Training using the Waterhole Rituals 2
Aug 1st, 2008 by Carolyn Resnick Method
Hi. This is the continuation of the letter to Helene that I started to share with you on Wednesday. As always, I am very happy to hear your comments and reaction to my blog posts, good or bad. Till next week, have a super weekend!
—————————————————————————————————————————-
Continued….
I am not saying that you could not succeed doing what you are doing but the dangers are too many. I would almost never run from a horse or lead him to carrots before a horse will allow me to move him around with a reed easily. I never chase after a horse as you have described. In the beginning, I keep the horse in walk only.
*** To read the rest of this post, get Carolyn’s Blog Collection Volume 1 ***
Click the image above for more details
No related posts.
Hello all,
Thank you for sharing your insights and learnings. I have been reading through the various subjects with keen interest. I have the audio book and the Rituals DVD and have been practicing the Waterhole Rituals with my 7 year old mare who seems to have a dominant but anxious horsenality. The Rituals have definitely resulted in some positive changes for Luna, particularly with her driving force, her hind end. We could not pick up her feet for trimming or cleaning without a tug, and her almost falling over as she leaned on my patient but getting frustrated by the trim farrier. Luna really likes the rituals and has become much more accepting of me and my leaderhip, as well as more tolerant of other horses.
My question at this time is about my young Andalusian cross gelding; he is coming 3 in July. I have started to practice the waterhole rituals with him. We seem to have a good bond, he is a bit of a pest if I just sit to spend time with him. So I moved to eye contact to which he caught on quickly. I then moved to leading from behind and the difficulty I am having is that he is very sensitive so when I ask him to move ahead, even with very mild and relaxed energy, he just takes off and runs like mad. So as Carolyn suggested, I just keep walking slowly toward him, then he turns and comes to see me for a cuddle, so I rub his face. Then I might move to magnetic walk for a while – he likes to chase me if I run – I’m probably not supposed to run right? Then I might go back to leading from behind, but any motion on my part to send him ahead or away causes him to take off. I’ve read Carolyn’s response to Helene so now I’m starting tothink I shouldn’t play with the leading from behind. He isn’t outright dominant but he does use his head to bump me. I’ve ordered Panadero’s Journey for more information but I feel stuck. Any feedback or comments would be very appreciated.
Lyse
I am not from English background…and things sometimes escape me!
I meant of course to say: “I hope that I do NOT sound like I am not taking Carolyn’s advice very seriously!!”
Thank you very much for your support Alessandra. What an incredible background you have!
I hope that I do sound like I am not taking Carolyn’s advice very seriously. Actually, I spoke to her and explained that I do not have others choices at that particular barn. To use an image, I cannot learn how to swim in a peaceful lake; I only have access to the ocean!
So, I am going to take it very easy, follow Carolyn’s advice to the letter with that one horse and see where it takes me.
I have an overdeveloped Primal Brain, instinct is one of my main motor and I have not felt threaten …yet.
In addition, the barn and horse owner is an incredible trainer and person who always keep an eye on me when I am with Max.
Best to all.
Hi Carolyn!
Helene’s story rings a bell for me, as you know, because you were there with me when I had Smokey, a beautiful black TB mare.
At that time I had just started to learn the Rituals and was dealing with a horse that was very problematic and unsafe to be around.
My background with horses was about 30 years of experience, a few with show horses and most of it spent with race horses in Italy, racing as an amateur jockey and a veterinarian. Carolyn opened a door that I had always hoped and suspected existing, the door to a true communication with horses, based on something natural to them that we could both understand and use.
After a short while of working with me and Smokey, Carolyn advised me to change horse and so I did.
Today I am still studying and applying Carolyn’s Method, with a new horse and a new prospective.
Helene,
I can very much relate to your experience and feelings, even with our backgrounds being so different.
I found the answer to my problems in the Waterhole Rituals, but most of all in Carolyn’s advice and the time spent with my horse experimenting, listening closely and enjoying every second of it!
Beautiful picture and ….invaluable answer.
Just like you Lori, I think that instinct is the ultimate guide.
In this case, I had no previous experiences that could steer me a way or another – I was on “pure instinct” mode.
Clueless is also a word that could fit here.
To answer your questions, I was never afraid: Based on uneducated reasons, I believed that I was “connected” to Max and never thought that he would hurt me. My feelings were a mix of apprehension and excitement that was overshadowed quickly by disappointment when Max evaded me.
At one point, he trotted and cantered around me sufficiently close to worry me. However, at the same time, part of my mind was diverted by the beauty, grace and power of his movements. Consequently, I did not give into fear.
What triggered my writing Carolyn were comments made to the effect that Max was having fun and was “playing me”.
Yet “instinct” told me that Max was stressed and unwilling to interact. That same instinct also told me that my inexperience with the “hazing’ process (to use Carolyn’s expression) could not explain Max ‘attitude: Using the whip even with dexterity, was not the answer to the type of bonding and reaction I was looking for.
Among many others things, Carolyn showed me that my so called connection with Max had no real foundation. I had perhaps experienced some lovely, real moments with him but they were just that – moments. Nothing had been build that could give Max any reasons to trust me and even less to have “fun” in such a set up.
So, I just bought a few books and am ready to start learning how to put this puzzle together, one block at a time and eyes wide opened.
In others words, it is Waterhole Rrituals Step one for Max and me!
Hi Carolyn!
Great Picture!
The answer to Helene was very informative and a good reminder of the signs of when what we are doing with our horse is not working the way that it should. However, learning from mistakes (as I have learned many times) is often one of the best ways to learn, as long as no one gets hurt in the process. I admire Helene for getting out there and trying to get to know horses better. One of the things that I am curious about is how Helene felt during some of the behaviors described. It seems that she was encountering difficulty and knew something was not right and sought help, but how did it feel when “Max was snorting and keeping an eye on you and you said that using a whip to drive him away or define your ground could possible break the bond.” (Carolyn Resnick, Paragraph 2) I have found that one of the quickest ways to tell if I am in dangerous waters is when I don’t feel comfortable around a certain horse. From the sound of things, there were many times when it was uncomfortable between Max and Helene, and I was wondering if Helene felt this way.