At the very core of your relationship with your horse is the BOND that the two of you share. The basis of this relationship does not involve how you feel about your horse. Yet instead, the key factor is HOW YOUR HORSE FEELS ABOUT YOU! This bond can be initiated simply by spending time with your horse. No interaction is necessary. In the Carolyn Resnick Method, this is called Sharing Territory. It is the ritual that horses perform most often with each other. I spend more time being with horses than I do training them. There are many reasons why I do this. First and foremost, I like to be with horses in their own environment. I am completely satisfied just being in their presence and sharing the harmonious feeling of oneness with nature. I also like to watch the interactions between my horses as I am always learning from them. This non-active ritual of Sharing Territory does much more than meets the eye. It allows for the creation of a really strong bond with your horse. He begins to see you as a member of the herd and it sparks his natural curiosity of discovering who you really are. Until a horse chooses to approach you by his own initiative, he does not have a true interest in getting to know you. This surprises many people who THINK they already have a bond with their horses. No matter how long it takes, you want to allow your horse to initiate the relationship by coming to you. Believe me, I know all too well how difficult it is to sit and wait for the magic to unfold.

I have a herd of eight horses and have shared territory with all of them both in the herd and individually. The length of time that it has taken each horse to come to me has varied between 5 minutes to over 3 months as I Shared Territory with them on a daily basis. Allowing my horses to initiate the relationship has built a lasting bond between me and my horses. A shift took place as I considered how they viewed me instead of how I viewed them. When a horse approaches you of his own free will, he cares enough to be curious and that is where the secret lies.

Relationships begin where there is a natural curiosity to get to know each other. You can now build on a lasting foundation and have a greater bond with your horse than you ever dared to imagine. Beginning a relationship through Sharing Territory changes your perspective of one another. The satisfaction of having your horse approach you is extremely rewarding and well worth the wait.

No matter how long your horse has been with you, it is never too late to start Sharing Territory. Throw time out of the window. It does not matter how long it takes for your horse to approach you. When he is willing to satisfy his curiosity, a lasting bond will be created. After having experienced the sweet fruit of connection, you will no longer be impressed by what others can do with their horses. Sometimes you see great performances with horses yet recognize there is often no connection. The difference will now be obvious to you. There truly is no greater experience than “being connected” to your horse!

Off to Share Territory….have a great rest of the week.

The Beauty of Your Horse's Approach