Orkan´s New Home

Orkan moved to a new stable yesterday and became a stable horse again. I visited Anita and him yesterday afternoon. Anita took this picture of Orkan´s new herd - the gray one is a 2,5 year old stallion, the dark one in the middle is a trotting horse and the one to the right is a nordswedish coldblood. It´s a boy´s herd only.
The stable is only 2,5km away from our stable so it should be possible to ride there later on.
It felt strange to came to the stable today and Orkan wasn´t there. I do think it´s gonna be more quiet in our herd now though...

Filmed Patricia´s & Tinka´s Freestyle level 2 Audition

 

Taped Patricia´s freestyle audition yesterday evening. Both did a good job and presented a lovely relationship.
Milva and I continue our freestyle riding...pictures will follow...

Merry Christmas!

Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen. ~Author unknown

Susan Cain: The power of introverts

The Power of Introverts - Ep 1

Freestyle

Riding is going very well with the natural hackamore and without - only using a savvy string around her neck. I´m not using the saddle right now mostly because I still think it´s a pain in the ass to saddle with. It´s so big, heavy, bulky and it takes forever to get the theraflex pad right.
Don´t get me wrong, I still love the Natural Performer - who wouldn´t. It´s just I´m a spoiled dressage girl who is not used to such big saddles.
Riding with the bareback pad is super fun though and I love to feel Milva so close underneath me so I will continue with it for a while and see how it goes.

Cancer - Step Outside the Box written by Ty Bollinger

No, I don´t have cancer but I also plan on not to  die of it.
A very good summory of truths about cancer treatments and preventions with alot of good references to researches to compliment this essential information.
A book that belongs in every household.
As a compliment to this book I recommend to also read "The 80/10/10" book written by Dr. Douglas Graham.
It kind of goes hand in hand with the cancer book.
The same information is backed up or reflected at www.nutritionfacts.org by Dr. Michael Gregor who reviews medical journeys, studies, reports. Giving you the most up to date and accurate information about nutrition.
Everything he presents is referenced so that you can review the actual study and by which organisation it was contucted.

First Bareback Ride

Two first´s today. In the morning, riding with carrot stick and in the afternoon riding bareback - or well, on the bareback pad. Milva is super soft without a saddle! She has a tremendous wide back and is smooth as a Cadillac. I think she likes it better without a saddle as well. Getting on her was no problem. I climped up on that little wall in the ridinghouse where you can sit and put my leg over her. She actually sidepassed on step over and stayed put until I asked her to walk on. Awesome pony as always!

Wordless Tuesday

Quiet - The Power of Introverts in a World That Can´t Stop Talking written by Susan Cain

In her new book “Quiet – The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking“, Susan Cain, a distinguished author, talks about introversion and extroversion and why they are both unique in themselves. In this book you will discover that society has made people think that there is something extremely wrong with being an introvert. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth according to Ms. Cain. In the information that follows, we will take a closer look at this new book and try to provide some insight that will help the reader understand why being an introvert is also part of the overall human makeup.




To begin with, you will get a whole lot more out of this book if you understand the basic meaning behind being an introvert versus being an extrovert. After all, the main purpose behind the book, “Quiet” is to provide you with a deeper understanding of what it’s like to live as an introvert in an overly celebrated extroversion society.



Being an Extrovert: Qualities



•Obtaining and being concerned with gratification that comes outside of one’s self

•Comfortable in large groups

•Always involved or engaged in public or community activities

•Gregarious

•Assertive

•Talkative

•Extremely enthusiastic

Being an Extrovert: Work Environment



•Sales

•Managing large groups

•Teaching

•Political aspirations

Being an Introvert: Qualities



•Predominately interested and concerned with one’s own mind

•More energy during self reflection

•Much more reserved

•Less talkative

•Much more independent

•Much more solitary

Being an Introvert: Work Environment



•Inventor

•Writer

•Computer programmer

•Sculptor

•Painter

Although the information listed above will show only some differences between introversion and extroversion, the idea is to give you an understanding of what it means to be either one, and how this book talks about being an introvert living in a society that promotes extroversion.



This book touches on a variety of different issues which begins with the ideal of being an extrovert. This is something that has been instilled in almost every one since their first day of school. Because of this cultural ideal, school systems combine 20 to 30 students in a single classroom based on the ideology that everyone is an extrovert, therefore everyone learns the same way. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.



Ms. Cain goes on to talk about charisma and leadership and how collaboration can sometimes be the main killer behind creativity. This is talked about in great length because there are introverts who are forced to collaborate with others and move away what comes natural to them and that is their creativity that comes from living and being within themselves. She also talks about how the extrovert ideal creates individuals that are not all that individual. Most people, over time begin to mirror each other which ultimately will limit the production of individuality.



In this book, Ms. Cain also talks about the historical roots of the extrovert ideal, the pitfalls, defining both introversion and extroversion, distinguishing what introversion is, and differentiating the core of both identities. She also talks about those that have both personality traits whereas sometimes a person may act as though they are an introvert, and at other times act as though they are extroverts.



Towards the end of the book, Ms. Cain also talks about the psychology of temperament, what it’s like to be an introvert in the workplace, child and education development, finding a balance in a person’s life in terms of trying to dominate one ideal or another, and what the future holds for the extroversion idealism and what it will be like to be an introvert in the future.



Quite frankly, this is one book that will have you riveted to the pages simply because of the information provided on both aspects of a person’s personality. “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” is a book that will help you understand that you have been created the way you are for a purpose. And as an introvert, you may feel that extroverts have it good right now; however, it’s important for you to know that you have a place – because when all of the noise dies down, people tend to look towards the thinker because for the most part an introvert really does have superior characteristics.

Productive Morning

Good thing I was productive in the morning cause now I feel like not doing anything for a long time - which just came in time now that I start my five days tomorrow.
Farrier was here first thing in the morning. It´s so convenient in our stable cause two farriers come every two weeks on a Thursday so I never need to make an appointment.
Milva was like a trooper again. She didn´t move one millimeter and volunteered every hoof.
After that a 20min walk around the pastures and then a liberty session in the ridinghouse playing with close range circles again and bigger ones and change of direction and a million transitions.

Brrrrr....

-12 this morning.
Playing with figure 8s and change of direction in w/t/c in the roundpen.
Squeeze game over barrles, sideways over the barrels.
Lay down with extrem friendly game.
Circling game with close range circles and bigger circles in w/t/c.

Wintermorning

-10 this morning and sunny. Took Milva for a hike around the pastures which was more adventerous than I had planned to. She pretended to be an arabian again and was pretty exuberant - that happened after I took those pictures but I think she already started to plan her mischief in that last picture ;).
It was super fun though and it never got out of hand and it was a really good workout for both of us. I only wishes I would have had snowshoes because of all the snowdrifts. On some parts we both sank down in the snow up to our knees.

Round Pen Work

Bright and early at the barn again. It took me 30min to get there though because of all the snowdrifts on the road.
Much improvement since yesterday´s session. It sure pays off to quit and I mean really quit when  teaching  Milva a new thing and she starts getting it and putting effort in it. Today she gave me some nice change of directions in walk and trot and smooth transitions. We finished our session off with circles in an open area - close range and bigger ones in w/t/c and change of direction and extreme friendly game while she laid down in z5 and walking around her slapping the ground.

Snö

-12 and snowstorm this morning, hurray for a ridinghouse!
I arrived at 7.30 a.m at the barn so I could build a round corral in the ridinghouse before everyone else showed up.
Milva was a bit flighty because of the storm outside and all the noises. It took a little while for her to connect to me. Round corral work needs some more sessions before I can tape. Typical me thinking everything is so easy. After a few discussions with Milva she did some nice change of directions though. She just needs to express her opinion about certain things before putting some effort in.
Later on I watched Patricia preparing for her freestyle level 2 audition and gave her some tips. We are probably gonna tape it next week - yeah - at least one of us gets some taping done.

Happy Birthday To ME!

Yesterday was my Birthday. I was early in the stable and played with Milva a little bit in the ridinghouse than had banana, chocolate chip pancakes. Later Shawn, Johan and I went to the Christmas market in Fredriksdal, here in Helsingborg. I love christmas markets but honestly those in Austria and Germany are better and more cosier than those here in Sweden.
In the evening we had mexican food and than watched a movie.
Johan took some nice pictures yesterday, I will upload them later on.

Thinking Fast and Slow written by Daniel Kahneman (winner of the Nobel prize in economics)

To Think, or Not to Think. That is the question.

Kahneman's close examination of how people think and rely on their guts and/or forebrain to do their thinking for them. He shows fascinating examples of experiments on how people makes judgements, assess risks, bargain, negotiate; how logic get short-circuited by emotion and biases that we are sometimes not even aware of.

While the book describes many experiments and even gives the reader/listener a chance to vicariously experience what his subjects went through, it also has some practical value: 1. He briefly describes some countermeasures for eliminating "thinking errors" like jumping to conclusions or relying on an "availability heuristic" to determine the probability of an event; 2. And briefly describes some of the socio-political implications of this research can be used and abused.

I recommend this good read as a kind of primer for those wary of being influenced by corporate and government propaganda anywhere in the world. 
Overall it´s a good read but it took me some time to get through it. It´s not exactly a book you can read on the ferry from and to work. You actually have to sit down and study it and think about it. I´m a very fast reader and had to force myself to slow down a number of times to actually understand and absorb the context.

I´m gonna read it again in a few months even though it did not make it in my top 10 list.

Connery

Der Trakehner Hengst des Jahres "Connery" v. Buddenbrock - Karo As

Connery ist der Hengst des Jahres

Connery ist der Trakehner Hengst des Jahres 2012! Ausserordentlich erfolgreich ist seine Nachzucht. Jetzt wurde CONNERY während des Gala-Abend in Neumünster aufgrund seiner Leistungsvererbung mit der grössten Auszeichnung, die an einen Vererber vergeben wird, augezeichnet. Der 14-jährige braune Sohne des Buddenbrock brillierte unter Dorothea Paar in der ausverkauften Holstenhalle. CONNERY ist nach seinem Vater BUDDENBROCK (2010) und CONSUL (1997) der dritte Höremer Hengst, der den Titel "Hengst des Jahres" trägt.



www.st-georg.de/news/detail.php



www.eurodressage.com/equestrian/2012/09/22/connery-trakehner-stallion-year-2012

www.reiterrevue.de/news/aktuelle-meldungen/Er-ist-Connery-007-und-Trakehner-des-Jahres-2012-947788.html

The Trakehner society has decided to proclaim Connery Trakehner Stallion of the Year 2012. The bay stallion will be honoured during the 2012 Trakehner Stallion Licensing in Neumunster on 20 October 2012.



The 14-year old Connery was already proclaimed elite sire and can now add Stallion of the Year to his list of achievements.



Bred by Manuela and Gisela Harder in Hamburg, Connery was named by the late Katrin Poll of Gestut Hörem who had bought the young stallion as a foal. He is by Buddenbrock out of Caro Dame II (by Karo As).



Licensed in 2000, Connery did his 30-day performance test and qualified for the Bundeschampionate. As a youngster he was ridden by Katrin Poll and Anna Sophie Fiebelkorn.



His most famous offspring is the Bundeschampion and reserve world champion Imperio, now ridden and partly owner by Hubertus Schmidt, as well as world eventing young horse champion Charlie Weld.

On the Cover of the Trakehner Magazine - Connery & Carlsberg

Milva´s dad became Trakehner  stallion of the year 2012. Next to him with the white face is Carlsberg his grandson.
http://www.hoerem.de/
I always knew that Milva´s bloodlines are something of the extraordinary and Trakehner people often get ecstatic when I tell them whom Milva is after. Neverless I´m surprised every time I see them perform or read an article about them.
Milva is Milva. I would love her as much if she would be a crossing between a dragon and a walruss (which she might as well be).
Maybe I should dust her off this week and film a little liberty session and send it to Hörem.
I kind of feel I have Connery´s bohemian daughter, the rebell, the hippie that went to Walddorfschool instead of College, but maybe they would find it interesting - or amusing, funny,  to see "the other" side of the traditional training. Hm...what you think?

Sunday Morning

Early morning in the stable again, it was -5 outside.  I was there at 7.30 and woke up Milva and Tinka who both slept together inside. Orkan and Paulina were outside eating.
30min liberty: close range circles in walk and trot both leads, change of direction, bigger cantering circles, both leads. Sideways towards me and away in trot. Stick to me in walk and trot all over the arena with change of direction and lots of transitions - trot - stop - back up - trot.

Snow in Skåne

It started to snow here a little bit last night. As much as I love snow, it is not so much fun when you are on a scooty, riding home in the middle of the night from work and trying to not miss the ferry because if I would I would need to wait another 30min for the next one and probably freeze my a** off.
30min liberty this morning. Playing with cavaletti that someone must have forgotten to take away last night. Playing squeeze game over it in w/t/c, stopping halfway over it - which works sometimes and sometimes it doesn´t, lots of sideways away and towards me with the cavaletti under her belly. I don´t think Milva really knows that cavalettis are actually for jumping or going over it, as soon as she sees a pole on the ground she goes halfway over it and then sideways. Definitely not a jumping horse in the making ;).

10 Lessons from Einstein

1. Follow Your Curiosity
“I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.”

...

2. Perseverance is Priceless
“It’s not that I’m so smart; it’s just that I stay with problems longer.”

3. Focus on the Present
“Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.”

4. The Imagination is Powerful
“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions. Imagination is more important than knowledge.”

5. Make Mistakes
“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”

6. Live in the Moment
“I never think of the future – it comes soon enough.”

7. Create Value
“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.”

8. Don’t be repetitive
“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

9. Knowledge Comes From Experience
“Information is not knowledge. The only source of knowledge is experience.”

10. Learn the Rules and Then Play Better
“You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.”

Milva & Dupont

                                                                 Milva & Dupont

Liberty session in the morning. Just repeating what we have playing with the last couple of times, focusing more on stick to me at canter with lots of transitions. Played 40min.
Back in the afternoon, taking her around the pasture for a warm up (25min) and then rode her for 10min - passenger lesson and lots of transitions walk - stop.

Early Morning

I was at the stable at 7 a.m this morning to play with a very sleepy Milva - 40min at liberty.
Stick to me with lots of transitions and change of directions all over the riding house. She is just the cutest when we canter together. Naturally I´m not cantering that fast and Milva never leaves my side meaning she is cantering really slow too which is harder for a horse and takes more strength and balance.
We also tried some transitions within the trot today - trotting fast and slowing down and stop - trot transitions.
Finished again with circling game in canter.

Smartest Pony Ever!

I came an hour later to the stable this morning and Milva was inside waiting for me. As soon as she laid eye on me she gave me this really loud whinny and then she stretched like a cat. She totally reminded me of Charly our youngest cat. They even  have the same face expression.
I could squeeze in a 30min liberty session. We played again with stick to me in walk and trot, doing lots of trainsitions and backing up and change of direction, just playing all over the ridinghouse.
I planned to finish with the circling game. We started off with close range circles and when I backed her out for bigger circles she waited for me and when I sent her she offered to canter. The coolest thing with a lbi!!
I didn´t breath for two whole laps and then asked her in and quit today´s playsession.
Smartest pony ever!

Kattjouren

http://kattjouren.nu/

A topic very close to my heart are homeless cats.
Kattjouren is a non-profit organisation here in Skåne, which helps homeless cats to find a forever home.
The stories on their homepage are heartbreaking and wanna make me adopt every single one of them.
 Living with two cats already I had to realize that it´s not possible right now to adopt another one - or so I try to convince myself every day anyway.
I still have the urge to do something to help them, besides donating money or catfood you also can sign up to be a driver and helping Kattjouren to drive cats to the vet or their new home. That´s what I did so let´s see when they contact me for the first time.
Actions speak louder than words people!

Liberty Level 4

Yesterday afternoon I must have been watching almost all level 4 liberty auditions that are out there on youtube.
The more I watched the more I thought it looks like a piece of cake - but that´s me being me, but seriously how hard can it be.
I went very  early to the stable this morning, thinking there would be some jumping training at 10.00 but had to find out it is in the afternoons from now on. Which is great that will give me more time to play saturday mornings.
We played with stick to me in w/t/c all over the arena, lots of change of directions - FLYING LEAD CHANGES, close range circles in walk and trot - loosing connections on the left lead easily though. Well, she is still circling but the circles get bigger and bigger, right lead she stays very close and connected. How interesting.
Sideways towards me in trot - which happened out of coincidence, neverless very cool though.
I watched more mastery manuals about liberty this afternoon and planned on going back out to the barn this evening but somehow got stuck in the sofa and will remain there for the rest of the evening instead.

Calm, Connected, Responsive

 

 

Friday evening together with Patricia on Tinka.
Short warm up to check if Milva was calm, connected and responsive which she was and then we rode for 10min.
This was the first time together with another horse in the ridinghouse. Tinka had a very good influence on Milva. Milva  blew out a lot of air very quickly, she never came up with her head and her ears were turned forward all the time and she looked very calm at all time.
In the beginning I lost my connection with her a little bit which  entirely was  my fault because I didn´t concentrade on Milva either but talked to Patricia instead.
As soon as I gave her my full attention again she immediately was there for me asking questions and responsing.
Milva totally rocks! Couldn´t wish for a better partner!

10 Myths About Introverts

Myth #1 – Introverts don’t like to talk.
This is not true. Introverts just don’t talk unless they have something to say. They hate small talk. Get an introvert talking about something they are interested in, and they won’t shut up for days.
Myth #2 – Introverts are shy.
Shyness has nothing to do with being an Introvert. Introverts are not necessarily afraid of people. What they need is a reason to interact. They don’t interact for the sake of interacting. If you want to talk to an Introvert, just start talking. Don’t worry about being polite.
Myth #3 – Introverts are rude.
Introverts often don’t see a reason for beating around the bush with social pleasantries. They want everyone to just be real and honest. Unfortunately, this is not acceptable in most settings, so Introverts can feel a lot of pressure to fit in, which they find exhausting.
Myth #4 – Introverts don’t like people.
On the contrary, Introverts intensely value the few friends they have. They can count their close friends on one hand. If you are lucky enough for an introvert to consider you a friend, you probably have a loyal ally for life. Once you have earned their respect as being a person of substance, you’re in.
Myth #5 – Introverts don’t like to go out in public.
Nonsense. Introverts just don’t like to go out in public FOR AS LONG. They also like to avoid the complications that are involved in public activities. They take in data and experiences very quickly, and as a result, don’t need to be there for long to “get it.” They’re ready to go home, recharge, and process it all. In fact, recharging is absolutely crucial for Introverts.
Myth #6 – Introverts always want to be alone.
Introverts are perfectly comfortable with their own thoughts. They think a lot. They daydream. They like to have problems to work on, puzzles to solve. But they can also get incredibly lonely if they don’t have anyone to share their discoveries with. They crave an authentic and sincere connection with ONE PERSON at a time.
Myth #7 – Introverts are weird.
Introverts are often individualists. They don’t follow the crowd. They’d prefer to be valued for their novel ways of living. They think for themselves and because of that, they often challenge the norm. They don’t make most decisions based on what is popular or trendy.
Myth #8 – Introverts are aloof nerds.
Introverts are people who primarily look inward, paying close attention to their thoughts and emotions. It’s not that they are incapable of paying attention to what is going on around them, it’s just that their inner world is much more stimulating and rewarding to them.
Myth #9 – Introverts don’t know how to relax and have fun.
Introverts typically relax at home or in nature, not in busy public places. Introverts are not thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. If there is too much talking and noise going on, they shut down. Their brains are too sensitive to the neurotransmitter called Dopamine. Introverts and Extroverts have different dominant neuro-pathways. Just look it up.
Myth #10 – Introverts can fix themselves and become Extroverts.
A world without Introverts would be a world with few scientists, musicians, artists, poets, filmmakers, doctors, mathematicians, writers, and philosophers. That being said, there are still plenty of techniques an Extrovert can learn in order to interact with Introverts. (Yes, I reversed these two terms on purpose to show you how biased our society is.) Introverts cannot “fix themselves” and deserve respect for their natural temperament and contributions to the human race. In fact, one study (Silverman, 1986) showed that the percentage of Introverts increases with IQ.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my US friends!

Played with Milva 30min at liberty. Driving from z5 with lots of turns and transitions using the whole arena. Extreme friendly game while she layed down. Sideways towards and away, beginning of sideways towards me in trot. Stick to me in walk and trot with back ups and different speeds in trot - using point to point which really encouraged her to put some effort in.
The stable is desinfected now and it looks like that the horses are better. I think Milva and Orkan never got scabies but Tinka and Paulina were deffinetely affected. So lets hope we got rid of all of them!