Monday, March 30, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Act Natural
"If you see what is small as it sees itself
and accept what is weak for what strength it has,
and use what is dim for the light it gives
then all will go well.
This is called Acting Naturally."
Lao-Tsu, Tao Te Ching
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Medical Horse sense
A quote from the notable vet, Professor Daniel Mills BVSc, PhD, ILTM, CBiol, MIBiol, CCAB MRCVS:
‘Common Practice is not necessarily Good Practice.’
How interesting!
‘Common Practice is not necessarily Good Practice.’
How interesting!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
kishudo
I was talking to my rugby playing collegue the other day about martial arts and he said that a friend of his said to him:
"The difference between you and me is
You play Sport
I study Tai Chi"
Now I know Tai Chi isn't a martial art as such, even though it does have its roots there and have certain similarities, but it got me thinking.
Normal riders Do dressage or Do show jumping or Do Trec (or whatever pastime or sport). It's a hobby.
PNH people Study Natural Horsemanship and all the other factors in life to make them a better
horseman.
Martial arts, when more than just keep fit, is a way of being.
Natural Horsemanship is a way of being.
kishu -horseman (japanese)
do - the way of the (japanese)
kishudo - (a word I just made up that might mean) "The way of the horseman"
"The difference between you and me is
You play Sport
I study Tai Chi"
Now I know Tai Chi isn't a martial art as such, even though it does have its roots there and have certain similarities, but it got me thinking.
Normal riders Do dressage or Do show jumping or Do Trec (or whatever pastime or sport). It's a hobby.
PNH people Study Natural Horsemanship and all the other factors in life to make them a better
horseman.
Martial arts, when more than just keep fit, is a way of being.
Natural Horsemanship is a way of being.
kishu -horseman (japanese)
do - the way of the (japanese)
kishudo - (a word I just made up that might mean) "The way of the horseman"
The Beach Boys!
We had a brilliant day yesterday!
Max & I did the Formby Beach 8 mile pleasure rise with sport endurance on Archie & Harley and it was wicked!
Harley was a star. It was his first serious trail ride and we had to drive 150 minutes to get there as well.
Harley was quite excited when we got there, but then so was Arch. I was going to put his boots on him, but a kind lady spotted me putting them on and warned me that the sand was really deep, so it wouldn't be a good idea. Thank you to that lady 'cos it was very good advice.
After a bit of road & tracks we got to the beach and the sand was seriously deep. We had to ride up on over some high dunes to get on to the beach, which was interesting, but Harley soon decided that he'd got it sussed.
We had some extreme friendly game going past some wind turbines and we paddled in an inlet on the beach. Plenty of thresholds, so plenty of opportunities to show good leadership.
I won't go on about the whole ride but it included a long canter during which Harley got it all together (both leads) and we had a lovely side-by-side canter. I couldn't stop grinning.
By the time we got back he was long, low and relaxed. Two hours sharing lunch and chilling before driving back also helped.
Today we went for a short ride to go find some grass to eat. Harley was sooo chilled. Usually he's a little high headed setting off but this morning he pootled like it weren't no big thing. We did encounter some puddle thresholds on route which I am sure are mostly dominance. "Don't want to!". By the time we'd done he was looking for puddles to walk through. Still need to keep playing with that though.
Got a nice message from James as well, which made me smile.
Max & I did the Formby Beach 8 mile pleasure rise with sport endurance on Archie & Harley and it was wicked!
Harley was a star. It was his first serious trail ride and we had to drive 150 minutes to get there as well.
Harley was quite excited when we got there, but then so was Arch. I was going to put his boots on him, but a kind lady spotted me putting them on and warned me that the sand was really deep, so it wouldn't be a good idea. Thank you to that lady 'cos it was very good advice.
After a bit of road & tracks we got to the beach and the sand was seriously deep. We had to ride up on over some high dunes to get on to the beach, which was interesting, but Harley soon decided that he'd got it sussed.
We had some extreme friendly game going past some wind turbines and we paddled in an inlet on the beach. Plenty of thresholds, so plenty of opportunities to show good leadership.
I won't go on about the whole ride but it included a long canter during which Harley got it all together (both leads) and we had a lovely side-by-side canter. I couldn't stop grinning.
By the time we got back he was long, low and relaxed. Two hours sharing lunch and chilling before driving back also helped.
His feet are a bit worn from yesterday, so I had to get the rasp out. Thinking about getting an equine podiatrist to look at them.
Today we went for a short ride to go find some grass to eat. Harley was sooo chilled. Usually he's a little high headed setting off but this morning he pootled like it weren't no big thing. We did encounter some puddle thresholds on route which I am sure are mostly dominance. "Don't want to!". By the time we'd done he was looking for puddles to walk through. Still need to keep playing with that though.
Got a nice message from James as well, which made me smile.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Catch up
Ok I've been a bit slack so I need to catch up.
Harley & I have now done 8 trail rides and he is rapidly turning in to Mr trail horse. It tends to follow a pattern: He starts off a bit jumpy & looking at everything but by the time we get back his head is low and he's in energy saving mode. I think he's getting the idea that when we trail ride it's a good idea not to use all your energy at the start.
We've also had a couple of leadership questions, usually around things like big puddles. He starts unconfident, switches to dominant then flip-flops between the two. I think we've had a couple of break throughs with these as they are getting less frequent & of lower magnitude. The key patience with pesistance in the proper position. He would love to be the dominant horse.
We've also done a lot of leapfrog game with Max & Archie and H seems to be far less impulsive about it than Arch but they are both getting much better at it.
Tomorrow is liable to blow his mind 'cos we're going to Formby, to the beach, to do his first endurance ride. It's only 8 miles and if he gets too tired I can get off and walk him home, but new environment, lots of horses but he's got to conserve energy. Should be interesting.
When playing he tends to swish his tail and get snotty. Sometimes it's definitely 'cos I was a impolite (a bit sudden, too much energy, didn't quit soon enough, etc), so I working on reducing that, but sometime he's snotty. I need to observe, compare, work out the difference and see if I can improve it.
He seems to have reacted to the shots he had on monday so I need to let the vet know.
One last thought before unconsciousness:
When he gets unconfident we rub him on the neck/shoulder/withers. This is a physical trigger for an anchor to calm & relax him. Anchors work on having a point in experience to anchor to and then associating a trigger to it.
So if the only time you ever rub him is when he's scared then you are anchoring the fear to the rub not the calm relax. Before you ever use the rub you need your horse to be calm, relaxed and have the endorphins flowing so that is what you anchor to the rub.
I wonder when I first rubbed Harley's neck? Hmmm!
Harley & I have now done 8 trail rides and he is rapidly turning in to Mr trail horse. It tends to follow a pattern: He starts off a bit jumpy & looking at everything but by the time we get back his head is low and he's in energy saving mode. I think he's getting the idea that when we trail ride it's a good idea not to use all your energy at the start.
We've also had a couple of leadership questions, usually around things like big puddles. He starts unconfident, switches to dominant then flip-flops between the two. I think we've had a couple of break throughs with these as they are getting less frequent & of lower magnitude. The key patience with pesistance in the proper position. He would love to be the dominant horse.
We've also done a lot of leapfrog game with Max & Archie and H seems to be far less impulsive about it than Arch but they are both getting much better at it.
Tomorrow is liable to blow his mind 'cos we're going to Formby, to the beach, to do his first endurance ride. It's only 8 miles and if he gets too tired I can get off and walk him home, but new environment, lots of horses but he's got to conserve energy. Should be interesting.
When playing he tends to swish his tail and get snotty. Sometimes it's definitely 'cos I was a impolite (a bit sudden, too much energy, didn't quit soon enough, etc), so I working on reducing that, but sometime he's snotty. I need to observe, compare, work out the difference and see if I can improve it.
He seems to have reacted to the shots he had on monday so I need to let the vet know.
One last thought before unconsciousness:
When he gets unconfident we rub him on the neck/shoulder/withers. This is a physical trigger for an anchor to calm & relax him. Anchors work on having a point in experience to anchor to and then associating a trigger to it.
So if the only time you ever rub him is when he's scared then you are anchoring the fear to the rub not the calm relax. Before you ever use the rub you need your horse to be calm, relaxed and have the endorphins flowing so that is what you anchor to the rub.
I wonder when I first rubbed Harley's neck? Hmmm!
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