For people who are just coming to the site, this is a sample of a lesson that you will experience when you join the Insiders Circle and In-the-Box programs. I am sure you will see, from the comments that my students leave, the kinds of benefits you can enjoy through my programs. If you would like to ask any questions about the courses, please feel free to leave them in the comments section found at the bottom of this post.

There are two separate abilities that help you with horses: one is how to train a horse to do something and another is getting a horse to perform what he has been trained to do. Many people are good at one and not so good at the other. If a horse is trained well in the beginning, it is easier to get him to do what he has been trained to do than having to train the horse from the start. Becoming a horse trainer takes years of practice working around horses and getting guidance from others. I find that the greatest skill to have working with horses in regards to performance is keeping a horse at his best once … Read more

Read Full Post »

Several people learning my method have horses that have not yet been trained to accept the halter, and they have asked for my guidance. Of course, there are lots of halter breaking methods. They call it halter “breaking” because you must be very careful with the horse or foal, as you can easily run into resistance you cannot handle from the sheer strength of the horse fighting to get away. You need to stay away from the resistance and train the horse to never use resistance in response to a direct request from a pull of the lead rope.

I find it very interesting that we see very few DVDs on the subject of halter training a wild horse. It takes great skill, and trainers who are not at all intimidated by getting in a fight with the horse or foal, or putting a horse though a process where he learns that, if he gets into a fight with the trainer, he will lose. This is why it is called halter breaking. Many trainers are not comfortable if the horse has not experienced this fight and lost to the trainer. Many feel that it is mandatory for a wild horse … Read more

Read Full Post »

Fact- The Magnetic Connection is not something that will always be there for you nevertheless you can always get it back though the practice of the Waterhole Rituals. It is normal to lose the Magnetic Connection when you are working on exercises or games that direct your horses where to go, like in the carrot game.

The carrot game creates a controllable gas pedal, encourages politeness, develops enthusiasm, and engages the mind in the horse. It also builds the horse’s trust and respect for people in general. It does not however, develop the Magnetic Connection because you are asking the horse to work independently from you and as he gets use to working independently it temporarily takes away the Magnetic Connection. You will always need to make adjustments in the horse’s mind as he transitions from being directed to matching your movements in companion energy.

At liberty, your focus is on making adjustement in the horse’s attitude throughout your relationship to bring about the performance you are looking for. You do this through working with the Waterhole Rituals that strengthen the heart-felt strings of connection and from the exercises within the rituals that increase the synchronicity in teamwork. … Read more

Read Full Post »

Today I am sharing another success from my Insider Circle course. It is wonderful how Candle takes us over the stepping-stones of her experience. The details convey the feel and the rhythm of what took place with her horse.

Her letter is an excellent reporting that shows the decision she made in how to approach her horse. Following, I have selected a few examples from her letter to comment on that illustrate the evolution of Candle’s thinking. She shows us through her letter to be in the moment with our horse and be willing to work with what is being presented and turn it into something.

Dear Carolyn,

I logged on to tell you about my morning with Z in record hot temperature, more like August than June, that Florida is enduring. However, reading the comments to this blog, all at once as I just did, was so enjoyable I have to comment on it. What a lovely community of people you have drawn around you!

I took to heart your previous blog about upping the energy in our dance without losing the connection by working in a confined area to start. Also, suggested in a couple of comments that

… Read more

Read Full Post »

Today your blog is a slightly edited excerpt from the comments section. I want everyone to read it that is in the Insider Circle and In a Box programs.

Many of you are leaving kindergarten with your horse and moving into first grade. In kindergarten, the focus is more on learning the method and developing the bond and respect and the heartfelt strings of connection. Many of you in the classes are now ready to focus on perfecting your body language and leadership ability with your horse, as you develop the dance in companion walking and liberty dancing to music as a guide. This letter will help everyone that is at this stage.

Do not try this until you can work your horse in a larger space successfully producing the results of each ritual; until you and your horse have become deeply bonded, and you have developed the magnetic connection both in walk and trot. The reason for this is, when you are working with your horse in a smaller place in the beginning, you will use the fence line to influence him when you shouldn’t. Small places are too intimidating for a horse in the beginning of his training. … Read more

Read Full Post »

Expectations be gone!!

I have gone from ice boxes to refrigerators, from fans to air conditioners, from wild horses to Arabians and back.

I have experienced closets in homes three feet wide as being more that enough room, to walk in closets as big as rooms not big enough. I have experienced a running hose in the backyard at 100 degrees in the desert with my Mother’s dish pan as my pool and the hose as my fountain. Today I have a friend whose swimming pool rivals that of a theme park. I am now living in a culture that is less satisfied, where the games are only focused on being competitive. I prefer games that are creative and bring communities together working on a creative project or dance.

Today I love to watch cooking shows because of the art and culture of it and the history and the way to bring joy to friends though cooking.

All the shows are a contest built on speed and performance and frustration. Yes, frustration is part of the show and if frustration was not there, the show might be considered boring. It seems that frustration is a good thing in all these … Read more

Read Full Post »

This article is for the Insider Circle and In-the-Box students. I am sharing it this time on the blog page to give us more time on the calls for questions. I am sure my blog students will find some benefit as well.

Companion Walking and Liberty Dancing are two out of my seven Waterhole Rituals. To ensure a good connection with the Companion Walking, you choose your speed and course to keep the connection intact. If your horse loses interest or energy, take a break and then after a while, you can activate his energy by putting him into canter and maintain it until his energy has picked up.

For those of you in the class you can now consider working your horse in a space that is small enough so you can influence your horse to keep your horse going. Now that you have the basics of my method down through your practice, you can begin increasing your horse’s energy for a stronger magnetic connection. If you choose to start working the last Ritual Liberty Dancing make sure that the space you choose to work him in is large enough that the horse still feels he can escape your … Read more

Read Full Post »