Posted in Observations on Aug 19th, 2010
To understand the Waterhole Rituals and how the pecking order of horses function in a way that brings about the well-being of the herd, even to support the weakest individual, we need to look at the conditions that exist in nature that create herd behavior.
For horses to survive in nature, they need to stay in a herd. What prevents horses from beating up on each other is the need to stay together for their safety, as well as the open spaces that they live in, which give them freedom to choose who stays in the herd, and who goes. If a horse is too self-serving and aggressive, the herd has the ability to banish them. Likewise, a horse can only join a herd when they show they can fit in harmoniously.
I have never cared for referring to the pecking order of horses. I prefer to call it picking order. One of the main reasons family bands get established is a stallion’s need to win the favor of a mare so that she will go off and form a new band with him. In the beginning of a relationship, as these bands are being formed, the stallion must put… Read more
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Posted in Advice on May 20th, 2010
Positive leadership behavior is using leadership that a horse would appreciate and would be willing to accept. Positive leadership behavior would be to ask and not to expect and to encourage if you are not getting what you want, and then, if you are not getting what you want, change the subject to something that would bring relaxation, trust and harmony to the horse. A good rule of thumb is to train in short windows of time with lots of pause at liberty or on a loose line.
As horse owners, we need to shape a horse’s behavior to fit in harmony with us because of practical reasons and keep their pecking order personalities social and respectful. We need to set an example for our horse in the kind of leadership that we would like him to offer us. This way, the horse learns to treat us exactly like we treat him in regards to leadership. This creates a 50/50 partnership, with the exception that we are the ultimate leaders of our horse because we are setting leadership by example. Captivity requires leadership.
Even very fearful horses can become pushy. At this time of Marilynne’s training, she has become pushy… Read more
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Posted in Misc on Jan 12th, 2010
Hello. Today I have a story for you about the power of patience, persistence and also respect, which I hope you will find very revealing.
I was once asked to work with a well-bred warm blood mare who was extremely dangerous to be around. She would charge open-mouthed, intending to bite hard, at whoever came into her space.
She was in her stall-sized pipe corral when I arrived. I spent some time nearby and then approached her to say hello. The mare charged at me, fully intending to bite. I jumped back out of her reach and personal space and waited for her to process what had just happened.
After she settled down, I approached her again. Again the mare charged at me, prepared to bite. Again I retreated, and waited for her to settle.
We repeated this sequence what felt like 50 or 60 times … so many that I lost count. Again I began my approach, and this time the mare let me come right up to her. She breathed on my outstretched hand and allowed me to gently stroke her face. After that, she never again attempted to charge and bite anyone.
This story illustrates the… Read more
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Posted in Advice on Apr 16th, 2009
Hi and thank you for all your lovely stories, photo’s and videos from Tuesday about working with my Method. Sorry if I haven’t replied to you yet, I will try and get to you.
It is only natural when we learn something new to have many questions and I know how frustrating it is not to have these answered. As you start to work with the Waterhole Rituals therefore, I really want to support you and so I am thinking of putting together a program that will enable me to walk you through the Rituals and then answer any questions you may have as you go along. We’re still looking into this at the moment but if you have any questions that I haven’t answered or any suggestions as to how this would work best for you, then please email Mark at info@carolynresnick.com.
The other day I was asked how my Method fits in with Natural Horsemanship and afterwards I thought the question would make for an interesting blog post. So this is the written up and expanded version of my answer.
In the initial relationship, rather than training a horse, my desire… Read more
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Posted in Misc on Apr 2nd, 2009
Hello and thank you for all your comments and I will be writing some blog posts soon about my Uberstreichen excercises as so many of you were asking about them. Before then though, I’d like to tell you a little more about my vision for my school.
The program’s study will center around three wild horse herds consisting of caretaking lead stallions and their mares and foals on enough land to bring for 30 horses with extra feed when necessary. There will also be birth control management and horses relocated to proper environments as the numbers increase. The Sorraia Center will be a model to show how more effective ways for educating students and better methods in leadership communication through programs that bring more experiential learning, relationship and community participation.
The School will offer programs in horse behavior studies to understand the culture of horses. How horse creates their language and educate their young to bring about a unified herd in harmony and how they achieve their ability to work together as a team for community survival. There will be an intimate study of the pecking order proving that it is a system that supports the community and the weakest… Read more
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Posted in Misc on Mar 26th, 2009
Earlier on the blog, sometime in January, I introduced the idea of a school or educational center called the “Sorraia Center”. For those of you that are interested in the school and the ideas I have for it, I have written about it here and will continue to develop the direction of its studies and post these ideas on the blog occasionally for you to follow and support.
My vision for the Sorraia Center beyond the cultural studies of horses is to highlight how students and teachers can work together as a team in reaching the goals of the school’s programs. In our culture today, we have lost team working skills and the deep fulfillment and personal well-being that comes from serving community and which I want to bring back to humanity.
*** To read the rest of this post, get Carolyn’s Blog Collection Volume 1 ***
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Posted in Misc on Jan 20th, 2009
The Sorraia Center for Equine Facilitated Learning
At the end of 2008, an apprentice student Virginia Vassette came to me and presented architectural plans for a horsemanship school I had talked to her about in our Self Realization and spiritual evolution course. Virginia put my dream down on paper as her project design for her graduation term paper from San Diego Design School. It was a grand surprise!
Because of Virginia’s work and her continued interest in my project and my own desire to have a permanent school for the general public I am now looking forward to bringing the school into operation. So far, people are excited about the school and its purpose. Because the Waterhole Rituals are an evolutionary experience in learning, I envision the school to grow in the same manner.
*** To read the rest of this post, get Carolyn’s Blog Collection Volume 1 ***
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