Notes from clinics

Golden nuggets - extracts and quotes from Perry's clinics

	If you were a horse, how would you like the person you carry to be? Would you like them to smile or to be miserable?
	When you let go of your legs she goes quicker than when you kick her.
	Open your heart. Feel the love for your horse - he is fantastic. Open your heart to the feeling and energy of the trot.
	What is your dream on this horse: to be able to ride her in all gaits at a speed you like, easy and balanced, with a good rhythm? What is she doing so that she is not quite your dream-ride yet?
	What percentage of your bodyweight do you have in the saddle? Ask yourself: How much of my seat is in the saddle? When you sit fully in the saddle you have more connection and control. Have more body weight in the saddle. Human bottoms are nicely padded - luckily for the horses!
	If something is not working, change it a little bit! Sometimes a change of a thought is all you need. You don't necessarily need a big change or to find another guru. Change 1 % every day and see what you have after 100 days.
	Everything the horse gives you is an amazing gift, and if you appreciate the good bits the horse will give you more.

It is from the rider's body to the horse's body, and on to the horse's mind. but it begins in the mind of the rider.
A young horse needs lots of leadership, direction and help building his confidence, so he believes he can.
We are working with the horse's energy and influencing him with our energy. what things in your life make you feel energetic and focused?
Don't make assumptions. Look at the facts. What is the horse actually doing? That is a key to handling and riding with intelligence.

Ride by magic: think what you want and trust it to happen without physical aids or doing stuff. It works! Children find this much easier than adults.
You cannot be relaxed when you're not in vertical balance, because you are arguing with gravity... Being with gravity brings you in balance, and then the whole of planet Earth sucks you into the saddle. The body takes over. You just sit in the saddle. It is a certain feeling.
To be a leader is to be really clear and consistent. Then he thinks: Oh, I'll go along with her. She's a leader!
The rhythm has to come from you. BE the rhythm!
Without a message, using your legs is just kicking. An idea of forwardness, supported by the physical aids is what we want to achieve, not just kicking and hoping!

Don't judge the other riders or your self, or your horse. Have no expectations. Then you will be more open and more observing: then see what happens to the horse. Give the horse and yourself a chance. The horse doesn't have expectations.
You need to know with your own body what the horse's feet are doing.
Natural Horsemanship is not about just following the horse or letting the horse take over. The rider has a very clear idea and then it gets to a point where the horse always comes to ask: how much do you want?
Especially with a stallion: always give him something to do, otherwise he will tend to think about women and battle all the time. Keep him in the office. He will be happier when he is. Ask him to come back to the office again and again.

	My first Portuguese riding master spoke very little English, and all he would say is " Sit well, do nothing, and the horse do." For a long time I thought he just said that because it was the only thing he could say; then I realised it was pretty much all he needed to say!
	Remember the "F-word" . FUN! That is why we're riding, isn't it?
	Be simple and relaxed. Quiet with your hands. Always ask him quietly: look this way - go this way.
	Don't block her with the knee. This is important for forwardness, collection and self-carriage.
	If you ask her for more forward motion without collection she ends up more on her forehand and poking her nose.

Anyone can ask a horse to go faster, but not everyone can have a horse carry herself.

Your lower back plays a big part in re-shaping the horse. If you're tight there, there will be no relaxation elsewhere. Release the legs away from the hips. The horse needs to breathe between your legs. If you clench your knees and lower legs onto the horse you stop the softening.

If you want her to go more forward, with more life.... then ask for more.
Lateral movements develop more mobility in the horse's back, hips and legs. There will be benefits for the canter, and it will even improve things such as forwardness, and even the stops.
The thing with aids is not when you give an aid but when you stop giving it.
Have your upper body over your hips: if you tip back you brace yourself against the movement and he cannot move forward so easily.
Every piece of riding and horsemanship can be simple.

	Performance = potential - interference.
	The term "natural horsemanship": It is not really natural to keep a horse confined in a field. To sit on him is even less natural: he is not even well designed for that. To work in a rounded outline helps him to carry us better. One of the things is to work the muscles well, so the horse gets strong and can carry the rider.
	When the shit hits the fan you don't think about the details or refinement, maybe just do what you can to stay alive!
	Sit fully in the saddle - not bracing your back and not hovering above the horse.
	Each time you allow yourself to sit he goes: "oh yes! That is nice and comfortable".

Train your horse to stop when you stop by leading from the ground. You stop - he stops. With a finished horse you should need only to think "stop".
You always need a plan.
Even a little lack of belief in the rider sets the horse up so that he cannot do it.
It is very easy to not believe in magic.
Do it as if your life depends on it - now - magic - walk - trot ... stay alive. People have the resources. We've all got so much power but we don't use it very often!
Think about it: the physical aids are not the communication, it is the thought. The horse can hear your thoughts. remember it is impossible to have a thought without it being communicated in some way.

Golden nuggets - extracts and quotes from Perry's clinics

If you were a horse, how would you like the person you carry to be? Would you like them to smile or to be miserable?

When you let go of your legs she goes quicker than when you kick her.

Open your heart. Feel the love for your horse - he is fantastic. Open your heart to the feeling and energy of the trot.

What is your dream on this horse: to be able to ride her in all gaits at a speed you like, easy and balanced, with a good rhythm? What is she doing so that she is not quite your dream-ride yet?

What percentage of your bodyweight do you have in the saddle? Ask yourself: How much of my seat is in the saddle? When you sit fully in the saddle you have more connection and control. Have more body weight in the saddle. Human bottoms are nicely padded - luckily for the horses!

If something is not working, change it a little bit! Sometimes a change of a thought is all you need. You don't necessarily need a big change or to find another guru. Change 1 % every day and see what you have after 100 days.

Everything the horse gives you is an amazing gift, and if you appreciate the good bits the horse will give you more.

It is from the rider's body to the horse's body, and on to the horse's mind. but it begins in the mind of the rider.

A young horse needs lots of leadership, direction and help building his confidence, so he believes he can.

We are working with the horse's energy and influencing him with our energy. what things in your life make you feel energetic and focused?

Don't make assumptions. Look at the facts. What is the horse actually doing? That is a key to handling and riding with intelligence.

Ride by magic: think what you want and trust it to happen without physical aids or doing stuff. It works! Children find this much easier than adults.

You cannot be relaxed when you're not in vertical balance, because you are arguing with gravity... Being with gravity brings you in balance, and then the whole of planet Earth sucks you into the saddle. The body takes over. You just sit in the saddle. It is a certain feeling.

To be a leader is to be really clear and consistent. Then he thinks: Oh, I'll go along with her. She's a leader!

The rhythm has to come from you. BE the rhythm!

Without a message, using your legs is just kicking. An idea of forwardness, supported by the physical aids is what we want to achieve, not just kicking and hoping!

Don't judge the other riders or your self, or your horse. Have no expectations. Then you will be more open and more observing: then see what happens to the horse. Give the horse and yourself a chance. The horse doesn't have expectations.

You need to know with your own body what the horse's feet are doing.

Natural Horsemanship is not about just following the horse or letting the horse take over. The rider has a very clear idea and then it gets to a point where the horse always comes to ask: how much do you want?

Especially with a stallion: always give him something to do, otherwise he will tend to think about women and battle all the time. Keep him in the office. He will be happier when he is. Ask him to come back to the office again and again.

My first Portuguese riding master spoke very little English, and all he would say is " Sit well, do nothing, and the horse do." For a long time I thought he just said that because it was the only thing he could say; then I realised it was pretty much all he needed to say!

Remember the "F-word" . FUN! That is why we're riding, isn't it?

Be simple and relaxed. Quiet with your hands. Always ask him quietly: look this way - go this way.

Don't block her with the knee. This is important for forwardness, collection and self-carriage.

If you ask her for more forward motion without collection she ends up more on her forehand and poking her nose.

Anyone can ask a horse to go faster, but not everyone can have a horse carry herself.

Your lower back plays a big part in re-shaping the horse. If you're tight there, there will be no relaxation elsewhere. Release the legs away from the hips. The horse needs to breathe between your legs. If you clench your knees and lower legs onto the horse you stop the softening.

If you want her to go more forward, with more life.... then ask for more.

Lateral movements develop more mobility in the horse's back, hips and legs. There will be benefits for the canter, and it will even improve things such as forwardness, and even the stops.

The thing with aids is not when you give an aid but when you stop giving it.

Have your upper body over your hips: if you tip back you brace yourself against the movement and he cannot move forward so easily.

Every piece of riding and horsemanship can be simple.

Performance = potential - interference.

When the shit hits the fan you don't think about the details or refinement, maybe just do what you can to stay alive!

Sit fully in the saddle - not bracing your back and not hovering above the horse.

Each time you allow yourself to sit he goes: "oh yes! That is nice and comfortable".

Train your horse to stop when you stop by leading from the ground. You stop - he stops. With a finished horse you should need only to think "stop".

You always need a plan.

Even a little lack of belief in the rider sets the horse up so that he cannot do it.

It is very easy to not believe in magic.

Do it as if your life depends on it - now - magic - walk - trot ... stay alive. People have the resources. We've all got so much power but we don't use it very often!

Think about it: the physical aids are not the communication, it is the thought. The horse can hear your thoughts. remember it is impossible to have a thought without it being communicated in some way.