Carolyn Resnick Horsemanship: Liberty Horse Training

When I was a kid, I had an old horse and he did not know how to do anything but what he was told because of the years of service he was use to. I was not skilled enough to ride him without guidance even though he would do what you told him to. I did not know how to activate the gas pedal and break in relationship to the turning aids, and make the needed adjustments in order to ride a horse. Riding a horse is not an easy matter. Once we learn, it is as easy as breathing, so we easily forget how much we know, how much we have learned, and how much awareness we need to bring to a beginning rider as teachers of horsemanship.

I have wanted to construct a quad where the breaks would sometimes work too sensitively, and range to less and less sensitive, to not working at all-or it might even go faster when applying the breaks. Turning the vehicle would work with the same irregularities. Sometimes I dream of this teaching aid. If any one knows how to create this monster I would love to talk to you about building… Read more

Read Full Post »

I went to our local New Age store and found a children’s book titled Zen Shorts. I took a look, read a few pages, and had to have it! I want to suggest it to any one who likes children’s books and the lessons learned from them. Let’s exchange ideas on what to read this winter.

All through the year, I love to have people over to my house. In order to make them welcome I like to keep treats in the bathroom and many interesting books on my coffee table. I have found that people will take treats from the bathroom quicker than if I have them anywhere else. When people come to visit they even go into the guest bathroom to see what treats might be there. What they like is chocolate. It is all experimentation on how to please others and stay connected just like working a horse at liberty. It takes the same kind of experimentation working a horse at liberty as it does creating a social environment for people. I also make sure I have beautiful music playing, and I like to listen to everything my guests want to talk about.

The other… Read more

Read Full Post »

I am once again sharing a letter from one of my Insider Circle Students. I am sure most of us can identify with her observations.

Dear Carolyn,
Thank you for your reminder to us on Monday’s call about how subtle and important intention is when we are with our horses.

When I first was leasing Yowahtee, I was purely in that place of making it all about him. That was how I dreamed having a horse would be and I was continuously thrilled having him in my life. That has not changed after proudly becoming his person and spending the last couple years with him.

In the beginning, others said my first horse should be such and such, and he should not have any lameness issues, perhaps should be older than 5+ years, etc…however, I persisted because this horse deserved to be loved, as every horse does, and I felt a deep connection with him. I had his teeth done, sheath cleaned, nearly fused hocks injected, and tried chiropracty and accupuncture to help the front leg issue…it was expensive, but it worked. I believed in him and saw the treasure within. I was involved with him because of

… Read more

Read Full Post »

My method of training is a method that does not replace any other method of training a horse. My method’s main purpose is to create a cross species bond and working partnership with a horse that will help you in all equestrian training methods and pursuits with your horse. My method is meant to develop clear sightedness in knowing how to put your horse in the right state of mind to work with you from a willing and enthusiastic attitude. This will allow your horse to be able to put forth his best effort for that day in whatever your plans are, whether it be riding or training or just an activity that brings more enrichment to your horse’s well being at liberty without tack.

If you have come to my site to get help with fixing a problem, I do not have any formula to help you because I do not fix problems, or care to with my own horses. What I do is shape the horse’s character to fit in harmony with me from a growing foal to a finished riding horse. There are many other methods that fix problems. My method of training is not really training… Read more

Read Full Post »

I want to take this time again to welcome newcomers to my site and how to get started with my method. My blog is a classroom to support the teaching materials of my books and DVDs.

If you are new to horses and are interested in my method, you should work with someone in person who knows my method. If you would like, let me know in the comments section where you are located and I may be able to put you in contact with someone who is familiar with my method and has a strong successful background training horses and humans in your area.

Here are some of the basics that you need in order to start with my method:

If you have all of these things, I can teach you my method just through this web site along with my teaching material.

If your horse does not… Read more

Read Full Post »

What fascinates me about wild horses is their beauty, and their free spirit and how much they enjoy. I fell in love with horses as a child. It was a romantic connection, as it is for many children who are drawn to horses. I felt if a wild horse should befriend me, I would have something special. I grew up with horses, and as a child I was offered an opportunity to observe and ultimately make friends with a natural wild horse herd. I spent every day with wild horses in the summertime in the San Jacinto Mountains of California where my family had a cabin in the woods close to the horses. My summers with the horses extended over three years and began when I was 10 years old. At that time in my life and still today I was looking for the magic I could share with a horse. I wanted to learn their culture and pecking order behaviors. I wanted to develop a relationship with wild horses, to be able to ride a wild horse from a bonded trust and magical connection without having to capture it against its will or train him to accept me on… Read more

Read Full Post »

As we go forward with the Waterhole Rituals™ in my blog, I am speaking to you either on Sharing Territory™, or shaping behavior, or working on the performance and training of the horse. How we approach the training of the horse will help the friendship grow. We need to bring a program that inspires the horse to want to learn and follow our direction. To do this, we need to keep tabs on our horse’s attitude while we are working with our horse, and then we need to make adjustments in our leadership to keep the quality of the connection.

We as leaders must also focus on the rhythm of our horse while we are working with him. I have found that I can communicate clearly to my horse whether I am in the saddle or from the ground by matching his rhythm and then signaling my request between the strides. I will often times choose a slightly different rhythm from the horse that would cause the horse to want to match my rhythm. For example, if my horse is walking too fast I will choose a rhythm in my own body that I would like him to have… Read more

Read Full Post »