Counterintuitive #9: Speed Up or Slow Down?
Have you noticed that sometimes we tend to use our cues too fast (our hands or feet get too quick) when we need to be slow and smooth? And then we want to go too slow with our cues when we need to be quick – but still stay smooth!
What’s going on there?
This video is #9 in our counterintuitive series. It’s all about discovering how to be in the tempo and speed flow of the moment. And yes, what’s required is counterintuitive!
Prepare to be Inspired
This past week I had the honor to be invited to do a 2-day cutting clinic in Oklahoma with 16 veterans and 15 National Cutting Horse Association professional trainers. One vet was paired with one trainer/coach – all in preparation for team competition in Fort Worth in mid-July during the NCHA Summer Spectacular.
The July teams will consist of one vet and one regional champion youth – both coached by one trainer as their team captain.
We had an amazing time. Thank you, BraveHearts, for inviting me to be a team coach (huge honor). The entire experience was moving and fun – all at the same time! And my horse, Nic, did a great job helping Alex Rodriguez, our veteran teammate, learn the ropes of cutting.
I interviewed Alex about his clinic experiences. He had a blast. And he shared how learning to breathe saved his life. That’s what this video is all about.
Counterintuitive Series #8: When You Grow & When You Get Weaker
Hello, my friends!
This is our eighth episode in our counterintuitive series – those things in our riding that are important to do, but we all tend to do the opposite
This week’s topic is all about training ourselves to recover our energy and lower our heart rate at will. This certainly is a huge challenge in our world of being on the go every moment! But it is the key to consistency and sustained high performance.
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Counterintuitive Series #7:
Love My Mistakes? No Way!
Hello, my Friends!
This is our seventh episode in our counterintuitive series – those basic things in our riding that are important to do, but they’re so easy to forget – and easy to think they don’t carry that much weight.
The first six topics in our series were about:
- The power of intention and how that sets us up for a positive experience with a clear focus
- The amazing impact of keeping our eyes up to ensure direction and focus
- How breathing can transform a ride for the better in literally one breath
- Feeling your horse move beneath you by focusing on your seat bones
- Using your seat and legs first before your hands
- Having the patience to complete the tiny-step sequences in all maneuvers
But most often with all these counterintuitive elements, our natural tendency is to do exactly the opposite! That’s the interesting part to me.
Our seventh topic in this video is all about the challenge of not only getting comfortable with making mistakes, but actually looking for them as the golden keys to your most efficient progress.
Counterintuitive Series #6:
Tiny Steps Done Well
This is number six in our counter-intuitive series that discusses many of the basics of horsemanship and riding, interwoven with the mental tools and skills that we all know we should do, but we tend to do just the opposite.
Today’s topic is about the tiny steps involved in doing any maneuver we do on a horse. If we don’t do each one of the small steps well (in the chain along the way), then the maneuver as a whole will not be smooth. Or it may not build the confidence of our horse – or us.
Counterintuitive Series #5:
These Come First – Really?
Hello, my Friends!
This is our fifth episode in our counterintuitive series – those basic things in our riding that are important to do, but they’re so easy to forget – and easy to think they don’t carry that much weight.
The first four topics in our series were about:
- The power of intention and how that sets us up for a positive experience with a clear focus
- The amazing impact of keeping our eyes up to ensure direction and focus
- How breathing can transform a ride for the better in literally one breath
- Feeling your horse move beneath you by focusing on your seat bones
But most often with all these counterintuitive elements, our natural tendency is to do exactly the opposite! That’s the interesting part to me.
Our fifth topic in this video is all about the challenge of using your seat and/or your legs/feet before your hands. We tend to go right to our hands for almost everything!
Counterintuitive Series #4: Please Be Seated
This is the fourth episode in our counterintuitive series – those basic things in our riding that are important to do, but they’re so easy to forget – and easy to think they don’t carry that much weight.
As a quick review, the first topic in our series was about the power of intention and how that sets us up for a positive experience with a clear focus. The second was the amazing impact of keeping our eyes up, and the third was how breathing could transform a ride for the better literally in one breath.
But most often with all these counterintuitive elements, our natural tendency is to do exactly the opposite! That’s the amazing part to me!
Our fourth topic today is all about becoming more connected with your horse through your seat. And just like all of the other counterintuitive topics, I LOVE this one!
Now I’m doing this episode via audio for a reason. It’s because I want you to take the time to tune into your body as you ride, connect to your seat, release tension, and feel the movement of your horse beneath you.
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Counterintuitive Series #3:
take a breather
This is our third video in our counterintuitive series – those basic things in our riding that are important to do, but they’re easy to forget or think that they don’t care that much weight.
And most often, our natural tendency is to do exactly the opposite!
Number 3 is all about breathing.
Counterintuitive Series #2:
The Eyes Have It!
Hi, my Friends.
This is the second video in our counterintuitive series. And what I mean by that is there are many things we know we should do, but they seem so ‘common’ that we tend to think, “Yeah-yeah. Let’s move on to something a little more exciting!”
The challenge is that all of these ‘basics’ matter A LOT – but – they are counterintuitive and easy to forget to do.
By that, I mean that it feels more natural not to do them. Or we think these things don’t have that big of an effect on what happens with our horse in any one moment.
What I’m going to talk about in this video is keeping our eyes up, why it’s important, and a tip for doing just that.
Counterintuitive Series, #1:
Does THIS really matter?
This is the first in a series of ‘good practices’ for riding that are counterintuitive – or maybe we think they’re not THAT important.
Over the next six videos, I’m going share one ‘yah-yah, but does it really matter’ idea, explain why I think it’s important and I’ll give a simple tip to you for doing it.
This first video is about the simple practice of setting an intention before you ride.
You may think that setting an intention before your ride does not significantly impact your ride.
I understand why you might think that.
But in this video, I explain why I believe setting an intention is counterintuitive for most of us, and why I know it matters.
You’ll also come along with me on a little adventure to boogie land with Nic! HA! It will be fun to see what happens.
“The Best Gift Anyone Can Give
To One Who Grieves”
I remember feeling so fearful that people would soon forget our son, Zane after he passed on to his heavenly life. The thought of that was gut stabbing.
Recently I saw this quote, and wanted to share it with you.
“How to Coordinate Your Hand and Feet
on the Cut”
There are three main things going on as you’re walking through the herd to make a cut. The first is effective communication with your horse. The second is reading an ever changing situation. The third is making good decisions moment to moment.
That’s a lot to manage all at one time!
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