AH! It's FREEZING!

Well this morning I wasn't going to play with Eddie because it was windy/cold but then the sun starting shining and I was like, "Oh well, it's only going to get colder. Let's go PLAY!"
And we ended up having a GREAT session! First we played with the cavaletties to get warmed up, then we went and I had Eddie back to a log, then sideways over it. I was about 30 feet away and I didn't move my feet at all. I think I stayed at a phase 1 and 2 the whole time too!
Then we did some circling game and his change of directions were flawless! Lean'n'turn! Woohoo! Weave was next and again, all I had to do was switch my ribs and he would go either on the inside of outside of the cone. But this time we did it at a trot!!
We went for a walk around the track with Allison and Scout, then we went into the barn and got a bite to eat (grain for him, my stomach was growling) and got out of the wind a little bit.

I lead him out to the round pen and we played some liberty too. His figure eights are really getting there. He did have some trouble with coming back into me, but once I made it fun, "Come chase me!" then he was happy to do them. We straddled the barrel, jumped the barrel, sideways over the barrel towards and away. Circling game is a bit tricky right now. He was not paying attention at ALL. But I know why, he likes the choice of leaving. He can't leave in the round pen. He has so much play drive in the outdoor and the pasture. I want his liberty to be, "SURE! Let's PLAY!" and he never leaves. Right now it's, "Sure! We can play! But I might want to leave and run back to you!"
I think in the winter we'll do our Level 3 Liberty. That will give us some time to practice our circling game in the outdoor and hopefully get some Level 4 marks in our Liberty. =-) Yay! I can't wait!

~Lea & Eddie~


Psalms 24:1-2
1 The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein.
2 For He has founded it upon the seas,
And established it upon the waters.

Amazing weave!

Good evening!!

Well I played with Eddie this afternoon and he did amazing! With just one week of the concept of quality rolling around in my head, the results are everything I could ever hope for. Especially our weave. We played with that first and I bent my ribs to the left, he went to the left. I bent my ribs to the right and he went to the right. It was amazing! Today was the first day that the weave is starting to feel like a dance. Now our circling game wasn't the best, but it was still good. I was really being particular about his focus, rhythm and relaxation. After about 10 minutes playing with it, he finally lowered his head, had an ear on me and had a rhythmic 1-2-3-4 trot pattern. So we're getting there. Circling is our hardest game, so I'm glad that we're practicing it so it get easier. =-)

But guess what?! I don't know if he understood me or what, but Eddie was standing next to me and I told him, "Can you go to the pedestal please?" He went from 1 foot away from me to 45 feet away from me and I was in zone 5. By the time he got to the pedestal I was holding the little taped nub on the 45 and I didn't move my feet at all. It was just my focus! AWESOME!!!

Then we also backed to the entire end of the 45 with just a phase 1 and 2.

YIPPEEE!!!!!

Here are some pictures of what Eddie and I have been doing lately:

(2 days ago)

Yesterday!

Then once my sister came home I got on and we rode around for a little bit! I just had 2 savvy strings, so I used those as reins and we did the weave. OMGoodness!!!! Everything we've been playing with on the ground has translated to riding!!! I moved my ribs, he moved his. I collected my reins and he brought his back up into me. We're playing with finesse!!!!! WOW!!!!! I've been playing with that on the ground, and yet again, it's translated into riding!!

~Lea & Eddie~

ENJOY THE JOURNEY!!!!!!!!!

It Happens

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZRGqAjdM9w
My new video!!

Distance

That was our word for the day! Let's improve our distance!
First Eddie and I played with the circling game to get some of his "WAHOO's!" out. Which he did! lol! Then we went to a collected bullseye pattern and he was really stretching his back. So we did some traveling circles over to the teeny-weeny hill and the cavaletties. Then he was lengthening his stride, stretching his back and was over-all a great banana!
We did some change of directions after that. All I had to do was take one step back and he came in and went flying out! They were all drop-to-trot transitions but he was super light!
The 6 barrels were the next thing to tackle! We jumped over them a few times then I stood 35 feet away and sidewaysed him over them and towards me again. By the time he was at the end of the barrels he was out of line! And we were on the 45!! Yahoo!!
Long reins were next on the list! We went for a lap on the track from zone 5. During that time we did some sidepasses, circles, FQ yields and HQ yields. It's so cool, since we started playing with our quality, our zone 5 driving has gotten so much better!!!

Yesterday, I rode and our quality has gotten so much better with freestyle too!!!
We did some fluid rein and he collected! Wowza!!!!!!!!

We still have a long way to go towards graduating what we're refining, but I think it's quite a step we've taken lately!

~Lea & Eddie~

Psalm 1:1-2
1 Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.

~Yesterday's Post~

Today is day 2 on our quality quest!

We played with the weave, circling and stick to me. He did so well!
By the end of the session all I had to do was change my focus on the circle and he would go off either at a walk or trot depending on my energy.
One thing we have really aced is motivating him. He's motivated by rest, so I have to convince him that doing what I ask is easier than doing what he wants. Like when he stops on the figure eight and just doesn't want to do them anymore, I back him up. The thing he hates to do. Then he does them beautifully!!! We even did a few at the canter with a lead change!
For the circling game we've been playing with him maintaing gait. It's going really well and today he did them while his head was low, and he maintained the trot for 6 laps and the canter for 3. We're playing with it!
With weave he did it at the trot and he was bending around them beautifully!! YIPPEE!
We're taking the next step and the results are... beautiful - like a dance.


~Lea & Eddie~

2 and a half years ~ Qualilty

Yesterday was me and Eddie's 2 and a half year anniversary. We kicked it off with an incredible play session
First we started with the weave pattern. He COMPLETELY changed from having his nose turned to me the whole time and not weaving, to bending into the turns and all with the belly of the rope on the ground. Hey! This actually works! Then we went to stick to me. He was SO light after I asked him to go first with my body. This works too!!! =-D I'm SO EXICTED because after only one day he just tunes into my body so well. I can't wait to see how this relates to riding, when we ride once the rain stops. We did the circling game after that. He did pretty good. He got worried a little bit because I actually asked him to stay on the circle. "But I always come in, mom!" So once he understood that his neuteral is ON the circle, he did just fine. He even did 4-6 laps at the canter!!! WOW! Without breaking gait!
Now that we have this huge savvy arrow, we're going to fly. I'm beyond excited. Level 4 here we come!

~Lea & Eddie~

Proverbs 3:19-20
19 The LORD by wisdom founded the earth;
By understanding He established the heavens;
20 By His knowledge the depths were broken up,
And clouds drop down the dew.

Lesson Time!

Well it's time for a full account of what happened yesterday at my lesson with Gretchen!!!

Gretchen is so nice, she really helped me realize that my savvy needed to be taken to the next level past all the stiffness and exageration of Level 2/beginning Level 3 and taking it to the real refinement stages.

We went to go get Felix, who is an andalusion/arab cross, has been raised with Parelli by a Level 3 student, is pretty young (3 or 4) and is so playful (mild LBE). He came cantering to the gate when we went to bring him in.

Here's what I learned from Gretchen Arndt and Felix:

The italics mean it was something that really stuck out to me.


~STICK TO ME

When we first played stick to me, I was trotting/walking/backing up before he was and not using my energy to cause him to go. But Gretchen said to use your energy to cause him to go first, then follow. Do it in your body, before you do phase 1. Like eyes, belly button, leg, rein for riding, it’s the same with on the ground. Eyes, belly button (focus), leg, rope, stick. Do phases before phase 1.

~SEVEN GAMES WITH OBSTACLE

Be particular and if he doesn’t do the task, then at least get his brain. Do from at least 15-20 feet away and increase distance. Subtle communication and do it in your body, to cause him to do it in his.

~WEAVE

Belly of the rope on the ground. Use your ribs like you were riding a snaky bend to have him mirror you. It’s all about zone 1 too. If zone 1 doesn’t go around the cone, then his feet won’t.

~CIRCLING GAME
I learned so much about the circling game. Use phases for what gait you want him to leave at. Also, use the mirror-me technique that was for stick to me too = the eyes, belly button, leg, rope, stick, phases. Also, she pointed out that instead of the Level 2 loooooooooong phase one (which you do, it’s just really subtle) after 2 seconds with your finger pointing, you use the stick. Because they do know what you’re asking. Then for change of direction You wait until they pass your belly button and instead of running backwards, it’s a lean. You lean back and to prepare for a change of direction, you bring them all the way in. Then after a few times, as soon as they give you two eyes, then you show them where to go. She also said to think of it as a conversation. It’s a partnership but he should be doing more than you or not making you work harder than him.

-------------------------------------------------------
I really, really needed this lesson. Eddie and I were just doing the task, and I knew and I felt like our quality just wasn't there. So now we're really going to play with our quality and how small of a phase can I use.



I'll post later today too!

~Lea & Eddie~
Partners Forver

Online/Liberty/Freestyle... and wait a minute - Finesse??

First of all I wanted to say... YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!! OUR LEVEL 3/4 ONLINE AUDITION IS UP!!!!

HOORAY!!!!! Thank you so much Mrs. Kampmeier for the trailer!!
Next, Eddie and I have been playing with Liberty a lot too. We played in the outdoor (since the round pen has gotten boring for him recently) and we had a lot of fun!! We're starting to work on leading by the tail and making turns. He already gets them!! It's just gotten so easy lately, I come up with some tasks we haven't done yet and within a few hours or a few days he has them down pat! It's so amazing how fast he learns. So I went through the Liberty self assessment and we have 3 tasks left in Level 3 and 4. In Level 3 we just have to do the change of direction at the canter with a simple drop-to-trot change. Then in Level 4 we have 10-20 laps at the canter, which is pretty much impossible for a LBI. So we're going to play with that and I'm not bore him. =-)  Because he is so smart! So we have to make it a game. I'll let you know how that goes! lol! the last task in Level 4 is change of direction at canter with flying change. I still have no idea why he doesn't want to do circling game. It seems to be his one downfall and probably mine too since I think it's somewhat boring. That will be the one game we practice!
The past couple of days I've ridden Eddie for about 30 minutes for each session and every time it seems like we end up doing a little bit of finesse! Finesse.. on Eddie. Are you kidding??? He hates contact! Well I guess not anymore! Anyway, our freestyle is going pretty good, we're going through the Patterns and using the savvy string more and more. Pretty soon I think we'll be able to go bridleless. =-)
Well with finesse we're just starting some Level 2/3 things. We did leg yields at the walk and trot and I had concentrated reins the whole time. Then we did some FQ yields and HQ yields just with the turn of my wrist and the change of my seat. I like it, it's something fun and interesting and I think he thinks the same thing!! =-D

Lea & Eddie

Revelations 3:8
“I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

(I thought this verse was so fitting for what tomorrow has in store for me)

Rain, rain, go away!!!

Since I last posted I think we had one day when it did not rain. Other than that, it's been raining a TON.
So I got to play with Eddie twice since I last blogged. We played at liberty on Monday and he did awesome! He did super spins and we trailer loaded after we were done at liberty. He's doing so well with it!
Then yesterday I played with him out in the pasture. But first we went for a walk around the track from zone 5. We trotted down the east end and I asked him to canter, but he didn't want to, so we just trotted to the pasture gate. But we played with collected trotting (stick to me) and extended trotting. He loved it! He gets his head all low and stretches. It's so cool to watch!
Then we went to long reins with the 45 and trotted around the pasture, did some sideways at the trot, shoulder in, straddled a tube, pushed a barrel, sideways-ed towards and yoyo with transitions all from zone 5. It was so fun!!! Then we went straight from the pasture with the long reins, out the gate, to the trailer and loaded from zone 5!!! YIPPEE!!!! He loves the trailer now. He basically hopped right in. HOORAY!!!!!

My lesson with Gretchen has been moved to this coming Tuesday so I'm hoping that Eddie and I can do our Level 3/4 online this weekend. I'll let you know when I have it up! =-D
Savvy on!

~Lea & Eddie~

WOOHOO! ~~~ Beyond Ribbons, for Hannah~

Eddie and I played at liberty today. Oh my goodness, he did amazing!!! We did really fast spins and he totally got them too! He loved it! Plus, he was going super fast, like how you see the instructors doing it. I was SO proud of him! Then we trotted sideways towards. He did it so well! Then we straddled the barrels and sidewaysed off of them towards and away. Then we did the circling game and he cantered/trotted around me for 4-6 laps and did a change of direction at the trot and continued to do 3-5 more. HOORAY! We did figure eight after that and it fell apart a little bit, then we isolated, seperated and recombined and ta da! it was all better! Let's see, what else... We did stick to me, jumped the barrels, more spins and straddled the pole lengthwise and back off of it 3 ways. I lead by the tail (level 3) then with just a few hairs (Level 4) then ended by just driving from zone 5. We did some zone 5 driving to the pedestal then too. Yippee!!!!!!!!!! He did so well!!
we loaded in the trailer 3 times after that too. No problem at all! I just want to shout out a huge, HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Okey doke, now I wanted to just say congrats to my dear friend, Hannah. Her spotlight this weekend started out great but she wasn't able to ride during her spotlight. But Hannah, you have such an amazing relationship with Blaze, I'm sure he was trying his heart out for you. Just know that God's plan is perfect and even though you didn't get a ribbon, He has something better in store for you. Maybe 1/2 of a black string. So I made you this:

A black ribbon is nice, but a relationship is better. =-) Your relationship is beyond ribbons, Hannah.

~Lea & Eddie~

Proverbs 19:20-21
Listen to counsel and receive instruction,
That you may be wise in your latter days.
There are many plans in a man’s heart,
Nevertheless the LORD’s counsel—that will stand.

VIDEO!

Here's my new video of trailer loadin'!
YAY!
lol!

Well today it was so nice outside!!!
We played at liberty in the round pen and it was... so still outside. It was a little breezy, we were in the sun and it was somewhat chilly. But it was so peaceful. I got on after we did a little circling, sideways and yoyo. We just walked around a little bit, stood on the pedestal and napped in the sun. Since I didn't have a helmet on I got off and didn't make it a long ride.
Then we played with the trailer in the afternoon and he went all the way in twice! YAY!!! Our Level 3 Online is coming, I'll probably film this week when it's not raining. =-) I'm so excited!!!


~Lea & Eddie~

Well....

We did it!!! 4 feet in the trailer!!!!!!!!!! I put some mush-mush (dehy & sweet feed) in a bucket and put it in the trailer. Eddie went right in and ate it!!!!! ALL FOUR FEET!!!!!!!!
WOOOOOHHHHHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here are some pictures from last time we loaded:

We did it! We did it! We did it, yay!

~Lea & Eddie~

Mounting from the Neck

Woohoo! I was determined to at least try it with Eddie again. We've tried before and it went terribly, so hopefully this try would work. And it did!!! He gives me about 2 seconds as my window of opportunity and each time I missed it because I couldn't get my leg over fast enough. But I got it to where he lifts his head now instead of putting it down farther. lol! So he did SUPER! I just have to work on getting my leg up and over his back. YAY! So I got on (from the log) and rode for a little bit and played with some point to point. Then I got off and we played circling game, sending him over things while I am FAR away and rollbacks. It was a lot of fun!! Oh yeah, Diesel had gotten out before hand, read his blog:  http://trustinmenaturally.blogspot.com/ It's so funny!!!

Then we played with the trailer and he did awesome!!!! He put his front 2 feet in and was looking around calmly. I had opened the window, so he was like, "Oh! A window! Can I look out of it?" But I didn't let him go all the way in because I want it imprinted on his brain that we back out of a trailer. No turning around like in his stall. So we're going to work with that and it's getting better every day!!!

~Lea & Eddie~

Lamentations 3:22-23
22 Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.

Wish you the Best! (please read)

This post is for Hannah Willis. She's going to the Lakeland, FL celebration this weekend with her super horse Blaze. I wanted to wish her the best. They are going to be doing a Spotlight together.

She is an inspiration to us all and an excellent role model to be looked up to. Her humble nature, christian character and general kindess is something we should all aspire to.

Here is her blog, http://savvynightfire92.blogspot.com/

Please take a minute to comment on her blog and wish her luck. Also, please be praying for our dear friend. =-)
All the best Hannah! You're going to blow their socks off!!

video!

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1241587803290
Here you go!!!

Play, play, play, playing all the way!

Today was so much fun!!!!
I played with Eddie this morning, he did great! I took some videos and I made a movie, so once I get it on the internet (youtube & photobucket wouldn't keep the music) I will post it here! We played with some spins, straddling, flying changes (he did them so well!) and cantering on the circle. He is doing them so well now, he will just keep cantering and cantering. I'm so proud of him. =-) Then we went to the trailer and he put a foot in it! YAY! He ate grain off of it and was all relaxed. Then I went inside and talked to Keri for a few hours. Love you Keri!! =-D
Then this afternoon when my sister came home I rode Eddie while she played with and rode Scout. I think we rode for around an hour! He did so good!!! We did the clover leaf pattern, question box and we went for a walk around the inside of the pasture while my sister was on the outside. It was so cool, I asked him to trot and I did the fluid rein and he slowed right down and got a little-itsy-bit collected! AWESOME!!! Then we went sideways and ended there. He did so good! I'm so happy with all the progress that we've made. Oh yes! We also went in the trailer and he put TWO feet in it!!!!!!!! HOORAY!!!!!!!!

I'll post the video in a little bit once it uploads. =-)


~Lea & Eddie~

Philippians 4:13

"I can do everything through Him who strengthens me."

Fun, fun, fun with a trailer!! It's cold!!

Well in and out of rain showers I played with Eddie with the trailer. At first he was pretty spooked by it and was pretty weary, but 2 minutes after that he was eating out of it. I put some sweet feed on the floor. hehe!
But he did so good! Today we got the nose, neck and the mind in the trailer. And the next couple of days we're going to play with one foot at a time. However long it takes, (hopefully under 2 weeks).
So that was really good, I was super proud of him!

Then we went in the pasture and played with some spins and roll backs online. We went to liberty in the pasture and did some spins too and by that time it was raining a little. So we went back online and I had him back to the end of the 22 foot line. Then I took one giant step back and he cantered to me!!!
I'm going to get some videos together soon even if it's with the old camera.


~Lea & Eddie~

Playlist

Here's the youtube playlist I promised a few days ago!
http://www.youtube.com/user/4windsfarm#play/user/81462A2D04D5BAA3
and here's Eddie's story, I made this yesterday:
http://rbigtimeedition.blogspot.com/

~Lea

Hurry Up and Wait! Quick! Before the Rain! AH! ~all four savvies~

Haha, I managed to squeeze a play session in before the rain. We did a little bit of every savvy! First we played online and did a lot of distand play. I sent him 45 feet away from me from zone 5 and had him sideways over a log like that. It was so neat, all I had to do was look at his HQ and he would continue his sideways! yay!!! Then we worked on some fast falling leafs. He did amazing rollbacks! I had him pass my shoulder, then I would hide his hiney fast and send in in front of me. As he would turn he lifted his front feet (sort of like a rear) then go in the other direction! It was so pretty! Then I sent him to the end of the 45 again and had him jump over the tube from 45 feet away. He did so good! All of a sudden he is so connected even at the end of the rope. Who needs a rope?
That leads to liberty! I undid the 45 and we first did some stick to me transitions. We did walk to trot, stop to trot, cantering, trotting, walking you name it! Then we ran around and jumped over the tube. Oh darn, I forgot to practice our spins. We'll have to do those next time! It was so sweet, he left a few times (and mind you, we were in the 2 acre pasture) and cantered off. But I hid his hiney and he came trotting right back to me! I remember Mr. Walley Gegenschatz said, "They will want to be with you, even out in an open field." and Eddie did! Of course we weren't out in the open, but we were pretty close!
Next was Freestyle! I tied my blue and red strings to Eddie's halter and hopped on. We did the figure eight, point to point and then that leads too...
Finesse! I collected my reins and asked him to go sideways just with the direction of my ribs. I asked myself, "What eyes should I use? All? Or Some?" The 'eyes' are shoulders, knees, eye balls, belly button, hand or hands, hips and toes. So I used (I think) all of them and
he was SO SO SO SO SO light! So that was our taste of collection. =-)



~Lea & Eddie~