Moving on to the Second Uberstreichen Exercise
Jan 7th, 2010 by Carolyn Resnick Method
I’ve had a change of heart. I previously said you should master one exercise before moving on to the next. However, as the second Uberstreichen Exercise is a lot easier to do than the first, I’d like you to give it a try to see how your horse responds, even though he may not yet be able to do everything I mentioned with the first exercise.
When you read about this second exercise though, it will seem easy to do but don’t be surprised to find out that your horse will need training and practice. Please do not get frustrated and quit. At first, your horse may do the exercise easily but be a little harder to control. It is part of the process so be prepared.
You can do both the first and second exercises at the same time. The second I believe will help you to complete the requirements of the first.
We are going to add another 10 minutes to your exercises. As you advance, no more time will be added to your practice time. Remember as you are practicing the exercises to continue to do your usual program of riding and training with or without tack. The Uberstreichen Exercises are made to benefit all equestrian pursuits, meaning you can add them to any existing program. You should notice an overall improvement in the other things you do with your horse from your practice of the UE.
Do not work with the program on the days your horse is not super willing and behaving like a well-trained horse that is focused on you and in a good mood.
Spend 10 minutes on the first exercise working on the arch of the neck standing in front of the horse and then another 10 minuets on the second exercise.
You will never work more than, 20 minutes a day on the UE.
For the second exercise, start out walking your horse on a loose line in a circle of about 15 to 20 meters diameter. Choose the size of the circle that is the easiest for you and your horse to do together. Do this for 5 minutes. You should have a magnetic connection in walk, which means that the horse will naturally move with you around the circle at your side and stop and go when you stop and go.
Remember these exercises are for advanced horses that can perform the Waterhole Rituals or pass the test I laid out in the beginning of the course.
As your start with companion walking, halt your horse about every 15 feet around the circle.
Halt on a dropped line and wait there for a count of 7. If your horse moves off, use the rope to bring him back and put him on the exact spot he was standing on and get him to stand there on a dropped line. Take all the time you need till the horse learns to stand exactly where you tell him.
After 5 minutes of walking and halting around the circle, you can add the next part of the exercise. When your horse is at a halt, take the rope about 10 inches down from the halter and gently pull his head down by give and take. Take a hold of your horse more than give until your horse’s head is waist high from the ground. His ears can be above your waistline. Lower your body down when you are asking him to lower his head. Both you and your horse should be stood parallel. When his head is down where you want it, release the hold. If it comes up, bring it down and release the hold. Practice this head down in a halt position for no more that 10 seconds and then ask him to walk with you on a dropped line for another 15 feet. Repeat this for 5 minutes.
If your horse stalls in his companion walking or does not want to go forward from the halt, use the reed behind you and tap your horse forward with it. Make any adjustments you need with the rope and always work on getting the horse to a dropped line when ever you can.
Try to keep your horses head straight when his head is down and do not let him look off to the side. Use the pull of the rope to make the adjustment.
As your horse is more able to do this exercise you can start asking him to lower is head and to tuck is nose when it is lowered.
You want him to learn to hold his head down and tucked on a dropped line for a count of 7 only. Take as many days as necessary to get to a count of 7, there is no hurry. The longer the horse takes to learn what you want him to do, the more effective the UE is to the overall performance of the horse. When your horse comes out of “the tuck” or raises his head, use the rope to guide him back. When his head is where you want it, release it and wait until you need to bring him back to the position you want him to be in.
That’s it. We have now completed the second UE and I hope you find this exercise a lot easier than the first. After you can do this exercise easily, I will explain why I chose it but first you have to go out and try it!
Carolyn
Summary of the Second Uberstreichen Exercise
- Start out 5 minutes on a circle on a dropped line in companion walking position, your horse at your side.
- Every 15 feet halt your horse and try not to use the rope unless your horse is clearly not going to stop. Go back to the dropped line.
- Stand at a halt for 7 seconds and walk on.
- Next 5 minutes, ask the horse to lower his head at the halt, repeating the same pattern.
- When your horse can do this, you then add the nose tuck as part of the exercise.
Related posts:
Carolyn – For Christmas my son ordered your Blog Collection vol.1 for me and it just arrive recently. It is wonderful to have these all in one book! Can’t wait for vol.2! This book along with the WHR dvd, I’m all set for many hours of joy! Mary
Hi Carolyn,
I love WHR dvd I meditate with it every night and I have really noticed a deeper connection and bond with the herd. I can’t wait to receive my other dvds so that I can start practicing the rituals but right now it is enough just to get to know all of the different personalities and just set the foundation of love and trust.
My filly is coming along with the UE excersises she is very quiet and unphased by anything, she just does what I ask but I am patient and don’t want to rush things with her, again, because I’m coming in the back door so to speak and doing the UE before the Liberty and WHR I will try to catch up with the methodology behind the UE and apply it to what I am now doing. For now I am pleased to make the connection. I am really learning to be more assertive about setting my own boundaries outside of the paddock like with my family as I am somewhat wishy washy with my kids , but I’m also learning. Thanks for all of your insight in and out of the WH. Namaste Sherry
Carolyn – I thank you for your responses. I think there has been a misunderstanding from the beginning. And I appreciate that you have many people to remember and work with and this may be part of the mis-communication.
So, in making things clear, I am not going through the Water Rituals with the any of these horses.(Toffy, Stony and Bishop.) I have only been giving them Reiki. On the day Toffy “companion walked” with me I had finished a Reiki session with him and as I walked away he just walked next to me. Wherever I went,he stayed by my side. It was a surprise to me and not anything I was focusing on in anyway.
When I mentioned sharing territory with the horses several times, as I’ve said, I wasn’t going through the Rituals with them. I was spending time after the Reiki sessions to be with them in a simple and mindful way. I use the words “sharing territory” because when I think of spending focused time with horses, enjoying the moment and with no agenda, I consider it sharing territory. I wasn’t using a chair as I would have if I were actually doing the Rituals. And then I wouldn’t have sat with all three! I would only have worked with one horse following the videos, WRIC calls, your workbook and Naked Liberty. What I did was stand with them for awhile as they rested.
In interacting with any horses since our Insiders’ Circle, I have incorporated some of what I’ve learned. In meeting a horse for the first time I will extend my hand and let them sniff it and then I will walk away a bit so the horse knows that I am not expecting anything. The result has always been that the horses comes to me in a respectful way.
In all the places I visit to do Reiki the horses are usually in paddocks and I spend time with them, in or out of the paddock. I enjoy the opportunity to share time with them, in the beauty of nature, appreciating the magic that is always there. Again, I think of this as “sharing territory”. These are things I learned from you.
I contacted you concerning the incident with Bishop driving me off (when I was in the paddock with all three horses) because I thought you were the best person to go to for me to gain some understanding. It is my fault that I didn’t explain to you clearly enough what I was doing. I apologize for that. I thought was giving you enough information but I obviously wasn’t as you came to believe that I have been using your Method, practicing the WR with them.
My recent post about Bishop being affectionate is another misunderstanding. You read it thinking I was doing the Rituals. I just wanted to tell you of Bishop’s turn around behavior and if you had any thoughts on it.
I can see that this is not the appropriate place to ask you questions as I am not in a program with you now.
As a past student and reader of your blog – which is wonderful – is there a way to bring situations and concerns to you that are not in direct response to a blog topic?
I want to assure you that I have great respect for you and your Method. I did learn a great deal during the WRIC course with Lady, the pony. I know I have so much more to learn, and that is the way of life. But please believe that I am not as foolish or wishy-washy as you imagined when you thought I was using the Water Rituals with these three horses!
I have more horse sense than that!
I hope this has straightened things out…
Warmly, Mary
Dear Mary,
You really should stop the waterhole Rituals because you can not read what your horse is thinking. The rituals are for people that can read their horses well. You are also begging your horse to be nice. I would be driving him way untill he wants to be nice. You are really too wishy washy. You are too worried. Horses do not respcet of bond to that kind of connection.
You sound so shy and hopefull. I have seen no evolution in your understanding in how to be and how to develop a true working bond. You have put too much time into the program with not enough results. If the program does not work you can actully cause problmes using it.
YOu need to make an apointment to talk to me.
Carolyn – You can let me know if my posts to you don’t belong here as I am not doing the exercises.
Today was the first day I returned to see Toffy, Stony and Bishop. I didn’t go in but stood on the wall that makes one side of the paddock. Bishop approached me right away and I said” Are you here to apologize?” He came to me so sweetly smelling and licking my hands. I squatted down and he nuzzled my hair and sniffed and licked me for several minutes. He has never done this before! He always stayed away letting me sometimes extend my hand to him. He was always shy with me.
I don’t know what this means but it was certainly wonderful and different!
Do you have any comments?
Do you think things have changed in a positive way?
Mary
Nancy – Just a quick reply – I am 57 and I am not too old! Blessings! Mary
Dear Carolyn,
I am about to finish the last pages of Naked Liberty this morning. Suddenly, I feel I have come to your work backwards. I was hungry for the “how-to,” by accident discovered the Waterhole Rituals and have been following your blog and now your offering of the UE. With finances tight these many months, I thought your book was something I could do without. I can tell you now, I wish I had read it at the beginning. It provides a breadth and depth of context and helps me re-remember that true horsemanship is about a quality of our our being and creating a space where we can receive the horse’s being. It is about insight and wisdom, a keen observation and taking in. I am reminded also of the words by Martin Buber that Imke Spilker has printed in large font on a page of her Empowered Horses: “I can not ask another to change unless I am willing to be changed by him.” Your book is full of voice and heart and instruction to the spirit; it is an affirmation of the possibilities of family and community. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
On another note, I find myself sad the weather—it would around the world this winter (or summer)as noted by the posts on your site–has seemed to dampen the momentum of the work we have started together. If you are discouraged, I wanted to thank you for the deep thought you have put into the weekly instruction and the time and care you invest in response to student’s experiences.
Yesterday we celebrated first temperature above freezing here. Water seeped from the piles of ice. The horses have been eager for interaction, but there was cold, wind, and ice that made footing treacherous for us all; I fell twice these past weeks but was lucky enough to bounce. So the driveway finally clear yesterday, we re-met on short “companion walks” up the ¼-mile of macadam to the mailbox. I did work with our two mares on your second UE: Our circles were in snow, but it was soft and not slippery in the afternoon sun. These horses here are so giving and forgiving. (You will remember I had been mis-using clicker training before your advice and am now not using treats with them except at the end of our worktime as a thank you). On the dropped line at the whoa, they tended to look here and there and still are bobbing their heads when asked to hold the pose/a treat seeking I think. But I saw your posting about simply asking for the original position with strong calmness. In little time they caught on and were still for that count of 7. Afterwards, thinking over our experience, I realized perhaps with the asking for the lowering of the head and tuck I am always lowering myself, which I suspect is not part of the finished result and which I will try to refrain from doing.
Again, you have brought a light to our winter here. I grew up in a hesitant world with parents so taxed they had little joy or enthusiasm left (Not their fault). But vicariously I lived your childhood as I read. I was filled with a hope, too, that perhaps it is not too late in my life—even at 56–for my spirit to soar, grow deeper, more open. So much of this hope has begun to find life through the little herd here and the people I have met through them, in person or in words written on a page, your own and others’.
Blessings,
Nan
Thanks also to Inge for this story.
We are moving our horses to a much larger lot, maybe an acre and a half (my husband tells me the current one is much smaller than I believed). There is brush being cleared, also lots of trees, so there is not a clear line of sight across it. I took Capricho in, and decided to try to play by taking off the halter and all, and we ran around – first him following me, me then following him, a game of peek-a-boo, and so forth. I figured I’d let him graze an hour without me, that he’d be as happy as could be (he galloped around at times as fast as he could, even working up a sweat – no influence by me at all).
I came back (it’s a half block from where we live) and couldn’t see him, and found the gate had been pushed open but a loosely wrapped chain had held it (he is a consummate escape artist) and feared he might have gotten out, with some passerby just putting the chain back. I entered and called his name, when from the other side, he came up to Mom at a dead gallop, slid to a stop, and companion walked with me quite a while.
Thanks again, Carolyn!
Also I figured out a carrot thing. I have mostly withheld carrots because of some half-hearted nipping, then started using a few in this lot. Here is what we do now: I ask him to trot circles at liberty around me either way, back up, a few more things, then he has to let me walk all the way around him standing still at liberty, not moving at all, after which he gets his carrot. This is working very well! The mouthy stuff is going away.
Thank you all for the kind words. I am still very happy.
i hope it will help you all to keep on going, even it is hard to get on for some of us.
Carolyn, You talk about using the lead rope in a relaxed way, not using it to signal the horse unless needed, and considering it as if at liberty. I understand this and I have a question.
I have one horse who automatically reacts differently when you put a halter and lead rope on him. Without even touching the lead rope, his demeanor changes to one of submission just from feeling the tack on him. I don’t think he would consider himself at liberty, even with only a halter on.
Will this influence the results of the second exercise? Or is there some way to help him understand he can be free even with a halter and lead attached?
Even as I write this, my mind says that being free is being totally unrestricted, and the tack feels like a restriction to him.
Evergreen Amundson
Hi Carolyn,
Just checking in this week. We are finally getting a break in our frigid weather, so I am hoping to get some sessions in a row with Gunny. Thanks for your excellent posts!
Holly
I have just caught up with all your posts and am checking in with regard to the Uberstreichen programme. Thank you for your generosity in sharing these exercises. I am not able to practice them at the moment with my horses because of bad weather conditions, but I am holding them in my heart and appreciating their wisdom.
Inge- what a great story! It is amazing how it feels when your horse responds that way. When I call my horse up at the trot – I can’t get over it. It is like living a dream – and after awhile it seems so natural that there could not be any other way!
(Thanks Carolyn)
This post was very helpful. I liked the addition of the outline at the bottom- it makes it easier for me to see what the homework is. I did a version of this exercise last night, but this will help make it more specific. I will try it today.
Thanks!
Lori
Mary wrote: “Horses fulfill something in us that we didn’t know we were missing.”
Wow, that’s so true…
Inge – This is Mary from our WRIC. What a wonderful moment for you when she first came towards you! I understand completely about your excitement. It feels like entering into a new world when you first companion walk – a miracle, magical, a blessing. Horses fulfill something in us that we didn’t know we were missing. I am happy for you!
Mary
Oh Inge, that was lovely! Thank you so much for sharing with us. Stories like that make me tear up as well. Congratulations on your little bit of sunshine on such a cold winter day. –Carol
Hi Carolyn,
I have been doing this companion walk with my filly for about 3 weeks now in the arena without a lead so should I now add the lead. I usually just guide her by touching her halter. She won’t trot and I am waiting to get your WHR and the liberty training before I ask as I don’t want to confuse her by not knowing the proper cues. I would like to consult with you about why she is stubborn about going back in the pasture with the herd after we have spent a couple of hours together. It takes me a long time to coax her to go through the gate. They are all there to welcome her. It is about 12 to 24 below here so very cold and windy but she has a shelter to go to. The herd all come to greet me at the gate when I arrive and she’s right there with them. She also puts her head down to have her halter put on. I would like to work with the horses as well but I am waiting until I get the DVD’s but right now I just continue to bond with all of them hoping to set some foundation of trust with them. Thanks for your guidance.
Namaste Sherry
Inge,
congratulations !
Your story made me cry (on a pink cloud) LOL. Thanks for sharing it what a great bond with your pony
Namaste, Sherry Thomson
Hi Carolyn,
i am checking in for this week.
i have done almost nothing it is so cold over here lots of snow and freezing all the time, so i have so much more work. So when i am with my ponys i wanna have funn and no training sessions.
But i wanna tell a little story it have noting to do with the UE but more with the WR.
My pony is realy funny and find always a route to the othersite of the fence. No one can stop him, he is so clever but sometimes not…..
So as last saturday.
I came there to feed them and break the ice so they can drink again. My little pony was nearby and came and say hello and give me a nice hug. And was very happy to see me, started to eat from the fresh hay.
The icelandic pony was far away and yes…ofcourse at the otherside of the fence again. But this time he was lost his way and freaked out, started to run along the fence, it looks nice btw
he give a very nice tolt, which he rearly show at liberty. i called him, but he did not find his way to me.
So after a few minnits i decided to help him.
i walked to a place were i could pick up the fence wire and keep it high so he could go through.
So he did, he run fast to his friend, but severaltimes during his run he looks back, with the eyes of….hey why wont you come with me?…come on…faster…. then he turns, did not go furter to the fresh hay, but realy waiting for me.
I got very exited YES…I’VE GOT IT….i thought. my work give some response.
I walked a few meters to him and stopped also. Then i called him, maybe he will go back to me? Even the hay is very very important for him, its still a pony
The distance was over 60 meters so pretty far. But then his head go down and slowly walked to mine direction.
O man…my hart was going crazy he did it!!!! and started also walk towards him. When we met each other he got a very huge hug and a treat ofcourse. He was happy and i hear a little hummble.
We walked together for a few meters and i stoped again. He did the same and looked at me. I praise him and give another treat so happy i was.
Then we got to the feeding place.
i stayed there for awhile just sharing teritory and was so happy for this result. I can still dream of it.
Living on a pink cloud as we said in Holland.
So not realy an UE result but i am a very very happy lady now. Just wanna share this to all, to keep patience you will get some wonderfull feedback from your horse. Even you think it is not, you will get it for sure.
Each tiny little step, signal or what ever will give somewere in the future a happy horse and human.!!!
Dont think i can not do it, it is not working….keep on going.
Your horse will let you know when he is ready
Steph and Chamois checking in. Still putting to practice the exercises you have given us thus far. Everything is going well. These exercises probably help me as much as they help my horse! The UE’s put me in a place where my horse needs me to be so that we can be together. It has a very calming and centering effect on both of us. Loving it! Thanks Carolyn.
Hi Carolyn,
Just checking in. Have a wonderful week.
hi carolyn and friends,
i’ve just returned from 42degrees celcius holidays in Australia!! and couldn’t wait to get home to play with my horses… i’ve come in from sharing space with my little herd, and Cooper, my wee palamino pony colt who’s resistant to closeness with people and quite ‘sticky’, came over to me when the others had left, barely touched me, then lay down behind me, groaning and breathing heavily. it was a huge shift for us.
tom, my pre gelding and i decided he could come through to the arena with me, and we quietly made room for him to get past the others and through the gate.
i’m off now to play with him.
thanks carolyn for the next excercise, can’t wait,
robyn
wanaka
new zealand
Dear Carolyn,
We finally got a bit of a break in the frigid weather, so today I went out to try exercise 1 after five days away. The ‘easy’ mare, Copper, immediately dropped her head even before I asked! We’re still working on small figure 8′s and a little tuck but she definitely ‘gets it!’ The mare who has been a bit irritated in the past, was much more relaxed and cooperative today. I’m going more slowly and spending lots of disconnect time just loving on her which makes a big difference, I see. It is too icy, under the snow, for me to feel comfortable starting exercise 2 at the moment. Just wanted to check in. Thanks much!
Marianne
Dear Carolyn ,
Thank you for the quick response. I went out to the barn and used more assertiveness and focus . She was actually very appreciative of this energy. Thank you I believe you hit on a very valid point regarding bordome. My problem with her is she is very sensitive and I’m always very careful about that aspect of her. She is also a lead mare so she has strength with sensitivity. Finding the balance is an artform. She truely is a projection of me and my personality. She is very connected to me and I’m sure the boredom is also and aspect of me and where my direction is going with the horses. I’m not sure if I mentioned to you that when I was reading your book I found a gift of confirmation in it that I was born to work with horses. When you mentioned the connection between people and horses you described it with the word charisma and magnetic connection. Well my horse that I have now her name is Charisma and the horse before her was Magnet, funny coincidence . Oh Yes I leave in Buffalo New York so it is cold here. We do alot of the blanket and nuzzling work.
Nancy Proulx
Hi Carolyn,
In your answer to Nancy Porlex, you mention teaching the horse to muzzle for carrots, and also how not to do it. Could you elaborate on what you mean? Thanks!
Dear Nancy Porlex,
When she doesn’t understand and it seems to make no senseto be more direct and acertive and then go celebrate with a brake and treats. Be the leader with more purpose and push on. Be more demanding in a strong exceptable way still giving her the freedom to respond or not. Feel the play in your bones, way done in your toes.
When you walk at her side ask with a pull and they let go slowly if she has given or not and continue with purpose. Your purpose is a little wishy wasy.
You are on the way to great things.
Give light aids and strong aids in a way that works to get your point across and let her have hers and continue!!!.
Horses in my hands are never board and I drive alot and they enjoy my asertiveness and my constant focus. What causes boardum is having nothing to do all day. If you life in a Cold climet to get her in the mood. It is all about mood for a horse heat up her blankets and warm her body and rub her body at the same time she is waring the warm blanket.
Put a warmed blanket on your self as well. Put carrot in the warmed blanket and teach her how to nuzzel you for the carrots and ofcourse how to not nuzzel for treats and you will get a message too!
I am not sure if you are in cold waether but other people do and they can do this for their horse. I would never ask my horse to do much of anyting untill I warm it’s body up.
Some times our thinking the horse is board is not enough conviction in your selves.
Dear Carolyn,
I just love these uberstreichen exercises. I fell that no matter how well the horse responds on a particular day both of us get a level of release , relaxation and surrender to the slightest pressure. I ‘m glad you agree that we can do our regular routine of riding because I feel a difference in how see response while I’m on her and the connection of when we ride is such joy to me. I do find that some days my horse resists a little more than others. Almost like she is a little bored or doesn’t know why I’m asking her to lower her head or do companion walking. She is a very intelligent horse and likes to be challanged. I keep telling her this is for me too. She’s teaching me . I just listen to her and find if she is losing interest just to move on. Below the surface I believe this defense may be in a little resistence to her fully letting go and surrender but I take what I can get .
Thank you Carolyn, I love the meditation analogy which I can really relate too. As you say, it is good practice for my mind as well – to help me to stay connected in the moment.
Máire
Checking in. Reading and looking forward to start with UE this week, I will post videos on how we progress. Thank you teacher and all in the class, we have a lot to learn here.
Stina in St. Vincent
Farah DeJohnette checking in with Mercury and Phoenix:
I am still working with these on a lot of different horses. Today I watched a young student of mine ride her OTTB I found for her and am reschooling with her. I have been doing UE’s with him for about 2 months now but had not seen her ride him. I have been riding and ground working him myself. What i noticed was him starting to put himself round and at times during the ride. He is by nature a bit heavy on the forehand but a very soft horse. He is approximately a 1st level horse schooling second and I think the UE’s will/are helping him understand the impending collection that 2nd level and up will bring.
Dear Debbie Antolak, 55
I do all of them on one side frist and then I go to the under side. You with not understand why untill you get their side.
Hi Carolyn,
Just checking in – tried this with my mare Mohna yesterday – she seems to really enjoy the exercises and I was delighted that she now sighs when we start the first one. This is so fun to build the connection between us! Thank you!
Eileen
Dear Marie Kennedy, 56
You are doing it right. Remember it is like yogo. Like meditation. When the mind wonders just bring the mind gently back to a floating hold.
In time it will be naturaly to stay in conntion. It os good practice for your mind as well.
Hello Carolyn,
Three things to share with you:
1) I am noticing, to my complete delight, that Hoofer is changing and responding very well from what seems to be the practicing of your UB excercise so far. She is easily and very often quite willingly dropping her head and holding still for a while (less than a minute), though she doesn’t tuck-in hardly at all yet (tends to want to back up). She is calmer. We practice in her stall with the door open, in the barn aisle and outside when weather permits stretching around.
2) I was so happy to hear the “go ahead” to practice the second exercise. We went outside to try and she was amazing at it and did extremely well. This is having an overall effect of calming her down (even at 26 yrs, she has been a highly excitable Thoroughbred mare). I have to say I am stunned and filled with hope, all resulting from what you have shared in your books/DVDs/blog. This has been more effective (this is all learned remotely/over distance as you are not here in person) than anything else to date for improving the quality of our relationship and calming her. I am grateful. I notice that Hoofy seems happy and willing to spend some time each day “hanging out”!
3) The “lucky day” leather halter tags in my received package are wonderful and working very well. They are sturdy and very functional and smart looking. I highly recommend them to others. Thank you.
Hi Carolyn,
Checking in. I am delighted to hear that we can move forward with this second exercise. Ben and I are still working with his resistance on the first one. Progress is slow but it is there. Standing still is very good now as is accepting a floating hold and lowering his head to a midline position.
One question: when he gets distracted by noise or whatever around him and raises his head, I have been bringing his head back to centre again. Is this right? I do not think he has ever before been asked for the self-control involved in standing still and staying focused on me.
It is freezing here. We are not used to this in Ireland and the country is in a bit of a state about it! I hope to do the second exercise when the cold lessens.
Máire
Carolyn , one question. When I do the circles I can and have been doing them with me on either side of my horse. Should I continue to do this 2nd UE from both sides of the horse?
Hi Carolyn checking in for this week. This 2nd exercise does sound a little easier, already we can do the companion walking and trotting with halts whenever I choose, so will add in the head down part. It has been very cold but this week it is supposed to warm up a little so will be back to practicing both exercises.
Hi Carolyn,
Signing in – I love reading these posts. There is so much breadth and
richness to these instructions. I fully understand now why you became upset when you misunderstood my questions some time ago and thought I was looking for a quick solution or response. These instructions are to be meditated upon and to be used in a meditative condition.
For the present I keep reading and absorbing, my explorations with Andre have been very subtle and he is yielding much more and he allows lateral rocking. I finally have found a wonderful agistment built and developed by a couple really passionate about the care of the horse.
They are happy to help me create a playground for the horses – of course there is much to explore before that as I need to get them settled and start the rehabilitation and WHR and UE. I am delighted to say Rikki has now been accepted by Andre and Ransom, he is low in the pecking order but they are happy together and they came to greet me under the pine trees and they were touching my face and greeting each other and it was all gentle.
Ransom has a ewe neck and windsucks so the muscles of his lower neck are over developed- I also believe he had a blow to the head. But once I have explored craniosacral work and other options, I feel sure very slow exploration of the UE will help to release his holding patterns.
Greetings to everyone
Hi Carolyn,
I’m looking forward to trying exercise #2 with Banner. He’s a playful, spirited kind of guy who really resents being asked to tuck his head down. I understand that it’s good to sort through his resistance at this stage, but I think beginning this second exercise will help substantially to get across what I’m asking him to do. I’ll begin working on that in the morning, and I’m eager to see what his reaction will be.
To Michelle Twohig, I bought the same bitless bridle for Banner, and I have to say I’m using it with great success. I’ve been riding him now for four months, and I’ve never needed to use a bit yet.
Happy New Year to everyone! –Carol
thanks Carolyn, haven’t checked in lately, as moved the horse lot of work and prep etc. clean out. he seems to be adapting and enjoying his new surroundings. I’ll be following and starting up agian with the exercises. bye for now, Rosalie
Carolyn,
Just back from University of Texas Houston, Cancer recheck. All ok for now, with more decisions to make. Good to be back to the “farm.” Learning lots from this lesson set including remembering/increasing awareness of details about warning signs related to boundries. Excited to get more time to focus on the horses. Happy New Year to All.