The Egyptian Stallion
Oct 6th, 2009 by Carolyn Resnick Method
Hello. Today I would like to tell you about the experience I had once with an Egyptian (Arabian) Stallion.
At 3.5 years old, this stallion was labeled a human hater. He was very dangerous. When offered treats, he had no interest in the food, he only wanted to bite fingers. When he came to me, I put him in a stall. The stall front was solid wood about 3-4 feet high and then there were vertical bars so that air could circulate, light could get in and the horses could see out.
So for this stallion, I stacked bales of hay until they were at the height where the bars began and I unrolled my sleeping bag there. Every night for a month or so I slept on that stack of hay. I had to be careful not to get too close because that horse was just looking for an opportunity to get me.
During the day, I would bring my mini horse called Laddie in the aisle of the barn to train. At the time I was asking him to wait at the far end of the aisle for my signal, then come over to me. On the way, he would have to go over a small jump. When he came to me, Laddie would get a cookie and the stallion would get one too. This went on for about 30 days or so, with the stallion getting a cookie every time Laddie did. One day, Laddie was not there, so I decided to see if I had made any progress. I let the stallion out of the stall but carried my water gun with me, just in case. I was not at all sure that he would not attack me.
Well, guess what happened? That stallion went straight to the end of the aisle, waited for my signal, ran, jumped over the jump, came to me and waited for his cookie. After that, I was able to train this horse.
He was eventually sold, still a stallion, to a 10-year old girl as a riding horse. He stayed a good boy. When something is really, really bad, there is usually something really, really good inside. This story shows the benefit of just being together with a horse and again emphasizes the power of the first Ritual, Sharing Territory.
Hope you enjoyed the story and as ever I’d love to hear if you have any similar stories.
Carolyn
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Amazing. It shows the power of setting an example for the horse to follow. Horse training by proxy. Horses are so much smarter than people give them credit for.
Amazing story! And I`m also surprised over that arabians so often are mentioned as “problemhorses”, Gail. My 2 year old arabian mare is so calm, easy and sweet, and also a very sensitive horse. They are also very wise and easy to train with, but learn fast, and maybe this sometimes makes them more difficult to train? The things you tell are so wonderful, maybe we all should try something like that more often, really try to connect with our horses on a deeper level.
What a wonderful story Carolyn, thank you! And thanks as well to Becky and Deborah for sharing their beautiful stories
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Me likes it very much….!!
Thank you Carolyn.
Hoping you’re well.
Stuart
Hi Carolyn,
Thought I’d write after I read this as I have found my horses learn by watching also. The first horse I taught to bring me his feed bin took a few hours and after watching him do it, for maybe a couple of months, the other six horses took about 15 mins and 2 carrots cut in bits each to also learn to do it. This now happens regularly with any new thing I think up to see if they can do it. I use a horse that can do it or is likely to learn it quickly and then get the others (whoever has chosen to come and watch which is usually half to all of the 15 horses and donkeys)) to do it. It’s amazing, by the time you get to the last one you hardly have to do anything except say their name and come here and they know what to do. The latest thing has been to see if I can get round my 40ac without my feet touching the ground with each horse (or donkey) carrying me 100m or so bareback with just a string around neck between the stumps and termite mounds. Took a few months but they figured it out and knew that they had to line up for a turn or they didn’t get the reward at the end. Previously, just following me on my walk had yielded a reward on returning to the shed. It’s funny they even know if they run back to the shed without me they don’t get a reward because if they do I go and hide and they have to come back looking for me and it all takes longer. Sometimes if I can sneak off into the forest without them too close and hide they come looking. It’s funny to watch them. One of the ponies tracked me by scent exactly where I walked until she found me. Sometimes I crack the the whip and they zero in on that.
I have had a few horses come for a visit because their behaviour is not acceptable and I have found that my horses are very eager to assist me to show the new horse the correct way of doing things. The owners are amazed at the changes in their horses in a short space of time. Two of the visitors were able to be put with the owner’s other horses when they went back which had been impossible to do before as they were so bossy and hurtful to the other horses. They found out they weren’t as tough as they thought they were when they came up against my lot. I was introducing a young horse to the float (he had his first ride on a truck to get here). He had been 1/2 way in the day before for a look on his own. The next day my horses were all standing around watching. The horse had his feet on the ramp and nose in the float when one of mine walked straight past him and started eating hay at the front. The young horse didn’t hesitate any more and did the same and also went straight on the truck to go home much to the owner’s amazement.
Anyway I better stop here with these few examples of how horses do learn by watching (in spite of what the expert scientists say about how they don’t) or I will go on for days and there is things I need to get done.
Thanks for sharing, Michelle.
Ps Hi Deborah if you are the one I have corresponded with.
Dear Carolyn, Thank you for your very beautiful story. I’m always so deeply saddened when people speak of “terrible killer” horses and they turn out to be arabians.I’m presently developing a partnership with my first horse (93 % arabian) . He’s now 3 1/2 and I have “owned ” him since he was 8 months old. I find myself in awe of the deep sensitivity of this animal . Today, I walked out into the pasture and could see Reggie and his buddies back in the woods hanging out under the trees.It was further away than he will generally come to me but I just recieved the attunements for Reiki level 1 and decided to try something. I grounded myself and softened and expanded my aura.I set my intention on sending him the energy of unconditional love from a wide open heart chakra. Almost immediatly, he lifted his head,walked out of the woods and joined me ,nuzzling me in greeting and then following me all the way back to the gate. Later,when we did some playing on the ground(I study Parelli natural horsemanship), I tried something else new for me…. I sent him an image and asked him to step sideways and he did…..both directions. I can easily see how people who step harshly on the very essence of these fabulous creatures can make them”crazy”. I only hope that as I grow in horsemanship, I can (in
some small way) be part of making a better world for them.
I love it, I have been practicing the rituals with my dear friend Erica Trexler, my Tb Gelding is very dominate. after 2 months he still would jump in the air when riding him he was fine on the ground, using my pain point methods he seemed never out. Fustrated thinking the program was not working I sat still and watched him, well for one he stood ahead of himself not under, feet seemed fine, then got on him again he was like walking crooked even though his withers were in, sadden by his pain it finallly came to me what to do, the next morning Erica and a new friend who rides real well went for a ride but not before I showed Ericka the difference, I stretched both his front legs real well and higher than normal , Boggie my tb helped, he let out a big sigh then I use a chiropractic method on both front legs lifting his front legs into himself. then did more rituals on the ground the girl who was riding him for me jumped on and away we went no problems we rode the trails the ring the fields trotted, bareback & bitless bridle, gave big treats when we were done Boggie was happy. The girl was amazed with the rituals . So stepping back and listening to your horse really helps, I love Carol Resnicks Program It works
Hi Carolyn,
Thank you for the beautiful story. I have experienced my very pushy and playful colt learning from seeing what the others did. But at the time, I wouldn’t have thought about it as “sharing territory”. Now however, I can totally see how this would be an education for any horse. I’m so glad that you helped us discover the magic of the Waterhole Rituals; it can and does better the life of horses.
Thank you to you as well Deborah.
There is a young woman who I invited to live here with Tony and I, as a caretaker. She wants to go to K State, bring her horses, so this works for both of us. She is one of the most gifted people I know, with horses. She is 18.
She called me about Patrick, an arabian yearling that was scheduled to be put down. The trainer sends all his “killer” horses to Kelsey, as a last resort. She asked if we could save this horse. He’d be coming with her, an additional mouth to feed. What was I going to say? NO? Neither one of us can afford to ship him here, but I told her to take him, and we’d somehow raise the funds. I’m still working on that.
Wish you could see the pictures. This was Patrick’s first day with Kelsey. She sleeps with him, too.
Ron & Joan arrived with Patrick arrived last night after a 6 1/2 hour trailer ride..
I got a peek at him in the trailer, a little bay with a star and wide, terrified eyes, frantically looking around. Ron put on his heavy duty leather gloves to unload him (oh dear), and after lots of “Whoas!” and thuds, they scrambled out the trailer.
He was absolutely terrified walking into the barn, walking on his tippy-toes and crouched down down like a cutting horse. He’s in good body condition, and shiney, but his feet are in bad shape. Of course, his stall is at the very end of the barn, but we made it, and he lept in and immediately quieted a little. Ron took off his chain and his two lead ropes, and asked if I wanted to keep his halter on.
“Nope”
“You sure?”
“Yep”
“you won’t be able to catch him”
“I’m sure”
I’m sure Patricks had a halter on since he was weaned- he has white scars behind his ears and the hair that’s on his nose is turning white.
Heidi got him a little flake of hay and he went to work on it, snatching a bite and sticking his head out and peering around. He was still wide eyed & jumpy, but he was going to town on his hay, so that was a good sign.
I got my chair and my book, and settled into the corner. I was ignoring him, and he was peering at me in between bites of hay- not fearful, but curiously. After about a half hour, he inched over and sniffed the book, then jumped back when the pages crinkled. A few minutes later he’s back, snuffling all over, from my shoes to my hair- he likes hair.
All of the sudden, I’m not so scary. He’s licking and chewing and yawning, and letting me rub his neck. I stood up to stretch, and find his itchy spot under his mane. Bingo!!! I ended on that note for last night.
Well you guys, like I said, I wish you could see the pictures. He is such a joy.He is part of a herd of three, now. He is brave, curious, a lovely soul. He would have died without this young woman’s understanding, compassion, and love. It all started with a book, a chair, and a horse.
I am amazed by this story, and if you hadn’t told it, i don’t think i would have belived it at all! So the stallion learned by watching? And the space you’d shared indirectly with him meant that you’d covered the first ritual which lay the platform to your training. That really IS amazing – you learn something new every day and what i have learned about that is a horse can immitate a sequence with no conditioning of it’s own. Wow. How many times did you go through this inittial process with him and Laddie before letting him out of the stall on his own? Did you have abselutely no problems with his ‘aggression’ at all during the next steps? Thank you so much for sharing this, what an eye-opener.
I don’t have anything as wonderful as that to share, but i do know that when i had a ‘human hater’ mare who literally used to try to attack people with both her front and backend, the day i just stopped trying to train her, the day i gave up and lost hope, she just calmed down and we became freinds.
I remember the day 7 years ago. She kept coming at me and i shook a can of stones and used a rope to give me space, but every time she ran off, she turned back and went for me again. I burst into tears and just turned away and walked off, thinking i would have to have her put to sleep after all – that every body else was right and i was wrong – there was no good in the mare. Whatever had happened to make her that way was undoable. I ducked under the fence and just stood there looking into the distance – way past her, lost and hopeless. She came over and stuck her head over the fence. I stepped back as i thought she might try to bite me again. We eneded up standing together for quiet some time. I then went to her again, over the fence and she blew through her nose at me and i stroked her. I dunno, something just shifted. There was a moment of clarity and calm (what i now know you call ‘bliss’)
It was not always easy after that, but i had a wonderful lady help me. But her aggression stopped. I was then able to get a proper vets check and it turned out she had kissing spine so she was in a great deal of pain (screaming out loud with it in violent expressions). When that was fixed by physio (although she had to be retired as a riding horse) i was able to train her. Now little children handle and play with her. I keep her as a pet companion for my young horse.
We touched then on the concept of sharing space i guess, and i learnt about yielding to aggression, rather then fighting back. I learnt so much form that little mare, she cost me a fortune to get fixed, but gave me a fortune in my learning – i wouldn’t be posting here now if it wasn’t for her because that’s when my new journey with horses started. Thank you Tilly!! xx
I laughed out loud (in the good way
) when I read the part about the stallion’s first solo cookie. Amazing! “They” say that horses don’t learn by watching another horse’s experiences. Apparently, that’s not so! Great story, Carolyn.
Dear Carolyn!
. not to speak about your expression when the stallion did what he for a month have been seing Laddie do. It must have been an amazing moment.
What a lovely story. I clearly can imagine you sleeping next to the stallion. I only hope the weather was all right
I believe very much in sharing territorry. I just have shared territory for at little while with at newcoming ponymare and her foal. I just sat next to the hay when they were eating and I sensed more calmness after a while, even the shy foal aproached me.
I often watch your video about the seven rituals and these days I am very hooked at buing a young ponystallion which has not been much in hands, just to try your methods from the beginning. But it will only be at dream, I haven´t got the money to pay the costs to stall, food and so on. The horse is very cheap because his eyes are blue and as a dartmoor pony it is not allowed.
I look forward to your next blog. Have some nice days,
Your sincerly
Helle
Carolyn,
I find your stories simply amazing. Short. Simple. Profound.
One could write an entire philosophical treatise around your line – “When something is really, really bad, there is usually something really, really good inside.”
Dan