|
|
|
|
Exceptional Horsemanship Newsletter
|
|
|
|
|
|
Greetings!
We've had one of the best winters here. Beautiful riding weather. Days where, even if I've already done a lot of horses, it's too nice to NOT throw one of mine in the trailer (Bache here) and go stompin' around in the desert with my pup in tow, learning how to stay out of the cholla.
And we had a FAB Goldilocks Syndrome workshop in 80 degree weather. Everyone did well, had lots of fun and made loads of progress.
What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word Goldilocks? The picture in your mind is?
For me, it's the three different beds with Goldilocks in the middle one from the picture book we had as kids. If paraphrasing the book, for me, it's: not too hot/not too cold (the oatmeal), not too big/not too small (the chair), not too hard/not too soft (the beds). Then we add not too long/not too short, not too high/not too low, not too sharp/not too dull, not too fast/not too slow.
I could go on and do (imagine that) as the situations present themselves in the workshop. I've found that many people simply aren't aware of many of the movements and lack of movements they're doing while with their horse. This is exactly what is causing your frustration and less than stellar results.
Precision and critical thinking (two other national deficits) are what this workshop is about. Black has recently started teaching me pas de deux and I was delighted that she offered it loose in a strange arena with six other horses. Here with Peka. If someone had a video camera they would have gotten Black doing her prelim piaffe bareback in a halter, too. It's coming along!
 
Open your mind to a whole new level of awareness and results. Raise your bar, raise your ambitions. Fight for your exceptional horsemanship by learning what it takes in discipline. Gain knowledge, skills and positioning. And generate it within yourself to step up.
 Here, I was on Peka and Black was just standing there next to me, so... I switched.
A quick apology to cox.net recipients. There was a glitch with your browser and you didn't get it at the beginning of the month. I hope you got the last/fourth effort to get it to you.
|
So... Are You Horseman Material????
Let's get started on a part of one subject from the Upcoming list:
The Art of Waiting"We must go slowly, there's not much time."
This quote is over the door at the Women's Theology Center in Boston although who actually I don't know. When I read this quote in Valerie Young's great book "The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women", it stopped me in my tracks. Brilliant! Simply Brilliant! Especially since I say this to all my students but not so succinctly.
So, you're in a hurry to... WHAT???
Really? What was the REAL reason you got on your horse today? To accomplish something that you decided before you got on with no input from your horse? Now something else is in the process of happening and YOU are NOT going to be deterred, or maybe, detoured. You will make your horse do what you said. You are the boss. You have two legs! You are the ALPHA.
Well Alpha, riddle me this: If we were sitting at your kitchen counter and I asked you to get me a glass of water. Would the glass with the water in it be in my hand as soon as I finished my sentence? In reality, you would have to process the request, decide whether or not you wanted to get me the water, get up and get a glass out of the cupboard, go to the water supply and fill the glass, then return to the counter and give it to me.
Yet when you decide your horse should do something, it's supposed to be instantaneous.
BUT... on the other hand, if you knew me and we were sitting down at your counter, you may already be pondering getting me a glass of water and even offer. You would also 'save time' because you already know the steps involved.
However, if I got ugly and scared you, you would likely get flustered, not be able to smoothly handle the whole water getting operation, maybe drop the glass and/or spill the water. Possibly even break something. Then more time would be used to clean up the MESS you made!
You will get there MUCH, much faster if you slow down. Sometimes... don't just do something, stand there. This too is part of timing and feel; which is what it's all about. The key is not to prioritize what is on the schedule, but to schedule your priorities." -Stephen Covey
There's a difference between techniques and technique.
For exceptional results, think "how and how can I".
|
Upcoming stuff:How many fb friends are really friends/do you care? The lost acquaintance and the difference between friendly and friend. trot at the cone/spurs? awareness, maintain boundaries in order to create focus, both in yourself and your horse. timing/feel, come,Think. Get him to turn loose first. Don't try to get it to happen. Get it ready and let it happen.
|
|
|
|
There's a lot to get you thinking on the training blog Lauren's Horse Musings. Check it out and get THINKING!Sincerely,
ME
Lauren Woodard
ExceptionalHorsemanship.com |
Lauren Woodard
Scottsdale, Arizona 85254
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
