Comments on: A New Way of Training…

By: Andrea Schwiegel

Andrea Schwiegel — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:26:24 +0000

Hello, Carolyn,
I’ve been visiting your blog for some time now and I’m simply fascinated of your method and experience you have with horses. And I’d really like to thank you that you share your experience so generously on your blog. I’m German (so I apologize for my errors in English), but living in Italy, 52 years old, since my childhood magicly attracted to horses, but only now I’ve found what I’ve been looking for throughout my life: a way to really communicate with horses. Since April I’ve been doing a course in Germany with a similar method as your waterhole rituals (my trainer is Susanne Schwaiger, who founded the “Pegasus-Projekt” http://www.Das-Pegasus-Projekt.com., where I’ve been learning a lot about body language and eye-contact with your horse. (When I was younger I was taught not to look into your horses eyes, it might frighten him). One of the course members introduced me to your method and book “Naked Liberty”. I read the German Translation “Tochter der Mustangs”. I would love some time to come to California to meet you personally and participate in your courses. As for now it’s financially impossible and I’m studying your movements on you-tube. Is there anybody in Italy who is working with the Waterhole rituals? I bought an ex- racehorse a year ago, English thoroughbred, whose ex-owner made her starve. I think she was quite angry inside with the human kind, and it’s really moving to see how our relationship gets better day by day. Still, I have to learn so much to really understand what she wants to tell me, to recognize when we’re really in a relationship and when she again is only “functioning” as she had to in her past. Which of your books or DVD’s is the one I should buy first to really understand her language? And is it possible to ship them to Italy?
Looking forward to read your next article on your blog I’m sending my best greetings to you.
Andrea

By: lisa

lisa — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:51:26 +0000

Dear Carolyn,

I was in a round pen practicing the first ritual. Sharing territory. Sat in my chair asked him to eat. A couple minutes went by. Then he started to go wild. Running around the round pen, kicking out, coming close to me. I was getting concerned for my safety. I made him free lunge until he showed signs of wanting to come in. The first time I said no. Made him go around a couple more times.Then let him come in. After that he was fine. Followed me like a puppy dog. Even stood still for grooming. I don’t know if I did the right thing. How do you handle this type of situation?

Thanks~Lisa

By: inge

inge — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:40:07 +0000

for me it is not a new way of training, it is a way of life.

For example today it is pretty warm and the ponys have already thick coats.
So i thought we make a small ride today, normaly we make longer trips but that was not a good idea with this temperature. I go out to the fields and call the ponys. Took one out and give a good brush and then i took the harness and walked back to the pony. he looked at me and the stuff. And did a few steps away. Normaly he never do that or he have a reson for it.
So i ask him, would you go for a small ride? just a small one??
and i did one step more, again he got a few steps away from me.

Okay i said, then we wont go. probably not a good day today.
I brought the stuff away. Got back and ask if he wanna go for a walk and took the leadrope.
That was fine to him. He would like to walk….just walking and nothing more.
No work today. we have had a wonderfull walk through the woods. I was happy and he was.

So i always listen to my ponys, they would have a reason to walk away when i come with a saddle or harness and they move away from me.
they can not talk like us, they have body language and you have to find out what they are saying to you.
Maybe not in the right mood, or a bit tyred, somewere pain in the body?? who knows?? You can not see it always from the outside.
So you have to listen.

By: crissea

crissea — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:51:58 +0000

Hi Carolyn,

Thank you so much for your advice.

Probably I did not make myself clear. I have absolutely no trouble with Andre in regard to food except one particular food which I introduced in the last stages of the Program – I have been told by an Equine nutritionalist that this food is equivalent to chocolate in human terms – it has a lot of molasses in it It appears that this food seemed to stir Andre up so much so that trying to send him away caused him to become explosive and aggressive, for the first time I felt it unsafe to continue.

I stopped and considered how to clear the problem and it worked and then reduced the food to a treat once every two days. He is now calm and no longer reactive and not aggressive. He is absolutely fine with carrots – though generally I am cutting back on treating.

So now I am continuing back with the Method.

Best

By: Linn

Linn — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:24:04 +0000

Hello again Carolyn, and thank you so much for your answer!

I`ve read many of your blog posts, but it`s not everything I remember when I try to evaluate and reflect over my time with my horse. I hope it`s okay to ask these questions anyway? I understand if you get tired of answering all kinds of questions, often the same ones, I guess, but you can just refer to some of your older post, that I may have missed out?

She is just young, and I want to make her move more, not just eat. I know she trust me, and see me as her human.