Sitting On Milva

Kept our playsession short today. For the warm up I did some stick to me at walk with change of direction and stopping. After that I sat on her for a very short time. Even though it was short I´m very satisfied with it. Milva was relaxed all the time and no sign of worries whatsoever.
Oh and I bridled her again while sitting down. She is actually trying to help and putting her head in the natural hackamore by herself :)
Off to work now...

Circling, Circling

Was at the stable twice today. Fixed the stable in the morning and cleaned up the stones in front of the water bathtub - Milva likes to stand there so it better be clean.
When I went there in the afternoon it was stormy again. I didn´t had too much time and decided to improve our circling game. I asked for three cirles in both direction. It´s hard for a lbi to maintain gate and direction. When she is getting bored she is just changing direction on me and after doing that she sometimes starts to trott - too funny. Especially her face expression. I sware she is stucking her tongue out when doing that. You gotta love those lbi :)))
I also asked for some sideways - as it says in the horsenality report, sideways is not a real problem for a lbi. And it never was.
After our little play I let her eat for a little while.
I managed to watch the online and liberty pattern dvds today and got some new inspiration and information.
Pat said in the liberty dvd to wait with liberty until you have reached level 3 online. Good to know!

Relaxed Milvs

Milva was super lb today. Totally relaxed and in a learning mood.
First I walked in z3 directing her with the reins and started with the spanish walk. She is learning so quick I have to watch out not to bore her.
I also laid on her back twice today. Same there - very chilled. Head down, blinking and didn´t care much. That´s my girl :)

Gribaldi - Breed Or Not To Breed

Springtime - Breedingtime
Once again I can´t make up my mind if should put Milva in foal this year or wait another year. I have decided on her future husband though a long time ago. It´s going to be Gribaldi. He is also a pure breed Trakehner and the bloodlines would match each other perfectly. Gribaldi is competed by Edward Gal and started at the Olympics twice.
Milva is turning 5 next year so she would be 6 when she is getting her baby. The twist with Trakehner though is that they are like Icelandic ponys - very late in their development. So maybe it would be smarter to wait another year...uargh, can´t make up my mind!

Undemanding Sunday

Went to the stable early in the morning to feed breakfast to the horses. Cleaned out the stable and filled up the water and went home again.
I drove back out there late this afternoon and hung out with Milva while she was eating some hay. Lots of scratches and a good brush.
Going there early in the morning tomorrow to play with her :)

Surprise Package From Austria

I got a really nice surprise package from a dear friend in Austria yesterday! Caroline send me an audiobook of Temple Gradin - Animals in Translation and the book Psycho Cybernatics :)))
I love surprises!
Thank you so very much Caro!!!

March Education Package

Mastery Lessons February:
Lesson 1: The Game Of The Game
Lesson 2: Relaxation Threw Partial Disengagement

Mastery Lessons March:
Lesson 1: The Game Of Contact
Lesson 2: Making A Game Of Circles

Audio: "Optimization"
Pat explains the concept of optimization - the thought process he uses to develop a horse to his maximum potential.

DVD: "Change Of Direction"
Learn how change of direction can help you to be creative, build curiosity and confidence in your horse, add variety to following the trail and prepare you for maneuvers like flying lead changes.

Rain Rain Go Away

Undemanding time with Milva while she was eating her morning hay. Gave her a long brush and scratches and went home again. Another day tomorrow - hopefully without rain.

Much More Relaxed

Played for 30min today. I was really greatful for the ridinghouse today. It was pouring rain outside.
For our warm up I walked in z3 and stirred her with the rein. It was going very well. She listened with a concentrated face, stopped when I asked her and walked when I asked her.
She was also relaxed when I put my foot in the stirrup and put weight in it. She still blinked, had her head down and wasn´t concerned at all. That´s my girl.
Tomorrow it´s going to be undemanding time or a walk. Saturday morning it´s always dressage training so no use going into the ridinghouse. The big paddock outside is still too wet and Milva doesn´t like being there cause the sand is so deep. The dressagering is not done yet - but should be done any day now. Going to be fun to use that one!

Lots Of Chewing

We played at liberty again. It truly is amazing and fascinating! I mean Milva can leave any time but she chooses to be with me and is asking questions all the time. Pure awesomeness!
We did backing up from z5 again - I can get as many steps as I want to! Weave patterns and figure 8´s.
Before going into the ridinghouse I bridled her while sitting on my little red chair.
Well and we also worked on getting on her again - without showing any resistance. I was standing on the red chair and moved her closer to me so I was in z3. When she tried to move away I brough her very softly back. And it really didn´t take much to bring her back. When in the right position I gave her lots of scratches. It took her along time to relax. In the beginning she didn´t even blink. After a while she started to blink though but it took a very long time until she dropped her head and even longer until she started to chew - and well started she chewed alot!
How intressting!! There must be alot of things going on in her head.
While doing all this I had my foot in the stirrup but didn´t get on her. I did had a little bit of weight in it though and was half way laying over the saddle.
I didn´t do more with her today. Thought it is a good thing to leave it like that.
I will see how it goes tomorrow.

Madeleine - Milva´s mum

The Day We Met Milva

I just looked threw some pictures and found those here. They were taken on the day we first met Milva. I got a tip from on of our vikarier at work that she knows someone who is breeding Trakehner and who has a lovely 3 year old mare for sale. That was 2 years ago now - some time in march - february.
Of course we bought her. I had already decided that I want her before we even had met :)

Liberty And Pedestal

I played for an hour with Milva today.
As Linda recommends I keep the liberty sessions short and intressting. We did some stick to me in walk and trott. Backing up from z5 - which still amazes me. Weave patterns and figure 8´s!!
The first try of figure 8´s didn´t go to well. Milva got really frustrated cause my signals weren´t clear. She stopped in the middle of the two cones and stomped with her frontfoot in the floor with her ears back. I told her - I get it, I get it.
It´s a good thing she is letting me know when I´m not clear with my bodylanguage.
So we did some more stick to me and when we returned to the figure 8´s I slowed down and was very clear with my bodylanguage and voila - it worked!
Our first figure 8 at liberty!!!!!!
After liberty I did some mounting preperation. I was standing on my little red chair in z3 and gave her alots of scratches. In the beginning she still wanted to go away from me but I backed her up, brought her to me sidewards, moved her legs one step by step. Whatever it took to get her close to me again and as soon as she was in the right place I gave her lots of scratches and told her what a good girl she was.
It took a little while for her to relax but after a while she dropped her head and enjoyed it. I really wonder where that threshold came from?? It was never a problem to mount her. She was always standing still.
Well, maybe I do know where it comes from. When Anna helped me with her she made her walk pretty fast - fast for a lbi. Probably she got pushed over her thresholds alots of times in that period and now the result is her not standing still anymore cause she is worried about getting pushed over again.
Hmmmm....how intressting...
Oh well, I will take the times it takes so it will take less time :)
By the end I could put my foot in the stirrup and she stood still. I didn´t go any farther though and quit our session there.
After our ridinghouse time we went for a short little while in the stable. Still not much difference there. But we will get there eventually.
Last but not least - Milva stood on the stone pedastal with her four feet today!!!!
Awesomeness!!! As I predicted it was pretty easy to get her on it. And according to her face she loved it to stand up there! Going down was a bit more difficult though. Because she had never done it before she almost stumbled with her right back leg. I guess she underestimated the height of the stone.
It didn´t stop her of wanting it to do it again though.
I just love my little pony!!

Liberty Play

Yesterday I came to the stable first at lunchtime and had to leave again after one hour. Milva wasn´t at all happy with that and called after me when I left. Which of course made me turn around, giving her more apples and scratches. She truly has me well trained.
After I came home from the course in Denmark I took a powernap for half an hour. It really helped!
Milva pretended to starve when I came to the stable. I took her out and gave her some hay to eat outside while I cleaned up the turnout stable. 4 horses sure make a lots of mess.
Milva is loosing her wintercoat now but somehow she doesn´t like to be brushed right now. It makes me wonder what´s wrong with her. My guess is that she wants to be left alone while eating. Hmmmmm....
We took a little walk up the driveway and did some touch it around the farm. She did get a bit right brain when we walked on the drive way. Not much but there are still some thresholds we have to take care off.
To get her leftbrain again I went with her into the ridinghouse and did some liberty. It was awesome!
Bringing her towards me in trott, sticking to me in walk and trott, backing from z5 - at liberty! and sidewards at liberty. Pretty smart girl my little pony.
We had supper at a friends place in Landskrona tonight - homemade indian food by indians . Delicious!
Off to bed now. Early morning again tomorrow and course until 3.00pm. But after that I´m 2 days off :)

Sleeping Morning

I just got a textmessage from Anita. She is going to feed the horses in the morning! Yeah! Sleeping morning for me! And maybe a nice sunday breakfast with banana pancakes :). I love sunday mornings when I can spend them at home!
I will go to Milva early anyway and take her out for a walk and play some more touch it. I think there are going to be more dressage trainings in the ridinghouse so I can´t go in there anyway.
I read the whole Horsenality Report before I went to work. I really really love it! It wasn´t any new information but the way how it was presented I loved. I will write more about it in one of the following posts.
45min left at work....

Saturday Morning Walk

The weather was not too bad this morning. The sun made it´s way threw the clouds and it was windstill. Milva and I went for a 30min walk around the farm and played touch it. She just loves that game!
There is an old couch in the parkinglot area for the horsetrailers right now. Malin put it there some day this week and Milva hasn´t seen it before. It was a good oppurtunity to see what she would do. First she blew out a bit of air and looked a little bit sceptical but it didn´t took her long to investigate and smell it.
We also played a short time with the rockpedestal. She put 3 feet on it today and it would have been easy to ask her for the 4th one as well but I rather quit it and try it again tomorrow.
Off to work now. I´m having a late shift today and have to stay at work until 23.15. I just hope the night nurses are coming in time so I can catch my ferry home!

So Much To Do So Little Time

"Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted" - John Lennon
I can wholehearted say that yesterday was a completly wasted day! I will never ever go to a meeting again that starts before 12.00! Unless I get paid for the hours between.
Anyway, I went to the stable early in the morning and gave the horses their breakfast. Cuddled Milva for a little bit and had to leave again.
Today I was still tired after a 13hours day at work yesterday.
We still played for 40min though. Longreining with transitions trott - walk - stop - backing up. Circling game and figure 8´s with a small distance between the cones.
If the weather is ok on the weekend I will take her out for walks instead of going into the ridinghouse. It will be busy with dressagelessons anyway.
Monday and Tuesday I´m on a workrelated course and can first go to the stable in the evening.
I need more time to study and play with Milva *sigh*

Busy Week Once Again

I have to work 5 days in a row now and attend a work related course on monday and tuesday. I already feel stressed about it and just wish march would be over.
Milva and I played for 30min. As they recommend in the Horsenality Report I didn´t lead her to the indoor arena and drove her their instead from z3. I really did change the look on her face. Ears forwards :)
We played with some squeeze game over a cavaletti in walk and trott. Before I stopped she actually asked a question - ears forwards and listening to me. She trotted over the cavaletti once - don´t wanna overdo it with my lbi ;).
We also did some falling leaf patterns in trott and walk, circling game in walk and trott. Or well, she trotted one lap without breaking gate so I brought her in and finsished our session.
We also visited the stable for a few minutes. The white in her eyes is still coming out and she is getting her worried face. Well if she hasn´t changed her attitude about the stable until the ferrier is coming the next time I will strongly suggest to her to trim her outside. Milva´s dignity has to come first!!!!

No Permission Yet

Played 50min today. Longreining, circling and putting my foot in the stirrup. Didn´t get any farther cause I had to take care of her threshhold. Taking care of the little problems will pay off big times later.
I don´t know where this threshold is coming from - or well, I do, it´s her lbi behaviour. I take it with humour though. After alots of approach and retreat with my foot in the stirrup she quit her evil thoughts and when she did I stopped. Silly girl.
I have to leave ealier to work tomorrow cause Jessica has a meeting and I hava a meeting early thursday morning. Tomorrow I still will have time to play some but thursday I won´t. Stupid!

Milva´s Horsenality Type - out of the horsenality report

Milva´s big red dot shows that she is an extreme left brain introvert.

About Milva

Milva´s result reveal that in general, she is a Left Brain Introvert. Welcome to the land of ´Why should I and what´s in it for me?´ Left Brain Introverts like Milva read people like a book; she knows what you want and she´s not going to give it to you unless you treat her right. Even though she appears lazy, she´s not at all lazy in her mind! Reverse psychology is where it´s at...you´ll learn a lot about this later on.
Note where Milva´s big red dot fall on the chart. The further out from the center that her score plots (se above), the higher her spirit level is. With high spirit level, all of what I tell you about Left Brain Introverts will be aplified. With low spirit, the less challenging these traits will be.
Knowing that Milva is a Left Brain Introvert should help you understand that, by nature, she is a thinker. She´s not given to sustained movement and energy. She may also tend to be quiete argumentative at times, preferring to call the shots(or just eat grass!). Milva´s best suit is out on the trail, that´s where she´s happiest and naturally motivated because she´s going somewhere. It´s when you get ot the arena or round corral that she´ll test your savvy because you have to give her a reason for putting in more effort. The key is to learn how to bring out her play drive and have her want to offer you more.

Summerpictures From July 2009

Slow And Right Beats Fast And Wrong

30min of longreining again with walk - trott - stop - backing up transitions from z5, still with 1 rein.
Well and then there was this thing with sitting on Milva today. It was definitely not the right time today. I still tried it but stopped just in time. Just when I was about to get on her, Malin was coming in with one of the ponnies she wanted to longue and one of the twins was about to train one of her jumping horses. They were kindly enough to wait outside until I was done. Which was really really nice of them! But the jumpinghorse was jumping and bolting in front of the ridinghouse and of course Milva could hear that and got all upset. When I was hanging on her she started to back up. I asked her to stop and when she did I jumped off.
I didn´t really had her permission to get on either. Her head was up and she was listening to the noises from outside.
I have to start planing my time better. Maybe go to the stable very very early so I can play with Milva while the twins are still mucking their stables.
Going to read the Horsenality Report now :))

Fast Track Course And Planning Ahead

My innitial plan was to attend the fast track course in Ocala next winter/spring. After doing some more research I think it might be a better idea to wait until next summer/autumn instead.
Which will give me more time to study theory and get my horsemanship up to level 3.
I´m planning on taping my freestyle level 2 before the summer which will give me the blue string and will make me to an official level 3 student. After achieving level 2 I will try to get as far as possible with my level 3 before going to the fast track course.
I´m also trying to purchase the Parelli Dressage saddle this year. I still love my Bates Innova but my mind and heart are set on a Parelli saddle. I better don´t tell Shawn how much they are though... I´m going to check with the duty as well. It might be cheaper to send it to Ali in Texas and pick it up there or ask her to send it over to me.
Milva and I had a 30min playsession today. We just made it before the dressage training started again.
We did trotting on the longrein from zone 5 - when I write zone 5 I mean that I´m 2 - 3 meters behind Milva, with one rein. It was the first time and super fun! I just wish I would be in a better shape! Milva reacted immediately on my tongueclick when walking and started to trott. Pretty good for a lbi!
We also did some circling game and sideways in a circle.
While she was eating I had the green ball out again and she had to move it to get to her hay :)
Last evening at work!!! It´s going to be soooo nice to be off now for 2 days. As I mentioned before I shouldn´t complain about my workinghours cause I couldn´t have it any better and I do love my work. But it´s still going to be nice to be at home and relax and study!

Just Hanging Out

As always on saturday mornings the ridinghouse was once again occupied. Even though I went there at 9.00 a.m.
We played with the stone pedastal for a while. Milva just loves putting her front feed on it. I started with asking her to make a step forwards to put all four feed on the big stone. It´s not going to be any problem for her doing so. She almost offered it today but I rather take it slow.
I also did a lots of extrem friendly game with the carrotstick while she was eating. Slapping the ground and helicopter.
I have to do some more research how to teach the spanish walk as well. She nicely took up her legs when I touched her chestnut with the carrot. So that´s a start.
The horses have started to eat on the fence and on the wooden walls in the stable. I have collected alots of brenches over the last weeks and went again today. Usually they are all chewed up shortly after.
One more evening at work and then 2 days off :)).

Green Ball And Tractor

I played with the green ball around Milva today - while she was eating. My goal is to be able to put it on her back. She is not scared of it but I wouldn´t say that she is very comfortable with it either - not on her back anyway. She doesn´t mind though when I roll it around and she is trying to bite it as well.
We helped Sjune with the tractor today. I say we because Milva was trying to help as well. Sjune was doing the ridinghouse - even it out with this big machine behind the tractor and when he was done he needed help to put this big thing back up. I had Milva with me and while the tractor was running I helped him to lift that thing up from the ground and of course Milva was trying to help as well. She really is not scared of too many things.
We did some longreining in the ridinghouse and figure 8s.
Also visited the stable for a short while again. Her tension was a bit less compare to yesterday but still not gone.
Also managed to wash Sam today. I had no idea how dirty he was. Sam is my SUV.
Off to work now. 3 more days and then I´m off!

Another Cold Winterday

Even though I LOVE snow I think it´s enough now. We have march now and it´s still -10 during the nights. Milva started to fur now. Soon she is going to look like a horse again and not like a polar bear.
We went for a little walk around the stable area today and payed the inside of the stable a short visit. She was still getting tensed and worried. But if you see it from her point of the view I would be worried too!
The only time she is in the stable is when she is getting a shot from the vet or getting her hooves done. Both experience are not very pleasurefull.
I fed her with carrots again while she was standing in the aisle and left the stable before she was getting too tensed.
It´s hard too believe it´s the same horse that I can groundtie everywhere outside - I just drop the rope and there she stands, relaxed and not worried.
I try to change my attitude about the stable as well. Milva is truly my mirror and she can pick up all my emotions and feelings. Me not liking being inside the stable doesn´t help the whole situation *sigh*.

Psyllium Seeds

I´ve started to give Milva Psyllium Seeds today. In swedish it´s called loppfrö. Now when the snow is melting and the horses are starting to graze I´m concerned that Milvs could get a sandcolic. Feeding Psyllium seeds should prevent that.
Milva wasn´t too happy about it though and I had to handfeed her.
It´s a sunny day here today. I decided to play outside today and Milva just loved it. We played touch-it on a long line and she put her nose on all kind of things like a blue sledge, garbagecan, horsetrailers, stones, shouvels,...
We also went for a short time in to the stable. I put her in the same aisle as last time when the ferrier trimmed her hooves. As soon as getting there I could see how tensed and worried she got. Even the white in her eyes came out. I fed her some carrots and left again. Going into that stupid stable has to become a daily habbit now for us I guess. Milva has my fullest sympathy though. I hate being in there as well!

Horsenality Report Has Arrived!!

A nice fedex guy rang on our door this morning and delivered the package. The first 500 hundred gold and silvermembers got it for free. As a goldmember we also receive a personality and match report. Don´t know when that one is coming though.
The Report contents:
Part 1
The Parelli Horsenality Profile

Part 2
The Four Horsenality Types

Part3
Milva´s Horsenality Type

Part 4
Strategies for Success with Milva

Part 5
Do´s and Don´ts for Milva

Part 6
Powerful Communication Keys

Part 7
Constructive Exercises for Success and Advancement

Part 8
The Right Balance between Variety and Consistency

Part 9
Design your Session for Milva

Part 10
Situation Specific Behaviors

Part 11
Adjust to fit the Changing Situation

Part 12
Strengths, Positive Characterisitics and Aptitudes

Part 13
Resources and More

Sounds intressting, ey? Can´t wait to study it!
Milvs and I had a 30min longreining session in the ridinghouse today with transitions in walk, trott and stopping. Rest of the day I did housework, cooked a delicious Chile for Shawn and did the laundry. March is going to be a busy month at work. But I will make time for my studies and of course for the Milvs!

Horsenality Raport

Can´t wait for tomorrow when I finally get my horsenality raport!!
It´s going to be so intressting to see what they write about Milva.
Off topic - Shawn just played with Charly, our 10 month old kitten and he started to breath like a dog that is sweating. I read on a catforum that cats can´t sweat either and that they do breath like that when the sweat OR it could be water in the lungs or a heartfailure. *me hate* I guess I better call the vet to get him checked. We got him castrated last fall and they did check his heart and other stuff at that point and there was nothing. Poor little baby boy. Well, being an indoor cat he is not used to play so hard either. I´m still going to get him checked though.

Another Blizzard

Another Blizzard striked the south of Sweden. Milva and I spend 2 hours of undemanding time together. I protected our herd of two and gave her a lots of scratches.
My horsenality rapport arrived today. Unfortunately I missed the fedex guy, hopefully I will get it tomorrow instead!
Going to watch the mastery lesson one more time now :)