Today’s blog comes to you courtesy of my apprentice, Lila.

Working on the ranch as Carolyn’s apprentice student I am having many opportunities to appreciate the subtleties of the Waterhole Rituals and learning what creating willing relationships with a horses REALLY looks like.

As a professional consultant and coach, working at training people for the past 25 years, working intensely with horses for the past 12 of those years, I feel that I have a good grasp on what it takes to create willing partnership in my students and trainees etc. But that being said, I must tell you that what horses are showing and teaching me is dramatically expanding that understanding.  I want to share with you the continued evolution of what my horse Sebastian and I are creating together.

Some of you may have heard about my experience with my horse Sebastian at liberty in the arena a few weeks ago; how I was playing with him looking to see what training opportunities would evolve.  We played with a barrel and I learned about the power of focus and sharing leadership though reciprocal movements.   As I have observed Carolyn with horses I see that with some horses

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When a horse responds to your body language it is the art of partnering with your horse.

One way to improve your body language is to pretend you are underwater. Imagine that the air that you are moving through is thick like water. Visualizing this will cause you to put your whole body into your movements rather than selected, machine-like, static, isolated signals. Instead, you approach the horse like a mime with full dancing, extended expressions. Think of your movements like Tai Chi exercises, not always that slow or exaggerated but close. As you are communicating, do it with expression to give your communication meaning. Take the time it takes to get the point across. Doing this helps to prepare the horse to pay attention and then it will give the horse time to figure out what you want and then he can clear his mind and respond. This means you have to make more effort in reading your horses mind to figure out the body language that is going to get the response from your horse that you want.

To more your horse away from you, first stand to full attention and then get your your horses attention then … Read more

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You must become your horses mind. It sounds inviting enough and it takes a lot of consideration to get to this point. If the First Ritual has not been utilized properly, the rest of the Rituals will not be built on a strong enough foundation.

Your horse will not see the relationship that you are sharing with him as an intimate and personally growing relationship that has meaning and purpose. The first Waterhole Ritual besides developing a deep bond and a feeling of bliss with a horse has many purposes. From practicing the first Ritual, your communications with horses will be better understood. This is very important in your ability to dance at liberty with your horse.

Your body language will have more effect as well as to create a magnetic connection without even thinking about it. You will strengthen the core energy you were born with. Through territory sharing using the first Waterhole Ritual, your core strengthens from your intent to strengthen it. Without your intent, you have a big chance that your core will not be strengthened. The intent therefore is most important.

Your core is the substance you were born with, that gives you the ability to … Read more

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Hello. Before I get on to today’s post, I am delighted to announce that my book Naked Liberty is now available on CD. For those of you who are technically challenged, like me, this will probably come as a great relief! The book is read by my good friend, Liz Mitten Ryan, and she has done a wonderful job of bringing my childhood experiences to life. You can get it by clicking here, Naked Liberty on CD. I hope you enjoy it.

Today, I want to address a problem that people are having sending a horse away from them at liberty. Many people have expressed concern that driving a horse away from them will hurt the trust and bond. I can understand this point of view because of the struggle it might take in their mind to teach a horse to leave you when he does not want to go.

*** To read the rest of this post, get Carolyn’s Blog Collection Volume 1 ***
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