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Post by Miastar on Dec 13, 2008 20:45:07 GMT -5
Sydney: "Ok then." I said stepping to the center of the arena. "Bonding. Takes. Time." I said each word as if it were its own sentence and paused for a moment before I continued. "I've worked with many horses in my career and have seen many come, many go but only a few of them really made an impact on my life. In order to bond with a horse you should be able to determine your horse's mood, which will help you know how to act/respond in order to meet your horse's needs. That's where horsemanship comes into view. Trainers like Monty Roberts us a 'Join-Up' method which is quite effective. They use the body language of horses in a round pen and some of the same rules/techniques horses in the wild use. Now since we don't have round pens for everyone obviously we'll have to improvise." I walked over to June, untied her lead and led her back to the center of the arena. "Well start by sending our horse away" I said while holding the lead with one hand and waving the other at June. June began to sidestep away from me to the end of her rope just like I'd wanted. As she moved out, I moved with her, explaining as I went. "What I'm doing is schooling June like a lead mare in the wild would an unruly youngster." When June put her head down towards the ground I stopped, put my arm at my side and turned my body at a 45 degree angle to her. I stopped talking for a moment as June watched me intently, then walked towards me with her head lower than my shoulder. When she stopped next to me, I reached out and rubbed her forehead. Then, I placed the lead gently over her neck and took a few steps forward, June followed. When June had walked with me back to the center of the arena I spoke. "That's Join-Up or bonding. What happened just then was, I told June to get away. (Keep in mind horses are herd animals, being alone is not safe) When she put her head down, she was asking me to let her come back so that we could be friends, a herd. What I'd like for everyone to do is send their horses away and when they show signs of submission, turn at an angle and allow them to come back."
OOC: By 'submission' please don't think that people like Monty Roberts beat the horses away from them. Monty never uses a whip that I've seen. When working in a round pen, you'd be looking for the horse to 'have one ear locked onto you' (have an ear turned towards you) Smacking the lips/chewing (this in horse language actually means "I'm just a Baby don't hurt me!" or as June did, putting the head down. They're all signs that the horse recognizes you as the authority figure. This, is the language of horses.
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Post by libertysgirl on Dec 15, 2008 1:21:32 GMT -5
Milly: I smiled and Nodded. "I am most definately ready to start that." I called over and rubbed Dancer between the eyes gently. "Me too!" Kale called and came over to stand beside me.
Jack: I scratched Apache on his good spot and walked over closer to the group. "I do believe that would idea." I replied smiling slightly in Miley direction. We hadn't talked since practice the day before, but I had still thought of her.
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Post by hotspot on Dec 15, 2008 18:31:43 GMT -5
Arin: "sounds good!" i grasped Fly's orangeish yellowish leadrope in a figure eight formation, with my hand at the middle of the figure. Fly gave me a questioning look- she obviously did not quite know what was going on. "we're bonding, hon," i whispered to her, and then gave her a push back. of course, the talking had led my horse to believe that i wanted her to stay, not go, so she just stood there, looking down at me with those big chocolate-colored eyes. i led her in a tight circle to distract her from what had happened before, and once we were back to our original place, gave her another push. Fly stepped back daintily, until she realized that i was, too, stepping away from her. i turned at the the same three-pi-over-six angle Syd had demonstrated. she immediately dropped her fine-boned head, giving me an imploring look from the side.
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Post by Miastar on Dec 15, 2008 22:46:15 GMT -5
Sydney: "When you turn at an angle what you're saying is 'Ok, you can come back to me now' so wait until they really understand that they're being banished before you welcome them home." My I watched around the arena as everyone worked on the Bonding Process. Since Riding would be up next, I decided to switch June's halter for a bridle to be ready to move on.
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Post by phantomstallion94 on Dec 19, 2008 16:35:15 GMT -5
Miley:
i walked back to the arena. i opened the gate and then strode over to Rampage and Focus Flair. Flair had laid down for a nap and the mighty bay stallion stood over him. the stallion had lowered his muzzle and was lightly pulling on Flair's fluffy black forelock. i smiled and then picked up Rampage's dark leather lead rope. i clucked to him and then watched Syd. i then looked over to Jack. he was smiling at me. i waved and then smiled back to him.
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Post by hotspot on Dec 20, 2008 21:19:06 GMT -5
Trillium: Confection neatly stepped away from me as i pushed, and then glided back over to me once i turned, telling her it was okay. she was such a graceful horse by nature. that fact made the gangly little CJ, who frisked along in her wake, seem even more adorably clumsy and unbalanced. i noticed Sydney returning from the tack room with- gulp-a bridle. had Confection ever been ridden before? i guess i was going to find out.
OOC: Look for the new "Naming Can" threads, i'm not quite sure where they will be yet, but be alert!
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Post by phantomstallion94 on Dec 21, 2008 11:08:41 GMT -5
Miley:
i pushed Rampage away from me and then turned slightly and the stallion came back to me, and -shocking- he nuzzled my neck. i gave him a scratch on the neck to return the gesture. then i ground tied him and did it with Focus Flair. i grabbed the crimson lead rope and did the same exercise with the colt. he did the same as Rampage.
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Post by hotspot on Dec 22, 2008 22:47:43 GMT -5
Arin: i noticed that all the horses- even the rather unpredictable Rampage- were respondong well to the clinic. "Awesome work!" i whispered to Sydney, as she walked by on the way back from getting a bridle.
Katie: It was almost time for lunch- my, how the time had flown! the catering truck has just pulled up, readyto let us try out some of its food. Obviously, they wanted to have a gigantic order from Berryhill, and were courting us for approval. Yesssss..... free food!
Owen: I interrupted Dev in his circituitious travels the test out the bonding process demonstrated to us. he stepped back from me at the first push, a hurt look coming into his soulful eyes. when i turned to let him come back, though, Bhearna Bhuil practically piaffed over to me. silly horse.
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Post by Miastar on Dec 22, 2008 22:48:42 GMT -5
Sydney: "Very good everyone. I hope that you all try this in a round pen one day, it's really a great exercise even with the most well trained & loving horses." I glanced around the room and realized that Trill was working with our Mystery mare who 1)had just recently had a foal 2) we had no idea if she was even ride able. "Trill, would you mind working with June? I feel like the mare could use a break from riding since she just had that foal. Excuse me everyone, I'll be back in just a moment. In the mean time, those of you who plan to participate in the riding exercises please tack up." With that, I walked quickly out of the arena and grabbed Sam's tack. He was startled by yet another change in routine but stood patiently for me to tack him up. When I'd finished, I lead him out of the barn hopped onto his back and rode him at a trot into the arena.
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Post by libertysgirl on Dec 25, 2008 18:14:40 GMT -5
Milly: I lead Dancer out of the pen and toward where Lyra was penned up. As we approched Lyra let out a whinny and Dancer answered. "Easy girls." Milly whispered scratching on Dancer neck. She took her into the stall and let her loose then turned hooking the lead to Lyra's halter. "Come on, girl." She whispered and lead her out cross tying her and tacked her up. She then jumped up on her back and rode to the areana again. As she came into the arena Kale waved her over. She nudged Lyra toward him and came up to where he and his horse. "Hey, babe." He said smiling. "Hey, what did you need?" Milly asked grinning back. "Oh, Wolf is acting antsy and I thought maybe Lyra's presense would calm him some." Milly nodded and they stood waiting for the class to begin.
Jack: Warrior shifted and sighed deeply. "Good boy." Jack whispered rubbing his neck. Jack then pulled himself up into the saddle and looked over watching Miley as she waved. I smiled softly and waved back as she moved around working her horse.
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Post by hotspot on Dec 26, 2008 1:53:44 GMT -5
Trillium: i was flattered that the prodigious Sydney Bristow would entrust me with riding her horse- "sure!" i practically spluttered. i led Confection and little C out to the pasture, where they commenced to eat their respective lunches of grass and milk. Then, i approached the lovely June Fantasy. She was all elegant sporthorse, that was for sure. "hey, girl!" i chirped.
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Post by Miastar on Dec 26, 2008 23:48:45 GMT -5
Sydney: Once back into the arena, I sent Sam around at a trot to limber him up a bit before returning to the center of the arena. "When you can read a horse's body language and you have a bond with that horse, your riding won't be horse AND rider." I said, with emphasis on AND. "It will, and should, be horse and rider. There is a difference in riding a horse and sitting on a horse. The first step to riding, is to relax. Horses react to your body movements, if you're tense, your horse will be tense also. Even a racehorse like Sam here responds to body posture." I placed my reins on Sam's neck, slid my boots out of my stirrups and used my legs to ask Sam to walk in a small circle. "For now, let's work on relaxing in the saddle, or bare back even if you prefer."
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Post by hotspot on Dec 29, 2008 20:15:16 GMT -5
Arin: "o-kay!" i saddled up Fly and swung into the saddle. Syney's lesson on relaxation would probably be the most beneficial lesson taken from this clinic by Fly and I- sometimes, we were both so focused and nervous that we couldn't concentrate on relaxingg.
Owen: i shifted in Dev's saddle, waiting for further instruction.
Trillium: after tacking up June, with some tribulation due to the difference in our heights, i bounced atop her pale back. June seemed totally chill about the proceedings, while i was a bit to the left of whoopee when it come to relaxation. "I'll let you teach me a little bit about this one, girl," i whispered in one of her grey-tinged ears.
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Post by Miastar on Dec 29, 2008 20:26:00 GMT -5
Sydney: "In English riding, riders tend to sit in a very forward seat position. Western is more laid back. What I'd like you to do, is combine the two. English on top-Straight back, good shoulder posture & Western on the bottom- relax your legs and seat." I demonstrated the position as I described it, keeping my back straight & shoulders square but relaxing from the waist down. "This should be a comfortable position. If you're not comfortable, you're probably doing it wrong."
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Post by hotspot on Jan 1, 2009 20:17:39 GMT -5
Arin: i nodded, silently shifting from my habitually tense half-hunt seat to a more comfortable postition. I felt Fly loosen beneath me, as if she, too, was feeling more relaxed. "maybe it's a bad thing that Owen showed up for the clinic, too," i whispered in one of her ears. "now we won't be the only ones with the secret weapon of relaxation!"
Owen: "I heard that!" i laughed, steering Dev next to Fly.
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