Please forgive me for the lack of organization in this post. The past few days have been full of insight, heightened emotions, laughs, and a few tears which showed up today (surprised it hasn't happened earlier!).
One of the biggest things for me so far has been realizing that I wasn't taking the time it really takes to ask for true permission in order to enter Kucha's space and not only halter him, but halter him like a horseman. I have had to get pretty provocative in order to get him to look at me while I am outside of his pen and come to see me at the gate - tossing a tiny stone at his rump, crouching and sneaking to his zone 5, slowly yet full of energy! It has been very tempting to just put the halter on each time he gives me permission to enter, but like John Barr said "perfect practice makes perfect." And it has paid off. Since Sunday, every time I go to see Kucha, he is more willing to greet me and we are both acting more like partners when it is time to halter.
Today was filled with demos and simulations that were truly enlightening. I discovered that when I bring my energy up to match my horse in his right brained extroverted moments that I too go right brained and my adrenaline comes up just like his! This became apparent to me when he did an exercise with a barrel. It took minutes for my heart rate to come down again. How can I help him when I contribute to his anxiety!? What my horse needs from me is true leadership. In his RBE moments, I need to match him and dang, is that hard. I thought I was able to, but no matter how quickly I thought I was moving his feet or tasking him, he still looked off into the distance and had no reason to focus on me. The tricky part here is that he needs me to TRULY match his energy, to truly have a plan, and keep emotions out of it - and that is the most difficult thing for me. Funny how horses have a way helping us where we need it most.
The food is delicious, the coffee nice and strong, and the people are just wonderful. It has rained each day at about 2:30pm here and then the sun returns. Kucha is becoming very confident near the pens and the round pens, the grazing areas, and even feels safe and comfortable enough to leave his buddies and mosey! When we went to the big playground, that was when he was the big horse I started with two years ago!
I love that I recognize that I am smiling more and laughing more today when playing. Good stuff.
2:30 Pm rainstorms...its' a given in CO during the summer :) Glad to hear you're having a fantastic time and learning a ton, I love the wonderful insight you share in your blog.
ReplyDeleteYou are also (Thanks a LOT :P ) making me terribly Parelli-center home sick. Can I come visit you? ;)