I joined the Rituals in a box program, and have been unable to get on the internet much due to having been abruptly forced to move due to construction – indeed it is one of the best things that ever happened to us in our nearly three years in Mexico!

When Capricho and I joined the group, I had been looking at a variety of information, so we came with a mixed background. I grew up very “cowgirl” (e.g. winning junior rodeos on horses I trained myself) and then abandoned the world of horses (???¡¡¡¡¡) for 37 years until these two rescues came into our lives.

In February, Capricho (perhaps 2.5 years), a quarterhorse Friesian mix, despised the human race and was being roped to be caught. I went into his pen, whispered to him, sat there, and he finally came up to my face and let me halter him. Since then he has put his face into the halter for me!

Of all the horses, he has become more of a pest, following me everywhere. He will walk, trot, stop and now back at liberty (usually). After starting to do the rituals, things radically improved. Here, Carolyn, I have to simply rhapsodize about your book and the rituals program! Thank you for your great life work. In fact I was aware of body language and “horse etiquette” as a teenager but no one talked about it. I had no name for it. So it was amazing to see you put words to my previous experience (I left horses in great measure due to the cruelty encountered in Montana towards horses back in the 70´s, even methods I was taught to use).

As for this miraculous turnaround for Capricho of late – the first time I´ve worked with horses for 37 years – yesterday I did kind of a variant of leading from behind and the eye contact ritual. I let him loose to eat grass, would slowly sneak up behind him, make rude noises and startle him. Pretty soon he kept coming up to me (OK I gave him carrots). He wants to dance.

My one issue is that I have not been using a reed or whip, and at times he plays too close. So I am thinking of getting a stiff leather quirt or just a bamboo, and putting it between us to claim my space. I do keep backing him up but he´s getting a little nippy (wants carrots all the timte).

Other than that it is so much fun to be with him. He has a wonderful, lively spirit, still a bit juvenile, but has an expression full of wonder and eager enjoyment of all around him. He almost never gets dismayed. Usually he is putting his face into mine, ears forward. He is the happiest little horse.

Thanks Carolyn, and I hope this comment is aprapo enough to include.

With Amber, I am on the first ritual and am seeing slow changes, but each is welcome. If I have Amber out on the lawn and am sitting on a chair – Amber pretty much just grazes and doesn’t come over. If I have Amber in our fenced arena with hay, she will wander by me going from hay pile to hay pile and sometimes stop for a minute. When she is done with the hay, she usually stands looking over the fence at her herd mates.

Amber will come to me in the pasture, regularly, and often, will walk beside me to the gate to come in.

I think we have a way to go, but I don’t mind. When Amber and I really, finally, connect, all the waiting and reading will be worth the wait.

Kim