WOW! WHAT A PARELLI LESSON I HAD! A NOVEL, LOL.

Wow, what an eye opener I had last night! And what fun my boys and I had last night! Meggie Andrews Parelli professional showed up at perfect time and we got started right away. I knew, I wanted to ride Enzo last night. Since I have been having a hard time with Enzo understanding forward more than 4 steps at a time. With then a long pause till Enzo moves again. And then I get confused of what to do and that never helps the situation. So I made sure Enzo was all saddled and ready to go when Meggie got there. We went and Played with the Parelli games on the 22 foot line first to warm us both up. I got help with my Parelli Figure 8 game. I am still too slow and need to direct the NOSE sooner. Then, I worked on the Parelli S pattern and things went great. We then worked on falling leaf Parelli pattern. I really learned a lot on this. Because I found out that I am not disengaging Enzo's hindquarters at all. I was basically trying to make it an S pattern but walking forward and that doesn't work. We also worked on Enzo cantering on the 22 foot line for longer periods of time. Meggie gave me strategies to keep Enzo motivated. Then we got to the riding. Enzo sidepased over to the fence to pick me up and never moved. What a good boy! Meggie asked me show her my phases of asking Enzo forward. I pick up the reins, I am looking up and looking where I want to go, I use all 4 cheeks, then my thighs, then my calf's, then I use my micate rein to cause commotion behind me, then I touch Enzo on the back end with micate rein if needed. Most of the time Enzo will walk forward by all 4 cheeks or sometimes commotion behind me. Meggie did notice how nice Enzo walks off, but doesn't walk very far. Meggie then asked me to go through all my phases again but faster. I did and Enzo moved just fine but again only 4 steps. Meggie said, make sure you are picking a SPOT you want to go to. Basically Parelli point to point. I made sure I really knew my spot and went through my phases again. This time Enzo went to the spot. It was slow, but we got there!!!!! Meggie had me practice farther and farther away spots and if Enzo stopped while getting there. Then I need to ask again fast and go through my phases faster. Before I would just let Enzo stop and I really didn't know what to do and I would pet him and hang out. Then I would go through my phases again slowly. I also noticed that if I really have a FOCUS of where I really want to go and once Enzo gets there, I take all the pressure off. It gives Enzo a clear idea of what I want. And when we get there and I release all the pressure of thinking we are on a mission. Enzo starts to get the idea we really have a job! I can even give Enzo grass once I get to my point. But Enzo is very food motivated so I just have to make sure the grass idea is still my idea and not his eventually. I told Meggie I was all good for tonight with Enzo and riding. Since I don't ride him that long either, due to his age. I then got off and we let Enzo go for the evening:)

Next on the list was Kapin. I knew my main thing for Kaspin was trailer loading. I have gotten Kaspin where he can load onto the trailer all by himself very nice and come off very nice. But I have a slant load and I have been teaching Kaspin to load into the front stall and then I need to close the slant gate behind him. That is where my problems are. Kaspin is still not confident having the slant load closed on him. Kaspin then wants to fly out. I can load Kaspin with 2 people and basically make Kaspin stay on the trailer, while someone else shuts the slant gate and the door. But I want to do it all by myself and I want Kaspin 100% confident in the trailer with slant and doors shut. So Meggie helped me with Kaspin. I am to have Kaspin only get in with one or two front feet and then I ask him to come off. Not Kaspin deciding when to come off on his own. I should get kaspin really good at going back and forth. Maybe with 1 foot in then eventually 3 feet in and then back off again. I am sure that will help us tons. I also showed Meggie I would practice opening and closing the slant gate and the back door. And when Kapsin wants to get off, I let him off.  Meaning, if Kaspin gets worried about the slant or the door. I don't slam them shut and make Kaspin stay on! Meggie said, that was perfect, but she would stop swinging the doors before Kaspin feels the need to get off. AHHH HHAA,  great idea! So the next time I do trailer load practice with Kaspin. I will swing the doors and get Kaspin off the trailer before he thinks of coming off. Yeahhhh!!!

In the beginning of our lesson, I asked Meggie to really watch the horsenality of my horses. I say Kaspin is an LBI that can go RBI and I wanted to make sure I was correct? Meggie confirmed I am correct, yeah.  Now with Enzo I have been a bit confused. When I first purchased Enzo I got a horsenality test done on him and he came back as an LBE. Which I figured being super young made sense. As I have owned Enzo his feet have gotten much slower. Which makes me think Enzo is going to be more LBI. But after our lesson Meggie informed me that Enzo still is innately LBE!!!!!! WOW, was I surprised. I guess, I shouldn't be surprised! But I guess, in the back of my head I was really hoping Enzo would be LBI instead. Because my last horse was an LBI and I am just used to this type of horse an they usually don't move too much. Meaning safe. Lucky for me though Enzo is an LBE with low spirit. Meaning he still wont run as a far as an Arabian when spooked! Which is good for me to hear!!! But this means I really need to get more interesting for Enzo and keep his mind even more entertained, than I have been doing. That was another reason Enzo's feet don't really move as much as he would like. Enzo is bored at times and I need to keep my games changing more and keep them interesting more. I noticed with the lesson with Meggie we really had Enzo move his feet and really used his brain and Enzo loved it! It was really cool to see Enzo like this! Wow, a lot to chew on!!!!!

So of the whole evening the most that blew me away was wow, I really do own an LBE!

Keep it natural, Janine, Enzo and Kaspin!