In the horsey stakes, I organised and participated in the first Quantum Weekend in Camperdown. Mel Peacock, endorsed Quantum Savvy Instructor, came and spent four days with seven eager participants assisting us progress on our horsemanship journeys.
Here are some of the tah dah's from the weekend:
- Keep Dallas out of my personal space
- Blue’s hindquarter yield with a single rein
- Phoebe’s “ride the rail” and circle yields onto the rail
- Snappy and straight backups using contact and no contact
- Max . . . soft hindquarter yield from phase 1
- Dallas . . . . some nice indirect and direct changes of direction on the rail
- Phases (timing) . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . 2 3 4!!!
- If you get a good try first try, don’t see if you can do it again for the second and third times!
- Having my horse trot towards me with energy
- Make sure your horse knows the difference between your life up and life down. Our body doesn’t always “say” what we are thinking.
- Blue and I trotted single rein and bent to a stop . . . . yippee!!!
- Phoebe – short range flight test and jumped both ways . . . . . centred and stopped!!! (and bending)
- Max sideways over the pole then soft sideways along the wall while I stood still . . . then lovely trot sideways!!!
- To keep momentum when going sideways along the fence, make sure you don’t send them into the fence ‘cos it blocks their movement.
- Rory went sideways over a pole and sideways down the wall.
- Don’t leave the program . . . . you become rusty in your skills and forget things that are very important, like passenger lessons, one rein riding, use of all of the tools . . . . savvy stick!!!
- Hurry up and slow down – make sure it is phase 1 you are offering first
- Max . . . . the softest canter transition and canter!!!
- Dallas follow my direct rein and focus
- Blue and I enjoyed a session doing the full mounting procedure and he was completely relaxed, so we continued with single rein riding all on our own. I think I put it all together for once.
- Blue and I survived our first ever passenger lessons and loved every minute of it.
- Lots of head down during passenger lessons
- Liberty work . . . . tentative, but just whetted the appetite!!!
Another way to accelerate your learning is to attend one of the camps run at QSEC from April to July each year. There are three Levels camps and the Ultimate Horse Course, as well as courses for the professionals. The UHC is part of agency training, but I decided that this was the course for me even before I decided to become an agent . . . . . why? The UHC covers more than just horsemanship skills; we learnt about ourselves, looked at our values and beliefs, challenged us mentally and emotionally . . . . and that was before we ever got on a horse!
It was the most amazing 9 days I have ever spent!!! I came home with renewed vigour, enthusiasm, a different outlook on so many things . . . . words fail me!
So, poor Max has wondered what has hit him . . . . . I have been out there doing gallop pattern as often as I can. Before UHC I was very hesitant about asking him to canter, let alone in a big paddock . . . . now I am asking for gallop!!!
Back home for a few weeks and I am now back at QSEC for the GO's conference and the Professionals Course (part of the agency training).
There are so many things that I want to achieve now . . . . . . stay tuned!!!
Cheers for now
.jpg)