Legacy of Legends

Wish I was there. The annual Legacy of Legends event was this past week and horsemen such as Martin Black, Buck Brannaman, Wade Black, Reata Brannaman, and others showed their horsemanship, worked with horses, and worked with cows.
From their website:
"Clinics will be organized and presented featuring students that exemplify the spirit and ability to communicate a level of horsemanship introduced and taught by Tom and Ray."
http://alegacyoflegends.com/
Our good friends went and said that there was incredible horsemanship all week long. I can't explain how much I want to dive into that horsemanship and learn all I can about it.

Lately I've been so immersed in Equine Podiatry, my horsemanship has taken 2nd place on my horse priorities list. And that's not a bad thing. I really need to concentrate on getting my degree this year. But next, I really, really, really, really, REALLY, want to improve with my horsemanship. Ever since I stopped Parelli, Eddie and I have been making progress, a lot of progress. But I never want to stop learning from our amazing teachers - the horse. God has given me an incredibly blessed life and I want to honor Him with it. If that means dedicating my life to the betterment of the horse and reaching out to their owners to show them God's grace, I'll do it. Gladly.
The Legacy of Legends this past week has shown me how badly I want to continue my horsemanship. It's a lifelong commitment.

Colossains 3:23
And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,

The Release

"It's the release that teaches."
Is a common quote amongst horsemen. It summarizes that vital moment in communication when you let the horse know what he did was right.
I've been working on that lately, because I have gotten vague in my direct communication with Eddie. I admit it, I've gotten a little bit rusty. Either that or I have nothing to compare or measure my capability with, unlike when I had Parelli to measure every nuance of my communication.
I'm listening to the horse now... And Eddie is a professor compared to a kindergarten teacher. He tells me EXACTLY when I'm doing something wrong or when he doesn't want to do something or when I am asking something wrong or with too much pressure. He is the horse. He is setting the standard high and I am climbing to that height.
Anyway...
It's the release that teaches.
Ride with 10% physical and 90% mental. - Buck Brannaman
I'm determined to get that right and release the exact moment he tries.
Lately, Eddie hasn't been wanting to follow me when we go from outdoor to track to paddock. But I don't blame him because the footing is terrible everywhere. Instead, he meets me at the gate. Eager, verses dragging his feet... I think I'm starting to get this. He knows where the good footing is. Or where the good grass is... lol! Anyway, when I do ask him to come up with me, I'm using small amounts of pressure and the moments he leans forward or I see a shift, I release. Even better.... Fix the cause.... Not the symptoms. That's what I'm taught to do in Equine Podiatry. Why not with horsemanship? So... My homework: Learn what causes Eddie's reluctance to move and create harmony between us so that he doesn't get left behind me.


Harmony - That should be my next blog post! ;-)

Wisdom from Ray

"In the boldest print of all, remember the word THINK. Be aware and alert, visualize what you want. realize you are working with a mind. A lot of people think it's just a horse, but there's a mind operating that horse. This mind gets him doing things because he wants to do them. Or you teach him to do things he doesn't like to do but feels he has to do them anyway."

You can't judge a book by its cover. And that certainly goes for Think Harmony with Horses by Ray Hunt. It's this itty bitty brown book that looks like it could be more of Beatrix Potter's illustrated stories than wise wisdom from one of the greatest horseman who ever lived.
In this little brown book, I've found a lot of truths that have changed my horsemanship and shaped it. As Eddie and I progress into more advanced things, these truths are more pronounced and I have to make sure that I continue to live by them.

I used to measure my aptitude in horsemanship by my ability to do things more advanced people could do.
Or I measured it by how many things I could check off a list.
And then I measured it by how happy Eddie was. That wasn't too bad of a way to go, but it was left to my own interpretation. As you can imagine, some days I got it right and some days I got it wrong and misjudged his mood.
Now I've switch my mind around, I did a 180 and after reading a phrase in Ray's book this morning, and after thinking about it long before that...
I don't 'measure' it anymore. We are where we are and that's good enough for both of us. My goal with Eddie and with all horses is for us to someday be in perfect harmony.
Then there's Ray's quote: "It's like a light at the end of the tunnel. It gets brighter and clearer all the time."

We'll always be working towards it and once you get a taste of it (which we have) you'll be chasing it for the rest of your life. You'd rather do that than eat.


~Lea & Eddie~

Sidepasses, Ray & Buck

Sorry for disappearance. I've been typing like crazy for the past three days. I wrote up three pages for my Applied Equine Podiatry online course, and then I went on a writing rampage in my 7th book and wrote about 30+ pages. So, my fingers are a little tired and I keep making spelling mistakes by hitting the keys out of order. lol!
But that doesn't mean that I haven't been doing anything with Eddie! Quite the contrary.
For the past three or so days I've played with all the horses and usually several times a day. Eddie and I go for a long trail walk in the morning, maybe it includes a little ride. Then in the afternoon I play with Diesel and take him for two laps around the property at a working walk and trot. He is really getting into it and yesterday we even did it all with long reins. He is such a champ.
Yesterday, I rode Eddie for the greater portion of our play time. 45+ minutes and we were working. I think he liked it and I liked it too. We did hard things that I usually avoid or think that they are too big for us. Not anymore. We were doing sidepasses and when I asked him for the trot, we even did two to three steps sidepassing. He never ceases to amaze me!

This video (in the first 10 seconds) shows you what we were doing. Granted, it did not look that fancy and Eddie was not that collected. But we did it nonetheless and today we'll work at it some more.
I've also been reading Ray Hunt's book over again - Think Harmony with Horses. I tell ya, I could read it over and over.

So, that leads me to my next blog post that I will post tomorrow. I gotta think about it first and make a list. Goals for 2012.
I'll let you know as soon as I make the list. :-)

Think Harmony (part 2)

Yesterday it was a very wet, hot and humid day.
hehe, The End.
Just kidding.
Even though it was warm out, Al (my sister - short for Allison) and I took the ponies for a walk around the track. Literally around the track, not inside it, but on the outside. The "Wild." ;-)
They were very happy for the exercise and new scenery. I think they really enjoy getting out and going new places. They probably get bored of being in the same paddocks day in and day out. Maybe we'll have to break out of our bubble and go across the road for fun or something. Diesel would love that! He's the adventurer of the herd!
Anyway, Eddie and I did some more 'think harmony' yesterday. And it was so much easier! I don't know if it's just once you do it once, you do it all the time, but I was constantly aware of where his feet were when I rode. I asked for a stop as he descended his foot, and imagined a turn lifting the correct hoof he would lift. What also helped was that I walked with him while he grazed. It was a fun little activity to do together. :-) I would follow his footfall with every step he took grazing. Like it said, it was really interesting to see how he walked when he grazed. You should try it! Eddie was just at liberty in the round pen and I just followed him around. Kind of like Simon Says. I'm hoping to ride again today, so I will post about what our Think Harmony is like later!

~Lea & Eddie & Scout & Diesel~

Romans 12:16

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

Think Harmony

I always like to try new things. Especially when it comes to the horses. I like to practice new theories and see if they work on not. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.
Today this new theory worked! However, it was hard. Very hard for me. See, when I ride I like to just relax, let my mind wander, feel at peace with Eddie and do lots of small things together. In Think Harmony With Horses by Ray Hunt, he challenges riders to think about what they're doing and make everything matter. He also encourages us to feel the horse and act as though we are walking with the horse.

Let me tell you that it took a lot of unconscious thinking to know every movement Eddie was doing. But! It worked! When I would ask him to stop, all I had to do was think about it, exhale and lean back a little bit. And he stopped! When I would ask him to turn, all I had to do was look in the direction and slightly shift my reins. As you can see in the picture, my reins are always loose and I always let him have lots of slack. It's just more comfortable that way, but maybe someday we'll move on to contact. Anywhos...
We worked on fast walks/slow walks and just having harmony together. It took a lot more brain power than I thought it would and Eddie was SO patient! I'm excited to see how this goes, I already feel an improvement!!
After I played with Eddie, I took Diesel and Scout for walks. Diesel and I went around the track and through the corncrib. Then Scout and I went all around the property, through the front yard, up the driveway and back to the barn. :-) It was really fun and the ponies were so happy for the play time! hehe, Scout and I also ran around by the pumpkin field and went up and down some slopes.
Ah, such a nice day and even though it was hot out, we had lots of fun!


~Lea & Eddie & Scout & Diesel~

Hebrews 12:1

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Fun Day with a Friend

What a fun day!
My best friend came out and we played with the horses and rode in the outdoor.

Check out her blog here: http://becnsavyllj.blogspot.com/

Eddie was so good! He was a little sleepy, but we trotted with Scout and Bec and trotted over a few cavaletties. It was really fun to be able to ride with my friend again! We definitely have to get together more and ride, it was a blast!
Hopefully, now that it's cooler out Eddie and I can ride some more and work on some fun things. I just started reading Think Harmony With Horses by Ray Hunt. So far I am glued to it and I just finished reading the introduction! :-) As I learn things and come across good quotes, I'll post them on Wednesdays. hehe, I think I'll call it something clever like Wednesday Words with Ray. Whatta ya think?


~Lea & Eddie & Scout~

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.