June 29, 2008 - Sick as a... Savvy dog but still Savvy!

Well, I got TOO hot Saturday but felt well enough to play when I got out Sunday night.
I think I did good yesterday, I got to watch the Parelli Liberty and Horse Behavior DVD's all day.

Bebe

Sideways and Confidence Building

I think he is now confident enough to canter sideways, he is doing great.

His cantering and flying lead changes are great and liberty is too!

I think we will soon be ready to move on.

Sundance

Flying Changes and being Fun

Sundance and I played with cantering and doing flying lead changes on a shorter line, he did great and no counter canters! I can't quite remember anything else except for the shoulder game and practicing his bow, I got a little sick while practicing the bow so I decided to end the session. It was a great session though! I feel great today but will wait until later in the afternoon to make sure I do not have a chance to get sick again. I got to play with Fabio (Sundance) earlier this morning when it was cool and had an AWESOME session! New tasks, new ideas, new fun and SUCCESS!

First SCSC Play Day on June 28, 2008

The first SCSC Play Day went great, the set up we made was perfect and we had everything we needed. We all had so much fun talking and learning, I think everyone benefited from it including me. People arrived between 9 and 10 o'clock and we all socialized, unpacked and played until 11:30 and then headed to the porch for lunch. After lunch we played and decided to skip the games because of the heat and decided to go on a cool trail ride and jump in the lake, which was the highlight I think of the event. Later everyone left and around 5 o'clock the place was clean and clear, and my horses were pooped. I had a lot of fun, and plan to have more fun on the next play day. I probably will not do too much today, I woke up last night in a cold sweat and felt like my insides were cooking... I got sick from the heat so I have to stay cool today or things will get ugly. My friend graciously allowed me to use her Parelli Liberty and Horse Behaviour kit so I am still building my future even though I am too sick to go play, so I am happy! Thanks K!

June 26, 2008 - More Riding, and Flying Lead Changes by Carrot Sticks

Carrot Stick Riding

Sundance

Just to start on a hilarious note for me, for my fender length on my Natural Performer I have to set it up 13 holes from the bottom! I have never EVER had the privilege or need to do that to a saddle, I have found my saddle. I am so happy with this saddle, so happy. Okay, back to the weird mysterious place we call earth. Sundance caught me and we saddled up with pearly whites shining in the blazing sun, yes it was a dreadful 95 degrees definitely not the cool yummy 74 degrees like this morning... I need to go feed the Seniors... ah well, they can wait until I finish blogging. (You can tell I am happy, can't you) Then Sundance and I headed to our arena and warmed up a little with flexion and the porcupine games on zones 2 and 4 to make sure he can move them correctly and happily on the ground before I ask him in the saddle. Then I hopped on his gorgeous back and we walked and played with my seat, kind of a Simon says game to see if he was listening to my 'Independent' seat I was offering. He was listening pretty well, time to move up to a trot... figure eights, change of direction, then a million transitions. Great! Hardly had to use the carrot stick! Just to inform you, doing carrot stick riding is just like the game on the ground called 'Don't make me pick up the stick' very simple in it's complexity (Yes, Katie I have stolen your line! xoxo) Carrot stick riding is a lot of fun and creates fabulous results. We moved onto yielding his forequarters in a circle and hindquarters separately, the forequarters and a little challenge but he caught on SO fast because he is smart :). Then we played with simple and flying lead changes, I did about 3 flying lead changes in a row with no problem and it was SO exciting and exhilarating. I soon later joined my brother on the trails with still just the carrot stick in hand with the reins draped over the horn and used my seat and the carrot stick throughout the 2 hour ride, jumping creeks, hearding donkeys (sorry Taco!)and geese and trotting through trails. He did better, actually we did better than I expected, what an interesting but great pair we are. I can't believe we are actually doing this well in Level 3 so far, I cannot wait to see how far and fast we will go with the new Level 3 coming out in September. The play day is tomorrow, I am going to be busier than a bee today! I am getting excited about it, it will be great for my skills as a future professional and leader.

Experimenting and Succeeding with the Natural Performer

Bebe

I went on a trail ride with the Beebsters yesterday morning, and he did amazingly. Picking up the right leads, now able to pick up the leads. He is now surprisingly able to pick up a canter as slow as Breezes trot! What a feat. He has a lot to learn, but he was so much fun and such a pleasure to ride. I am starting his Level 2 Freestyle and Finesse, I think it will go smoothly. I am ready to get him started, he is ready now.

Very Busy, But Squeezed in Some SAVVY!

June 25, 2008

I was very busy yesterday, my parents were gone because my mother needed a minor surgery (She's doing great today though!) and I had to clean the dirtiest part of the barn (which I did not make, my brother and father think it's a storage area *ahem, NO!*) which was quite a task to defeat but got done nonetheless thankfully! I am hosting a South Charlotte Savvy Club play day this Saturday (Which is not tomorrow but the next day!) and have lots to do here to get the place ready, today I am going to clean all of the horses that will be used, clean the stalls and make sure the visiting horses will have water. I am very excited, this will be great for my skills as a future instructor.

Sundance

Advanced Games on the 45ft line, in the dark!

As soon as I finished in the barn which was around 9:15 pm, I had Sundance catch me and we got to play 3 fun games in 10 minutes.

• Advancing the Circling game - We got 10 full laps in, I only had to pull him in once.
• Flying Lead Change - (Took place while we did our 10 laps) He is great except he is really bad about picking up a counter canter, he can't seem to be able to pick up the right lead but I guess that he will figure it out as we do more and more and advance the lead changes.
• Prep for Sideways for 45ft - He is great at this, I really think we are ready to move on.

Bebe

Finding harmony in the Natural Performer... Finally

Yes, I took the most absolute comfortable ride on the Bebe. I rode in the Parelli Cradle bridle too and boy did he feel GREAT! I rode in it again today, I will post more about the 'Collected' canter we found out about tomorrow... it was amazing! I think I have the Natural Performer figured out. I will take more pictures of my partners in the saddle, they look so good and natural in it.

Cleaning the Barn & The Rocking horse - June 24, 2008

Sundance

Cleaning the Barn

Most of the time with Sundance was spent cleaning the barn together, for hours on end. Laughing, getting our noses in things and eating things we weren't supposed to (Actually Sundance did that), we had so much fun together! Later in the afternoon I played with him on the 45 foot line and worked on maintaining the canter and the advanced squeeze game. He did REALLY good on both of the tasks, we had so much fun. We went Liberty and played all the way up to the barn on different fun tasks, we had a blast and enhanced our relationship even more.

Bebe

Rocking Horse

• Sideways - At trot confidently, getting a lot better.
• Sideways with out fence, while person still - His first time, confused but caught on perfectly
• Backing - Very straight and fast, hardly any phases just the "schweigermutter" look.
• Cantering on 2 ft line - Slow and sassy!
• Riding and cantering in the Natural Performer! - Canter was for the first time ever soft and like a rocking horse, I could actually get him to put his weight on his hindquarters and have his forequarters move in a circle for the first time ever! I am excited about his development, my goal is to develop him to where he his as evenly uphill as he is down hill and I believe having this saddle will do a lot of the developing.

I LOVE MY NATURAL PERFORMER!

Happiness is just a Hoofbeat away - June 23, 2008

Sundance

Billions of Things

Sundance and I had SO much fun yesterday, we did so much I will not go into too much detail.

Let's see! First thing I did was fiddle with the saddle and shims and saddle him, then I went out and played on the ground with the 45 foot line. First we did our 'Maintain the Canter' on the line and flying lead changes, I have never seen him buck like that before on a change! He was flying! It was because he has never done a flying lead change with this saddle, boy did I save my behind from some bruising. I love my left brained introvert! Then we went over and did the advanced squeeze game, getting lots better and then we did our prep for sideways on the 45 foot line, which is getting better too! I went and felt under the pad and checked the stirrups and girth before I got on, his scapula wasn't as free as I would like, but we are in the experimenting stage. I am really close on getting the shims where they need to be though, I think I need to slip it back more. I hopped on and we went to the arena to see how he does staying on the rail, gait wise. HEAVEN! I was on cloud 9. We even did some flying lead changes and all I had to do to get it was shift the position of my body, I was enthused and so happy! Later that afternoon I did a little demonstration with him for someone that is interested in Parelli, she is hooked. Even later on, I got on bareback and bridless and we practiced our simple lead changes which went very well, I need to start doing them more. Sundance and I are having so much fun together now, he comes to me every time I call him with ears up and comes even when I don't call him with a smile. Our relationship has seriously never been better, and I think now I have found out how he ticks and doors have opened and more are being unlocked, I am so excited for our future as partners.

Bebe

Slightly unconfident but Successful

We have some construction going on here so he wasn't as confident with all the new stuff near the fence. Nonetheless he did well with his trotting sideways and cantering/lead change on the 22ft line. I kept it real short, because I thought it was best for him at the time.

Beauty, away from the barn.

Yes, I admit it. Not everything is as beautiful as being at my home, at the barn with the horses but they have beauty in their own way. I am here at the beach, I took a walk with my little 4 pound miniature pinsher and actually remembered to bring my camera.

June 18 & 19, 2008 - Swimming and Traveling

June 18, 2008

Sundance

Swimming and Relaxing

I decided to spice up our play session for the day, boy was it fun. I headed out to the yard where the trailer and lake are, and just winged it! I decided we needed to work on maintaining the canter on the 45 ft line, at first he didn't want to maintain it but then I spiced it up with high energy snappy sends, flying changes and running into the lake! He loved taking a splash in the lake, don't take me wrong I wouldn't have minded jumping in myself but I had 2 lessons to teach and didn't need to get nasty but I sure enjoyed sitting there in the soft grass with the cool breeze and watching the deer on the other side of the lake drink the cool spring water. I got tired of sitting there and played a little more with maintaining the canter then we worked on the advanced squeeze game, it is getting SO good! It is so interesting to watch him think, he will sit there and put his head down like he is going to eat grass then he will put his head up then he will blink a lot through the process and repeat, then he will lick his lips. If I do not give him something to do as soon as he is doing, he gets evil thoughts so I have to stay on my toes! We ended the session, but then later on that afternoon we played out in the pasture at liberty. We had TONS of fun and are working up to having him lay down an command, he is going to be great at that because he is so lazy and trustful of me.

Bebe

Advancing, advancing, advancing!

We did some point to point first with the driving game to make sure he was confident enough, then we went to the fence to do our faster sideways. He was so bent to me and calm we were able to trot sideways on both sides without confidence loss! He did SO well! I was so ecstatic! As soon as he got done trotting sideways I left the task alone and let him know what he did was right. Then we played with cantering closer and flying lead changes, I did a snappy send and he squealed! Oh, how cute, confident and happy he was. He did great on that task, so I moved on to introducing him to a new task, prep for trotting sideways on the 45 foot line with me standing still. At the end he wants to face me instead of facing the fence (which isn't a bad thing, but he needs to learn to face the fence and stop.) I won't worry about that much, it just means he is at attention and wants to know what mommy wants him to do! I was so proud of him, he did so well. We did some close contact trotting the circling game at liberty in the pasture while walking back to the barn and ended the session with a kiss and some sweet feed with smiles on both of our faces!

Asking mommy a question

Enjoying the grass

Asking more questions, "Mommy can I eat now?"

June 19, 2008

I am here at the beach, we got on the road last night late and watched Parelli DVD's until 12:00 at night! I watched the Natural Collection DVD and was just overloaded with some great information, I also watched the Parelli Saddling DVD and remembered some points I had forgotten about last time. Now this morning I am watching the Success Series DVD - Beyond the round pen, The seven games at liberty. Why? Because I am starting Level 3 liberty and need all the arrows in my quiver, as many as I can get!

June 17, 2008 - Fun, fun and more fun

Sundance

Impulsion and Keeping it Interesting

I decided to keep yesterdays session short and sweet. We played with 2 things, preparation for advanced sideways and advancing the squeeze game! His prep for adv. sideways is really good, getting so much better. Then his adv. sqz. game was A LOT better today, I think he has gotten a hang of the pattern and is not getting it confused with other games, I also learnt that having a real clear send is important, and letting him think a little and move on as soon as he is done (so will allow no time for planning evil things on his part, NEVER let a left brained horse get bored because they have very evil thoughts)

Bebe

Hill Therapy, Going faster and Nice Ride

First Bebe and I played point to point with the driving game, getting his nose on something and helping him think. Then we focused on his problem task, faster sideways. He did REALLY good this time, and I am sure it will just get better and better! Then we played with cantering in a small circle, GREAT! Especially compared to him not being able to maintain the canter for 5 seconds on the 22 foot line like he used to. Hill therapy has worked miracles for us, we did our last session too! It went very well. Afterwards now that I am allowed to ride Bebe, we took our first ride after six weeks of Hill Therapy in the Natural Peformer, I could actually get him into a rocking horse canter, before hill therapy I don't think it was physically possible! I am so excited for him, and our journey.

Email from Parelli Instructor Nita Jo Rush

Written on June 13, 2008 -

Hi Mariah,

Congratulations!! You pass your L2! I see lots of very nice improvement in Sundance's impulsion and attitude--good for you. I did make some comments/suggestions for continued progress and will email you with those when I return from PA next week. I couldn't locate the original assessment form--did you send it to me with the new DVD or did I keep it? I did have my email to you and so knew what you needed to re-do. If I'm supposed to have it, I'm sure I can find it, but didn't look hard today for it since I wasn't sure if you had it. :)You'll receive your certificate, pin and blue savvy string from Parelli in a few weeks. If you could email me your Savvy Club membership # so I can enter it, that would be great.How is Bebe the snake-bit pony? And are you definitely switching to him for L3? Hope you're having a good summer and not suffering in the heat. We could use a little heat up here!

Take care,

Nita Jo

Check out Nita Jo's Website at -
http://www.pnhsavvy.com/

Country Bridle came in today!

It is a very beautiful, well made and oiled bridle. I love the look of it on both of my horses.

The bridle is pictured on Bebe with the Parelli Confidence Snaffle and 12 foot Parelli Finesse reins.

June 16, 2008 - Oh, Boy!

Sundance
New Natural Performer Test Ride

Yes! My Natural Performer came in, and is absolutely beautiful. It is a half size bigger than what they recommend for my size but am so glad I ordered it in a 17.5 inch instead of a 17 inch, the color is called a Light Oil and is the most beautiful saddle I have ever seen. I cannot believe I raised enough money to buy it, I am proud of myself for being passively persistent in the proper position. I called Sundance from the barn and walked up to me from a pasture away with ears up, I told you he was happy with me, he just proved it there. I walked him to to the tack room and introduced the two, Sundance was actually interested in a piece of tack this time. When he saw the Fusion he acted like he had seen it a million times, but with this one, oh boy! It was because he was not happy with me when I got the Fusion, but now that he is happy he takes interest in anything I have. Now fast forwarding to when he was saddled up and ready... I put the stirrups on the last couple of holes because on all the saddles I've had I have had to put them on the last holes. Boy was I surprised! I had to put the stirrups up a lot! Now I knew this was the same exact size and color saddle Pat used, but I didn't know this was a saddle that was actually made for Pat himself! I took out the order certificate and on the top in pen was scribbled 'Pat Parelli' with some numbers on top. HOW COOL! So now I know, I am riding in a saddle that was made for Pat. Back to the stirrup topic, I had to put it up so many holes. Pat's legs are LONG! Surprisingly a lot longer than mine, he is like 6 foot 3 inches I think. I knew I felt short beside him at the Tour stop! I finally got in the saddle and melted from the comfort, we went and rode for probably and hour and a half and enjoyed every minute. I went to a huge open field with my brother (mind I was in a halter) and we both raced at a blazing gallop across the field, I have never ran that fast before on Sundance. I never felt out of control or unbalanced once, it was SO much fun. We made our way home the long way and asked Sundance to lower me to the ground with his neck, then gave him some sweet feed and ended a wonderful day with a huge smile on BOTH of our faces!

Bebe

Confidence, Natural Performer and True Love!

After taking the adrenaline pumping session with Sundace I went and played with the Beebsters. I stuck the NP on Bebe and drooled, he looks great in it! Then we did some traveling driving game and point to point standing in the middle of the hoola hoops to get his mind going and confidence boosted, that went great. Then we did our faster sideways, that went SO much better! His rusty side got calmer and more bent toward me, and I was able to get faster on the other side without him loosing his cool. We played with cantering on the 22 ft line closer and collected and that went real well, then took the halter off and we did some close contact trotting with the circling game and just affirmed how great our relationship is getting. I am in love with both of my horses, and they are acting like the are loving me too... it is such a great feeling, I cannot explain it other than, I feel complete.

NATURAL PERFORMER HERE

June 16, 2008 - Day dreaming, and waiting for Natural Performer

Well, while I am dreaming and whilst I am waiting for my Natural Performer to get here I shall type. Let's talk about what I did with my babies yesterday! I didn't get to do much because of it being a holiday for Fathers but nonetheless, relationship wise I did make a difference. Well, I do believe yesterday I played the traveling driving game (while standing in Zone 3) with the Beebsters from hoola hoop to hoola hoop to help his confidence, lots of lippy licking going on there! Then I drove him to the horse eating pedestal *scary organ music*, and did approach and retreat, afterwards it became the defeated pedestal Bebe got to stomp on and lick his chops. He loved it, he felt like the winner he really is. Then we did some walking sideways on his rusty side (I am doing this the right way - SLOW AND RIGHT BEATS FAST AND WRONG, SLOW AND RIGHT BUILDS FAST AND RIGHT - so we can work up to a confident graceful sideways canter) He did better and didn't loose his cool, which is great. Finally we moseyed to our Hill Therapy spot, and did some relaxing Hill Therapy! I didn't do anything with Sunday, we did a lot the day before and decided to give the poor baby some treats and a days break. Back to today, I am so enthused as you can tell! If you go to Nita Jo Rush's website and look on the bottom of the page you will see my name under the Level 2 Graduates section. I cannot wait to see my new Natural Performer, I am going to die waiting. Naw, I will be okay but I am very excited! Thanks for listening to my gibberish. XOXO

SCREAM!

I just got the word from my Parelli Instructor, Nita Jo; that I have OFFICIALLY passed Level two! I cannot wait to get my blue savvy string, I have worked so hard for this! Another goal checked off my list. *sigh* Life is most definitely good!

Busy and Savvy - June 15, 2008 Update

June 12 -14, 2008

Busy and Savvy!

Yes, a busy bee I have been! So many great things have been going on, dreams coming true and making others dreams come true. My life,well it is great. My students are succeeding and happy, a new dedicated student has shown up too. One of my students are co-coordinating a play day with me, this play day is going to be great! We are working so hard on it, I am sure all of us are going to have a blast. My goal is to have a play day every month, and do my best to make it fun, educational and worth traveling to every time. I think this will be great for me, I need to learn how to handle people and horses. A lot of them and in different situations, because I will be doing it a lot in the future as an instructor. It will also help me with my social skills, confidence and presentational skills. I think this will help shape who I am and what it will be like to be an instructor, I think this will be another factor in my life that will change things for the better in the future. My Parelli Natural Performer should be here some time tomorrow, it is in Greensboro. I was not very excited about getting the Fusion for some reason, I guess it was for the better because I was not able to keep it anyway. It was a great experience too, because now I can say I have ridden in every Parelli saddle (Except the Roper). I am very excited about the Natural Performer, it is going to be beautiful. Some other savvy members and I (Project Leader) are creating a Parelli book, we are about to present our project plan to Parelli and get started. That is so great for me and will look great on my resume as a Parelli Professional, I expect this book to be great and touch a lot of people. I cannot release any more information, just keep your fingers crossed so everything will go smoothly! What else do I have going on? Hmmm... I guess now I can talk about how things are going out at the barn. I watched a couple of Success Series DVD's again and watched the Horsenality DVD, I figured Bebe was a Right Brained Introvert when he is unconfident, which makes PERFECT sense. Bebe was distrustful (RBI trait) the past 2 days, (today was a LOT better though, great actually!) The way he was showing his distrust was he would face me when I came to the pasture and stare but not for his life come to me, he also in the middle of Liberty play in the pasture looked 'not there' and would run off. Hmmm, How Interesting! I thought, well what did I do the session before he started to act like this? And it came to me, it was such a small thing I almost brushed it off my shoulder. There is a new platform/pedestal out in the pasture where we play and he was unconfident about it, and I pushed him past TOO many thresholds and made him (in a right brained state) get on it. Wasn't anything to log for me, like so what? Well, obviously it mattered to him and I lost his trust. Well through going slow and using reverse psycology he is now trustful of me. I sorted out our hard feelings by going back and approaching the pedestal the right way, our session ended with a sigh and lip licking whilst standing on the pedestal. Now, what a thing to learn. How INTERESTING! I never knew something like that would be SO important to a horse, and that if me as a leader doing something like that would make such a difference. What a great experience, what an arrow in my quiver. Things have been going AMAZINGLY with me and Sundance, our relationship is blossoming and our communication (definition - Two individuals sharing and understanding an idea), our communication is getting better and better. Sundance is an amazing horse, he is just hard to understand and I believe I am slowly molding the key and so far it is turning out right! He just seems so happy, and that is all that counts.

UPDATE - I just went out to give the horses scratches and treats and Bebe decided we needed to groom each other, so I have a dirty shirt and he has some itched ichy spots!

New! Natural West Parelli Bridle

My Parelli Country Bridle is on back order, it should be here soon. The Natural West pictured above was ordered with the original Parelli Snaffle bit for Sundance, it just suits him better. The curb strap and Parelli Confidence Snaffle came in without the Country Bridle headstall, this set is for Bebe. The Confidence Snaffle is thicker and softer and is to be used to help a horse push into the bit and round his back into the saddle, which Bebe is now starting to learn to do. Doing Hill Therapy, getting a Parelli Natural Performer, doing Level 3 groundwork and getting this bit to help him stretch out should help A LOT with his riding and with him being down hill, I am expecting GREAT results!

Hoof Beats - Poem by Mariah

"My heart, how full it is! Full of many things, things of beauty I cannot explain.
Full of dreams of the future, the hope of tomorrow and the promise of a wonderful life.
My dreams of the future are beyond any can explain, like no other. A life full of happiness, adventure and hope for the future of others. Those others do not leave foot prints but hoof prints, hoof prints that never fade or wash away. My chest falls and rises to the hoof beats of my heart, hoof beats implanted by the others. Those others changed my life, and in return through my life I will change theirs."

Mariah Helms

Oops! I haven't posted in a while.

Shame on me! Ya'll are going to have to start to use some phase 4 and email me when I don't post. Well, things have been so busy around here, I have re-planned a play day, everything is going to be magnificent! I have been busy as a project leader for a new Parelli book coming out, ordered a NATURAL PERFORMER, also ordered a couple Parelli bridles with my certificates for being an ambassador at the Fletcher tour stop, did my end of grade tests, found out I may be going to the Jacksonville tour stop in October, ending hill therapy, doing lessons and introducing new students and I don't know what else! Life is amazing... or should I say beautiful. I was so excited after my end of grade tests, I was told after everything was graded that I was at ending the third year of college level. I feel really smart now, I am only in the 11th grade! Everything with the horses are going magnificent, Sundance and I are having so much fun together. Everything is improving so much except for the backing to the end of the 45 foot line which has improved but not a lot, but I don't care! You know why? Because Sundance is happy and we are improving in every other area, we are ready to move on. Bebe's little nose is 99.9% better, no longer swollen but a little bit harder than normal. He is improving physically through hill therapy and is becoming more balanced through our Level 3 ground work, as I said a couple days ago I am making the choice to take things slower with the cantering sideways task. Slow and right beats fast and wrong, slow and right builds fast and right, and let me tell you it's working! I am almost ready to move on with him too. So all in all life is good, actually better than that, it's magnificent all thanks to the creator of heaven and earth, my father God, my family and their never ending support and my inspiration and mentor Pat Parelli. Thank you!

OH MY GOSH! If this is not acceptance, I don't know what is.

Okay, well I watched the Horse Catching DVD in the Success Series for the second time since last christmas and decided now that I actually comprehend the concept they are trying to get across, i'd try it. I went out 2 times since lunch time to give them some scratches and be a personal fly repellant, and sneak some treats. The third time I came out Sundance just perked his ears up and almost got into a trot to come to me, all the horses came bombarding me trying to show me all their itchy spots. Well, after some itchy time I went up to Bebe and decided to move my fingers like a horses mouth and groom at the horses friendly spot, their withers. Well, I started to feel 2 little (snake bitten) lips wiggling across my back! Bebe was grooming me back, just like a part of the herd. *happy tears* I now feel accepted even more by Bebe, I knew he would be a great partner. What a big step in our relationship... wow.

June 5 & 6, 2008 - More Positivity, a BFO and Recovering Bebe

More Positivity with Sundance & a BFO

Bebe Recovering Quickly

June 5 & 6, 2008

Our sessions have been going GREAT! I cannot remember much from the fifth but I know I left the barn smiling, the session went much like it did on the fourth. On the sixth (Yesterday) *I* learned something NEW, you know have been working on our back up to the end of the 45 foot line? You know how boring it used to be? It is not as boring for him as it used be be but still is, but now I know how to keep his attention. It was definitley another BFO! When I back him up the only thing he expects to happen during the task is backing, and backing and more backing, not very fun huh? I don't think so either. Well now when I sense him getting bored I myself explode with energy and give him a real snappy send for a canter, and he goes of like 'What just happened? and speeds off.' SO in his next yo-yo's to come he will have to be alert because I could explode at any moment, like a bomb without a timer! I have only started to do this yesterday so we will see how it goes today and will post how it went. I am excited to see how it goes! Oh, and his flying lead changes are getting really good! So is pretty much everything else. I did Hill Therapy with Bebe yesterday but that is all I did, I didn't want to work him much with his swollen nose and he has a 4 hour lesson to teach with me today so I gave the swollen nosed baby a break.

Snake Bite Update

Antibiotics, 20 ml 2x day for 5 days

Nose looking Natural! Only swelling is between his nostrils.

And his little treat for being good, free roam of the back of the barn!

Happy Birthday Bebe - 5 years old and 1 year anniversary

Happy Birthday Bebe

I guess the snakes decided to give you a birthday present too, a kiss on the nose.
I love you baby, get well soon for me.

XOXO

June 4, 2008 - More Motivation and Learning to go Slow

More Motivation

Sundance did great great great today! His ears were up more than back, and he seemed very happy. We played with the same exact tasks as yesterday but are getting a lot better. I am going to move up in some tasks to get a little more variety in Sundance's sessions, which I am sure he will love! I can't wait to try new tasks with Sundance, but I am staying inside until later in the afternoon before I go play again because of the heat (6 or 7 o'clock). The summer has really crept up on us unexpectedly here in North Carolina, going from a 77 degree average to a 90 degree average! I will be posting some Level 3 tasks soon, so you'll know what I'll be doing.

Learning to go Slow

We did the same thing today as we did yesterday but better. We were going sideways at a canter and I noticed how scattered he seemed, hmmm... How Interesting! I asked him to walk sideways with the fence and he was still scattered, hmmm... How Interesting! I decided to take it slow and help him get his body in the right position to do what I ask, that helped a lot. I know why he was having trouble with the canter sideways, I was not taking it slow and getting the slower gaits really good sideways before I went and asked him to do the task at a higher gait. SLOW AND RIGHT BEATS FAST AND WRONG, SLOW AND RIGHT BUILDS FAST AND RIGHT! Some one help me remember this, please?

Bebe's swelling has gone down a little bit, that's progress! Please keep on praying, they are appreciated.

Snake Bite Update

The vet left a few minutes ago, he will be okay! I just have to keep an eye on him, give him a boat load of a shot 2 times a day for 5 days, pain killers once a day and keep it clean. I am not sure when he will want to eat again but I am sure he will try once the swelling goes down, the vet gave him a steroid that will make the swelling down so he should have no trouble breathing. I will keep everyone updated, thank you for all of your prayers.