Left-Brain Monday

Ahhhh...That is the sound of my relaxing and getting truly comfortable in my environment for the first time in two weeks.

It's interesting, I've gone through this morning's classes, and NOT ONCE have I felt even the slightest bit unconfident about myself or my horsemanship. I'm not 100% sure on my reasoning, but I think it's probably the energy and teaching style. The previous group of instructors (we've switched) was a group of very RB people. Not to say anything negative at all about RB people or horses, but they brought that side, a part of me I'm really not familiar with in an extroverted situation, hence the discomfort. It's been an interesting thing to examine, I'm really fascinated with what I've learned about myself just in this little compare/contrast, and also in what I've learned in how to set my own learning up for success...I don't anticipate a PERFECT week, of course. I anticipate that if I have problems, they'll be dominance related, probably.

So this morning was much more relaxed and LB for me. I was able to take in and read little details like I used to (or should I say, what I did before I repressed that side of myself subconsciously) and also had NO problem piping up in class and asking questions to my heart's content :)

So all's well. I'm off for lunch now, and then back out to play UDT this afternoon, it's about 80 degrees, so Neither Prin or I will be up for romping around like crazies. Though the pond is looking more inviting!

Anyway, savvy on, love you all!

F and P

No One Said This Was EASY!

Bleck...okay, thank goodness tomorrow is Friday. I'm WIPED OUT. But, I did learn something VERY important about myself today that I'd like to share before I go and sleep for the evening.

I am a VERY introverted learner, and I blow through MY OWN thresholds! How weird, right? I figured this out after volunteering to ride in a demo today. It was on the subject of leads and lead changes, and I was REALLY excited to go play with it. I volunteered with gusto, saddled my horse up, paid special attention to warming her up correctly for her horsenality, got to the arena, and played with everything that would help us set up for a good learning experience. Went great...then Prin started to get blocked in Zone 1. Then more blocked. Then more blocked...then...*zoom back head toss, fling fling fling fling!* and then Avery shouts "GET OFF!" But by then she had calmed down. Yet another round of pissed off Prin feedback. And this time, I didn't have my hands on the reins. I'm not going to detail that right now. I'm just too tired and it's still sinking in.

But what I can tell you is that the advice I received in front of 14 people sent me into a round of catatonia I've NEVER been sent to before. So I opted to sit the rest out (best for my horse, anyway) and I realized that the reason was because I am TOTALLY uncomfortable doing hands-on learning in a group situation. It explains everything; my dislike for conga-horse simulations, how little I get out of group lessons and clinic scenarios, and how much I prefer private one-on-one discussions and lessons, and why I can focus in the classroom (I can immerse myself in my head and notes).

Now believe it or not, this is SO going to help me to set my learning up for success. Because see, knowing this, firstly, I can set myself up into situations where I am comfortable, and it'll also help me put a guide-line on for stretching my comfort zone. It really helps to know where that line is, instead of feeling blindly until I ram over my own threshold. So, with that in mind...off I go to be an introvert.

Btw, I have pictures from today. Just need to find a computer that has enough brain power to handle them ;)

Savvy on,

F and P

Body Awareness?

I have that?! Seriously?! Well...now i do! In the past 3 days, I've really come to the realization as a person that I am really freaking inflexible. So the range of motion that I have (or actually, HAD now)was what was preventing my horse from having the ability to perform L3/4ish lateral maneuvers.

I have really thrown myself into figuring this out in this course, though. I've been aware of a lack of awareness, but I had no idea where to begin, and I"m really finding a new respect for the ladder the Parelli system has built up to help people figure out what their bodies are doing. I'm really and truly thinking about finding out where I can find one of those damn seat builders, I've learned so much on them. Also I'll be investing in a big exercise ball for ME (not my horse to attack...for once!)

So: what has come of this? RIBS! I HAVE RIBS! At the beginning of this course, I had NO IDEA how to flex my ribs correctly, let alone change the bend gracefully, and also cause my horse to move correctly based upon it. That almost 2 years of "C'mon, c'mon, it's just a half-pass right!" is really starting to make sense--you should see MY half-pass right! *Cringe* I'm so over feeling bad about it, though. I'm a student, and as a student, unless I do the same thing after receiving new information, I cannot make a mistake. That has really relieved some tension, for sure.

Other than that, I really am just going to start focusing on isolations, again. Prin and I both have some body awareness to keep building and playing with. I've opted to take the afternoon off to just play with little things (My LBI is going to love this, it's slow and varied)and see if I can build with the knowledge I already have, rather than totally overloading myself like I did last night. That was too far out of my comfort zone!

So anyway, savvy on, and seriously, one day I will have pictures for you...

Savvy on,

F and P

Course One Finale

Week one is OVER! How unbelievable is that?!

Today was a bit strange for me. I'm still REALLY struggling with direct-line thinking with my horse. It has really been emphasized in this course that it is NOT ABOUT ANYTHING BUT THE RELATIONSHIP. I get all motivated to NOT GET DIRECT LINE when I go play, but by the time I get out there, I get all excited about the fantastic access to all this wonderful play area, and I completely lose it. POOR PRIN!

So today, after "Graduation" (They're so cute here, they give us completion certificates and everything, I LOVE IT!) The faculty gave a fantastic demonstration, kind of a super savvy team, if you will, and then I headed out to play with Prin. I really wanted to play with some liberty and bridless, so I headed out to the honey-comb. There I go, direct-line thinking again. It's such a damn tough habit to break! Anyway, the session started out okay, Prin and I played with things I knew she could do already, and then because she was having trouble setting into a rhythm, I decided to sit on a barrel and play "Don't make me get off my barrel" for as long as it took for her to find her rhythm. As soon as she found it, she could come in and eat grass. Surprisingly enough, she found her rhythm within a lap going to what used to be her bad direction (The right)and had a HELL of a time to the left. In fact, going to the left, she went a bit RBI. It was SO FREAKING HARD (but I did it, yay me!) to just sit back and ALLOW her to come out of that. Learning SO MUCH. It's painful (ego is annoying when you're an LBE) but so fascinating.

Anyway, back out for round two. Laters!

Love,

F and P

PS, for all you wanting pictures, there'll be some this weekend. I haven't had time to bring my camera anywhere yet because I've been so busy. But we're playing and picturing this weekend.