December Shipment

Linda's Secrets"
Learn how to be yourself, have fun and put on an inspirational demo. Linda reveals her secrets — choosing music, adjusting to fit the situation and making the most of Horsenality™ and reminds us that perfection is not all it’s cracked up to be! Plus, a special mini-quadrille performance at the 2010 Parelli Performance Summit
Mastery Lesson
Pat's Lesson - Stick To Me - Horseback
Linda's Lesson - Advancing the Game of Contact
Audio CD:
"Humane Society Partnership"
Linda Parelli talks with the Humane Society of the United States - Linda and Keith Dane share how and why the partnership has grown between the Humane Society of the United States and Parelli.

Flight & Hotel booked For Birmingham - Parelli Celebration - Volonter

It´s raining cats and dogs here today. I spent undemanding time with Milva this morning watching the rain from the inside of the stable.
All my travel arrengments for Birmingham are fixed now. I will be staying at the Hilton, close to the NEC. Alot of other Parelli folks are staying there as well so it´s going to be a fun experience! I´m really lookig forward meeting all the other volonters.

3rd Ride

For a warm up I played on the 22 foot line - weave patterns, figure 8s, circling game and a little bit at liberty.
I rode for 10 minutes today - passenger lesson and we did some walk - stop transition. Milva was calm and collected and didn´t show any worries or concern about being ridden at all.
I haven´t planed anything for this weekend yet, it all depends how busy the ridinghouse is and how the roads are. If it´s not that icy anymore I plan on taking her for a walk tomorrow and for Sunday I would like to play with the 45 foot line. But let´s see what the weekend brings...

Too Funny

Well deserved undemanding time with Milva today. Usually when I muck out the stable I have Milva loose outside the stable where she can eat her extra hay. I put the 22-foot rope on her back so she still can move around if she likes - if it´s on the ground it means she is ground tied and not allowed to move.
So this morning I walked over the yard to the other stable to get Milva her grain. When I walked out the stable I could see her standing half way between the turnout-stable and the other stable. The rope must have slidden off her back and when it hit the ground she stopped - as thought to. When she saw me she gave me a real loud whinneying and a toss with the head. It sounded very much like: "Help, I´m trapped!"
She is too funny.
I´ve booked the flight and hotel for Birmingham now. I´m getting really excited about being a volonter!

Second Ride

I got rather late to the stable today - around 9.30, cause I needed to help Shawn with his studies. Which didn´t give me much time to use the ridinghouse cause the twins start to train their comepetition horses around 10.30 and occupy the ridighouse until 2.30.
I asked them if I can use the ridinghouse to 10.30 and told them I would ride Milva so they knew what was going on. ´
I don´t want to ride her with other horses in the beginning. Mostly because I´m afraid that the other horses could spook about something and would make Milva spook too. I had that happen one time and don´t need it a second time.
When I entered the ridinghouse I found several fences built up which I used for my warm up. I played the squeezegame over them and stick to me in walk and trott at liberty. A little bit of circling game which was good again - she kept her responsibilites and I didn´t had to remind her once. I´m still in awww about that.
Then I switched to the Natural Hackamore and we did stick to me to the mountingblock where she placed herself right in front of it by doing the sideways game and then she widened her front legs to keep in balance when I mount. It looked to funny when she did that - all done with a very concentrated face which she kept for all 5min of riding.
We did walk - stop transitions, stoping with the ssss-sound without using the rein which works fine so far and the she start to walk when I click with the tongue once, twice is for trotting which we haven´t done yet under the saddle ;). If I look in one direction and move my upper body she is turning. I haven´t used my legs on her yet.
Helene came by to watch again and to keep an eye on us which was really nice - coming all the way for 5 minutes.
So what I found out so far is that Milva is super sensitive to my movements in the saddle and if I´m not clear she is getting frustrated and angry. It doesn´t take much to move or stop her nor to turn her. Everything is just a slight phase 1.
I kind of wish she wouldn´t be that sensitve but of course it´s a good thing so I also hope it stays that way. I just have to get used to it. She also is super concentrated and tries to do everything right. Her face expression is too funny, you really can see how concentrated she is.
I started two horses under the saddle before. Tjelvar, my warmblood I had when I lived in Austria, who moved with me to Sweden. But Tjelvar was by far not that sensitive as Milva. And then there was Superior Example aka Rambo, the Appendix I had when I lived in Canada. But also he was by far not that sensitive as Milva.
For tomorrow I have planed undemanding time and if it´s alright with Milva I will try another ride on friday.

First Ride On Milva In The NP

How many first rides can you put on a horse I wonder. Today was my first ride in the NP on Milva. I did a quick counting and came up with following: last year I rode on Milva 5 times, each time about 10min. The year before when I got her used to the saddle I sat on her for many times but we didn´t walk. It was more frienldy game from the back and I rode her twice for also for about 10min. So yes, she is still a green horse. But that´s fine. It gave her lots of time to grow physically and mentally and that´s what I wanted. Also I always remember what Milva´s breeder Barbara told me about the growth period of Trakehners. Trakehners grow until they are 7 and they mature very slow like Icelandic ponies. With that in the back of my head I think I was doing the right thing.
So back to our ride today. I started to play online like yesterday. Figure 8s with a nice slack in the line and circling game in walk and trott also with a nice slack in the line and like yesterday I didn´t had to remind her of her responsibilities. Very nice. Then Helene came in to watch us and to be there when I ride. I played a little bit more online to show Helene what we can do and then I took the halter off and did some liberty. Milva was the whole time tuned in.
After doing some more pre-ride checks I mounted. Milva stayed relaxed with her head down and didn´t care much. She sniffed my boots for a little while and then I asked her to walk. We did a bit of walk - stop transitions and then I hopped off again. I rode her for about 5 min which I think was enough for a first ride.
I have to work on the dismounting though. Because I never rode in a western saddle before I didn´t think about the horn and it was kind of in the way. Otherwise the saddle is awesome to sit in. Of course it´s very different to my former dressage saddles but I still LOVE it! It´s super comfortable and feels totally save. Also it puts you easily on your balance point. And one of the best part is that it didn´t move when I mounted.
My plan for tomorrow is to ride her again, but let´s wait and see which side of Milva shows up tomorrow.

Busy Busy

The days are just flying by right now. I played 30min online with Milva while she had the saddle on. She was super good today. Figure 8s with a slack in the line and a light phase 1, I didn´t had to touch the carrotstick once. Circling game the same, nice slack in the line and I didn´t had to remind her of her responsibiliy - she even offered me 3 circles in trott and then I asked her in. We also played a bit at liberty. She was so focused on me that she didn´t think about the saddle on her on her back.
My plan for tomorrow is to sit on her and if she is ok then maybe ride her for 5min. But we will see which side of the corral Milva is waking up tomorrow.

Saddleshiming

Milva is uphill build so the deepest point of the saddle was were it´s supposed to be. Because she doesn´t have any muscles yet I still put one shouldershim in and one centershim. I always can make more adjustments if it doesn´t work out.

Undemanding Time

I work my 5 days now again and don´t get much else done. Shawn is still on Christmas vacation and therefor we are taking it slow in the mornings. He came with me to the stable this morning to pay Mandrake a visit. When he called out for Drake his head went right up and he came right up to see Shawn. So lovely and yet so sad to see. I wish we could buy him...
Milva is doing fine as always. I will try to play at least for a little while tomorrow. I have to get better routines for my workdays so I get to play more with her.

Parelli Uk Celebration 2011 - Volonteer

I got accepted to be a volonteer at this year´s Parelli Uk Celebration. It´s going to be intressting to get a look behind the scene. Would be nice to get in contact with other volonteers. I better have a look at the Savvy forum to get in touch with the other ones.
Monday: I played 40min with Milva. I saddled her the usual way again - in front of the stable while she is ground tied. We played 30min at liberty so she could move free with the saddle, mostly stick to me with walk - trott - stop - backup transitions, some circling and figure eights. 10min online - circling, change of direction.
Tuesday: 30min online, 10 min liberty. Same as Monday. My goal for this week is to get her more used to the saddle and to make some adjustments to it, speak shim it right. For me it´s important that she gets to move with the saddle alot before I sit on her. Online we played the circling game, figure eights, travelling circles and the cloverleaf. She was hilarious in the circling game. She offered trott and 1 round of canter. In the beginning when I asked her to walk she offered trott and behind my back she would buck and fly up in the air coming in front of me she would arch her body towards me and asking questions, ears forwards and coming behind me buck again, too funny. You could see that she was enjoying herself and being very playful. Who would have thought that about my little lbi pony. When she offered 1 circle of canter, which was relaxed, collected and up hill, I asked her in and quit it right there. It was hard for me to stay in neutral when she cantered. I just love to look at her when she canters - which doesn´t happen to often ;), and also I couldn´t belive my eyes that she actually did it. But I always try to keep in mind the power of neutral.

AWW-Moment

I saddled Milva in the ridinghouse today. I have her never tied up when I saddle her, instead I ground tie her so she still has a choice to stay with me or not. After playing the friendly game with the theraflex pad I put the saddle on her. Milva stood 3m away from the saddle and when I picked the saddle up I thought for myself that I should have her put a bit closer to the saddle and while thinking that she sidepassed towards me, stopped with her back exactly next to saddle and I just had to put the saddle on her - smart pony :). I also cinched up the backgirth today and she didn´t show any reaction to it, not to the saddle either for that matter. So all is good. My plan is to play with her all next week to get her more used to the saddle and start sitting on her the week after.

Munschkin

Playing online and liberty in level 3 and hoping to film my online audition soon now. We´+ve got all the tasks together except the cantering online, but it will come.

Winter Play

On monday we played for the first time in the deep snow. It had -13 but if you have fun you don´t feel the cold. Milva was on her best and enjoyed our playing time as much as I did. We played mostly with the cirlcling game, travelling circle, clover leaf, change of direction and transitions.
Yesterday we had the vet here for vaccination and to get her hooves done.

God Jul! Merry Christmas!

On friday I played 20min online and 5min at liberty.
Yesterday we had Canadian Christmas turkey dinner. We invited 8 friends over and celebrated Christmas together which was really cosy and everyone had a good time. It did take all day to prepare the dinner though therefor not much horsey time yesterday.
Today I just fixed the stable chores and gave Milva a brush before I had to leave for work again.

-21 C This Morning

15min online, circling game, change of directions, transitions, power of neutral
5min liberty
stick to me to and from the ridinghouse

Solstice

Monday: 30min online
Tuesday: 15min walk
Wednesday: 20min longreining
-21 this morning :). I have to admit that it was pretty cold but I still love it! It seems to be that I get more energy the colder it gets :).
I think I need to order centershims for the saddle. I have to look at it one more time after Christmas but I think I do.

Trying Out The Natural Performer

Milva didn´t care much about it. On a scale from 1 to 10, 10 being the most worried, she was maybe a 2. I took off the back cinch though so we will see if she reacts more when I put it back on the next time.
My saddling skills aren´t the best yet and it doesn´t look very elegant, but I will work on that. It sure is a big difference to saddle with a westernsaddle compare to the dressage saddle I had before.
Unfortunatelly I couldn´t move Milva around as much as I wanted with the saddle on cause another girl came in for her Dressage lesson. Right now it seems to be hopeless to use the ridinghouse. If you ride dressage or showjump you are allowed to book the ridinghouse for trainings but if you do groundwork you are not. I try not to get bothered by it but I just think it´s aint fair. I mean I - or we, pay as much as the other boarders so shouldn´t we have the same rights?

Small World

Horsesitting Lina today.
The first thing I did this morning was watching the Parelli saddles dvd again and the Horsenality dvd from the Success serie. I have to become better in keeping up with all my Savvy club dvds as well.
After breakfast I drove out to pick up my saddlewagon from Bråvesta and got to meet Mia Bråve the owner of Bråvesta. What a nice and warm person! She is one of those persons that instantly make you feel better and special. I was in a total awwww all day because of talking to her. Mia and I have a few acquaintances in common which is kind of funny because I don´t ride western nor do I own a westernhorse.
For once there is Chrissi. Chrissi, her sister Ali and I boarded in the same stable when I still lived at home in Austria. Chrissi owns an Arab and won the European Championship in Trail 2 years ago. Her sister Ali is one of my closest friends in Austria. Mia knows Chrissi and her daughter, who also competes in Trail are friends.
Then there is Anna from www.coolqh.com . Anna and I met over internet when I still lived in Canada. The first summer after I moved back here Shawn and I watched Anna´s and Anders´ farm for a week while they were gone. Anna breeded one of her mares to Mia´s stallion.
And then there is Sophie from sophorses.wordpress.com. Sophie lives in the UK and started one of Mia´s youngsters under the saddle - Mr.Frost. Sophie and I know each other through Parelli and I invited her to the Gold summit a year ago.
It´s a small world we live in.
I got to talk to another nice person today - Ulrike, from http://dramahastar.blogspot.com/. Ulrike invited me to go riding with her after Christmas :).
I moved my saddle to the stable today and hopefully the ridinghouse is empty tomorrow afternoon so I can introduce Milva to it.

Blizzard In Skåne

The last few days I have been looking for a saddle wagon for my NP. Don´t get me wrong, I love to look at the saddle in the livingroom but the saddle is rather big and takes up a lot of room. After I get the saddle wagon I can finally move it to the stable.
If you do things differently than the people around you it sometimes complicates your life but it´s still well worth it ;). And to be honest I don´t think there is much I can do anymore to really surprise my fellow boarders or friends.
I can´t wait for the weekend to arrive. On saturday I wanna introduce Milva to the saddle and on Sunday Patricia and I are going to have another playdate with our horses.

Weihnachtsmarkt In Hamburg

Hamburg was awesome yesterday and we had a cosy time at the Chrismasmarket. It took 5 hours to drive down and 5 hours back which is much less than I expected. We are definitely going back down there. Hamburg itself is a very nice city and the people were very friendly.

Mums Mums

The only thing Milva and I do lately is - EAT. I´m going to start with my diet after Christmas. No use to even think about it before that.
Tomorrow we are going down to Hamburg. Shawn needs to buy some wood and afterwards we are going to visit the Christmas market. I already have a bad consious when I think about Milva being by herself tomorrow, but her aunties and her mother in law will take good care of her.

Saddle Dvd

With my saddle came the free saddle dvd from Parelli Saddles. I started to watch it today before going to work and almost forgot about going to work. So much valuable information and everything makes so much sense! I wish everyone who has a horse would watch it.
I´m not getting much done with Milva right now and therefor I don´t have much to write about. My plan for december is to get her used to the saddle and then start her under the saddle in january.

Friendly Game with the Theraflexpad

Milva didn´t care much about the pad. Also got her used to the swishing sound when taking out some air of the pad.

Birthdaycake & Lightshow & Saddle

I had a nice birthday with birthday supper at Bishop´s and the yearly lightshow in Helsingborg.
My saddle arrived yesterday and I´m totally in love with it! It´s not just a saddle it´s a piece of art. Almost too nice to use. I still have it at home in the box. I need to buy something to put it on and find a safe place in the stable.
I didn´t do much with Milva in the last few days, too busy with other things right now. Don´t know where the time goes. I will try to introduse the theraflexpad to her tomorrow though.

Happy Birthday To Me!

Spending 1 hour of udt with Milva. I fixed the stable and sat with her while she was eating her extra hay.
I got a phonecall from fedex. My saddle is going to be delievered tomorrow :))))).

The Hearts Of Horses written by Molly Gloss

another book from my december book order. I´m in desperate need of a new bookshelf. This novel is one of the best novels I read lately.

This is the story of a young girl, Martha Lessen, whose love of horses and the American West lead her to become a horse whisperer, taming horses with kindness. It takes place during the First World War, when many young girls and women have taken on the work of men gone to fight. It is a touching story of life in a bygone era when people and their animals depended on each other through the hardships and the simple glad times. Written with warmth and understanding, it is a must read for anyone who loves horses.

What You Mean Snowstorm?

Cosy weekend at the stable. In the picture - Anita with Orkan, Anna and Moa with Paulina and Milveroni.
Patricia, Hanna and I had a playdate yesterday. Unfortunatelly the ridinghouse was occupied all afternoon. Lesson learned - the next time we are going to book it for an hour. Got to hear a funny comment yesterday from another girl in the stable. She said we can use the ridinghouse when she is riding another horse but we can´t be in the ridinghouse with her when she is riding that particular horse, cause he is not used to horsemanship. No kidding, ey. Have fun competing him and good luck, you might need it.
Today I longreined for 20min and played a little bit with the circling game but stopped in time. 5min liberty - stick to me, sideways and backing up from z 5.

Zen And The Horse written by Pamela J. G. Au

My intention for this book is not one on how to train or ride horses. There are many books written by great masters on horsemanship and training techniques. Instead, it is my hopes to provide another way to view our relationship with the horse, therefore improving the quality of life.

You do not have to be a rider nor own a horse to benefit from this book. The concepts of self-development and spiritual growth apply universally with or without a horse and are based on the principles of Zen studies.

The idea for Zen and the Horse evolved during 18 years of practicing and studying martial arts and equitation. These ancient arts have one thing in common. They follow the laws of nature. This links them together and is the strength that has given them the longevity and durability to withstand thousand of years of manipulation and change.
Each of these arts, although different as they may seem, work in unison to bring the life force of the human body in balance not only within the self but also within the environment around them. This balance or oneness unites the individual with the source of life. By doing so great strength of character is developed. Compassion and understanding for all living things is cultivated.

Zen and the Horse is divided into four chapters, the basics, body, mind, and spirit. Each chapter builds onto the next to bring you to the end and circle back once again. This is the cycle of spiritual growth. I have included illustrations to help clarify and provide a line of sight for the energy fields that are unseen but felt. By understanding the direction and movement of this energy, a greater understanding of natural law is developed. In Zen and the Horse, I have tried to simplify or demystify the pathway to enlightenment or higher wisdom through self-mastery using the horse as the medium.
(Pamela J.G Au)
One of the books from my december bookorder. Can´t wait to read it.

Longreining With The Feather Lines

I totally love my new featherlines! It makes longreining so much easier. We worked on follow the trail and did lots of walk - trott transitions. The featherlines are so light and thin, it almost feels like you don´t have anything in your hands.
No word about my saddle yet. I still hope it comes before the weekend. I´m off this weekend and planed on getting Milva used to the saddle and watching my new dvds from the Success Serie.