Foundation Training at Warwick

I am sitting here at the Brisbane Airport, waiting for my flight to Sydney, reflecting on the past 10 days I have spent at Warwick. It started off with a Quantum Weekend, http://melsqs.blogspot.com/2011/01/ruth-and-renva-did-wonderful-job-of.html and after that I was straight into some foundation training with Red and Cherry. Red is a BIG Thoroughbred who just required a little help with flexing ALL of his body and learning how to follow the feel of a direct rein. This morning, his owner (another Mel!) came to pick him up. She wanted my help with him with the aim of making it easeir for her to pass her level 1 so I gave her a demo and showed her his wonderful indirect to canter transitions (picking up a canter lead was also another point of discussion that we had during the week)then it was her turn. At the beginning I noticed that Mel was reluctant to let Red go which was memories of what he was like and her not trusting that he would steer for her. I suggested the she try to canter him which was met by a little opposition but in the end she gave it a go. Red did a wonderful job of looking after Mel, he knew what she wanted to do and he was very paitent with her and then they finally cantered. I didn't have to ask her to try again, twice Mel cantered Red in both directions AND he gave her the correct lead nearly every time!! Well done Mel - I feel you have just discovered a new level of trusting your horse and that Red string will belong to youself and Red in no time.

Cherry was a completley different story all together. She had been started at 2 and hadn't been ridden since - she is now 9! She is a beautiful paint/QH type who was very agile and a LOT smaller than Red. With such a big gap between riding times, I was very thorough with our checklists and we had some exciting moments with the first Ride Checklist (which is bareback!!) but we hung in there and each day she got that little bit better - we moved onto the First Saddled ride checklist and of course Canter for the first time was on the agenda!! I was intending on just ticking off the boxes one at a time (hoping that I wouldn't have to canter her on the first go) but as we were trotting around, I felt her energy come up and I thought - now is the time to ask - so I asked and we cantered!! Woohoo! It was pretty fast as she is a very speedy little pony, and thankfully it wasn't bumpy We repeated this checklist the next few sessions and her trotting and cantering improved as we went. This morning, after lots of rain the day before, there was water everywhere which was all new for Cherry and she started off a bit jumpy and needed a little encouragement to go through the puddles(a great chance for a flight test!)but in the end she was walking and trotting through it without a worry in the world. We did our checklist and not once did she slip!

It was then time to hand her back to Renva who hopped on and walked her around - she looked like an old school horse. I couldn't help thinking how far she had come in the 8 sessions that we had together.

Dec 2010 Warwick Quantum Weekend

With Endorsed Instructor, Mel Peacock

When: 4th - 7th December 2010

Where: Morgan Park Warwick, QLD

Daily Programme:

Level 1 Primary: Lessons 1 & 2
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

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

Ruth and Renva did a wonderful job of hosting this weekend at the fabulous Warwick Horse Trials' grounds. There was lots of wide open spaces here which is wonderful for all the level 2 homework we do. (no excuses for not getting homework done now girls!! )

I had the pleasure of meeting and helping 5 new students to get started with their Level 1 Ground work. Everyone had a wonderful time getting to know their horses a little more and bringing their relationships to a new level with BFO's about how important it is to reward the very slightest of tries from our horses.

The afternoon group discovered how to ride a real circle and how to offer their horses release whilst doing so. There was also many lessons in the passenger lesson with discoveries about moving with their horses, and getting their stops as good as their go. Well done everyone!

Here are some Ta-Dah's from the weekend:

• Fella and I built on our relationship - a great strat!
• Learnt to ask for respect and to pretect my personal space.
• Rocket and I got the sideways working.
• Built a better relation ship with Molly.
• Stretched my comfort zone and my horse Star's comfort zone by taking him a little bit out of it then bringing him back.
• Matty's flexing is vastly improved - a lot softer and respeonsive
• Stubby and I did canter circles on a loose rein and it was a circle.