It's About The Horse

Blue Flame · Last edited by Blue Flame on Tue Aug 31, 2010 8:28 am; edited 1 time in total

The following mentions the "birdie" a concept by Dr. Deb. Bennett useful for dealing with a horse's mind . . . . . .

Saturday's ride saw Blue Flame lose his birdie - it just up and went straight back to the herd.

As he became more frantic, you could see him starting to hollow out and lose co-ordination, even to the point of tripping down onto his knees - luckily the ground was very soft.

Anyway, after 2 dismounts (intentional) necessitating one rein stops and some Parelli type half circles using a tree, he would get safe enouigh on the ground but not safe enough for a rider. He'd come back enough to stand for re-mounting but as soon as the rider was up - his birdie just up and left again straight back to the herd.

We decided to take him back to the pasture adjacent to his herd and work with him there. Unfortunately, there was a narrow bridge to cross to get back and he was in no condition to cross it calmly.

So, we went straight to "exercising the demons" with BB's short serpentines. After about 5 minutes of this he got his birdie back enough to cross the bridge without running through his rider.

Once across, we continued with the short serpentines for about another 4-500m until he was turning off weight/seat/leg aids again and had released most of the braces in body and mind - then stopped for 5 minutes - during which time his eye finally softened.

Finished up with 1 large trot circle left - stop - 1 large trot circle right - stop - 1 canter circle left - stop - 1 canter circle right - stop - 1 canter circle left followed by fast walk circle right - stop - 1 canter circle right followed by fast walk circle left - stop and dismount.

It definitely was not the ride we planned - but learned LOTS nonetheless.

1. If horse loses his birdie - first and only priority is to re-unite them.

2. The short serpentine can give the rider a simple plan to use in the saddle that will help the horse to refocus because it gives them something to do and fills every moment - especially if the horse has gotten into a state where he just has to move his feet..

3. Filling every moment in for the horse as above can help bring his mind back to himself rather than letting his imagination run away with him. It helps bring his birdie back.

4. While always offering the best deal first - the message has to get to the feet. Offer the lighter aids first, but use the reins if you need to.

5. Do as little as it takes, as much as it takes, but never more than it takes.

6. We can show the horse while the rider is up that we can help him feel ok - that has GOT to be important to him.

Saturdays ride was a lesson from the horse about getting the horse ok on the inside. Losing the birdie is dangerous and frustrating. Learning to get a horse's birdie back is invaluable - not just for helping the horse feel better, but for learning how to keep the birdie from leaving in the first place.

Comments, questions, your own experiences invited.

AlythLong · Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 8:34 am Post subject:

Hi Sandy, Can you please describe the "short serpentines". I understand the exercise "serpentine" but "short"??? Thanks. Alyth

Blue Flame · Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 8:47 am Post subject:

Alyth, others with much better understanding of it have described it in other posts on this forum and there is even a video of it linked somewhere here . . . . I'll try to dig them up for you.

But breifly, it is a series of half circles - quite short and quite tight as if riding around sagebrush or shrubs. The horse goes from bend to bend without any straight steps in between. One of the challenges of it for the rider is to ride every step in time with the feet - it involves intense focus on what you are doing and I think that aspect helps the horse mentally. Also, swinging from bend to bend laterally helps release braces in body and then mind.

Blue Flame · Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 8:50 am Post subject:

Dicussion here: Short Serpentine

Other variations discussed are that the serpentine may even backtrack on itself like 'candy ribbons' or yin/yang symbols.

Appellativo's diagram:

Blue Flame · Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 9:02 am Post subject:

From the next page on the thread linked above.

Blue Flame · Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 9:39 am Post subject:

Here's the video courtesy of Kathleen from the Short Serpentine thread on the other forum.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n26b-u5IsUA&NR=1

becdubie · Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 1:17 pm Post subject:

That Short Serpentine is exactly what I need to do with Bubba!!! He hasn't lost his Birdie(cute saying) with me riding him yet, but that's becasue I haven't taken him anywhere new. So this will prepare us for our first trail ride, plus, he's not very soft to turn.
That'll be our "program" for the next 7 sessions....hope he doesn't hate me afterwards.

Thanks for sharing Blue Flame.

PasoBaby_CarolU · Site Admin Joined: 31 Jan 2009 Posts: 9038

Great story Blue, thank you for sharing it.

I remember being told years ago that horses can only think of one thing at a time. You get them to focus on ONE thing they know, and it brings their mind back. I've always called it "putting the squirrels back in the cage" but it is the same idea. I find small figure 8's work really well also. Especially if you've done the Patterns and the horse knows what you are asking. It helps them focus.

BTW this also works with Barn/Buddy sour horses.
_________________
Carol Nudell
Corazon de Oro Paso Finos

"The path to your horse's heart lies through your own."

Rumors are carried by haters, spread by fools, and accepted by idiots. - Words of Wisdom - Mhar

‎"Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss activities; Small minds discuss people." - Eleanor Roosevelt

bit · Member Joined: 02 Feb 2009 Posts: 4355 Location: Kansas

BTW this also works with Barn/Buddy sour horses.
Sometimes! Eclipse was not at all impressed with this one when she is focused on heading home. It works very well for her if she gets right brained. She is never right brained when rushing home, lol. Just damned determined.
Brent taught us the serpentine on the rail exercise, and it is pretty cool. Slightly bend the head in the direction you are turning, dissengage the hind quarters, and then bring the front around. Lots of isolating, and you are asking for something from the horse at all times. You are in constant contact with the horses mind. I think this exercise has been more meaningful to me because it's taught me to have some kind of connection with my horse at all times. I'd tended to sit for periods of time, just being a passenger. Not a good thing. Lots of people spend the whole ride like this.
Gunner lost his birdy watching team pinning last night. Not the team pinning, but the cows! Oh the cows! Kelsey just smiled, and let him work it out. She put herself between him and the cows, cocked a foot and simply relaxed. This helped him. Today she is going to go follow a calf around and hopefully help him with his cowphobia.
So depends on the horse, regarding the sudden departure of the birdie. Serpentines, falling leaf (that was Bunnie's bird recovery method), figure 8's (Eclipse likes this one), but you have to find what works for your horse. That's why it's so important to have a lot of tools in the tool belt, and not get too stuck on one trainer, or one way of doing things. But when the bird flies it's probably best to get off and work it out on the ground. Better than your horse sending you flying, too.
_________________
"It was once said I should clear my head for one cannot ride a Thoroughbred. Hot they are. And too fast they be. Forever on the fly. But I stayed the course and have no remorse. I love my off the track racehorse!"

becdubie · Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 3:09 pm Post subject:

Sunny · Member Joined: 24 Feb 2009 Posts: 1145

Another thing to remember with the short serpentine, or any serpentine for that matter is, you must be sitting up straight (in position 2), not leaning forward weighting the forehand and getting in your horse's way, and... time your aids with the front feet.

Ask the foot to move to the side AS it's coming off the ground. That's the only time you can influence the direction of the foot. Otherwise, as Buck says, "It's just called 'tripping'...." And, as with everything, ask with your seat and legs first, reins only if necessary.

becdubie · Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 6:22 pm Post subject:

SavvyLearner...what exactly is Position 2? Is there somewhere I can look at the various sitting positions? or when each should be used?

Sunny · Member Joined: 24 Feb 2009 Posts: 1145

I'll get back to you tonight.... I'm at work, but I'll expain it fully for you.

In a short response:

Position 2 is upright in the saddle, above your seatbones... Where you should be riding all the time.

Position 1 is slightly forward, used ONLY for transitions upward.

Position 3, on your pockets, ONLY for transitions down or stop.

A back up is done from postion 2 with your shoulders ever so slightly back from center of gravity and legs opened a touch. Later!

Jack · Member Joined: 22 Oct 2009 Posts: 269

I love doing serpentines but don't use them with a horse that is in reactionary mode and mentally disconnected from me. (lost his birdy?) If a horse is in that mental state I immediatly go to small circles, disengaging the hindquarters as we spin, until he comes back mentally. I do much prefer to prevent the horse from reaching this uncontrolable state and find serpentines very useful when used proactively. I've found that trying to accomplish serpentines with an uncontrollable horse offers an opportunity for the horse to regain his stiffness and bolt ahead in the direction he chooses. With inexperienced or physically weaker riders it is sometimes impossible for the rider to regain the bend needed for control once the horse has straightened his neck.

In the Buck Brannaman vid. we see a horse that is working on softness by doing serpentines. At one point Brannaman says that if he feels any brace in the horse he continues around the imaginary bucket to regain softness. He doesn't mention how many times he might continue around the bucket but I've found that often it takes a lot of revolutions before the horse softens and comes back to me. Buck's video however doesn't show a reactionary horse that is out of control but rather a well broke horse that is learning to balance and soften to the riders feel. It's certainly not a horse that I would say has "lost it's birdy".

Horses go reactionary for many reasons and at many levels. I was once riding a gelding that unbeknownst to me, was being stung by wasps under his forelock. I was able to keep him bent sharply in a circle for a couple of revolutions, allowing myself the time to emergency dismount for my own safety. Not until I got back to the barn, where he had run wildly on his own, did I discover the swelling around his eyes that gave me the answer as to what caused the blowup.

I do love serpentines but don't think the time to use them is when a horse is becoming uncontrolable. When I feel a horse brace I myself continue on around the bucket.

I'm probably speaking of a different scenario but "loosing the birdy" sounds like the horse has become reactionary. Once the birdy is lost serpentines wouldn't be my choice of tools for finding it. Maybe it just depends on the size of the bird.

Jack

Blue Flame · Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 11:01 am Post subject:

Jack, very good point about the opportunity to straighten and bolt in the serpentine. I'll have to keep that in mind in future.

In this instance, the fences helped minimise the opportunity for bolting.

If the fence is between the horse and where he wants to go, and you serpentine along the fence, then the opportunity to bolt only presents when the horse is either facing the fence or facing away from the fence. The fence stops him bolting home and when he is facing the other way it is the opposite direction to that which he wants, so he'll bend back towards the fence again. If, however, you are on the same side of the fence as the place the horse wants to go, then yes, he could straighten and bolt home. This is of course all dependent on us knowing where the birdie is, where the horse wants to go, the direction he is drawn to, what his idea is. In this case it was pretty obvious.

Maybe our success was more to do with good luck using the serpentines in this situation, with the fences fortunately being in the right places for this setup. However, now that I've learned something else thanks to your observation of the opportunity to bolt, I will not hesitate next time to claim it was good management.

As to why he lost his birdie (well, not really lost, it just flew back to the herd 500m away) in a place he has never had trouble before . . . . Hindsight tells me that recent weather conditions make it likely the pasture is high in potassium and nitrates. A pasture analysis done 1 year ago supports this but since the pasture has been limed since then I thought it'd be ok - maybe not. This not only causes hyperKalemia (Ka - potassium excess) but also exhausts sodium, calcium and magnesium reserves in the horse as the horse must use these up to expell the nitrates. As the resulting mineral imbalances wreak havoc with a horse's nervous and muscular systems, the symptoms can be manifold - herd bound being one of the many. Diet has now been adjusted to include more salt and calcium to compensate. The pasture is high in magnesium anyway so we won't need to really add any of that.