Lizards and learning
Jul 23rd, 2008 by Carolyn Resnick Method
Hello again. As you know, I study all sorts of animals, not just horses, to see what I can learn from them and in fact have done so all my life. Here is another of my lizard stories…
This story concerns the perception people have of animals. Lot of times people feel that animals really do not have a lot going on upstairs that they work basically from instinct and I want to tell a story that would express how complicated an animal’s mind can be.
One day, I was looking out over some grass and I noticed a lizard. This lizard was acting like he had may be some physical thing wrong with him. He was slashing around in the grass as if he was dying. Flashing his tail and throwing his head around and going round and round in circles and I thought that he was going to die.
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Dear Carolyn,
I was also wondering about some of the differences between your Program and Parelli. Your answer to Patricia really hit the nail on the head for me. It is so obvious after you said the difference is that “Pat’s method is about training horses. My method is about relationship.” I can’t believe how powerfull that is! Everything else just falls into place.
Thanks for the great explaination!
Colleen
Dear Lori,
What a great story. I wish I had been there!
Carolyn
Great story about the Lizard!
The wildlife around us never seases to amaze me. Today I was teaching a little girl how to brush my pony and clean her feet out. While we were cleaning her feet, a road runner came up about 10 feet from us, just on the other side of the fence, and stayed on a rock for about 10 seconds. I thought this would be a good time to observe nature so we focused our attention to the road runner. I love road runners, and lately there have been two that frequently “run” around our ranch
After he- I’m guessing that he was a he, started back on his way. I have heard the sounds that road runners make and I decided to call to him. When I called to him, he stopped dead in his tracks, turned around and came back to us! Then he began posing and raising his crest and stayed very close for about two to three minutes. There is nothing like a close encounter with the wild! Then he decided that we were not that interesting anymore and proceeded on his way. To interact with this bird was a lot of fun, I just hope I did not say anything offensive in roadrunner!
Dear Patricia,
My methods is a support system to support training methods and to prepare a horse to feel connected and willing before riding. My work brings out a horse’s desire to connect and work with humans.
Pat’s method is about training horses. My method is about relationship.
The mare you asked about needed to relax and getting her to stand took away her fear. Her fear really wasn’t the barn but the approach the owner took. The mare said “can you see I am nervous?” and her handler said, “Hold still and put this bit into your mouth.” The mare needed to relax and the owner needed to relax too and hanging out creates relaxation. Standing on a particual spot and being precise creates a natural submission.
A private clinic is a good idea. I also like to work with people via e-mail. On the e-mail course we talk by phone to get started and then through email and videos that you put on YouTube or that you send directly to me. You let me know what your interest is and I then give you a program.
Nice to have you aboard!
Carolyn
I agree with you completely. I think that because we can’t understand them we think they are a bit stupid. It reminds me of when I went to Italy to live for a year. I couldn’t speal Italian when I got there and I lived with Italians who couldn’t speal english. After about 4 months I could communicate reasonably well and one of the girls admitted that she thought I had no personality when she first got to know me. I must have seemed pretty dumb as I just sat in silence at the dinner table. But there was a lot going on that I just couldn’t communicate.
All the best, Maria
Hi Carolyn
Thank you for your story of the lizard, I really enjoyed it. I agree with you. Here is a story you might like. My Anglo Arab (now deceased), decided running around in circles trying to get away from a bot fly wasn’t working, so it promptly lay down on his side, now with only one side exposed to the bot fly he could swing his head around and snap at it with his month. I decided to help him and ended up crushing the bot fly between 2 brushes that were near by. He got up relieved and went back to grazing. I must confess though I do find with all the horses I have worked with some are definitely smarter than others and all have there own personality.
Greetings Carolyn, I am new to you and your work with horses and recently started getting your blog by email and have really enjoyed your stories.
I have two questions: 1) How does your approach compare to the Parelli method (which I have been learning) and 2) In your story about the Welsh Cob mare, Jul 18th, how did getting the mare to stand on one spot keep her from being afraid of being in the barn and then get her to take the bridle easily. What was she thinking?
As someone new to your approach, what is the best why to learn what you are teaching: DVD, clinics?
After reading your lizzard story today I thought you might enjoy the follwoing book if you haven’t read it already: Conversations with Horse: An Uncommon Dialog of Equine Wisdom by Kate Solisti-Mattelon
Thanks so much for your time and consideration and your great stories, Patricia
Very interesting! About 3 years ago I was visiting some friends in North Texas and on this one day my friend happen to see a wasp and spider in a battle, which the wasp won. We continued watching as the wasp struggled to carry his prize back to his hive, which was inside a plastic storage box. The wasp made several trips to his hive without the spider, as if he was trying to figure out which path to take with his large load. We watched him struggle with the spider, trying to squeeze him into one space and then feeling with his back legs to find the opening that would work. At last success, the wasp had managed to get the spider in. It was fasinating to watch and learn from the experience.