www.parellisavvyclub.com > back issues > dvds > Dec 2011 Issue 62
Linda Parelli. Level 3/4 Freestyle with Amy and Sapphire.
Hi Guys, welcome to part 2 of the last savvy club dvd. I've also added on the 'performance pointer' from the end of the DVD with Pat too. I hope that any of you who got to try part 1 out with their horse had a great time, please post and experiences!
Here's the notes I got from the dvd!
- Amy rides bareback and bridleless during the session, so Linda starts by saying that its a good idea to work towards this by practising first with a saddle and bridle/halter, and gradually remove each piece of tack in order to set yourself up for success.
(Warm Up)
- Always testing... is the bond and connection there?
- Test the basics - walk, trot, canter, stop, turns, back up using just your body.
- Keep your stick in neutral resting on your shoulder.
- To back up, try to get it on phase 1 (your seat) and use legs to tap shoulders if necessary.
- Don't use your legs for 'go', use your body. If legs always mean go, you will have trouble achieving refinement when you need them for communication later on.
-'Don't make me use the stick' - make a game out of it!
-HQ + FQ yields.
- Wait for processing and understanding even in the warm up stage. Make sure you're body is relaxed to show neutral.
Main session:
- Once you have established a foundation in level 1 and 2, you can start being creative and mixing things up. Amy backs Sapphire out of the round pen to start the session.
- Amy has a savvy string around her horse's neck as a helping hand for her phase 3/4 if she were to need it.
- Strategy - Don't go past phase 2. Phase 2 would be taking the stick off your shoulder, phase 4 using it, but NOT smacking. You're teaching, therefore there is no room for punishment, it doesnt work on prey animals anyway it just leaves them scared and confused.
- Do it with feeling, but be effective.
- Subtle communication is better for horses too, physically and mentally.
- Some horses won't tolerate you doing things wrong, they are great for learning with because you have to learn to get it right! If you have a more tolerant horse, look for smaller signs of an offended horse!
-Work on speeding up and slowing down the trot. Play online and liberty first.
- Keep your energy up, but lengthen and shorten your focus depending on speed. Same for cantering, keep energy and momentum the same but bring focus closer and further away from your body. 'Think' longer or shorter to avoid changing gait.
- Take breaks for thinking time.
- Use obstacles, jumps etc. Change leads over a jump, change gait, stop in front of jump, over jump and sideways out etc. Be creative!
- Walk to canter transitions just using your body, use clear messages to teach.
- You are working on the transitions, so dont worry if he changes direction or veers off the rail, not important right now.
- Keep freestyle and finnesse as 2 separate savvies. You are not looking for precision and roundness just yet.
- Put the relationship first. If you need to practice more, but your horse needs to stop, use simulators.
Part 3 - Knowing your boundaries - Pat Parelli. Freestyle.
-4 Pieces of pipe or poles in a square on the ground.
- Manage your horse's energy to get the message to the horse's feet.
- Horses often get emotional if you try to move their feet without connecting with their brain.
- Sidepass over all 4 poles using sideways, driving and porcupine games. Only correct if he gets too close or hits a pole.
- Wait for the feeling of harmony, then quit.
Hope you enjoyed, as always any ideas you have or BFO's please comment or message me! Also, if anyone here has a burning idea for a post and would like to write it themselves just let me know!!
Ideas for future discussions always welcomed. Next time we'll be talking about the concept of 'No Brace' as requested by a couple of members :)
Do let us know if you got to try this out with your horse how it went!
Bye for now, see you next time!
All together now...
SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVVY!! *clap*
