The “Waterhole Rituals” are the tea ceremony to develop a harmonious relationship with a horse and with life. It is a continual practice in awareness and being present to the moment.

The Waterhole Rituals create a deep friendship with a horse and a working bond that is the foundation for all equestrian pursuits. The Waterhole Rituals develop a horse that wants to learn and perform the task at hand while creating a feeling of well-being in a horse along with an optimistic attitude for what he does – the opposite of a trained bear.

What I find is that horses in general receive their well-being from sharing companionship with one another and enjoy this kind of relationship with humans too. However we do a lot to spoil this by not fulfilling their companionship need by the way we house them and the way we go about training them.

All the Waterhole Rituals are focused on developing a certain quality of connection that is present in a relationship where the bond is deep. I call these separate qualities of connection that each Ritual develops in a horse “the heart felt strings of connection” because they are the vibrations that exist when … Read more

Read Full Post »

Finding “Neutral” puts the heart you’re looking for in the dance:

Finding neutral takes dedication and practice, but it’s ohhh so worth it! I learned a long time ago that I am about the school of practice – continuing to refine the connection I share with horses which has given me an ability to enjoy sharing with others what I know about the training of horses.

Today what I want to offer is the secret to why I think my horses work so well for me. Finding “neutral” is the first thing you need to have on your horse once you have the bond and respect. I find many horsemen are weekend horse trainers. But if you want a dependable horse, it takes a deep commitment which takes more time than the occasional weekend. It reminds me of a story about a concert pianist, Arthur Rubinstein, who found out this fact.

I do not know if it is true, but I heard a story about Arthur Rubinstein, one of the greatest concert pianists of his time. Arthur Rubinstein was revered and loved by audiences in Europe. Arthur then came to the United States on tour and was received much differently. Americans … Read more

Read Full Post »

Upcoming Online Waterhole Rituals Course

If your horse could talk, I bet he would say,

“Please, let’s take this course so we can get to know each other better, be our authentic selves, and then dance at Liberty effortlessly, easily and naturally.”

If you are interested in a deep study of the behavior of horses, and would like to feel more empowered as you learn how to handle and influence them to follow your lead, you won’t want to miss this exciting opportunity.

My next online course on the Waterhole Rituals starts March 24^th

You can choose between the Extended Circle Class or the Insider Circle Class (both are already more than half full)!  And when you sign up for either class by March 15^th, you’ll receive a special bonus that offers you even more value (that includes anyone who has already registered)!

I’d like to share few words about the course: 

Who should take the Online Waterhole Rituals Course?

My Method of Horsemanship is the foundation for all equestrian pursuits and this course is designed for horse lovers, trainers, therapists, veterinarians and healers. On this journey, you will develop your caretaking leadership and gain a better … Read more

Read Full Post »

Why do I teach horse training in the same manner that horses communicate and train one another?

It makes sense to connect with them using the social rituals that are natural to horses because they respond more easily to being trained. These rituals create friendships, respect and a deeper ability to follow the leader. The first thing you need to know about training a horse is how to make a connection that fits the horse’s personality and then that your leadership is understood by the horse. Working with a horse in a social manner helps him to be comfortable. When you communicate with him the way horses train horses, you have a direct line to reaching him in the most natural way possible, which opens the door to having a horse that would want to be trained and follow your lead. Training a horse by using the rituals that horses use develops your leadership approach to fit the individual horse’s nature and his changing attitude. A horse can be willing and the next moment, he can be resistant and then bored or excited, distracted, aggressive, and can turn shy in an instant.

When learning horsemanship, I believe the biggest hurdle … Read more

Read Full Post »

My Name is Kedra Holderman and you may have met me if you came to the Beyond the Waterhole Rituals clinic in December 2012. I am an apprentice in Carolyn’s Method. I have 5 wild mustangs who reinforce daily how necessary it is for me to be a leader, no matter what my mood is or the events of my day.

I have a challenge for you!
It is a simple challenge, however it will require a certain amount of self-awareness. Through many observations I have come to realize that often times, as humans interacting with horses, we allow our gift of speech to become a false leader. What I mean by this is we have a habit of raising our voices thinking that it will help us to be heard if we are louder. This is a false sense of security, or in the horse’s case leadership.

On the same token, we baby our horses in an attempt to keep things peaceful and serene. If when you work with horses you experience being startled, confused, flustered, or possibly a bit annoyed, this challenge and Carolyn’s last blog may benefit you tremendously!

Here it goes….
For one week DO NOT speak … Read more

Read Full Post »

A Leader of Leaders

A Leader of leaders is how I see the social roles we all play with one another helps to evolve man to his higher self. I would define the higher self as having a natural inclination to bring well being to others that would activate them to become a care taking leader in their own life. It is all about the leadership that we offer in our every day interactions with one another that plays a great part in the well being of our planet.

I have always been aware that no matter the role we play in society, from janitor to president, anyone can play a part to create more well being in the world at large. When we feel a connection and feel free to respond as leaders we have more of an ability to know when to speak and when to listen, when to act and when to pause, in order to support and strengthen the ones we are bonded with.

Making a Difference in the World

Giving up judgment and discontent helps one to see the actions one can take to make a “difference” in the world. What does this have to … Read more

Read Full Post »

I have been having so much fun back at my ranch training horses with Kai. We have been training from the ground with tack for preparing a horse to be ridden bit-less. We are working with Honey and Maestro. I want to share with you these lessons.

If you are a new reader and have any questions let me know so you can better understand the lessons on bit-less riding. My method offers a unique approach with horses from the very beginning, working first at liberty in an open field or arena rather than a round pen.

The other unique thing about my method is that the rules I follow training horses are different. Most every method agrees to the same rules in how to approach a horse, but almost all the rules you will be following with my method are different. Here is one way in which they are different.

When a horse looses interest or you hit resistance rather than asking again and again until you get what you want, you change the subject to something that your horse would rather do. You never force your horse to give up his resistance or pay any attention to it.

… Read more

Read Full Post »