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Diary of Trail Ride on March 20th, 2005 at Cottonwood Creek Stables
Diary of Wakefield Workshop April 30th, 2005
Diary of American Legacy Workshop Aug. 27-28, 2005
Diary of American Legacy Workshop June 10-12, 2005
Diary of Lincoln Workshop June 13-14, 2005
Diary of Cottonwood Creek Stable Class Sept. 24, 2005
Diary of Madison Clinic November, 2005
Diary of High View Farms Workshop, September 10-11, 2005
Lessons Learned at Madison Jan. 2006
Diary of American Legacy Workshop Jan. 21-22, 2006
Diary of Holstein May 2006
Diary of Weeping Water and BKT Arena Spring 2006
Diary of Sioux City 2006
Diary of Chance Ridge 2006
Diary of Private Lesson Days Summer 2006
Diary of Calamus Women's Camp 2006
Diary of Calamus Youth Camp 2006
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Report from Sioux City Clinic Summer 2006
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This article was written by one of the participants in the clinic at Sioux City who is a professional horse trainer. She specializes in finding the right match for people wanting to buy a new horse. She also rehabilitates problem horses.
What a weekend! We only had two other participants, which wasn't so good for Sherry, but made an incredible, almost private lesson for us.
We spent the first part of Saturday morning going through the desensitizing and sensitizing using steady pressure. Arron and I brought TJ, Elle (two year old barely handled QP filly) and Big Red, the new for sale gelding. Sherry played with Elle, I had TJ and Arron had Red. My biggest challenge was staying on my side of the grounds and not bugging Arron half to death with what I thought he should improve. (Arron is her hubby.)
Actually, my biggest challenge, all weekend, was staying soft and not rushing through my phases. I am a do it NOW kind of girl, and even though I have experienced the good results of being super patient, it is my toughest challenge.
TJ was a very good boy. I only heard one studdish noise out of him all morning, otherwise he paid attention and tried to please, as he will. Golden Boy had stretched out my good rope halter and it wasn't very effective in keeping TJ's attention. We changed up to a Parelli halter, and got the desired results. TJ has not been handled a ton, either, really, and while he accepts desensitizing, the sensitizing him to move his feet when and where he is supposed to was more difficult for us. I upset him a couple of times, which told me I was putting too much pressure too fast into my phases. I bit my lip, slowed down, and we did better.
The riding part is what I really loved. Deryle has brought me the Quarter Pony gelding I sold him to ride for a while. I knew the pony was green under saddle, is why he is poky (read resistant, as is the case with so many "I don't want to move my feet" horses). I used him in the riding portion. At first, he was really committed to not moving those feet. Threw his butt in the air in a series of little crow hops that were gradually gaining strength and energy. I trusted Sherry and did what she told me to do, when what I really wanted to do was cut his heart out with a spur or two (fear coming through as anger . . .). Every time he hopped, I took his butt away from him. Disengaged his hip, spanking it to move it at first, and then later, only having to use rein and leg. He started doing quite a bit better, but the real fix happened on Sunday morning.
I say all the time, what you see on the ground, you see in the saddle, and you can fix it from the ground much more safely and effectively. Sure enough, do you think I could circle game that pony? He stopped behind me, around me and at every opportunity, those feet quit moving! He was also crow hopping and at one point, told me he was thinking about kicking me every bit as much as I was thinking about whapping him. Hondo and I were mirroring each other's anger and frustration. In the interest of doing it right (yeah, I could have moved those feet, you bet I could, but I was curious to see how it would work, Sherry's way). She took over circling him, and Sherry is no wimp. She tolerated no bull, but didn't have to get as tough with him as I would have. She whapped the ground HARD behind him every time he stopped, claiming her property and telling him no freeloaders. He MOVED out of there. It took awhile, but eventually he softened, and trotted good circles in a nice, forward way of going.
When I rode him in the afternoon, we had one small crow hop episode; he disengaged easily, and went on. There were times where he thought about resisting moving forward, but I stayed patient, rewarded the try, and was rewarded myself with ears up, and volunteered trot, smooth, soft and on a loose rein. What was fixed in the circle game showed up under saddle. What was fixed doing lateral flexion on the ground, showed up under saddle. It always will.
Hondo, it turns out, is COWY. During the free riding, he trotted down to see the steers at the end of the arena every opportunity that he got. He's a neat pony. I think I should find something else for Deryle to ride and trade him.
It felt so odd, learning to do things in a different way than I am accustomed to. I am fairly proud of my riding and training skills, and it's really humbling and a challenge to my ego to put what I know aside and take instruction. I also have a lot of respect for Sherry's ability and education. What was maybe the most impressive was when I threw my ideas away, just did what I was told, and got really neat results out of it. By end of day, we had Hondo pivoting beautifully and smoothly, transitioning from direct rein (moving the front end) to indirect rein (moving the rear end) and we just danced all over the arena. What was really cool is that he was happy and relaxed doing it. What a change.
The other rider is a very neat gal, and that may end up being one of the best parts of the clinic for me, is meeting her. She has a similar story to so many of us. Sent her mare to a couple of terrorists (trainers) who sent her back a disrespectful, angry basket case. Big wreck, broken bones on person's part, huge fears and lack of confidence on both parts. She ended up learning that the horse didn't tell her where to stand or what to do, rode the clinic in a natural hackamore, and was just a picture of softness and beauty. The joy beaming out of her face (mine, too, I am sure) and the relief and happiness of those horses was so worth the price, financially and emotionally, that we paid . . .
Arron rode the first part of the clinic on the marvelous Cookie, who now has more members in his fan club, but was unable to participate the second day due to that wretched tooth that has been singing him the blues for far too long. We are going to get him into Creighton, ASAP, and get it dealt with. I will let him report to you what he thought about his part of it. I am really proud of the horseman my husband is becoming. It is exciting and amazing for me to have someone that wants to do this stuff, too . . . If I can just learn to be particular, without being critical we will all have a much better time of it.
Today, I have a whole string to show some new, fun stuff too. I broke down and bought a 12'lead. I have some decent enough halters, but yeah, that rope is pretty nice. Still don’t know if it justifies the price, but it is a handy tool . . .
Happy riding, everyone,
Terri
MY REPORT FROM SIOUX CITY
It was HOT! HOT! HOT! We even resorted to squirting each other with the hose while bathing horses.
One person said,"she new nothing and her horse know everything." Someone also mentioned "You needed to get famous so more people will know about you and what you can do!" Another comment was the person wished she had not spent all that money on trainers, because she got more results in one weekend at this clinic and at a much cheaper price!
Happy Trails,
Sherry
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