Online, Liberty, Freestyle & Finesse!

Well today was just downright amazing.
Eddie and I played online in the round pen for a while and he was great. He had energy, but he was responsive and connected. We played with the seven games for Liberty prep. THEN...
We went to liberty and he went crazy! He cantered and spun and bucked and just was generally LBE. So then we went back online and he was fine. He was sleepy. lol! Then we went back liberty and he ran around some more! hehehehehe, what a silly boy! We did do the sideways game, the circling game and the squeeze game. So that was pretty good. Then this afternoon...
I went outside and rode. I put the bareback pad on and the hackamore. We just did some refresher stuff and he did amazing! We did sideways without a fence, indirect rein, direct rein and backing without the reins.
So today was a mix of online, liberty, freestlye and finesse! Yay!
Well, that was a WONDERFUL day!

Savvy on!
Lea & Eddie

Yesterday & Today

Yay! This is my 101 post! =-D

Yesterday was BUSY! We groomed the boys in the morning and they were so warm and sleepy. Then in the afternoon Mike came to do their feet. (yes I do have pictures!)

They were such good little boys! Eddie stood perfectly and Scout only reared once. It was cold. =-/ So while Scout was having his feet done I played with Eddie. He was amazing!

We did a ton of sideways towards and he got that really fast. He had a little of a hard time doing it to the left, but that's ok. Then we went in the round pen and did it some more in there and did the games. I was so proud of him! I can't wait until we can assess! Red string (maybe blue) here we come!!! Oh, Mike also said that either Helen Topp could come out here and assess us in June or we could bring a tape for her to watch at the clinic. Maybe by then I could get my blue string too. It's not far off!!!

~Lea & Eddie~

Awesome Day!

Well today it was cold (10) but we had a GREAT time! First my sister and I took the horses out for a walk around our property. Eddie really enjoyed it and then we groomed them in the corncrib.
This afternoon I went out to play with Eddie and I decided to play with Scout too. So we (all three of us) went into the outdoor and played with games 1, 4, 5, 6 & 7. They both did VERY well and only once (or twice) Eddie wanted to bite Scout and chase him around for fun. But I got his attention (with a bigger phase) and all was well. Then I let Scout go and I played with Eddie out in the pasture. It was fun, because I was listening to music on my ipod, while I was playing with him. This happy/groovy song came on and we trotted sideways. I got in this little groove with the tune and it helped me have more fun so Eddie could have more fun.
I've also been trying to get back in the groove of riding again. I got on today and just did little things like sideways, pushing passenger, lateral flexion. It's funny, right when I think I'm finishing up my Level 2 riding we go back and we have a level 1 week. Oh well, it will be spring soon. I can't wait for warm weather!

Keep it Natural,
Lea & Eddie

Online & Freestyle

Wow, I haven't been on here in a while.

Well over the week I've had a cold, so I felt pretty miserable. I still played with Eddie though! It felt good to get outside and move around. Yesterday I spent undemanding time with him and I took a bunch of pictures.

Both of them were so sleepy!

Then today I played with Eddie out in the pasture. We played (ran) around at liberty then we went online and he got very sleepy again. So I sat on a barrel and tried to hold his tongue. We got pretty far with the carrot stick, but I'm going to do it a few more times before I stick my hand in there. I don't want to get bitten! =-)

This is when we were trotting over the cavaleties yesterday. He did really good!

Hehe, then I went over to the log and had him back up to me. Then I friendlied his rump and I hopped on that way! YeeHaw! It was fun!

Keep it natural!

Lea & Eddie

Another Play Day!

Today I helped dad with games 1, 4, 5, 6 and 7. He did very well!!! Eddie was really good and very patient. Then this afternoon I went out and played with him again, we had a lot of fun! I worked on the 'spin and change direction' thing Mikey does with Red Sun in a video. Eddie caught on so fast! I would duck underneath the rope and spin the way Eddie was going on the circle and he would change direction. He looked so pretty!!!!

Here are some pictures:

He, he, now I am really a future instructor! I've had my first student!

Helping with the circling game

Riding inside

Helping with the sideways game

Friendly game!

Savvy on!

Lea & Eddie

Energy Much?

After I talked with Keri today (which was a blast) I went outside and played with Eddie. We trotted over some cavaleties, cantered around A LOT and did a big obstacle course from zone 5 with one rein. He had a great time and he had a lot of energy. I did the S pattern again, but he looked a little sore going to his left. So I didn't push it, we only did a trot. Ooooh! I also brought him in the paddock and worked on mounting. He had a ton of energy, but I was proud of him because he let me sit on him and we just did friendly game with that. It's funny, even though we're working on Level 2 stuff in freestyle/finesse, we still totally have out Level 1/pre level 1 days. Deal with the horse that shows up.
I've got all the time in the world! =-D
I was thinking about the future today. I was wondering if the Parelli's would ever make a Midwest Center. I'm REALLY hoping that they do! That would take such a worry off my shoulders. Because then I wouldn't have to trailer Eddie that far from here and I would be close to home and it would be ten times better then going to CO. Although I still do want to see the ISC. Well we'll just wait to see what happens...

Naturally,
Lea & Eddie
Partners for Life

Yay! We got to play!

Well the past three days it has been bitterly cold. Negatives, Negatives, Negatives, and more negatives! So Eddie has a TON of energy. I took him out in the pasture and we did fast figure eights and he had a lot of fun doing those. I wish I had, had a camera on me, he did these amazing roll backs and rears and he was so pretty!!! =-D Then we went for a long canter along the west end and he thought that was a blast. Then we worked on out trotting sideways. But the best part?!?!?!? We did the "Walk the Line" puzzle and we did it at the canter. He did an amazing lead change during the change of direction. He was awesome!!! I gave him a carrot after that. I was so happy!
I can't wait for the future!

Lea & Eddie
Partners for Life

BRRR!!!!!

It is so cold outside!
The high is only 10 and it's supposed to go down to 0 tonight. I can't wait for summer! =-)
Yesterday we played with getting on and off his back. He's just getting back into the swing of things. We're taking the time it takes!
Ooooh... I can't wait until the information comes out for the assessments. I'm so ready!!!
Well, I'd better go... school calls! =-)

~Lea & Eddie~

Snow!

Yesterday afternoon I started getting Eddie used to riding again. I laid on him, did lateral flexion and sat on him for a bit. He has had so much energy lately, so I really have to play with him today so that we can ride. This morning I laid on him, and rode around for a few minutes. I could just feel his need to run rippling underneath me. So I got off, took the hackamore off and we RAN around. I used Linda's technique of "You want to run? Let me help you!!!" So that helped a lot. That's pretty much all we did this morning was run around at liberty. This afternoon before it snows some more I'm going to do a big online session so I can ride a bit. But it doesn't really matter all that much if I ride, I like taking the time it takes so it will take less time. Act like you have forever to do something, and it will only take you 15 minutes to do it. Act like you only have 15 minutes and it will take forever.

Over and Out,

Lea & Eddie

Snow, snow and more snow!

It snowed a lot yesterday night and now it's snowing again! Yay! I love snow! It's the light fluffy kind that is excellent to ride in. Eddie has so much energy, so I can't wait to play with him once the snow stops. Maybe I'll just go play in it...
I'll post pictures later!!!!!!!!!!

Savvy out,
Lea & Eddie

~Thank You Parelli~

Thank you Parelli Natural Horsemanship!
Today I played with Eddie and we've reached such an understanding. Even though it was windy and cold and he was slightly a RBE/LBE, he trusted in me completely. All I have to do is suggest things to him and I find myself doing less and less and he does more and more. It's totally a 50/50 relationship. I put understanding in and he puts faith in me in. Now all we have to do are the tasks and then we can fly through the auditions. It's so amazing! That we can become such partners with these prey animals when we're the ultimate predator. I can't wait for the future. I believe we have no limits now that I've put the relationship first.
Instructor training here we come! I know it's a long shot but with God's help I can do it. I have one thing a lot of people don't have, humility. I'm not afraid of working or cleaning out stalls to climb my way up. Thanks to Parelli I have an understanding of horses. No matter what job I end up doing, I can use it everyday.
Thank you Eddie, for teaching me patience and teaching me that anything is possible if you put a little faith in it. I love you so much and you deserve a savvy partner.

Love,
Lea

Sorry! I haven't been on here for a while!

Well, what have I been doing.......????

I've been working on my books for a while, but Parelli wise, not much is knew.

Eddie and I are still working towards our goals, but because it is so slippery, it's hard to do much. So we've basically been playing with our holes. Like circling without breaking gait (which he is doing great at!) and sideways without his back end lagging. Oooh! But I did put the bridle on him and we played with that! Here are a few pictures!!!!

Yawning! lol!
Sideways-ing
Eddie and his bridle!
It sort of looks like Parelli's because of the little concho on the headstall.
Such a handsome boy! It's funny, when I put the bit in his mouth he looked at me like, "You've got to be joking! A bit?" But he was so light with it I was amazed! Last time (a year or more ago) we tried putting a bit in his mouth he bobbed his head and had a huge hissy fit! So just from the ground I backed him up with pressure on the reins and he did it so lightly. We'll be using a bridle in no time!!! I'm so excited! That's one thing I never even thought about (more like forgot) in my goals for 2009!

So here's one more:

~Be able to ride in the bridle in the freestyle

and finesse savvies.

With a positive attitude~

Savvy on!

Lea & Eddie

Liberty!!!

I went out and was going to play with Eddie. I saw he was pretty sleepy, so I thought I would get on. Well my inner horseman said that I'd better play with him first since we haven't done much in a few days. So we played at liberty! Which ended up being the whole time! =-D He trotted towards me, although he did have a little cranky expression on his face so I would run at him when he would lay his ears back and he would back up fast. Then he would lick his lips and perk up his ears like, "That was interesting mommy!" So we played with that for a while and we trotted over cavaleties did a bit of sideways and squeezing. Here are some pictures my mom took!Cookie time!
Backing up!
Trotting towards me (draw) my mom accidentally cut me out of the photo! Ooops!
Improving draw!

He did so well! I can't wait until the new assessments come out! I'm shooting for Level 1 in the next few months and maybe Level 2 at the end of the year.

Oooooh! Guess what?!?!?! Allison and I are going to pull together our $$$ and buy the Patterns! The best part is that the L&HB comes with it for free! The sale starts on the 5th. and we're actually going to get it!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!

Naturally,

Lea & Eddie