Wishing all of you a fabulous Holiday season with friends and loved ones, and all the best for the New Year. May it bring you joy, heath and success, however you may define it. Thank you to everyone who has been part of my journey this year, it was an honor to walk with you! See you in 2016!
Je vous souhaite un merveilleux Temps des Fêtes remplie de belles rencontres et de joyeux moments en bonne compagnie. Que 2016 vous apporte joie, santé et prospérité, ainsi que la réalisation de vos rêves les plus fous! Merci à tous ceux qui ont fait partie de mon année, ce fut un plaisir de cheminer avec vous!
Que le cheval soit avec vous! Naturellement vôtre,
Here is the video of my spotlight at the fair last weekend with Blue Moon and Menina. There was a lot of noise and commotion, we were competing with tractors, generators, draft teams, the horse show in the adjoining ring and a live band on stage! I had to redub the music because the audio track was so bad... Both mares were superstars, I am so proud of them! #Parelli#Horsemanship#Instructor#HorsesLiberty
This is the second article in my series for ProChaps on the topic The Seven Keys to Success! Right
at the beginning of his Natural Horsemanship book, Pat Parelli introduces his Level
1 theory by outlining the six keys to success.They are:Attitude, Knowledge, Tools, Techniques, Time and Imagination. Since
the original publication of the book years ago, a seventh key has been added:Support.
Last
month we focused on the first key: Attitude. In
this post, I will introduce the second key to success, Knowledge.
Key 2: Knowledge
For a
very long time, most people equated expertise with horses with someone’s
ability to ride a horse no matter what.
While this is still the case in many parts of the world, there is now a
growing awareness that horsemanship involves way more than just staying on
horseback. Riding is less than half of
what you really need to know to be good with horses. There is so much more… how
they think, how they learn, what’s important to them, how to communicate with
them, how to help them thrive mentally, emotionally and physically, help them
reach their own potential and bring out the best in every horse.
Knowledge
can be obtained in a number of ways. One of the best features drawing horse
lovers to the Parelli Natural Horse.Man.Ship system is the wide array of
structured educational material available to support their learning. In
addition to the tools that help us to be more effective and to learn feel and
timing, Pat and Linda Parelli are
constantly producing books, audio and video material to help their students
acquire savvy right at home. This
includes a dedicated member site, the Parelli Savvy Club, which offers support, social
connection, information and a vast body of learning resources all available for
a very affordable membership fee.
Nowadays, thanks to the Internet, you can actually start
to learn Level 1 basics on line as a member of the Savvy Club, an option that
was not available when I started my natural horsemanship journey in 1999 and
would certainly have made my learning so much faster and easier!
Knowledge is also available fromLicensed
Parelli Professionals. This passionate group of people dedicate their
lives to helping students advance their horsemanship and gain a better and
deeper understanding of the materials included in the home study material.
Taking lessons and attending clinics keeps students on track and motivated and
helps them accelerate their progress. A
qualified instructor helps students recognize when they are repeating the same
mistakes over and over, empowers them with new arrows for their quiver and
prevents them from practicing the wrong techniques; in other words, they can
expertly guide them through the various steps of their learning journey. Working
with a LPP is like a super shot of savvy!
Every Licensed
Parelli Professionals has been
personally and officially approved by Pat Parelli. No one else is. Pat chooses
his professionals very carefully and sets a very high standard to ensure that
his program is being taught as it should. The training to get this stamp of
approval is long and intensive, ensuring that those that teach it have the
calibre, the savvy and the human qualities to share the program correctly, safely,
fairly, without deviation, empowering their students and horses to learn
effectively. Achieving Level 4 horsemanship is a prerequisite for all aspiring Parelli
Professionals, which guarantees the students access to a high level
of ability and deep understanding of the horse.
There are
also other requirements to be admitted into the professional training program,
such as experience, horsemanship, the ability to work in teams, interpersonal
skills, teaching ability, emotional fitness, work ethic, personal habits, etc. Parelli
instructors are not only horsemen and women, they are trained to teach! We have
all met someone who is able to do something with a horse but lacks the ability
to communicate their knowledge effectively.
Last but not least, we are required to update our skills which are re-evaluated
on a yearly basis. This ensures a very high level of competence, currency and
consistency with all Parelli instructors.
Speaking
of the Parelli levels: Levels 1 to 4 are designed to teach humans. Teaching
horses is quite different and is best achieved after Level 4. One of the best pieces of information we can
share with you is “Green on green makes
black and blue”. The skills,
athletic ability and experience required to train a young or challenging horse are
extensive, and it may not be something you want to undertake if you are just
getting started in horses! Be smart and
realistic when it comes to choosing the equine partner that will help you learn
and grow in confidence.
We would
love to hear your comments or questions.
Until
next time, keep it natural!
You enjoyed this article? Let us know by submitting your comments and feel free to share with your friends!
It has been a while since you have heard from me, and that is because I have been caught up in a whirlwind of unexpected events and change since my last newsletter.... Announcing my new certification as an Official Coach for the International Society of Rider Biomechanics! This month, read about all my changes and travels. Check out the upcoming event and this month's Savvy Tip.
Il y a un bon moment que vous n'avez pas eu de nouvelles par courriel, et c'est dû au fait que j'ai été happée ces derniers mois par un tourbillon d'évènements inattendus et de changement...
Ce mois-ci, je relate mes aventures et mes derniers changements. Vous pourrez consulter le calendrier des évèenements à venir et le Conseil Savvy du mois.
Here we are, I have finally arrived in Florida, after weeks of agonizing preparations and delays due to my horse Menina suffering a severe injury on a wire fence. We finally got the vet's clearance to travel, and off we went. For more info on that particular mishap, check out my Facebook page www.facebook.com/parelliqc
We got here, not without a few issues on the way South, many of which were related to the extreme temperatures. I left in -40C weather, everything was frozen, including all locks and doors on the trailer. The horses got no traction on the rubber mats in the trailer in this cold and were slipping and sliding trying to find their footing to get on - hard to persuade them it is safe to load in this case... and it got to the point where I was very worried they would get hurt trying. We left Quebec two hours later than planned.
Everything in the trailer froze solid - food, water, etc. I had to feed myself with what could fit in my cooler in the truck and discovered that hard boiled eggs can be eaten even when frozen.... Thank goodness for peanuts, granola bars and yogurt, who withstand this type of temperature quite well....
Then we had to wait over two hours at the US border for the vet inspection. We were preceded by several cattle trucks heading to slaughter, and the vet was training a new assistant who was very friendly, but not terribly efficient... When I said three horses, she looked at me like I had asked her how to land on Mars... and processed all the cattle trucks before me. My revenge was eating all the chocolate she put out on the counter to appease us... it happened to be lunch on that particular day.
Five hours late at that point... I got to my stop in New York state in the dark. I know the place, but it's on a very small windy country road and I missed the driveway... had to back the truck and trailer more than 500 meters because there is no spot to turn around. Then, I was faced with a steep hill about 600 meters, snowed in... I put the truck in 4 wheel drive low and prayed we would not get stuck on the hill! Yeah for the Cummins engine on my old Dodge, we got up there, all 10 tons climbed up the hill without even a skid - my truck is a locomotive! My friends could not believe it, they were not too sure we would manage. These are the days where I forgive my truck for being so expensive to keep going!
My two usual stops in Virginia were not able to take us in, too much snow and ice, so I had to find a place for the night while on they way. Again, I was lucky and got referred to a fabulous facility who could take us, althought I had to sleep in my trailer in -11C weather, without water. I was able to get heating, but it took several hours for the inside to thaw out and get warm - thank goodness for the winter sleeping bag and down filled boots I carry around for those types of situations. With a wool hat and mitts on, I was still able to get a few hours of sleep. No dinner that night, but the diner across the street prepared great breakfasts - the Pink Cadillac served eggs, bacon, fruit and unlimited coffee in a setting plastered with pictures of Elvis Presley! The food was good and warm, it was heaven!
It's only once I got across the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina, where it snowed, that the snow disappeared and I was able to remove my winter parka - still wearing my long underwear, wool hat, gloves and down vest. -6C in Georgia, that's a record... Usually, this is when I change to a t-shirt and start looking for the air conditioning control.
Hey, once across the Florida stateline, we finally got over the freezing point! +6C with a great big warm sun, I felt like it was summer, or almost! My water started to thaw - thank you America for inventing the truck stop where I could find drinking water to water my horses on the way!
The horses are doing well and are very happy to find themselves in five acres of pasture after being cooped up for months in a small icy paddock and spending the last few weeks in stalls. They ran, bucked, and gave us a great show of exuberance and excitement. I enjoyed my first shower in four days with hot water (which was not working and I managed to fix), a hot meal and the satisfaction of being able to step out without my winter boots. Our first night was rather cold (-7C), but the days have been warm and sunny!
I was left with two days to have the trailer repared (some pipes did not survive the -40 000 C weather...) and get organized. I had to remove Menina's sutures, find hay and supplies and get my tack ready. Here I am enjoying the view on this lovely property, the sun on my skin and the comforts of a proper trailer hookup!
Leaving the harsh winter behind and looking forward to a great month of training and learning with Linda Parelli!
You enjoyed this article? Let us know by submitting your comments and feel free to share with your friends!
A few times a year, I make an incursion into the world of traditional horseback riding to learn from other coaches who are much better at specialization than I am, another way to work on improving my own horsemanship. After years of putting specialization (in my case jumping) aside to focus on my foundation skills through natural horsemanship and having achieved Parelli Level 4, I find myself much better equipped to focus on performance riding. Dressage is one of the disciplines that now fascinates me, partly because of the level of horse-rider harmony necessary to achieve brilliance and to turn into into an expression of dance; partly because of the level of precision and lightness required to do it well; and also because it pushes me to acquire a much deeper understanding of proper horse and rider biomechanics. As a bonus, I get to see some really fancy horses with great breeding, which is always a treat!
A couple of weeks ago, I audited a day of clinic with Hélène Arianoff, a long time student of Nuno Oliveira. The latter is widely acclaimed as a master of modern day classical dressage and horsemanship. Nuno Oliveira chose not to compete and practiced dressage as an art form. He had the reputation of having a phenomenal seat (although you could pick his position apart depending of which school of thought you adhere to); mostly, he had a natural talent for bringing out an extraordinary level of brilliance in the horses he rode in a very short period of time. Any long term student of his would sure possess a lot of knowledge to pass on to the rest of us! Along with picking up many nuggets of savvy dust, as a teacher I am always interested in observing the kinds of things riders and horses are struggling with and how another clinician might go about helping them solve their issues.
For this clinician, as is often the case with other masters I have had the opportunity to study with, most of the lessons consisted in bringing the students back to basics, and improving those basics in order to advance. What we saw were a series of holes in the horses' and riders' foundation that were preventing them from getting the results they were looking for. We all know how tempting it is to want to focus on refinement and specialization... to have a vision of a fancy task or maneuver and to want to have it working here and now... while forgetting there might be a few ingredients that are missing to make it easy for the horse to succeed!
I like to think of it as trying to do calculus when you are still struggling with basic arithmetic and algebra - it can get confusing pretty fast. Think of what it might be like to try to do math with a missing number. For example, can you imagine counting without the number 0? It is possible, but definitely not easy. The number 0 did not always exist, it was actually first invented in India, and initially made scientifically available by the Arabs. It was a breakthrough in the history of mathematics that made adding and subtracting much easier and led to many other scientific advancements. Before the number 'zero', there was an undefined gap for the counting of nothing!
Back to horsemanship: as humans, it is so easy to be direct lined, and by that, don't think I am judging anyone, as I catch myself doing it all the time! As an observer at the Arianoff clinic, I could clearly see where someone might be struggling and be missing a essential piece of the puzzle, and how putting that piece back in the right order was the key to helping them improve. This is something I do with my students all the time, and it may sound repetitive or frustrating at times, but it is an integral part of good horsemanship. You will hear Parelli refer to it as foundation before specialization (see footnote *).
For example, a rider who has not yet acquired an independent seat and the ability to isolate the aids will not be able to communicate clearly an advanced maneuver such as half-pass or even something simple like a canter depart. We saw several examples of riders struggling to let go of the reins or to isolate each leg in order to help their horse find the answer. As a result, the trainer had to spend quite a bit of time helping them learn to soften their hands, use their seat without clenching with the legs, use their legs without clenching on the reins, hold a dressage whip without interfering with the bit, etc. All foundational skills of the rider that need to be in place in order to practice good dressage.
The teacher also had to contend with foundational issues in the horses - horses dull to the aids, leaning on the leg or not wanting to go forward or stop, horses who did not understand the cues and many, many horses who had trouble with contact. She started each session showing the students exercices to improve hindquarter control - a foundation of every natural horsemanship program! We found out most of these beautiful dressage horses could not easily move their hindquarters independently of the rest of their body, and the riders had to work very hard to get there! I have to say I was impressed to see how most of the horses in the clinic were fairly calm... However, few seemed connected... Most of the issues were related to a lack of responsiveness, resulting in the riders having to work very hard (to the point of sweating and getting out of breath) just to get the appropriate amount of response from their horse or to maintain the chosen gait. Before they could ever dream to get that flowing half-pass or sharp flying lead change, they needed to think about how they were using or not using their own bodies, and how prepared their horse was to actually attempt a higher level maneuver. Hélène had them practice many basic exercices - move the hindquarters, move the shoulders, get in a rhythm at the walk, walk a good circle, leg yields, backing up, give and take the reins, transitions, trot and canter departs, gait control, etc. I was struck at how similar it was to what you might see in a Parelli clinic, except the horses and riders happened to be dressed up in very fancy outfits and tack!
Blue Moon - Photo A. Macfhay
This brought me back to my first dressage clinic with my new horse Blue Moon this summer at Eddo Hoekstra's farm. I spent over 2 years developing this horse before testing the quality of our foundation during the three days of the clinic. There was very little sweating, even though it was quite hot outside. She showed that she truly understands the basics: go and whoa, move the various parts of your body in various ways, and respond appropriately to pressure (less than 4 ounces), maintain gait and direction. With those elements in place, it is actually amazing how easy the more advanced exercises become, and I was the first one surprised when Eddo asked us to attempt some rather advanced dressage movements (collected gaits, counter canter, canter departs from the walk and halt, half-pass, half step!); no one was expecting perfection, but we did get positive results. Blue Moon may not have carried the perfect frame all the time, but Eddo never said ANYTHING about her head carriage; we lost forward impulsion at times in some of the exercises; most importantly, she was so calm, connected, and responsive throughout the lessons. The focus was on refining basics building up to more advanced, and never, never drilling in any of the movements. Get a try and move on to something else and if it is not working, try a different approach! It was right in line with what I have learned in Parelli. Blue Moon put her heart into it and always gave it her best shot. We were both smiling at the end of the day!
Knowledge and skills come from a unending process of studying, applying, and experimenting. You can read books and watch videos, and that will feed your mind with knowledge and information. But then, you need to be able to take this information and translate it into practice, and develop skills, which takes time and dedication. For most of us, this can be challenging to do without expert help. As you advance, you may need to get back to more reading and observing to add to the knowledge, and once again, use it until it becomes a part of you. This is a continuous process. Many of the riders at the Arianoff clinic possessed a lot of theoretical knowledge; they just had not yet acquired the ability to translate it to their riding and were thus investing in their learning. They will hopefully be able to carry on by themselves at home and as they make progress, will again look for more information and support to take them to the next level, a never-ending spiral of learning and self-improvement that as horsemen, we all have to learn to love and enjoy.
Below is a clip of Master Nuno Oliveira teaching a horse to move with straightness by doing exactly the opposite of going straight. He is mobilizing the various parts of the horse and doing a lot of lateral work to dissolve any contractions, helping the horse find the right way of moving - causing his idea to become the horse's idea.
* Examples of what would be considered specialization in horses: any equestrian discipline or competitive sport such as dressage, jumping, driving, eventing, cow working, cutting, western pleasure, working equitation, hunter, ski joring. Trail riding and working horses (hauling wood, plowing, transportation, mounted police) are also specialized. Parelli Natural Horsemanship is a foundational program for horses and riders.
You enjoyed this article? Let us know by submitting your comments and feel free to share with your friends!
For more info on Geneviève Benoit, Licensed Parelli 3 Star Instructor, visitwww.vifargent.com
This
year I found myself in Level 4 hell. In case you are new to this blog, I passed the original Level 3 equivalent
in 2003 with Jolie, my first Parelli partner, at the end of my first module at
the Florida ranch, then dubbed the «10 week school». It was at that time the first
milestone requirement before being invited to apply to train as a future Parelli Professional; nowadays that entry point is the Fast Track. Jolie was
the horse that brought me to Parelli in 1999 and thanks to her, I discovered a whole new way of being with horses. Sadly, she had to be retired
immediately after I earned my green string from Pat Parelli himself. At graduation, Pat told us that achieving Level 3 was only the beginning, a «license to learn». It is only years later that I truly began to understand what he meant.
Jolie and I in Florida in 2003
As many of you may already know, Menina is Jolie's daughter and the perfect horse I had always dreamed of. I imagined her, bred her and raised from the day she was born. She is my dream horse, super talented, athletic, smart, spirited, sensitive, with outstanding bloodlines. She also turned out to be a very challenging horse to develop, and I have written several blogs about our journey, which you can find here by looking under the label Menina.
With Jolie retired and Menina just a baby, I found myself without a saddle horse to attend Parelli University. A good friend of mine, Mark Russell, offered to loan me a mare he had rescued from a very bad environment for my year of study at the ranch. Easter entered my life. She had been abused as a young horse and had a very poor start, and Mark had begun retraining her, but she still had baggage, lots of it. She was rideable, but far from confident, and I ended up restarting her while at the ranch. During my Uni modules, I rode many other project horses while studying for my first star, and at the same time, developed Easter and my rambunctious young filly. I started Menina in her second year with the help of my mentors and peers in Colorado.
One my way home after achieving my first star in 2005, I dropped off Easter at Mark's place. She had made huge progress and Mark was very pleased with what he saw; he let me know that he would sell her to me before anyone else if I chose to take her. Unfortunately, the price tag was well beyond my means. I said goodbye and with a heavy heart, left her in Tennessee. I returned to the ranch the next winter for continued education and took Menina with me. I was riding her, but she was still very green, and very challenging. I got bucked off hard near the end of my course while riding in the playground. At my exit interview, my mentors asked me to return 9 months later for the next part of my training, this time with a Level 4 horse, amongst other conditions. My plan also included losing a lot of extra weight and getting very fit for a Colt Starting course with Pat Parelli and Rob MacAuliffe. I had a lot to prove, and a very short time to get it done. At that point, I was faced with a critical decision: finding a brand new horse and taking it through the levels in nine months, or going to get Easter who was already approaching the required level. I called Mark, he still had her and we negotiated a deal. I borrowed the money and we arranged to meet in Connecticut to so I could take my new partner home.
Easter, my second Level 4 partner
Easter and I were able to demonstrate an appropriate level of horsemanship and she helped me earn my second star in 2007. This coincided with Parelli's decision to modify the levels program. Levels 1, 2 and 3 became easier, and the new Level 4 became the standard required for professionals. It was quite similar to the Level 3 I had earned four years prior. However, we were not granted an automatic Level 4 - we were asked to resubmit our auditions and demonstrate we had kept our horsemanship current. Despite a lameness issue that kept cropping up, I started filming with Easter while still at the ranch; but she was uncomfortable and we ran out of time to get it done. Easter went home lame and after months of vet exams and trying to get her back to sound, it became obvious she would not be physically able to continue with the level of training required to finish Level 4. The physical scars from her past had caught up to her. I passed most of my On Line with Easter but we came 2 minutes short of completing that savvy, and I had give up on getting it done that year. Menina was coming along and she got promoted as my new primary saddle horse. Still challenging however, and during subsequent visits at the ranch, I had the opportunity to get help from both Pat and Linda on how to manage this very complex mare. I could clearly see that doing any of the Level 4 tasks was not going to be physically or mentally difficult for her, she is a natural athlete and a very quick learner. However, I needed to develop a different style of leadership and partnership to convince her that my ideas were good ideas. She was my first LBE horse, and what a learning curve that was!
Menina as a young horse, she loves airs above the ground!
I worked very hard these last few years developing Level 4 with Menina. I mostly had to work very hard on MYSELF. I was the one doing the bulk of the learning, she already knew it all and was waiting for me to get it! The
more focused I got on outcomes, the worse our relationship would get. I was still thinking and behaving like a predator and she was the mirror.
I'm LBE, I really need results to feel successful; the idea of relaxing
and enjoying the journey can be a challenging concept for me! Meanwhile, I earned my third star after spending another five months at the Parelli ranch in 2010 which included time at Pat's barn, interning with Kalley and teaching the Fast Track. During that summer, Menina came up lame for several months and I had to give her a rest. Xrays showed that she had damage to her right hind fetlock that would likely limit her in the future, so while I addressed the issue with various nutritional changes, trim and treatment, I started looking for another horse to develop. Blue Moon came into my life in the spring of 2011.
Fast forward to the 2011 Summit, Parelli Professionals were allotted one year to complete Level 4 in the required savvies. That meant all four savvies for 3 Star Instructors. Despite all my efforts, hard work and long stays at the ranch, I still had not succeeded in officially completing any of the savvies. At home, I boarded my horses at a very busy hunter/jumper barn
and putting together auditions in that environment had proved impossible. I just could not
get the arena time and lacked the space and facilities to film or
even practice some of the required tasks (especially on line and at liberty which require space and obstacles). Without a partner or family close by to help with
filming, and unable to find someone willing to do it, I postponed the idea of auditions until I could find a better set of conditions.
We were given permission to film our auditions with someone else's horse, but
to me, that was out of the question. I truly feel that part of earning
Level 4 is showing that you have the ability and knowledge to develop and bring up your own horse.
I believe that simply checking off tasks with a horse that someone else brought along would have robbed me of a large part of the learning and sense of completion that I needed to feel whole; I was not prepared to
go that route. I was determined to stick to my principles, regardless of consequences.
I found a new boarding situation in early 2011, a small family owned property which lacked the luxury of an indoor arena, but had a round pen (a first for me!) and where I could have the whole place to myself during the day to advance my training and set up any obstacles I needed. I borrowed more money so I could spend the winter on 2012 in Florida to focus on my horsemanship and surround myself with supportive friends and peers. I played and rode with my horses every day, sometimes to the point of exhaustion. I had been ignoring my body for a few years and it was a wreck, yet I simply could not find time to recover. I just kept on going, I was determined to succeed.
Menina at the Game of Contact course in 2011
My first attempt to resubmit On Line failed. So did the second one. I was shell shocked, and my confidence was eroded. I blamed the audition process and started losing my desire to try. Thankfully at that point, Carol Coppinger stepped in. I found a mentor! She came to assess me with my horses and I was confident I was in good shape. I was in for a shock and a huge dose of humble pie. I thought I was ready to pass Level 4. I was told I was not. I had tasks, but I did not have quality. I hit a massive wall, splattered like a bug on the windshield. Anger, denial, chaos, I went through the whole range of emotions -- and almost quit. I felt defeated, incompetent, used, betrayed, useless, crushed. Years spent training in the various iterations of the Mastery Program and Parelli University, and I was not ready? I could not believe it! I felt like all this time, energy, money, years of sacrifice dedicated to my horsemanship were annihilated in that one moment. Dragons from my past that I thought vanquished reared their ugly heads and started haunting me. Carol came to see me twice and got pretty tough with me, pulling me up by the bootstraps, and kicking my sorry butt back into action again... it was appropriate, I really needed that kind of Phase 4 to pull me out of the hole I was digging for myself. So I kept on trying... until I had no choice but to head back to Quebec. Facing
massive financial issues, several health issues and having to resort to going back to an
office job when I got home, life got even more challenging. At that point, Carol sent me this wise note «Nothing is beyond the reach of determination. Never give up... Just rest a while». The advice was wise, but there was no rest possible. I was
juggling horsemanship time, work, health and personal issues, juggling to make ends meet and doing what I could to keep my Parelli business going. It was a challenging summer and I started feeling lost and alone once more. On Carol's advice, I decided to send in the Finesse footage I had from Florida along with my new and improved flying lead changes filmed a few months later in Quebec, and I actually passed. A shimmer of light appeared at the end of the long tunnel. I worked at this all summer, simultaneously putting a foundation on Blue Moon and trying to solve the issues that kept cropping up in my relationship with Menina. I was tired, I was physically in pain most of the time, I felt alone and there are many days when I thought I was not going to make it. The little flame of passion and dedication I have carried with me for all those years got very faint, and for a time, I thought it had extinguished. But every day I got up and put one foot in front of the other, put together a plan and got myself to the barn. I was in Level 4 hell. It was not fun any more, it had become work, it was a job. Of course, my horses mirrored that attitude, which was not helping our progress. I felt guilty for imposing my timeline on them, for training hard in an arena with less than ideal footing which I knew could damage the horses, for pushing harder than I would have ideally wanted to because September 1st was approaching fast and the pressure kept mounting. The consequences of not succeeding were very real, and everything I had built in the last 10 years was at stake. How could my horses understand?
Just as things could not be much worse, my camera quit working! I brought it in for repair and it took 7 weeks to get it back. I looked for one to borrow, but video cameras are not popular in my entourage, and the only one I could find was not compatible with my computer. I did not have the funds for a new one. I had to wait! It turned out to be a blessing because rather than only thinking about filming, I had to focus on refining the ingredients I would need to be ready.
By the time I got the camera back, I finally felt I had a good Freestyle audition with Menina, one I was reasonably proud of, and I passed my second savvy. Riding always came easier to me that ground skills. I have spent the last 40 years on horseback, but only 12 of those years playing on the ground! Mastery of any skill only comes after 10 000 hours, I needed more hours on the ground. I was left with finishing my remaining 2 minutes of On Line (yes, the circling game was my pitfall!) and all of Liberty. The only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time and I was 3/4 of the way there. But life kept on happening. On
the way home from Florida, Menina had nearly died from an allergic reaction to the
treatment I was using to help her joint, so I had stopped using it. She came up lame again, and I had to give her another long rest. Blue Moon was near ready for the On Line portion so I started filming the required 2 minutes and barely got it together for a pass. It was not great, it was just ok, but it was off my plate. I shifted my focus to finishing Liberty with Menina who seemed to be recovering. We had all the ingredients, but as I attempted filming, I could see her struggling physically and mentally, she was leaving me and not happy. This is when I decided to call the vet again and we ultrasounded her joint. It was bad news, really bad news, and this time, the damage was irreversible. I was told she would never be able to finish Level 4 or move on to performance as I had dreamed. I was devastated. She could at best be a good trail riding horse. Anger, denial, chaos, acceptance. It was late August, I was not going to meet the September 1st deadline AND I had to retire my dream horse. Blue Moon was simply not ready. Hell got hotter.
I have been told my determination borders on insanity. However, at that point, I was left with no choice but to LET GO. There was nothing else to do. I could quit, accept failure and crumble. I chose instead to start having fun again and to take care of my horses and of myself. I needed to get back to the core of the Parelli foundation, putting the relationship first and allowing the horse to be in charge of the principles and the timelines. I apologized profusely to Menina and promised her the best life she could have. Along with Easter, now 17, her needs had to come first and the only outcome was to keep her sound in mind and body. Just because I was in hell, my horse did not need to be. For the first time in months, the little flame slowly started burning again.
Blue Moon, my new L4 partner
I continued playing with Blue Moon, but this time, I made sure we kept it varied and fun. I was not going to repeat the mistakes I made with Easter and Menina, and this time, I wanted to keep intact the great relationship we already had. I truly started exploring how to get more accomplished by doing a lot less. Without regard for human judgment and opinion, I wanted my horse to show me I had earned Level 4 and I needed to feel proud of what we had accomplished together. I also wanted to avoid another break down. I worked on advancing the whole package, relationship, savvys, phases, tasks, tweaking and refining, and once in a while, sending in a video to my coach for advice. It's amazing how much information can be communicated in a very short sentence! «You need more connection» «Try doing your lead changes over a log» «Use less carrot stick» «Lift the ribs» and the best one: «Relax and breathe!». She did not send me paragraphs, she sent me one liners! It was of course spot on, and just enough information to get me thinking and looking for the right bits of savvy so I could improve what needed to be improved.
The less Liberty I did, the better it got. Another really important concept here. By working on the ingredients of the relationship, calmness, connection, responsiveness, our Liberty started coming together much easier. End of September, fall has settled in and I'm running out of good weather, so I decided to film an audition, just to see what would come out of it. It thought it turned out good enough to send, but it did not feel great. I had to do several takes, and by the end of the session, I was sick of it and so was my horse. Not a great place to end. Several weeks passed, bad weather had set in and still no news from the audition team. Waiting is absolute torture for an LBE! I did short sessions here and there between storms, again just tweaking the ingredients since our footing was soggy and very unstable, and advancing our circling game when I could. Then the sun appeared again, the footing dried up just enough and I pulled out the video camera once again. By now, I've pretty much won my Friendly Game with filming and can finally almost forget it's there. With an official audition already in the pipeline, this was just to see our progress and a back up in case we might need to do it again. I was learning to take the pressure off. It was a lovely session, everything flowed, felt easy and light. Blue Moon and I finished feeling great and very connected, our best session ever. It had a few technical flaws, our flying lead changes were not the best we've had, but we got it all done in one take with a happy horse the whole time who kept her eyes and ears on me for a long time even after I left the arena. Blue Moon told me it was Level 4, and I knew it too; I felt very happy and proud. Carol agreed when she saw the footage.
Interestingly,
my
relationship with Menina started to truly expand to another level once I
learned she could not physically do the things I expected of her. I
am more considerate and respectful of her limitations and in return,
she is bonding even stronger and giving me a lot more in the things she
can do. She has never been so compliant, respectful and sweet as she is
now that I have taken the pressure off. The silver lining
appeared, the gift hidden amongst the thorns has been revealed. For the last year, I have been looking forward to the relief that would come once this whole Level 4 ordeal would be over! I admit there are many days where I lost track of the true meaning of Pat's vision. Level 3 is about curiosity, confidence and sensitivity, Level 4 is meant to be about dignity. Having done it with my horses helped me learn the importance of keeping my dignity intact as well as theirs, and I am now proud of what we have accomplished so far. Not because it's done, but because I feel a major shift is occurring in my perception of horsemanship and leadership as a result. I have found a path within myself to a new level of strength, leadership and confidence, and most importantly, a strong resolve to never let outcome dictate the quality of my life or my thoughts ever again.
Now that I have renewed my license to learn, a new step in my journey awaits and I'm starting over... but I might just need to rest a while.
Right to left: Tina Giordano and Carol Coppinger leading the 2* Instructor course in FL, Fawn Anderson, myself and Jesse Peters, assisting.
My sincerest heartfelt thanks to my support team: Carol Coppinger, mentor extraordinaire who just refused to quit on me even when I quit on myself; Tina Giordano, for her help and encouragement during my stay in Florida; Kalley Krickeberg, who helped me unlock a big piece of my puzzle with Menina; Kristi Smithwho flung open the door to learning; Michelle Donlick, friend and fellow Parelli student who not only saved Menina's life, but offered a place to rest and regroup, friendship and support when I really needed it; Julie Destrempes, Parelli student and owner of the barn, who allowed me plenty of space to be able to focus on this project and cheered me on through the tough days; Pat and Linda Parelli, for their help and teachings over the years; and last but not least, my wonderful partners Easter, Blue Moon and Menina, who have been SO forgiving of my mistakes and failings, have taught me a ton, and tried their hearts out every day. They are truly my stars and my guides on the journey to becoming a better me!
