Carolyn Resnick's Teachings

I have been following the work of Carolyn Resnick and her long time student, Robin Gates
for many years. Like Carolyn, I was drawn to mustangs, and taught by mustangs, but these mustangs were in my front yard and the meadows surrounding my house on Orcas Island. while once wild, now they were becoming gentle and used to people, especially me. 

I had totally changed the way I was working with horses, focusing on relationship and draw, and looking for their willingness and happiness, never wanting to overwhelm them and dominate them as I had been taught. I found when I played with my horses this way, they were happy and I felt joyful and renewed from being with them. When I resorted to the ways I had been taught (in times of frustration) I would feel awful, sick in my heart. I decided I didn't care how long it took to gentle and train and eventually ride my horses, I wanted my horses to keep their happy expressions, their spirits, and allow their personalities to shine.

So, I watched them, and I hung out with them, when I asked something of one of them, and they didn't respond, I went softer, asked for less, praised more. I did what I saw the herd leader do, pushing all the horses ahead  of him, around the arena.  I used treats to gain greater focus. I sang to them. I sat with them as they lay sleeping. I greeted them by name each time I came and went, they called to me if I went off for a walk without them. They came to me when I called, they watched for me and moved towards me on the farm, they looked to me for help when they were hurt or sick.

Then, I stumbled upon 'Naked Liberty'. Imagine my happiness to find I wasn't the only one doing things with horses in a unique way, in fact, Carolyn had been forging this path for her lifetime! She'd learned from mustangs in the wild, she had been honing her skills since she was a child. I read every blog post she made.. I watched all her videos, I attended seminars with Robin Gates. And I did the work, first with one horse and then another, more with my two main horses, and less with my husband's horses, who are also school horses.

This  winter in the wet weather, I worked with my 4 mustangs as a herd and less often as pairs. I have been amazed at the changes I have seen in them this spring, as lessons began again, and I started riding.

The horse I have been working with the longest, my oldest pal, Rascal is GLUED TO ME whenever I go out he is just right there, at attention, at my shoulder ready and waiting to do what ever I ask. It just blows my mind! When being ridden in dressage, he is also so much lighter, more attentive, forward and anxious to please.

Rascal is also a teacher and when I start students on him (only after they get good at all their ground skills and connecting) he is such a good caretaker of all of them. I always give a passenger lesson while walking with Rascal. He is not just good, he is perfect. He is so willing and so engaged that he talks to me, humming and deep rumbles in his throat, nickers. The last lesson I gave with him, he hummed and talked to me the entire hour!

I find this the greatest honor, the biggest reward, instead of a dull, turned off horse, wanting to get away from working, Rascal is delighted to be with me and teaching. 

Robin Gates Clinic

Our trip off island with Shaman to the Robin Gates Clinic, in our trailer was calm and uneventful. He loaded in about one minute, looking confident and relaxed and off we went to the ferry. Sometimes it's best to pay attention to the flow of things and the road blocks as well! I certainly had had some things standing in my way of taking Rascal and Black Elk.


When we unloaded Shaman at the farm, he was well behaved and contained himself, until  he saw the terrifying red and green horses in the adjoining pen! Having always lived 'au natural' he had never seen a horse in a blanket. Off he blasted - fortunately I had long since learned to release a rope easily, so he raced around, snorted and eventually realized, oh, they are just horses!

I could write in depth about the clinic, but it's really something that should be experienced, and it's hard to tell about. Robin's message was: I Am Just Telling You What You Already Know. It's about connection, not force, it's about meeting the horse where the horse is, not demanding he meet you where you want to be, it's about listening to the horse, it's about being loving and compassionate, it's truly about making your relationship with the horse the most important part of being with the horse. It's about just being with the horse!

It's NOT about performance, or dominance or tricks. It's heart opening and fosters self realization. It's spiritual - connecting your spirit with the horse and with yourself. It's magic!

In the video you will see Robin meet Shaman where he was that day. Where he was emotionally - and spiritually. She became like him: you could almost hear him say ' you are just like me!' and then he joined her,  and in finding a leader, relaxed. It truly was amazing.

People at the clinic were surprised at how nice a mustang can be; a woman with a very elegant (and expensive)  warmblood said she'd be looking at the BLM next time she was horse hunting. A vet said it was such a pleasure to see a horse move so correctly and without any pain. Many commented on his correct conformation, perfect feet, sweet disposition and respect.  I felt like a representative sent from the BLM!

This video was on the first day and he was frightened by all the eyes on him. Quite a new experience, except for when he was in the corrals at the BLM in Burns, Oregon.  The next day, I made sure I was in the arena with him, as people wandered in, we met each person and I had many offer him a treat, soon he was no longer worried about all those new folks.

I was the last one at the clinic, waiting for my husband to come with the truck. He had been overloaded on the ferry and was running late. I loaded Shaman easily, took off his halter and then in backing out of the trailer he came out with me. Brilliant!  Now it was dusk and he was free.

He ran over to see a horse in a pasture down by the driveway. I have to admit, I was thinking Oh boy.... now what!  Would he listen to me in this place that was still so new, would he come to me as he does so happily at home, would he be frightened and run? But, all went well, and I walked over to him quietly, waited a moment for him to offer his head and slipped the rope over his neck and put on the halter. Little did I know that I had an audience who were also holding their breath for me! Again, we loaded, this time I was careful to keep him in the trailer!

Shaman comes to me in a Dream!

Shaman and Student Laura

This weekend was my second Robin Gates Clinic. I had intended to take Rascal as he was the most trained of my horses, and really ready for a new place. Lynn's farm is calm and feels  safe and I felt it would be a good beginning for new experiences.

Naturally three days prior to the clinic Rascal turned up sore. I did Jin Shin with about 50% improvement, but felt the ride in the trailer was likely to bring up the issue again. So, I deceided to take Black Elk, as it had been Black Elk who I'd worked with the most of late, and who was the most mysterious to me!

Since I had planned on trailering with a friend, this meant now I only had a few days to get him ready. He happily loaded on my trailer and off we went to my friend's. He was pretty full of himself over at her place and I saw a part of him that I did not expect - he acted bold and in charge! Whew - wish I had a camera when he climbed on top of the hay box to prove his point that he was top dog! Her horse, very kind, laid back and younger than Black Elk, was OK with his showing off, and they had a quiet night.

Once there, I realized I was totally unprepared for having Black Elk travel with another horse, tied with side panels and not loose. By the next morning,  the goal I had set for myself that day was to play with my horse in a new place - if we got into the new trailer and could stand tied - great!  We played around trees and through new gates and up and down the hills and eventually, I gave it a half-hearted go at getting him in my friend's trailer.

Loading, tieing, being confined by the side pannels,  and then trailering to a strange place via boat and highway. Frankly, I was questioning why I wanted to do this at all! Why would I risk my lovely, loving horse by draggind him down the busy highway, away from his home, his herd and his security to have him participate in a clinic? What was in it for him? Not much that I could see.... it was all about me. And for me... I didn't really know why I had wanted to do this so much either!

When he wasn't willing to put more than his front feet in my friends trailer and she suggested that it was time for some pressure, I made the decission to take him home. This wasn't the right time for this horse to be pressured and I needed to be in control of his well being. So, we quietly went to our trailer and he loaded up without a pause.

The night I came home from my first Clinic with Robin Gates, Shaman had come to me in a dream. In the dream he said: "Why is it always about Rascal and Black Elk, why are they always first string with you? Why not me?" That dream made me feel so sad for Shaman, as it was true in many ways.

So, I had thought about taking Shaman - first of all as he had come to me in that dream, and because he loves Liberty Work - often offering things like rolling barrels, getting up on mounting blocks, backing up when I stand behind him.   He allso has a boldness and sense of self that is stronger than either Black Elk or Rascal. I felt he could deal with the newness most easily and in fact he loves showing off, and he'd done the most trailering.

With 16 hours left, I decieded to take Shaman, in our own trailer to meet Robin and crew.

Liberty Work

For years I have noticed that my mustangs much prefer working at liberty versus with a halter/rope/lunge line. Neither Rascal or Black Elk would really do their best work while attached, but let free in the arena, with no contact they offered me the best they had to give.

In order to keep their attention I 'resorted' to treats. I struggled with - is it OK to give them treats - is this incentive, bribery or just babying them? They were so  willing to work for a small slice of apple, a tiny bite of carrot, a few pellets.  But was this really 'correct training'?
(ah, the Catholic girl is still in there!)

Then I went to a Robin Gates Clinic. Robin was a student of Carolyn Resnick's for 20 years. She is certified to teach her method. Both teach Liberty Work with the goal of 'connecting to the heart of the horse'. Carolyn wandered with a herd of mustangs as a child during her summers and eventually was made a member of the herd, even riding the horses at Liberty. Although both Carolyn and Robin are skilled dressage riders, their work is so far from the military style it makes me giggle. And treats - Well, let me tell you at the clinic - there was a complete snack bar! Buckets of pellets, sliced carrots, LOTS of treats!

What I witnessed at the Clinic at 'FromTheMotherFarm' - was just what I had experienced at home, except MORE .... so much MORE!

The horses had bright, shinny faces. Enthusiasm, joy and attention - even with 25 spectators, a new place, horses in adjacent fields, they were attentive! Moments of pure connection stretched to minutes of connection, stretched to many minutes of connection. This might have been the horse 'companion walking' with the person, or playing one of many 'games.'  One of the games was 'pay attention to me'- what an easy and very powerful game. When the horse focuses on you - you give him/her a treat. No pulling, no tapping with a whip, just waiting and a reward. Pretty soon instead of looking at everything else, your horse is looking at you!

A word about treats. Each horse is taught to be respectful around food, I will stand with a bucket of grain in front of me and my horses will stand 2-3 feet away and wait until I say 'head down' or point to take a bite of the food. Then I say 'head up' and ask them to back. When the horse is done chewing, I will give him a task. It may be a 'simple' as focusing on me, or it may be circling at a trot or a canter, or leaving the bucket to companion walk with me, in sync with my body, stopping when I stop, turning when I turn, slowing down, going faster and then eventually back to the treats. (Robin kept the treats out of the arena) I usually work with treats in a pan, or in a fanny pack, depending on what I am doing.

So, why the treats? What I see is that it's like 'Clicker Training', which is how I gentled Black Elk. The horse goes into seeking mode - thinking, looking for  the answer- motivated by the treat. Soon the horse learns that I am the key to the treats, and like the lead mare, the treats are available only when I say so. That makes me pretty important. And they learn there are things they can do to get what  they want - pay attention, back up, stay in one spot, circle, walk with you... well  the list is endless.

If you have read my earlier blogs you will know that I have walked the trails with my horses at liberty and what a wonderful feeling that was for me.   But, I felt so alone in my journey and I longed for others who could see the benefit and fun of working at liberty. I found that at Robin's Clinic. It was so deeply satisfying to be with a group of like minded souls doing this heart cenerted work that I could hardly speak!

The first week after the clinic I had a student for a week doing an intensive for 2-4 hours a day... so, that is what we did. We had a blast. Shaman and Polly were learning things at lightening speed. It was so much fun!  (Polly also had her first riding lessons on Rascal!)

I feel like this is what I was looking for with horses - the joy and freedom that horses represent - the connection with a kind, generous animal. Interspecies communication, Respect for one another, Love. It's all happening. No pushing, no pulling, no hurting. If the horse is disinterested, he walks away - what could be simplier than that!

So, you may wonder, does the horse just wander off? Sometimes, but less and less as time goes on. Mostly,  they LOVE to play, they WANT to be with me, and they want the treats and it seems that figuring out how to get them is part of the fun.  They get so excited that they offer one thing after another: ' what about a side pass? how about rolling the barrel? how about a nice big trot? what about standing on this stump...or the mounting block?" They are thinking and they are having FUN!!  I am having fun and  laughing - their ears are up, their eyes bright, they look interested, excited -  we are happy with one another.

There have been many gems along the way:  calling to Rascal who is out on grass, having him put his head up, look at me and come happily to go play in the arena. Calling all the horses and having them come as a herd. Watching Rascal figure out something new and seeing how excited he is. Having the horses always be aware of where I am and calling to me. Walking with the horses at liberty in companion walking on the property and on the trail. And we are just beginning.....