Waterhole Ritual Companion Walking
Jun 3rd, 2010 by Carolyn Resnick Method
Companion walking is one of the rituals horse’s share with each other in the herd. It brings well being and a deeper bond and exercises the horse’s herding instincts. Companion walks are natural to us too when we are walking with a friend and sharing the same speed and rhythm. If we were sharing this with a friend, and we began walking a little slower, our friend would slow down. Or if we turned, the friend would go with us in the new direction. Shared rhythms when we want to be together are very nurturing. Once you have built the dance with my method using the Waterhole Rituals, halter breaking a horse is unnecessary. All you need to do is put a halter on the horse with a rope and ask for companion walking and the horse will stay with you. The next part is to teach three of the Uberstreichen Exercises and that is it! You will have a well-started horse in leading with a halter.
What to do when you loose the magnetic connection while companion walking:
A common thing that most people do when they have lost the magnetic connection with their horse during companion walking is to join their horse. Then, they try to get their horse to return to following them by trying to get their horse’s attention in a pleading way. Or, when the horse wanders off and disconnects from them, they send the horse away at a strong pace. You want to avoid doing both of these things when you have lost the connection. Sending a horse away causes the horse to feel you can be punitive when the magnetic connection is shared. It can cause a horse to become jumpy in close proximity to you which can develop the horse to lose interest for companion walking. He will develop a fear of companion walking from being driven away.
What you want to do:
Let’s say for example that you are making a turn to the left and the horse wants to go straight. Instead of staying with the horse or driving him away, you keep going forward without your horse. Take a path that leaves his space and make a big circle around him with a little pause so the horse does not see your action as a reprimand. Then circle to his back end and do leading from behind in walk or trot depending on if you need to activate his energy or not.
Sometimes horses do not stay with you because they haven’t enough energy in them to play. Activating the trot wakes the horse and creates more enthusiasm to reconnect which brings more energy to make the effort necessary to dance with you.
Carolyn
No related posts.
All I can say is WOW. So happy to have found you and this site
I have a 20 year old Arab X Quarter Pony Mare who found me about eight years ago. She was mostly a broodmare where she was before and when she did not have a foal at her side she was the “extra” horse that was used for children and adults….mostly inexperienced. She was spooky and high headed (did not know how to just walk). I was in the midst of recovering from a bad fall . My body was not nearly as injured as my confidence and joy of being around horses. I was very afraid of her and people around me kept trying to help by telling me to be more aggressive with her…harsher bit etc. I am not an aggressive or harsh person and none of it felt right. For almost a year all we did was go for walks and play and groom and graze until I felt I knew her well enough to actually get on her! When no one was around I would ride her bareback with her halter (which she responded to way better than the bit). We did nothing but walk and trot a little. Now I can honestly say she is THE best horse in the world. We ride everywhere bareback and bitless, she rarely spooks and has decided it is OK to mosey along with me. I feel so blessed to have been “shown” a different way to be with her.
About a year and a half ago a friend gave me a 22 month old foundation bred Quarter Horse Filly. I have never had a young horse before and did not know if I would be able to bring her along in the right way. From the get go she was no doubt the calmest, sweetest young horse I have ever met, nothing rattles her. She is just over three now and and we have spent the last year or so companion walking, playing and learning about the basics. She is so smart and willing and I am very encouraged. The same folks I mentioned above are pushing me to send her to a “trainer”. In all honesty I am terrified to do so. I just don’t know of anyone who will do the things with her and treat her as respectfully as I do. I just plan to go very slowly (I am in NO hurry to “get her going”). She has told me every step of the way what she is comfortable with and what she needs more time on. I am actually very proud of us both.
Anyway, sorry for the novel. I just wanted to thank you for your great information and encouragemet of my “gut” instincts with my horses. I swear, all I have to do is “ask”. It is so cool
Carolyn
What do you do if you try to turn and your horse goes behind you and joins you on the other side and will continue to companion walk?
Sally
Very helpful. Thanks,
Virginia
I am having difficulty viewing 2010 video # 4 and 5. They stop showing video at 2:?? but the timer continues to move. I checked this last week and did not look again until today, Monday, June 7.
I did not check video #3 again.
What is the problem and where should I report this. Thanks
[Mark here - We are looking into this and will get back to you]
Dear Carolyn,
(Insider Circle)
I feel sometimes like I am taking a college class: I read the material through; I re-read a 2nd or 3rd time taking notes; I review my notes and decide a general game plan for the next time that Roscoe and I are together. Of course, the plan has to be flexible. What I want to say is that to gain the most from your wonderful program, one should be a good student. Thank you, Carolyn. I can only imagine how much work you are putting into your class and the blog.
I have benefitted immensely from the questions (and your detailed answeres) from people like Candle Hill and Christian Gunderman because they often involve the finer points of the Rituals. I learn so much.
I’ve done the above-mentioned things when Roscoe disconnects from me. It is so empowering to know how to re-connect. There is nothing like the feeling when Roscoe is completely in sync with me. For example, when I go to Roscoe’s pasture and locate him, it is his decision whether or not he wants to accompany me. When I feel that he wants to go with me, I spend extra time just sitting around and walking to different spots around him while he is grazing. The whole time, he is watching me like a hawk. When I shift my position, he shifts his body so that he can maintain eye contact with me. I love how all that energy builds up to the moment I finally decide to leave the pasture, and he is immediately next to me.
Karin
Hi Carolyn
I just wanted to check in with a progress report on companion walking and the other rituals, I’ve been following on a bit behind for the last few weeks taking each step as the moment feels right. All is well and we’re having a wonderful time!
Sometimes we companion walk unintentionally, sometimes we walk to rewards together, or more energetically I run ahead and “find” a treat and then he has to catch up to me quickly, sometimes he keeps pace and we’ll be cantering together for a few strides. From there I might lead from behind, he is supremely attentive and stops the instant I do from walk trot or canter.
These exercises seem to have balanced his energy and everyone is commenting how lovely he is for a young man, confident and playful but not too pushy.
After a little period of indifference at the start of the programme we’re loving our time together again.
Yesterday I took him a long walk, his first experience of being on the road in traffic, he was very relaxed but once back in the yard I could see he was eager to check the others hadn’t left in his absence. Rather than feel rejected I instigated running to find them together. He rejoined them very attentively and I wondered if I had stretched things too far with our adventure, but he soon came to investigate me laying in the sun, and snuffle my toes until my feet rubbed his head. It was very hot and he left the others again when I invited him to follow me to the yard for a drink.
That was a waterhole ritual itself as I had been cooling my fizzy water in the trough, so it really was a shared experience quenching our thirst. I am so grateful to you for moments like these!
Quite often when I want to take him somewhere (unhaltered) he follows on a couple of steps behind, rather than together, should I aim to make all travelling be in the form of companion walking? When they are moving peacefully his herd tend to move around in a line on their paths so it feels quite natural.
Thank you
Kirsty
Dear Karin, 18
This is what I wanted you to do. First practise them in order and then use them to bring back the strings of connection that get lost.
Dear Carolyn,
(Insider Circle)
This post is so very illuminating. I thought I had a pretty good understanding of the Waterhole Rituals before I began your current Insider class because I had started last summer after obtaining your books and dvds. But only now am I understanding them on a much deeper level, their intent. I’m reading my horse better moment by moment and how to apply the Rituals as they are needed to maintain the connection. Before I was more likely to just do the Rituals to practice them.
Mary Elizabeth Bennett, #285, I was the one.
Karin
Dear Carolyn,
Thankyou Carolyn,
This is where Tom and I are up to so very helpful post. Sometimes he just automatically wants to companion walk, and sometimes less so. I’m trying to do it when he’s in the mood, and do something else when he’s not, hope this is right. Am also doing it to and from the paddock which is working, but feels a bit like cheating!!
cheers Robyn
Dear Christian, 14
If you are doing a show and your horse does what you ask and also quites you the audiance can not tell. When you are danceing at liberty the connection is never lost because your horse is either matching your movements or you are matching the horse’ movemnt in the oppesite direction. The parttern you share are either the same or the oppesite movements, it looks rehurst and completly spot on. It looks reharesed beautiful, in harmony and unity and is entirley unpredidcatble and spontainious.
A dance that is created moment by moment between you and your horse. It is rehurst but never the same and not expected. YOu lead in the moments that bring out more dance and intrest in the horse, never any correction just dancing.
When the energy is falling you ask for speed and when the horse gets too much excitement you pause and w circles and companions walking. Just like with tack but there is no tack and no tack is uses for training
Dear Carolyn (8),
thanks so much for this response. It clarifies the fundamental difference between companion movement and any sort of send or draw, all of which require a more active leadership on my part. Companion movement happens or it doesn’t. You don’t ask for it. You don’t hold the horse to it once it starts and breaks down again. Correct me if I’m wrong. You never, even with an advanced horse, hold the horse to staying in companion movement when they break away. You change the topic and work on other things. I like very much what you describe about moving away from the horse, then doing a large circle to re-join, and then go into leading from behind.
Have a good weekend.
Christian
I have been doing heaps of liberty play and companion walking since I read “Naked Liberty” last year. My 20 month old filly has responded very well but she walks/trots next to me with her ears pinned back and her cheeks sucked in. She tries very hard to stay with me, we play with a large ball running together and enjoying ourselves and take walks around the paddock, taking turns at mirroring each other. I’ve begun to consistently ask her to approach me with a polite attitude (ears forward and cheeks relaxed and no “snarling”) which she’s caught on to quickly, but when I try and ask for that polite attitude when we’re companion walking she moves away…..she always comes back, but I think I’m confusing her.
I’m wondering if this attitude will change as she gets older or if I need to do something about it now. My mature horses love companion walking and do so completely relaxed without any “negative” attitude.
Thanks for any advice, Kathy
Hi! This is timely for me to. To night i went out to the horses just to give them water and it ended up with Ameri Khan´s and mine first compnion walk. I feel so gratefull for learning not to have an agenda. Without an agenda i feel relaxed and just let things happen and it brings out such a good feeling inside me, I feel so harmonious. I feel like coming home again.
I experience the same thing in my work as a teacher.
Will I get into the classroom and just drive on I get problems with some students. If I am more sensitive to the children and waiting for them I get the children with me. I have a plan for my work, but I have to check with the children how to make it work.
This creates the same wonderful feeling inside me that when I’m with the horses. It is such a huge joy and sense of freedom.
Anna-Karin
Wow, this was wonderfully helpful! Thank you so much!
Hannah Rivard
Thanks Carolyn,
Very informative post as always. If only it would stop raining…
Regina
Carolyn, I found this to be true with my little black stallion, I just put his halter on him and away we went. The last time I went in to the paddock to retrieve a large horse he came up to me and put his head in the halter of course it was huge but I let him put it on and then said “look at me” which he did I looked him in his eyes and said “you are a very good boy” took of the halter and went on to gather Paris, he just followed along observing. I just love these connections at random. I am moving from my house next week so won’t have alot of time to spend at the farm. It is an hour away from my home, so I hope they won’t forget the connections I have formed. Namaste Sherry
Dear Christian, 5
When I am going to send a horse off after working with the magnetic conntion in the begining I take it slow. I ask for the horse to stand still and stop matching my movements so he starts listening to my direction. I wait for the horse to relize that he is still taking dirction from me once I have broken the magnetic conntion. When he gets this I can then move to liberty dancing.
Always in the begining halt is the first step. I wait tell the horse is willing to do that and has give up the idea to need to be will me matching my movements. Then I can send him away. This way the horse understands that I am still directing him. The diffrence is magnetic connection is that it is automatic. Danceing with your horse at liberty takes working together and more direction from you and more thought from your horse, It require focus.
The horse must read your lead and then act on what he thinks you are directing him to do and then willing to change it in a momvent if you so decide that he does. You must stay the leader and direct your horses energy to match the dance and choose the direction that would keep the intrest and desire of the horse alive. Timing is the name of the game between you.
Once the horse has had practise and gets the diffrence between matching my movemtns and taking direction you can work very fast between the too but I always make sure that before I send a horse off he has read the disconnect and is read will an able to dance at large.
Hope this is of help.
I had a feeling that the right thing to do was to continue on the path you had set out on and then try something else. That’s what makes all of this so fun. There are no wrongs only changes from one thing to another. I always feel that if something isn’t working out then try something else.
Great post as usual.:-)
“Let’s say for example that you are making a turn to the left and the horse wants to go straight. Instead of staying with the horse or driving him away, you keep going forward without your horse. Take a path that leaves his space and make a big circle around him with a little pause so the horse does not see your action as a reprimand. Then circle to his back end and do leading from behind in walk or trot depending on if you need to activate his energy or not.”
This is exactly what I’ve been doing intuitively lately, so thanks Carolyn for acknowledgeing that this is the right thing to do
!
.
The great improvement in myself is that I don’t see it as a ‘failure’ anymore when my horse chooses to leave me, but just as something ‘neutral’ occurring, which raises the need for some new action/question/thinking/learning. When the leaving of the horse is addressed the way you describe, there isn’t really a break in the connection, only a small pause
Hi…checking in. Always food for thought here. One question, Carolyn: do you never want to send the horse away after the magnetic connection breaks down, or only not with horses in “kindergarten”?
Christian
Carolyn – this is timely for me as I am continuing to try and get Commander to walk next to me instead of following me. Everything you described is just what I am experiencing!
Thanks for explaining this technique for reconnecting. I look forward to trying it tomorrow.
good post. Thanks!
Thank you for the advice. This losing the magic happens to me, & I am not quite sure how to reconnect. The dance is coming, particularly with my younger horse, who is playful & outgoing.
My 2 older horses look at me like I am doing something that is not part of their or my routine, so I should forget about it, & go back to my old ways. But I do gently persist, & it is definately making some differences in our relationship.