I have the good fortune in my current work as an education coach in remote Central Australia to drive many kilometers. For some people, this would be a daunting prospect, but for me driving through these isolated outback expanses is a privilege. The distances are vast and the sights are many. Often I don’t see any other vehicles or even any signs of people excepting occasional homesteads belonging to cattle stations (ranches), dirt roads, stock yards, windmills and long straight fence lines, and of course cattle and horses.

One morning, having left early for the 100km (60 mile) drive between schools, I was lucky enough to meet a mob of brumbies (wild horses). With some time to spare, I stopped the car, got out my camera and sat for about half an hour observing and taking photos.

A beautiful sight.

There were probably 20 – 30 horses grazing and playing their dominance games. In particular, there were a couple of horses challenging each other. What I found really interesting was that the other horses would gather around, watch intensely with some jostling each other, until the challenge was over then go back to quietly grazing until another would edge over and challenge. This went on a few times until they all took off kicking up their heels and jumping fallen trees to their quiet place.

All the time, each horse in the herd watched each other move and positioned itself just right. There seemed to be an innate awareness about this – to paraphrase Pat, they knew where to be, when to be, how each member behaved and when to quit doing and being there.

All of this got me to thinking about the games and patterns of survival. In a human environment, all of this challenging and “fighting” would be considered divisive; these graceful creatures expressed no malice or ongoing retribution towards each other, knowing that their reliance on the herd cannot afford such indulgence. And so their day went on.

On the other side of the road, in contrast to this vibrant moving herd, was a mare with a very new sleeping foal and a companion quietly grazing, and no doubt watching my every move. The mare waited until the foal woke and got to its feet before slowly moving off in search of food.

And I drove off with plenty of food for thought.

Mare, foal & companion.

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the Rolex 3-Day Event in Kentucky, a test of the top competitors in the 3-day eventing field – including many past and future Olympians. Among this year’s riders were Karen O’Conner, William Fox-Pitt (this year’s Rolex winner), and Marilyn Little-Meredith (finishing a close second).

In Eventing, the horses and riders are put through three days of challenges. The first day is dressage, the second day consists of a cross-country jumping course, and the final day is stadium jumping (a course of jumps set up in an arena), meant to test the horses’ stamina and athletic ability. Eventing was originally designed to test horses’ aptitude to be mounts for the military. These horses needed to have great athleticism, maneuverability, courage and stamina to be good mounts for military men, hence the intense nature of the sport!

A typical jump on the cross country course.

I have attended the Rolex event at least a dozen times in the past; it is where I found a passion for event horses and the challenge of the sport! After all those times watching the horses and riders this year, something struck me with a new clarity. It’s one of those things that I’ve heard, talked about, practiced and even taught but all of the sudden, out of nowhere, a BFO (Blinding Flash of the Obvious) comes and smacks you right between the eyes! This BFO was how the Seven Games were a part of everything happening over the competition. Most of the riders have never wiggled a rope at a horse to back them up, but their success depended, in large part, on the quality of their Seven Games while riding!

Over the long weekend I was able to watch the horses progress through the disciplines and I started to see a pattern. On the first day of competition, I watched the riders go through the dressage test (to test these supreme athletes’ ability to exhibit precise movements). Keep in mind these horses are fit enough to jump and gallop over 4 miles (the following day), and we are asking them to come out and show their rhythm, relaxation and obedience the first day! As the horses were flexed around circles, asked for precise transitions and  lateral maneuvers, all I could think about was the Circling Game for every arc and bend that they did. I thought of the Yo-Yo Game during the transitions, and the Sideways Game during the lateral maneuvers and lead changes! Not to mention the obvious Friendly Game with thousands of spectators and flags from various countries!

And here’s the best part: Pat says “observe, remember, and compare” – what a great opportunity to do just that! I had the whole day to observe these horses and see if right circles or left circles were easier, to see if upward or downward transitions were harder, and if the energy of the crowd bothered the horses. How would this translate to cross country day?  Well, here is what I observed: the horses who had more trouble on their left circle, when unsure about an obstacle/jump, would duck out to the right and refuse the fence instead of going straight as an arrow over the jump. The horses that had more trouble with a downward transition in the dressage ring were the horses that had trouble coming back from a gallop to a canter when approaching a jump and as a result may jump ‘flat’, causing them to have a hard landing or need more space after the jump to recover their balance. This meant that they were not going to be ready for the next obstacle and may fall down or refuse to jump! Also, those horses that had beautiful half passes to the right but lacked the same ease to the left might miss a sharp turn, push through or ignore the rider’s leg, and end up taking the long way around the course, costing them valuable time (the riders often get options when coming up to several jumps: a difficult but fast way or a easier but slower way – the course is judged on time, so a rider needs to go as quickly as possible while making sure their horse jumps all the obstacles).

Which of the Seven Games do you see in practice here?

As I watched these things happen and build as the days of competition went along, it reinforced in me the passion Pat has about playing the Seven Games with excellence. After all, he has often said that Level 4 is just Level 1 with excellence, and after seeing (with new eyes) the Rolex, it hit me that it was simply the Seven Games with excellence! As I watched the riders and horses struggle with the balance of the Seven Games, I knew ways to solve those problems on the ground without having to struggle through while riding. Thanks to Pat and Linda, I have tools that will help me even at the most advanced level of competition. I have a foundation that brings those pieces of the puzzle into focus and helps me know how to solve the problems that show up.

So, with a renewed passion for excellence in the simple things, I am on the road again teaching and seeing just how good I can get those simple things with my horse. Even though we may not be riding every day, I can be practicing what it takes to be excellent at my riding goal every moment I am with my horse. There doesn’t need to be a day where “we just played on the ground, and didn’t have time for riding – so I didn’t progress towards my goals;” every day, even if we just halter and go out for a bite of grass, I can ask myself how am I preparing positive patterns today that will serve me when I’m riding on a cross country course? How was his flexion when I put the halter on? Did he pull on my lead rope while he was eating grass? If yes, then we’ll take an extra moment to fix the flexion. One day that lead rope will be my rein and I need lightness so that there is no question about my horse sitting his weight back after a long gallop and getting balanced and ready for the next set of jumps/challenges! No matter what our goals or dreams are as horsemen, no moment with our horses needs to be practicing the wrong thing. We can get excellence in the littlest things; after all, our big goals are just made up of lots of little pieces.

In case you were wondering what happened to Petra’s Pick – I’m back!

Back from Florida, where I traveled with JB and Cash to study for my Level 4. Stay tuned for my blog about this big adventure. It was awesome!

I am happy to report that I passed my Level 4 Online  and almost my Level 4 FreeStyle!

We have progressed nicely in Liberty and are ready to film once we get settled in.

When I saw THIS video, I knew it was perfect for my next “Pick”!

I was wondering what kind of introduction I could write, but – I have to admit – I don’t have any words to share.

Just watch and let it inspire you…

Trust me, you’ll need a box of tissues!

Don’t forget to check back in for my next “Petra’s Pick”…I am glad to be back, so please comment and share your thoughts with me!

As always yours,

Petra

Don’t worry, this isn’t going to be anything like a romantic Jackie Collins or Barbara Cartland novel, just in case that’s what you’re thinking the title suggests!

In a recent discussion on Parelli Connect, the topic of happy-yet-long-suffering partners came up – y’know, the girlfriends/boyfriends/husbands/wives/significant others who put up with the hours we spend with our horses, horse hair in the washing machine, the lack of food in the fridge (but stacks of hay and full feed bins at the barn), muddy boots in the hallway, hay and straw in the family car… you get the picture!

Look familiar?

More than that, there are the partners who help us out with horse care when we’re away. My partner, Roy, helped look after my horse when I was away for six weeks at the Parelli campus in Colorado a few years ago. He loves animals, and although he’s watched hours of Parelli DVDs with me and attended several UK Celebrations, he isn’t a particular horsey person at a practical level, so I was very impressed that he offered to support me by helping out. And as it turned out, his dedication went way above and beyond the call of duty, trying to do his best and not get anything wrong – he was so worried that he wouldn’t get the knot right tying a hay net back up that months later he admitted that he spent ages re-filling the hay net each time by pushing hay back in through the holes… now that’s dedication! He was gutted when I suggested he could have just put the hay on the floor!

What helps me enormously and enables the hours I spend in pursuit of never-ending self-improvement is the fact that Roy has his own passion. He’s an excellent fingerstyle classical and steel string guitar player and composer. He can get lost for hours with his music and doesn’t mind at all if I’m out for hours (or days!) at a time with my horse or at courses. Having a supportive partner who recognizes what’s involved in having a passion, putting the hours in to make progress and pursuing as much knowledge and experience as possible… well, that all really makes the journey a lot smoother.

Of course what makes it work well overall is then having time together, finding out what we’ve been up to individually, and then sharing some joint passions (in our case, watching a movie, exploring new walks with our dog, or enjoying good food). It’s all about finding the right balance I think.

So hats off to all those passionate partners out there – we salute you! And our horses thank you too.

Do you have a passionate partner? What’s their passion? Perhaps their passion is simply YOU, and that’s why they’re happy to spend hours in the rain fixing fences, driving with us to equine events, or having a welcoming meal ready for us after a long day outdoors. Whatever their passion, let’s take an opportunity to say thanks and send some love and gratitude their way.

I was terrified when I first joined the Faculty Team in 2007. I had been a student at the centers for 2 years and had gotten very comfortable not giving others horsemanship advice. We were given very strict instructions as students at the center to ask our questions to our instructors and to not try and hash things out with each other. When I joined the Faculty, I had only had my Level 3 for a couple of months and I was feeling very insecure about being able to help anyone with their horsemanship. I felt confident with my horse, but didn’t always feel as though I knew why I was doing what I was doing or how to explain what I was doing to get a desired result. I was quite desperate to have a better understanding and didn’t feel as though I was ready to teach. I know how important this understanding is to my fellow students and I was really worried about giving someone bad advice. Luckily, I had the support of a team and knew that if I didn’t know what to do, all I had to do was ask someone. We were at the source after all. We could ask Pat if we needed to!

I spent the next 3 years gathering experience. I do not consider myself a talented horseman. But I am an excellent student. I believe that I can learn something from everyone, no matter what their level of experience is. I kept my information-gathering goggles on and consider myself very lucky to have had the opportunity to develop myself as an instructor for Parelli this way. I wasn’t just learning from my experiences, but from everyone on the team as well.

Did you know that it takes around 10,000 hours of experience to master a new skill? How many horsemanship hours are you accumulating in a week? Ten? Twenty? If you are one of the lucky ones and you get to rack up 10 hours a week, in a year you will have only added up 520 hours! At that rate, it would take you nearly 20 years to get to 10,000! Yikes! This is why Pat rides anywhere from 6 to 8 hours every day! I mean every day, folks. I myself have ridden with him in the rain for days at a time. He doesn’t make excuses. He gets results because he is getting in 3,000 or more hours a year and he has been doing this for over 30 years!

Maxi and I are constantly working on our partnership.

The Faculty worked up to 14-hour days, nearly 6 days a week. So I was really accumulating the hours in those 3 years. As of today, I am up to around 8,500 hours teaching and studying the Parelli Program. And I have discovered the tipping point! In the last year or so, I have finally started being able to confidently and consistently solve my own puzzles. I am finally able to understand when to be, where to be, why to be and what to do when I get there. I have gathered enough experiences of my own, and cataloged others’ to draw from, that I have a grand enough library to support my horsemanship needs. As of now, my horsemanship needs are to develop my two horses and support others on their journey to Level 4. I am approaching a new level of incompetence. I would now like to have a better understanding of Level 5 and become more versatile in my horse-development capabilities. I will have to begin again at 0 hours for that level.

My girl Maxi is the reason that I became aware of my new-found unconscious competence. In our first 10 week school, she and I had a nickname. Together we were known as “Bucky”. She was just always full of no answers and all I knew to do was to put more pressure on her to get to a yes. The more pressure I would put on her, the bigger her “no” would get. A few weeks ago, I was playing with her and became acutely aware of all the “yes!” she had for me. It is a really great feeling that I hope you all get to experience. Be sure that you have realistic expectations of your horse and of yourself. Experience is the one thing that no one can give to you. We can share and learn from each others’ experiences, but the information will not be fully assimilated until you put it into practice. Protect your confidence as a learner. It is the greatest tool you have to make progress. Your horse is the best teacher you have.

Over the past 12 years, I have had the chance to travel a lot. It’s a wonderful opportunity, and I’m very thankful; I’ve been very fortunate to see many places. However, the one thing people often forget is that traveling with a wheelchair can add small detours that you didn’t really expect. I thought I would share one of my most recent traveling trips with you. Please keep in mind that this is not considered a bad day; it’s just a day in the life of someone trying to accomplish a lot with a compromised physical ability. At the end of the day, I love looking back and saying, “I did it!”

On Sunday morning, Tori and Paris loaded up into the commercial transport at 5 am and headed out to Katy, Texas. We were going to be competing from the 28th to the 30th at an international show. The transport company arrived the evening before, and Tori helped him load the trailer so it was ready for the horses to just hop on in the morning.

Via plane, I followed to Texas three hours later. Often I fly with my assistant, which makes things a little less complicated; however, my horses don’t have a voice and if they are in trouble, they can’t speak up. That is why I was happy that Tori could travel with Paris and make sure she was properly handled and cared for. The airport process is an interesting one, especially if I travel on my own. From my power chair, I towed my large bag on wheels to the shuttle bus and then went back and got my manual chair and carry-on bag. Once I was inside the airport, I made my way to check-in, attempting to maneuver two chairs along the way. Eventually, I placed my bags and chair up at the front of the line, then wheeled back around and sat in the line, watching my stuff to make sure it didn’t walk off without me. Once at the check-in desk, there was the standard discussion of how the power chair will get to the plane as I use the manual one within the airport – “Yes, it’s a dry cell battery,” “It weighs 300 lbs,” “No, it does not come apart,” and “Please don’t drop it off a conveyer belt!”

Now to tackle the security line. At the Orlando airport, there is a special line for those in wheelchairs to allow us to get through faster. After I go through the x-ray area, the security people take swabs of my power chair and my cushion. One time a couple years ago, the swabs came back positive for explosives! You can imagine this is bit of a worry for me, as the thought of my wheelchair being explosive in any manner is not one that makes me excited. Turned out to be a mineral in the dirt from Colorado!

Once we reached the terminal, I looked down the hall, only to see what appeared to be my power chair flying along, dodging people! How interesting. Sure enough, when I got to the gate, it was indeed my power chair with a gate agent sitting in it. They saw me and said, “I figured out how to turn the speed up on this thing. It was set to go quite slow.” Normally it’s pushed to the luggage areas and placed on the plane from there, not taken on a joy ride through the airport. But it did make me chuckle, thinking of “Norman” – my power chair – touring the airport.

They brought me onto the plane via a tiny little chair they call “The Straightback,” and it involves four different belts. I felt like I was in a straightjacket! Once on the plane, I attempted to eat a tuna sandwich – who knew that the simple act of eating could be so hazardous to your life?! Somehow, I got a piece of tuna up my nose while we were about to take off. I was snorting, coughing and heaving as the tuna would dislodge from my nose but tickle my throat so I would cough it back up to my nose. There were tears rolling down my eyes and the poor gentleman beside me thought I he was going to have to do mouth-to-mouth. It was a truly traumatic experience – for both of us!

Once we landed in Houston, I made my way to baggage claim, and I could see that the minivan we had rented was there waiting for me. I was very happy to see that my power chair had arrived safe and sound – this does not happen often. I almost missed my bag because it was a much darker color than when I dropped it off (it was apparently raining hard in Florida and my bag was soaked). Once loaded in the van, I programed the GPS for my hotel and off I went – or so I thought. The GPS was very confused and I drove around the airport three times before resorting to my phone GPS, which lead me nicely to Katy, Texas. It’s kind of scary going to a new place and depending on a GPS, as you have no idea if it is leading you hours away into the wrong direction. We sure do put a lot of trust into these electronics!

Funnily enough, it was the compete opposite journey for Paris and Tori: stop, feed, water, fill some buckets, gas up, get snacks, and repeat four times over a 18 hour period. Maybe I should travel with the horses more often!

At the end of the day, I can look back and know that while there were a few times I felt like it was difficult, I get great gratification knowing I did it and was able to problem-solve to get to where I was going. I’ve learned to slow down, take a breath, and RELAX!

Splash is a 14-year-old American Paint. She seemed to lack confidence with people if she thought she had to do something other than eat, but is very food-oriented as well. She appears to be a Right-Brain Introvert with crazy “running out and running around!” explosive episodes that take on almost Right-Brain Extrovert characteristics, but I am now seeing a more Left-Brain Introvert side also. I imagine this unpredictability is the reason I’ve been told that she’s mad and unmanageable… We’ll see!

With lessons taken from other horses, I have been able to observe, compare, and hopefully make better choices of strategies to progress with this very sensitive and responsive horse. One of the first things I allowed her was time to approach and retreat and gain confidence. After being told that she bucks, I thought it best to check out her response with me in Zone 3 and all around her. Flapping a rope near Zone 3 sent her into a mad rush as far away from me as she could get (on a 22-foot line). “Aha,” I told myself, “it’s no wonder she has trouble if she can’t manage anything flapping just there!”

So our journey has progressed with lots of confidence, building through the Touch It game until she took an interest, flapping things in all zones until she was soft and relaxed, hanging out together and offering treats when she is receptive. We have gradually progressed through the games and patterns, and I now see more Left-Brain Introvert tendencies evolving and less “I can’t do it,” which is encouraging.

Displaying some left-brain tendencies with the giant tire!

So eventually, the day came when I decided that she was perhaps ready to accept me as a rider. What an interesting process. I had stood on things to play ground games, which she has accepted. I stood next to her on a block, jumping around and laying over her back, which she tolerated and then accepted. When I put some weight on her back and she thought I was going to get on, she pinned her ears and came at me, making it very clear that she would not have it. So the next time, I offered her a carrot. Her response was total surprise and after a few times of this on both sides, her attitude changed and she allowed me on. All of this took half an hour or more. When I was on her back, she froze and perhaps wondered whether it was such a good idea to allow me on, so we just stayed there for a while until she softened and I got off. We did this for a few days, getting a few more steps each time and much better attitude.

We then spent time just walking around, mostly doing passenger play, direct and indirect rein, stopping, starting, disengaging and playing “follow the rail.” One day I asked her for a trot, at which point she kicked up her heels. I had noticed some lameness in the trot while on-line, so I was worried that her hips were out of alignment and decided to have the chiropractor see to her before we tried trotting again or doing much else. Then one day, to my surprise, she offered to trot while we were riding out in the paddock. I was overjoyed, but could feel her discomfort. On examining her, the chiropractor confirmed my thoughts that her hips were out, as well as a rib (no surprise that riding had been an issue) and the first vertebrae up at the poll, which was giving her a headache.

It’s been a few months since this diagnosis. Keep an eye on the blog for another update on Splash in the near future!

What does waiting look like for you? Until recently, I hadn’t thought too much about the details of how I wait when my introvert mare, Jesse, has that need. I made sure to take the pressure off, but didn’t worry about it much past that. I’d watch for the signs that she was ready to move on, and got right back to it. I’ve come to realize that how I wait is what matters. Through coaching from 4 Star Parelli Parelli Kristi Smith, using the educational resources available through Parelli, a progressive goal, and consistent reflections on self, I have discovered that as an extrovert, my waiting hasn’t been what my introverted horse needs. How interesting!

What I had done was congratulate myself on understanding that she needed me to wait and given myself permission to move my feet in other ways. I’d go work on a chore, go check the water, go get the next obstacle or tool I’d need, or check my iPhone for emails, Facebook updates, etc. Something to busy myself physically while she processed. I’ve been experimenting with changing how I wait and it really has made a big difference in my relationship with my horse. I asked Kristi about what I’m doing and she reminded me that Horsenality™ is not an excuse, and that I have to find a way to do what my horse needs. As I began to realize that “waiting” meant “stopping completely,” I created a mantra to help me – “be the LBI”(or RBI, depending on the situation).

Some undemanding time in the lake with Jesse.

Mantras really help me focus. During moments where I would have walked away and kept myself busy while she processed, I now stop and stand and use my mantra. After a couple sessions, I realized this is entwined with connecting to Jesse’s energy. I saw that it is another way to mirror my horse and match her energy. I now focus on a mantra that reminds me to be there with her, to really connect and feel her energy.

Did you see the movie Avatar? Those moments now make me feel and say to my horse, “I see you,” and I really do. But there’s an even greater gift. Yet again, my horse is providing the treasure of self-awareness and growth. Because I am now committed to meeting her needs and am focusing on waiting without pressure and on being with her, I am finding this time is wonderful for me to relax my mind. It may not quite be meditation, but it helps me chill out and take moments I haven’t found the ability to until now.

I now see honoring Jesse’s introvert needs as an opportunity to relax and find quiet for my very active mind. In the last two weeks, my horse has rolled near me more than she has in the previous 9 years! Each time it happens, I am so honored and humbled. There is such beauty in this journey, especially in how the little things we change about ourselves can make the biggest difference for our horse.

Many of you understand what it feels like to be fearful when horses are in the picture. How can you be so scared of something you love so much? It is one of those situations that can destroy someone’s happiness as they decide it is not something they can get through, and so they walk away from horses once and for all. That is what is so wonderful about the Parelli program. It accepts that fear exists and, with time and care, new confidence can be found.

I have lived with fear. True gut-wrenching fear. I didn’t even need to leave the house before I was rushing to the loo, breaking out in a sweat at the thought of riding my horse Jack. I was terrified of him, and I had good reason. He was an extreme Right-Brain Extrovert, and I had a history of many visits to hospital and a couple of serious injuries. He bolted blindly, he reared, he kicked violently, and so much more. When I found the Parelli program and I first heard Linda talking on a DVD about fear and confidence, it was the first time that I had heard that what I felt was normal, and that I had to look after myself and my confidence, as well as look after my horses. She also talked about approach and retreat and not pushing boundaries too far. The other golden nugget I clung to at the time was the idea that if you feel afraid, or you feel you may be out of control of your horse….GET OFF!!! Oh my goodness, how that has saved our confidence so many times since that day!

I took all the advice I heard about my fear and moved forward to see if I would ever find normality with my horse. For him, it was the Seven Games, going through the Levels, and gaining confidence in me as his leader. Not an easy task. For me it was baby steps. I had to first be more confident on the ground, as we had managed to pick up a couple of visits to hospital from that area too. I had to learn the skills to defend my space and to focus my horse when he lost his mind. We went for a lot of walks! Then I had to take my learning and leadership into the saddle.

I will never forget the day I tacked up and took Jack into the school and sobbed with fear because I was so scared to put my foot in the stirrup. So, I would un-tack and put the saddle away, until one day I could go there and it stopped being an issue. Then I would stand on the mounting block, then lean on the saddle, then get on and get off, then take one step and get off. Throughout this process, we were playing the Seven Games and improving our relationship on the ground.

Following the rail at our first riding clinic in 2010.

It took over two and a half years to get to a reasonable place. But I would still feel nauseous, my mouth would still dry up, my heart would race and I could still find a million excuses not to ride, and I still didn’t trust my horse. We hit a low when we first went to new environments, as he went very right-brained again, and we took a few steps back in our confidence. We made a big step to attend a Fast Track last year, and though Jack was un-rideable for a week, the instructors assisted me and we made huge progress.

We are now nearly four and a half years into our Parelli journey. It is only over the last few months that I can honestly say that I have confidence to ride my horse and no longer make excuses. I have now invested in a horse box so we can ride out in new environments all the time, and really progress. Four years to build a relationship, to build trust, to get through my fear and come out the other side with a smile; the horse that once caused all the fear is now beside me as a partner. His behavior issues are almost gone, and it took me a long time to let go of them. As a very wise friend said to me, “He has left it all behind; it is only you that is holding the baggage.” How right they were. Letting go was one of the hardest things to do, but when I did, we started doing all those things that I thought were impossible.

I had to trust in the Parelli program, I had to have trust in my horse, and lastly I had to trust in myself that everything was going to be okay. Fear is there to look after you, but when you have done what you need to, you need to look within yourself and say goodbye to your past fear and say hello to your future confidence, and embrace the wonderful experiences that are out there to enjoy with your horse. I can’t wait to find where we can go next…

We're gaining more confidence in each other every day.

Parelli Professional Lillan Roquet is studying in Florida with Linda Parelli. Here’s her latest blog. Enjoy!

Hey everyone! Thought it was about time I posted a little update about the new addition to Linda’s barn – a beautiful Warmblood named Zen. He belongs to a lovely friend of Linda’s from Wellington who sent him to her when Westy passed. He has been trained to Grand Prix in dressage, so he really knows his stuff, but is missing a few pieces of connection and foundation. Linda still considers Zen on loan from Johnny, but she thought Zen would be a great opportunity to really play with Principle #7 – help teach him some things, and see what we could learn from him as well!

Zen enjoying some early morning sunlight.

A few weeks after I arrived, Linda started asking me to play with him on a regular basis. Zen and I really connected and I began to enjoy my sessions with him so much. Plus, he was starting to make some changes as well. After that, Linda asked if I wanted to take him on as essentially my second horse. Wow! What an opportunity!

Zen is great for me because, innately, he is a Left-Brain Extrovert; however, he has quite a few Right-Brain Extrovert behaviors, especially as a learner in new environments. Those of you that have been reading my blogs know that Left-Brain Extroverts are the toughest Horsenality™ for me to work with, and Right-Brain Extroverts are my easiest. So it’s perfect, really, because Zen takes me into and out of my comfort zone on a regular basis!

As I began to develop Zen, the first thing I noticed was that he really didn’t have any knowledge about how to be a puzzle-solver. Backing into his pen for his grain in the morning was definitely a mission the first time. He had a huge draw to his grain, and most horses will sort of figure it out once you help them line up, but as soon as I prevented Zen from going forward through the door you could see his whole face go vacant, and he just shut down. From there, I knew that this was going to be my biggest focus. How could I get this horse to find the answer to the puzzle every time and start to learn the power in that. Kalley always says it’s about making “1 + 1 = 2 every time, so your horse feels like a super learner.” Zen had had most of the learning knocked out of him, and it was my job to bring it back!

One of the best and simplest puzzle that I started with with Zen was while playing the Friendly Game. I started real soft and tried to approach and retreat from his thresholds, but if I messed up and went over a threshold and he went right-brain, then I went MORE right-brain until his feet stopped moving; as soon as they stopped, I stopped. The puzzle for him was “What do I have to do to stop this person from going crazy with that stick?!” Pretty soon he got super engaged and figured out how to keep me low-energy and relaxed.

The other puzzle I played with him was to help him to start carrying himself better on the ground. He has a tendency to be really tight through his neck and back and not stretch. So rather then bugging him about yielding his ribs, or micromanaging him, I sent him out on the circle in the round pen, and whenever he offered to put his head down, I sat down in the middle. Now for Zen, the person in the middle of the round pen still felt like pressure (even if I was in neutral), so this was a bit of a release for him, and he started thinking, “How did I get her to do that?” After about four sessions, he was traveling up to half of a circle stretching his neck towards the ground. Pretty neat!

The last big puzzle-solving game that I’ve helped him lots with is Touch It. This was a totally foreign concept to him, as you can imagine how many dressage horses are ever asked to put their nose on anything! So again, I really tried to set it up so it was a puzzle. I played the warmer/colder game, like how Pat often does with Touch It at a tour stop. Every time he got farther away, I increased the pressure and commotion, and when he got closer, I stopped or slowed way down. After his first day of figuring this out, I sat in the round pen with him for about 15 minutes while he yawned and yawned and yawned!

Okay, as usual, this gotten a little longer than I planned… so I will leave you with that. Still lots more to share on how Zen has helped teach me about flying changes and the other fancy stuff he knows when someone’s on his back!