In 5 days of learning with Mel, I have learnt more about myself and my horse than I could have imagined. The increase in my awareness has provided a new perspective to view challenges. I now have the skills to treat certain overwhelming challenges as opportunities to enhance my ability to precisely feel and better understand what the horse is communicating. I am learning much about myself in the process.
This has enabled my compassion to deepen and I am very excited to deepen the connection with my horse through this. I have been able to grasp more fully how important it is to give back somehow whatever I take from the horse. – Tom Britten
Remember to centre.
Relax back onto the back of your seat bones keeping a long spine – ( pretend you are sitting on a $100 note).
Think about having long legs with your centre of gravity melting down through the backs of your calves and heels – like ice-cream melting.
Remember to use your laser beam – extending your energy forward from your centre to go forward or yield your horse in a direction. – Hannah Whiteman ( 12)
It has been an exceptional week. Going back through introductory level information and learning has greatly helped to refine my horsemanship skills and deepen my understanding. I have gained a lot from everything we have done but the one thing that I have found of most value has been the daily simulations. In these simulations I have been able to experience what it is like for my horse which has deepened my empathy and awareness for him. When in the role of the horse and when my human partner did not have “feel” and centeredness, they felt forceful and tight. I immediately and instinctively braced against them and wanted to get away from them. It felt rude and my whole body tightened up. When my human partner used their energy and intention instead of muscle force and tension, I naturally wanted to move with them with ease and willingness. When I was in the role of the human, I was able to obtain feedback on my quality of softness, feel, direction and intention and make changes accordingly. I was able to take all of this back to my horse and experience how effortless it can be. It was very powerful and the end result was a very happy horse and human. – Cecilia Papadakis
