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In January 2007 I had made a New Years Resolution to take up riding again. The last time I had ridden was in my teens and I was fast approaching my 38^th birthday so to say it had been a while was an understatement. Unbelievably after three months of lessons I was given the opportunity by the yard owner to have a horse at her yard on a “working livery”. So on the 7^th day of the 7^th month in the year 2007 Flicker entered my life, a beautiful 13 year old chestnut gelding with four white socks.

Over the next six months I had regular lessons on Flicker but I just never seemed to improve. Flicker was labelled as “forward going” and a horse that “loved to jump”. When in reality, knowing what I know now, he was just running and jumping blindly and in no way thinking down to his feet. He just wasn’t a confident horse but when you don’t know what you don’t know I just thought like everyone else that he had a zest for jumping and that it was far better to have a horse that would go than one that wouldn’t!!!

Then one day I bought my usual handful of horse magazines and there taped to the front was a free dvd. It was titled “Live your Dream” and featured a girl called Rachael Moreland and her beautiful chestnut arab Phoenix.

From the minute I started to watch that dvd I got goose bumps, I was absolutely blown away by what I saw!!!

When I had finished watching it I immediately went to the computer and typed in Parelli and started to read up. I then typed in Parelli and Lincolnshire and up popped Claire’s website. When I realised that she was local and was holding a Funday I was so excited.

So in May 2008 myself and Elaine a friend of mine from our yard, witnessed Parelli and its concepts in the flesh. We had a fabulous day, met some wonderful people and came away knowing that this was the way we wanted to be with our horses. The very next day I sent for my Level One pack, the equipment and became a fully fledged Savvy Club member.

Swimming against the tide – part one

June 2008 and my Parelli package arrived and so I proceeded to watch the dvd’s, read the booklets and carry out the tasks determined to follow things to the letter. However being on a yard where it was frowned upon made things uncomfortable and I would often just stay in my stable with Flicker, rubbing with the carrot stick, spending undemanding time etc etc.

I did manage to make a start on the first three games with some good results and I was impressed at how easy it was to teach them to Flicker. But I soon became to feel quite isolated as most of my time was spent on my own doing things in secret whilst desperately trying not to draw too much attention to myself. Things can look very ugly indeed when you are learning, especially to the uneducated eye making it easy for people to ridicule you.

I’d given up hacking out as I had stopped riding altogether and only really got to spend Saturdays with Elaine. This was the only time I could talk to someone on the same wavelength who didn’t think I’d gone loopy!!! It was quite a lonely, miserable time and not how I’d imagined it would be. I really wanted to do what was right by my horse but didn’t have the strength to swim against the tide of “normality” that surrounded me at the time – so two months later I gave up, much to the satisfaction of the yard owner!!!

Interim

For the next few months I went back to hacking out, having “riding lessons” etc and carrying on as “normal”. However once you’ve dipped your toe in the water of natural horsemanship those feelings of wanting to do right by your horse just won’t go away.

During my “time off” I kept up with my savvy membership and continued to read up on as much as I could.

Then I came across Horsenality’s which at first I found fascinating until I started applying things to my own horse. Then I freaked out a little as when I started to read him better I could see that having him in the riding school was just not a good thing for him. He was stressed and was having to cope in his own introverted kind of a way and I just hadn’t seen it before!!! I knew then that I needed to get back into natural horsemanship because now, knowing what I didn’t know just would not allow me to carry on with the way things were.

Swimming against the tide – part two

So in April 2009 I started up again but with much more focus than I had before. I had read so much information in my “time off” and therefore felt much more equipped to deal with things because of the knowledge I had gained.

Elaine had also had been having a hard time of late and had more or less lost her confidence in riding. She felt a lot more comfortable doing things on the ground so she too decided to restart her program. I started coming up one or two nights a week and we would do things together and things moved on in leaps and bounds. My goodness we even dared to do things where we could be seen in the outdoor school!!

Things were still hard though and I felt more and more that the riding school environment was not the right place for Flicker. The yard owner operated a “zero tolerance” regime which meant exactly that. It also meant that I didn’t really ever have that feeling of being in total control of Flickers destiny. Most of his day to day handling was done by the yard owner and whilst not necessarily cruel she was not sensitive to his needs now that I could see what they were. I felt that I was just a “nice” person who was a bit different from the others, who came up every now and then to spend some time with him. Not a person who could build up the kind of relationship that Parelli promised I could.

Then in late June 2009 the yard owner delivered the news that she strongly objected to the natural horsemanship that was happening on the yard. She didn’t want any of us practising in front of her riding school clients and we would not be permitted to use the outdoor school as she didn’t want people driving past and associating her yard with a Parelli!!!

We were all pretty darn miserable. Elaine more so as she still wasn’t riding much and as she wasn’t allowed to practise any ground skills found herself spending her time just grooming. So after a couple of weeks Elaine, Su (who was another friend of ours on the yard) and I decided to get our heads together and see what we could come up with. We came to the conclusion that ultimately we had no option but to move and as we had strength in numbers we would help support each other which is how we came to consider Park Farm.

Welcome to Park Farm

Well a couple of weeks after looking round, on July 29^th 2009, we rolled up in the pouring rain with our precious horses having decided this was the place to be. As we released them into their beautiful new paddocks we watched as they sorted out the pecking order, checked out every nook and cranny and squealed at all the new smells, sights and sounds. It was perfect!!!

Our new regime took a little getting used to but we soon found our stride between the three of us and this is where you find me now. Four months down the line and I have experienced more natural horsemanship than I ever did in the last year and half. I have been on a Russell Higgins course, a Dave Stuart course and have been having regular fortnightly sessions with Claire who as you know is based here at the farm and organises everything good and natural. Oh and not to forget the phenomenal Parelli Celebration at the LG Arena in Birmingham. Life is good, real good and I have started to experience the true meaning of a partnership with my horse.

So where am I at???

Well I have just about learnt all of the seven games and am starting to play with some obstacles. I am also just learning to handle the 22 foot line and can do a few things at Liberty such as putting Flicker on the pedestal and we have a little bit of fun in his field where I have been teaching him to come to me at a trot. The joyous thing I have learnt about Flicker is that he is extremely food orientated and will do just about anything for a treat.

I have very little natural riding skills at the minute so when I hack out I am traditional in my approach with natural in mind. I had the opportunity to speak to Rachel Moreland about the guilt in hacking out in my traditional kit as I felt I should give up riding altogether until I could do it more naturally. She advised me to carry on doing what I was doing and gradually as I got deeper into the program then I could introduce more natural skills into my riding and go from there as changes would inevitably work their way in.

So here you join me with just about all my level one skills intact, in fact Elaine and I have been toying with the idea of putting in an audition and getting officially assessed. We’ll see, maybe we’ll make it our New Years Resolution – after all that is how this whole thing started!!!

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May 2010

As I mentioned in my last blog I started this month off with a private clinic with Jody Ruysen. She gave a fantastic session on riding freestyle and had given me some things to work on i.e. carrot stick riding, figure 8's and follow the rail.

I've loved the fact that I am able to start riding again as I've really missed it. Since moving here at the end of July last year I haven't really done much riding at all preferring to concentrate on getting my ground skills good and finding out what my horse was really about!!

I'd found that having such a long break from riding had chipped away at my confidence in getting back in the saddle. However following the programme has been perfect coz it has allowed me to take it in baby steps. I spent several weeks just saddling with savvy, doing pre-flight checks and mounting without actually going anywhere and practising rein positions both on and off the ground. Having become confident in those procedures I found myself naturally wanting to progress onto the next step. Knowing that I can get off at any time is a big help for me also coz if it all becomes too much I can just pop off. The strange thing is though knowing that seems to keep you in the saddle longer!!!

It is so different riding freestyle to traditional riding and it takes some doing to just put the rein in the mane and trust that the horse will respond. It makes you realise just how much you used the reins for either your balance or to just constantly micro manage.

So I'm practising my "Follow the Rail" at the moment which is slowly getting better but it's quite a frustrating task but one where you know "passive persistence in the proper position" will pay off. I'm also practising turning using my power of focus and body which again not using the reins shows how much I relied on them. How I've made a thousand apologies in my head to Flicker for having yanked him around in the mouth prior to Parelli!!!

One other thing about riding Freestyle I've noticed is it doesn't seem to make your body ache. I rode for about an hour the other week and expected to pay the price the next day but I felt nothing except a slight stretch in my inner thigh from squeezing. My only explanation is the fluidity you use in your body must stop any tension from building in your muscles. Its made me realise how tense I must have been riding before, what with trying to keep my heels down and my back straight - how awful for our poor horses!!!

My last big break through this month I must share is I went for a short hack with a good friend of mine. I have been walking out with Flicker and her online on and off for a little while now either with or without his saddle while she rides. This particular day I put on Flickers hackamore as well as his saddle and set out on foot not having any real thoughts about riding but just thinking I'll see how he feels. Well about 20mins in things felt good so I did my pre-flight checks and mounted on up!!! I think I got off twice on the way round just as soon as the thought crossed my mind coz I wanted to make sure that I kept both mine and Flickers confidence intact but other than that things were good. I have to say it makes a huge difference to ride out with like minded people who understand your need to get off or to just bend your horse for a few minutes and relax before carrying on. I absolutely would not risk riding out with anybody these days who didn't understand how important being safe and maintaining both yours and your horses confidence was. Luckily for me I am surrounded by fabulous like minded people these days for whom I am very grateful!!!!
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June 2010

A lot of people witnessing Parelli for the first time often refer to what they see as "circus tricks". They don't see that they are simulations for the everyday things that you and your horse will go through and I must admit when you first get into the programme you don't really get it either. But as you journey deeper and deeper boy does it smack you in the face!!!

As I said last month I have started hacking out again just taking things nice and slow with a like minded friend. It is once you are away from the familiar surroundings of your yard that you realise the real relevance of the things you have been doing and appreciate the fact that you've done them. In the last month or so we have had a Fun Day and a Horse Agility day as well. I know that what we expose our horses to on these days helps them to be calmer and braver in the different enviroments we take them them to along with the everday sessions we have with them.

On a typical hack we encounter the crossing of the railway track - practised by walking over different surfaces such as tarpaulins or mini bridges. Then we enter the overhanging trees where the light goes from bright to dark - practised recently on the Horse Agility day by going through a small tunnel. We reach a gate blocked off by a huge pile of soil - practised by the everyday squeeze game. We are then on a road and in the gardens are peoples washing billowing in the wind - simulated by lots of flag waving or pom-pom shaking on our Fun Days. A passing car in a tight area means one of us steps up onto the kerb - could that be a pedestal simulation?? The list goes on but I think you get my drift!!

Just recently three of us went on a small hack together finishing off with a stop at the local pub. We took the horses round to the back where there were swings, slides and see saws but they didn't bat an eyelid. After the playground set up on the Horse Agilty day they had no worries!! Whilst there a mother and her daughter came out to see us and the mother was in a wheel chair. After our recent Fun Day with wheeled zimmer frames on the obstacle course they couldn't wait to go over and say hello!! It made us all smile and so very proud of our boys..............

These so called "circus tricks" help build confidence in your horse making them feel braver and more trusting of you and the things you ask them to do. It strengthens your realtionship and there is nothing more rewarding than your horse looking to you and asking if it's ok to go on. It makes me smile everytime my horse is curious enough to go check something out coz I know he's feeling safe and our relationship is getting stronger

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July/August

Well the last couple of months have been hectic!! Those of you with children will know the impact that the summer school holidays has on your everyday routine and it doesn't leave you with much horsey play time that's for sure.

But when I looked back in my diary, surprisingly I've still managed to pack quite a bit in with a lot of thanks to a wonderful, understanding husband it has to be said.

Firstly I have been logging my riding time, now that I am back in the saddle and had been averaging 7.5 hours both in June and July. Unfortunately this has dropped back down again in August due to the school holidays but I am looking forward to getting back to it once September comes. I had been riding both in the outdoor school and hacking out where I'd even had a couple of canters across one of the fields close by, so it was going really well!!!

A group of us went to the Festival of the Horse on the Saturday in July and had a really nice time but it certainly didn't compare to the Celebration we went to last year. In saying that we couldn't attend the Savvy Club Sunday which might have been much better. Anyhow I am waiting to see what event Pat and Linda will be doing in the UK next year, fingers crossed it will be more along the lines of a Celebration.

The other lovely thing I did in July was have a professional photo shoot with Flicker. My husband had bought it for me for Christmas and I had been waiting for the better weather to arrive. I did all the shots at liberty which was fantastic to be able to do and something I wouldn't have achieved had I not been studying Parelli. I will hopefully be able to post one of the shots on here once I have decided which ones to have!!

August arrived and the long awaited Russell Higgins five day course was upon us and what a whirlwind that was!! Over the five days you become completely segregated from normal life only living and breathing the course - it really is quite intense but such a fabulous way to learn new skills and enhance the ones you already have. I have put many arrows in my quiver and written endless notes that will hopefully see me through my next stage of learning. It certainly is well worth the investment in both time and money to accelerate your learning in this way.

Finally this month Elaine, Fliss and I have all completed our Level One auditions which we have been meaning to do for months. Once I have worked out how to get them from my camcorder to the PC I will be posting them on You Tube so you can have a look if you fancy - ha ha!!

So in September things will hopefully be back to normal and I can get back on track with my learning although I'm sure Flicker has enjoyed his rest and wouldn't mind a few weeks extra!!

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