A Reminder How Fragile Life Is

Our hearts go out to the family and friends of 3-Star Parelli Professional and Horse Development Specialist James Roberts, who passed away in a car accident last night. James touched so many lives of horses and humans alike, and he will be greatly missed.

Equine Scabies

Horse scabies, commonly called mange, is a condition caused by mites, which are microscopic biting insects that tunnel into a horse's skin. It is highly contagious and can spread through direct or indirect contact. There are different kinds of mange, caused by two types of parasitic mites.

Sarcoptic Mange

• The most severe type of mange is sarcoptic. It causes pruritus -- intense chronic itching--in the anal region, leading to severe biting and scratching, which frequently causes secondary bacterial infections. Papules, lesions, vesicles (serum-filled blisters formed in or beneath the skin), crusting and alopecia are other symptoms. If untreated, sarcoptic mange can lead to loss of appetite, weakness and emaciation.

Demodectic Mange

• This demodectic mite lives in the sebaceous glands and hair follicles of the horse. Demodectic mange appears as patchy hair loss and crusting, or as small masses. Lesions are usually on the face, neck, shoulders and forelimbs. It varies from sarcoptic because there is no chronic itching.

Mange is extremely contagious, so mange-affected animals should be quarantined. Topical treatments with anti-ectoparasitics are recommended, however, there are numerous shampoos containing iodine available, which also treat mange. Iodine kills the mites and helps to prevent bacterial infections. Thoroughly scrub the horse down and leave it on the skin for 20 minutes. Oral and injectable treatments include Ivomectrin and Doramectin. Treatment should be repeated within 10 to 14 days to kill the mites, which were still eggs during the first treatment. Soak blankets, brushes and ropes in boiling water and use topical insecticides on saddles.
So that´s what we are dealing with right now. Tinker, the friesian in our herd got diagnosed with it and now we have to treat all horses of course. The good thing is that the turnout stable will be mucked out completely.

Basic bio-mechanics of the ridden horse with a specific emphasis on the impact saddling has to movement, soundness, performance and health.

Melissa posted this very interesting link in her blog:

http://www.balanceinternational.com/balance/Files/6457607.pdf

Liberty Zone 5 Driving

Milva´s hind fetlock is still slightly swollen, she doesn´t show any sign of lameness though - yet anyway.
I decided to walk her in the riding house for 15 minutes which quickly bored the hell out of her and she started to offer all kind of things like trotting around me in a circle and sideways. To keep her mind busy I thought it would be better to try something new - like liberty zone 5 driving.
We walked around and did some turns and stops using the whole arena.
If I can catch her eye then she creates naturally a bend in her body and the turn will come easy.
One day we will canter and be doing flying lead changes from liberty z5 driving.

Remembrance Day - Lest We Forget

The Ode of Remembrance:
They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
Lest we forget.

In Flanders Field

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

John McCrae

Foggy Sunday

I woke up to the sound of the foghorn this morning.
Milva´s right hind leg is a bit swollen and warm. I noticed a slight change yesterday but today you can clearly see the swollen part. I took her for a little walk this morning to see if she would limp which she doesn´t. I will wait a few days and just let her rest and if it´s not getting any better I will call the vet.
I suppose that she stumlbed or flipped  in the pasture when they were racing around cause her one side was all muddy as well and Milva is not that kind of horse that rolls in the mud. Usually she is a very clean bean.
I have been mucking out extra  every morning now. We do have a rolling schedule but the stable is so wet and dirty right that it needs extra mucking, also not everyone mucks as thoroughly as I do which is a big annoyance to me. I picked up some wood shavings from Shawn´s shop to put underneath the straw to keep the bed a bit tryer. I´m just really worried about their hooves right now with all that mud and rain and water!

November Walk

Took Milva for a little bit over one hour walk today, up the asphalt road - playing touch it with the mailboxes, watching big trucks and tractors going by, behind the stable - touch it with big plastic tarps, different machineries and scarry things hanging down the roof, by then she was pretty snorty and firespying but not out of control. If one item was really scarry then I touched it with my hand and then touched her which usually convinced her that it wouldn´t eat her up.
After the scarry part behind the stable I took her up the gravel road and then around the pastures.

Prescribed horseplay | Local | News | Barry's Bay This Week

Prescribed horseplay | Local | News | Barry's Bay This Week

and that´s the woman who introduced me to Parelli and has been my mentor since.
Thank you Sabine Coulson!

I Me Mine written by George Harrison

 

After watching the George Harrison documentary - Living in a material world, I of course had to buy the book. I've read this book now countless times since I bought it a few months ago. It isn't a typical autobiography. Anyone who wants the intimate details of George's personal relations, some scuttlebutt on Paul McCartney, or other types of ankle deep nit picking won't find it here. Instead, "I, Me, Mine" is like a fireside chat with a classy, fascinating, witty, and dignified friend. We read about George's history and interests, brief mentions of his enormous cast of friends, and details on each song.

Derek Taylor's editorials are delightful. It's easy to love Derek right alongside George. I wish the pair had lived much, much longer, to enjoy more wry humor and garden strolls, and also (selfishly) an updated copy of the book.

For not being a  direct Beatles fan I´ve read and watched quite alot about them lately and George has become my favourite Beatle besides Ringo. Ringo seems to be very down to earth as well and dramafree.


God bless George. He is one of a kind.

Everything Is Well In Milva Land

Anita sent me this picture yesterday. I guess I must have been tiring Milva  out. It´s tuff to be a lbi sometimes.
One of the breeding mares lost her foal yesterday and because I was the first one in the turnout stable I was the one that found it. That sucks! I think it was around 5 months old and looked perfect.

Parelli Horse & Soul Tour UK 2013 - Volonteer

Dear Parelli Volunteer,




Congratulations and Welcome to the 2013 UK Horse and SoulTeam! Thank you for stepping up to be a part of the team that is raising the level of horsemanship worldwide!



We are so excited that Pat, Linda and the team are bringing the Horse and Soul Tour to the UK and that YOU will be part of that experience.





-- Horse and Soul Logistics

You will find there are a lot of Hotels in and around the area, the Premier Inn – www.premierinn.com/Liverpool-Aintree is just across the road from the venue. There will be no charge for parking but please follow the signs when you arrive and park in the marked areas.

-- Set up/Tear down

When you submitted your application online, you agreed to be available to assist with Set Up on Friday morning through Tear Down on Sunday evening. Please ensure that you will be available from Friday morning through Sunday evening. We do need you with us for the entire time. If, for some reason, you must change, please e-mail uk@parelli.com or call Laura or Jenny at 0800 0234 813 and we will practice our Flexion & try to work something out!



Set Up

Tear Down



Friday 8:50 a.m – 5:00 p.m (lunch provided)

Sunday 5:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m.







-- Orientation & Clothing

We have Orientation with everyone on Friday morning 8:50 a.m. in the retail area. Come on inside and find The Volunteer Coordinator. You will receive your nametag and lanyard. Parelli Logo clothing is a MUST for Saturday & Sunday (not necessary for Set up and Tear down) – so wear your favorite Parelli shirt.



DURING the Celebration:

-- Signing In and Out

A Sign-in Sheet will be provided each day. It is your responsibility to ensure you complete this each day in order to receive your credits.



-- Working Time

Over the two days, while Pat & Linda are presenting, you are free to watch and enjoy the Show if not assigned to an area. There are several breaks each day – during these times we expect you to work in your designated work area which could include the Parelli Connect Booth, Parking, Sales area, Audience Seating or as needed. We will assign jobs during Orientation on Friday morning.



-- Seating / Watching the show

As a Parelli Volunteer working through the weekend, you will have reserved Volunteer seating. We may not close retail during the Show but we will try and free you up to be able watch the show if possible, however, please be aware as a volunteer you will miss parts of the show.



-- Group Photo/Debrief

On Sunday we take a group photo – so keep your smiling face on! We will also have a short debrief on the day’s events, so allow half an hour following each presentation day.





-- Rewards

Being a Parelli Volunteer offers many benefits -- from helping Pat and Linda share their dream of Raising the Level of Horsemanship Worldwide to being in a positive high-energy environment of like-minded students. The following is the Volunteer Benefits package.



1. Being a part of Pat and Linda’s team

2. Supporting Pat and Linda's mission of "Making the World a better place for Horses and Humans"

3. Being in a positive and high energy environment with other like-minded students

4. Helping new customers understand what Parelli is all about and how it can transform their horse/human relationship

5. Contributing your time and knowledge to a program you believe in

6. Lunch on Friday with the team

7. Commemorative Lanyard and Name Badge

8. Volunteers Only – Souvenir t-shirt

9. Volunteer Picture

10. £175 Course credit OR £175 Gift Certificate for Parelli IP products

11. Part of the Parelli Team Dinner on Sunday evening



We look forward to seeing you soon! Please feel free to contact Laura or Jenny with any questions at uk@parelli.com and mark it Aintree Volunteer in the subject heading.







Yours Naturally,









Parelli UK Team



+44 (0)2476 692 888





Parelli: A Natural Approach to Horse Training

Happy Halloween Everybody!

Growing

Milva is officially started under the sadle and doing very well. She is a bundle of pure pleassure and a more lighter, sensitive and responsive horse will be hard to find.
No matter what other people say - like I ever cared what anyone else said anyway, I´m very very glad I waited for her to turn 7 years before starting her seriously under the sadle.
Fact is that horses are growing until they are 6 - 7 years old. Trakehners grow until they are 7 years.
There are alot of opinions out there about when to start a horse. Well, in Marion´s World it´s not until the horse is fully grown. Which sounds logical, healthy and responsible to me. I´m aware of that most people think different and yes, I´m aware of the financial cost.
Ask yourself the question who and why people came up with the idea to ride a horse when it´s 3 years old.
In the old days horses where used for work, transportation and people depended on them. To have a horse was luxury and of course the people wanted to use the horse as soon as possible to get something out of it.
Same thing in the competition world - it´s all about quick results.
Don´t get me wrong here - I do not critize anyone starting their horses early and honestly I do not care what other people do - or think.
Live and let live.
Back to Milva. Shawn rode her a couple of times first and everything went smooth.
Today I rode her with only a savvy string around her neck. To ask her to go forward I only need to bring up my energy a little bit, meaning sitting straighter in the sadle and of she goes. I´m not using any legs yet. For turning I just use my focus and weight - no legs there either or carrot stick. For stoping i use the sss-sound and turn down my energy, no reins needed.
Pictures and movie will come.

Switching Turn-Out Stable

Malin and I switched our little herd into the middle turn out stable, which is perfect I think.
The middle turn out stable is a little bit smaller than the other two which means that it´s only going to be our four horses and no additional horse. I always worried when a new horse came into our herd because you just never know if it works out or if one of the horses gets hurt or not. When Annabelle came, the little Haflinger, Orkan got kicked pretty bad and needed to be in the hospital for a week and he had stitches for two weeks. When Bea came into our herd she got kicked by Tinka and needed to have stitches and boxrest for two weeks.
One less problem to think or worry about.

Wonderful Tonight written by Pattie Boyd

 An iconic figure of the 1960s and ’70s, Pattie Boyd breaks a forty-year silence in Wonderful Tonight, and tells the story of how she found herself bound to two of the most addictive, promiscuous musical geniuses of the twentieth century and became the most famous muse in the history of rock and roll.

She met the Beatles in 1964 when she was cast as a schoolgirl in A Hard Day’s Night. Ten days later a smitten George Harrison proposed. For twenty-year-old Pattie Boyd, it was the beginning of an unimaginably rich and complex life as she was welcomed into the Beatles inner circle—a circle that included Mick Jagger, Ron Wood, Jeff Beck, and a veritable who’s who of rock musicians. She describes the dynamics of the group, the friendships, the tensions, the musicmaking, and the weird and wonderful memories she has of Paul and Linda, Cynthia and John, Ringo and Maureen, and especially the years with her husband, George.

It was a sweet, turbulent life, but one that would take an unexpected turn, starting with a simple note that began “dearest l.”

I read it quickly and assumed that it was from some weirdo; I did get fan mail from time to time.... I thought no more about it until that evening when the phone rang. It was Eric [Clapton]. “Did you get my letter?”... And then the penny dropped. “Was that from you?” I said....It was the most passionate letter anyone had ever written me.

For the first time Pattie Boyd, former wife of both George Harrison and Eric Clapton, a high-profile model whose face epitomized the swinging London scene of the 1960s, a woman who inspired Harrison’s song “Something” and Clapton’s anthem “Layla,” has decided to write a book that is rich and raw, funny and heartbreaking—and totally honest and open and breathtaking.

Mirror Mirror

Summer 2009

Our relationship with the horse can be seen as reflecting of our relationship with nature and our own selves...We see that instinctive, spirited energy has a place in horses' survival, and maybe our own as well. ~S.L Richards

Trakehner Familienalben erzählen - Erhard Schulte

A magical treassure book and a must have for all Trakehner lovers. Even if you don´t understand any german it´s still worth to get the book only to look at all those magnificent pictures.
Erhard Schulte describes the life of charismatic, famous Trakehner breeders after the IIWW.
The book is full of wonderful pictures of famous Trakehnerstallions and Trakehnermares - a who is who in the Trakehnerworld.
Even though the Prussian people lost everything in the IIWW and had to leave their beloved land and houses behind, they still were passionated about their horses and did everything to keep the Trakehner alive.
On a personal note - I found lots and lots of Milva´s ancestors in the book. Not only pictures but also stories behind the horses and their owners. Suddenly it was not only a name but the horses became alive.
I found it always easier to find information and pictures about stallions but in Erhard Schulte´s book I also found information about Milva´s famous mare lineage - and pictures!
Milva comes out of the Trakehnermare family MELDUNG von BURGBANN aus der bäuerlichen Zucht von Szagun Pagulbinnen. I was thrilled to read about Meldung!

Above is a picture of Meldung. Meldung was still born in Prussia and went on the big Trek in winter 44/45. After thousend of kilometers and several weeks walking in the deep snow and cold Meldung and her humans finally arrived safety in West Germany. It incredibly to think about what those Trakehner horses achieved!

Preparing for our level 4 online audition aka REALITY CHECK

ok, this is the longreining part. I´m quiete satisfied with it but not a 100% because we have been doing better. What I wanna change is the lay down - she is hesitating too long in the beginning which takes too long time, after all you only have 10minutes for the audition right.
Then I wanna have sideways over the barrels, which I skipped because it´s not always sure she is doing it immediately - not from z5 anyway. I also wanna have the weavepatterns in trot and then go over to canter directly after the weavepatterns and do more of canter - trot transitions. The jump I wanna have me in z5 and not z3 or z4.
I didn´t even bother to add the circling game with the leadchanges cause they are a disaster. I have two versions. The first one she stops directly after doing a leadchange and comes in for a cookie - be aware of what you teach your horse...lol....so yes, I have leadchanges, both leads several times with a happy Milva coming in every single time...lol
The second version I asked her to continue, which of course Milva didn´t agree to, no cookie - me going crazy...lol....so she through a flying dragon Milva tantrum instead.
So no, after doing a reality check I don´t think we will submit our level 4 online just yet...lol....but me being positive, I think we can retape it very soon. Small adjustments and we should be there....
Plan for the upcoming week is to play more with figure 8s and build in the leadchange there which will make it easier for the Milva pony to continue on the pattern. Me think...anyway...

Swedish "Fika" Time

Carrot cake and coffe with Anita and Hanna a la Parelli style, with the horses loose.

Testing Leadership

 

Yesterday we took a walk around the pasture and stopped for a little talk with the two year old Wolfgang and his little sister.  Orkan in the background watching out where Milva is going.

Milva has been a little punk the whole week, testing daily my leadership and having in general alot of own ideas - usually the opposite of what I was asking and happily pretending not to understand what I was talking about.
You just gotta love lbi!
I must have been doing something right though cause today she was her sweet, cooperative selv again and even offered a few laps of  collected canter.

Clapton The Autobiography

Clapton: The Autobiography is a book all about Eric Clapton, from his days as a member of the Yardbirds and Cream to his solo career. Eric talks about his addictions, drug and alcohol. He talks about Pattie Boyd and his obsession for her. He speaks of his road to recovery which is sure to inspire anyone who has an addiction and the crossroads that led him to his recovery. Clapton talks about some hobbies he does with his spare time, from collecting art to fishing. This is an autobiography unlike a lot of others where the subject tries to dazzle and impress you, but rather, Clapton the Autobiography is where he bares his soul and instead of trying to impress he is being real.

"I  found a pattern in my behavior that had been repeating itself for years, decades even. Bad choices were my specialty, and if something honest and decent came along, I would shun it or run the other way.”

One of the best books I´ve ever read. I know I say that alot...but Eric´s book is one of those I just LOVE! I have to admit that I´m not that interested in music and we got the book because Shawn wanted to read it who is a big Clapton fan and really into music in general. In lack of any other books to read I started this one and I was spellbound from page one.
Clapton is a genius, a perfectionist and the real deal.
I can identify myself with some parts of the book which was an eyeopener to say the least.
My dad always says to be aware of the thin line between genius and insanity. So very true...

Playing & Playing

Playing with figure 8s in canter on the 45´ rope and change of directions at the moment.
I still haven´t put my audition together yet, but now that it is done it´s suddenly not so important anymore - how interesting...
I visited a friend today who moved her horse to another turn out stable in Vallåkra which is pretty nice - from a horse´s view anyway. The horses have a huge adventure pasture - probably four times as big as the three turn-out pastures together in our stable and the barn where they can sleep in is bigger than the whole turn out stable at our place, which holds 20 horses right now, limit for the one in Vallåkra is  6 horses. Riding house is a 10min ride up the road and the area is supposed to be nice for trail rides. It´s way less than half the price we pay now.
I´m not planning to move but it´s always good to have a back up plan...especially because of some didscussions going on again about the feeding.
Oh well, let´s see what´s happening...

Mooses On The Move

Before we filmed my audition yesterday the guys saw three elks on the other side of the road, just up the little road that leads to the barn. I was in audition fever so I didn´t care. I wouldn´t have cared if it would have been a pink flying elephant.
Today it was pretty hot here and sunny. I was so tempted to run down to the beach but then decided to drive out to Milva instead. I took her grazing at liberty. I have started doing that this summer and the goal is not to touch the rope - unless I have to put it back up on her back. The game starts as soon as she steps out from the stable and ends when I ask her to go back in - still without touching the rope. We can walk around grazing and investigating for hours and she follows me like a dog - or I follow her. It´s super fun and it sure brought our relationship to a whole different level.
After grazing time we walked around the pastures and finished the day off with a little online playsession.

Level 4 Online Audition Taping - DONE!!

 

 

Those pictures are taken from Wednesday though (by Johan) but it pretty much looked the same. First we taped my longreining part and then circling game with flying lead changes on the 45´rope. I must have been watching almost all auditions that are out on Youtube. Lots of people filmed their audition in two parts and that´s why I decided to do the same. Now I only have to figure out how to put them together, send a prayer to the audtion goods, fill out the paperwork, find some decend background music (that´s the hard part) and then send it in... Cross your fingers for us please!

Slow Feeder Net

Today we put out our new slowfeeder net which we bought from www.caisasshop.se . It wasn´t very cheap but if it lasts, it sure it´s worth the money - and finally I can play with Milva again the days I´m working and don´t have to let her graze extra two hours a day.
The old farmer worked yesterday all day and today in the morning on the feeding place. He put sand under the stoneplates, evened everything out and put gravel around the stoneplates so it won´t get that muddy there and before that he had to move the plates from the small feeding stations we had before. We like to keep him busy ;).

Once In A Blue Moon...

 

Yesterday was the second fullmoon of August and therefor called "Blue Moon". It sure looked magical!
We did a testrun of our audition on wednesday without camera and everything was going smooth. I haven´t trailerloaded Milva since our last audition filming, which must have been online level 3 and that was the mainreason for a testrun - which was unnecessary. As soon as Milva laid eye on the trailer she walked right towards it and then on it. I didn´t even ask her to do it. Super smart pony!
On thursday we filmed the whole audition and everything was going super well again - except the camera shut itself of after 5 minutes and the film cannot be found anywhere. It did record it though - or so we thought, because the last minutes I have on film. Flying leadchanges and long rein driving was going super well. The only thing that didn´t go so smooth was sideways over the barrels from z5. I´m thinking of skipping that part the next time maybe.
I couldn´t convince Shawn for another filming session tonight so we will give it another try tomorrow... cross your fingers for us!

Things To Do - People To Visit - Places To Go

                                            Sofie riding Orkan

Babysitting Agnes while Patricia plays with Tinka

Canoeing

                                                   Fika time

It´s been three busy weeks. With suddenly becoming Summer in Sweden I felt  the urge to spend every free minute on the beach, reading, relaxing and playing in the water with Shawn and Johan. You just never know how long the Summer lasts up here. Swedish Summers are sweet but way to short. It´s like nothing compare to Austria or Canada.
Our lovely 1* instructore Sofie was down for a visit. Sofie rode Orkan and gave me some very helpful tips for my level 4 online audition - which I still haven´t filmed. I will do a test filming tomorrow though.
I helped Patricia a few times watching little Agnes while she played with Tinka, preparing for her level 2 online audition. Agnes is the cutest little stablebaby ever and it´s actually quite fun to look after her. Also watching and helping Patricia gives me a good opportunity to learn new things myself.
Today Anita, Patrica, Agnes and I met in the stable in the morning. After letting Milva graze we had "fika" then watched Patricia play, more grazing with Milva after that and then home for supper. Late in the evening I went back to the barn and did a short session of  long reining.

Ban Rollkur - Please Sign

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

- Margaret Mead, US anthropologist & popularizer of anthropology (1901-1978)

https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/olympic-committee-london-olympic-games-2012-investigate-and-disqulaify-riders-patrik-kittel-and-adelinde-cornellissen?utm_campaign=share_button_modal&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=25507847

Flying Leadchange, Talent & Skill

In one of the last audios Pat is talking about leadchanges and talent. A horse that´s doing flying leadchanges by itself in the pasture has a natural talent for it and it takes alot of skill to teach a horse to do flying leadchanges.
Lucky me, I´m blessed with a horse who has a gift for flying leadchange. Milva has not once picked the wrong lead when I asked her to canter and if I manage to not get us all tangled in in the rope but instead get a change of direction in canter she always, naturally does a flying leadchange.
I guess that´s what selective breeding is about. Even if she looks like a bohemian  western pony you can´t deny her bloodlines ;).

With David Lichmann 5* & Klinten Kultur at Hovdala Castle

a little competition between a little dog and a trick trained horse

                                                   David Lichmann 5 * instructor
                                             

Knights riding by

                                             the kids meeting the horses

Cornelia, Anna and I went up to Hovdala castle (around 80km one way) to assist authistic young people when they got introduced to horses for the first time by David Lichmann.
It was a beautiful surrounding and the castle is very nice.
This event was the first step to a bigger circus project in 2015 with horses and authistic young people.
I met an amazing woman up there who studied to become a Shaman and she kindly offerend Cornelia, Anna and me a free treatment. I had problems with my kidneys for some time again and also pain in my lower back and now after the treatment all the pain is gone!
It´s an unbelievable miracle!
Actually I think that was the reason why I was supposed to go there - to meet this special person!