Well my plans from my blog post earlier changed today. But I still had a great day and learned a lot. I love using my flip video. It really lets me see later what I am actually doing wrong. I posted a video below of nothing perfect, but I am posting it to show you what I learned today. The first video is Enzo and I learning the Parelli circle game starting at a trot going into a canter. This is only our second time for both of us. I don't work tons on circles, since Enzo is still young and I am keeping his joints safe as he matures. I only work on circles a few times a month. Enzo is a LBI (left Brain introvert). Meaning Enzo does not like to move at all. So I am also trying to keep Enzo exuberant in the Parelli circle game as well. I did manage to keep the exuberance for my LBI, and Enzo did blow out once during the circle game today, yeahhhhh Enzo!!! But my change of direction pretty much sucked! I didn't back up enough to get my draw from Enzo and then I just tried to save the turn by basically pulling on Enzo's face. Not very pretty and I will make a huge note in my brain! Hey, we all have to start somewhere and we all are not Pat Parelli who gets to be with, and ride his horses 6 to 8 hours a day. Man, the things I would know if I could work with horses 6 hours a day. So all I wanted to mention, was that I know this was not the best video, or prettiest video. But I am pleased Enzo was exuberant and that he did blow once during the game. Enzo was a perfect student, now just his teacher (me) has to polish up her act, LOL! I am sure Enzo would agree! I also need a new Parelli 45 foot line. If you noticed it's a jumbled mess in the video! We have calcium chloride in our arena to keep the dust down. But my Parelli cotton lines absorb all the calcium chloride and the ropes weigh about 50 pounds I swear, LOL. Unless, I wash my cotton ropes after every time I use them, but during winter that is too hard. But the 45 foot line does not absorb the calcium chloride, so I like using the 45 rope better. But this is the old line and as I do more and more circles the rope will ball up in a knot. The new 45 lines come with a swivel snap and will help prevent knots forming as your horse circles. It also doesn't help that I am using the line as a 20 foot line. Which also is not the correct way to use this rope. But again, I am only using it, because of the calcium chloride and the arena is also too small for a 45 foot line. Anyway, I mentioned I am really working on trying to get Enzo mentally relaxed and to blow out. Enzo did it 4 times on the way up to the barn today. I got Enzo to blow out 2 separate times in the indoor arena today, and Enzo blew out another 3 times going back down to the barn. So all and all I am soooo happy that I am getting Enzo to blow more than he has in his entire life so far. I will keep working on things. I also worked on Parelli on line sideways over barrels, figure 8, yo yo, and driving from zone 3 today. By the end of the session I think we were both pooped and looked forward to a good drink. As a good leader should. I went and got Enzo a bucket of water and he drank half. I also enjoyed my bottled water. I made lots of mental notes in my head today. I am working on my personal space. Enzo always wants to barge into my space, even if it's a slight nudge with his nose forward. But with Enzo being left brain this can get out of hand fast. So I need to keep him in balance more. I also am not a constant cookie dispenser anymore. My friend pointed out once it's ok to give treats, but being a regular basically for no reason treat dispenser is bad. I was so amazed at all the things Enzo could do and do with me, without getting cookies every single second. Very cool! This is no insult to my equine clicker training friends! I just need to find out what works for me in the Parelli program, when it comes to cookies. All and all I think we both left today licking and chewing our lips a lot and have a lot to sleep on tonight. Enzo will get the day off tomorrow and I will spend Sunday playing with Kaspin. Since there just was not enough hours in the day today to play with both my boys.
Hope you enjoy and feel free to comment! keep it natural~ Janine,Enzo, and Kaspin!
I love the videos! It makes the Parelli stuff much easier to understand. I have read a few Parelli things, but I have trouble understand what the games are trying to explain. Your videos are great!
ReplyDeleteEnzo is so HANDSOME!!
ReplyDeleteNo "training" video is perfect. Even finished videos aren't perfect lol. :D I regularly make minor mistakes like you did with the head pulling, so no worried. You're doing fantastic with him.
Since Chrome is getting so good at moving his shoulders I would really like to teach him the spin, so thank you for sharing that video. It helps to see exactly how it's done.
The issue with the rope sounds annoying!! Does he sell a 20 foot made out of something that doesn't soak of the calcium chloride? Or maybe you can find one somewhere else. I like to make my own so the lengths are customizable. They sell all the hardware you need at different hardware stores. Just a thought.
I totally agree with you on the regular no reason treat dispenser. It leads to all sorts of problems. If I follow the clicker training rules (must earn the treat and only gets one after the click) I don't have any problems, but I'm bad about giving away freebies and that makes him so pushy. It's like a slot machine. He never knows when he's going to get a freebie so he keeps pestering in hopes he hits a jackpot. I really need to set up rules for freebies (like only in his bucket) and only hand feed when I'm actually clicker training, but I can be lazy about that lol!!!
Do you think Chrome is a LBI? He and Enzo sound a lot alike, so I bet he is. :)
Yeah, I wish I could just cut this 45 rope in half, lol. But it's too expensive to do that. I do have a Parelli 22 foot rope. I just might have to go back to it? But it is cotton again and absorbs the chloride again. But I agree my 45 is a mess, LOL. I will buy a swivel snap and attach it to this 45 rope and see if that helps first?? Gosh, I know I have your email. But now I am not sure what it is? Send me your email again and I will send you a Parelli horsenality horse chart. You from there will already be able to tell what horsenality Chrome is. He is either a LBI, or a Left Brain etrovert? Introverts don't want to move their feet but etroverts do want to move their feet. On the spin, make sure you can move their fore quarters 180 degrees already with you walking into them. Then make sure they can move their hind quarters 180 degrees also. Make sure you can move fore quarters and hind with touching them on skin and without touching them at all, just walking into their space. Then later you can make it a spin without touching them. You see in my video I still need to touch Enzo once and while with stick. Then later you can also do it standing farther away from them once they get proficient at it. And if you ever go to a round pen you can use it for an outside turn, while you stand in the middle of pen. Ok, have fun!
DeleteDuh, it doesn't send me the replies because I never hit the subscribe by email button, but I will this time so I don't miss anymore. :)
DeleteMy email is myfarmerlife@gmail.com Well that's the one I'm using right now because it's linked to my blogger account. It was annoying having to sign in and out to check the other one.
I bet Chrome is a LBI because he's pretty lazy. He's been energetic the last few days because it's been cold, but normally he's a slug hehe. I'm interested in the chart though. :)
Thank you for the tips on the spins. I'll keep working on getting a full circle and then try it without touching him. It's nice to know all of the steps. I have trouble breaking things down sometimes.
Good luck with the rope! I bet the swivel will help a lot. :)
Eeek sorry for the typos lol.
ReplyDeleteAlso, your welcome for the award. I didn't realize you'd never received one. I love reading your blog!
Wooo hoooo and thanks again! I'll post it later:)
ReplyDeleteHe is a beauty. I notice you do a few things differently, which doesn't make them wrong. I don't go over my head but switch the rope behind my back. My trainer, James Cooler told me not to do it over my head... I will have to ask him why. Is that the way Parelli does it? I also communicate while doing ground work with a stick & string as I was told that helps the horse know what you want.
ReplyDeleteI will be posting a video of Sebastian and Oberon being worked by my 14 year old daughter soon. So it will be fun to compare and see if you have any thoughts. I like how he stretches his pretty nose out when he disengages and comes in.
Oh, about treats. I had a hole post on that subject once. What I do is only give treats (sometimes) when I arrive and take them from the pasture and usually always at the very end of the day. A pat and a rub seem to be good enough during training.