playing tag (with Cricket)

Do you like the bit?

I've been teaching Cricket to want to be bridled and to like the bit. What I've been doing is presenting the bridle, putting the bit in her mouth, giving her a cookie, taking it off, giving her another cookie then walking away. Today her reaction was to nicker and follow me while she looked like she was saying, "Hey! Where do you think you're goin' with that?! Get back here!" Success! ♥

Horsenality™ Aptitude Chart-by Linda Parelli

Horsenality™ Aptitude Chart

---

Extrovert
Fast or Long Distance

Introvert
Slow or Short Distance

Left-Brain: Variety

Right-Brain: Repetition

---

Left-Brain Extrovert
Naturally Excels at: LIBERTY

• Eventing
• Combined Driving
• Cross Country
• Jumping
• Reined Cow Horse
• Cutting
• Versatility

Right-Brain Extrovert
Naturally Excels at: ON LINE

• Pole Bending
• Flag Racing
• Airs above the Ground (Haute Ecole)

Left-Brain Introvert
Naturally Excels at: FREESTYLE

• Competitive Trail
• Mounted Police Horse
• Trail Riding
• Barrel Racing
• Roping
• Bulldogging
• Therapeutic Riding
• Pony-Horse (Racetrack)
• Driving/Draft

Right-Brain Introvert
Naturally Excels at: FINESSE

• Dressage
• Western Pleasure
• Hunter
• Trail Class
• Endurance
• Ranch Work
• Kid’s Horse
• Reining

Alone? Not really....

Brego found a wonderful home and my siblings have graduated and taken their horses. Cricket is the only one left!

Cricket's doing fine now, she "wigged" out a little at first and it
was interesting to watch. Even when she was right brained, she still
kept it at the walk and conserved energy. Our relationship is growing.
She runs to me, paces when I'm gone and "talks" to me. we've been
playing "tag" where she chases me at a full gallop around her turnout
and up and down "the hill". I usually wait 'till she starts "ignoring"
me then I take off as fast as I can. She usually bucks around and
chases after me. If I were smaller, we'd make an amazing team cutting.
She found all sorts of ways to cut me off. So cool! Such a talented
girl. :) I did all that liberty without a Carrot Stick!

He brings us back

I've noticed that I allow Cricket into my space, really close, and frequently. It's not very good right now because she's not asking permission about it much. Really testing my leadership and consistency to keep her about 6-9 feet away (it's my personal bubble) from me unless other wise stated.

I was playing with this very concept today and I saw something very cool. She kept trying to come in and didn't really have a nice expression, ears back. She was playing the driving game with me! I drove her back and made her stand there for about 30 seconds and her ears went from "I hate you!" to asking a question. So cool. I need to work on that more.

Kind of strange that I didn't catch this before. I love her so much and I'm very weak I guess 'cause I always need her close.

I've just had another thought semi-related.

We can come to church sometimes with a "I do this every time, such a burden" sort of outlook. We come to God with an expression very much like Cricket's. He usually drives us away and looks off waiting for us to seek him earnestly again. If you see my Bible verse at the top of my blog, you'll know that when we seek him whole heartedly, he brings us back.

Such grace.

-Priscilla

I'm teaching Cricket to bow..

....and it's coming along very well so far. I really have to whip out language more than usual, love and leadership are already present as of now.

For this Exercise you will need a can of soup... -By Norma Vela- MUST READ!

Just go with me on this.  Trust me. 
It'll be fun.  Really.  I promise.


Get a can of soup - the size of the can doesn't really matter and it also doesn't really matter if it's soup.  A can of beans, corn, peas, carrots, chili - just something with some heft to it.


Set it on the counter in front of you.  Give it a good look and then pick it up.  And put it back down again.  Easy.  Simple.  Pick it up, put it down, nothing to it.

[If you think you should read through this whole post, get to the concept and then try the exercise later:  DON'T!  Stop reading now and go get a can and pick it up.  Then come back and read the next step, which is:]

Pick it up again.  But WAIT - this time, before you pick it up, think about HOW you're going to pick it up.  Think about how you're going to put it down again before you pick it up.  Think about what it's going to feel like to pick it up.  Now.  Tense the muscles in your arm as though the can is going to weight 20 pounds/kilos but it's also very fragile - too much pressure and you could crush the can -  Now make your move.  As you life the can, notice everything about the act of picking it up.  What effect does it have on your muscles as your hand tightens on the can and you begin to lift it?  And lift it as sloooowwwly as you can.  See if it can take you 30 seconds to actually lift the can 6 inches above the counter.  How much control do you have over the energy you're putting into lifting it?  Notice the difference in how you use your muscles when you move this slowly.  Do you remember your plan for setting it back down again?  Okay, good, put that plan into action - set it back down.  Slowly.

Wow, that was a huge difference right?  Between just picking up the can of soup and picking up a can of soup.  There was a difference in your energy, effort, focus, intent, process and plan. 

 

So here's my question:  how do you pick up your reins?

A huge thing I've learned.

I ask questions and answer questions pretty defensively, almost attacking. I think it's because I don't want to be open, it makes me feel vulnerable and as though they can attack me. People end up answering me on the defensive so they don't end up being able to attack (not so much that I always think they will). It's a bad habit that I'm trying to break. Don't be defensive or fearful and trust people enough to ask a question openly.

Please forgive me if I've ever hurt your feelings or attacked you.


Priscilla

Horse jokes

Horse Humor

Question:  How do you make a small fortune in the horse business?

      Answer:  Start with a large one.

   

Ten Ways To Get In Shape To Own A Horse      

1. Drop a heavy steel object on your foot. Don’t pick it up right away. Shout “Get off, stupid! Get off!”
2. Leap out of a moving vehicle and practice “Relaxing into the fall.” Roll lithely into a ball, and spring to your feet!
3. Learn to grab your checkbook out of your purse/pocket and write out a $200 check without even looking down.
4. Jog long distances carrying a halter and holding out a carrot. Go ahead and tell the neighbors what you’re doing. They might as well know now.
5. Affix a pair of reins to a moving freight train and practice pulling it to a halt. And smile as if you are really having fun.
6. Hone your fibbing skills. “See honey, moving hay bales is fun!” and ” I’m glad your lucky performance and multi-million dollar horse won you first place – I’m just thankful that my hard work and actual ability won me second place.”
7. Practice dialing your chiropractors number with both arms paralyzed to the shoulder, and one foot anchoring the lead rope of a frisky horse.
8. Borrow the US Army slogan; “Be all that you can be’…(add) bitten, thrown, kicked, slimed, trampled.”
9. Lie face down in the mud in your most expensive riding clothes and repeat to yourself: “This is a learning experience, this is a learning experience…”
10. Marry money!

You Know You’re A Horse Person When……your horse gets new shoes more often than you do.
…your mouth waters at the sight of a truck full of hay.
…every time you drive past a road construction sight you think what nice jumps the barricades would make.
…you consider a golf course as a waste of good pasture land.
…your friends no longer ask to get together after school/work or on a weekend because they know you’ll say, “I can’t, I have to ride.”
…you pull a $17,000 horse trailer with a $1,000 pick-up truck.
…you buy duct tape by the case, and carry rolls in your pocketbook, briefcase, backpack, and car trunk.
…you realize finding a horse shoe is truly lucky because you’ve saved ten bucks.
…your boyfriend complains that you love your horse more than you love him and you say: “And your point is..?”
…someone does something nice for you and you pat them on the neck and say ‘good boy’.
…you try to get by someone is a restricted space and instead of saying “excuse me” to him/her, you cluck at them instead.
…you show up for an appointment in your city clothes and when you get there people reach across the table to pick alfalfa out of your hair.
…no one wants to ride in your car because they’ll get sweet feed and hay in their socks and on their clothes…but that’s ok because you’ll have to rearrange all the tack to make room for them anyway!
…you look at all the piles of laundry sitting next to your washing machine and most of them are breeches, horse blankets, saddle pads, etc…. but you don’t even care about the horsey hair residue that will be left in your washer and dryer.
…you say “whoa” to the dog.
…your mother, who has no grandchildren, gets cards addressed to Grandma, signed by the horses and dogs.
…you see the vet more than your child’s pediatrician.
…you groom your horse daily for hours and you haven’t seen a beautician since…?
…someone asks for a screwdriver and you hand them a hoof pick.
…you clean tack after every ride but you never, ever, wash the truck.
…on rainy days, you organize the tack room, not the house.
…you can remember worming schedules, lessons, and farrier visits in your head, but often forget your class schedule, household chores, and meals.
…you are unreasonably pleased to get a horse item, ANY horse item, as a gift.
…you stop channel surfing at Budweiser Clydesdale commercials.
…books and movies are ruined for you if horsemanship references aren’t correct.
…you actually get to a point where flies don’t bother you that much anymore.