Reflecting on the Uberstreichen Exercises
Feb 4th, 2010 by Carolyn Resnick Method
In today’s classroom there are some things I want to share and a book I would like to recommend that you can read at this time with your horse, if the weather will permit. I will give you the 5th Ueberstreichen Exercise next Tuesday because it is time for us to pause, reflect and witness our forward progress.
Many people are still working on the first two Uberstreichen Exercises so there is no really need to progress to the 5th one at this time. I will extend the classroom to next Tuesday, which is usually a time for sharing my thoughts.
The blog is becoming a classroom where we are all learning form each other from sharing our experiences, while becoming aware of our surroundings in nature like a horse would do. ‘New magic’ is on the horizon, it is happening all around us from our awareness of our horses in the moment. It was what I was hoping to build.
I am watching the YouTubes that I have inspired people to create. I am watching YouTubes where people keep the camera rolling in real time in the environment and holding beautiful vibrations. On their journey with my Method they are filming their moments with their horses and filming their surroundings in nature. In these YouTubes people are filming beautiful skies and streams and happy rhythmic dancing with their horses and watching people doing nothing but experiencing being truly alive with a horse, breathing in and breathing out with long moments of “whisker touching”. I am seeing many scenes of sunlit air intermingled with tree branches and beautiful backlit spider webs caught in autumn leaves.
A man willing to share what is real without purpose other than wanting to make a connection with anyone who would enjoy sharing the moment in his own experience. What I am witnessing is a new song without agenda with horses. It is a song where we are sharing with one another our private moments we have never shared before with anyone. We are learning through sharing, we are becoming a herd of humans. We are helping each other to develop higher horsemanship from sharing our own experiences. We are building a friendship brought together from the love of horses. I am also noticing that horses are behaving differently than they have in the past from our spiritual evolution in magical ways. We are discovering “the new horse”.
I would like to recommend a book for you to read right at this juncture called the “Songs of Horses” by Paul Belasik. It will help you grow your understanding in how to view and create different approaches in how to connect and train horses. It is one of my favorite books of all time. This book allows my soul to soar and to grow and gives me more hope in bringing us all together to celebrate and share the “cutting edge” of this growing symbiotic connection in cross species bonding and dancing between horses and humans. It is a magical read along with being quit educational.
Please remember to check in the comments section so I know you are still interested and reading my instruction. There as been a lot of drop-off in the classroom. If the drop-off is too large, I will return to the regular articles. These exercises are very simple to learn but are very focused and detailed and need to be practiced over a period of time. I can understand why you might lose interest. They may take too much focus for the average horse owner. I love them and I get lost in the details. I like that they are gentle, simple to employ and produce such amazing results for my students who use them.
I do hope you stay interested. Remember, do not do them for more that 10 or 15 minutes a session. Let me know how they are helping you and if you have any questions regarding their application. Remember to sign in even if you have nothing to add. It is my roll call so I can see if you still want to go forward with the free instruction program.
Have a great weekend
Carolyn
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hi carolyn,
many thanks, for your blog, i just love it.
i am trying to catch up with it .
donna
I’m intermittent in following the blog, but I have watched some recent videos on the UE method and am planning to buy your upcoming book.
Right now I’m reading the blog entries in reverse date order catching up a bit.
Thanks!
Meg
Carolyn,
I went missing because my computer crashed in Jan ..finally replaced it and now I am catching up on all the blog posts that I sorely missed !!
It’s been a very cold winter here as well ..so haven’t had the time I’ve wanted to be doing the Uber’s w/ my boy..we are basically still working on the 1st exercise. but with softness and relaxation will be progressing on to the next exercises.
Please continue to share with us as these exercise are like a meditation w/ your horse. They are invaluable.
Just another check-in. Because I dont have a horse of my own, i’ve had to drive a 100 mile roundtrip on weekends to get to a wonderful horse whose owner has generously let me work with him. However, due to treatment for a brain tumor (benign thankfully) i’ve not been able to get up there for the past several months. I’ve been reading these blogs like a thirsty person drinks water. Of course, I cant wait to get back up there, but in the meantime, i’ve found another wonderful friend who is willing to “share” her horse with me, so next week i begin establishing a connection with this new horse. Spending lots of companion time in the herd/on the ground with my new horse friend is perfect for me at this time in my recovery…i’ve always loved hanging out with horses, and now life has dictated that i HAVE to hang out with them until I’m well enought to ride–not that it’s really any type of “have to” situation. And until then, there is so much to learn and do and connect with. Thanks so much for these lessons…i’ve said this before..will say it again..so glad i was led to find you here!!!
Hello Carolyn!
I went to a local “ground working” clinic yesterday and Sampson (17’2″ Missouri Foxtrotter) and I were the stars! I began with your UE, facing his head, walking around him both ways, dropping his head before the clinic. When the clinic started we did everything the clinician asked for. She couldn’t keep up with us! Sam simply did everything I asked from him, staying out of my space when I was “working” moving things around the arena, stepping one foot at a time, then stopping with each subsiquent foot over a groundpole, walking and trotting the long sides of the arena and stopping each time I stopped (she wanted me ahead of him but we “companion walked”). We even sidepassed down the groundpole because we ran out of things to do. YOUR STUFF WORKS!
I wrote you yesterday but don’t see it on the posts. I wrote that I was in the middle of your book and was jut wastching the Liberty DVD. I am hooked!
Nancy Klifman, MA Spiritual Psychology
Dear Carolyn
Please know that your information and lessons are invaluable to me.
I am just starting out at the age of 71 and feel that your way with
horses will work for me and my Mustang, Nevada.
He is my first horse and was sold to me as a “beginning rider” horse.
Having been bucked off four times I have found him to be quite a
challenge. I have been through Parelli, level one, with him but find
I need to do more to gain his friendship and trust. I have read Naked Liberty and have your DVD with Pandero.
Which of your DVD’s would show me the Waterhold Rituals?
Keep up the good work.
Thanks,
Vicki
Hello Carolyn, Everything you offer is read, savored, noted and practiced. Just not always on the date it is sent. I will do my best to always check in so that you know how important what you are offering is to me and for my herd.
Connie Funk
Carolyn – I am following the Exercises, although I apologize for not signing in at the beginning. I really hope that you will continue to share them with us. What you are doing is a wonderful example of the best use of the Internet in connecting us all together. I thank you again for your generous and wise teaching. I am hoping that at some point, you can address the issue of helping a horse learn to balance better. Siete sometimes has difficulties with keeping her balance while just running around on her own in the pasture and also with a rider. Also, the 5th Uberstreichen Exercise addresses an important problem that she had while working with a trainer and is incredibly helpful and meaningful to both me and my horse. I appreciate your help so much!
I did the 5th exercise today with 2 different horses and it went very well,
I started with UE number 1 and 3, then introduced number 4 with a banana and then number 5. Both horses were walking forward with their nose close to the ground 3-4 steps while I was also walking close to the ground. I did it 2-3 times with each horse and as it felt so good, I stopped there and will pick up tomorrow again.
I progress with UE 1 and can move the number eight now and ask a bit of an arch without the horse moving backwards.
These are the first exercises I work with for a long time without any treats, we are together about the learning. It was not planned, but it just felt right.
Greetings from St. Vincent / Stina
Hi Carolyn,
Back from vacation and lots of reading to catch up. Hoping for good footing in the near future (it is melting today!) and some “real” practice, rather than just in my head. Thanks for the explanation for those of us not interested in dressage, just the results in saddle!
Deb
carolyn,
thankyou for such a special message. i am in bliss here. your WR dvd and NL book arrived 2 weeks ago, the same day as my new filly India! what a wonderful timing for all of us here. we have spent so much time just watching her find her place with the band and helping her accept us as part of her life. her arrival has enabled Chili, my 5 year old PRE mare find her true roll as leader and this has strengthened our relationship too.
i am still on Ub exercise 1 and 2 with my 2 PREs and all is going well.
i had a heartfelt experience saturday with a 4 year old disabled student who rides my big PRE gelding. he spends a lot of time just touching him. now he holds V´s head down low to stroke and touch all parts of his head. V just melts into it and saturday Santi(the boy) whispered” te quiero” ” i Love you” to V . i will try to get a photo of this next week.
i feel so privileged to be part of this work, to be able to make it happen. and to share my life with such special horses.
i have waited all my life for you. i feel that there are no borders now to where i can go with my work. thankyou.
Just checking in! Have been leaving some questions earlier, but I believe you have a lot of people to answer to!
I’ve been going blissfully along…with plenty to do between the first few UEs and the WHRs…so I haven’t kept up with your posts…but after reading this one…where you’re not sure if there are enough people interested…
WE ARE! I AM! Seems all 109 of us (so far) are happy and hooked on learning and implementing whatever you feel like teaching us, Carolyn! Our results speak for themselves, and no doubt our horses are breathing a sigh of relief that we’re taking your advice!
ThankYouThankYouThankYou!
Michelle
I am so thrilled to hear the mention of Paul Belasik this week. It took me a bit to get to this post but I am enjoying the work and reviewing the UE’s each week. I had the pleasure to train with Paul Belasik some time ago. I also cherish his “Riding toward the Light” as a one of my favorites in my library. I have a book list on my website and both Songs of Horses and Riding toward the Light are on there along with Naked Liberty of course!
This is a comment on Jen’s comments about her mule Seephus and her inquiry about others doing the Ueberstreichen Exercises with mules. I also am in love with a difficult mule and long to ride him, but only when he can be a willing partner in the game. I rescued the Colonel, a middle-aged leopard app mule with a wonderful face, from an abusive situation. I’ve had him for a few years and been unable to break through his deep-seated resistance to my charm. Although he now follows me at liberty and calmly allows himself to be haltered, led, groomed, blanketed, even saddled and trailer loaded, he is easily worried and usually sceptical and tense when I play with him. He has not given me permission to ride him.
I started the first Ueberstreichen Exercise with him a few days ago. We had our third session in the round pen this afternoon. He is incredibly smart and “got” the first part of the first exercise much faster than any horse I’ve played with, but unlike my horses, is not willing to take anything on trust. Standing still while I walk behind him is too much for him right now. Today he yielded his head easily and kept it down longer than before. Although I had to use a treat to get a tuck, today was the first time I felt I could even attempt that part of it. We also made some progress with his standing still as I walk around him. I can wait right at his tail on each side, but he moves forward when I step directly behind. Today he just moved a step or two, less than before, when I had to coax him back from half-way across the round pen, so we are making progress. The biggest thing I noticed today is that his eye is softer and he seems to like standing with a lowered head even though he cannot make himself keep it down very long yet.
By the way, I have been doing the first three Ueberstreichen Exercises without a halter with several horses, just because I happened to be playing with them at liberty when the impulse to do Ueberstreichen Exercises came over me. I do not know if it is correct to do them that way, but it does not seem to matter to the horses if the halter is on or not. If these exercises are heading towards collection under saddle when you are riding in a halter or bridle, it seems likely that using reins will play a part. Some guidance on this point from Carolyn would be helpful.
Hi Carolyn,
Just checking in that I am still on board with reading everything, and practising where we are at back at Ub Ex # 1 & 2.
Thank you. Diane Paine
Dear Carolyn,
Thank you for your phone call a week ago last Sunday. It was the day before my 58th birthday and I can’t tell you how surprised and happy I was to talk with you directly. I have ordered your book and Liberty Training DVD and I am on my way! My head butting mare is settling down as I am using the suggestion you gave me about holding her head. My psychotherapy sessions with my clients and horses are going very, very well and I want to report to you that the horses are responding to the sessions and “growing” beyond simply “changed behavior”. Perhaps I am just seeing it for the first time but the recognition they have of timing and the speed they bring to a session is unbelieveable. They simply move things along faster and KNOW when a client is finished working. I am now using your UE’s with my mare we discussed and my 17’2″ Missouri Foxtrotter that are at a place with an indoor…YOU are doing an amazing job for the horse…and we human’s benefit!
Thank you, Bless you! Nancy
Hello again, Carolyn, I forgot to ask you if it is OK that I am doing the first 2 UE without a halter on? I place my hands lightly on the sides of the horses’s and mule’s head, and do it that way rather than with a halter. I started doing it with a halter in the barn, but sometimes am way out in the pasture without a halter when it just seems right to do them out there. Is this a waist of time since one of the goals of the UE is to get the horses to give to tack pressure, and doing it without tack won’t accomplish that?
Thanks again,
Jen
Hello Carolyn, I have not commented before now, out of shyness. But I understand that you need to know we are out here and appreciating your classroom, so I am chiming in to let you know that I am having amazing results with my herd of 5! I began backwards by starting with the UE’s. My wild mule responded very well to the first UE, as did my dominant mare. My lead mare (older sister to dominant mare) had more resistance to them, and my 2 cold blooded ponies did not like them at all! I quickly realized the genius of the UE’s, and decided to do your Water Hole Rituals. These have blown my mind! My Lead mare fell madly inlove with me the first day of the rituals, my dominant mare follows me like a puppy. My wild mule was still too sensitive and reactive for me to drive him from behind and take territory, so instead I just asked him to eat hay and observe while I took territory from the other mares. He learned to keep an eye on me right away, and he was obviously very impressed by me after he saw me driving his mares from behind! So he got the benefits of the rituals by observation and osmosis! He and I have a deep heart connection, and had been dancing together at liberty before I ever saw your DVD’s, but now that I have seen them, our dancing is much more like a dance and less like a military drill! I have a few questions for you: have you ever used your methods, or known of anybody using your methods on mules? And, he is absolutely connected to me at liberty with no halter or lead rope, but when he has a halter and lead rope on, he is more nervous and snorty. He gets scared by things like static electricity between my hand and his winter coat, and bolts, pulling the lead rope out of my hands. He has had a few such incidents in the past few months, and it takes him days to decide to trust me again. Because of this, I have stopped using any tack on him at all, and do all our play at liberty. I really hope to help him to stop bolting, and have no idea how to begin. I want to be able to ride him. I tried riding him in October, and on our third ride, he bolted and I fell off. The UE’s seemed to help teach him to tolerate gentle pressure and relax to it rather than to resist. Should I just keep doing the UE’s and NOT try to do anything with a lead rope for a while? Many conventional dominant paradigm type mule handlers tell me to teach him to stand tied by tieing him to a “Patience pole” for longer and longer amounts of time. But that seems opposite of your methods, so I really don’t want to do that until I hear from you.
Thanks in advance for your help, Jen in Texas (madly inlove with her mule Seephus)
Hello Carolyn,
I´m still enjoying your class, reading, reflecting, connecting. I continue to explore my relationship with a 13 year old icelandic gelding, and we have covered some ground already. Recently, when I enter the pen, he voluntarily walks towards me, leaving the other horses to come and say hello and then we walk together into the barn without any rope between us. Quite amazing!
I live in Denmark, and snow has covered the ground since mid december, so I have not had the opportunity yet to do the excercises. But I am prepared, I have written your suggestions down, and I know “Loki” and I shall both benefit from them! Looking forward to share some more on your blog.
Sincerely, Tine
Dear Carolyn,
Checking in. I have been busy digging out from under two feet of snow. I hope that you will continue the exercises. Roscoe and I have been working on all the exercises with varying degrees of success. After my initial disappointment with the first exercise, I ratcheted down my expectations and relaxed, and the other exercises progressed, although inconsistently. We have not been able to practice regularly due to snow, ice, and mud. I plan to take your Waterhole Rituals class in the Spring. Probably if I had taken the class before the UE, our progress would be more steady. That said I’m happy with how far Roscoe and I have come. I found your site about a year ago, and since then my relationship with Roscoe has improved dramatically. Roscoe used to say no emphatically, ending with a bite. By applying what I learned from the Waterhole DVDs, our communication has improved, and I am more sensitive to Roscoe’s needs
Karin