Sunday, August 23, 2009

Lyle moves it on over

I broke the news to Lyle this morning that I've signed us up for some continuing education. We're going to a two-day Tom Curtain horsemanship clinic in Albuquerque at the end of September. I love going to these clinics and learning new things, and it's been four long years since our last one. Lyle has stayed sound for eight months amen, so it's about time we got out of our comfort zone and kicked it up a notch.

The last clinic we attended was taught by Buck Brannaman. When one of the participants climbed up on the pipe railing of the arena and mounted her horse from there, Buck told the rest of us that it was a valuable lesson to teach our horses, though I can't remember his rationale. He explained the principles (basically make the right thing easy and the wrong thing difficult) and gave it to us as a homework assignment. Lyle caught on to the idea pretty quick, and we've been making good use of it ever since.



The older and stiffer and shorter I get, the more I learn to appreciate this valuable lesson.

16 comments:

  1. Now that's pretty darn interesting!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Loved your video, Linda. You give me a window on a world I once dreamed of -- your life seems like magic to me! Thank you so much for sharing.

    PS. I once wrote you because I wasn't able to view videos. My browser got an automatic update and wasn't giving me a message that some of my add ons wouldn't work anymore. Once I figured that out I updated everything and it works perfectly now.

    ReplyDelete
  3. That Lyle is one smart boy! I heart him so much. Fun video! You crack me up!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Carson: Just curious with this question. Why don't you have a three step wooden stair to mount up? I used one when I learned English riding. It was so handy. Everett was so use to it, he just walked right up to it and stood there while I got on. It seems a lot easier than climbing a fence.I'm just not that agile anymore. Out on the range however, at the horse ranch (my adventure) it was western riding and I had to mount from the ground. That was nasty every day, although my horse was patient. Just curious that's all.
    Best always, Sandra

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm trying to envision how in the heck you filmed that - do you have a head visor cam now? :)

    Love how Lyle moves it on over for you - the music made it perfect!

    Can't wait to read about the upcoming clinic.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sandra, Lyle is just as cooperative at a mounting block, but we start almost all of our rides at the front gate, and the pipe fence is right there, so that's what makes sense for us. I can mount from the ground if I have to, but this is a kinder, gentler way for both of us.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh,Lyle, yer such a sweet thang !

    You do your Mom proud in Albuquerque, hear? <3

    ReplyDelete
  8. Billie, my little point-and-shoot has a video mode, and a wrist strap. I just held it in my right hand and got lucky.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh Lyle, such a good boy! Cool video!

    ReplyDelete
  10. And that way of mounting saves your stirrup leathers. My saddle's got a longer left stirrup than right. (it's used, what can I say). Leather stretches! Loved your video. I would've dropped the camera and/or fallen or more!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. That is possibly the cutest movie I've ever seen!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Are you kidding me?!?!

    Lyle does all that by voice command?!?

    OMG, I'm so impressed!

    ReplyDelete
  13. and you do this with camera in had while videoing ... awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow that is so cool! What a smart guy! Love the music!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Oh I love this video..! Everything about it! But I guess I especially love when Lyle sort of ambles on over in his nice slow delibrate manner....BEAUTIFUL Horse!

    ReplyDelete