Hey, it's been a really long time since a posted a message here.. almost a month ago!
Therefore.. an update!
I did the level 1 freestyle course with Michael Grohmann. It was fun, and altough I already now the whole level 1 stuff by heart, again I got the chance to let if flow through my heart onto my horse.
I did ride Rox for the first time, and I really loved it!
Currently I am finishing the ground stuff from level 2 and starting level 2 freestyle. I hope I can start playing at liberty soon.. so I'll find out what's really going on between me and my horse...
I love every moment I spend with him... He's truly the most easy equine I could possibly meet.
Up to level 2 stuff, but first I am going to spend an extra long session of undemanding time.. because I think last session was a little bit intense for my guy...
I'm taking the time it takes, and it pays off... on the other hand he looks a little bit bored right now, but that will improve as soon as I start playing with the patterns and do more exciting stuff with him.
Still.. he's not so comfortable with the carrot stick yet, and I still haven't really figured out what his horsenality is.
I am slowly but steady inviting myself into my horses world... and what a world it is!
He's SO gentle! Just the way I like it...
I played already some friendly, porcupine and driving game... and what a difference I feel with this horse compared with all the other horses I played before. Those 12 weeks of following courses are really paying off!
Yesterday I sent an e-mail tot the faculty, with some pictures, and this was today's response...
Hello Joke!
Everything happens as it is suppose too!!! He looks fantastic and like he eats like my pony's do. (Which is a little to much ;-)) Keep us posted on how your relationship with him is doing!
Today I spent 6 hours of undemanding time... He was way more curious and confident in me... by the end of it I could scratch him all over He enjoyed it BIG TIME!!!
IEIEIEIEEEE I am so happy! This stuff really works!
Next step: more undemanding time and game nr. 1: friendly game!
By the way, he's definitely NOT anything RB... and he's just a little too energetic to be introverted... So next time I am going to progress with the LBE strategies...
Today I spend a long time doing nothing... I brought my blanket and a pillow, orange juice and a snack, some books and my savvy binder... I found myself a nice savvy spot outside his pasture under the cherry trees, and the whole afternoon I slept (a lot), read a book, wrote some stuff down and watched him a little bit...
When I arrived he came to say hello, and I gave him a piece of carrot. My plan was to give him more pieces, everytime he'd come to say hello. I was there for 4 hours and he didn't come once to check me out! How interesting! I did observe that his flight line is quite long, at least longer than the other horses when he spooks. And he also pawed into the fence, so the whole thing came down ... When I tried to check whether he was hurt or not I tried to swing over my savvy string to hold him.. but off course he ran off when he felt it touching his butt... After spending more time on my blanket I could give him a carrot again
I have a happy feeling that we're friends again after the savvy string incident... on the other hand I feel a little bit confused. Shouldn't LBI's be curious? Especially about food? And what about his confidence? He still moves a lot and watches his environment most of the time....
I remembered Linda saying during a demo: when a horse is difficult to read it's probably a RBI... So tomorrow I'm going to start with that idea, which means: SPEND UNDEMANDING TIME...
But this time I'm going to sit in the pasture.. let's see what happens!
Yesterday, I did absolutely nothing... except feeding him A carrot and AN apple... Just observed... and I'm starting to think he's a left brain introvert.
So.. this is my first arrow I'm going to use: SPEND UNDEMANDING TIME... (yeah, you really have to spend 12 weeks at a centre to learn that!)
Introverted horses tend to appears withdrawn and "slow" and need things
to happen very slowly. These horses are so often misread as quiet and
stubborn, but in the RB Introvert's case, he has crawled into his shell
while the LB Introvert has shut you out, much like the teenager who
pretends he can't hear you. These horses need you to be able to do
nothing, sometimes for quite a while before they become confident
enough to come out, or curious enough to want to engage.
So finally he arrived, on may 5, 2009... and it feels strange! But happily strange
I am so nervous I can't think anymore, now how convenient is that ?! But I already spent some time with him, twice. First time I did a catching game near the fence. He was quite right brain, but it didn't take long before I caught his attention, mostly by playing a catching game and matching his energy. The next day I tried to play Me & My shadow.. and decided it's a little bit dangerous with a horse that's still unconfident, who doesn't know driving and porcupine game yet.. so it's difficult to get him out of my space. I decided to start with friendly, porcupine and driving.. and I also added some yoyo-game. Tomorrow I am going to hang out a little more...
I hope I calm down soon, so I can start using my brain again
Before my new horse can be moved from his old to his new pasture, he needs to be chipped. It's the law So the vet said he'd come last monday, but he didn't.. and he also didn't come the next day... because today is a holiday. So I have to have a little patience, and hopefully Rox will join his new herd next week
His name is Rox, he's full German blood out of Ladykiller and Landadel. I know it sounds silly but I don't know his age yet That's okay because he was given to me by a very caring owner who can't keep him anymore... He was looking for a nice person to take care for him, and well.. that's me! So from may on I can start to play again!
which is great off course!
