Brent Graef clinic

bit · Brent Graef clinic

Nope, no words right now, but Kelsey will post some pics, and probably give you better thoughts than me. I finally get foot fall, and how to help my horse by moving the correct foot. I get how to get my horses mind and send it...the feet follow. Gunner is a different horse. No longer a shut down robot. The place we took the clinic also hosts many of the horse shows that he went to. He shut down right off, eyes glazed, right to robot. It took a little bit, but his eyes began to sparkle, he started thinking and got softer and softer. He is a joy. Quinn? Different horse in the pasture this morning. I'll let Kelsey tell you about it. I took lots of pictures. Like I said, no words. If you can, go. It's not just the horses that changed, a lot of the people changed. Changed right from the inside out, and I'm not sure which happened first...the horses or the humans. My daughter, who hasn't done a serious ride since she was six, showed up all three days and learned a lot about horsemanship. Considering it was l05, it took a lot of commitment to show up for this, even for a dedicated horseperson. For her to get up at 4 am and spend all day sweating it out with a very stubborn lbi, well it says a lot about my kid. Wait till you hear about Quinn!

This is a very tired and hot horse, but look at his eyes. He is awake, thinking, and happy. Did I mention soft?????

Sunny

Wow, can't wait to hear about it girls!!! happy1

cynthia peterson

Me too! I love BG!

whisperingwindfarms

I love me some Brent Graef. He is a lovely human being.

creekwood

Nope, no words. I learned more about FEEL the first hour than in 3 years of Parelli & every clinic I've been too. Brent is the kindest, most sincere horsemen I've ever seen. Doesn't want to be his horses leader, but would sure like to his partner. After 3 days of clinicing in 100 degree weather, he helped me do a colt start on my 3 year old, and it was absolutely life changing for both of us. I'll post pictures on a separate thread. I'm hoping to do the young horse clinic next year, and Brent said he'd do a referral for me to apprentice with Joe Wolters. I don't think cloud nine is high enough to describe how it feels. This is the kind of horsemanship that horsepeople dream about. If you get the chance to do a clinic with him, TAKE it. Deb told him she wanted to put him in a box & take him home. I think it scared him a little. When I get a little more organized, I'll post some of my notes. Didn't take a lot, I was too focused on watching.

Yes_But_Neigh

Gunner sure is a cutie pie! He must of thought he was going to another show ending up on those grounds. How neat he got to experience something good there! Kelsey, CONGRATS! WHOOOOO HOOOO GIRL!

creekwood

Brent on a participants horse

Deb & I switched horses

Brent on Kris's horse Bojangles

During a break on the second day, Brent worked with a 4 year old mare who belonged to a boarder at Rocking V.

my favorite!

creekwood

Exageration causes brace
don't lead your horse somewhere, go with your horse
your horse would rather have a partner than a leader
if you get between your horse & the bear, someday your horse will get between you & the bear
teching your horse to evade pressure teaches brace, so teach your horse to follow a feel
teach your horse to hunt for the answer

Yes_But_Neigh

Did he lift her tail to gauge how she was feeling? What was going on in the picture you loved? SO COOL to finally see Deb up close! Now I can put a face to the name

Wow- Eclipses neck!
She looks like a powerhouse--
Both of you look like you had a BLAST

creekwood

ElaineW

FANTASTIC photo's!
I am really enjoying your posts Kelsey!
All the photo's are great!

bit

Eclipse was being a bracey bitc! and I found myself fighting with her quite a bit. I was tired, too hot, and my back finally said "yer dun". I asked if Kelsey could finish up the clinic riding Eclipse and they were fine with it.
Eclipse tried the same crap on Kelsey and decided NOT to do the little bullseye circle exercise. Kelsey said fine, and she ran herself right into the wall. Not hard at all, but she was wearing some beautiful spider webs on her nose at the end of the clinic. lol!
Brent did this thing, and I saw Ty Haas do it too, where he'd walk up to the horse, hold his hand in front of the horse, and with his energy get the horses mind. Then he'd send his energy to the right, and the horse would follow it with his eyes. He'd send it a little further, and the horse would look where ever he sent his energy. Then he tells me, send the mind, and follow it with the feet. At that point he give a little feel to the rope, (not even enough to take the slack out) and the horse would follow with one foot. He'd only move as much as Brent asked. Very important to isolate the parts, break it down as far as you can. Get the horse THINKING. Get the horses MIND.

alexwein

creekwood

Chablis

Gratz to you both and also a special gratz to Kelsey on the referral.

alexwein

appellativo

I'm inquiring about the clinic going on here in TX in October. Wouldn't it be lovely to go!!

alexwein

Just got a note from Kris Graef and it's confirmed that I can go to the fall clinic and young horse clinic!! I may even try to do the Cottonwood CA clinic. Means I have to buy a truck between now and Sept. 23rd then find a trailer to rent. No small feat, but gives me the freedom to pursue training with Brent and others like Mark Rashid and Buck Brannaman. Was waiting to confirm payment arrangements.

Thank you Kris and Brent!!!

jackspark

So happy for you Alex! Where there's a will there's a way

whisperingwindfarms

Alex - that's awesome! Yippee! We'll expect a full report when you get back.

alexwein

Thanks you two!! I'll take notes for sure!!

creekwood

um, and PICTURES! lots & lots & lots of pictures!

creekwood

young horse class:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvqdNgxobzI
have a tissue ready

alexwein

jackspark

Who wouldn't want to do that?

alexwein

Yes, I've watched Brent's little videos many times. I wish there were more of them. My sense is that the young horse clinic is Brent's really unique offering. It will be hard to be away from my own girl for that long but I think it will be an amazing experience.

creekwood

Matt's notes from Topeka clinic, part 1:

Morning Session, Ground work
1) Had us circle horse, looked for softness in body, curved inward. One eye looking in, if shoulder was pushing in then push energy out to curve shoulder out. Important to go around with the horse in order to see him, feel him, watch his body and see if you have his mind. One hand is lead hand, other is supporting. Important to offer a feel, then support with energy. Worked on different gaits and transitions. Important to quit (your energy) when they make a change. Keep hands neutral when they make the change you want.
2) Moved hindquarters over, looking for back leg to cross over. Switch lead rope to other hand and walk towards hindquarters. Don’t let front leg get stuck, tap on knee if necessary to keep front feet moving. Quit when they do it right. Important to keep movement going.
3) Leading horse in straight lines, go a steady speed, don’t drag the horse and don’t wait for him if he slows or slow down. See how light can you offer to make him go.
4) Backing, hand held upside down on halter knot or buckle. Support with other hand. Stay out to one side and won’t get kicked, bit or stepped on. Brent stressed several times how important it is to back up your horse often.

•Think about the three easy things they can do and the three hard things (where there is brace). Start with the easy but then mix them up. Soon the hard will become easy then you will have to find other new hard things to work on. Don’t drill over and over. (2+2=4 right!) If you know the horse gets bored quickly then keep things interesting.
•Reward for slightest try but then reward for a little more try, and a little more try etc.
•Think about each exercise and what the purpose is for each, i.e. make horse soft, subtle, getting his mind, getting in rhythm with his feet.

bit

One of the first things I noticed with my two horses was that they really would push into my bubble. My daughter was working with my fox trotter, Eclipse who is a very opinionated mare. I don't think she does anything unless you ask her properly. She knows a lot, but it's on a need to know basis. You don't need to know. Gunner had the same issue, pushing into my bubble, but it was because I was so focused on forward, that I really wasn't sending my energy where it needed to go.
Brent was great about coming over and giving each individual what they needed to give a clear message to their horses. He uses energy, focus and his body to help the horse understand, and each one of these "aids", in equal amounts, is critical on the ground as well as in the saddle.
He had me hold the end of the rope, like I was the horse, and he had me hot footing all over the place, just by sending a bolt of energy, a little send on the rope with his hand, and keeping his focus very clear. I'm not sure if I can articulate exactly what happened. That's why I have such a hard time trying to learn by reading, or watching. I do have to DO it to feel it.
My energy, my focus and my send became much better once I got my horses mind. Now that was a cool, defining moment in time. Brent would walk up to a horse, get his attention and then gently touch the horses head, below the eyes, in the center of his nose, and then softly brush his hand down the horses nose the second the horse gave him his eye. One touch, no petting, just that one bit of contact. If the horse glanced away, he'd bring the horse back to him. He's ask the horse to look to the right, "Look at your mamma there" and the horse would. "Now look a little further, and a little further" and the horse would look at what ever Brent was asking him to look at. THEN he would take the lead rope in his supporting hand and ask with that for the horse to move one foot in the direction he had him looking. Just one. He said it's pretty important to isolate all these steps. Important that if the horse is moving right, that right foot moves first when you ask the feet to move. No left step, and then the right.
I still do a lot of rubbing and scratching during our time when we are just hanging out. We have a nice family of mutual groomers, and mutual grooming is becoming something that all the horses are getting into. Mine didn't really do that before. Kelsey's horses have taught my horses that mutual grooming is a good thing, horse to horse. Hawkie is loving it. But when we are working, I only do that one soft touch on the face to get the horse with me. No petting when they get it right, just a release.

When teaching the back up, your hand is on the halter knot, thumb down and that makes it possible for you elbow to block the head and keep your backing straight. When you ask, (get it all done in your mind first) you ask, and if you feel drag, vibrate your hand like you drank too much coffee. He takes a step back, you stop vibrating. You don't have to ask for a lot of steps. You want this to get really light so that you can do it with slack in your lead line. Once you get your back up lite, the lead rope should look just like your reins when you are iin the saddle. Back and up,(pointing towards the withers) not just pulling back. There should be slack in the rope at all times, forward and back. You refine this down to a couple of steps forward, lead rope goes back and up, and the horse will pause like a half halt, and rock backwards. So there should be no stop, hesitate, negotiate, and then back. It's the briefest pause between forward and back. You are going for softness, and this is where you really use your energy to direct the horse. You think forward, then send that picture to your horse, then you send your energy forward, then you send your body. By then, your horse has a pretty clear picture of what you intend to do. Same with backing. You don't just stop suddenly and pull on the rope.
Same with sending your horse on the circle. You see the circle you want your horse to travel and put that picture in you mind. See it phycially, and see and feel it in your mind. All this before you even ask your horse to move his feet. You have to be WITH your horse, it's a we thing. You are as much on that circle with your horse and he is phycially. Brent said that it's very important to be clear with your thoughts and intent, then send your energy, and then ask clearly. By the first step your horse takes, he already knows exactly what you want. How many times have I sent my horse physically, but abandoned him in my mind? You never let go of your horses mind. You keep his eye, his attention, and you do everything with him. We are on the circle, we are backing, we are together. There is no us and them. WE are together, we move as one, and there is not separation between horse and human. You are his partner, not his leader.

carefreegirl

Well I sent off an e-mail last night to see if I could be an auditor at the Cottonwood, CA clinic which is in October, Alex you mentioned a Cottonwood, CA clinic in September, but from the schedule on Brent Graef's website the clinic that is in California in September is in Crescent City, CA, not Cottonwood, CA. (I'm guessing you meant Crescent City, CA as that is closer to you since you are in Oregon)

If you are going to the Cottonwood, CA clinic I'd like to meet you (Crescent City is to far away for me to go to at this time). I'm pretty sure I'll be going to the one in Cottonwood (though still waiting to hear back if there is still room for auditors or not), as it is only 2 hours from me, and the auditor fee is pretty small, there is a chance I won't be able to, but planning to go at this point, I need some sort of horsey event to keep me from going stir crazy.

alexwein