Building Equestrian Connection

This article is for those people who enjoy increasing their connection, performance and horsemanship from the direct experiences they share with their horses. If you don’t have a good relationship with your horse, all you need to do is change your viewpoint, step back and start at the beginning.

1. Do what you can do
2. Stay away from what you cannot do
3. Build on what you can do in each moment
4. If you hit resistance, change to a program that builds back the connection.

The good news is this is the way you go about working with any horse, whether you have a good relationship or not. This is my rule of thumb and why my horses like me so much. I never take them for granted. They also know they can never pull the wool over my eyes either because I have taken the time to really look to see whether or not they respect my authority. I have chosen a program that I know will bring me positive results.

Each day I focus on building a stronger and stronger foundation for the working bond, which is based on all of the elements of connection established during the Waterhole Rituals™. Before I start any training program with my horse I spend time reconnecting with him, enjoying who my horse is today and in this time I figure out what part of our foundation is solid and what part needs to be redeveloped.

I look at whether I have my horse’s full attention. If I don’t, I play the game horses play over grazing rights in the wild. Games such as eat all you want as long as you keep your eye on me. Or I might do Leading from Behind or I will follow you. Or I might do, I will wait for you to connect with me.

The horses understand my intent from my focus. They know my interest is to win their favor along with building respect that would produce a horses’ desire to accept my leadership and to see my leadership as enjoyable.

I gain this connection by keeping the horses socially responsible to the herd laws. If I must return to respect, attention or attitude, I return their behavior to being responsible and polite in an unconditional loving way. They see me in different roles: as a mother, father, sister, brother, best friend, student leader and dance partner. I pick the role that makes the best connection and that brings out a horse’s interest to learn and perform.

I want my students to fill the social needs of the horse. To bring enrichment to his well-being by spending time with him each day before asking anything of him so both of you can get into the zone to really feel a deep heart-felt connection.

Developing a connection with a horse is a courtship process and a parenting process. Once you experience working with a horse with this kind of connection, you will not want to work a horse in any other way. From this kind of connection, I can read a horse’s mind and know when the horse’s performance would be perfect.

Focus on building a connection, moment by moment, just like you would do with any relationship, horse or human. Rather than
working with static rules, you develop your ability to lead without
effort.

Carolyn Resnick
Liberty Training for Your Horse