Fearful to dependable
Mar 17th, 2009 by Carolyn Resnick Method
Hello. Here is an exciting YouTube clip from Robin Gates, a certified coach in my Method and student over many years. I am sharing this clip because it shows the results of building a partnership from the ground using the Waterhole Rituals and how effective it is on Warmbloods to develop trust and a working bond.
In this clip, you can see that Paulo has developed a wonderful gas pedal and brake; a great connection with Robin and wonderful a work ethic in full focus and he has an undeniably enthusiastic nature. His ears are not back and he is relaxed and forward. The connection that Robin gained with the Waterhole Rituals translates to the saddle with the same integrity.
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HI ALLY I JUST REALIZED I JUST SENT YOUR ‘REPLY’ EMAIL SOMEWHERE, I GOT YOUR EMAIL AND I JUST HIT REPLY INSTEAD OF THE WEBSITE AND SENT IT. THEN I REALIZED I NEEDED TO COME HERE SO I DON’T KNOW WHERE IT ACTUALLY WENT. WELL ANYWAY THAT IS NEAT YOU ARE FROM AUSSIE COUNTRY THIS IS SO NEAT TO TALK TO PEOPLE FROM OTHER COUNTRIES! WE ARE ACTUALLY MOVING BACK TO ILLINOIS AS SOON AS OUR HOUSE SELLS. BACK TO THE COLD! I HOPE MY BABY GIRL, WHO IS AN EGYPTIAN ARABIAN, DESERT BLOOD, WON’T HAVE A PROBLEM BUT SHE WILL BE IN A BARN. WELL THE BLESSINGS OF GOD TO YOU AND YOUR ‘BABIES’ AND LETS STAY IN TOUCH
Hi Cindee… Im in Queensland, Australia… I was in the USA recently and managed to get to Illinois (Downers Grove specifically) to see some friends, LOVED Chicago… but have not had the pleasure of a visit to Arizona yet. Will be on the next trip when I get a bit more “outback”… Will also be heading to Big Sky Country to do a few rides, and down to Colorado to see some more friends.
I am known amongst my horse friends as someone who does things differently, and its not always KIND the way they say that! LOL I do however have a GOOD relationship with my horses, varying levels of course depending on the horse and how long they have been with me, but my old Thoroughbred is a testament to NOT doing things the “normal” way….
Hey Ally just got home i so hear you about this. I am learning so much too and i just keep going for more. I learned alot on my own a long time ago and was doing this ‘type’ of training just from my own thoughts because when i got my first horse (i was living in IL. then) everyone i met was so controlling over their horse and hardly let them breath!!! i did everything complete opposite of what they were doing, and of course they told me i was doing it all wrong! But then when they saw Panama following me around, of course they all wanted to know what i did! I live in Arizona Where abouts are you?
Hi Cindee… Yes I figured as much, extension of the arm etc… but if the horse is working closely with you, or if youhave develope dthat level of relationship, I would have thought the stick was kind of like “yelling” at your horse… hard to put it the way Im thinking… Ok so you start off with the stick to extend your instructions… kind of like “baby talk”.. making sure the horse understands exactly what you want… but then as they begin to understand and as you develop your relationship I would have thought you could forego that aspect of it…. I have two extremes with my first 2 horses as well – my old thoroughbred would freak out and go completely right brained if I ever had a stick in my hand, carrot stick or not!!!! Wheras my mare (sounds very similar to your girl) needed that aspect in her training when we first started working together. For me to use it now is almost an insult to her – we have done the basics and sheknows what to do… I dont need to go back to that level of instrcution any more….
Just my thoughts…
And yes, gotta love talking horses… This is a great forum to learn heaps….
ALLY I ALSO FORGOT TO SAY IT IS ALSO USED AS AN EXTENSION OF THE ARM. SO THEY CAN GET A BETTER SIGHT OF IT!
HI ALLY, JUST A THOUGHT AFTER I READ WHAT YOU SAID, I THINK IT IS LIKE KIDS MY MOM USE TO CARRY A ‘SWITCH’ WITH HER IN HER PURSE FOR MY SISTER AS SHE NEEDED TO KNOW THAT IT WAS THERE IF SHE ACTED UP AND IT WORKED, I WAS MORE EASY GOING I DIDN’T NEED THAT I HAVE TWO HORSES MY GELDING ‘MR EASY GOING’ DOESN’T NEED ME TO CARRY ANYTHING HE ACTUALLY GETS VERY VERY UPSET IF HE SAYS ANY FORM OF ‘WHIP’ HOWEVER, MY LITTLE ‘SASSY’ MARE, BUT I JUST LOVE HER SO MUCH AND SHE ALWAYS GIVES ME WAY OVER WHAT I WANT SHE WANTS TO PLEASE SO BADLY BUT VERY VERY SMART AND SHE THINKS SHE KNOWS MORE THAN ME (I DON’T DOUBT THAT BUT I CAN’T LET HER KNOW THAT HA HA ) ANYWAY A CROP IN THE HAND WORKS WITH HER. WELL THAT IS JUST FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE.
I JUST LOVE TALKING TO ‘HORSEY’ PEOPLE!!! LOVE YA GOTTA GO.
Im just wondering why she has the need to carry the stick with her. I dont use any sticks, ropes, whips, at all with my training. It is very evident she has a sensational relationship with her horse, so why bother with it??? Just a thought….
I AM GOING TO WATCH IT AGAIN BECAUSE IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFICULT WATCHING THE FIRST TIME THROUGH MY TEARS!!!!!!! (JOYFUL TEARS)!
Nicole that was an awesome post and a delight to read. I had a mental picture of you playing with your horse and I almost had goosebumps!!!!!! I am working towards similar experiences with my boys so you are an inspiration….. Maybe its time you put up your own Youtube video for us to see!!!!
Congrats on what you have achieved so far with Solana (great name by the way)
Cheers
Ally
Hi everyone, what an inspiration all of you are. Hope to one day get that much joy and connection with my girls. Thanks for sharing your stories.
Nicole, how inspiring! It’s funny you felt compelled to push things forwards today – so did I! But without the same success…oh well! It will come. I have already been doing at liberty in an arena, it’s been great and something i could never have dreamed achieving even this time 6 months ago with ANY horse, let alone my rehab gelding. But there we are, stop, go, come, halt to trot, trot to halt, and even over raised poles in the last 2 weeks. I thought i would push things a step further today and open the gate into the big wide world…! He was great initially, turned as i closed the gate again and waited. Then as i turned with him to go off for a walk into the farm, he casually noticed that the gate to a grassy field was open and just walked off, deciding the grass looked more fun….!! I guess i have lots and lots more work to do! But it’s wonderful isn’t it.
Thanks Carolyn and Vanessa
Avoiding founder is my highest priority – hence I may send her away as there is no scope to alter her range while I am absent. If only more people would also appreciate how much low-level occurance is subtly damaging hooves so they are never quite “right”. The growing season is just beginning and I am checking pulses and alert for the slightest footiness, as well as taking preventative measures.
I am reassured that when I visit her and eventually bring her back we will still be bonded and no major decline in our relationship is inevitable. The first ritual is unavoidable as she is always delighted to come and muddy my face whispering secrets in my ear and sharing breath!
K X
Wow! Very inspiring and helpful as someone mentioned to see how Robin moves and flows with the horse. Thanks to all the commenters too for insights shared.
)
I’d love to share the experience I had today with my mare. WHAT FUN we had today!!!!!! This is something I’ve wanted to do with her for a while and have been prepping for it (directly and indirectly) but after watching this video with Robin Gates I was inspired to do it TODAY!
I work with many of the rituals everyday with my horse, and have done lots of this before, but never really knew WHY it worked, and therefore never really knew HOW to further improve the connection with me and my horse.
In any case, today was one of my top 5 most exciting ‘relationship’ days ever (with horses, that is) and it went a little something like this:
I was very short on time today and I have always wanted to see- what EXACTLY would she do with a 100% free will? I feel I have a pretty good connection with my mare, but sometimes I wonder, How much exactly is her willingness HER OWN, or how much of it is a ‘have to’ attitude? There’s often the slight lean or pull towards the arena gate when we walk past, or the slightly crooked line towards the turnout pastures, or the lean towards the grain bucket… and the pull AWAY from the where the trailers are parked… Nothing major, but noticeable to me.
So that’s what we did today. I refreshed our connection while within the confines of her paddock, and then… NO HALTER, no cordeo. NOTHING. I opened up the gate to her paddock and out we went. We walked around the WHOLE farm. In and out of the arena, in and out of pastures, in and out of puddles, and muck and to the barn and down the alley way, and in between the paddocks, by the stallions. Some at a trot, lots of stops and turns, and changes of direction. We even went to the SCARY trailer area. And guess what… SHE STUCK WITH ME for every moment of it!
And guess what else… She got braver about everything ENTIRELY on her own and much faster than when she is on the end of the line and I try to encourage her towards the scary thing, or at least to stand there calmly or whatever. Letting HER FIGURE IT OUT FOR HERSELF was far more confidence building than ANYTHING I could have MADE her do!
HOW LIBERATING!
Of course, I have prepared her to trust my lead, and there was some degree of controlling her emotions through my own direction/ suggestion. There were two levels of the ‘game’ today- 1) mirroring me… walk fast, walk slow, stop, trot, turn, turn on the haunches, shoulder in, etc. That was me ASKING her to do some things, and ASKING her to pay a bit more attention to me and REQUESTING her company. 2) wandering… but stay with me. I walked around and she would lag a bit, or get ahead a bit. I stopped and waited for her, she stopped and waited for me. She followed me EVERYWHERE I went, and i allowed her the time to mull over her approach. Lots of snow and ice thawing, creating all kinds of scary streams, mud slicks, mini-lakes and she showed some concern about these things. I went through them and she COULD HAVE gone around, or COULD have just left… but she eventually just walked on through (and really only a few seconds after me). Same thing at the trailer.
BOY was I tempted to get greedy at the trailer… I really wanted to see if I could get her to go in without a halter/ lead line but that REALLY would have been pushing the boundary of our relationship (at this time). However, THAT is a great goal to work towards!
A BIG thanks to everyone who shares their stories here. Although not all stories get written feedback, there is rarely a story posted here that does not affect me on a daily basis!
Nicole and Solana
Hi Kirsty,
Always bond when you can. Every time you hae been away start with the First Ritual and wait tell she comes to you and shows affection.
Don’t put her in a situation that she might founder. It is better to keep her in a small pen than to put her were she would have a better time when you are gone if you suspect that she could founder.
I love the oppertunity youtube has given us to see this wonderful connections. Just yesterday i examined my own footage taken of at liberty work with my young rehabilitating gelding charlie. Then i decided to look at Stina’s wonderful connection to examine her body language in comparesson to mine, so i could get to the bottom of why my boy is sometimes hesitant to follow me by my side – he always lingers behind and sometimes stops and stares at me before commencing to follow again. I realised that ( as almost seems obvious!) that i was hesitating, and had no relaxation through my hips to the ground as i walked, compared to the freedom of Stina’s body. This is seen here too, it is simply ‘natural’ i.e. ‘this is where we are going now, come on! It’s fun!’ Then i was able to practice again today and we were moving freely together! I notice that his ears go forward when i take that energy that a horse encompasses when he put’s his ears forward to walk forward inquistively, in a matter of speaking, i needed to put MY ears forward and say ‘Off we go this way!’ He responded, ‘Good stuff, let’s go partner!’ Hail youtube and these wonderful wonderful horsepeople!!
They move beautifully together and the closing shot is simply wonderful!
That is Robin Gates featured on the video.
Kirsty – I think you bring up an interesting topic and just wanted to share my experiences on it. Horses genuinely bonded seem not to “keep track” of time apart. My two geldings have a very deep bond with each other developed over many years of being in close contact. Now, while kept on the same property, they are currently in different herds separated by a fair distance (still somewhat within sight, hearing and I’m sure smell, but well out of physical contact). It can sometimes be several weeks between times they get to visit with each other, yet it is as nothing to them – they just pick up right where they left off. I could also take them back to their “home” property where they haven’t been for probably 5 years and they would immediately renew the relationships with their old friends there. With me, they are the same way. On some occasions I may not see them for a week or ten days, yet when I come back they are waiting at the gate for me. The only thing I do differently on these occasions is to make a conscious effort to spend time with them grooming and renewing our bond (which is part of my typical routine anyway, I just don’t think about it quite so actively on an average day). Also, if we are going to work to make sure that I adequately evaluate their fitness level and any stiffness they might have accumulated, not expecting them to just jump right back in. Same as if you’d had a gym routine and took some time off, you wouldn’t expect to be able to lift the same weights or run as far right away coming back.
I even had a mare at one time that I never felt I truly bonded with and never got very far with (she was a long, sad story in herself). She lived at my parents farm and it would sometimes be many months between my visits, but she would always go crazy on seeing me, calling and pacing at the gate, like greeting a long lost friend. They don’t forget.
JME
Vanessa
What freedom and joy from both of them is expressed in this video. Such harmony. Thank you for posting this video and biography.
Beautiful , that’s what it is all about.
Great unity! Who Is on the video, Robin or the owner ?
How beautiful!
I love the depth of relationship in Robin’s clips and of course aspire to this. I have one concern and it may seem silly or be covered elsewhere in which case apologies!
I have to be away for more than a week a number of times this year and may have to send my mare to live with her breeder for the summer as where she boards has too much grass and she is liable to founder. Is it fair to develop or expect a deep bond when I have to spend so much time apart, and if so how should I deal with absences/reuniting?
Thanks
Kirsty
Dear Stina.
So what do you think of the gas pedal and brake and ears forward and enthusiasm?
I believe this youtube can help you in achieving the next step with your horses at liberty.
Very Beautiful!