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[Rita]

I had a chat with a very dedicated PNH'er last night, and she has really been struggling with her Parelli started youngster for the past year. he's very left brain, dominant, a real teenage guy. So the owner has been getting help from another local horseman and it's been tough medicine - the horse isn't allowed much say in anything. He gets pissy and bucks and the rider matches and mirrors, ready with a dressage whip. And it's finally working for that young horse. He needs strict dicipline, forget about food rewards and left brain motivation - he's got to do it, and now. It is an interesting scenario and one I think happens quite a bit - with some horses you just don't have a choice, give an inch and they take a mile.

I had a fun session with Gypsy in the arena the other day too. Our down transitions are still not tidy, after years of trying to fix it. I feel like I need to get firmer with her Majesty, she knows what to do. She does tend to get mildly right brain extrovert at times and will just run through aids. So I was disengaging her quite fast if she sped up without being asked, and same for not slowing down. I'd set up a circle with 4 cones for precision and transition markers. In the end we had a sliding stop from canter at a cone - a good place to quit!

[Jerre]

Rita, thanks for sharing. There are similarities to Xena, as an extreme LBE with high dominance. Friendly does not work with her. Leadership does. But just think how strong that leadership has to be! Think what another horse would do to a pissy dominant upstart!! Terry has helped clarify consequence vs. punishment for me. The main ingredient is emotional fitness. Xena has a consequence for not following the human's leadership -- and it matches (plus 4 ounces) the strength of her opposition.

In other PNH stuff, I'm making it through the new levels dvds. I'm into L4 and have watched online and half of freestyle. Here are some random observations:

Pat says it's OK -- desireable even! -- to use gloves with the 45 so you can let it slide. Remember when "you must have hands that open quickly enough and your horse must be ready for the 45 so that YOU NEVER WEAR GLOVES" ?? I always did, though.

I've made a new habit of throwing a half-twist into coils with the 22 and it's never kinky anymore.

"Light and late" seems to be a new concept. At least, I don't remember hearing it before.

Mix it up. The patterns are great, but use whatever piece of whatever pattern is necessary to get the best result in the moment. Turn the cloverleaf into the corners game or the weave into figure 8. That's big for me, because I was being very linear with the patterns.

Confusion = fear = flight. So a confused horse will react much the same way as a frightened horse. This helps me understand Cleo, because I know she's not afraid, but she does get flighty and right-brained.

Also, every dvd has a precaution -- wear safety equipment, etc. And Pat talks a lot about not needing to take off the bridle, about staying in safe areas.

I still wish they'd prepared an index in the show-off book that accompanies the dvds. It would have been so easy.

Anyone else notice anything new or Aha?

[Snickers]

My big aha!
When you take the halter off at liberty don't LEAVE YOUR HORSE to go put the halter somewhere! YOU will be the cause of losing the connection.

I have boarded Snickers so that I can start playing and riding during the months of March and April. It's a huge indoor. I have to be careful at liberty though. I am having so much fun but it's really too big an area for me. When she does leave me I have too far to go get her and that's not good. I think I may refrain from liberty again for awhile till I am back home with my round pen. It's great to be able to start riding again!

[Willy (ON)]

Happy spring!! It is lovely here although winter's not all the way out the door yet.

Thanks for the updates, Jerre. Isn't it interesting!? Nice picture too.

On a scary note, my perfect Tea Jae horse had an episode of heave-like breathing this past week, a reaction to the bad hay we have had this year. Her immune system has never been that great - she has ongoing reactions to bug bites, so I got a tub of echinacea powder, and a herbal mixture called Breathe, and she is much better now. I am also watering the hay and thinking about getting a hay steamer.
I think I have the heaves myself from pulling the hay apart, so I took some of the Breathe stuff myself and it did help

I liked the article by Jerry Williams in the last Savvy Times - the story about his teacher asking him, "Can you back your horse through a gate one step at a time?"
That hit home - a way to motivate ourselves when we can't think of anything to do. "Can you...?"
I had Rocco out on line and wow, was he fun! Then I thought: "Can I get him to back through a puddle?" Wonder of wonders, I could!
When he was young, he was convinced those puddles were arab-suckers and he still prefers to avoid water.

The pony left today (my revolving gate!) - she is going to be a companion to a horse somewhere up north. That is perfect for her. I meant to kept her, but in the end, the necessary loyalty on my part wasn't there. When I got the offer, I said ok. Oh, well, as I justify it, every horse/pony that comes and goes - left in better condition than when he/she came. I only ever made money on one, but I also made a good trade once, the woodsplitter for the Haflinger.

Now of course, there is a vacancy in my barnyard - how... INTERESTING!

haha

Willy
with Tea Jae, QH rising 8, and Rocco, arab now 12

[Snickers]

Willy,
I sure hope Tea Jae will be okay. My pony Nutmeg got into a situation like that a few years ago, and she to this day still coughs sometimes. Especially when she first starts to trot or canter.

[Janice]

Rita & Jerre . . . thank you for posting updates on your youngsters. It's been very interesting to read how they're coming along.

I'm planning on starting my pony, Indy, this year. She'll be 3 this June. I did get brave and sat on her once last fall . . . she just stood there. She didn't even offer to take a step, which could either be good or bad. I worry that because she's not offering to move out, that when she does finally take a step it's going to be a rodeo. But . . . I'm hoping she'll suprise me and be fine. I can definitely tell that I have more of a connection with her than my riding mare, and I'm sure it's because I'm basically the only human she's known since she was 3 months old. I took them both for a walk down the road this weekend (we had beautiful weather this weekend), and I can tell she's matured a bit more, as she did MUCH better with leading. Usually she has some "I don't want to" moments, but we didn't run into any of those at all on our two walks. I even trotted with both of them, and usually Indy gets speedy and ends up in the lead . . . this time she stayed right in line with me and never passed me. All three of us really enjoyed the walks!

Willy . . . I feel for you on the hay front. I had the same issue this year . . . dusty/moldy hay. I seeded my hay field this year, and so the neighbor that makes hay for me wanted to wait for the new seeding to be really established. So, my crop didn't get cut until the first week of September . . .not the best hay-drying weather. Not to mention the weeds I ended up with. I'm going to have the field sprayed for weeds this year to at least try and fix that problem. My pony ended up with a cough, and I noticed it was getting worse. Called the vet and they had me pick up some Tri-Hist granules to give her. Tri-Hist is an antihistimine for allergies. I gave that to her for 2 weeks, and her cough was better, but never did go away. I stopped the Tri-Hist (which I really shouldn't have) and was trying to be very particular about the bales I was feeding out. I had a day off a couple weeks later and spent quite a bit of time with the horses; I notied Indy was coughing a lot more than what I thought, as I really was only getting to spend time with them when I did chores in the am & pm. So, I decided to call the vet out to have them listen to her lungs and determine if she'd need steroid shots or not. Vet came out, and she does have lung involvement/wheezing. He recommended putting her back on the Tri-Hist and wetting the hay; so I immediately started the new protocol. Instead of wetting the hay, I built my own steamer. I had read about steaming hay on the internet. So, Willy, if you want to steam your hay you can make your own steamer and not have to buy one of those expensive ones. It's been working great! I was amazed at the difference steaming the hay made for Indy . . . I sure wished I would have started doing it sooner.

For making your own steamer, just buy a Wallpaper steamer at your local hardware store or you can order them from Amazon. I have the Wagner wallpaper steamer, model 705 or 707. It comes with an attachment that you use on the wallpaper - you won't need the attachment. Then I bought a large 45 gallon rubbermaid type tote/tub, drilled a large hole at the botton of one end (large enough for the hose from the steamer to fit thru), and built a type of grate out of some scrap 2 x 4's my hubby had. I put the grate in the bottom to keep the hay off the bottom of the tote and give room for the steamer hose. I put my hay in the tote . . . try to loosen the flakes of hay a bit so the steam will be able to permeate the hay better, put the tote cover on (I do have some bungee cords that I use to get the cover as tight as I can), put my steamer hose in the hole in the bottom, then fill the steamer, plug it in, and let it do it's thing. I have my setup in the garage and then I use a sled to take my tote to the barn. I've found the optimum time for steaming to be 1 hour. I put hot water in the steamer to reduce the amount of time it takes to heat up and actually produce steam. The girls LOVE their steamed hay. I keep telling them they're getting spoiled.

I too just started Indy on a supplement for her breathing. I use SmartPak's, and so decided to try their SmartBreathe supplement. Indy isn't crazy about it, but I am getting some of it into her. There was one day that the hay I steamed was quite bad and I wasn't sure if the steamer would take care of it. Well, it didn't and quite of bit of it was still pretty dusty - I shook it out as best I could, but I won't be doing that again . . . Indy's cough came back full force and it's taken a couple days for her to get over the episode.

I too wonder if I'm getting heaves, as I've been having issues with coughing myself. I'm sure smelling that dusty hay isn't good for our human lungs either.

Sorry to be so long winded. Keep on posting everyone. I don't have time to post much, but I do enjoy keeping up with my Savvy Circle friends on here.

[Willy (ON)]

Wow, Janice - thanks for the ideas on building the steamer. I think I'll do it your way. I'm glad to hear your horses like the steamed hay!
I see the price of them ranges from $350 to about $2000, depending on size & type.
A friend has the Traveller model ($350) and says it works great.

It was horrible to see Tea Jae sick. I was sick a couple of weeks ago, and because I had no energy, I just opened up the hay pen to get them to eat in there - thinking, well just once shouldn't hurt! However, my brother also put some round bales by the gates and the horses could reach over and gobble. She seems to like to eat with her nose buried in the hay.
They seem quite entertained now when I pour the water on the hay when I give it to them.

My friend Holly says she thinks the tendency to allergies/heaves is hereditary. It is interesting to note that neither Rocco nor the pony had any reaction to the hay, and they all ate the same stuff.

Well, tomorrow the farrier is coming. They could certainly use a trim. He sure does a nice job on their feet.
Willy

[Janice]

Yeah Willy, it sure isn't fun watching them when you can tell that they're not feeling well. Some of Indy's coughing spells really pulled at my heart strings; it was a mix of feeling sorry for her and then being mad at myself that I let it get that far. You wish you could make them feel all better right that minute. Indy has been doing much better - between the Tri-Hist, steaming the hay and being VERY particular about the bales I feed out, I'm hoping she'll be able to make a full recovery and not end up with too much permanent lung damage. The vet thought, with her being so young, she'd be able to grow out of it, so to speak.

I would agree with your friend on it being hereditary. I have read that there are studies that have been done where they are finding that this is genetic. The other reason I would agree is that Indy's dam had heaves too. In fact, the dam was put down last spring due to her heaves getting so bad. My riding mare, Twist, didn't have any issues with the hay either, and they were both eating the same stuff. Indy too, likes to put her nose deep in the hay when she's eating . . . and then fling it around with her nose, lol.

I double checked what model of steamer I have and it is the Wagner model 705 wallpaper steamer. I've been doing this for a little over 2 weeks now, steaming twice a day, and the steamer is still going strong. There was even one night where it ran out of water . . .I was so worried that I wrecked it, but the next morning it was working just like it should.

Good luck Willy, and I hope Tea Jea doesn't have any more episodes on you.

[Snickers]

Have you guys been hearing about all the drama poor Linda has now?
Someone posted a video clip of her session with the horse from the last level one kit. If you remember this disrespectful horse with only one eye? It was a fabulous video on the level one pack. I watched it over and over again and was so glad to see it because it was a situation of a horse barging in everyone's space and I remember thinking it was so neat to watch her in action with a horse that wasn't a "Parelli" horse. Well someone took this video and did editing to it to only show her at phase 4 and bumping the horse with the clasp on the halter. She still wasn't hitting the horse or anything like that, but there are people out on forums now saying that she was ABUSING this horse! It is such a shame that these people are sabotaging her. They knew enough about Parelli to know what to cut out though! Like anytime she let the horse relax - Cut out! I feel terrible for her. I'm sure you guys can find it on You-Tube. I found it through their Facebook pages. (Pat's and Linda's). I know she has many supporters but I feel bad for the newbies out there that may believe this crap.

[Jerre]

Well, Terry was right, I have a different horse after a month's training.

Yesterday I CANTERED Xena up and down a long lane between two paddocks full of horses! She's very smooth and balanced and straight. He said if I had time, I could get her through L3 quickly. IF I had time. I'm still struggling with getting enough time to develop ONE horse.

Anyway, he'd had her on a long trail ride and suggests long rides outside an arena to give her purpose for a while. Yesterday, she was actualy lazy and unreactive -- but not one little bit pissy. And she's full-blown in season!

In the arena, the steering wasn't great -- she had trouble staying on the rail. But, she didn't make any faces, gestures or squeals for grooming, mounting, using the stick for sideways. She did hop up in back to kick toward another horse at one point, but it was more a balky move than a pissy fit.

My friend cantered her, too, and really liked her.

Terry really likes her, but said he has 9 horses and his wife would divorce him if he brought another one home. He, however, considers her perfect: athletic, strong, big, black, smooth gaits, confident, not a runaway or bucker.

He said people kept telling him how good he looked on her, and he's say, "Anyone looks good on this horse!"

So, I guess I'll get her out on the trails this summer, and either she'll become my good riding horse or the right next person will come along.

Any guesses?

[Snickers]

Congratulations on your Xena's successful training. She 's used the idea of getting ridden now, and doesn't mind it sounds like. Congrats on cantering!

[Janet from Vermont]

Jerre congrats for cantering on Xena! Thanks for your observations on the dvd's.

Lokkadis says....use your toe and not your hands for indicating Back Up and such things. Too much finger waving according to her. Just lift your toe off the ground and use it instead. All my horses think this is way clearer because it is not something we would normally do so it has meaning, whereas hands and fingers move all the time. Well that is what they say! (and now I am imagining everyone cutting a hole in their winter boots or in Rita's case slipping on a pair of sandals--- not necessary, just lift the toe of your boot slightly up in the air.)

Nice idea on the steamer. I just toss my hay outside and nature takes care of the wetting process but nice thing to know.

Speaking of youngsters. We took our 2 year old for a walk yesterday. We were standing there yakking on the main road, she yanked and I let go. Stjarna took off in a mightly gallop for home -- looked pretty good other than the cars. My husband also took off after her in an impressive run didn't know he still had it in him. I tottered slowly homewards figuring I would meet them both up the barn looking buggy eyed. So slowly I went, thinking about how Stupid I was to not pay good attention to my horse --- slow meandering steps not very happy with myself. Halfway up the driveway, Stjarna comes up beside me and calmly informs me that she has been sightseeing. RIght! Ms Cool as a Cucumber is covered in burrs and sweat. I politely asked permission to pick up the lead rope and we went home together. Nutty horse, why didn't she bolt back to the barn like a normal horse? In the meantime, my husband had careened down the long steep hill to the asphalted main road , then up it again and through the woods about 3 miles of running trying to find her. He told me (after I found him ) that Stjarna had been back at the barn then left again! Why in the world would she do that? I know I know she wanted to go sightseeing. We let her loose a few days a week and it is true that she will wander about 1/2 mile from the house by herself. She is an unusual horse for sure.

We just can't wait to ride this youngster. She is so full of herself that we figure we can just both hop on, tighten our seatbelts and off we will go. Sightseeing. Just kidding! Sort of.

[Rita]

Oh Janet, TOO funny. Stjarna truly is Lulu's twin! Just remember how Lulu ran up the road after Christmas, to get away from the llamas, leaving Gypsy to fret in the paddock.

I have just spent a weekend at a womad music festival. It was fantastic, and I didn't care to think how many years - decades! - it has been since I've been at a festival! Music so loud you feel it rather than hear, people of all ages clapping and jumping and dancing and with some of them I had no idea what they were doing. My very favourite was an Arizona band called Calixico, any other fans here? Anyway, this isn't supposed to be about music, but I haven't had time to interact with any horses yet!

[Janet from Vermont]

Rita

Ok I'll bite. What is a womad music festival? And can you hear anything at all now?

Here is a RBI story. Yesterday I took my husband's mare in to our mini indoor to trim. She is a picture book RBI horse.
I also took in Ms Cool as a Cucumber for company.
First I usually play with them for a moment so we all get in harmony before I stick my head under their stomachs and my face into their hooves. Good idea - right?
A little backing with my current - lift only one toe technique- then coming forward for me by me thinking forward.

Then I tossed a little block of wood down in front of Blanda The Professional RBI. Her eyeballs froze in place, she stopped breathing and trembled. Horror of horrors! A block of wood. She KNEW what I wanted -- to place her foot. HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!

I petted her on the forehead and trimmed her feet.
Then I chased the Cool Cucumber around and around to get out all the LBE and trimmed her feet. I turned around midway through and there was Blanda the RBI with foot firmly planted on the block, looking totally relaxed. I think Linda was really clever to categorize all this for us. When I think of Blanda I think PATIENCE and SPACE. If I had asked my Cool Cucumber LBE to place her foot on the block -- well I would hardly have to ask, just toss it after her and she would be stomping her feet on it demanding attention. She needs variety and amusement.

Aren't I lucky to have different horseanalities! I learn so much from all of them.

[Rita]

No, Janet, don't bite! WOMAD is a big world music type festival, they have them in different countries ... lots of different ethnic sorts of artists, some more exotic than others!

Yes I can so relate to how your RBI and LBE relate to that block of wood! Sounds like a familiar scene around here too. From time to time I leave Gypsy standing somewhere and forget about her, and when I look again she is frozen to the spot in a RBI pose. Lulu of course would be miles away investigating by then.

I have had some fun arena riding sessions with Gypsy lately. We are thinking about transitions in a circle, so I have set up 4 cones along a circle pattern. I am still trying to tidy up the down transitions, so we do a lot of stopping at the cones... or it may be a place for up transition too. The whole thing will quickly change into a figure 8, or circle around each cone, or ying/yang depending on what is needed and what inspires at the time. It's been a long time since I really had some real arena / training sessions so it feels great to fine tune our communication again.

[velvettouch]

Hey! I have been catching up on all the posts. It seems that the group has dwindled down a lot! I hope they have not left for other forums….this is such a nice one.
Jerre, it sounds like Xena is quite the fun horse! How cool that you are cantering her already! Nice photo of you riding her. You asked about giving Bute. I crush it up and put it over the feed. Even if you don’t give grain, you might give her just a handful to take the bute. The horses usually don’t notice it. ( Though, some do!)
My Kalila is a LBE too, I think and has that same pissy attitude and sometimes kicky . I envy you to have a PNH professional to help start her under saddle. I know a young woman who is “natural” but not Parelli and I don’t like some of the stuff she does. I would not leave my horse with her, but I think I will get her to help me on occasion. I have 3 Blue Star Arab youngsters to start! Luckily, they are all very left brained and pretty patient and calm. Kalila has had the most training, but I am guessing it was not all good since she is the only one that has a bad attitude. However, she is basically a very friendly and curious horse, she just has a low tolerance for rudeness. She can be very nice, too. I think they are all extroverted because they are easy to get moving and are not afraid to express themselves. My saving grace is that none of the three are spooky at all. Nothing seems to bother them much. Kalila is 6, Deniah is 31/2 and Rafiq will be 3 in April. My Parelli friend is having a playday on Saturday and I will bring Deniah to let her experience being away from the others and being with me for a long period. There will be lots of fun obstacles and new horses.
I have too many horses! 5 are retired and living the live of leisure on over 100 acres of wood and pasture. We adopted a 7 year old mustang at the first of the year who we don’t think has been ridden, but is pretty tame and a LBI. He has taken over the herd. It is a wonderful experience to see horses interacting as a group and to identify their different personalities. I have no intention of doing much with the mustang, but my husband is interested. Even if we don’t’ have the time to do a lot with most of our horses, they have a good, natural life here. I do hope to get the 3 Arabs going well under saddle for pleasure riding. We have a 12 yr. old Quarter/Arab that someone wants to lease. She is very nice, but a RBE who is too spooky for my old bones. My husband’s horse is a lovely 11 yr. old TWH that he started himself, except for a month with a trainer to get her under saddle. We had to put a horse down a few weeks ago that was failing. It was very hard to deal with. We are down to 11 horses now! It seems crazy and a lot of work, but I am living my dream, and I know that our horses are happy. The Parelli program has been an inspiration to us, and we both have a good personal relationship with all of them.
Lori, I have been hearing about the video on YouTube of Linda and the horse with one eye, too. It is so ridiculous what some anti-parelli people are saying. Linda is the kindest person I have seen with horses and I can’t believe that anyone could construe what she did as abuse! I have seen her brought to tears with emotion more than once, in her compassion and love for the horse. It is all so petty and mean spirited.
Janice, I hope that you and your horses have improved breathing soon! Keep us posted on your progress with Indy, too.
Janet, your descriptions are so funny! You have such a way with words. I can just see your horses and their personalities. Thanks for keeping us entertained!
Spring is finally arriving here, but more rain is coming and we are already wallowing in mud! My sand filled round pen is holding up so far and it will be very useful now.
Sorry this is so long! It has been a while since I posted and had to catch up. Hope everyone is having fun and staying safe!

[Jerre]

First day of spring and I rode both horses today!

Xena was "up" and a little snotty, but not at all scarey. She kicked out a couple of times and balked, but then decided to jog the cloverleaf pattern I had set up in the big field. We rested at X when she did it with easy-forwardness and good ears. At one point, Cleo, who was loose in the field, spooked, and Xena spooked too! IN PLACE!! Man, that's a happy feeling! I'm going to get her out on the trails so she sees more purpose to our rides. She's still only had about 30 rides. Pat talks about the "horse-time" meter on one shoulder and the "riding" meter on the other. Ours are a bit out of balance!

Cleo was nice and soft and seems right where we left off last fall. Time to get both of them next door to the outdoor arena where the footing is good enough for cantering.

They're almost shed out -- it was 68 degrees today! But, the rain is coming back for a few days.

[cynthia peterson]

Well, Lori, I too seen the "Linda Gate" over that Level One DVD of Linda trying to get a RB one eyed TB horse LB. It is all over on every horse Forum there is, even my Dressage forums. And they are all saying how cruel she was, how her timing was off, bah, blah. Even Linda and Neil Pye have come out publicly to save face to Parelli. Some facts, from the owner of the horse. The horse was a ex foxhunting horse (many years of foxhunting in the country side) I have seen fox hunting horses. They are very exposed to yapping dogs, excited galloping and jumping fences, crowds of bumping other horses. A RB horses would not last long at that. The horse lost a eye from a eye infection. Said new owner bought him. We have all seen this happen, horse doesn't trust owner, blah, blah. It sure looked like it would run over the owner, and then Linda in the DVD. Linda was doing the right thing at the time. Could her timing been a bit better? Probably, this was years ago. Cruel? Hardly. I always thought they shouldn't of put it in that Level One set. Just like I questioned the Sage and Roping the foot SC DVD of Pat and Sage.

Anyhow, Linda is such a sweet person, I am sure it is cutting her to pieces. I feel for her.

I don't post often enough anymore, but I do check in to see how all friends are doing and care whats going on in your life. It's been a cold snowy winter here. I am just getting back to saddling back up. I did get some ground games done from time to time. Yeah to Spring!

Lori, are you going to the Midwest Horse Fair? I will be there Friday.

[Snickers]

Yes, Cynthia, I am going to the horse fair all weekend. I haven't done that in awhile so thought I was due.

I went on my first trail ride of the year. I have never been trail riding in March! It was gorgeous. I didn't even need gloves. A friend of mine invited me along where she was riding with another friend who has hundreds of acres to ride. It was just beautiful. Unfortunately, my friends horse got worried when it got off the trail (we think a twig flew up and got her in the belly) and she spun around and my friends got thrown off. She broke hear ankle. We had to call 911 and an ambulance came as close as it could, but the first responders had to come out to get her with the 4 wheeler. I feel so bad for her. This was a new horse for her and their first ride of the season. I hope that it is not a break that will keep her from riding all summer. Just another reminder of how quickly (seconds) our lives can get turned upside down.

I hope most of you are able to get out riding soon too. I am debating if I should even keep Snickers at the boarding stable (I am boarding her just March and April because the weather is warmer, but my arena is still usually all wet.). My place is actually dry already. I'm thinking I will keep her there anyway in case we get a bunch of April showers.

[velvettouch]

Hey! Where did everyone go?? I have been having fun playing with my two Arab mares. I really hope to start riding them soon. They are both very calm and connected to me. I decided to order a new saddle, as my western one does not really fit the smaller horses. Neither seems to mind being saddled and trotting out wearing one! They stand still while ground tied and seem ready to be ridden. I am going to get an inexpensive, synthetic Australian endurance saddle and a Parelli theraflex pad, english style. Hopefully, both the horses and I will be happy. Spring has finally arrived here and the weather is supposed to be mostly sunny with highs in the 70's and lows in the low 50's for almost 10 days!