I don't know about you, but around here it is just beginning to feel like spring-barely. After gorgeous sunny weather in the 70s, it's now in the 50s and raining. In order to take advantage of the nice weather to plant my garden, I've had to take a break from the horses. How do you get it all done in one day? That has been a challenge for every one who owns a horse and a home and has a job and a family and a garden and on and on.....
So, I've learned to prioritize with the things that I do. Even if I have just 30 minutes to spend out at the stables, I try to make the most of it. In addition to having my horses to ride, I have access to at least 4 other horses, but tend to limit myself to 2 that are on my "needs consistent work" list. I've begun making a physical and mental list of what I am hoping to accomplish with each horse.
After watching Karen Rolff's DVD "Dressage Naturally", I went out and worked on her mobilizing exerises. She finally made it clear to me just how to break down the lateral moves so that both me and my horse can understand them. She demonstrates how to first practice it on the ground so that you learn to move your body while on the ground with the same lift in your upper body as you would when in the saddle to lighten yourself in preparation for asking your horse to move sideways with the hind quarters in a turn on the forehand or to lighten the front end for a turn on the hocks. I spent my precious 30 minutes the other day working on Chanty doing just that. Unfortunately, I had my "let's get this done" attitude, which is the last thing Chanty wants-pressure. The more I pushed the issue and forced my body and hers into position, the worse it got. Karen talks about exercising your horse on a loose rein (no bit, just halter) until they are calmly able to physically move without resistance. While her horse was more of a left brain, slow to go forward horse, I deal with the one who when nervous, goes right through my hands and runs away, before I can ask her to bend or soften or lift her back.
Most of my short sessions are done on the ground, because there is so much you can do with your horse that benefits them emotionally and physically. I've been working on getting Sally to walk and trot while I walk behind her on a 22ft rope. I ask her to whoa and gently lift her tail, without a pull and ask her to back up. Then we walk, trot and canter along side one another, in preparation for doing at liberty. It's tough for her to canter alongside me on a small circle, due to her hock arthritis. She shadows me so well and is getting so good at working on a really long lunge line. I'd work with her at liberty more, but we have only a small pen that's enclosed right now and that is too much work. The pasture works well for wide open running online.
The most fun I've had recently when using my imagination online, was when I had 30 minutes to exercise TWO horses. I had them both on 14 ft lines and I "asked" one to stand next to me in the center and then sent the other one out to walk, trot and canter around me and her buddy. At first, Blondy (the 23 yr old) was very nervous about me lifting my hand over her head and body to let the rope circle around and she kept moving. Eventually, though, they both got the idea and took turns going out to lunge while the other stood in the center with me. Eventually, I'm going to try it at liberty and see if I can keep one close by while the other runs on the outside of a round pen. I'll let you know how that goes.
It's always going to be a challenge to juggle all of the day to day activities. With warm weather, comes more things to do outside. As long as I can give my horses 30 min of my time, I feel it's worth it, as long as I'm stimulating their minds as well as their bodies.
So get out there and challenge yourself-what can you accomplish in 30 minutes? Use your imagination. And if you don't have one, get some great ideas from the best in horsemanship-check out a video at http://www.yourhorsematters.com/
Enjoy the spring!!!!
So, I've learned to prioritize with the things that I do. Even if I have just 30 minutes to spend out at the stables, I try to make the most of it. In addition to having my horses to ride, I have access to at least 4 other horses, but tend to limit myself to 2 that are on my "needs consistent work" list. I've begun making a physical and mental list of what I am hoping to accomplish with each horse.
After watching Karen Rolff's DVD "Dressage Naturally", I went out and worked on her mobilizing exerises. She finally made it clear to me just how to break down the lateral moves so that both me and my horse can understand them. She demonstrates how to first practice it on the ground so that you learn to move your body while on the ground with the same lift in your upper body as you would when in the saddle to lighten yourself in preparation for asking your horse to move sideways with the hind quarters in a turn on the forehand or to lighten the front end for a turn on the hocks. I spent my precious 30 minutes the other day working on Chanty doing just that. Unfortunately, I had my "let's get this done" attitude, which is the last thing Chanty wants-pressure. The more I pushed the issue and forced my body and hers into position, the worse it got. Karen talks about exercising your horse on a loose rein (no bit, just halter) until they are calmly able to physically move without resistance. While her horse was more of a left brain, slow to go forward horse, I deal with the one who when nervous, goes right through my hands and runs away, before I can ask her to bend or soften or lift her back.
Most of my short sessions are done on the ground, because there is so much you can do with your horse that benefits them emotionally and physically. I've been working on getting Sally to walk and trot while I walk behind her on a 22ft rope. I ask her to whoa and gently lift her tail, without a pull and ask her to back up. Then we walk, trot and canter along side one another, in preparation for doing at liberty. It's tough for her to canter alongside me on a small circle, due to her hock arthritis. She shadows me so well and is getting so good at working on a really long lunge line. I'd work with her at liberty more, but we have only a small pen that's enclosed right now and that is too much work. The pasture works well for wide open running online.
The most fun I've had recently when using my imagination online, was when I had 30 minutes to exercise TWO horses. I had them both on 14 ft lines and I "asked" one to stand next to me in the center and then sent the other one out to walk, trot and canter around me and her buddy. At first, Blondy (the 23 yr old) was very nervous about me lifting my hand over her head and body to let the rope circle around and she kept moving. Eventually, though, they both got the idea and took turns going out to lunge while the other stood in the center with me. Eventually, I'm going to try it at liberty and see if I can keep one close by while the other runs on the outside of a round pen. I'll let you know how that goes.
It's always going to be a challenge to juggle all of the day to day activities. With warm weather, comes more things to do outside. As long as I can give my horses 30 min of my time, I feel it's worth it, as long as I'm stimulating their minds as well as their bodies.
So get out there and challenge yourself-what can you accomplish in 30 minutes? Use your imagination. And if you don't have one, get some great ideas from the best in horsemanship-check out a video at http://www.yourhorsematters.com/
Enjoy the spring!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment