Allowing horse to cooperate

This video is about nothing, or…
The time schedule we are usually on is so different than the non-schedule that horses live in.
This video shows a whole lot of not doing anything, and that’s the point.
This horse (Atomic) re-inflammed an old injury so is currently needing to be carefully managed. After a couple days of primarily stall rest, today he spent a few hours out in the paddock which he really seemed to love.
I had to leave the property and didn’t want him to be out unattended so he needed to go back in the stall, which I knew he did not prefer.
I could have easily ‘told’ him to go in the stall.
I could have effortlessly led him in there.
😍 But in the spirit of friendly cooperation I wanted to just let him know, and give him a moment to agree and decide for himself to go in there.
👉 Just because something is ‘non-negotiable’, it doesn’t mean it needs to be forced or controlled or happen right NOW.
Leading him in would have been just fine… Calling him in would have been just fine… but it was a fun thing to play with together, and I think, a nice way to treat my friend.
For more resources on everything from partnership to healthy movement and dressage: dressagenatura...
#dressagenaturally #karenrohlf #horsetraining

[@mayastarbright374]

This actually brought a tear to my eye; so beautiful, so soft. I love being this way with my horse. He is a mustang, wild 7 months ago, and the whole process I have tried my best to be this way. Not nearly as graceful but we are getting there!

[@christinafragis7224]

This is so wonderful 🥰

[@MarianR1111]

Wow! That is absolutely beautiful. I know you wouldn’t do that in a normal situation, because, of course, being decisive is important. But that was really beautiful.

[@empienaar]

What an awesome video! My horse sometimes wants to stay and eat hay in his stable and I need to take him out to his herd because I need to go to work. He will listen when I really ask to go, but I like your approach so much more. Am definitely going to try it. I love your podcasts, they are filed with wisdom.

[@Jannacatha]

Oh my… I love you for this. Thank You so much for giving us the opportunity to see this (and thanks for not editing the waiting part), it is something I will use with my animals. ❤️

[@norriecreekfarm1275]

This was amazing to watch. There was some body language of yours that I noticed, and wasn't sure if it was intentional or not. In the beginning you had your arms crossed across your body while your horse was deeply resting. Around the 7.27 mark in the video you dropped your arms and were just hand over hand at your lower abdomen, and he immediately cocked his right ear towards you. Things started to change and he became more alert, started the scratch with his hind leg and you went in and supported the itch he wasn't completely getting to. I was wondering if the crossed arms to uncrossed arms was intentional on your part? I was amazed at how you made a further connection with him with the scratching and how he became slowly open to your suggestion of going in his stall. He did it in his own time and on his own terms. Very beautiful to watch :-)

[@JaiSequoia]

Wow this is beyond precious Karen. Thank you for not editing the video down. Would you say atomic pain level is fairly high with this flare up? I could see his nostrils quite flared and tense. They are such stoic creatures eh? What causes him to have these flare ups do you know?

[@KimbaLorber]

I wonder if this would work with my mare. I'm a firm believer in energy work, and animal communication, but my mare Luna and I seem to be at an impasse lately. She has started a habit of becoming very anxious and bargy with her shoulder when I bring her in to the barn at night. while we're in her pen, she is calm, willing and her usual sweet self. The moment we cross the threshold of her pen and turns into a frantic dragon who runs in tight circles around me, almost hitting me tierh her shoulder. Conventional methods of getting her to back off fall on her deaf ears. My energy gets thrown out of whack because I have PTSD and Anxiety myself, and her anxiety makes ME anxious which doesn't help at all. I think I'll start talking to her more, and projecting my wishes to her. Thank you for sharing this. I'll let you know how it goes. :)