Time to Play!

Today Eddie and I had a wonderful play time in the outdoor!
First we went out to the track and went for a long walk out there. We opened it up, after having it closed off for a while (we were spraying and killing the clover) so they were very happy to be able to run around on it again! :-)
After our walk, Ed and I went to the outdoor and played at liberty! We played with synchronizing our steps and trotting/walking/cantering at the same time.

He did great and I think he really got what we were trying to do. Me on the other hand, really had to lengthen my stride, which was hard. lol! His trot is SO huge! :-) But I think it will help me to be able to ride his trot better. Which will be great!!


I played with Scout after I was done with my Eddie boy and we went for a walk on the track, rode around the pasture/outdoor and played with some cavaletties. He was great and was very happy to have the exercise. Now tomorrow I'll play with Diesel too! ;-)

Tomorrow, mom and I are also helping out a friend move her horse, which is very exciting! So hopefully I'll be able to play with the ponies tomorrow too! :-)


Lea & Eddie

Ephesians 2:8-9

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Don't Hitch Yourself to One Wagon

That's just about what our weather is like.

Very windy, and leaves blowing everywhere!

So lately we haven't been able to play, because if we did I'm sure that we would both be blown over. ;-)

But it has given me some time to read/watch and learn some new things from Mark Rashid!

I got his new old book, Considering the Horse, Tales of Problems Solved and Lessons Learned.

It's been really good!

I've learned a lot, and I really like his way of writing.

It's funny though, just when I had told mom (after I had read about half the book) that he is probably my favorite horseman, we watched something that changed my mind a little bit.

In his DVD Developing Softness in the Rider (which we had just watched) he talks a lot about aikido. 

"a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying (with) life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit. ..." 

And honestly, I don't know enough about it, to judge it. But he talked a lot about energy and how you can 'store' it and utilize it. So, for grins, mom and I did his exercises to see if it worked.

Now, I'm not going to say it worked, and I'm not going to say it failed. Because it did neither.

But, I think it was more of a mind over matter situation. Where you are more determined/strong/etc. Energy is a hard thing for me to grasp. I know there's kinetic energy (the kind you learn about in science books that involves baseballs and planets) but there's the kind that you hear a lot about when you delve into horsemanship, or alternative healing. The kind that involves frequencies, your mind, and bodily energy.

So, being a Christian, it's just a hard thing for me to understand. Because there isn't anything in the Bible that talks about having a good 'energy.' Maybe when we say, energy, we actually mean attitude. Or energy can be translated into character. Or even farther, temperament....

Anyway, (digressing here...)

Just when I think I've found 'it!' as in the best clinician, best program or best philosophy, there's a big, black, ominous hole that stares at me right in the face.

So, facing the facts, you can never hitch yourself to one wagon.

I think there is always going to be a hole in any philosophy, any program or any horse trainer. And if you think there isn't, you're kidding yourself. I don't believe that anyone has all the answers, except God. So it's best to learn from every clinician that you can and do what's best for your horse. Because, logically every horse is completely different. One horse may get along with one clinician (making him or her the best) and another horse may make that clinician look like a fool.

And that's when pride comes into play.

But I'll stop now, and save that for a later post. ;-)

~Lea & Eddie~

Luke 18:14

"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

A Wonderful Ride

Today was a beautiful day! It rained this morning, which was a really good thing! Hooray! Hooray! Now our paddocks aren't so dusty. So Eddie and I took it slow, because the ground was still pretty wet.

We went for a walk in the pasture, jumped over a few things, and I hopped on every now and then. He was such a good boy! Sometimes he just didn't want to move around or something, so I would hop on and then we would go together! Which was fun, and I could tell he was like, "Well, ok! I guess we can walk around!" hehe! What a silly boy! :-)

 These pics weren't from today, but it's pretty much what we've been doing. :-)

But today, Eddie and I finished our walk and went into the outdoor. I just kind of let him choose where to go. We played in the outdoor for a little bit, then we went out around the muck pile and grazed. (Not too close tho) hehe! 

We finished our grazing with some riding in the outdoor. He was such a good boy! We trotted a little bit, he was super light, so I was really excited! Then we just had some fun, did lots of things on a loose rein and just relaxed.

It was so windy, so I would really proud of him! He was so excellent!!! <3

 Love you so much Eddie!!!

~Lea & Eddie~

Galatians 6:2
Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Liberty Play!

It has been one dry fall!! I don't think we've had rain for a month or more. So naturally, the paddocks are very dusty, the horses have small surface cracks on their hooves, and my boots are now a different color - dust.
However, I've been able to play with the horses a LOT because it hasn't been raining at all and it's sunny 24/7. Eddie and I have been playing with a lot of liberty, and we've added Scout and Diesel to the mix. I've let them in on our play sessions, and we've all played together! So that has been really fun! Because Scout will come play for a little bit, then he'll leave, then I'll play with Eddie, then he'll leave. Then Diesel will come over, get a treat and walk away! lol! hehe! They are such silly ponies!
I've also been riding a lot more, since it's perfect fall conditions for a lovely ride. If you don't count the wind. ;-)

Also finished Tom Moates' book! It was really good, I picked up a few things and learned a bit, but most of it was just really pleasurable to read. Who doesn't like a good horse book? :-)

Things We've Been Doing

Lately, Eddie and I have been playing with a lot of little things, but I've learned one BIG thing!

I've been reading Tom Moates' book, Discovering Natural Horsemanship, and I came to one chapter where he was talking about something that he experienced with his horses. His horse, Niji, would bolt anytime he got on, and that's what Niji learned. He learned that he was supposed to bolt when he was mounted. But when Tom went to a clinic, things changed. He stayed on through the bolt, and after that, Niji was different. He let him mount, ride and do some small things.
Anyway, here's what Eddie and I have been having some trouble with.
He was kind of run off during our riding sessions. Not hard, he would just strongly voice his opinion and run in the direction that he wanted to go. Which was usually towards the pedestal. Interesting...
That's his safety spot.
We always take a break there, and that's where we both relax. So I would just let him go there, usually it was at a trot. Then we would stop, turn around, and go back to what we were doing.
Big breakthrough today! And thank you Bec for being there today! I had a blast riding the horses with you! (her blog)

And you know what?! It has gone away!! Yahoo!!!!!

What a great day, we've been riding a lot more, and I am so excited!

Lea & Eddie

Psalm 25:14-15

The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.

Jumping Eddie ~ Video

Playing in the Pasture ~ Video

10,000 Miles ~ Video

Recent Play Times ~ Video

A Little Bit of Everything!

Yesterday was a really fun day!
It was sunny and chilly, and the horses were really feeling the cool weather!
So first I played with Scout, and he was awesome! We went in the outdoor and did some liberty stuff. We did some sidepasses at the trot, chase me game, we played with the pedestal and did some spanish walk! He is doing so well! Especially since my sister accidentally shocked him just with her hand, and he's been weary every since. :-( But now he's much better and as happy as could be! I got on and rode after that and he was such a sweetie. We rarely find the need for a halter now, so we were just bareback and reinless. We trotted around in the outdoor, went to some different points and worked with our focus, touch, voice. We went in the pasture after that, trotted around and just had some fun!


After that Eddie and I played in the pasture for a while and he was such a gentleman! We got some exercise by running around together, then he offered to jump a ton of things! We did some sidepasses, cavaletties, spanish walk and then I hopped on!
Lately we've been doing a lot of reinless stuff and he's doing so well with it! He's really listening and eager to do what I ask. But today we just used the rope for reins and he was so good. I really used focus, touch, voice and he caught on really quickly to that! It's so interesting to see how quick things can switch from the Parelli Phases, to a softer way to ask. Like when I wanted him to go somewhere while I was riding, I would first look and focus really hard. Some times he went just with my focus, other times he didn't so I would touch. Usually that would be either my rein, my leg or my hands. Then lastly I would just talk to him. With either a cluck, spoken words like, "Go over there Eddie," or "Barrel," and he would get it in no time! Yippeee!!! :-) I think it's so interesting how we can use our words way too much, and our horse just drowns it out. Our voice can be a whole other cue! :-)


Anyway, that was my wow moment yesterday!

Hopefully today will be just as fun as yesterday! :)


~Lea & Eddie~

Romans 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

A Beautiful-Chilly Day!

Today was very nice outside! Although it was windy, and cold, we played for a really long time!

Rebecca came over, and we played with the horses out in the pasture. Eddie and I did some long reins, jumping things, and lots of sidepasses, spanish walk and we just had fun together!

Then we rode inside, and Rebecca and I went inside for a little bit. Eddie was so good though when we rode in. He was so relaxed and happy, because I was too! Yippee!

Here are some pics!

Then after we were inside for a little bit, we went back out and played some more! I took Diesel for a walk, taught him the spanish walk (he looks so cute doing it!) and gave Rebecca some pointers as she rode Scout bareback and without any reins. 

They did great together, and I showed her the new thing I learned from Gawani Pony Boy, where the phases are:

Focus

Touch

Verbal cue.

I've been doing that with Eddie, and he's gotten so soft lately! What a good boy!

We all ended on a really good note, and it was so nice to have a riding buddy! :-)

Eddie was so awesome too!

And lately we've been riding a lot more without reins, and he has been doing excellent! Yesterday we rode in the outdoor without reins for a long time and he was SO good! It was just about the best rein-less session we've ever had! 

:-) Yippeee!!

~Lea & Eddie ~ Rebecca & Scout~ And Diesel too!!!

Matthew 18:20

For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.