Create the PARTNERSHIP of your DREAMS through INTUITIVE CONNECTION, CLARITY in COMMUNICATION, FEEL, and optimal BIOMECHANICS. Instead of force, use LEADERSHIP WITH LOVE.
Develop an incredible bond through Connection and Feel.
Develop a communication system on the ground that you can transfer into riding.
Develop feel, the ever elusive quality of feel that horses love.
Develop your energetic awareness and learn how to project your energy. Energy is the horses #1 language - it preludes body language.
Develop your intuitive sensing and communication skills.
Set your horse up for success by developing his or her posture, balance, strength and athleticism through groundwork therapy.
Learn practical horse handling techniques.
Problem solve any problem behaviours.
Feel safe and supported.
Where and When:
Kim Wood's Property
'Heartwood Horses'
Bannockburn, VIC
NOV. 2- 4 (3 days)
9:00 - 5:00
This course lays the foundation for beautiful partnerships with horses - mind, heart and soul connections with horses. It is a groundwork only course.
Respecting the horse as an equal with a spiritual essence and soul purpose in the world (just like ourselves), whilst at the same time understanding them at the physical level of a mammal, that is also a prey animal, enables us to better work with them. We are not just working with a physical body or only going as deep as the hair and the skin, we are working with a horse brain, mammalian nervous system and a mind, heart and soul. Horses are a thinking, feeling and emoting being that is not too different from ourselves in many ways. They are wired for connection, they want to feel loved, respected and appreciated, they want a fair deal and they need to be stimulated mentally, emotionally and physically. We need a holistic approach, integrating the mind, body and spirit to achieve the ultimate level of connection.
Learn how to connect, communicate and understand your horse - why do they do what they do, how do they learn, and what needs do they need met?
Set up a foundation in groundwork for your horse to develop good posture and optimal biomechanics for a happy, healthy, sound and athletic horse.
In future courses learn riding techniques that support healthy biomechanics and where you can ride as one, in total synchronicity with your horse.
Be nurtured and guided to develop yourself, mentally, emotionally and physically to become the person you need to be, to be a great partner for your horse.
Horses love it and so will you if you are looking for a way with horses that truly honours them and emanates from kindness, love and compassion.
It leads to joy and happiness for horses and humans.
CREATE the PARTNERSHIP of YOUR DREAMS !!!!!
How good would it be:-
To feel safe and to feel that you and your horse could communicate clearly and understand each other.
To have a horse that is a willing partner and wants to participate.
To have a calm horse who at the same time is magnificent, expressive, energetic, graceful and a physically strong, powerful athlete who could safely carry you down the trail and be a top level performance horse.
This is my dream horse. A partnership like this is created not bought, it is also not directly transferable from one person to another. Even if you bought a horse that seemed to fit the bill, unless you learn the skills, that horse won't maintain those qualities. They can't. They will fall to the level of skill and be affected by the mindset and energy of the person they are with. We have to develop ourselves. This teaching can guide you and your horse to reach your highest and most magnificent potential and achieve your dreams.
Learn more about the course content...
This course will begin to teach you how to understand horses minds, emotions and their physical bodies. It also goes deeper into the spiritual nature of horses and the deep connection between horses and humans. This course teaches the core principles of centering, breathing, body scanning, energy awareness and body language which are all essential keys to success with horses. Begin the journey to becoming a "true" horseman. "True" meaning with the qualities that the horses themselves would choose to have in a horseman.
Whilst we work with the mental, emotional and spiritual aspects this course is at the same time is very practical. Teaching a quality of FEEL in working with horses that most people never learn in a lifetime. FEEL is the HOLY GRAIL of horsemanship, it is the fundamental essence of all great horsemanship. Some believe that it can never be taught, that it is just a god given talent that some people have and others don't, but I have found a way to teach this intrinsic and elusive quality and make it available and attainable for everyone that has the commitment and dedication to learn.
Here is what you can learn at this course:-
Connect with your horse's heart and mind and learn to listen and feel.
Develop skills to develop the centered, still and present "way of being" that horses love - the qualities of great leadership.
Learn the ever elusive and commonly unteachable qualities of FEEL - mental, emotional, physical and energetic feel
Learn the art of nonverbal communication - thoughts, energy and body language
Learn how horses learn
Learn how to problem solve and understand your horse to resolve any behavioral/training issues that you are having.
Develop safe horse handling skills and habits on the ground to set you up for any activity or handling that you may need on the ground and which also translate into aids and skills needed in riding.
Learn techniques on the ground that lead to horses using their bodies with healthy biomechanics, developing good posture and having hindquarter engagement
This course is groundwork only. However, it is preparing you for Riding in Synchronicity. 'Riding with Synchronicity’ means to ride in perfect synchronicity and harmony, becoming like a centaur where you become part of the horse and the horse becomes part of you. To achieve this we need to understand the horse’s physical body and the biomechanics of how their body works. It is vitally important for horses to be ridden in correct posture and biomechanical balance if they are to enjoy the experience, stay sound, be healthy and reach their highest athletic potential.
The learning and development of good biomechanics and posture initially needs to be done through groundwork not riding. However it needs to be very specific groundwork that is always targeting optimal posture and good biomechanics. A lot of the groundwork that people do, including lunging when it's done inappropriately and too early in the horse's development, is actually detrimental to the horse's posture.
The horse needs to develop the strength to carry themselves and their own forehand in an engaged way (meaning that the HQ's is doing more of the weight bearing/support and initiating the forward propulsive force for locomotion) BEFORE adding the weight of a rider and a saddle. The heavier the person and less experienced they are in assisting a horse to find HQ balance and self-carriage the further the horse needs to be developed and strengthened on the ground before riding. During this time and through this process the human can also be developing themselves.
Developing our body awareness and the feeling of connected, fluid movement so that movement feels smooth, effortless and easy is essential. Doing a groundwork program with your horse provides a great opportunity, to also develop your own physical fitness and skills.
This is FEEL GOOD HORSEMANSHIP - it causes horses and humans to FEEL GOOD !!!
Come along with or without your horse.
Of course if you can bring your horse along your learning will be maximized as nothing beats hands on experience and having direct feedback from a supportive instructor to accelerate your learning. However the other option for attending these courses is to come and participate without a horse, in which case you would actively participate in all of the theory sessions, Q & A sessions, most simulations as well as watch the demonstrations and observe those with horses practice the techniques. People coming without their horses are not just fence sitters. All of these "non-hands on" with horses sessions actually make up a big percentage of this course so the fee is priced appropriately. There will be opportunities for you to ask questions about your own horse and have discussions on how the course content might need to be adapted to meet your horse's and your own specific needs.
Investment:
Come with your horse - 3 days $660 EB Price if paid in full before Oct 15th Full price is $770
Come without your horse - 3 days $285 (95/day)
Contact us for information about the different payment plans available.
Horse spots are limited to 6 so get in quick.
These courses are intimate group learning situations where people receive lots of one on one attention.
It's great value !!!!!
Paying $660 for this 3 day course would be approximately equivalent to paying for 8 weekly 45 min private lessons at $88/lesson (6 hrs of learning). But in this group accelerated learning environment you are going to get way more learning and bang for your buck. You will get 24 hrs of learning for the price of 6hrs of private sessions and you will get way more done, make way more progress, in way less time !!!!!
Two Day Option - I format my short courses to be 3 days in length because that seems to be the time frame for optimal learning and for the biggest transformations in the horse and human to occur. The third day makes all the difference in the world to the benefits people and horses gain. It consolidates everything and helps integrate all of the philosophy, theory and practical skills learned. After day 3 you will feel empowered to go home and implement all of the learning.
However, I know that for some people getting a day off work can be hard. So.... if it's impossible to do the third day you can just do the weekend but priority of spots goes to those booking for all 3 days.
Come with your horse - 2 days $550
Come without your horse - 2 days $190
PLEASE NOTE: No stallions without prior permission. For questions regarding the course content, horsemanship or eligibility for the course contact Mel 0428 385 745 mel@melfleming.com
Please scroll down for booking forms.
Details about the venue and human accomodation...
Camping and horse stay is available on site.
Contact Kim for details about the facilityKim Wood kim@heartwoodhorses.com.au0438 811 969
'Functional Saddling' consultations, THV (BALANCE) saddles, Private lessons & Bodywork sessions -
Find out more details about these sessions
PRIVATE SESSIONS are usually available the day after the course or sometimes in the morning or late afternoon of the course days. Receive individualised support, whatever level you are at. Ideally you will have participated with or without a horse in the course.
Private sessions could include help with groundwork, floating, saddle fitting, riding, postural development (biomechanics), problematic behaviours, confidence building, relaxation, calmness and strengthening your relationship with your horse.
I will assess the horse/ human partnership, pinpoint core issues to focus on to progress, problem solve and work out a pathway to success, harmony and partnership.
Make sure you book these private sessions in advance,
COMPREHENSIVE saddling consultations where you test ride several BALANCE/THV saddles or saddles of your choice take 1.5 to 2 hrs. and cost $220 (plus arena hire if required). They involve riding in your own current saddle/s and experimenting with padding arrangements and or adjusting gullets (if possible) to see if we can improve things with your current saddle. You can ride in several saddles of your choosing (that you bring along) and that you wish to get feedback on. We then test ride a BALANCE/THV saddle to use as a comparison to determine how well your horse moves in its own saddle/s compared to a saddle that is known to be ergonomically designed for horses and riders to maximise comfort and performance. Riding in the saddles is the best way to get direct feedback from the horse - this way we listen to the horse's opinion (and yours) rather than someone else's. Having a few saddles to feel as comparisons is important (BALANCE/THV saddles or other) in this process. If your horse did prefer the BALANCE/THV saddle and you were potentially interested in purchasing one (second hand or new), we would then test ride several different models of the BALANCE/ THV saddles to see exactly which one is the best for both the horse and yourself. Interlaced into this session is advice on riding and biomechanics for horse and rider as required and as appropriate to the level of experience of the horse and rider. MINI saddle consultations - It is possible to do shorter saddling consults where we do not test ride many or any saddles and I can just give you my opinion and recommendations on how you may be able to improve your current saddle with re-flocking, gullet changes or padding changes. This is priced according to the time taken. eg. $66 for 30 mins. Get in touch if you want advice on whether you need a Comprehensive saddle consult or if a Mini consult will suffice. Private Lessons/ Training sessions are $130/hr (plus arena hire if required). Coaching in groundwork, riding, trailer loading, problem solving, healthcare and management. Bodywork Energetic Bodywork, PEMF or Equissage sessions, Postural Development & Rehabilitation Therapy, $130/hr
To get more details or book a saddling consultation, private lesson or bodywork session email Mel or call 0428 385 745. Letting me know as soon as you can if you are interested in one of these sessions will help me schedule things to make sure I can fit you in. These sessions are available the day before or after the course or in the mornings or evenings of the course.
