Carolyn Resnick Horsemanship: Liberty Horse Training

Welcome To My Blog -To Get You Started!

The purpose of my blog is to make a connection with you. I can connect with people all over the world, thanks to the computer, and we can explore and correspond with one another on the experiences we’re having with our horses in our life!
I also use the blog as a way, to educate, to raise consciousness, and to use philosophical viewpoints that will lead to a better relationship with horses; for training, partnering, and performance.

The blog is also here to help support interested people and my students who are learning my method through the educational material I offer and direct coaching. Feel free to ask questions on horse behavior, pecking order, leadership, self-realization, meditation, and the training and performance of horses. I may answer your question, or I may choose it for a blog topic for a later date. Of course, I can’t answer everyone’s questions, but I will read all your comments and I will respond to several questions on each blog.

I look forward to dialoging on the subject of what creates a better connection with a horse. Enjoy!

I will give you a lesson from… Read more

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As the Insider Circle and Extended Circle classes are going on, I want to share with my bloggers and the class more detail on how to approach Leading From Behind™ that I offered to Karin in the comments section of my last blog. I also added some information about how to approach your horse with reciprocal movements (leading and following in connection) and Leading From Behind at liberty, and the attitude and energy level that will help in how to approach this Ritual.
When you first start out with Leading From Behind, you start out easy and stay easy. You follow slowly, and when your horse stops, wait a moment. Then ask him to step forward- and when he does, you can either follow behind him, or if you feel he might take off, immediately walk in the opposite direction, and wait for your horse to relax. Use the “Hello” Ritual, but this time, stay with your horse and wait-and when your horse walks off, repeat by slowly following him again. Slowly and surely, Leading From Behind will look like a parade in harmony and unity.
Get to the Ridge By Sundown!
Visualize that you are… Read more

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The practice of Leading From Behind™ brings the horse a sense of belonging. With practice, it will help your horse to listen to his bonding instincts. A horse that gets to practice his instincts receives well being and enthusiasm for life and builds a healthy ego. From the practice of Leading From Behind we are returning a horse to his roots, and his understanding of life as a herd animal, like letting a bird out of a cage to fly. When a horse accepts Leading From Behind, it causes a horse to trust you more because Leading From Behind is a herd behavior.

The practice of Leading From Behind builds the character of the horse, giving the horse a greater work ethic for all forms of training. Along with the work ethic, the horse develops an optimistic attitude. When we can develop a horse to enjoy learning before he starts classical training a horse needs a lot less guidance because the horse’s focus is on learning and wanting to connect and fit with his trainer.

Leadership Accepted Naturally
When you are practicing Leading From Behind it causes a horse to accept your leadership in a natural way. Lead… Read more

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Apollo is evolving himself nicely along with my sporadic training, which I take full responsibility of not giving him the time that he needs. I can surely understand how many people want to spoil their horses because I certainly spoil my dog. But the one thing I have learned with my experience with my dog is that there are two ways I have let him down. One is not believing that evolution would help in his development, so I feel in many cases I was too strong with him. The other aspect is allowing him to hurt my feelings from not being the dog that I thought he should be if he cared about me; like when I first had him, he ran away a lot, and wouldn’t come when he was called. Now in retrospect, all of it has worked out nicely, but I think I brought too much drama in the growing up of Apollo.

In my last report to you about my dog, I reported that I had taught him to pick up two things and carry them. Since Apollo is not a retrieving dog, this was a great feat! And as you remember I did… Read more

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Today’s post is in response to a letter I received recently from someone:

Dear Carolyn,

I am also incredibly excited about the reformation. It has been a question of mine for a long while, as to how can one influence herd behavior.

Actually, Joost helped me come up with the plan. He too is using the Waterhole Rituals to influence with all of the horses he works with.

He has a 2 year old filly in training who bites everything she can reach.

Last week while grooming her he stuffed a cookie in her mouth when she reached for his elbow.

Well! That totally interrupted the deal and then he asked her for several steps back.

She was very different all morning.

Thinking things through in this way is becoming 2nd nature, and we are doing everything possible to coax that along.

I do have something to report back to you about our mustang, Geronimo.

We have been doing the intimacy exercises with him for about 4 weeks. He can now eat out of a bucket, keeping his head inside the whole time, which is a huge improvement.

His normal behavior is to grab a mouthful and then move away

… Read more

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Sorry we missed posting on Thanksgiving! We hope you shared some lovely quality time with your family and your horse! Today I wanted to share a story from one of my Insider Circle students, she writes…..

HI Carolyn,

I just wanted to share with you what happened today with my horse Jeri. Jeri is a Thoroughbred/Trakhener and about 15 years old and he came to me as a green broke 10 year old. I bought him to show him in dressage which I did successfully. He is the kind of horse who will to do what you want when tethered to you but he never really had his heart in his work.

When time permits I have been doing the WR with him, so about 2-3 times a week since the WRIC course started in April.

Today as I shared territory he stood in front of my chair, relaxed for 5-10 minutes. He spent a few minutes with his nose touching mine just breathing in and out with my breath. It was a very magical moment.

Later I did some companion walking. He just connects to me as soon as I get off my chair and start walking. After a

… Read more

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My experiences in nature with horses unveiled an understanding that horses naturally want to bond with us and enjoy being ridden if it happens naturally.

The equestrian world increasingly begins training the horse to be ridden at a time when a horse is not ready, so lots of preparation must occur. In this modern day, a lack of Sharing Territory™ to grow and maintain the connection with horses is more than half of the reason why it takes a well-seasoned trainer to train a horse to be dependable and trustworthy.

Not sharing our daily lives with horses causes horses to be more wary of us. Rather than working with the horse when the horse feels safe and secure, most equestrians end up spending more time desensitizing the horse and showing the horse how not to be afraid in the moments he is fearful to gain trust. When we establish security we can then easily bring to the horse social activities that are more natural for the horse and human. This helps to develop the kind of trust and respect that creates a cross-species bond that brings about a unified working partnership.… Read more

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