tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6269069291231916423.post237927397316261788..comments2023-11-05T01:29:13.677-07:00Comments on The Many Misadventures: The Brain is Mightier Than The Ponymanymisadventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00269126419483167938noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6269069291231916423.post-13327227653088759552008-07-22T17:15:00.000-07:002008-07-22T17:15:00.000-07:00My goodness, you've given me a lot to think about!...My goodness, you've given me a lot to think about! Thanks very much for the insight -- and I'll think about checking out that book, I've heard a lot about it over the years but never actually read it.manymisadventureshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00269126419483167938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6269069291231916423.post-3625776793383444382008-07-20T18:59:00.000-07:002008-07-20T18:59:00.000-07:00Happy Sunny Sunday!We just got back from a trip do...Happy Sunny Sunday!<BR/><BR/>We just got back from a trip down your way to play with Charlie some more. He'll be moving up to our barn near Salem in just a couple more weeks!<BR/><BR/>I've been trying to put together some thoughts for you about this blog. Mainly trying to find some analogies I think you might understand. (Forgive me and the dog analogies I'm likely to use, but I am a dog trainer.)<BR/><BR/>There's a connection that I'm happy you're beginning to find with McKinna. I believe it's what Sally Swift tries to get across in "Centered Riding". Riding in unison isn't about just moving in the same direction, it's about having the same mindset and sharing the same energy. It's not about thinking about what you want the horse to NOT do, but what you DO want the horse TO do. <BR/><BR/>Focus on what you DO want. As a positive dog trainer, I will focus on the behavior I do want vs. the behavior I don't want. Say, my dog is jumping on me for attention. I'd rather my dog sit before giving the attention. Therefore, I reward the dog when he sits and only when he sits. Eventually, this will translate into my dog always sitting when he wants attention because attention is the reward. So when McKinna is dancing a jig and being "silly", don't reward her. Don't focus on her negative behaviors, keep concentrating on what you DO want her to do, give the correct cues and she'll get it. <BR/><BR/>In human terms, we talk about this in a hippy-hoodoo sort of way. We talk about energy and intent. Today with Charlie, my daughter was having a hard time getting him to move forward into a walk. She was getting frustrated and probably giving Charlie mixed signals. So, I told her to look out between his ears and project her energy forward. And guess what! Charlie moved forward and moved out with longer strides than before! What really happened? She focused and relaxed and in that process, she communicated with Charlie.<BR/><BR/>When I was your age I was a barista. Often, we'd get short lived rushes where everyone would basically order the same thing. Maybe one hour it would mainly be vanilla lattes. Maybe a couple customers would come in and order vanilla lattes. And, as soon as they leave and are out of sight, another group comes in and orders vanilla lattes. And it continues and continues for roughly an hour and oh, about 100 people. Now, there might be a few other drinks mixed in, but the majority (and I've tallied it before) will be vanilla lattes. There really is something to the "group mindset" thing. Some people call it "living in the moment". Well, that can't fully be right as you were bouncing around like a pogo stick in that moment. Really, whatever you want to call it, it's communication through energy and intent. <BR/><BR/>Synchronicity. That's what you want to find and keep with McKinna. It's how I can think a thought and have my dog obey the command even before it's spoken. In that case, it's some very subtle cue that runs down her lease translating my energy to her. Just as your energy runs through your legs, seat and arms to communicate with McKinna.<BR/><BR/>Work on that, dear, and I'm sure you'll find McKinna "getting it" more often and much faster.ORSunshinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07212211388313548187noreply@blogger.com