Post by Susan on Jan 2, 2009 12:14:21 GMT 1
Now there is a title to a thread to make you think what on earth is this about.
Well lets go back a little to explain.
I like many have sought to improve how my horse (Flynn) went for me. He was more then capable but it was my lack of skills to get the best from him.
Now I have improved a lot ( not big headed ego trip either) and this isnt about the methods I have have gone down to achieve that but more understanding about how it all becomes like a large onion!
Now why an onion?
I am sure you will read this and think Ok Susan has now lost the plot totally but read on.
I am sure you will have been in that place, of at LAST I have GOT it! I can now do it all.. at last the work has paid off we have cracked it.
Then gone back in the school and something hasnt been right and you think Oh No what now? why isnt it working anymore.
Is my horse having a bad day?
Is my horse not in the mood?
OR
Is it me what am I doing wrong?
I thought I had it all sewn up when I attended the Tom Widdicombe clinic lte last year. ( yup 2008 is now behind us)
I discovered a real belief in me and so did Flynn. I achieved Soft for real for the 1st time in our riding.
Flynn must have thought thank god.
I believed it was then all going to be the answer to go forwards to any question I asked of him.
But the reality check happened, I had only peeled one layer of the onion skin!
We now got on and Flynn moved straight away, he believed me so I thought now anything I ask will happen.
Wrong and how did I find out. Flynn said No I cant! so from a beautiful walk in soft with his back lifting and stepping under you would think we would get that lift off into a bigger walk or up into trot all the time. Wrong again.
I was staring to get this terrible camel walk and worse if forced forwards he went to a pace walk. I would be trying to force him out of his correct walk and get a pace.
Now I knew it was wrong but I had no idea why? or worse how to correct it.
Now enter June.
Help..I shout..
June has moved on so much in understanding the inner horse from all of these clinics she has hosted at her home, thank god I now have to say.
Straight away she saw Flynn was understanding the Soft eliment in such a way any form of pressure on the reins became a pull. She read him and saw it straight away.He felt he was not being allowed to move forwards lbut having a brick wall in front of him but being asked still to go with the brakes on.
I have now achieved a horse with such a understanding of a soft contact that unless I allow in a crystal clear way and make the reward of Yes that is right he feels he can not move as asked.
So it isnt , he isnt in the mood.
It has shown me just how sensitive this large horse in fact is.
It isnt that he is having a bad day
It is Me.. and that blasted Onion.. that when you gain a breakthrough it is only till the next layer.
Monty talks of incremental learning.. making it learnt in stages and making those stages small but when do it right and more so established only then can you move onto the next stage.
Onions, layers and layers of skin built on firm foundations. But dont think you can go to the centre till you have got each layer off properly.
Because I have found out it will bite you back.
I had likened it to fell walking, you know when you "Think" you are about to get to the place you are aiming for you look and there is another higher place in front of you.
Well June said I actually see it like an onion and she is right.
I did say perhaps it might be easier to simply become a happy hacker but in reality even being a happy hacker you have to be Happy! and if Flynn does not perform as I would like I would not be happy.
So back to peeling onions.. slowly but learning to listen to him and know when it is right to say I can now take off another layer and move to the next one.
You know what we simply do not give enough credit to these amazing creatures The Horse for being so sensitive and then to learn to really listen to them because they do talk back.
So back to Chopping Board.. and you know what these onions do make you cry but tears of Joy when you get another layer off.
Perhaps 2009 will be thinner skins.
Well lets go back a little to explain.
I like many have sought to improve how my horse (Flynn) went for me. He was more then capable but it was my lack of skills to get the best from him.
Now I have improved a lot ( not big headed ego trip either) and this isnt about the methods I have have gone down to achieve that but more understanding about how it all becomes like a large onion!
Now why an onion?
I am sure you will read this and think Ok Susan has now lost the plot totally but read on.
I am sure you will have been in that place, of at LAST I have GOT it! I can now do it all.. at last the work has paid off we have cracked it.
Then gone back in the school and something hasnt been right and you think Oh No what now? why isnt it working anymore.
Is my horse having a bad day?
Is my horse not in the mood?
OR
Is it me what am I doing wrong?
I thought I had it all sewn up when I attended the Tom Widdicombe clinic lte last year. ( yup 2008 is now behind us)
I discovered a real belief in me and so did Flynn. I achieved Soft for real for the 1st time in our riding.
Flynn must have thought thank god.
I believed it was then all going to be the answer to go forwards to any question I asked of him.
But the reality check happened, I had only peeled one layer of the onion skin!
We now got on and Flynn moved straight away, he believed me so I thought now anything I ask will happen.
Wrong and how did I find out. Flynn said No I cant! so from a beautiful walk in soft with his back lifting and stepping under you would think we would get that lift off into a bigger walk or up into trot all the time. Wrong again.
I was staring to get this terrible camel walk and worse if forced forwards he went to a pace walk. I would be trying to force him out of his correct walk and get a pace.
Now I knew it was wrong but I had no idea why? or worse how to correct it.
Now enter June.
Help..I shout..
June has moved on so much in understanding the inner horse from all of these clinics she has hosted at her home, thank god I now have to say.
Straight away she saw Flynn was understanding the Soft eliment in such a way any form of pressure on the reins became a pull. She read him and saw it straight away.He felt he was not being allowed to move forwards lbut having a brick wall in front of him but being asked still to go with the brakes on.
I have now achieved a horse with such a understanding of a soft contact that unless I allow in a crystal clear way and make the reward of Yes that is right he feels he can not move as asked.
So it isnt , he isnt in the mood.
It has shown me just how sensitive this large horse in fact is.
It isnt that he is having a bad day
It is Me.. and that blasted Onion.. that when you gain a breakthrough it is only till the next layer.
Monty talks of incremental learning.. making it learnt in stages and making those stages small but when do it right and more so established only then can you move onto the next stage.
Onions, layers and layers of skin built on firm foundations. But dont think you can go to the centre till you have got each layer off properly.
Because I have found out it will bite you back.
I had likened it to fell walking, you know when you "Think" you are about to get to the place you are aiming for you look and there is another higher place in front of you.
Well June said I actually see it like an onion and she is right.
I did say perhaps it might be easier to simply become a happy hacker but in reality even being a happy hacker you have to be Happy! and if Flynn does not perform as I would like I would not be happy.
So back to peeling onions.. slowly but learning to listen to him and know when it is right to say I can now take off another layer and move to the next one.
You know what we simply do not give enough credit to these amazing creatures The Horse for being so sensitive and then to learn to really listen to them because they do talk back.
So back to Chopping Board.. and you know what these onions do make you cry but tears of Joy when you get another layer off.
Perhaps 2009 will be thinner skins.