Me & My Shadow - Confidence Building the Natural Way

Me and My Shadow-

The outcome of this exercise is to build rapport with your horse.  By playing Me and My Shadow you will start proving to your horse that you are interested in seeing things from his point of view.

How To:

1. On the ground, stand in Zone 3 (where you would be if you were riding), and ask your horse to begin walking.

2. Allow whatever he does.  It doesn’t matter if it’s just one step or if he can’t move at all. 

3. Mirror his response with your energy, attitude, posture, speed, and movements.  What did your horse do when you asked for the walk?
    a. Did he start walking briskly forward?  Is he bold and curious?  Or is he moving his feet out of fear?
    b. Does he stand still or turn his head away?  Does he freeze or pin his ears?
    c. Does he begin tentatively walking in a straight line?  Zig zagging lines? 
    d. Is he exploring and touching things or spooking and avoiding things?
    e. Ask yourself, what does this tell me about my horse's ideas and confidence?

4.    When or if he stops, let him rest for 7 seconds and then ask for forward again.

5.    Continue with the exercise until you begin to find relaxation and harmony with your horse.  He should appear more confident, curious, and connected. 
    a. This could be a lowered head, blowing out, softer eyes, more ease of movement, more willing to sniff and touch things, etc. 

6.    When your horse reaches this point the exercise is over.

If you are familiar with the Passenger Lesson* from the Level 2 FreeStyle program you can think of this as a similar exercise.  The difference being you’re on the ground instead of on their back.  Both of these exercises are great for building both yours and your horse’s confidence, trust, rapport, harmony, and relaxation together.

Quiz your understanding!

1. When I play Me and My Shadow I should position myself:
1. Near his head as if I were leading him.
2.  In Zone 3, similar to where I would be if I were riding him.
2. When doing this exercise I should:
1. Stay neutral and not do anything in my body.
2. Mirror my horse’s mental, emotional, and physical state.
3. I quit playing when:
1. My horse is feeling relaxed, confident, and connected.
2. When I’m ready to stop walking/standing around waiting for my horse to do something.

*A Passenger Lesson is a Friendly Game played while riding FreeStyle.  To do this you will stay on your Balance Point while pushing on the horse’s neck to properly weight your seat and stay with your horse’s movements.  Begin at the walk, then you may progress to the trot and canter. 

Ask your horse to begin in your chosen gait and mirror his energy/attitude/posture/speed/movement.  Look where he looks, bend in your body where he bends in his, feel what he’s feeling and just go with him (as long as it’s safe!).  If he stops, rub him, then ask him to go again.  You’re looking for connection and relaxation from your horse and fluidity and synergy from yourself as a rider.

The Passenger Lesson will develop your confidence, balance, and fluidity.  It will also develop harmony between you and your horse under saddle and expand the horse’s understanding that you won’t micromanage him.

Safety note: If you can’t bend to a stop from a walk, DO NOT trot.  If you can’t bend to a stop from a trot, DO NOT canter.

15 Things To Do With Your Horse in 15 Minutes or Less!

We all lead busy lives, sometimes we only have a few minutes to spend with our horses.  It never feels like enough time.  Many of us will just bypass our available time thinking, what's the point?

I am here to tell you that even just 15 minutes MATTER!  Here are some ideas of things you can do with your horse when you only have a short while.

The important thing to remember is that each of these things take time!  Don't rush it!  Use your 15 minutes wisely by looking for small improvements and finding a good stopping place.  Don't expect perfection or get into a battle with your horse that you can't win, especially with limited daylight to burn.  Know that each of your short sessions are investments in your horse's future as the partner you've always dreamed of!

I highly recommend reading this second post about how you should be spending your time with your horse.  It's a short and sweet post- and will help put into perspective

1. Observe your horse in his pasture or stall, see what kinds of things he does when he's with other horses or alone.  Is he busy?  Is he quiet?  Did he notice your arrival?  Did he greet you?  The power of observation should not be underestimated.  Ask any great horseman how many hours they have spent watching horses in herds, in the wild, in their own in their backyard...
2. Take some time to sit quietly in your horse's personal space, this is undemanding time.  Be there for him if he'd like to come up for scratches or pets, and if he doesn't don't worry!  He values this time with you whether it is interactive or you are simply respecting his desire to maintain a larger personal space.  Horses hang out together A LOT, if we're trying to integrate ourselves into their "inner circle" of trusted herd mates then we should take some time to hang out with them too!
3. Groom them!  Check them over for bumps, scrapes, burs, ticks, dirt - whatever!  Gently detangle manes and tails, use soft, real horse-hair brushes to stimulate circulation and bring the oils up out of the skin and into the coat for a nice shine.  
4. Halter with savvy!  Does your horse put his head in the halter or does he stand perfectly still or even look away?  This is an area you can develop your horse's confidence as well as yielding to a feel (Friendly & Porcupine Games).  Teach your horse to put his head down and toward you, to seek the noseband of the halter.  Got kids?  Teach your horse to halter at their height (from your knees).
5. Develop your horse's hoof skills.  How responsive is your horse when you ask him to pick up his feet?  Teach him to do it from the snap of your fingers, a tap to the leg, a light squeeze of the chestnut, a tug to the fetlock - however you want to do it practice refining it!  Horses that have issues with their feet usually have some trust and/or respect issues with the human.  Take this time to see how your horse feels about yielding his only system of defense to you.  Giving one of your feet, your method of fight or flight, over to a predator is a BIG DEAL!  Don't take it lightly and respect how your horse feels.  Practice getting them holding their own feet up, simulate hammering on shoes (with you hand or rubber mallet), or putting them on a hoof-stand.
6. Bridling!  Same as haltering - is your horse bridling himself or do you have to bridle him?  Use cookies in your hand beneath the bit or molasses on the bit to invite your horse to take it voluntarily into his mouth.  Cause your idea to bridle to become your horse's idea by making this a fun, rewarding experience for your horse.  Keep this progressive by giving treats not just when he takes the bit, but let him take it and then treat afterward.  Then less and less.  It's not about bribing him with cookies to bridle, it's about giving him a reason to put that piece of metal in his mouth and feel good about it.
7. Get creative with teaching your horse to yield to a feel, the Porcupine Game.  Can you lead by the ear, lip, tongue, mane, tail, nostril, leg, hoof, from a neck or flank rope, or...?  Develop this over time so your horse maintains his confidence while you teach him new and interesting things.
8. Use simulations to get your horse thinking!  How can you simulate clippers, horse trailers, saddling, mounting, birds flying out of the bushes, etc. by yourself in 15 minutes?  Get a pedestal or object (even a paper plate) for your horse to put his feet on - something he has to do to get in a trailer, get an electric toothbrush for your clippers, get a plastic bag on a stick for your bird, get creative and use approach and retreat with rhythm and relaxation to help teach your horse to be a confident puzzle solver.
9. Heard of the Parelli Patterns?  In 15 minutes you can play one or even two of the patterns with huge success!  Aim to improve it each session with SADDLE.  A little more Speed, Accuracy, Distance (from your horse), Distance (you can go), Lightness, or Expression.  Read more about Lillan Roquet's SADDLE concept in the February 2014 issue of the Savvy Times!
10. On that note heard of the Parelli 7 Games?  Same as with the Patterns - pick any Game, get creative, and improve it with one of the SADDLE choices at a time.
11. Get savvy with Saddling.  What does your horse think about the saddle, let alone what he thinks about you putting it on him?  Go on, drag it out, put it down on the ground and send your horse to it.  Does he shy from it?  Hold his breath?  Try to attack it?  Ignore it?  Read his feedback and go from there.  Get him comfortable with your saddle on the ground before you offer to put it on his back.  Practice your technique and form, can you put it on your horse without the stirrup or billets smacking him on the side as you swing it over?  Does he move his feet?  Is he relaxed?  Practice saddling with quality in mind - quality of your horse's physical, mental, and emotional responses.
12. Get your horse and mosey!  Go for a walk!  Take him somewhere to graze.  Explore his thresholds and confidence around your property.  If it's hot, take him to shade.  If it's raining, bring him in the barn and let him dry out for a bit while you feed him some treats.  Herds travel together - even if you can only travel for 15 minutes, teach your horse that just because you catch him (and maybe even saddle him if you're ambitious) it doesn't mean you're going to get on!  It may mean a grazing extravaganza.... at least for a few minutes!
13. Practice your Mounting and Dismounting.  You don't even have to saddle!  Teach your horse to pick up up from fences, stumps, mounting blocks, etc.  Once you get on have him hurry up and do nothing!  Dismount smoothly, safely.  Do you know where your reins, hands, eyes, feet, and hips should be while you get on and off?  Is there a brace in your horse anywhere when you are getting up and down?  Assess him for pain, tightness, fear, relaxation, confidence, and willingness.  Does he want you to get on?  If he doesn't, practicing your skills and reward him for his efforts to be your partner.  This will help him realize you are doing this for and with him, not to him!
14. So now you're on - saddled or not - do you know your rein positions and techniques?  You can do this in your rope halter or bridled - lateral flexion, direct rein, indirect rein, jingle bell rein, suspension rein, casual to concentrated, California roll... the list goes on!  Get handy with these with your eyes open and closed, feel for a quality and positive reflex in your horse.  Another great benefit of this is that your horse will realize just because you get on doesn't mean it's going to be work, work, work.  This can be fun and relaxing for both of you!
15. Find your horse's itchy spots - and scratch them!  If your horse doesn't have any it may be that he just hasn't revealed them to you yet.  Earn his trust and confidence and all of a sudden some itchy spots will magically appear!

All of these ideas will help you build your foundation and your relationship.  The next time you do have a full hour or two to ride and play with your horse you will reap the benefits of all the extra moments you spent with your horse.

Teaching something new with a few extra minutes!

Going for a mosey on a day I didn't have time to ride.

Hanging out builds Rapport.  Rapport, Respect, Impulsion, Flexion...

Investing my time wisely has created a relationship with Aspen where she will leave her friends and grass and meet me in a 100 acre pasture on her own!

5 Year Old Parelli Kid Passes On Line Level 1 Audition w/ a Level 1+!

My son, Tristan, is just thrilled to have passed his Parelli Level 1 On Line Audition with a Level 1+!  He turned 5 years old just days before doing this audition and is so proud of himself and of Aspen.  

3-Star Parelli Professional Molly Sanders assessed his audition and also said, "It was so fun to watch Tristan's audition! It's very clear that you [have] put a lot of time in with Aspen building confidence, knowledge and encouraging try. Tristan did a wonderful job with [her]! A pleasure to watch."  

That makes a mama proud! :) 

Parelli Levels Auditions, OL L3 / FS L2

Hi everyone! :)  Here are my quick and dirty levels auditions that I submitted last week on the 4th!  Had to get them done to send in with time for evaluation before my Fast Track.  I don't think it's really a sample of our best work together but overall I am really happy with how hard Aspen was trying to please!

We hauled from Dillon to Bozeman (100 miles) to meet up with Jenny, my 3* PP, who offered to video these for me.  When I got there for my lesson and taping it was 90 degrees and raining off and on - talk about muggy!  We battled some bugs and a super itchy Aspen who just wanted to lay down and roll as well as the inevitable new-environment-syndrome (aka spooking) at times.  But we got to play with the pedestal for the first time EVER and Aspen was so proud of herself when she got up there!  Great expression and question ears :)  We also cleaned up the weave at the trot - which I've been neglecting some.  I think we did really well with some tasks and in others - such as sideways in my freestyle - I was surprised that it kind of fell apart.  I guess that's why it's a challenge - we ride and play with live animals not 4-wheelers that are the same and consistent day in and day out.  

It was a great day of learning and really put my organization and mental tact to the test once the camera turned on!  Just knowing that someone is filming you and you're going to be submitting it for evaluation was like taking final exams in school all over again!  Silly nerves!  So anyway, great to check out my emotional fitness in that regard. 


Since I've been back from Bozeman I've only just gotten to ride Aspen once - which was yesterday - and we had a great time together!  Played OL first, the weave was really good - so awesome to have such drastic improvement after some help with Jenny, and we got flying lead changes in the F8 pattern.  I wasn't asking for the canter but she offered it and was maintaining the pattern so I just let her go for it - WOW!  Where was that piece of awesomeness on audition day?? ;)

Riding was super fun too, I'm really noticing a change in Aspen under saddle.  I feel more of a connection to me - like she's not just tolerating me on her back but she's noticing and feeling me on her and trying to work with me.  We did some walking weave with my CS and then I did a passenger lesson at the trot using Steady Rein to help her stretch.  Once we had that we worked on some JUMPING! So fun and she was a super star!  And then ended with our canter work which was mostly relaxed and head down/level the entire time.  Ahhh - I just love this!!!!!!!!  I love having fun with my horse and I really feel like she enjoys it too! :D


I love your comments and support on my videos and blog posts - sometimes they show up here, sometimes in my video comments section, and sometimes on my Parelli Connect page - and it always makes me happy to know that others are out there appreciating my journey and experiencing some of the same struggles and triumphs with their own horses.


And by the way....Only about a month left before Fast Track!!!!!!!!!!!