How interesting! My first buck!

Today's ride went really well! He had a lot of go and it was nice to trot for a while. Ok, but here's the funny thing, we were riding into the dry lot and a scary truck went by, and Eddie bolted into the dry lot. He let out a big strong buck and I managed to stay on! With just a bareback pad! I was proud of myself, but also a little shaken up. =-0 After that he was fine. So yeah, a good ride, and a chance to sit my first buck!

Oh, today we also wormed the ponies. So afterwards to get his mind off the icky taste in his mouth I did the Level 1 assessment, (the ground stuff) He did it all perfectly! Ok, so I think I'm going to wait to do the new assessment in January. Because on the ground he's in Level 2, so I might as well just do it for fun. Level 2 I mean. By then we might even be able to assess level 2! That would be awesome! So yeah, I think I'm going to wait to assess.

Savvy on!
Oh yeah, happy Halloween!
Lea & Eddie

'Riding for tomorrow' works!

Today Eddie was fantastic! I really worked on my fluidity with him and he was splendid! We trotted and just played around! My sister would stand in the middle, riding her pony, and give us things to do. All of which we could do! Sideways with his rump to the fence, back over 2 poles, stand on the hill/pedestal with his rump in the air (which looked so funny) and sideways-ing over cones. He did so great! His trot was nice and slow and it was just such a great ride! I can't stop saying that! =-) I love it! Parelli has yet again shown me that it's more important to take the time it takes then to rush through things.
Here are some pictures!

Eddie's wearing a Parelli hat!

Stand on the pedastal/mound of dirt!

Haha, yes I am backwards and laying on his rump.... FRIENDLY GAME!

Naturally,

Lea & Eddie

A true test of my patience and savvy

Again Eddie was a bit more challenging. On the ground he was super, we drove from zone 5, then I got two 22 foot lines and drove with those. He did great! We turned, backed up, and circled. A few times he didn't exactly get what I meant, but I cleared it up very easily. So, now you might be wondering where the title of this post comes into play... Usually after I play with him I ride. A little bit of online and freestyle. Well today he didn't exactly want to be ridden. He just seemed off. He would try and bite the hackamore, he was very bracey (which is so rare for him) and he just didn't get things. Well I got off and we ended on somewhat of a good note.
This afternoon I wanted to play with him again, maybe get out of this rut we're in. I think we're climbing out of it because all I had was a savvy string and his halter, and we played! I used the savvy string as a lead line and just worked on unity I guess is the word. Getting him to want to be with me instead of making him be with me. So after I felt a difference I got on and just easily rode with my sister who was riding Scout around the pasture. A loose rein, a soft feel, just taking my time and not going too fast. All was pretty well! He was better then the morning's ride and we did a few back ups, sideways, FQ yields, and HQ yields and then went inside. YAY! So, just another learning experience.

~Patience and Persistence, in the Proper Position~
Lea & Eddie

Saperate, isolate and re-combine

While riding that's what I had to do.
Well let's start with our play session on the ground first. We walked a lap around the pasture driving from zone 5ish. I would either stand in 3/4 or 5 and stop, back up, go forward and trot. He did super well with that! Our Savvy Club DVD came, so I did the bareback mounting without luck! lol! I almost got on his back, so we'll need to work on that. Then all was going swell so I hopped on with the bareback pad. We did the Question Box pattern at the trot and walk, he did really great with that too.
Then I tried sideways between the barrels. He really had a hard time with it, he kept wanting to go forward, so I had a plan. I got off, sideways-ed on the ground first, then I got back on and tried out our front end yields and hind end yields from his back. He did that great, so I tried it again and all was well! So it works, separate, isolate, and re-combine. SAAAAAAVY! (Savvy clap!)

Lea & Eddie

~Advancing Level 2 Clinic~

Wow was it inspirational! Helen Topp was so nice and all the topic we covered were so helpful! We went two of the days, because my mom had to work on Monday, but the two days we did go to covered:
~Friendly in the delicate zones.
~Porcupine, lead by the ear, chin, tail, lip and hocks.
~Driving from zone 5 with the 45 foot line.
~Riding without touching the reins and using focus.
~Snaky bends
Day 2:
~All 7 games with an obstacle, using the speed, distance quality technique.
~Riding the question box using a combination of concentrated and casual reins.

So yes, it was awesome! Today I can't wait to play with Eddie. Yesterday I did too, but he was so RB I got a calm figure eight and we ended there. It even snowed yesterday! They were more like little ice balls that stung your face. Oh yeah, once it is sunny and not windy I'm VIDEOTAPING the riding part of Level 1. I NEED to get that in... I want my red string!

Savvy all the way!
Lea & Eddie
Future Instructor

Yay! I got to sit his trot, totally bareback!

Yah, all bareback! YES! I finally sat back and really moved my hips. It probably didn't look too great me sitting and leaning far back, but it felt really good! I think he was happier too. "Yes, she finally isn't bouncing around!" So, yeah, GREAT day!

Lea & Eddie

P.S. Tomorrow's the clinic!!!

Corn, corn, corn, and more corn...

They're taking the corn down behind our house, so Eddie's been having fun watching them! Well today was the first time we've played with them in 3 days. We groomed 'em up, and played and rode! Yay! A full day! Eddie did really good. It was cold, and windy, his least favorite weather, so overall it was a good day! Our ride went well and just had fun. In two days we go to the clinic to audit!!!

Lea & Eddie

It's windy and I'm hyper!

(From Eddie's point of view the last few days)
Yesterday my human came outside and groomed me, did my feet, held them between her legs and brushed my coat. Then she took me out in the pasture and it was WINDY! I was so hyper, and I couldn't wait to see what she would do when I jumped in the air like a Lipizzaner! Well I did jump, buck, and reared, and all she did was continue like nothing had happened. Golly she has a lot of moves! Then later in the day she played with me on the ground for a little bit, having me touch the barrels and go around every one like a cloverleaf. Then she got on... She was pretty cool! We trotted to every barrel and then would circle tight around it and go to the next one. It was like the pattern my one owner had me do, except she had made me do it too fast, and it was scary, but my human, she had fun with ME! Right now she's teaching me how to canter with the long rope. I watch her and when she starts to canter, (which looks very funny) I canter too. I usually do it, but when I don't she just has to encourage me and I pick it up. Man, she is F-U-N!
Ok, so today was a different story. It's cold. It's windy, and they took my buddy! (Not really) The other human took my friend (Scout the often call him) into the corn crib and I couldn't see him! I paced and paced the fence and called to him, but he wouldn't answer. Finally my human came and got me and took me out to graze next to him. Whew! I got so right brain a couple times she had to hit me with the clasp of the rope, but when I finally had my attention on her she calmed down and relaxed with me. Thanks! I needed that! She then took me in the outdoor and did some changes of direction on the circle. We ended on a good note, and then we got to go outside and graze. Cold weather gives me ENERGY!

Carrots rock!
~Eddie

Last Few days....

Were GREAT! Yesterday we played on the ground and did a lot of change of direction, probably the best he's ever done, just lean back and he switches. Then I would 'trot' with him and then 'canter' with him and he would pick it up right away. He trotted sideways and he did so awesome!
Then this morning we rode before it rained and he did great with that too. He's getting so good at L2/3 stuff!!!!!!!!! I love it! We're having such great days!
Yay! just a few more days (5ish) and then the Level 2 clinic! YAY!

Having great days...
Lea & Eddie

Finally Fluid!

Today we played with cloverleaf online, cavaleties and then I rode. He did really well, we trotted and he was very responsive and willing. Here are some pictures!

Savvy out!!!!!!! =-D

Lea & Eddie

YeeHaw! Cool weather and loving it!

This morning we rode in the pasture and outdoor. Since it was chilly we were all bundled up and ready for winter! His trot was really smooth, which was very nice to sit. Allison and I played tag with our ponies and 'following the leader' in a clover leaf pattern. Here's a pic from this morning:

I know, it's just Eddie's face, but I thought it was pretty!

Later this afternoon I took him in the round pen. It was nice to just have quiet time with him. No one watching, and no one talking. Just me and him. We just started with him coming to me. He got right brained (which he always does when we go in there) so I took the 22ft. line and we played online. I grabbed a barrel, did tons and tons of cantering, and change of direction. Oh yeah, Pat says that horses can only do six things... Up, down, left, right, backwards and forwards. Eddie did all of the above. I thought for sure he was going to jump to the moon and back! All four of his feet left the ground a few times. I did a lot of long phase ones because I couldn't tell which horsenality he was. For a bit he seemed left brained introvert,"I don't want to go!" Then
I would encourage him with a flick of my stick and he would explode, right brained introvert. Then he would carer around (pretty much galloping) so that was right brained extrovert. Then he would come in and be all left brained extrovert and want to nibble on my things. Wow! So it was a bit challenge for me. I think he was really hurt in a round pen before we got him. Because there is just no reason he should be that scared of it. The first ten sessions I did in there was the friendly game and undemanding time. So we're taking it slow there. I promised him I wouldn't hurt him in there and we are only going to play when we got into the circle of death. Oh right, I got sidetracked... the barrel... I would have him go around in a circle (which he did uber easily)then I would tell him to stop by it and put his nose on it. He really got that, so it only took a few times before he was licking and chewing. So we ended on a great note once he was left brained. He stood on the pedestal! He loves his pedestal, so I decided to end it there.

Savvy on!

Lea & Eddie

All four savvies! In one play session! AWESOME!

Today we had so much FUN! First we circled around barrels. Here I even made a diagram:

I had grain on each of the barrels and he would stop and eat it. I'm the little pink dot and Eddie is the brown blob. ;-) That really improved his go and then we cantered together, ran around, stick to me at all gaits, and it was just totally fun! (I sound like a blond) B-)
Ok, then we went in the outdoor and did lots of trotting and we finally cantered! We trotted through some cones, then backed up between them. Did a bit of finesse.

Next was freestyle. Haha...... I took the reins off and walked around a bit. Nothing big, just playing around. Then Eddie decided that he wanted to canter after Scout and bite him. LOL! It was so funny! I had to slid off and I just ran backwards with him and watched him canter into the paddock. LOL! It was so funny! Then I got back on and he did it again. Ok, it was funny, but not too great. Hehe! So then I played with him at liberty in the paddock to get all his bucks out. He did so great! The best liberty session I've had with him! I would run backwards and he came trotting towards me! Yes! Then he stuck to me like glue. He did excellent trot departures and and he didn't break gait once. He's getting so good at that!

So yeah, I'm happy!

Savvying savvy!

Lea & Eddie

Liberty & Bridless

Eddie did ok today. He was very sidetracked and so was I. We did all the games at liberty and even sidewaysed without a fence. Today was a play session that I was more focused on the task instead of his emotions. Then I got on with two carrot sticks and played around with backing, trotting/moving around. Eyes, bellybutton, leg stick. Phases and stuff. I want to play with him again later and have a better session online. Use some of the things I read in level 3 stage2 guide thing. Endless learning! I love it!

Lea & Eddie
We'll get there!

I gotta shake those hands....

Hands with opportunity! Our whole family went to Flannery Farm in Garden Prairie to watch a Parelli play day. There were a lot of cool toys there, which gave me a long list of things to build! We're going to be busy! Mr and Mrs. Boso were there and Chrissy boards Jiggs there so we saw them.
But before we went my sister and I rode. Eddie did so well! I was so fluid with him when we trotted. Now I want to start cantering! =-D hehe! We rode in the pasture and had tons and tons of fun!
Then I played with Eddie in the dry lot. He was cranky and a huge LBI. So, I had watched all of Level 3 before so I was super savvy to handle it. I played the stick to me, and don't show me your hindquarters. We did yoyo, sideways, circling and squeeze all at liberty. Ok, at first he was blah blah blah... then once I was done playing with him all he wanted to do was stick next to me. He didn't want to leave! It felt so good. We've come so far!

Total Savvy,
Lea & Eddie

It's hot! =-( Yuck...

Well my stupid computer just deleted my post. So now I have to type it all over again! Grr... and it was long too! =-(
Ok, lets see if I can remember anything I just said...........

Today's dad's birthday. Happy birthday dad!
It's really hot today, so all we did was groom the ponies and play with their feet. Picking them up, putting them between our legs.
Yesterday a photographer that my mom knows came out to take pictures of my sister for her senior pictures. She ended up taking over 300! I was playing with Eddie and she took a lot of nice pictures of us playing and riding. I can't wait to get them so I can put them on the forum and on here.
I can't wait for winter! It's so hot right now! With winter comes cantering! Yay! And trail riding. Yes!

Well I think that's all I said... TTYL!

Learning to savvy savvy,
Lea & Eddie

Moving, Moving, Moving!

Eddie seemed so hyper this morning! I haltered him and I finally got it on hims after he kept trying to chew it. So then we did transitions, canter, trot over the tarp, over the cavaleties, change of direction, lots of disengaging and engaging. Falling leaf, you know! Then we walked the pasture rail (online) and then we finally went inside so i could groom him. It was a really really good play time. He did awesome!

Wouldn't it be cool if they had a Midwest center? Mike (our trimmer) told us that they were thinking of buying Lamplight! It's a huge hunter jumper barn. I really hope that if they were thought it was worth buying they would make a center around here. South Wisconsin, or Northern IL, or anywhere in the Midwest! I wonder if the celebrations this year are a test to see which part of the country has the most attendants and students. An even better reason to get a lot of people to come! I can't wait for the future Parelli might have!

Lea & Eddie

Great willing ride!

This morning was fantastic! I rode in from the pasture, then Al (my sis) opened the gate and we walked to the corn crib. Then I got off, put the 22 foot line on, and then we went for a walk. We went half way around the pasture. Eddie was so 'let's go!' So I enthusiastically used that energy. Then we went back inside and rode around. We did two laps in the pasture next to the fence. His trot was amazing! All I did was slow down my movement and pull a little on the reins and he slowed right down and we did a nice little trot that I could finally sit. YAY! Then we ended it there! He's doing so well!

Savvy All The Way,
Lea & Eddie

Awesome day!

Today was so cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It started out rainy..... I finished school before lunch..... Then it got sunny and then we had a great play session!
We were playing online in the round pen, and because Allison (my sis) was playing Scout around the property Eddie got really RB because he couldn't see him a few times... So I kind of had to make myself known... with a few phase fours... I don't like doing that, but if I didn't he would have been on top of me. So we did a lot of things keeping his mind of me and not on the wandering pony. We touched things, sideways all the way around the pen twice, sweeeeeezed, figure eight around the barrels, back over the cone, trot towards me. Then he was fine! So after that we went back into the pasture and played around in there. Because Scout was finally with him Eddie was again a LBI, talk about a switch, RBE to LBI... "Hmmm... How interesting!" So we did a few canter circles, then we walked around the entire pasture, we did awesome change of directions, a few spins, stick to me (which was totally awesome because I 'held his hand') and then we ended it there because we had ended on such a great note. I can't wait to watch the freestyle and finesse parts of Level 3. Savvy all the way here we come!

Learning to be passively persistent,
Lea & Eddie

=-( bad rain...

Yet again it's raining...

We let them have the day off today...

All I did was Eddie's lavender on his lymph node and picked out his feet and held them between my legs...

That's all...

Not much going on...

8-D

Lea & Edwardo

ha!

It's warm out!

Yay! It's finally nice outside! Let's see...

This morning I rode. I really worked on my fluidity. I finally got it at the trot (bareback) so then we quit there. We did a lot though! We sideways-ed, trotted, did I mention trotting? and did circling around one object, a bucket. So it was a good morning! Then this afternoon We went in the pasture and ran around. (online) We cantered, almost jumped the barrels, touch it, figure eight, falling leaf, change of direction and maintaining gait at the trot. He really likes when his mind is busy, so he had another great play session! Well, gtg bring him in off of the pasture. Man I can't wait until the track is up... Anyway, here is a picture:

Rain. =-(

Eddie is so funny! When we got home from church he was so dominant! He was shaking his head, bucking and being a big LBE. =-D So I played at liberty with him. Sideways, touch it, figure eight, cavaleties and squeeze. Then he was better, but still being silly. So now it's raining and they're both in their stalls. What a funny dude! ;-)

Lea & Silly Eddie

Ride Out...

Hey there! Well, from the Parelli E-news I saw a picture of people riding around with carrot sticks, having a ball at Pagosa Springs. I want to do that! I though to myself. So this afternoon I put the bareback pad on, (Eddie was very sleepy) got the hackamore, tied it in it's fancy loop and grabbed a carrot stick. We ended up having a great session! I really worked on quality. We wouldn't quit doing something until it felt right. We went in the pasture/outdoor/in front of the corn crib/dry lot/ and by the round pen. It was so much fun! Whenever he would get a bit bracey I would retreat then re-approach and all was well after a few times doing that.

So you get an idea of what our farm looks like, here's a pic. The pasture is to the right, the round pen is well round, the dry lot is the boarded fence and the outdoor is where the white blob (Scout) is. Oh yeah, then the stalls are just out of the picture on the left. They're connected.

And here's the picture from the E-news:

YEEHAAW

Doesn't that look like fun!?

Learning to shake hands with opportunity,

Lea & Eddie

Trotting, trotting, trotting...

This morning I groomed Eddie and then I rode in the outdoor. He was very good! We did a lot of trotting, sideways, and we just generally getting my seat. ;-) Oh what was also fun, we jumped the cavaleties, it felt very fluid to feel him take off with his front end, well like a normal jump!
Then around 5 thirty I played with weaving through cones (online) and figure eights (which he is savvy on and now we can move on!), and then I jumped on bridless. He really wanted to go, so I took the savvy string that was around his neck and teid it to his halter, so I had a bit of rein. Then after that he was perfect! We trotted some more, because I suddenly have a desire to really have my seat. So all in all, it was a very good day! Can't wait for tomorrow!

Lea & Eddie

So light, I'm amazed!

We played in the round pen this morning, after I groomed him the corncrib. He was so good with his feet. I held them between my legs and he didn't pull once. I guess he would rather stand then do a phase four back up. So we did figure eight's around barrels and all I had to do was lean back for him to change directions and do a little bit of phase 2. I was blown away! Two days before I had put grain on the barrels, and that did the trick. He was so willing! Now this is a LBI, usually stubborn "What's in it for me?" today, he was a willing LBI, almost LBE "Play with me! What are we going to do today Lea?" I love it! Then we went to the outdoor and rode around. We trotted, sideways and played around. It's finally cold outside, so they had energy! I can't wait until we can start cantering! That will be fun! So we played again this afternoon, after lunch and we led by the mane and then we trotted around so more. The one thing I have to work on is my balance. I can sit the trot with the bareback pad, but not total bareback. But that probably comes with time and experience.
Ten qualities of a horseman:
Heart & desire
Respect
Impulsion
Flexion
Attitude & Focus
Feel
Timing
Balance
Savvy
Experience

Savvy out!
Lea & Eddie

We have entered the realm.

Finally we are in the realm of Level 3. I watched some yesterday, so we practiced a bit today. We sideways off a pole (while riding) and then we jumped! The first jumping I've ever done on him! YES! It was fun. I can't wait to play again tomorrow! =-) I'm post pictures later!


BFO:
This is what it should be, people excited to go back and play with their horses. I feel sorry for people who don't enjoy their horses. Parelli rocks!

Savvy on!
Lea & Eddie