| Archive for It's About The Horse The Free Forum for those Doing Parelli - and a whole lot More! "Anything forced and misunderstood can never be beautiful." Xenophon (430-355 B.C.), |
| ElaineW |
Listening...Okay,, so I heard something this evening.Was having a great session with Levi,, in the beginning he was SOOOO hard to lead! he would muleup and NOT move forward.. I did what I knew till I knew something better.I would put pressure on the lead and pull against him,like tug of war of sorts. To me that had a really shitty feel.. had a good friend suggest a new way. Step to the side and drive , instead of pullin his head. That's the goal right? not to pull on the head.. well it is for me.. So that worked for us, but Levi would STILL stand still till I walked way off. I know what that means, It's still a shitty feel,, just not as bad as it was in the beginning. Still not wanting to BE all the way with me. Like I said, you only do the best you know till you know better. The last few sessions/visits I have chosen to stop GETTING BY and fix our deal. well I have been walking off and requestiong Levi walk away with me. Not lag behind. but stay WITH me.. Walking different speeds, stopping, starting, and backing.. we are making great progress,a nd this evening was like the best ever! Every time I went to walk Levi stayed WITH me. so I was getting the back up softer, trying to request him please back with me with out having to ask with the lead.. again, goal is not pullin on his purdy noggin.. at one point I was so focused on FEELING his try, I was completely void of thought.. as we backed up, soft, straight this popped in my head I AM TRYING I stopped, smiled and said in my being,, I know Love,, So am I.. and put every bit of heart, respect, kindness I had in my hand and rubbed his neck. I walked forward then with my partner next to me. |
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| jackspark |
 All I have time for right now but I just wanted you to know that I heard you
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| CoolsLadyInRed |
Elaine, sounds like you are making head way for a good relationship. When I went to the Chris cox tour thing he always said he didn't want to be pulling on the horse's face and used what you did. Go the side and disengaging those sticky hind quarters. Then give them time to think about it. 
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| ErinR76 |
Yep sounds great! That is also in Bill Dorrance's book, True Horsemanship Through Feel. | ||||
| PasoBaby_CarolU |
Yes Elaine...it is amazing what focus does. Great job.
Sometimes I find it helps to figure out why the horse is getting sticky feet. My rescue gelding gets sticky feet approaching the round coral. Carina gets sticky feet when you go to put her back in the pasture after playing...she is not done, even if you are. With the first I put a meal in the round coral some days so there was a great reason to go there, and made sure to make his last memories in there good ones. In the second case I play with Carina in the pasture a lot and after I take her out. She really just wants to be with me...all the time if she can. More attention. |
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| becdubie |
That's sweet. | ||||
| ElaineW |
Yes there's where I read about it first, but for some reason at that time I could not get my head around it. cuase i was trying to learn it from reading instead of seeing it on a dvd or in person. But when my friends husband showed me, well it all clicked and I never did and pulling thing again. As a matter of fact I am trying to do everything with out pulling on his head. But I also think it's a normal progression. The more I learn the better we get. |
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| merle |
Re: Listening...
 I think I have first hand experience of what that term means...
Great story, keep us posted on what else you hear. |
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| ErinR76 |
LOL. I remember when I first got Sasha, before I had ANY horsemanship skills. I was reading Horse and Rider magazine and I think it was Chris Cox who wrote the article, and he was trying to explain his 'direct and drive' concept (which you did, above, in your story). I could NOT grasp the concept! It was totally foreign to me...you want me to do what? Hold my arm up? (direct.) swing my rope?? (drive.) Step towards the hindquarters?! (disengage.) What??
I got the concept figured out eventually but I don't think it really started using it until someone actually showed me. its almost impossible to get just from reading a book! Well for me anyway. |
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| ElaineW |
Re: Listening...
LOL Merle!! Yeah I am sure you do!
Oh Levi would just stand still, I would walk out in front of him till I got to the end of the lead rope. Then I would take the power stance and put some pressure on and wait for him to come forward. Sometimes dear levi would set for minutes with his head all stretched out and his eyes closed hahahahahaha For me learning the power of focus has been hard.. I am getting a better idea of it finally! Focus and Energy! I am enjoying my studies of them.. |