Mildura Quantum Weekend September 2008

With Mel Peacock

September 13th - 16th 2008

At the Riverband Vet Clinic, Buronga

Time: 9am - 5.30pm

Daily Programme:
Morning - Level 1 Primary: Lessons 1 & 2 in the Foundation Programme.
Learn how to communicate more effectively with your horses - Have a more willing, co-operative horse with much more positive ground manners - How to Float Load safely and Easily




Afternoon - Level 1 Secondary: Lessons 3 & 4 in the Foundation Programme.
Safe & Practical Saddling and Riding techniques—To have your horse going forward Confidently & Easily—Sideways and Backwards—How to stop your horse with just your body energy and one rein


With thanks to the Buronga Practise Group and Group Orgainser, Amanda Bernaldo for co-ordinating this event.

This weekend kicked off with lessons 1 & 2 with a great bunch of students, studying their 3 Basic Skills for the first time. This group also included a student with a young Donkey! Boy was it interesting to see the way the other horses reacted to 'Jenny' who was oblivious to the fact that she was just a bit different to all the others. Neverthless, the QS principals still applied to Donkeys just as well as they do to horses. In fact it was even more important to offer comfort and release to a Donkey as we all found, especially when it came to going forward. With an animal that has no flight response, this was the only way forward was going to happen.

The afternoon group saddled up (safely of course!) and were riding all weekend, even on the day with some pretty wild and windy weather! With a few nervous students sitting around before the lesson started, I pointed out that the horses were quite happy out there in the wind, so why should it be any different when we were riding them? Well of course they all performed fabuloulsy Passenger Lesson and all.

Everyone who participated in the weekend put in a huge effort to better their horsmanship skills. Well done everybody!

Broken Hill August 2008 Quantum Weekend

With Mel Peacock
When: August 9th -10th 2008
Where: Broken Hill Tent Pegging Grounds, Broken Hill
Time: 9am - 5.30pm Daily

Level 1 Primary: Lessons 1 & 2 in the Foundation Programme.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

Our August Quantum Weekend in Broken Hill saw us getting started with Level 1. It was fabulous to see a new group of Students starting out on the Programme and learning about the 3 Basic Skills, 3 Purpose Plays and discovering how Release Focused Training will help them to have their horses willingly do anything for them. We had a lot of fun exploring new things to No Yeild our horses with and combining our skills with different tasks and fine tuning our Focus in some 'Follow the Leader' . Our Students also had the pleasure of meeting a horse that I am just starting with. This was Pinta's first Quantum Weekend, and although I am only just starting out with her, she was happy to 'show the way" for the rest of the Students.

Student Ta-Da's:
'I only just joined Quantum Savvy last weekend after participating in a Quantum Weekend. My name is Sharon and I live in Broken Hill. I am a novice even though I used to work with horses (but that was many years ago). I have always loved horses but only learnt a little bit of riding, and have never had the chance to own one. I am studying Level 1 with my friend's horse Pauly. In fact it was Carmen (my friend) that introduced me to Quantum Savvy. A big thank you once again to her for bringing Pauly out for the Quantum Weekend.My "Tah Dah" is the fact that I completed the weekend and began to build a closer relationship with Pauly despite the fact of losing my confidence with horses many years ago. Some nasty experiences in the racing industry meant I became very nervous when handling horses. I was so afraid that they may get hurt I couldn't even walk them anymore. With the help of Mel even though I was very nervous, I began to communicate with Pauly in a way I would not have thought possible. As I practiced my No Yield, Contact Yield, and my No Contact Yield my nerves died away and I began to really enjoy myself. I was in awe of the trust that has started to build in Pauly as well as myself. Coming from the racing background where so much focus is on forcing the horse to do what you want, I was amazed by how responsive a horse is to the littlest pressure. As a result I have a whole new respect for them. Pauly is a wonderful teacher as well. His gentleness and understanding help me to concentrate on my own actions and see them through his eyes. He is also very patient which is just what I need.A huge thank you to Mel for running an enjoyable as well as instructional weekend. A huge thank you to Carmen for her support and letting me work with Paulie.'
- Sharon Murphy, Broken Hill