hsadmin – Page 76 – Horse Savvy

The Connection

Published on February 19, 2016

I often get asked why I work so much at liberty with my own horses and my reply is ‘to test our connection’. For me it’s this connection that holds the key to everything I do with horses, all ground work, handling and ultimately riding. But how is this connection created?

For me it is very much a mental (focus) and heart (emotion) connection that is created by being ‘in the moment’ and ‘with the horse’ at all times when in their company. It is also integrated with the ‘energy’ of my body. If I can focus on what I want to achieve with my horse and on what my own body is doing then we can become ‘connected’. SO, everything I do, feel, breath and focus on transfers to my horse. I think positively on what I’m trying to do NOW and allow my body and mind to shape the body and mind of my horse so that we become ‘dance partners’.

Slowly the connection can become deeper and deeper so that my physical/body moves become more invisible but my inner mind/focus becomes stronger and once the horse is invited to partner up they really follow that focussed lead.

It can be hard to achieve if your mind is constantly thinking of other things so the first task you have to try is to empty your mind of other things and just be in the moment with your horse. It’s like a dance where we collectively move together that brings about a mutual understanding of space around us.

A more visual way of thinking about your horse connection can be of how you share space together and I will write more about Sharing Space in another article.

Shelley – HorseSavvy

‘Can you draw your horse OR is your horse drawn to you’ 😉

Liberty Challenge 9

Published on February 18, 2016

Just 5 challenges this time but push your progression to do these in an open field. Start slowly in a small area and work up to a higher gait in a bigger area. CHALLENGE YOURSELF to progressive, positive changes so that you and your horse get more and more connected in a common language that create signals for all that you do together.

1) Weave around cones on a circle.
Use as many cones as you like, 5 is the minimum on a circle. Make the circle large or small depending on your skill and your horses flexibility. Start in walk together and build up to trot and more distance between the cones and you and your horse.

2) Stick 2 Me Transitions.
Use as many transitions as possible, be on the left and right of your horse and see how straight you are together.

3) Jumps.
Big or small jumps, as many or as few as you wish and done how you like, either one and stop, turn and jump again OR as a small liberty course…it’s up to you to know you and your horses abilities but remember to build up to more difficult jumps as you go and higher transitions between.

4) Spins.
To left and right and even spins whilst leading your horse, see what you can do.

5) Back horse up from behind.
Use cue from tail or any other you may have, do a least 6 steps and more if you and your horse are up for it.

I will be doing these 5 Challenges in our 10 acre field with the other herd members grazing around us. I test my horses connection to me by working in this area as they have the freedom to run off if they want or to stay with me. I cannot run as fast as they can but have a good draw back to me if they go faster than me. How connected to you is your horse in a big field?

Liberty Challenge 8

Published on February 17, 2016

Remember to do it at you and your own horses pace and level, the horse owns the time you take for this so don’t push, just encourage for more effort, lightness or precision as you go along. If you need to do it in walk online then do so but remember to progress as much as possible and practice it over the whole month to see improvements. Come back to the challenge at liberty and ridden when you are ready to do so.

1) Liberty & Ridden: Push a ball through two raised poles

2) Liberty & Ridden: 4 x trotting poles (any spacing you think best for your horse)

3) Liberty & Ridden: Canter down a bunting corridor (liberty: handler to stay outside corridor)

4) Liberty & Ridden: Turn on the forehand (front feet pivot whilst hindquarters turn 360*)

5) Liberty & Ridden: Trot a clover leaf pattern around cones (Pattern explanation below)

6) Liberty & Ridden: Jump/halt/sidepass off jump (if you do not know this move or don’t wish to teach it then jump and halt straight after jump then sidepass a few steps)

7) Liberty & Ridden: Transitions (whatever 2 or 3 transitions you are good at)

8) Liberty& Ridden: Use cones to ride the outside and/or inside of a square….forwards / sidepass / backwards / sidepass

9) Liberty & Ridden: Familiarisation on the move (try at walk but trot if you can)

10) Liberty & Ridden: walk into water tray, halt in the tray then walk off (or a foot in a bucket with water in it! I have a plastic jump water tray I will be using…you could also put an intact tarp on the ground and roll up the edges around jump poles to make a pool and put some water in it!)

ENJOY

NB…CLOVERLEAF PATTERN: this is walking/riding a shape like a 4 leaf clover. First set up 4 cones at equal distances from each other in a square. To walk at liberty or ride it you need to then choose to either just do left or right turns around the pattern…you shouldn’t do both unless you do the pattern twice!

The first move is to walk/trot straight through the centre, then turn left and do a left circle around 1st cone back through the centre of the square then circle left around 2nd cone, back through the centre and then circle left around 3rd cone, straight through centre and then circle left around 4th cone and then onto next task.

To do the cloverleaf outside this challenge I usually always start and stop in the centre of the square of cones so that the horse is always searching for X at the centre, Picture of map of tasks below hopefully will help too.

Shelley – HorseSavvy