Learning Opportunities

 I know the horse world is small, but it’s still wild to me the connections we make via horses. Here I am living in a very non horsey and relatively isolated part of the BC coast, a very introverted (and honestly socially awkward person), yet still the opportunities find me, and sometimes I am even able to jump at them. 

The other day, I got a text from a friend asking if I was interested in lessons with Jody Hartstone from NZ. Um, yes, sure (in theory). I’m kind of a bit of a fan girl but I played it cool.

 OK, well, what is your work schedule tomorrow? She’s visiting and will come to your place when you're free. Wait?What?! She's here? Really?! 

I know this is just normal life for those of you in more equine centric areas, but for me it’s a little like Christmas when some of these trainers or riders I would normally only be able to access via the internet happen to come to our part of the world and are not only willing to teach during their travels, but willing to just come to my place. (Aside from my initial panic that I certainly don't run a world class facility like some of these people might be used to, we are very 'backyard ponies' around here :)

Literal backyard pony this week. Reggie's discovered some crafty ways of escaping and has a pretty good idea of all the assorted gate latches. I'm running out of extra clips to use for added security, lol. (the yard around the house is horse safe, so while it's not desirable for him to be there, it's also not panic inducing - the perimeter of our place also has electric in front of the gates and double latches so he can't get OUT out)

For our actual lesson, I pulled Buck out since he's the one I was currently feeling like I have more of a grey area type relationship with. There are gaps I want to fill and I'm not quite sure the best way to get there with him. He is the type to get upset and hold a grudge if I am not super clear and fair about the path I'm taking. It's Bridget, but intensified. There's not really a lot of 'faking it until you make it' with this guy.

Last week "hey I am getting work as a photographer, can you believe it?"
This week: recycled pictures, because I did not take pictures of a single thing, including the lesson

Jody handled him herself for the entire session, which was SO useful for me. I know there is value in practicing things myself, but I got so much more out of it by watching her and being able to listen to her explanations without being distracted. Basically she just ran through her 'good equine citizen' and 'ready to be a riding horse' checklist looking for holes and things I can work on. 

Of course there are many. Equally, there were no surprises and she was absolutely excellent at filling in the gaps for me in my thought and training process. I do feel like sometimes there is a space or conflict between what they know on the ground and how they need to understand it under saddle. She added a lot of clarity for me there - everything has a reason and is consistent throughout their lives, no changing the rules. I get that you can overshadow and eventually change things or have different expectations in the saddle or on the ground, and lots of people are very successful with that, but adding clarity and consistency and 'this cue only ever means one thing' appeals to me. I think it is what Buck's brain needs too.

One thing she practiced with Buck is 'parking' him. We already practice that, but she upped the ante by putting him in places he wasn't comfortable in (up against the trailer, and my stack of poles). This is directly relevant to the trailering questions I had, because if he thinks he needs to follow me, of course he's going to be confused about standing in the trailer and not following while I walk out. 

We followed with a quick session with Reggie, where I handled him. That was fun. It's not too far off what I already practice (see above about fangirling her videos) but of course I have my little shortcuts and misinterpretations and places where I just flat out hadn't used the tool because I didn't think it would work for me. Reggie isn't pushy like Buck, but he's more busy and wiggly. Anyway, same things to work on. It's almost like the same person's been handling them these last few years ;)

I really do need to take some updated conformation type pictures, they're both filling out quite a bit

She complimented their brains and conformation, which felt nice as she does see a fair few horses in her travels (and breeds lusitanos).

I think next steps are to refine things more, review those videos again, and get my own handling more precise, and I think we can start using a bridle and bit so again, the cues on the ground are identical to those they'll see under saddle.

I very much appreciated the practical, common sense approach. Despite it being a million degrees out and absolutely roasting in my ring, it sounds like she is planning to come back again next summer.  I look forward to it.

Hi Sophie