An Educational Experience at a Parelli Natural Horsemanship Camp, Part 3 of 3

So, it is the final day of the camp.  Here's what happened...

Wednesday morning I showed up.  David had to go to Eau Claire the night before, so no pictures at all of this day.  Too bad.  We went out to the playground.  I worked to get Porthos into the water.  John came over and asked if I'd like help.  We worked and got Porthos into the water.  Then I did it myself.  Again and again.  It was easy.  Then we worked on the pedestal -- we got three of Porthos' big feet onto it at one time, and I was given ideas about how to work on that.  I rode Porthos and we played a mirror game with another horse/horseman team.  One would lead and the other would follow -- backing up, turning, going sideways, etc.  We did okay.  When the day was over, I was worried.  I have never been able to load Porthos by myself.  He doesn't really like the trailer.  He is BiG.  John came over and asked if I was okay.  I told him I was worried, but I thought I should try.  John said that was fine and he would be nearby if I needed help -- but I would have to ask.  Porthos didn't go in right away.  He would put one foot in and then back out.  That's okay.  It is advance and retreat.  He finally got in and I closed the divider to keep him is a smaller area toward the front (he is big enough he rocks the trailer when he moves).  It took me about five minutes.


So, the five days was hard.  I was not as good as everyone else.  I did talk to John about it.  I wondered when I saw the ad if I was good enough to attend.  I contacted John and asked what Parelli level you had to be at to attend.  He responded that it didn't matter.  The last day, before we got Porthos into the water, I told him I didn't think that was true.  I told him that I didn't feel like I belonged there.  John asked if I had learned anything during the five days.  I admitted that I had, but this wasn't really for Level One people.  He said, "But you aren't a Level One."  I was devastated -- I mean, there is no lower level.  He explained, "Kathy, you are way beyond Level One.  I knew it when you decided not to ride and you worked with Porthos on the mounting block.  You didn't throw a fit and you didn't give up.  You worked with him and now he stands still to be mounted.  You showed up when it was hard.  You are not a level One.  Now, let's get Porthos into the water."

 So, would I do it again?  Saturday through Tuesday, I'm not sure I would have said, "Yes."   Then, on Facebook someone posted a quote from Thomas S. Monson, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (who was actually quoting Mary Anne Radmacher), “Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow."

I thought about all that I accomplished: Porthos will stand still when I mount from a mounting block; I can play the seven games much more fluidly and with clearer signals; I was even able to play the sixth of the seven games while riding (that is the sideways game) using only leg pressure; Porthos came to me to be haltered (even if it took 3.5 minutes, that was a lot better than when it used to take 30 minutes to convince him to get close enough to get a halter on); Porthos let me hose him off the last two days when we were done for the day; Porthos not only went into the trailer with only me there, but he came out of the trailer like a gentleman (instead of bursting out like a maniac).

Practicing the Sideways Game on the ground.

So, would I go again?  I still won't be the best, but I'll be better than I was.  I will try again.  I will be courageous.  Watch out, John and Kathy...I'll see you next year!

 

An Educational Experience at a Parelli Natural Horsemanship Camp, Part 2 of 3

...so after the first two days, I was feeling pretty sad.  Did I return for more?  I guess I AM a left brain introvert (Parelli personality portrait -- it mostly means that I'm stubborn and a perfectionist), because there I was at 9:00 am Monday morning, sitting in the classroom.

I showed up, and I was able to ride.  Sadly, no pictures of me on horseback since David was at work, but I did get to mount (and Porthos stood still).  However, it was embarrassing again since everyone was doing things I didn't know how to do -- I'd spent the time they had reviewed what little I knew about technique trying to work on Porthos standing still.  Kathy Baar came to my rescue, reviewing the pieces I knew and giving me a couple of 'assignments.'  So, I was still doing my own thing -- it is hard to be different.

 John and Kathy had offered private lessons after our camp, and they filled up immediately -- but then Monday they had an opening.  Kathy was much more personable than John (sorry, John) so I asked for a lesson with her.  Did I pick riding for the private lesson?  No.  One of the reasons Porthos wasn't safe to mount was because he refused to do things like the "Circling Game," which we've done many times. 

The circling game is one of the seven games that Pat Parelli says that horses play.  I couldn't see it when I started, but now, when I watch my horses I find myself thinking, "Oh!  That's the _____ game."  It is pretty cool. 

Anyway, I asked Kathy Baar to help me with the circling game -- it looks a lot like lunging, but it is different since the horse has responsibilities.  I felt slightly better when Kathy found Porthos to be pretty unresponsive.  I thought I was probably doing it all wrong, but my basic technique was fine, I just didn't know enough when he didn't cooperate.  After a bit, Kathy had him circling, changing direction, coming toward her respectfully (not plowing into her) - yay!  And then we took him to be hosed off -- which is the second thing with which I asked for help. 
 

Porthos shies away if I have a hose or sprinkler.  I like the idea of being able to hose him off because it gets so hot and it would help him to cool down, or keep him cooler when he is stuck in the trailer on a summer day.  I knew that I was supposed to use advance and retreat technique but couldn't figure out how to do it.  It was easier than I expected.  Kathy said that it was because I'd been working with him for three days.  Anyway, by the end of the hour, I was feeling better.

Day four (Tuesday) I was able to ride again.  And we went out to the 'playground' and Porthos did some things that the other horses did not want to do -- and he wouldn't do some things that the other horses would do.  One of the things was going into the water (he is just not a water guy, I guess).  John worked with another horse and I watched, hoping to get ideas about how to get Porthos into the water.

John working with the Friesian horse (also a big guy). 
He did go into the water, but David (our camera-man)
had to go back to work, so no pictures of this accomplishment.

 

 

 

Porthos going through the pool noodles. 
A lot of horses didn't want to do this. 
Porthos was a little nervous at first 
because the noodles blow around,
but by the last day, he was mouthing them
and bumping them --
playing with them, so that was fun!

 

Jumping onto the second highest terrace
(the terraces were sort of like a pyramid).

 

Coming off the lowest terrace after going up to the highest.

Walking over one of the bridges. 
Porthos would even back off of it. 



So, Tuesday, I was feeling slightly better, but then John had a 'competition.'  I only like competitions if I might win.  This was depressing.  There were two corrals and a rider would take her horse into the corral, take off the halter and lead rope, go out of the corral, go and stand near a orange cone, wait until the signal to go, and then run to the corral, get the horse to 'catch you.' halter the horse, lead the horse out of the corral as fast as you could, run to a pedestal and jump on (just the person, not the horse).  It was timed.  I did it in 3.5 minutes, which doesn't sound too bad because I only hobble along, not run -- however, the next slowest time was 2.5 minutes.  The fastest time was 39 seconds.  I hate being last.  I went back to the hotel and thought about not attending the last day.

Tune in tomorrow to find out what happens the last day....

An Educational Experience at a Parelli Natural Horsemanship Camp Part 1 of 3

When I started writing this, it was so long that I decided to break it up into three parts....

On June 20 (Friday), David hooked up my stock trailer to the pickup, we loaded Porthos, our Percheron cross, and we headed for The Horse First Farm south of Madison, WI for a five day Parelli Natural Horsemanship camp presented by John and Kathy Baar, 5 star and 4 star Parelli instructors.

We dropped Porthos off and headed to Madison for a good night's sleep.

On Saturday, June 21st, we showed up at the farm to meet the other participants.  I had been to a couple of two-three day workshops before, but the participants were all beginners and about where I was -- some were better at some things and worse at others, but we were pretty similar in ability.  Not so at this camp.  I was definitely out of my comfort zone.  Several of the people had shown horses and a few had attended workshops at the Parelli Ranch in Pagosa Springs, CO.  I'm still a beginner -- I like horses, but I have 35 other animals to take care of so I'm afraid that they aren't my life.  Up to now, the things I've learned at the workshops I had used to make Porthos safer to be around.  He is a pushy fellow and at 1800 pounds, he is a lot of horse!!  Parelli techniques has made him more enjoyable to be around at feeding time or when I'm working in the paddock or pastures in his presence.

 

A couple of different views of our
classroom where we started each day.

This camp was totally different.  I felt lost and confused after the first day and I didn't ride the first two days since Porthos did not pass the tests to be sure he was safe -- and I'm pretty apprehensive since my knee surgeries.  I'm not just cautious around Porthos, but around the sheep and goats who might bump me (they have never butted me, but they butt one another into me -- YIKES).  So, John gave me the goal of having Porthos stand at the mounting block without moving.  The first day while others rode, I played 'the friendly game' with Porthos (rubbing him) when he stood with any of his body near the mounting block - the goal was to have him walk, when I directed him to, little by little past the block where I was standing without moving his hindquarters away from me while everyone else rode their horses -- umm, embarrassing, yes.  Challenging, yes.  I felt like staying home (or the hotel) the next day.

Working with Porthos from the mounting block.



The second day (Sunday), while everyone rode, I started with the same goal--getting Porthos to stay still at the mounting block.  Then John told me to put my foot into the stirrup and take it out, bumping Porthos as I did it.  While some the games we played teaches the horse to move away from pressure, he wanted Porthos to NOT move from pressure if my foot bumped him when I mounted.  Then, I was to pull myself into the saddle and then get down.  So, picture two hours of almost mounting and then dismounting.  I thought I'd be lucky to walk the next day -- but training at the YMCA apparently paid off since I didn't get sore.

John giving me the next step --
putting my foot into the stirrup,
starting to mount, and getting down.

I didn't want to go back.  Two days and I didn't even get to ride.  What a bummer! 

Tune in tomorrow to see what happened next....