Active Change for Creating Harmony
Apr 20th, 2010 by Carolyn Resnick Method
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I am so pleased to have all of you in my classrooms and on the blog. I want to thank you for being here with me. Your interest in my programs gives me an opportunity to be able to share with you what is closest to my heart. We have a large enrollment for the ‘In a Box’ Program. I kept the ‘Insider Circle’ Program to a small number so I can coach to offer personalized coaching. For everyone in those Programs, my blogs will help you in the courses so don’t stop reading them. I will use the blog for added lesson material. The blogs going forward will also help the those of you who are not currently in these Programs on the Waterhole Rituals. I will focus on philosophy, how to go about training and the kind of atmosphere that will bring a horse well being. I have always felt that to follow your truth in what is fair, just and moral and effective, will give you the ability to have a way with horses. But the jury is out in how to approach what is fair just and moral. One thing I do know is that we have a long way to go to create a better environment for horses and our treatment of them. We can bring them more well being and raise the bar of what is occurring world wide.
In my observations of herds in the wild I discovered daily bonding rituals horses used to raise their young and keep the order of the herd and how horses court each other to develop deep friendships and mating partners. I discovered the rituals were a formula in how to develop a harmonious relationship with just about anything in life.
I want to suggest a formula for growing humane values for horses and humans:
- As a habit enjoy being with your horse for the sake of sharing companionship with your horse. Practicing this habit out any other distractions will bring well-being to you both and give positive insights and change regarding the care, custody and control of horses.
- Spend time being with your horse sharing territory without agenda. In the moments you enjoy being with your horse without an agenda you will gain an understanding in how to handle the things in our life that challenge you.
- Speak to others about how just being with your horse helps you in your daily life. From the companionship with your horse, you will gain clarity for everything in our life.
- Take the position that relationship is more important than performance. Dance your dance when your dance would create good energy around you. Pause and allow when there is resistance. Seek to create change, only when you can act in moments when you have connection with others.
- Refrain from using tack to control a horse’s resistance, because when you do, the trust, willingness and the magnetic connection is lost in that moment. If I work on keeping the magnetic connection, it causes me to stay way from accidentally abusive training sessions. When you are pursuing conflict and working a horse against his will you are using unnecessary force, you are missing a step. What’s missing is the pause and the return to agreement from that horse, that he wants to be trained and is willing. To assure you are not abusive, give your horse freedom to choose or not to choose your company and training. It is unnatural for a horse not to be able to seek comfort when he chooses. By forcing a horse, it causes him not to trust you and to be more fearful. It’s better to stop what you are doing with a horse, wait for willingness and well-being to set in. Letting him return to a place of comfort and you to regain your leadership. It is better to communicate with your horse in a co-creative process; the Waterhole Rituals provide and allow the freedom of choice.
A word on abuse. If we should not abuse horses, we should not abuse humans who abuse horses. I suggest correcting abusive acts by humans, in the same way you would like the human abuser to handle their horse. This way, you show the abuser through your approach, that there is a way to make change without being abusive. To create more humanity is a multi-tasking adventure of loving evolution and staying away from war of any kind. The more we stay way from laws that reprimand in the name of humanity and factions, the more it will be the nature of community to be inclusive and bonded – working together to help horses get a better deal. Become the student of the way rather the resistance. Change naturally occurs from a shift in consciousness – the great poet Rumi said…
“There is a field beyond right and wrong, I will meet you there.”
This is where change happens more assuredly.
Enjoy your week
Carolyn
No related posts.
With regard to Lorrie’s comments about equine senior and beet pulp, I respectfully disagree. My experience with numerous horses over many years has been different. The truth is, providing good equine nutrition is an art, not a science. If you go to a horse show and pick out the ten people whose horses have the shiniest coats and best appearance of overall health and vigor, then ask them what they feed, you will get ten very different answers, especially if it is a national show drawing competitiors from all over the country.
Equine senior, moreover, which the post denigrates, is not a product with fixed ingredients. Triple Crown’s equine senior is very different in composition from Spiller’s which is not the same as Purina’s, and so on. I fed my old New Zealand TB various equine senior feeds in combination with other things, including beet pulp, from age 25 or so until he passed away last year at age 46, and he was looking good and even cantering along with the herd until the day he died. Although I never scoped him, he gave no indication of having ulcers after he retired from his principal job as a field hunter, although when I was hunting him regularly back in Virginia, I kept him on Xantac (at considerable expense) because his behavior indicated stomach problems and I did not know enough, at that time, to modify his stress level by changing my behavior. And my darling pony mule, Tulip, lived on a mush consisting, in large part, of senior and beet pulp, from age 40 until she passed at the remarkable age of 57.
Moreover, the cited article on beet pulp is completely one-sided, offering numerous comments from people with bad things to say about it as a feed source, and none from experts with something good to say. Conclusions drawn by such an unbalanced presentation are inherently suspect. Moreover, they do not comport with my personal experience in feeding beet pulp to dozens of equids over more than 20 years. The article implies, but offers no reliable evidence, that beet pulp causes weak hind ends, brittle hooves, lack of energy, dull coats and both loose and hard stools. In refutation, I refer you to the photos of about eight or so of my more than 20 horses on the Horseconscious Ning webcite, all of whom have enjoyed soaked beet pulp as a component of their feed for most or all of their lives. They do not suffer from any of these problems. I have had horses who did, however. But I was able to remedy these issues, for the most part, without depriving them of beet pulp.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Is-Beet-Pulp-Toxic-To-Horses—The-Real-Story&id=759474
horses with ulcers are helped eating benonite clay
equine senior is horrible on the horses gut
Have you all seen this cute little baby horse named Einstein? There is also a video on cnn.com. Here is the link to the story on Yahoo for anyone interested – He is a JOY!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20100426/ts_ynews/ynews_ts1796
Hi Carolyn – I’ve been hanging out on the Insider forum and am now just returning to your blog. Of course what you write is inspirational and validating. thank you.
My sharing territory is going well. Commander, the standardbred I am partners with, is a sweet gentleman. I wonder if he will ever get rude. Is it always necessary? As he is startled by many things I just introduced the reed today. He was afraid as soon as he saw it and moved off. He was eating hay and as he spends his time going back and forth between my hay and his I could only introduce it then. I just walked by with the reed low and moving it back and forth. I wasn’t trying to take territory and I didn’t. When he moved away I did too. Was that correct?
The first few days when I would bring his halter to him at the end of our time, Commander would step forward and put his head into it. The last two days I approached him and he turned and walked away – so did I. Then I came back and he let me put the halter on. I am seeing this as good progress.
When I take Commander out of the paddock he shares with two others, the pushy pony comes to the gate and tries to get out too. Today I used the reed just a little and was able to awkwardly get C. out. Many times when I go there isn’t anyone to help me. My thought is that I should go in with the reed and really drive her off before I try to get C out of the gate. Of course she may just come right over when I do!
Hi, Carolyn I am one of the In-the-Box participants. I just got back from one week of vacation. I went down to spend time with my two equines, Snowy, my Arab, and Rainey, my half-Shetland/Welsh rescue pony. Snowy said “hello” but then was fairly aloof. Rainey is always eager for attention. I did some companion walking with Rainey. Then I sat with Snowy for about 1 hour in a 30-40 paddock. He ignored me, and then at one point he walked in Rainey’s stall area (Rainey was eating grass where Snowy had been earlier) and stood with his back to me about 30 feet away from me. My cat “gives me the back” when I come back from vacation to punish me for being away, but I never thought a horse would do that. Later, he came up and wanted to rub on me, which Robin said I should not allow, so I took the fly mask off and rubbed his face all over–so he did warm up after punishing me at first.
I had some thoughts about your post. Psychologists have described how many “behaviorists” and “old school” people have tried to be perfectionists, always doing the “right” thing, and feeling horrible as if they were failures if they were imperfect in even little things. They also try to make their children do the right thing, and their horses because that makes everyone “safe” and proves they are good parents and horseparents. They drill children, other adults, and horses over and over to get behavioral rules down pat. But newer developmental studies have pictured children like plants that need to be nurtured and encouraged to grow and explore, where parents cannot tell the child what to be, only the child and its DNA know what it will be suited to become. “New school” does not think of everything as a dichotomy, right/wrong, good/bad, perfect/imperfect. Although I hate the expression, “there are many ways to skin a cat”, many ways to do the same thing well, and even mistakes are “learning experiences” that we can grow from. We each have our own path in life to find and no absolute rules can tell us how to get there. Rumi speaks to that potential that is in all of us to let go of hard fast rules that seemed to offer safety but often offered rigidity and abusive insistence on exact behavior. People caught up in old school perfectionism really make their own lives miserable (as well as their horses), but often they do not know how to let go of it. Very insightful post. Thanks.
hi carolyn,
i’m in the in a box program, in new zealand.
just a little story about sharing territory.
i’ve been officially doing ritual 1 for a few months with tom my 5yr andalusian x, but hang out a lot with the others: billy the quarter horse lead mare and cooper my 2yr arab x colt.
i was feeling emotionally dishevelled and went down to spend some time with my wee herd. when i got down there i was overcome with exhaustion and curled up on the ground using their covers as a blanket. (i wouldn’t usually do this, but felt like being with them, and trust them). the three of them quietly came to me immediately, lowered their heads over me and kind of dozed. i fell asleep. they stayed with me until i woke up at dusk and gently saw me out of the paddock.
although not technically a ritual, we exchanged some powerful caring and healing in our sleep together.
i am forever grateful for my horses and what they offer me.
robyn
(In a Box participant)
!
I’m about to go outside sharing territory with Saegola again. Tuesday I sat for about an hour with her and it was wonderful. Saegola had the whole arena but she chose to stay with me, mostly at a few metres distance. She was very peaceful and approached me now and then to sniff my fingers. I made her go away a few times, no problem at all. Went to give her a treat a couple of times when she respectfully stayed away from me.
I felt so peaceful while sitting, reading and feeling the nearness of Saegola and she seemed very content and relaxed as well; this is addictive
Thanks also for your wise words in this blog post Carolyn.
Dear Carolyn,
Checking in. Yesterday the sun was shining, I cycled up to the horses, didn’t meet another human, shared territory in the spring grass fields for most of the day – and recalled moments of wellbeing, before playing a few games with the herd in the barn. i tore myself away in the eveing and still feel an overwhelming sense of joy, even now that I am at my desk at work. Bliss. And this is just the start!
Thank you,
Joanna
Dear Carolyn,
just checking in. Wonderful post. It’s such a liberation to just be with horses, instead of following some busy “how-to-do” type of training program. Just develop well-being and feel.
Christian
Farah, 25
Sound true and good.
Dear Amber, 16
What a feeling of joy you brougnt to me from your heart. I see you in the field with your horses, I then see some crazy poet chases you down and forced you to speak crazy stuff that horses are make of. Thank you and I hope you keep writing in this state of awakness.
Thanks, so just to clarify. I was leading another mare when my mare was Leading me from behind. So we made a sort of line of the 3 of us. I was in the middle leading the first horse with my mare following me. So you are saying I should not move at first and then if I feel she is non aggressive I can allow her to Lead me from behind. She definitely was not showing any aggression perhaps just maybe even following along?
Dear Farah, 23
On the ears back step into her space with an intent to push her off her stop. But try not to use too much push that would cause her to want to move. step acertive forward with intent to tell that you do not appreciate her ears back.
On leading from behind check her out refuse to let her push you and if you give up the push then let her lead you from behind if you thing it is not going to make her agresive.
I have a question Carolyn regarding WHR and herd work. A while back I started working with my entire herd. I was leading my mare from behind and others joined in and you said to see where it went. Well it seems to be a ritual that changes all the time. Today I led the lead mare from behind and my mare appeared to start to lead me from behind. I didn’t feel threatened at all and wanted to see where it went and it seemed we were alternating who lead who or reciprocating leading from behind. It was fun and interesting.
I have two questions. 1. Is there any problem with allowing myself to be lead from behind at times as long as I feel it is safe and non aggressive. and 2. What do I make of horses that will Say Hello but put their ears back when they are doing it and is there anything I should do? or do nothing? And just take it as them being moody?
Thank you Carolyn. What a perfect Blog for my interactions with the horses today. Still needing to sedate True for the farrier, however I was able to make the time for her and to make it a very positive experience. She stood haltered leaning over the fence (her offering) but not tied(no chain, no cord just a big flat leather halter and loose lead) and with alfalfa hay treats to reward her accepting the needle being placed closer and closer to her neck and two “big apples in plain view” as the end reward was able to stay quiet and accept the needle without the big drama. She was peaceful and stayed that way. The trimming went quietly and both she and the farrier were the better for it. Had plenty of time without food for her to get drousy but the food was useful to keep her trying and positive, scratches also. She didn’t pull back, I didn’t have any rearing to deal with or being drug around the stall or pipe climbing etc., and I could immediately touch her neck after the shot and rub her. I only used the halter because in the past I couldn’t approach her when the farrier truck arrived, she would go outside her stall and be defensive about being haltered this is the only time we saw this kind of behavior. We had the farrier wait at the top of the property until she had her shot. My needle unfortunately popped off the hub and she needed to be redosed when she didn’t get drousy but she let me redose even easier than the first time(farrier truck outside this time) but was still totally awake. It was a really windy trying to rain kind of day so it could have been a big deal. It was not. She could always back up and didn’t have to stand still but she chose to. I think this was really a break thru for other vaccines etc and that her trust was offered without a big scene(easy to be a big scene when you are at least 16 hands, one DVM gave up). She finished calm, woke up watched the others horses finish up and went into the field with her mom, they groomed for a very long time. She is usually with the gelding so it was like an additional positive experience as an ending. She was not so sedated that she couldn’t have been difficult and stood still with the practice I have been doing practicing for the UE’s. I look forward to the day when we don’t need to do all this but I think we are on our way but for today everyone felt safe and and the job done was done focusing on her hooves not trying to avoid her feet or teeth. I feel like the trust I had before some of the medical issues occured was returning and that she was willing to accept my leadership. We will continue to work on this on a daily basis as we are supposed to but this was a great step in the right direction.
I am additionally happy because I had my spine reinjected on Monday at the University and didn’t have to risk my back to further injury (FYI True didn’t cause the problem, but a rodeo wasn’t going to help either.)
Wonderful day to all.
Leanna
Today I ended my jobb early. When I left I told a workmate of mine that I was going out to the horses. she also ownes a horse. I told her that I was just going to sit down with my horse , be in the moment and so on…
She was not happy going to her horse today. She had to do this and she had to do that…she would prefer sitting down like me. Perhaps she will do some day.
I feel so blessed that I found this.
“There is a field beyond right and wrong, I will meet you there.”
This is where change happens more assuredly.
I will take this words with me, translate them to swedish and tell the children of my class. This is what I want them to understand…right or wrong is not important, it is the meeting and the try to understand each other.
Caroline,
I’ve been away from my horses and your website for almost a week. Reading this post caught me by surprise because it so perfectly addressed my mood of this morning, for which I had no words until I read today’s blog.
This morning I had a lovely ride on Z (big grey TB), which I squeezed into an agenda filled with playing catch up on the stuff that piles up when you are away. I almost always play on the ground before I ride, but this morning I was stealing 20 minutes that I really didn’t have, so I just groomed, saddled, slipped a halter on and rode off. I badly needed a ride. Once in a while, my needs come first. Z, amiable as always, appeared to have no objection.
We went to the arena and practiced straight lines and straight halts without contact at a walk, head level with withers or a bit lower. When that was going nicely and he was tuned in to my seat, I asked for a trot. He gave me one readily enough, but only held it for one side of the arena, then wanted to walk. Not at all his usual behavior. He was not off, just seemed not to feel very energetic.
Here is where my newly developed consciousness began to show. Instead of increasing my energy or using my legs or doing anything to keep him in the trot, I just said OK, walk if you want. We spend maybe 5 minutes with me asking for a trot and him doing it a bit, then coming back on his own to a walk — with no impediment from me. We’d walk a bit, then I’d ask for a trot, and we’d trot again. After a while, with me being passive and simply taking as much energy as he offered, he suddenly volunteered a soft round relaxed canter and sustained it several times around the arena, finally coming back to a nice square halt when I asked by slightly shifting my weight. That lovely bit of canter was a pure gift from Z to me. Needless to say, I ended the ride there with a big grin on my face. Seldom have I felt more connected.
It seems to me that what occurred this morning, which I could not even identify to myself in words, is a big part of what your message in this blog is about. Even though you are the rider, you can still accept input from the horse. He honors you by going along with your plans, you can reciprocate by honoring his feelings when you can sense what they are. Pause and allow when there is doubt. The relationship is everything. You are very wise.
How do you find the words to express these concepts? It is such new territory in the history of humans and horses.
Great post as usual! Well said especially Rumi. Lead by example…
Gosh Amber, you have a way with words yourself. The peace I find when I sit with my horses and BE in their world really is life changing. The other day I pulled out my chair and sat in an area I knew they were about to come to relax. They did and my older boy stood directly facing me just a couple feet away. The younger was told to stand a bit further away by the older. They both dozed in the sun eyes closed and lips twitching, heads nodding. It was so peaceful and I truly felt like I was one of them. The feeling just spread through my body. I can’t even describe it. It was a magical moment. Carolyn I can’t tell you how much I love reading your blogs. Thank you
Regina
Thanks Carolyn. Inspirational and thought provoking quotes are great to collect and revisit often. I have noted yours as they are peppered throughout your blogs – may be an idea to collate them sometime and publish them.
Thanks again, Ang.
I love this post! When we live by our hearts it can feel raw and hard to see the suffering humanity causes other species. Something that I have learned helps me in those moments and that is not to resist. Resistance to “what is” causes the suffering and keeps it in our circle of life. In this electromagnetic, holographic world, what we keep our attention on (whether good or bad) keeps it “alive” to us. What I seek to do is even while seeing it, to pour love into the situation, and Allow the solution.
In some magical way my horse takes me to the field Rumi speaks of, where there is only the sacred Now, where compassion is allowing a young, unawakened humanity to evolve. If we didn’t know what we don’t like, how could we know what we prefer? The night must yield to the sun. And so we go on, bravehearts all, with unguarded hearts that allow the dissonance so that harmony may come. All the while, we speak their true name so these angry humans can find peace in their own hearts. The horses, oh God, the horses, seers and wizards and ancients they are – portals to enlightenment. Their constancy and valor as they hold to the dream their highest Selves have kept for all earth children to know unity. Such kingly servants. They hold my heart. They are the light I serve and meditate on and speak of and live from. Bless you, Carolyn, for these practical applications that serve to bridge our hearts and actions. So needed…. Amber H.
Hi Carolyn,
Your post is just further confirmation of the divine guidance I have been receiving since last Nov. I have been reading and studying Rumi for years . My journal that I am using for WHR is Rumi inspired and has quotes on each page so again I’m right where I’m supposed to be.
Yesterday I began working sharing territory with the herd. I realized that my work this winter has had quite an impact as most of the horses 2 Andalusians 2 quarter horses 2 standard breeds 1 thorough bred a mini stallion and a mini colt and mother came to greet me and watched as I set my chair and bag of goodies as I swished my reed around my space they all respectfully left me alone not going far but doing there own thing. Molly and mini colt Twilight remained in my space until I moved about 3x. Mini tried a nibble at the chair my book until I swished the reed at his feet …… he backed up without fear just learning to leave ……He went off for awhile to nurse and graze but kept returning each time with a little more respect.We ended the session with him breathing on me and grazing beside me. This winter he was so very afraid of people and would take off like lightening but I persisted with him slowly ….. giving him treats and taking my filly to visit him …… what a great turn around ! It was a very successful day . Namaste Sherry Thank you for believing that I could work with the herd………..
You are a great leader, Carolyn. I am in total agreement with your approach. Hopefully, I can learn (relearn) to consistently follow through with my horses as a partner. It is very easy to slide back to old ways & habits.
Thanks for the good words!
And the feeling of well-being gets stronger and deeper the more I practise the rituals! It’s a real gift from the horses. Thanks for dealing your way, Carolyn.
Just reading this makes me peaceful, and my horse loves that state of mind. I’ve noticed how much he loves my energy when my family call during sharing space time. He looks deeply happy, ears forward enjoying being included in the heartwaves and warm tones.
It can be so difficult not to be reactive when I see abuse, but if people consciously on this path can’t find the strength to do so how can those who are still acting from another place, thank you for this reminder of the value of embodying the values of the WHR in all of my life.
Carolyn, it is so wonderful to have our teacher back. I’m learning a lot by watching my horses, so I can’t say enough for spending time watching your horses and how they interact. I knew Carolyn learned a lot by watching the wild herd, (Ya’ll have to read Naked Liberty) and as I learned the rituals, I saw it in action within my herd.
You are so right about this changing your life. People that aren’t kind to you, jobs that don’t fill your soul, employers that don’t respect you, you will suddenly find so abrasive that they no longer have a place in your world. Lol, kind of like horses used to feel about you. You carry that lovely bubble of conciousness with you, and no wonder it traslates in your life and into the saddle. When you ride? It’s right there. Your friends change, you life changes, your very being changes at a cellular level. Thank God. All because a little girl decided to go live with the wild horses.
Yesterday I trailered Eclipse to the hunter jumper barn for our exercise day. We both put on a little weight this winter. We were playing around in the arena and were joined by two other riders. The one girl was riding a mare that was frantically racing around the rail. I watched her pull on her horses mouth, it was cruel. Then jump off, beat the mare, get back on…Eclipse and I headed for the jump, and the girl stopped to watch. Eclipse gaited on up to the jump, stopped and daintly stepped over. The girl waited. I cracked up, that loud laugh of mine, leaned over, threw my arms around Elipses neck and told her she just cracked me up. The girl just stared for a moment, and then she went back to pulling, getting off, beating…We approached the jump again, this time I was shouting, “come on! You can do it! Big jump!” Eclipse and I both were just funnin’, playing, and neither one of us was very serious. Again, Eclipse stopped, and daintly stepped over. I cracked up, the beating came to a pause as rubbed my horses neck and headed around for another go. This time we came around, Eclipse’s ears were back, listening, and I whispered, “let’s do this girl.” She jumped, it was timeless, we hung in the air, and she gracefully landed and took up a collected canter. We stopped, just by asking with my body, backed, no reins. The girl watched, the beating stopped, and she walked her horse out of the arena. It just doesn’t have to be that way. I hope she saw that. Saw what it could be. It wasn’t that long ago, I was eighteen, and being told to hit my horse just before she jumped to make sure she didn’t refuse. There is a better way. There is so much more.
So much truth in your post, Carolyn. If I could wave a magic wand and get myself to Rumi’s field without any of my judgments and despair, I would provide the people in this world with your method who hardly have the money to feed and shelter themselves but who, for reasons far beyond my comprehension, collect horses and keep them barely alive in abysmal environments.
Has anyone who reads this blog successfully brought Carolyn’s methods to this group of people and if so, how’d you do it?
Its very very hard not to say anything when you see the thin twisted wire snaffle, the drop nose band fastened tight, and the draw reins, and the rider says, ” I am going to gallop her up that hill as fast and she can go and teach her not to run away with me again” ( the horse fell down in the draw reins but she kept on going) This person has 5 horses and this year her 2 yr old won world champion pleasure driving horse. So what do I know? I suggested she work on some transitions in the arena and that was ignored. But I have had some impact. I ride quietly along with this person on the trail. If my horse spooks I just continue on. There has been a considerable decrease in the jerking and pulling and screaming that this person does on our rides.
Some progress at least. I can’t spend too much time with her because it makes me so tired to watch this stuff.
Oh Kim, your post breaks my heart – especially now I have Haflingers too. Such a game, willing little breed. Sometimes it’s the willing ones that suffer the most because they put up with more before they break. Or they just endure.
Carolyn’s post touches on a prominent thought I’ve had all day, and that is how the WHR have changed more than just my relationship with my horse – it’s an effective approach to any relationship. When you focus on really seeing into another’s self, you put yourself there and suddenly you have a lot more compassion for where they are at this moment. Then you think about how to re-balance the relationship, and even if you accomplish nothing, you haven’t destroyed the future by doing something you can’t undo.
I really like the quote from Rumi – a lot of insight in a few words.
Thanks Carolyn,
a timely post for me, as I am just learning the art of NOT getting upset when I see abuse. You are right, we can only help horses & people by example.
One of the things I love about the method is that I genuinely feel that every small bit of ‘positive’ energy I can help create around horses, does add to the ‘universal energy pool’ that I believe is growing so strongly now.
I attended a dressage test last Sunday & what I saw made me feel quite down-hearted. Horses mouths strapped shut, necks over-flexed, spurs prodding away the whole time… I even saw one pony with red raw flesh! So sad!
Why are the judges not stopping this?
I was thinking ‘none of these horses is happy in his work’ but then I looked closer at the riders and saw no real happiness in them either.
So instead of feeling anger towards them, I felt sorrow & decided to pray for them instead. I pray that they will find a moment of clarity & unity with their horse… then maybe they can find another way, a better way.
Thanks again for your wise words & guidance,
Moyna
Very insightful post Carolyn
Beautiful Carolyn.
I love how you weave insight from people like Rumi into your own teachings. Wonderful.
I had an interesting witness the other day with someone who is one of the more forward thinking horse people in our area—it shocked me.
They said, ‘yup, I got his boots strapped on, he’s bitted up and tied down–I make him work’!…’you saw how I was working him, I make him work’.
I remember seeing this little spunky Haflinger all strapped down and yup—they had him working all right, thrashing his tail at being forced to move around—no choice here. He had boots on his hooves and boots on his legs, side reins—he was all strapped down and didn’t like it one bit…just don’t know what that was all about. I had never seen them work a horse like that before.
And this one no less–this little horse—he’s a character. Smart and energy that doesn’t quit.
Entering into a battle with this situation just wouldn’t work. However, they have seen me with my horses…we’ve worked in a round pen and in the arenas with no halter or lunge line–walk, trot canter, fast slow, pretty. halt and in pairs. I’ve mentioned many times about the WHR….the problem is, I don’t show–so I anything I say, has no meaning for them.
I think I will give her my extra WHR DVD. Maybe that will have some impact.
Amen, Sister. I’m becoming aware of how subtle my unwillingness to allow the horse to say no is. I look forward to exploring this in the course and to transforming it into willingness and understanding. The folks I’ve shared Sharing Territory with who actually do it are so gratified by the shift brought about by the simple act of sharing presence with your horse.
Hi Carolyn,
As an Insider Circle member I have been sharing territory for two days now since the start of the program. Let me just say that I am blown away with what I am witnessing. It is not what I had expected but so much better for ME right now and for my horses in the long run.
Thank you this is what I need and of course my horses need this from me too.
It is very humbling and I am so glad to be a part of this.
Diane
Hello Carolyn,
What a wonderful post today. Your philosophy of staying away from conflict and war of any kind is the best advise the equestrian community can be given. I see so much conflict between horse and handler. We must strive to give the horse a better deal. Even though it’s easy to get into a disagreement with the minds (your’s and the horse’s) and then engage in conflict, I feel equestrians can do better, and strive for our training methods to be comfortable for the horse. If not, like you have stated, the trust between the horse and handler doesn’t have a chance to develop to it’s full potential.
Your efforts in making the lives of horses better, more enriched with love and comfort is truly wonderful.
Be Well,
Cheers, Barbara and Monie
Beautifully put, Carolyn, bravo. The Just Say YES! project is also designed to bring about change in a postive way – by promoting what it is about horses and people’s beautiful work with horses that just makes you want to shout YESSSS!