Sunraysia Quantum Weekend Nov 2011

When: 19th - 22nd November 2011

Where: Riverbend Vet Clinic, Buronga

Daily Programme:
Morning 9.30am - 1.00pm
Level 1 Primary: Lessons 1 & 2
Getting Started - Learn how to communicate more effectively with your horse - Have a more willing, cooperative horse with much more positive ground manners - How to Float load safely and easily

Afternoon 2pm - 5.30pm
Level 2 Secondary: Lessons 7 & 8
Impulsion & developing emotional fitness for your horse - Cherokee Bridle - Introducing the Bridle - Picking up the pace - Leads & Diagonals

A huge thankyou to everyone who attended this months QW in Sunraysia. It was wonderful to meet a couple of new students and their horses in the Level 1 Primary Lessons where we got started on the basics of the QS Programme.  Everyone did wonderfully and it was fabulous to see the QS Skills being put into practice at the end of the weekend when it came time to loading the horses onto the float to go home.
We had a group of very keen students in the afternoons for the Level 2 Secondary lessons where we focused on getting our horses out of our personal space in our sideways and spirals (both online and ridden)  The change in the horses was amazing and the new respect for personal space made the canter passenger lessons a breeze!
Thank you to Dr Deb for providing a fabulous venue for this special weekend.

Student Ta-Dah's:

Tammy Yielded Cruz's Leg No Contact with the stick!!

Stacey kept Blisters feet on the ground!!

I survived Canter PL on Demaris with Blister Deed & Abbey!!

I managed to have Deek do spirals and be off her forehand!

Cruz is not nibbling as much and is calmer!

Jodie was a lot calmer

Jodie did a great hindquarter yield!

Amanda & Adele did the Gallop pattern!!

Deek now has comfort on the circle!!

Jodie went on the float!!

Check out my Float

At the beginning of this year, I had my float painted as it was well overdue for some TLC and this week, I have added the finishing touches!

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Warwick Quantum Weekend September 2011

When: 3rd to 6th September 2011

Where: Warwick Horse Trials Grounds, Morgan Park, Warwick

Daily Programme:Morning 8.30am - 12.30pm
Level 1 Secondary:
Lessons 3 and 4 COVERS - Safe & Practical Saddling and Riding techniques—To have your horse going forward Confidently & Easily—Sideways and Backwards—How to stop you horse with just your body energy and one rein

Afternoon 1.30pm - 5.00pm
Level 1 Advanced: Level 1 Overview
Combine skills learnt in Level 1 - Build your Confidence in all gaits - Prepare for Level 2

I have just finished a fabulous weekend in Warwick and to top it off, we had perfect weather (despite rain being forecast for every day!!)  All I can say is that I am sooooo proud of everyone who attended this weekend.  Everyone gave their 100%, were willing to give everything a go, and to work through the things that have been holding them back.   Over the 4 days, I saw confidence build in every single rider as they learnt to trust their horses more and by the end of the weekend, we had much calmer and happier horses as their riders understanding of offering release grew.



Student Ta-Dah's:
Cisco went onto the concrete of the wash bay.
Abboe stopped with just my life down in a group trot passenger lesson.
Sunny's not biting as much
I'm so much more conscious of my phases
Our trot passenger lesson had some difficult moments but I built trust with my horse I really felt I could rely on him even when I was not functioning very well.
His whole manner in general is becoming more willing for me.  I need to build my skills so that I can offer more release.
Aussie is happy in his play
Mozzie stopped chasing the other horses.
Great to see how Ruth worked through Aus's apprehension during his first ever passenger lesson.
Had a realisation of just how much Abbie needs me to slow down my phases so that she feels that she has options.
Aussie worked through his emotional problems in group PL
Moselle got a better trot and a nice canter
Wills slowed to me and is following my body rhythm.
It was great to see the progression of the behavior patterns in the group passenger lessons and the importance of protecting your space.
I worked past my tension to settle Aussie down.
I seen Mel get some nice canter transitions with no kicking!!
I saw Ruth help Mossie find comfort in going forward and achieved canter transitions.
I saw Helen remain calm when her horse transitioned to trot in her second ride with 1 rein.

August 2011 Winchelsea Quantum Weekend

Where: Burong Equestrian Center

When; August 18 - 21, 2011

Join us for four 1/2 days, studying the Quantum Savvy Foundation Program, through Release Focused Training,
you will learn to develop softness and lightness, improve your confidence and become safer with your horse!

Daily Program:

Morning 8.30am - 12.00pm
Private Lessons

Afternoon 1.30pm - 5.00pm
Level 2 Primary: Lessons 5 and 6
Advance on our Basic Skills with Positive Reflexes – Work on longer lines – Go looking for the truth at Liberty – Gain an independent seat with Bareback Riding

We certainly had a fabulous time - out there learning lots with our horses and of course we had time to socialize too, with a night at the pub and the next, a lovely BBQ with fantastic videos to watch! I really feel that everyone doing the Level 2 Primary lessons have come away with a new understanding of 'feel' and now have a new appreciation of what they are 'saying' to their horses whenever they pick up the rope. I also did some private lessons which were a great help for some of those who were a little 'stuck' in their personal journey through the programme.

Thank you to everyone who came along to make this weekend such a special one, to Vicki for your help in organising this weekend and of course to the Burong Equestrian Center for providing such a fabulous facility for us to use. :clapping:

Student Ta-Dah's:
I need to focus on the front end of my horse as much as the bank end
Ask for feel on my rope and give Clancy a chance to opt to comfort BEFORE I use my stick with rhythmic pressure and send him from discomfort
Every time you pick up the rope you are having a conversation with your horse
Believe in the "feel" of the rope and have a connection and offer = backwards step from phase 1
Focus and believe! Look up and smile :D
Absolutely loved the private lessons ;)

And I saw . . . . .

Some special connections between horse and owners
Lindy got Rocky to straddle the pole
Helen and Scarlett getting some lovely soft circles and cantered
Sue and Bailey getting sideways
Matthew and Phoenix finding "feel" on the rope
Jen and Clancy sorting out where his attention should be

And then they all got on bareback in their portable rounds . . . . in the perfect afternoon :clap: :clap: :clap:

Abbey the eventer!

I joined the Mildura Adult riding club yesterday in their rally and we had a wonderful time exploring the cross country jumps.  Having never seen  cross country jumps before, Abbey did a fantastic job and just took it all in her stride. We had an absolute ball. 

July 2011 Sunraysia Quantum Weekend

When: 14th - 17th July 2011

Where: Riverbend Vet Clinic, Buronga

Daily Programme:

Morning 9.30am - 1.00pm
Level 1 Advanced: Level 1 Overview
Combine skills learnt in Level 1 - Build your Confidence in all gaits - Prepare for Level 2

Afternoon 2pm - 5.30pm
Level 2 Primary: Lessons 5 & 6
Advance on our Basic Skills with Positive Reflexes— Work on longer lines—Go looking for the truth at Liberty—Gain an independent seat with Bareback Riding


I think everyone at this Quantum Weekend made lots of progress with their horsemanship this month!  The Level 1 Overview group started getting well prepared for finishing their Level 1 with a look at how the ground work relates to our ridden tasks and there were lots of discoveries about really getting their focus up in their direct reins (both on the ground and in the saddle).

We had some newies for the Level 2 Primary lessons as well as some students revisiting this lesson and what a group they made!  With everyone keen to get started on their lessons at liberty, we worked on developing & strengthening the connection between horse and rider, by being clearer with their communication through the rope first.  There were lots of 'ooh's & aahhh's' when the halters came off (some for their first time) and the horses remained connected with their leaders!

To top the weekend off, we were all invited to Dr Debs house for Spaghetti on the Saturday night.  A fabulous place to spend a chilly winters evening and we all had a chance to watch some of the previews of the new Harmony In Motion DVD's whilst we ate.  Thanks Dr Deb, the spaghetti was delicious!

A Huge thank you to everyone who came along to make this weekend such a special one and especially to those who traveled all the way from Melbourne and surrounding areas, just to be there.

Student Ta-Dah's!
Tigger went backwards in a figure of 8!
McLeod surprised me with contact with rope
Dream went well being sent on the circle
Grace put her front and back feet in a hoola hoop and did yields around the hoop!
Nice spirals and changes of direction.
I had my first canter on McLeod!!
I loaded my pony by myself!!
Dream - trotting circles with 1 rein trough 5 obstacles & then cantering.
Grace went sideways a  step.
Grace stood up on the box in the arena with her front feet on the box then put all 4 feet on the box.  She stopped when I asked and went forward when I asked!!
I saw Jen do some fantastic sideways down the fence with Clancy.
I saw Alexa establish her personal space with Anki and as a result, Anki did a beautiful spiral in.
I saw Karen create a lovely connection with Tigger and had him circle her at liberty for the first time.
I saw Maggie working to help Gracie to become more comfortable with standing over a pole.
I saw Sally help Dream in her short range circles and then put her calmly over the jumps.
I saw Chris steer her horse around the cones beautifully with 1 rein.
I saw Samara achieve a nice flex through Grace's body in her bend to a stop.

Meet Daigo - my new horse!

Hi Everyone,
I am really excited to introduce to you all my new horse Diago and share with you our first Ta-Dah.

Diago is nearly 10 Years old, he was originally sold as a 3 year old (just broken in)to a beginner rider and....well...apparently it didn't go so well and after the owner was bucked off Diago was given to the lady that I purchased him from, who is a Level 2 Dressage Instructor. She had done a little bit of low level dressage with him but did not think he would go much further and did not want to keep him on. She also found him to be a bit girthy after having a spell and would want to buck and after one or two sale prospects that didn't go so well, she knew he needed to go to someone who had some skills to be able to help him through this. Thanks to Lindy who put me in touch with her, Diago is now in my possession.

I started working with Diago nearly two weeks ago and found him to be extremely scared of the stick & String and any sort of rhythmic pressure. As soon as I would pick up the stick, Diago would start running....and running....and running I knew I would not be able to move on until I could sort this out so every day, I would spend no yielding him... and he kept running, and going backwards, and rearing up and trying to kick me I tried to release at the very slightest of tries and even with no tries but the only way I could get him to stop was if I pushed him sideways or yielded his hind. We were getting some slight improvements, but I was not happy about having to make the decision to stop for him - it seems as though Diago has lived his life without having any sort of thought process at all. So a couple of days ago, I made the decision to be prepared to take as long as it takes to get a try from him. We went around and around until finally, he spun around and stopped and looked at me It was a bit braced and tense but it was his decision!!

We were then able to move on and going to our circles, Diago got a bit surprised when I had to touch his hind with the string to ask him to yield, so I went straight to no yield again. Of course he acted as though I was going to kill him but when he realized that nothing had happened to him, he stopped . Again his decision.

The next day, we started our session, I picked up the stick, and Diago stood still. I rubbed him with it and he still stood still, so then I threw the string over his back and he remained standing. I went to the other side and started moving the string, his head went up and he took a couple of steps then trotted a couple of steps, but I could see him thinking (yes thinking!!) should I run or should I stop? And then he made the decision to stop After a week and a half, Diago has started to use the left side of his brain.