Jo and Fanny -- Fast Track#1

Saddle Fitting with Linda

Fanny is a reining horses. Reining horses out of HollyWoodDunIt tend to have really big powerful butts. . .and can they do a sliding stop. . .
Well, Fanny is built like a typical HollyWoodDunIt horse -- with her big butt. I have had trouble getting a saddle to fit and not cut in to her back and butt. We have shimmed and shimmed and shimmed. The saddle seems to be too long.

Linda P wants to try to get the saddle to fit. So we have a meeting set up on my birthday, April 6th. I will be at the center in Florida with Fanny at that time. I will keep you informed.

Meanwhile, I will work on some strategies to improve her downhill posture -- hill therapy, poles, backups, etc. Anything that helps tuck her butt under.

Fast-Track Day 20 TEARS & LAUGHTER

It is over -- the most amazing month of my life. . . now, MORE tears. . .from everyone.

This morning, "Dancin Pete" taught us to do the swing dance in 45 minutes, using a SAVVY string and the seven games. It was sooooo much fun. Then we did a line dance with the 7 games -- even MORE fun. And who do you think MY partner was? Dancin Pete! After the dancing was through, John had us do MORE activities with the equipment around the place. We continued to laugh and laugh.

Once we were warmed up and laughing -- we got the TEST results. Aaaaa. . . . I went from a Level II in everything to a Level III in everything. . .FAST TRACK you know.
. . Then -- drum roll -- the final TEST RESULTS: I couldn't believe it. I did VERY well. I was shocked and stunned. Of course, my highest scores were in the social realm. (If only my high school classmates could see me now -- I perhaps could have been voted homecoming queen.)

The final wrap up what did we learn? What were our highlights. You have no idea how very meaningful this journey with our horses was. Then a small group had made up a song- - so the entertainment began. Once I get the song edited, I will post it on YouTube. Hugs, Tears, Good Byes -- more Hugs, Tears, Good Byes.

Pat Parelli fulfilled in four short weeks "Parelli's Three Promises" -- now the Three Parelli Laws:

Put Relationship First
Foundation before Specialization
Never ending Self Improvement

There will be many Fast-Tracks over the years-- but we still will always be the #1 FAST TRACK -- the FIRST one. Feb 1 - Feb 26.

Day 19 -- The TESTS

Ok -- so being in boot camp not only means LONG hours, but also, how did you do? That means TESTS!!!!

We had pretests the first few days we were here, and today we had POST TESTS -- yesterday afternoon was our theory test-- this morning was our on-line and liberty tests. This afternoon is our freestyle and finesse tests.

Ok, I cried the first day because I didn't know what I was doing here. . .and I cried today because I didn't feel I had learned enough. - I was SAVVY in several areas -- but not SAVVY in other areas, even though I knew better. Of course, we all watched each other. Some people here were beautiful in everything they did. But do you know how hard it is to have these peers watch you fumble --

So, dry your tears, Jo -- It's your journey and only YOU are in charge of your learning. After today, this journey is almost over --only to start a NEW journey back in Iowa.

I will let you know how freestyle and finesse go -- for my husband, who has no idea what those two words mean -- it means I will be ON TOP of Fanny this afternoon. We will be riding. I have an hour to go warm up -- so until tonight. . .

6:00 pm

I am exhausted -- and so is Fanny -- We spent the afternoon with our finesse and freestyle skills. Kristi would have been proud -- I cantered around a circle with arms folded. I started with just the string, then with folded arms. . . Canter, Canter, Canter. . .

Until tomorrow.

DAY 18 -- I got a LESSON from PAT

Ok -- I didn't get it. I have known some wonderful horse trainers over the years -- Hall of Fame horse trainers. They have been my friends. Why is it SOOOO wonderful to RIDE with Pat. Why do all of these EXTERNS and INTERNS and INSTRUCTORS come back year after year. I love the program, but I didn't understand the desire to be on a horse next to Pat UNTIL TODAY. . .

In this huge place there are basically 4 areas -- the teaching area for learners such as me, the foundation station across the road for the externs and others where horses are trained -- the personal residences of Pat and Linda and Mark W. and Pat's BARN -- where the interns ride with Pat. We are not allowed in any area except OUR area. . .

Today for the first time Pat was loping across our playground. I would not have known it was him, except his border collie was following him. I watched Pat as he loped to his house. Whew, he didn't look my way.

I didn't think much of it after that. Fanny and I were working on millions of transitions, stop on a sit down and whoa and listening to my body to know what to do (Eyes, bellybutton, legs -- then reins.) She was doing the transitions and stops great -- but not the following my focus. At a certain point after Fanny had stopped on her butt, tucked her head down, rocked back on her hind quarters I heard the words -- "Wow that was nice!" I looked up -- there was Pat watching every movement. I was startled and embarrassed. I started my "yes but, you should have seen her a few minutes ago" I stopped in mid-sentence and said "Thank you"! You learn many things around here, one of them are there are no YES BUTS. . .

Then I started off, Pat still watching with those focused eyes. Fanny was great until I tried to turn her with my eyes, belly button, legs -- no response. (I was riding with no hands on the reins.) Pat started to say something when I reached down and cued Fanny with the rein -- then let go fast. "That's right, Pat said!" Don't Let the Horse be Wrong too Long." And he turned and went loping off another way.

Now, I GET it. Pat can help with just a small phrase -- He can look, see, correct or present a puzzle. And you know he is right. . . No wonder there are all of those people up at the BARN riding with him. . .I feel I have had a huge huge lesson -- with just one little phrase. . .Don't let the horse be wrong too long (or he will think he was right)

If I were only younger, more athletic (talented) -- I have the rest of what Pat wants -- attitude, dedication, loyalty -- Oh well, on with my own journey.

Days 16 and 17

I am combining these days as we have been on our horses for hours -- and then we've been studying for our final exam which takes place on Wed -- written theory -- and Thur -- Practical with our horses.

SADDLE FITTINg

We are having a horrible time getting any saddle to fit Fanny's short back. . . they press down into her butt.

I might try an English saddle tomorrow -- I know -- wouldn't my reining horse, Fanny, look funny with a fluidity English saddle? But, it is short and she could move her front end and, back end. We have shimmed and re-shimmed my cutting saddle.

WATER CROSSING: I have been working for three weeks on Fanny going in to the water. She WILL not -- I drive her to the water, then relax, then add more pressure -- I can just get her front feet in.

Today (Tues --Day 17), John had us on our horses and playing "follow the leader" to work on lateral flexion. We got to the creek -- all horses were crossing -- but NOT Fanny. So John had all the horses keep crossing beside us. I was to get out my Savvy rope, look up, and swing the rope around myself so it continued to hit Fanny in the butt. (I had to STOP using my kicking motion.) As soon as her feet touched the water, I had to STOP. I did this twice -- then back to swinging the Savvy Rope. Sure enough, through the water she went-- quietly. (Pressure on zone 4) Now, we go through the water without a hesitation. . .BRAVE BRAVE FANNY.

I used the same technique to encourage Fanny to step over a huge log -- WORKED! Tomorrow I will try it through the car wash.

This group is soooo cohesive. I have so many friends to keep in touch with. The first two weeks we were just getting to know each other -- the last 2 weeks we really are enjoying each other. We will miss each other horribly.

Enough for today.
jo

Saturday -- Parelli Games

This is the third Saturday I have participated in the Parelli Games. It really is fun. I don't know what it will look like when it is rolled out.

There were four or 5 stations. All the Savvy club members in the area were invited to participate. Since I had other things I wanted to play with, I only did 3 of the 5 stations.

The three I did were FREESTYLE: One was a gait within a gait -- Which means walk as slowly as you can. . . go back and trot as slowly as you can -- go back and trot as fast as you can. You get timed on each of these. Then when you do it another day, you can see if there was any improvement, etc. You were disqualified if you broke gait.

The second station I did was a freestyle obstacle course -- kinda like the "extreme obstacle races" on RFD tv. We were to go over the bridge, back through the water -- or back over the bridge (whichever our horse would do) -- side pass in front of a 20 foot log. circle the white obstacle, do a figure 8 around two preassigned trees, go through the squeeze tunnel, put one foot inside a tire with sand, and then jump a huge log. We were timed and could do it at any speed we wanted. You got time added if you did not complete an obstacle and 30 seconds taken away if you did it without reins.

The third station was a double barrel pattern -- when you were finished with the pattern, you had to go to the middle (question box) drop your reins and stay there for 7 seconds. Fanny and I did this one at a trot.

The other stations were on line and liberty -- I did not do those stations.

But last week the on-line task was to back your horse through two obstacles, send him to the tarp and stand 4 feet on for 7 seconds, jump both ways over a big log while you were sitting on a chair, and do a weave pattern between cones. You had X amount of time to complete it -- (like 3 minutes or whatever).

Liberty was to do similar type of tasks at liberty in the honeycomb -- taking your horse from round pen to round pen to complete the tasks.



It was fun -- I can hardly wait for us in Iowa to do Parelli Games . . .

Until next time. . .
jo