Day #16 - “Natural Performance” Prey/Predator Monday, September 14

“The process doesn’t always look like the product.”  ~ Pat Parelli 

Wow - I can’t believe it’s already Day #1 of Week #4 - where has the time gone?!

To start with - I MUST tell of our Sunday adventure/nightmare!  Alicia and I and Debbie and Jane (two endurance riders in our course) decided to go into the high country trail-riding today.  So - we got directions and headed off the ranch with our horses in tow around 9:30am.  Well, Debbie’s van broke down, so they had to go back, which left Alicia and I to go on alone.  We were fine until we took a left instead of a right and some local apparently decided to have fun with us.  I asked him if we were going the right way and he said “Oh yea, but it’s a narrow road and you’ll have to be careful.”  He said the road ended in a turnaround “big enough to turn a semi around in.”  Well, off  we went up the mountain and let me tell you, it was treacherous!  We ended up in switchback after switchback, one-lane dirt roads, etc. for about 12 miles - about an hour up the mountain before we realized that we had been “had” by a less-than-decent jerk (we had few other choice words for him that will not be written here).  Anyway, we decided that we HAD to find a way to turn around - talk about the scariest thing I’VE ever done with a horse trailer!  I had to trust Alicia that I could go over far enough to turn around without going straight off the mountain!  On top of that, Alicia is afraid of heights and was NOT doing well. 

Once (by the grace of God!) we got turned around, we headed back down the mountain and found where we had been meant to go to begin with. - Poison Park trail-head.  It was a beautiful day and even though we were about two hours behind schedule, we ALL needed a nice ride, so we rode for about two hours.  The trails were pretty slick, steep, and rocky - kind of like Wildcat mountain in Wisconsin, and Alicia’s “Jade” had only ever been on one other trail ride, but she did stellar!  We had a few easy water-crossings (see photo of Jade and Alicia on her first crossing) and rode down to a beautiful meadow with some incredible peaks right there - it was awesome.  We met some hikers who said they were going to hike to the continental divide and would get there by tomorrow - they were heading the same direction we had already gone with our horse trailer - so we figured we had crossed the continental divide earlier in the day!  Anyway, the day ended well and everyone was happy (OK, and a bit relieved) by the time we got back to the ranch.  Of course, chores don’t go away on the weekends, so we had our usual pen-cleaning, feeding, and watering to do - we were pooped!

Today we start our Natural Performance riding week - basically more finesse or “precision” riding with contact, as opposed to freestyle riding.  We started in the lodge with John welcoming some new students who are here for the next week or two.  John talked about fluidity for the horse (rhythm and relaxation) and for the rider.  He introduced Avery, Julia, Melissa, and Ben as assistant instructors for this module.

John reminded us and told the new students what Pat’s philosophy of teaching is - he says “I can’t teach you anything, but I can set it up so you can learn something.”  Again, emphasizing our empowerment as learners here.

He reminded us why humans and dogs get along so well - we are both VERY verbal, while horses are primarily non-verbal, which makes it more difficult for us to communicate with them.  He talked again about love, language, and leadership and said that primarily at this level, most of what we are now learning involves leadership, which is the most challenging because it involves: responsibility, accountability, balance, vision (where are we going?), having a plan, and dedication.  He talked ab out the “easy” parts of being a leader: praise, recognition, $$, promotion - and the hard parts: making tough decisions, being held accountable, having to fire someone, etc.  Been there, done that - all of the above!

He then talked about how this place will change you if you allow it to - and that we should “turn loose to it.”  He also warned us not to get sucked into the “downward spiral of despair” if things aren’t going well, and to use pattern interrupt if we find ourselves complaining about anything (weather, horses, etc.).  He reminded us to “soar with eagles, not to fly with turkeys.”

So, to begin our week of precision and harmony, we went out to Arena Grande and walked patterns - just to get them into our heads.  Then we came back into the lodge and spent some time with Kathy, who talked to us about finesse.  We watched a couple of very inspiring videos and brainstormed what finesse riding means to us - all of the following words came out: precision, refinement, grace, details, unity, focus, feel, beauty, lightness, impulsion, self-carriage, engagement, awareness, balance, power, leadership, posture/core, timing.  Then, we watched a short video of two horses playing and came up with even MORE: exuberance, athleticism, majestic, skills of communicator, enhancing ability, extension, collection, suspension, mirroring, PLAY!, on-call, elegance w/power, hovercraft!

THESE are the things that INSPIRE us in horses - how can we get these things with our horses - how can we GET OUT OF THE WAY?

- independent seat

- even both sides (ambidextrous)

- mental/emotional/physical fitness

- end goal in mind

- ingredients

We talked about how all four savvies need to be equal to get these things.  We talked about “longitudinal flexion” as opposed to lateral flexion (the horse stretching down and through his back - using his hindquarters effectively).  We watched a video of a dressage rider (Rafelle - Jarez) and saw a VERY exuberant, happy horse. We decided that what we want with our horses is exuberance with obedience.

Kathy talked a little more about Walter Zettl and how he says that NOTHING is the horse’s fault, but if it’s your fault when it goes wrong, it’s BECAUSE of you when it goes right!

We ended with a funny Disney cartoon video of Goofy and how “the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man.”  I remembered seeing this in 2006 - would love to have a copy - hysterical!

After this, we went outside and did a demonstration of “sticky hands.” This is when you partner with someone and go palm to palm with them, changing roles as leader and follower when they (or you) move your hands around - very interesting.  We then did a seat-builder exercise with this same simulation.  I tried to close my eyes while doing it - not as easy as it looks to keep your seat and balance while one person on either side of you is moving your hands and arms around, let me tell you!

After lunch, we met in Arena Grande and practiced pattern and precision riding. Hotshot is, of course the KING of this, with all of his formation riding training, so we did fine.  We did a “Barbie hands” exercise, where we were not allowed to pull on the reins, but only hold them between our thumbs and forefingers with our fingers forward.  Belinda and I were laughing - we never played with Barbies!  If the horse pulled the reins out of our hands, we were to let them slide, then go back to our pattern.  Lesson learned: it’s very hard not to micro-manage your horse!  It started raining around 4pm and everyone got caught in a HUGE thunderstorm.  I had my slicker and was OK down to just below my knees, but the bottom of my legs got soaked.  HotShot and I ran for the tree in his pen, which wasn’t too bad, but when it looked like it was going to last awhile, I got my saddle off and made a run for the lodge.  Still, it was a good day and we got a lot accomplished!

Edie

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