn't come ALL the way off the adrenaline, I didn't get a true blow out, or a shake or those other signs I should have looked for. And, she was connected and soft and focused. 

We have only had about 4 rides, all of witch have been very progressive, so I decided that last night I wanted to just remind her that this is going to be a journey about both of us... So I thought I would just sit on her, bend a little, maybe walk around, and then get off and we would be done. Who can see where my mind set had slipped back into a right-brain horse? Bad idea!! Lol! 

We have also been playing a lot with her "go" button, which has been pretty sticky. Turns out I have fixed that problem too! Last night we had PLENTY of go! And I unfortunately did not have the confidence to ride it! So we did some bending, and walking.... And a bit of hopping :). I focused on preserving my confidence, in balance with attempting to do the right thing by her... And we found a couple of good walk steps and a bend to a stop. Phew!! Never a dull moment! 

Next week she goes to Rhett Fincher for four rides over the holidays :)! So excited I have made this choice to invest in her and my relationship.... By making sure she has one of the best in the colt-starting business to help her through these pivotal first few real rides! 

2014/2015 Schedule!

Hey everyone!

Here is my schedule of clinics, workshops, lesson days between now and As far as I know! I have availability in most of my clinics and lots of flexibility to travel to places near by to where I am teaching during that time as well! So wouldn't you like to join me if I'm coming to an area near you!?

Please contact me if you are interested in  TRANSFORMING your horsemanship in the upcoming year.... Would love to help you achieve your dream and attend a clinic!

I also travel NATIONALLY AND INTERnationally, so contact me if you are interested in setting something up. I'm excited about creating a curriculum that fits with you, your horse and/or your group! 

Schedule- 2015

Jan 23-25 FreeStyle &Finesse Clinic w/ Ryan Pfouts (South Jordan, UT)

Jan 26 - Session 2 of Spotlight Series, Boulder, CO
Jan 29 - Private Lessons, South Jordan, UT (AM) Erda, UT (PM)

Jan 30 - Winter Inspiration #6 (South Jordan, UT)
Jan 31 - Private Lessons, South Jordan, UT

Feb 3 - Winter Inspiration #7 (Heber, UT)
Feb 5 - Private Lessons, Tooele, UT

Feb 6 - Winter Inspiration #8 (South Jordan, UT)

Feb 9 - Session 3 of Spotlight Series, Boulder, CO
Feb 11-18 - Lessons & Workshops, Northern California

Feb 20 - Private Lessons, Ramona, CA

Feb 21-22 - Ride Well Clinic, San Diego, CA

Feb 24 - Session 4 of Spotlight Series, Boulder, CO

Feb 26 - Winter Inspiration #9 (South Jordan, UT)

Feb 27-28 - Level 1 Clinic, South Jordan, UT

Mar 1 - Winter Inspiration #10 (Heber, UT)

Mar 3 - Session 5 of Spotlight Series, Boulder, CO
Mar 5 - Private Lessons, Tooele, UT

March 6-7 Level 1 Clinic South Jordan, UT
Mar 12 - Private Lessons, Tooele, UT

Mar 20-22- Utah Horse Expo, South Jordan, UT

March 27-28 Level 1 Clinic South Jordan, UT
April 9-11- Special Workshops on FEEL - South Jordan, UT
April 13 - Private Lessons, Albion, ID
April 14 - Private Lessons, Mountain Home, ID
April 15 - Private Lessons, Boise, ID

Apr 17-19 - Idaho State Horse Expo, Nampa, ID

April 24-26- 10 Qualities of a Horseman to Practice, Oregon City, OR

April 27- Private Lessons, Oregon City, OR

May 2-5- 10 Qualities of a Horseman to Practice Clinic, Reno, NV

May 22-25 - 10 Qualities of a Horseman to Practice Clinic, Belton, SC
June 5-7 - 10 Qualities of a Horseman to Practice Clinic, Mountain Home, ID

June 12-14 - Western States Horse Expo, Sacramento, CA

Sept 11 - 13 -Savvy Summit, Colorado

Nov 24-28 - Savvy Dunking with Carmen Smith, Adelaide, South Australia 

Hoof Handling: Developing Politeness and Confidence

I thought I would take a few moments to share some strategies that I have been playing with in order to develop my new horses politeness and tolerance with her Hoof Handling. Any of you that have studied with me, know the reverence that I place on positive behavior with hoof handling. Our horses feet are BOTH their mechanism for fight and for flight ... so the more polite, and confident they get with allowing us to take away their devices for safety the BETTER your relationship will get in every other way!

 So, just like with everything equine... the challenges that we have are one of two things... either we don't have enough respect, or we don't have enough rapport ... Its a confidence challenge or a dominance challenge ... or in our lingo ... its Right Brain, or its Left Brain.

To use another Pat'ism ... "Pressure motivates, and its the release that teaches." So with this, with hoof handling, the challenge is that sometimes horses pull their hoof away and then get a release, at the wrong time. So what can we do as horse trainers to help prevent that? Well here are some of my thoughts!

First of all... remember that safety is our NUMBER one priority in this program. Why is your carrot stick the length that it is? Well because that is about the same length as a horses hind leg. This means that you can safely play friendly game with your stick with out putting yourself in a dangerous situation. And that is the best place to start. Before you worry about picking up hooves, you need to be able to pet and rub all up and down them.

After that, here is the piece that I find some people forget, especially with young horses ... The first thing they have to be able to do, is stand with their weight on three feet for AT LEAST 60 seconds (I build my horses up to 5-10 minutes). Before I even worry about ME trying to hold their foot (plus I tend to try to follow Pat's Laziest horseman of the world idea ...) ... I use my carrot stick and savvy string around their leg, like below:

If they go to put their weight on the foot again I just slowing apply pressure with the stick and string until they take their weight off... We gradually build up the time they can maintain this:). And I do both the front feet and the hind.

Once this is going well, then I begin to pick the foot up, BUT I LEAVE THE STICK AND STRING AROUND THEIR LEG! That way ... if they begin to struggle to take their hoof away ... I don't struggle with them, I just retreat myself, and apply pressure with the stick and string so that they DO NOT GET A RELEASE for taking away their hoof. BUT I stay safe :), and I don't get into an argument.

This brings me back to the Confidence vs. Dominance conversation. Horses that lack confidence, need more friendly game ... horses that are bing dominant need more respect. Either way ... its the release that teaches them what the appropriate behavior is. And I find this a great technique to keep the "pressure" (aka, you need to not have your weight on this foot) .... on until you get the response that you would like! 

Set backs, Step ups, and Stellar Care- Damo Update :)

I got to spend the afternoon with my special lady here in Pagosa Springs at 4DS Ranch. It was SO phenomenal to see her! Even better than that was to see her mental and emotional health completely and perfectly intact, despite 8 weeks of stall rest ... and I know that is completely due to amazing care by the incredible crew at 4DS! I just can't thank them enough.

As I have been so strongly focused on Damo's full recovery I have chosen not to write an update about her recent adventure, but I will share that now. The original injury was a tendon tear in her Left Front ... that injury has been healing extremely well. However ... unfortunately about 10 days ago she decided to deliver some sort of complaint to her next door neighbor. Maree found her in the morning with injuries on both hind legs ... and more significantly to her Left Hind ;(.

Anyway, despite this newest set back ... as usual she is facing the challenge with the best possible attitude, and grace ... and I humbly hope a reflection and reminder of what my attitude about it all should be ;)!

I wanted to write a short blog ... because I couldn't think of any way to better thank the two institutions that have made Damo's recovery so incredible! Dr. Brit Harris, and Dr. Greg Bell ... of Centennial Equine Sports Medicine have doctored and supported me and Damo across CONTINENTS during this healing adventure and I can't recommend or commend them enough for their compassion, communication, and outstanding education and talent as veterinarians. And of course, I am completely indebted to Maree Stewart and Debbie and Don Stinnett of 4DS Ranch in Pagosa Springs ... I know that it is their decision to go above and beyond is what has made Damo's recovery possible.

PLEASE keep your positivity and your thoughts coming ... as we tackle the next endeavor of healing from the Left Hind Injury ... as well as the Left Front ;). What we believe we achieve ... so I am still looking forward to a 2015 and 2016 full of Demo's and sharing our relationship and horsemanship with others. 

South Australia Fun!

Great camp these past 4 days in South Australia! Looking forward to Day 5 tomorrow! Here is a grey photo of the group from last night during sunset! YEP, that's right, we started at 9:00 AM, and didn't finish until 7:00 PM, ... and we had happy, connected horses (we did take a break in the middle of the day to avoid the heat!) This photo was after an evening session on Monkey Riding

(riding with a fixed rein position in order to build your horse's confidence with traveling in a frame and preparing for Finesse), as well as a session on the mechanics of good simple lead changes, and another fabulous Demo from Carmen Smith on warming up strong to ride soft with an extraverted horse!

A sunset ride up the hill in the golf cart!

We have also had some fabulous fun on the 45' line! Remembering to help our horses experience the freedom of cantering and galloping truly forward is a fantastic way to develop mental, emotional, and physical fitness! I had a super fun demo on maintaining gait at the canter, focusing on "IT'S NOT ABOUT THE LAPS! ... its about causing your horse to think "I should CHECK in with my human before changing gait!""

Lastly! For my own personal development I got to play with a very fun horse and do a bridling demo ... sharing the importance of having both Obedience and Exuberance in your bridling! It was a great demo for me, because I was able to cause the horse to make some great changes ... and not get direct line about putting my goal of bridling the horse in front of the importance of the relationship! 

PHEW! We have been up to a lot! When was the last time you got to spend 5 days immersed in Savvy? Tomorrow will be all about Fun, Purpose, and a little Fancy Dress! Bring it on! and make sure you get yourself and your horse to a clinic soon ;)

Lillan

Righting Wrongs: Sorry's Build Trust

In the last few years of my life a common theme has been occurring.... And due to my personal lack of belief in coincidence I continue to open the opportunity to explore this theme; and today it struck again. The theme is the importance of acknowledging our shortcomings, our vulnerabilities, righting wrongs we commit, and being willing to truly and authentically, say, "I'm Sorry." While wandering through the Australian National Museum in Canberra, I noticed again the important and LIFE changing power of this willingness to apologize and be vulnerable.

As many of you may know February 13, 2008 was an epic day for such things. This was the day that Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd, apologized to the indigenous aboriginal people of Australia.... verbally, in a hugely attended public speech at Australia's Parliament House, and also symbolically in sky writing, and a few other ways. The tears and electricity of the environment was palpable.... It was an environment, a country and a people now completely transformed and awakened to entirely new possibilities through these three simple words, "We are sorry." Now, to forward change and transformation, it doesn't just take an apology for past wrongs, it takes a commitment to a new future. "We the Parliment of Australia respectfully request that this apology be received in the spirit in which it is offered as part of the healing of a nation. For the future we take heart; that this new page in the history of our great continent can now be written. We today take this first step, by acknowledging the past and laying claim to a future that embraces all Australians. A future where this Parliment resolves that the injustices of the past must never, ever happen again..... A future where all Australians, whatever their origins, are truly equal partners, with equal opportunities, and with an equal stake in shaping the next chapter in the history of this great country, Australia." 

Wow, no matter where you stand on the political spectrum, this is a beautiful and powerful future of possibility created through the starting place of an apology. Taking the time to acknowledge our vulnerabilities, our challenges, our weaknesses or our mistakes, is what brings us strength and new possibilities as humans. Brene Brown, renowned author and social worker, uses the example of two competing football teams, both have injured quarterbacks. One QB tells the coach and they develop a whole system and game around extra protection for him, the other QB keeps quiet. Who wins the game Sunday? Clearly.... The team that has managed and adjusted to their vulnerability, not the team who kept quiet. Unfortunately, it's our human condition to keep quiet about our vulnerabilities, to not acknowledge our mistakes. 

Horses.... As with most things teach us otherwise. As Pat often says, "horses forgive, but they never forget." In our horsemanship, as with all other places in our lives, learning to apologize, and then create and commit to a different and powerful future, is a starting place for a beautiful relationship. With my little grey mare, I got to a place of finally saying, "I'm so sorry, for years I squealed the tires, and was completely unaware of how right brain and scared you are.... From here forward I'm committed to a partnership where making sure you are feeling calmer, smarter, braver and more athletic every time we play is of paramount importance." Now obviously these words were of little consequence to her, but for me they created an entirely new relationship. Realizing, and acknowledging our horsemanship and life patterns, leaves us the space to commit to something completely new and different in our relationships.... Both human and equine. Understanding the power of acknowledging our wrongs, our mistakes and our vulnerabilities is NOT weakness.... It's a new place to stand in strength, clarity and honor.

I'm grateful everyday for horses and humans in my life to teach me this. And continually, I apologize for my inadequacy, and through that I find a new and profound level of relationship. 

A Day of A's: Adventure, Anxiety & Australia

Phew! Well I've been here at the Australian Savvy Center about 4 days now and it's been just awesome! The center is simply stunning and it's been so fun to reconnect with Tanya and Carmen and Sue and Shannon, and also meet the new instructors in the area, and all of the amazing Parelli Australia team! Fast Track students check in tomorrow, and Im so excited for leading a stellar 4 weeks of fast tracking Horaemanship here in the country of my birth! Dreams do come true.... Because I can remember coming to visit this campus before I was an instructor in 2009, and wishing to one day lead a course here! 

As per usual, upon arrival Parelli required my flexibility and teamsmanship as the team had a demo Saturday for a local pony club, and they were hoping that in Neil's absence I could be the Emcee! I jumped on board and loved watching the team prepare for their demo. Last night I had a great brainstorm with Neil and I was excited to get to share with the future of horsemanship .... Natural horsemanship! Unfortunately... Upon arriving to the show I could tell that my body had a different plan, as my breathing began to get shallow, my stomach cramping, and my vision blurry.... I sat down, did some trauma breathing, and a few other techniques I have been shown to control my anxiety. It helped a little, but as the demo grew closer I could feel I wasn't gonna win this one :(. Luckily, as I handed off the mic to Carmen, who did a stellar presentation, I felt fully supported and cared for, and I couldn't have been happier to once again realize how important it is to surround yourself with like minded people! 

I watched from the sideline as the team put on a beautiful presentation of the value of Parelli, and the first three Savvys, to a young and very enthusiasutic crowd!

After the presentation, we then all got the opportunity to watch the leading Australian Eventer, Shane Rose, teaching all the pony club kids!! It was beautiful to hear him sharing awesome tid bits like, "when your horse gets upset, and then we pull on the reins, they just get more upset." And when horses went to get a little playful, "rub him and ride him more forward, give him a place to go!" He helped the kids over small logs first, then banks, and then the water! Included are some pictures is Shane and all the kids!