Heart and Desire

Fierce Conversations

Okay, I think I'm back on a more regular basis now.  Quickly - my new venture that I mentioned a while back - I bought a magazine... Not just a single issue, I bought the whole business.  Today's Horse Trader. ( don't judge the website yet, I'm gonna rebuild it)

 I enjoyed writing and working on the fabulously beautiful Savvy Times so much, that I wanted to have my own voice and voila! the opportunity came to me.  If you live in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, West Texas or the tiny bottom corner of Wyoming, you should have seen THT at tack stores for the last 11 years.

My first issue has PAT PARELLI on the cover!  (thank you so much, Pat and Linda!)  But I'll still have articles in the Savvy Times - look for me there, too.

So that's my excuse for being missing...

More Important:  YOU!  And your horse.  And your goals and plans and challenges.  Please let me know what kinds of things help you the most here - feel free to comment on the website, by e-mail, whatever way works for you.  My vision here is to bring you something you can benefit from every time I write and never forget that this is a relationship.  So it helps to hear if I'm "getting warmer" or "getting colder" as Pat likes to say.

This post is titled "Fierce Conversations" because that's the book I'm reading right now.  As you know, I believe things are true with horses AND humans when it comes to communicating.  And I liked this bit of thinking:

  "Our lives succeed or fail gradually, then suddenly, one conversation at a time.  While no single conversation is guaranteed to change the trajectory of a career, a business, a marriage or a life, any single conversation can."

How would this apply to your relationship with your horse - with the conversations you have every time you play with him, or ask him to move his feet?  The thing in the quote that has special meaning for me is that we "succeed or fail gradually" - because we either catch or miss the tiny changes.  Did we notice the little miscommunications where we really haven't said what we meant or meant what we said.  OR did we consistently reward the tiny bits of true communication where we have grown together.  And then "suddenly" because the straw finally breaks the camel's back, our horse explodes or we have an amazing breakthrough.  The gate can swing either way. 

I certainly recall days (especially BEFORE Parelli) when my mind wasn't completely present, when I 'said' things to my horse that I would love to take back.  And I know my horse still remembers - although Pat says "Horses never forget, but they often forgive," thankfully.  These days, I want every conversation to have potential to build my relationship exponentially and 'open that gate' of genuine communication.

Notice the quality of your conversations and ask yourself, "Could this be the conversation that changes everything?"

I hope this conversation continues to build our relationship.

 

I'm Baa---aack!

We would accomplish many more things if we did not think of them as impossible."  ~ Vince Lombardi



So, I had to go try to make a living for a bit there and you'll hear more about that later, but FIRST, let's get back on track here. 

How'd you do with getting a Study Buddy?  Did you reach out of your comfort zone?  Was it hard?  Was it easy?  Did you read the idea and think, "hmm, maybe... but later..." and not do ANYTHING? 

If you still don't have someone to watch over your shoulder, I really encourage you to give it a go.  Just that little bit of extra support - someone you have to talk to and say, "Um, well, I didn't exactly make it out to the barn except to clean and feed today..." OR "Yahoo, we had an amazing breakthrough!" - it will make a huge difference in your progress.  Linda and Pat Parelli always encourage people to have Study Buddies - part of the reason they created the Parelli Savvy Club was to help students find one another!

In the USA we're dealing with some serious heat and humidity across most of the country.  Be sure you watch for over-heating of your horse AND yourself, get electrolytes into your horse's system and have a ridiculous amount of clean water - I'm sure I don't have to mention it, but I will anyway.

This week's Challenge - when's the last time you filled out a Horsenality Profile for your horse?  Have you got profiles for different circumstances - on the trail, at a new place, with other horses, etc?  Horses change quadrants quickly sometimes and can go from LBI to RBE like lightning - Which is the fabulous thinking behind the Horsenality concept.  You now have the STRATEGIES for each quadrant.  If your normal, happy LBI is suddenly Right-Brained, you're going to need to RESPOND differently, right? 

Write notes in your Horsemanship Log about the particular signs and signals YOUR horse gives you to say, "I'm worried about that," or "I've had just about enough, thank you!" compared to, "Okey-dokey, that seems fine to me." 

If you haven't already started a Log, remember that Pat also encourages great record-keeping.  It's going to PROVE to you how much progress you're making, but also, you can't improve what you can't measure.  If you're assessing yourself every time you're with your horse, you'll become HYPER-AWARE of your relationship and how's it's progressing, growing and changing.

"Good, Better, Best.  Never let it rest.  Until your good is better.  And your better best!"

All's Cool

Heck, yeah, I think I finally got the e-mail subscription set up done right.  So if you have come here and want to just read posts here - you don't have to do anything.  HOWEVER, if you would like to receive a (mostly) Daily E-mail, just look to the right >>> over there >>>> and do the same thing you did last time - type in your e-mail address; it will ask you to type a twisted word so it knows you're not a computer and then it will send you a verification e-mail to be double-extra sure you are who you say you are.  Be sure to VERIFY your subscription!

What's exciting out there in Parelli Land? 

The CELEBRATIONS are definitely at the top of the list!  Kansas City, MO is coming up quick and if there's any way you can figure out how to get there - Do it!  The Celebrations are truly the Savvy Conference on the Road, just like Pat and Linda Parelli promised.  There is so much education - I was amazed.  At the Franklin, TN Celebration, I witnessed Pat riding one horse (who had some issues and needed to be managed very carefully), while he was building a new relationship with the Rescue Horse, while he was telling US about everything that was going on with both horses - WHY he was where he was WHEN he was there and WHAT he was doing as we watched.  It was instant feedback - "Did you see that?  Did you see him cock that foot?  Did you see him look away?"  And Pat would explain precisely what to watch for, what to notice, what to expect.  It was COOL!

Linda has an amazing presentation on the differences in handling the Extrovert and the Introvert - with the two best examples:  Remmer and Allure!  She gives so many strategies to really Bring Out The Best in each Horsenality.  And again, she's so specific - "Watch what happens when I do this... Now he's going to lick his lips... watch him, he's going to look away... there he goes... see how he's pretending?  This is a Game!" 

And of course, who couldn't be inspired by Lauren Barwick's amazing Gold Medal demonstration and the lessons with Walter Zettl.  I heard that Linda's lesson at the Madison, WI Celebration was over the moon - apparently one of the best performances by Remmer that ANYONE (including Pat) has seen - someone said, "It was as if Walter Zettl was riding Remmer through Linda - and Remmer was just floating - he barely left tracks in the dirt!"

How about the Students who show up for the Savvy Spotlights?  There have been some truly incredible demonstrations of relationship that are absolutely proof, over and over, of what Pat said that originally attracted me to this program:  "It's not what I can do with horses, it's what I can teach YOU to do with horses."  Isn't that really what we're looking for?  What can I learn to do with my horses?  So if you can find a way (if there's a will, there's a way, y'know) get to one of the Few Remaining Celebrations.

 Challenge for the Week:  Have you got a Parelli Playmate?  As in a HUMAN?  A Study Buddy?  If you do - give your Buddy a CALL and PLAN a Playdate.  If you can't plan a physical get-together, talk about what you're each going to focus on this week.  If you Don't have a Study Buddy - GET ONE. 

Get on the Savvy Club website, go to the Member Locator, type in your zip code (within X miles) and contact someone.  Even if there's no one close enough to actually get together with - start an online or phone relationship with someone who you can share the journey with.  Having a Study Buddy can make a huge difference in your progress, your level of fun and - since this program is all about relationships - shouldn't we be developing our Human Relationships as well? 

What if you aren't a Savvy Club Member?  Get on ShareParelli.com - it's open to anyone and everyone - find someone in your area who wants to help YOU Make the World a Better Place for Horses and Humans!

Photo by either Maddrey Baker or Frank Vela - of hours-old Alby.  Thanks!

You'll Need to Take Action

Yes, I went missing again - here's why - Feedburner is the program that delivers my little posts into your e-mail.  I've been having challenges since it was purchased by Google and haven't been able to access my account to remove the words "Daily Parelli" entirely and completely from the e-mails you receive.  And since I had promised Parelli that I would NOT include "Daily Parelli" anywhere in this blog now (goodness, I've just done it twice again!), I've been trying to connect with Feedburner to figure this out and didn't want to keep sending e-mails violating that promise.  It seems I have to completely restart the account... sigh...

So this is the LAST e-mail you will receive under this subscription.  But I'm going to Keep Writing and Sending Posts just like the good ole days, IF you will simply go to the blog's website on or after FRIDAY and RESUBSCRIBE.  It's super-easy, just like the first time - you type in your e-mail address, it verifies that you're not a computer, then sends you an e-mail to be sure you're serious - you click the link and kaboom, you're in.  And we're back in action.  I hope you'll stick with me!

Meanwhile - here's some fun from Parelli Student Sandra Vann - who recently passed Online Level 3, by the way.  Heck, yeah!

"P for Parelli!"


Photo by Ed Mason.  In photo left to right:  Patty Stavely,
Sandra Vann, Jennifer Hall, Michelle Fisher.

"We had a great Parelli Playday at the Ace of Hearts Ranch, it is so nice
when you can get together with other Parelli students.  It is very inspiring
to see what others are achieving in their Parelli journey."

Organize your own Parelli Playday - it's fabulously easy, fun and will give you the opportunity to use your imagination, connect with other Parelli students or POTENTIAL Parelli students.  I wrote a whole article about it in the Savvy Times Magazine - you can read it in the Back Issues (MAY 2008) if you're a Parelli Savvy Club member.  If you're looking for Parelli students in your area, use the Member Locator OR start a group on ShareParelli where you can connect with folks who aren't yet Savvy Club Members! 

Wow, There's Stuff Happening!

Oh my Goodness! 


I looked up and realized it's been days and days since I posted - actually, I got fussed at by a reader (thank you!).  So I'm going to get back to more regular postings - closer to Daily - by popular demand. 

First let me ask - did you join me in the Porcupine Challenge?  How's it going?  I've gotten responses already from people who say they can't believe how much they've gotten done in only 10 minutes a day.  Yup.  Pat recommends this all the time - Make It a Program - do it every day for 7 days and Watch the Change happen!  Ain't it neat?

There are a couple of perfect videos on the Savvy Club Website about Porcupine - to find them, simply type "Porcupine" in the Google search at the top of the screen.  "Drop the Stick" and "Improving Your Hind Quarter Porcupine" are both under three minutes and GREAT reminders of the Essentials of this Principle game!

Second - if you enjoyed the Natural Horse Network's Horse Talk Radio interviews - we've got MORE coming!  And these are going to be interesting - I guarantee!  If you haven't HEARD the previous Parelli interviews, check the "Heart and Desire" home page and click on Audio & Video on the right.

On Friday, May 22nd, Parelli Level 4 student (and Future Parelli Professional) Mariah Helms is going to share her story and her incredible enthusiasm!  Be sure to register at BlogTalkRadio so you can ask questions in the chat room.


Next, on Monday, May 29th, Jim Crew from Healthy Stride will talk about his fascinating whole-horse hoofcare concepts.  Jim is the farrier for Pat & Linda Parelli's horses and has some revolutionary ideas to share.  Again, you're going to want to register here so you can ask questions - and get Jim's answers!



There is debate about who said this, maybe Wm. Butler Yeats, but maybe not... I like it regardless of who said it -

"Education is not filling a pail... it is lighting a fire." 

Heck, yeah!

photo of Mariah, courtesy of Ms. Helms
photo of Jim Crew, et al, at Atwood Ranch Clinic by norma

Over-Thinking and Me

This last Pop Quiz resulted in some Very Interesting answers from people.  And the title of this post should give a hint.  Pat Parelli has frequently said that adults love to make simple things difficult.  Boy, do we!  To me, the answer to the Pop Quiz is simple - if you're using the rope halter and leadline, you're asking your horse to follow the feel - steady pressure - which is The Porcupine Game.  Now you can complicate matters by adding that you'd need to play the Friendly Game to start off, and that you might add the Driving Game to encourage your LBI.  But the answer I was seeking was the very simple Porcupine Game.  Porcupine is also the game that Pat Parelli says is most people's WEAKEST game. 

So this week - let's focus on making the Porcupine Game our BEST game.  I'm going to work on my LBI's front end (because LBI's have the most difficulty moving the front) and make a program of it - for seven days in a row, I'm going to use steady pressure to move his forehand (always starting with the lightest phase 1 that I can).  Care to join me?  Spend 10 minutes focusing on either the front end or the hind end (whichever is most difficult for your horse).
 

How about this? 

Some people have expressed challenges with navigating the ShareParelli website - so I'm going to drill into it myself and find some diamonds for you. 
This first one is close to MY heart for obvious reasons.

It's titled:  WHERE AM I?
If you'd like to play along with others who are answering my "Where am I now, where was I last year?" challenge - visit ShareParelli and look to the left for the SEARCH feature.  Type in "Where Am I" and the thread should come up first.  Click on the title and add YOUR two paragraphs!


photo by norma (my three boys)

All the News That's Fit to Print...

Just got this in the news DIRECT from Linda Parelli!

"Walter Zettl has been appointed as Advisor Emeritus to Dressage Today, the leading dressage magazine in the United States. 

"For his first project, he chose to write about his experience of Parelli as an impressive foundation for horses and riders. We are both proud and grateful to be so recognized by one of the most dedicated modern dressage masters of today."

 Get your copy today and make sure you tell Dressage Today how much you appreciate it!  You can WRITE TO THEM at this address - dressage@emailcustomerservice.com - but do actually get a copy of the magazine and read the article by Walter!

(how adorable is he in this picture?)

M

EANWHILE -

Courses are completed at the Ocala, FL Parelli Center and the horses, faculty and crew have packed up and moved to Pagosa Springs, CO for the summer.  I'm wildly jealous of anyone who can get out there for a course (or two or three or four).  Spending time at either of the Parelli Study Centers is like nothing else. 

I'll bet that Reno, NV is humming tonight with all the energy and excitement from the Parelli Celebration Team.  Set up begins tomorrow and we have a fabulous group of Volunteers ready to pitch in with the Celebration Team to make sure that the Celebration is an amazing experience for everyone who attends.  I missed getting stories on some of the folks who will be in the Savvy Spotlights, but maybe I can get them to talk about their experiences AFTER.

BY THE WAY - I'm also going to start including my "Heart and Desire" posts on ShareParelli - so you can find me other there as well (be a puzzle-solver and figure out how!).  If you're subscribing here or visit here, nothing will change at this end.

POP QUIZ:  Your horse is wearing a rope halter with leadline attached.  You lead off to go for a walk (you're on the ground, not riding).  What game/s are you playing?

Update to the Women LUV Horses Event

This is from Sandra Vann - and we all need to shout "Heck yeah! for these four women!"

"Four Parelli students competed and all placed in the recent Lynn Palm Women LUV Horses Supreme Horsewoman Contest held April 3-5 at the Ocala Equestrian Complex;   Betsy Moles, Sandra Vann, Jennifer Hall and Pam Wiselogel.  The competition is designed to be a testament to the partnership between horse and rider that showcases their communication skills, trust, horsemanship ability and athleticism.  The events included 5 classes: Conditioning, Grooming & Fitness, Trail / Obstacle Course, Agility Course- In Hand, Equestrian Equitation Pattern, Musical Freestyle.  It was great to see so many Parelli students in the event.  The judges and audience complimented the Parelli contestants on their relationships with their horses and their ability to communicate with their horses through light hands and body language.

From me...

Since January I've written the Daily Parelli blog.  Recently the company has decided to make some changes and put their powerful focus on ShareParelli.com.  They don't need me to explain their reasons for doing this.  I can't say I agree, but, hey, it's not my company.  It is, however, a program that I love and still follow.  I know that you love it, too - which is why you've been a loyal reader of my daily bits.

So here's the point where you get to make a decision - I'm going to keep writing, but you get to choose whether to keep reading.  Actually, you get to make the decision every time I send you something, but I wanted you to know with absolute clarity that this is from me, my thinking on the program, my inspirations, my discoveries and anything else I can find that I think would help someone's progress in their journey ...pretty much what I was doing before, but without the corporate messages.

Here's my little bit for today -  CLICK HERE - it's just kind of cool - a boy with autism and his father's idea to take him to the place where Horses and Healing are central to the culture. 

I can't promise that I'll write every day like I had been doing (I was getting paid after all, and this is now for free).  But I'll write often. 

Oh, and since all the content is now up to me - it's also up to you - share with me what you like or don't like. 

And thank you.

best,
norma
 

Looking for Answers?

Have you played with the Google Search feature on the Savvy Club website? 

I typed in "spooking," and here's what I got:  First there is a 16-minute video with Linda Parelli, where she gives great tips on preparing your horse, building his confidence and emotional fitness with a simple program that you repeat over a 7-day period.


 

Next, there are two articles - one by Pat Parelli, where he answers the question:  "How can I better prepare myself and my horse so he doesn't spook on the trail?"

The next article, written by  Linda Parelli, "Still Spooking After All These Years," includes a great checklist to assess your self confidence on the ground and riding, your confidence in your horse, in new environments, in your own leadership and riding with others.

Finally, there are several several specific Questions with Answers.

So if you have a specific issue and you want to be a great puzzle-solver, give the Google search engine on the Parelli Savvy Club website a spin.

blog post by norma