Carolyn Resnick Horsemanship: Liberty Horse Training

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 »

Better late than never. It took me this long to pick the winner of the journal contest. The journals were not typical journals. They were a combination of journal writing along with guidance to the reader on many points to better understand the Insider Circle and In the Box Programs and the difference in my Method in relationship to the classical Methods that are out there today. The reason I was looking to have a journal contest was so the winners journal could be used to help prospective new students better understand the courses and the Waterhole Rituals enabling them to evaluate whether or not this is the program for them.

The journal entries were all amazing and it was very hard to pick the winner. I do appreciate every single entry. We had five entries and I loved every one. I derived so much benefit from reading them all and they helped me to know more in how I want to go forward as a teacher.

I wish I could have talked personally with each person as I was reading their journals. Each person wrote from their heart of hearts, something that we seldom share with one another.… Read more

Read Full Post »

The practice of Leading From Behind™ causes the horse to gain a sense of belonging. Without tack, in a free open environment, we give a horse sanction to respond positively or negatively without consequences, which is so valuable to building a connection and trust with a horse.

For a horse to express his feelings without consequences or concern and to feel a sense of “who he is” is life- enhancing to a horse and the trick to winning him over. Exercising your instinct for horses as well as humans creates a sense of well being and enthusiasm for life as well as an optimistic attitude for working with others. Experiencing freedom of choice without consequences builds a healthy ego. A horse that has a healthy ego will naturally bond with a human.

A horse’s greatest instinct is for companionship and freedom. This is what we can give back to a horse working with the Waterhole Rituals™. It is essential for a horse to experience a freedom of choice in order for a horse to feel well adjusted.

From the practice of Leading from Behind™ we are returning a horse to his roots, his well being, and his understanding of life,… Read more

Read Full Post »

To create a deeper connection with your horse, put yourself in a state of happiness before you see your horse. It will help you to discover yet another core strength within you. Your intentions to elevate your awareness will grow your magnetism. Growing your magnetism will draw your horse to follow your lead. It will cause your horse to trust in your leadership.

So how can we do this?
Start by putting your attention on the well being that is always there inside of you until it consumes your awareness fully. Become aware of how your body feels in the moment. Focus on the parts of your body that feel alive and well until your whole body feels alive.

If you have something that does not feel good inside you, this is not you. It is an external condition that has caused feelings of sadness or any negative feeling that pulls you down. Let it go on your exhaled breath. Imagine breathing in healing energy. Imagine breathing from the parts of your body that you are focused on and then feel the sensation. Notice the well being growing within you. Feel the connection to all things and a peace… Read more

Read Full Post »

Be Sure to not miss out on Robin Gates’ Clinic on the
Waterhole Rituals™ Click to link to PDF

Unlike us, horses have a natural desire for connection built into them because they are herd animals. Horses have a big desire to be with horses, even the ones they do not like. We humans are more selective in who we share a connection with. We want to connect with very few people, and the people we want to connect with must almost be perfect from the standards we set for them. Or we fall for someone as they are, but this is a rarity.

Because we are not compelled to connect as much as horses, we don’t get enough practice in our lives in how to build connections with others. So, we may not know how to set up the circumstances for a horse to want to start a connection with us.

In Sharing Territory™, we can accidentally stop the connection from occurring in many ways. We could choose the wrong spot to wait, or the wrong time, or we could go with the wrong feeling and focus. You want to pick a spot that your horse… Read more

Read Full Post »

Here is some information that should help you in how to approach the first Ritual- Sharing Territory. The approach is especially important in how you go about doing nothing with your horse. Sharing Territory in a certain way will help you to establish a deep connection in friendship.

When we begin to share the same vibrations and feeling a peace in the moment, a natural friendship takes shape. It takes no effort or skill just being with your horse and following some simple criteria. Start by sitting with your horse. Read a book, or write in a journal, or any other quiet activity that puts you into the moment will draw your horse to you while you are waiting for him to connect.

To create a true bond with a horse from the horse’s perspective, you need to wait for the horse to come to you first, without tack, and fully able to choose when he would like to get to know you better. This is something humans rarely think of doing. I have found that sharing this little secret with my students has changed their horses’ performances to a complete harmonious dance. For those of you… Read more

Read Full Post »

Thanks for your big response. That should hold me for a while. Our weather is note worthy today. Hot and cool with thunderstorms. I will not be working horses much today.

Stina is in town and looking forward to our visit. She is now a certified clinician in my method.

Apollo is always becoming a more willing and loving dog. He loves to chase rabbits. As soon as he sees one, he is off and running and I can’t do anything about it. The other day when a rabbit ran by us I asked him to stay with me and he did. Right in the middle of his take off, he stopped! My complete focus has been on getting him to change with no luck at first. I could not lead him, let him free, or expect him to stay in place while training a horse, or keep him from jumping on people at our front door. Now he is doing everything I ask him to do.

The funny thing is that his obedience came out of his disobedience with no reprimand. I gave him no consequences but expressed to him in a big way what I… Read more

Read Full Post »