Kjarda and I started our Parelli journey four years ago. Our first summer in Parelli Kjarda was 6 years old and pregnant and we passed Level 1. It took another two summers to pass through Level 2. We have been playing in Levels 3 and 4 for the past two summers and are mostly in Level 4 now, except for Finesse where we are playing in Level 3, but only for a few more weeks.
You may be wondering why we only play in the summer? We live in Stehekin, Washington, where the horses must go downlake for the winter. I play with Kjarda during the winter, but only get to do that once a month or so . . .just enough to remind her what we did all summer and keep her thinking until late spring when she comes home again.
What is Kjarda? She is an 11 year old Norwegian Fjord mare. I've had difficulties figuring out her horsenality because she is all over the board. However, I'm beginning to settle on her being left brain extrovert with introvert tendencies. I originally thought her to be a left brain introvert because she has more whoa than go, but that's only by her choice. She has plenty of go when she wants it and when she realizes I mean business.
I regret not starting this last year when we first started doing the patterns. I may fill in the blanks as I think of things, but I want to start with today.
We are working on the bull's eye pattern, Level 3 Finesse. I finally had an aha moment that was strong enough to entice me to start this blog.
Kjarda figured out the reward in the middle of the bull's eye pattern after the first day. We are on day four and it has become evident to me that the center is her focus. The pattern is becoming useful for teaching me to be consistent with my position, and that I need to keep a strong inside leg and outside rein to keep her from diving into the center when we get close. It will be useful for teaching Kjarda to wait for direction and to respect my commands, that she must wait for me to invite her to the center where she can stop and rest. Also, she cannot break gait from a canter . . . she has to stop exactly at the center.
I am also learning to wait. When Kjarda has done something well, I am learning to take time for her to rest and "soak."
