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Ali Jones Sessions 2007

Alison Jones Sessions 2007

Ali is booked for a full day on the following dates - 20th Jan, 17th Feb, 3rd Mar, 19th May at Cholwell EC, Lewdown Devon (Nr Tavistock, and the A30)

There are only a handful of places left, it may seem like a long way away, but demand is high, so please do let us know if you wish to book a place

• Maximum 6 people per session, morning group - L2/L3, afternoon group L1/L2, (3 hours approx per session), £32 per person plus £10 school hire
• Places to be booked on a first come first served basis, cheques to be paid in advance, but only given to Ali on the day, if you book a place and cannot make it, and we cannot fill the spot, you will lose your money, we will run a reserve list, so even if not 100% at the moment, it is best to express interest as reserves will be used in order of booking

If you are interested, either post a comment below or email fleur @ naturalmatters.net (without spaces of course ;0)

Xmas playday pics

What a great day - eleven horses plus spectators! A huge thank you goes to Anita & Alex for a superbly well organised day and to everyone involved for making it such fun; I had to buy a xmas tree on the way home as was well and truly in a Christmas mood!!

Xmas Playday and Meal

9th Dec - Xmas Playday - 9.30 - 4.30 approx

Cholwell EC, Lewdown, Nr Tavistock

Bring food for a shared buffet at lunchtime

All welcome, with or without horses, xmas games and great fun!

Tues 12th Dec 7pm - Xmas Meal

Monterey Jacks, Tavistock, Devon

All welcome, please let me know if you wish to attend - either email, or post a comment clicking the link below

Dates for your diary

11th Nov - playday, Cholwell EC
9th Dec Xmas playday, Cholwell EC

Xmas meal - date TBC

All welcome

Playday 28th Oct

Huge turnout - 8 horses and riders along with a few spectators! Sharon and Kay had kindly done the organising for the day, and had put together 8 sets of challenges with equipment - plenty to keep everyone entertained, really well organised and professional!

Another day of firsts, Alex rode her new mare Hope for the first time, hard to tell she is a horse with "issues", the first ride in halter and one rein was calm and quiet - testament to Alex's patience and commitment to the Parelli programme

And Anita pushed the boat out again and stood up on Xeb's back for the first time; I know I was holding my breath ;0)

Giddy as ever still has our point to point programme firmly in mind and is determined to got to cones all the time, when riding, was having some serious problems trying to outfocus her with this! did get a couple of half decent canter transitions online which was good as these never normally happen in a small school - more over at the link to your right

Thanks Helen for the pics

Playday 28th Oct

Cholwell EC, Lewdown, Nr Tavistock

All welcome, let me know if you wish to come - just post a comment below

Report from Course with Ali Jones 3*

From Anita (Tavistock, Devon)

Sam Heal and I set off with Xeb & Monty about 16:15 and had a really straight forward journey until we left the North Devon Link road at 18:00. Once off the slip road it should have been about another 10-15 mins to the centre. Unfortunately the road was we needed to take was closed! We were then in the realms of a nightmare. Very, very narrow country lanes, hardly any sign posts and Devon hedges so tall and dense you couldn’t see over them. At one point we found a village and I ran into a pub, we were facing the wrong way so I had to turn the rig around in a narrow village street. Then the way they sent us was down a very steep hill covered in wet slimy leaves. At the bottom we had to go up an equally steep slippery road. The rig couldn’t do it. Tried the hand brake and slid backwards. Banged it into 4WD and it still kept slipping. Eventually with lots of wiggling of the steering wheel I got it to bite and we crawled our way out of there. Then we realised we had just gone around in circles. I then had to turn the rig around again in a very tight T-junction. All this time there had either been no mobile phone coverage or there was no answer from the centre. We had been driving in the lanes for nearly an hour and it was dark so we decided if we couldn’t find it in the next 15mins we would find an empty field, deposit the horses and trailer and drive to any B&B we could find. Fortunately at that moment we got phone cover and someone answered. Although the road was closed we could make it as far as the centre so all the time we had been ignoring the road closed signs we could have driven down there! Anyway we made it, tired and a little frustrated but in one piece. The boys were fine they had not been upset by the journey at all which was amazing when you consider the back/forwards/turning we had done.

The first day of the course the weather was atrocious. We had gale force winds and lashing rain. Ali delayed the start but then said we just had to go for it. Now Xeb does not “do” rain very well. As per normal we started with on-line stuff, just settling in and warming up really. Then she had us play at stick to me. One of the things that became apparent was Xeb’s nipping. I was just ignoring this as I know it is just a stress reaction from him. Ali told me not to allow it and suggested I run around with my hand on the top of his mane. It was like magic! He stopped nipping immediately. He just needed the reassurance that I was still with him. Then everyone had to get on bareback. Normally I would happily get on him but I had to sit on the fence for ages and play with him as every time I tried to get on he lashed at me. Clearly upset again. I did lay over his back for a long while before sitting on him. Then I did a little walk and a little trot but he wasn’t settled. Interestingly Monty was also a little unsettled at the time and so Sam did the same take it slow approach which worked well for him too.

Then we went back on line and worked on transitions. He bucked like Billy-o in canter. Quite spectacular! After lunch we went out into the large jumping field on-line to warm up and then came back into the school to ride (with saddles). Most of my afternoon was a bit of a battle as Xeb bucked against the rain and wind. His emotions were up and I was also aware that I didn’t want to upset other horses/course members around us. When I eventually got him to settle we did the simple lead changes in canter. Mostly bow-tie pattern working specifically on getting the hind leg underneath the body and asking for the strike off at the right moment. I am hopeless at feeling where the feet on so I really had to concentrate on that. It was great having someone there to watch you as Sam was able to shout out when the hind leg was right and once we had felt it once it was much better. Must have got it right at some point as she passed us on that.

It also helped enormously to watch Alex on Sabre who effortlessly did the bow tie pattern. Something to aim for! Ali also used Xeb as an example of reading the horse. Let’s be honest he does scream his emotions! It was great to see the stiff tail, rigid ears, curled lip, wrinkled nostrils, snake head, head toss, lashing legs, bared teeth, tense muscle tone etc. etc. etc. Just a pity that all those things were on my horse! The next day the weather was mainly dry with just a few showers but it was very windy. The whole day was spent in the big jumping field which was nice and flat but very open and exposed to the wind. The on-line stuff was much better. We started by each being given a jump and without changing the jump in any way we had to play the 7 games with it. Then we had to play them again in a completely different way than the first time. Made us think! Then we buddied up, in our case as a three and challenged each other to do things with the jumps. The first person set the challenge, the second one did it and the third one had to beat the second person. Then it moved on to the second person setting the challenge, third person doing it, first person beating it etc. Good fun. Then we had to think of games to play with two or three horses at a time still using the jump. Talk about stretching our imagination! We all three had such a laugh and enjoyed this so much. I think because we were laughing and fooling around with this the horses really relaxed and seemed to play with it too.

We then did liberty work. This is where Xeb excelled. He may have been a pain to ride but I was delighted with his liberty work. In a very large open field with other horses loose too, at liberty he circled, changed direction, did falling leaf, squeezed over jumps, sideways away from me and toward me, rock slide lots of really good stuff. I did lose him just once, but in less than a minute he came trotting back to me from way over the other side of the field. I was smiling I can tell you! Alex even got Sabre to canter beside her at liberty – wow.

After lunch we rode in the field again. Started off with trot the rail. Half the class going one way and the other half the other. Each time we met we had to weave in and out and give a high five. Xeb was not very forward going but was better than I thought he would be. All was going well until Darren walked along the side of the field with three little ponies. Xeb’s life came up and he stuttered to a halt, heart pounding. Sam reckons he may have thought they were Dartmoor ponies from the moor and I think she may be right. Ali was riding Devon/Ginger as she taught the lesson and quickly came across and for the next 15 mins rode along side Xeb & I getting us to indirect/direct/sideways etc. Took a good 15 mins before I felt he was soft enough to trot on again. The others did some other work but I carried on working on his confidence and going forward.

Then she called us in and the others did some canter work together. When they had finished Xeb and I were sent out in canter. To the left we had the most amazing long soft canter. We did almost a circuit of the field on a casual rein so was pleased with that. When Ali sent us out to the right she said to me not to look at the jumps as she had notice his ear lock on them a couple of times. Well of course if someone tells you not to look at something what do you do – LOOK! The canter to the right was – interesting. I have never really sat on a real showjumper before and this canter was just like you see on the TV! We did two circuits of the field sitting on a huge bouncy ball of muscle with his nose on his chest and all his weight on his HQs. He only had a head collar on so it was amazing as I had very little in my hand. Every time we came around the corner he locked his ear on to a jump and I really had to focus where I wanted him to go. After two circuits Ali called me in. He stopped very quickly on my life down which really was a surprise. There had been very little hold or leg on my part and I think if I got that again I would enjoy it but this time I was too worried about what might happen rather than enjoying what was. As Ali said if I had looked at a jump we would have been over it.

After that the group moved on to jumping. It was hilarious. I decided I would walk over the smallest cross pole fence. It took me four attempts. Every time we got there he stopped. Of course it was me – I was not focused on getting to the other side. We did eventually trot over this same fence but his back end came up with such force and slammed into my arse that I almost ejected through his ears. I called the jumping lesson to an end then. He is just too much for me jumping wise and until my confidence grows I think I need to stick with doing my small xctry fences in the top field at home as and when I feel confident enough and he seems calm enough.

All in all it was a very good two days and I learnt a lot although I did find it challenging. Sam and Monty had a fantastic course and apart from him being a bit worried about the stabling on the first night he never put a foot wrong bless him. I think Sam was delighted. There were three other girls on the course Jackie, Alice and Julia. All were very friendly and achieved so much more than any of them had hoped for. Ali managed to teach each of us in a way that challenged us but was within our capabilities (although very often stretching our comfort bubbles a little bit) leaving us all smiling at the end of a very tiring two days.

Devon Trip to Parelli conference

Parelli Conference 4th and 5th August 2007, Birmingham NEC
International Savvy Club members - £70, non members £95

Tickets go on sale at the end of October, I will be making a block booking for as many Devon (and Cornwall) students who wish to sit together

If interested, please contact me ASAP on fleur @ naturalmatters.net (without the spaces of course, just avoiding those nasty spammers ;0)