A New Year message – part 1
Jan 7th, 2009 by Carolyn Resnick Method
Hello everyone. Here we are in 2009 and I am looking forward to what the New Year will bring to deepen the quality of connection we share with horses.
Without effort there is evolution in the air, with our efforts expect a faster advancement and shift in consciousness in the care, custody and control of horses. By taking action, we are bringing awareness to others in how to share a natural connection with horses so more people can bring a better quality of life to them.
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Valeska,
I too resonate with my beloved equines in the way that you have described: “as friends, healers and kindred spirits”.
Also, you may recall a time when Carolyn shared with us about the Centaur? Your poem brings the image of the Centaur to me as you have described your riding Candy in your poem.
Thank you for that good image, I take it to heart.
Ever loving horses, Jakob
Dear Carolyn,
Thank you for bringing attention to the needs that horses have to be living in an environment that provides for: Freedom, Comfort and an opportunity to Play in the herd environment.
I do feel that horses respond well to the more liberal mode of training such as the ones that Resnick and Kohanov promote and the one that Alexander Nevzorov promotes. I understand that he promotes a training method that limits the use of bits, spurs and force. I feel that you are aware of his training methods and perhaps you might entertain the thought of commenting or writing an article concerning the idea of “less is more” or the idea of “limiting the use of bits, spurs and force”.
Thank you once more for your gentle and sensitive approach to horse training, bonding and loving horses.
Forever loving horses, Jakob
Thank you for sharing your poem.
Carolyn
Hello everyone, for me Carrolyn’s work has given me more confirmation and courage to follow my heart with my horses. I have only been with these girls for 13 months and our reason for being is not about training or riding, they are for me, friends and healers and kindred spirits, we are on a journey together and it has been hard for me to find like minded people to share this journey. I have found some in Australia and now that I have read Carrolyns book I feel a connection here. There does seem to be something growing, an awareness and understanding that the horses are bringing to us about the world and ourselves, and there are many people comming out and speaking up. This is a grand time!!!
I would just like to share a poem of mine that represents one moment in connection with my girl Candy.
BEAUTIFUL CREATURES
On that day;
The wind took us on a journey
It whispered and swirled us into a dance
And we became two more among the leaves and the butterflies
That flowed and moved in synchronisity.
I looked at you and asked you to join me
And instead of two we became one being.
Our hearts and minds let go of the world as we twirled in circles.
We laughed in spirit and became giddy with excitement.
You looked at me and there was a twinkle in your eye
A gleam of mischief and wildness.
In that instant I understood and leapt on your back
As if I had been doing it forever
And we continued our dance connected as one.
What beautiful creatures we each were
Even more beautiful together.
You fastened me onto your back
And held me there with the truth.
I trusted in you blindly
And for that you rewarded me with freedom.
Yes freedom!
For a moment I was no longer human
I became a beautiful creature
Thanks to you.
lol Valezka
I agree and applaud Carolyn and everyone out there who is making the effort to assure our relationship with our equine partners is evolving. But I also ask that we consider the larger picture that we (horses and humans) represent but a small puff of energy in – the laws of, well, the Universe. I don’t mean to sound like a quantum goofball, but what I am getting at is that the laws of nature are all about survival, right? In order to survive we need to assure we can thrive amidst adversity and change and grow and, well, evolve. And to do this we all need to continually develop the skills to survive – horses and humans. We need to learn the skills of acceptance and courage; of flexibility and forgiveness; we need to learn to embrace inevitable change and even help facilitate it. The transition between horse and human that I believe Carolyn and others are bringing into awareness is critical to this journey. Treating our horses with respect and having insight into their needs is imparative. However: we also owe it to them to provide them with skills to survive in the human world as it is. They did not choose us by accident, I truly believe our partnership is chosen on their end, as well. Just as your horse may ask that you understand their physiology, you can also ask them to understand the world they inhabit. In the future wide open spaces will be diminishing and we owe it our horses to help them develop the skills to be comfortable in a changing environment. For example, I own a breeding farm for sport horses. First and foremost I adore and respect my mares; I listen to them and we have the luxury of 2-way communication. I feel confident their needs are being met and in return I ask them to participate in populating the world with their enlightened offspring. This is a partnership and they have asked me not to impose my will on them without acceptance on their behalf – and I have learned to be less “human”, even when things do not make sense to me. But, I still would not be doing my part if I did not educate these babies in the ways of the world. This is why they are sent out to a show barn twice a year for 30 days until they are four so they get a chance to experience this lifestyle – a little more stress, limited or no turn out, grooming and working daily. Then they come back home to their pastures and friends with the educated that they can survive and be just fine. We find that by the time they are 4, when they will go into more serious training, they are so comfortable and relaxed their training progress is heads and tail above most horses – and they are more likely to sell to good homes with serious riders when they are pleasant to work with. And, this is the way we treat all of our horses – rescues included. I rescued a 4 year old hackney pony and her filly this spring and this mare had a terrible introduction into humans and was terrified of us. I respected her past fears, but I was also obligated to help her understand that her life had changed and asked for her participation in learning positive survival skills. I not only had to do this for her, but I had to make sure her baby was not negatively influenced. Sabel is making great progress and this is all I ask of her… that we make progress each day, no matter how small. For her to survive she needs to learn flexibility and courage; acceptance and forgiveness. She does not need to learn to be in a herd, out in a field away from the stress of the world. She needs to learn to participate with humans if she wants to survive, and this is the truth. I had this very conversation with her and told her I could help her find an enlightened partner if she would trust me to help her overcome her fears. But she had to choose to participate or I could not help her – and thankfully she chose to work with us. Some horse owners are not able to provide what we would consider ideal circumstances for their horses. They may not have a lot of property or they may not be able to afford the best boarding facility. I guess what I am getting at is that we owe it to our horses to help them be as adaptable as they can because if they do not learn these skills they may not survive with us into the future.
Stephani, I’m thrilled that you mention Jaime Jackson’s ‘Paddock Paradise’! Last year I bought his book and built my own two paddock paradises, slightly adapted to my own situation. I have two pieces of land, one 2,5 and the other 3 acres, for my 7 Icelandics. Since the paddock paradises, they are ‘on the move’ a lot more than before. I dedicated a page on my website to my paddock paradises. Ofcourse it’s in Dutch, but I think you can get the idea by looking at all the pictures: ‘click’
I try to spread the idea of paddock paradise as much as I can among friends and on forums etc. here in Holland.
Carolyn, I want to thank you for all your blog posts and hope you will continue this way. There is a lot of wisdom in your messages! Also I’m looking forward to your new book. Thanks for all your dedication.
I subscribe to a an online newsletter that is put together by the AAEP
(american association of equine practitioners) they have some specialized newsletters on nutrition and lameness I get too.
Two articles came last week though that I think would be of interest to everyone. One is about colic and the other is about keeping a horse warm. Subscribing to the online newsletter is free-
I think the one about colic relates to how we keep and think about our horses so it fits as a response to your blog.
If you are having difficulty viewing the e-newsletter, please see http://www.TheHorse.com/enews/01062009.html.
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=13373
Keeping Horses Warm
by: North Dakota State University Extension
January 04 2009, Article # 13373
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=12419
Avoiding Colic Through Management
by: Anthony Blikslager, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS
July 01 2008, Article # 12419
The age-old disease of colic can best by managed be returning the horse–as much as possible–to its natural environment.
Thank you Stephani, Stina and Maria-
Stephani, I also think that by sharing space with a horse in the area he is house will cause you to know better how you can bring more life style to your horses everday experiance. One of the things that can be discovered is that a shelter does not offer enough shade. May times it shades the place outside the area the horse is kept instead of the horse.
I will buy the Paddock Paradice.
One of the things that my horses have recieved from by visits is that I created hills for the horses to stand on in the winter time when it is muddy. The hills were always dry which was great but their was ever greater benifit than dry feet. We kept two horses in each one and they loved to stand on the hills and play king of the hills games.
By being with the horses you will learned which horses can be housed together with out getting into fights. From the time I spend I could also teach the horses not to pick on each others as well. Through the break in period I would not leave them alone with each other with out supervision.
Giving hores your focus in sharing companionship with your horse opens the mind to being creative and coming up with knowing how to bring more daily well being to your horse.
Carolyn
I could not agree with you more about our responsibilty to our horses to get them out of stalls, to let them live as naturally as possible, and to have interaction in a herd, not live in isolation. After 15 yrs of boarding, I finally have my own place – 5.25 acres of paradise and my horses live as they should, in a herd and not locked in a stall. My oldest horse Gabby is 2o yrs old, Gabby was the one who was boarded the longest, who always was hard to keep weight on, who always had colics, poor feet, etc. is in the best health of her life. She has not had one colic since moving her to our new home, her feet are in the best shape ever, she is moving with no signs of lameness (which was always a problem when she was stalled). My two younger horses, Kiss and Chip, keep her active and they play a lot every single day. It is such a joy to be able to watch them gallop across the pasture and run directly to the pond and dive in for a good swim and splash. And when they see me and I call to them to have them come running to me, it is truly an amazing feeling, it is my reward. My hope is that as the shift in consciousness continues that horse owners will not only seek to learn about working with their horses in a natural, fair manner, but that they will seek to improve their horses lives by allowing them to live as a horse.
Hi Carolyn – Thank you so much for your blog. It is one of the few that I read consistently. Today’s message is amazing. I have seen it with my own eyes. I don’t even have my own horse, but I work a lot with the horses that other people own. I have worked with them in a happy herd situation, single horses and in a 22-stall boarding facility, drastically different environments for them. Until I heard about you, I thought I was somehow imagining things.
I have no doubt that your work is helping to change our world and I greatly look forward to the coming year!
Carol in Gibsons, B.C.
Hi Carolyn,
For me, the strength of the connection automatically dictates a responsibility to focus not only on the physical needs of my horse but also her emotional needs. Althought I don’t always understand what she is asking for, I can’t ignor that she is asking, so I pay attention to her and try to figure it out.
That was a wonderful post and is like food for my own desire to help all horses, and other animals in the world. It’s a beautiful sunny and frosty day today and I’m going up to sit with Hazel and Misty and just just enjoy being in the same space as them.
All the best for 2009
Dear Carolyn,
Thank you for making this blog and this blog entry and happy new year to you too!
2009 will be a good year for the improvement of the lives of horses, thus also for people who work with them.
Looking forward to contribute and learn from your blog in the coming year.
Kind regards Stina in St. Vincent
I think it is very important to study an animal in its natural environment before building the environment for them, such as biologists do for zoo animals. We have had horses domesticated for so long that we have forgotton how they live in their natural, original environment. I have studied hoof care with a fellow by the name of Jaime Jackson for many years and he has come up with a very unique way of keeping horses that closely resembles its natural habitat and movement patterns in that habitat. His book is called Paddock Paradise. His ideas are very insightful and wise.