Rider Biomechanics - Cool Stuff!

Over the past several months, I've come to realize that the next step in my horsemanship journey needs to be about me. I have also come to realize that Parelli does not hold the answers. I love what I've learned and I will continue to study and apply the program. But I need to find more correct resources for my riding.

One avenue is Centered Riding. I'll be taking my first lesson next Thursday and I'm really excited. I'll be sure to fill you in on the details.

Another is rider biomechanics. For over two years I've been taking training in Pilates. Through this experience I have a heightened awareness of my body, connecting to the correct muscles and becoming more conscious of how I move. While this has translated over to my riding, it's stalled just a little.

My friend Kathy has introduced me to the work of Colleen Kelly and the idea of rider biomechanics. Last Friday I had the opportunity to meet Colleen and hear her speak. I totally loved it!

Yesterday, after Cricket's follow-up with her equine chiropractor, Kathy came out and worked with me. It's one of the first times I've actually worked just on myself without having to worry about Cricket. It was enlightening and fun.

Rider biomechanics focuses on the correct alignment and use of the body to influence the horse. In correcting our balance, engagement and weight, we can move the horse without relying on leg, stick and rein.

The lesson was done saddled, with a bit and contact rein. At the halt, Kathy helped me find the right position for my thigh that would keep me engaged and stable in the saddle. What I found, after she corrected my leg, was how easy it was to maintain quiet stability in my lower leg and how easily my weight transferred to my stirrup. All this was achieved without tightening anything or jamming anything. It was weird but entirely too cool!

We started at the walk, doing some sitting and standing work for balance and stability. Kathy started introducing the idea of a weight aid. It's not a shift and it's not pressure - it's just sinking weight into one stirrup or the other to influence the bend of the horse.

Next we moved to rising trot. Wow! With my thighs engaged, my lower leg stayed square underneath me and posting was effortless. Of course it was a little harder to coordinate the weight aids but we just worked on it, playing with the cues to help Cricket find the response I was after.

The final thing Kathy introduced was bringing Cricket on the bit. It's hard to explain but it involved bringing my inside rein to the top of my half chap as we rounded the corner. Emphasizing the bend through the corner caused Cricket to step deep and forward with her inside hind, bringing her pelvis down and over her hock and lifting her shoulder. When I finally got it right, Cricket maintained the engagement about 2/3 of the way down the long side wall. I really felt the difference in her push from behind.

All in all it was a very cool exploration of how my body affects my balance and my horse's way of going. I loved the ease at which Cricket moved and turned with nothing but a subtle emphasis of weight in one stirrup or the other. I loved how easy it was to move with her rhythm, posting with little or no effort. I loved the feeling of her coming on the bit and powering more from the hindquarters.

Almost more than anything, I was so pleased with Cricket. I rode her on contact almost the entire lesson, doing little more than rail work. She handled it with such a soft steady attitude. I haven't used that much contact in ages and she was soft and relaxed to the feeling.

I'm doing another lesson with Kathy before I head off to my spring camp. I love this new adventure and cannot wait to see where it takes us!

Gate Friendly - For Clare, By Request

Clare has asked me to talk more about my gate-friendly program with Cricket. So Clare, here you go . . .

I have had serious issues with opening a gate from horseback. It's my fault entirely.

When I first began taking Cricket out of the arena, my biggest fear was that she would run away with me. So as soon as we'd clear the gate, I'd get her on grass and allow her to eat. What I didn't realize until the pattern was well established is that I had created a "runaway." I no longer had true control of Cricket when it came to gates.

As Linda says, "not one moment longer." But the question was how? Last fall I watched Carol Coppinger demo some awesome gate friendly using a savvy string. Looping the string around the top rail of the gate gave Carol more drift and control to help Legend understand what she wanted from him. So this gave me a tool to help establish a new pattern with Cricket.

We have just started working on this. Yesterday was day three.

There are particular mechanics to safely opening a gate from horseback. This can be - and in some cases, should be - taught first from the ground. Cricket is not a skittish or nervous horse so we've done almost all gate training from the saddle. For an excellent article on the method for maneuvering a horse around opening a gate, check out Cherry' Hill's article here.

I have broken down the steps that will result in a successful gate opening and closing. Each step requires relaxation and Cricket's willingness to stay in close proximity to the gate, not moving until requested and directed.

1. Walk up to or sideways over to the gate, my leg/torso lined up with the latch.
2. Stand quietly while I unlatch the gate.
3. Back a few steps to line up with the gate opening, staying close enough so I can keep my hand on the gate.
4. Sideways out the gate, close so as not to loose contact with the gate.
5. Yield HQ to swing around to the other side of the gate.
6. Sideways back in order to shut the gate.
7. Stand quietly to re-latch the gate.
8. Wait for the cue to move off.

Where the savvy string comes into play is that it allows us to drift from the gate without losing control of the gate. It also allows me to sit more upright while in the teaching phase of this pattern.

Cricket will line up and allow me to unlatch the gate. Our issue lies mainly in what happens right after I unlatch the gate. As I return upright, she backs up and pushes it with her nose before I ask for anything. Not safe. Not savvy.

The first part of our program was to cause her to stand still while I sat up and swung the gate. So with gate unlatched and savvy string in hand, I sat up. Cricket pushed the gate and backed up to exit. I used the string to close the gate and then I repositioned Cricket. We repeated this until she could stand still while I swung the gate out and back. Re-latched the gate, gave her a cookie and moved on.

The next session, I played with wiggling the gate, rattling the latch. Then I opened the gate and swung it a few times. No reaction. Totally casual rein. Re-latched the gate, gave her a cookie and moved on.

Yesterday we put it to purpose. I had my string ready, just in case. Did all the same things - rattled the latch, gate in and out a few times and then I asked her to move with the gate and out of the arena.

The only hiccup is in swinging her HQ around. She backed away from the gate. I held the string and asked her to come forward. No worries, back in position. She moved sideways to close the gate and stood still while I re-latched and sat up. Still relaxed, we paused for a moment before heading to the paddock.

This whole process moved pretty quick with her. Mostly because she is calm and relaxed and not at all claustrophobic. Also, controlling her emotions from the very beginning and not proceeding until she accepted the open gate with out moving. The rest will come from practice. And well timed cookies!

There are lots of ways to safely take a horse through a gate. The above sequence seems to be a very safe approach for teaching a horse to partner up for opening and closing a gate. The big thing is to remember it's a game and it's like anything else we've taught - safety and confidence are more important than actually opening and closing the gate. If you have to leave the gate swung wide, make sure you're in a situation where you can do this. Not in your neighbor's cattle field; not in an arena filled with beginner riders.

Elated

Yesterday was simply amazing. At one point I just stopped and squealed because I could not contain my joy and amazement.

Two of my best friends came out - Becky and Margenia - and we had a fantastic day.

I started Cricket with a brief warm-up on the 12'. Nothing major - just enough to see where she was at with her energy and connection. After her stretches, I saddled her up and off we went.

We warmed up with some walking and trotting on the rail and then into canter. Cricket has become a canter-aholic. She's so forward. I know we need to work on more gas pedal control but that will come. Right now, I'm kind of happy encouraging her upward transitions.

I asked Genia to watch because I'm struggling with my downward transitions. I keep getting pitched forward and it's discombobulating for me and for Cricket. In order to actually practice canter-trot transitions, I need to be able to ride her down from the canter instead of lurching about like a drunk monkey.

Genia keenly observed that my leg was floating too far back. Thus my knee was acting as a fulcrum for my upper body causing me to pitch forward as Cricket slowed (think about hitting the brakes in your car when you're not wearing a seat belt). It felt kind of foreign but we played with bringing my leg forward. Suddenly I wasn't so "fish out of water" when Cricket down-shifted. Still not the picture of grace and elegance but it's a start. We played with right and left lead canter and even used the question box for some simple changes.

I decided to join Genia (she'd already gone out) and the others in the play paddock. Cricket was awesome to open the gate. She gets a little emotional going out but she didn't fight with me when I asked her to come back and help close the gate. And then she stood, patiently, rather than trying to head off for the grass. For anyone struggling with gate friendly games - loop a savvy string on the gate. It's amazingly helpful.

Our little play paddock is bounded on three sides by electric fence and has jumps, barrels, trot poles and my short bridges. The terrain is uneven - it slopes down from the barn and has a bitty "hill" going across the back (part of the terraces for the whole field). It's a great place to get out of the arena.

We started with just walking and trotting around - all on a nice casual rein. When we stopped, no grass diving. At all. I actually had to convince Cricket I wanted her to put her head down. This is our third time working on this from under saddle. After some grazing we moseyed around some more, trotting down the left fence, in front of the terrace and up the right fence towards the barn then across the open end to the other fence.

And with no effort at all, as we crossed the back of the field, I asked her for a canter. And with no effort at all, she transitioned to the canter. And it was soft and sweet and relaxed. And the most fun I've ever had. And that's when I squealed. Because I have NEVER cantered my own horse with no boundaries. The only time I've cantered on a trail was on lesson horses. The only time I cantered Moose outside the arena was in an enclosed 5 acre field and that was just down the fence towards another horse.

We cantered on both leads. We cantered several times. It wasn't a fluke. It wasn't hanging on for dear life. It wasn't something we survived. It was something I want to do again and again and again.

I also asked her to trot over a small jump. She over-jumped it and I wasn't ready for that and I got a little rattled. But I didn't catch her in the head and I didn't thump on her back. For the rest of our session, every time we stopped she was perfectly content not to eat. How cool is that?!

My only worrisome thing is the emergence of two white spots on her sides. It's something with my saddle and I need to figure it out. I don't think it's the fit but there is something not quite right. Ugh! If it's not one thing, it's something else!

A Good Time Was Had By All

So in case anyone is wondering, because it's not been clear in my last several posts - I love my horse. She is unbelievably awesome and her fabulosity shines through more and more. This is not because she is becoming a better horse but rather because I am figuring how to be a better human.

Just a couple details on the play session. We had a brief warm-up in the paddock and then I saddled her in the aisle way. With her 22' piled on the ground, she stood, facing the grass and accepted the saddling and girthing. She moved once or twice but I just calmly put her back where I wanted. Once mounted, I worked a little on "don't graze until I give permission." This is a leadership issue and we're addressing it.

The idea was to go on a little trail ride. Didn't really work out. The setting sun brought out the little bugs and Cricket started headshaking. At first I wanted to just push her through it. Don't ask me why. I quickly got hold of myself, told the others to go on and turned her back to the barn. I stood her tied while I did some feed prep and then took her back into the arena.

In the arena we played with walk-trot transitions and Cricket's new favorite thing - cantering. Not quite sure why my LBI loves cantering in the arena. Maybe it's her way of defying definition. I worked on some control at the right lead - cantering down the long side, circling the back half of the arena and then continuing down the other long side. We even picked up the left lead and went about 3/4 of the way around the arena.

Called it a win! Worked on opening the gate and exiting the arena. She's a little difficult going through the gate but better than she's ever been about standing while I close it. Having a savvy string on the gate has helped give us more drift and thus more success.

Wandered in the paddock, chatting with some friends. Played more "don't eat, yet" and had moderate success. Considering this is only our second time playing with it under saddle, I'm more than pleased.

I'm having more fun with her than I could ever imagine. I need to work on downward transitions - it's very unpretty right now. But I don't care. We'll figure it out, just like we have everything else.

Contemplating Brace

So I've been thinking - a dangerous past time I know. I'm prompted to post because my comments to my friend Clare's blog post were getting too long.

I've been reading about different experiences and watching some of the folks out at the barn. One woman is having difficulty because her horse reacts the moment she picks up the reins; another's horse braces when asking for a turn.

I started thinking about my journey with Cricket and all the studying and experimentation I've been doing. And I started to wonder.

I used to argue with Cricket. A lot. She wouldn't go where I wanted in the manner I wanted. She acted out at saddling, mounting and bridling. She bucked up at the canter, she balked about backing towards something, she ducked out on jumps. Lots and lots of little arguments. Why? Because some how I had it in my mind that she was wrong and I was right. And she had it in her mind that she was being the best horse she could in the moment.

And there's the kicker. In every moment she was being the best horse she could be and I was failing to be the best partner I could be.

I think the majority of our recent success stems from my acceptance of my horse. I accept the horse she is right now. I'm not trying to change her but rather find a way I can cause her to respond to what I want. The question is not "Why won't Cricket canter?" but rather "How do I cause her to understand I want to canter and that she can do so willingly and without fear?"

My goals mean nothing if she's not partnering with me towards their achievement. I have to take the time to cause her to understand and not brace - mentally, emotionally or physically - against me. It's about her confidence. Her mental confidence in the puzzle I set-up. Her emotional confidence in her ability and my leadership. Her physical confidence that compliance will not cause discomfort or pain.

In the recent Mastery Lesson DVD, Linda reiterates the phrase "not one moment longer." When the horse tenses or braces, the moment you notice is the last moment it should be allowed. Whatever you were doing, whatever your focus, it must shift to address the lack of relaxation and acceptance. If you don't, you train in the tension rather than training in the relaxation.