Prerequisites – Participants in this course will have needed to have previously attended an Introductory clinic with me or on some occasions people may request permission to attend by submitting a video of themselves working with their horse on the ground and riding. Please email me for details regarding this.
What will you learn ?
In this course, major focus areas will be to:-
Develop a deeper connection with your horse by learning how to become more still, present and centered and by noticing and helping alleviate any stress, anxiety or tension in your horse.
Become aware of the subtleties that indicate the physical and emotional holding patterns that are preventing you and your horse having the safe and harmonious relationship that you would both love to have. Learn to better read (more correctly understand) your horse and what is going on for him or her mentally and emotionally.
Develop your quality of physical and energetic feel and awareness.
Learn to understand your horse’s physical body and how it operates – biomechanics for healthy happy horses. This is the next step to building connection and developing a harmonious partnership with your horse. If your horse is not comfortable physically and able to move with effortlessness and ease, which is the result of healthy biomechanics, he or she is never going to really enjoy physically doing things with you. Helping your horses to develop healthy biomechanics and good quality movement comes from developing these qualities in yourselves. If you don’t know what it feels like in yourself to move with freedom and ease, with structured alignment and unification, then you can never offer this feel to the horse and in fact, you will probably end up taking these qualities away from you horse. This learning will also benefit all other areas of your life. Living with pain, discomfort and restriction, where moving is anything other than pleasurable, is not fun.
In every course I teach the specific course format will be adapted to suit the individual needs and priorities of the horses and riders/humans that show up – we never stick to an exact format, we spontaneously flow with what each horse and human needs. However, below are a some of the more specific things that we often address and outcomes that result from the intermediate level courses:-
Both you and your horse develop confidence which means safety and better performance.
Read and understand your horse more accurately.
Deepen your Connection with your horse and develop more accurate intuitive communication.
Your horse becomes more calm, connected, attentive, responsive and athletic.
Develop Feel, Energy awareness and how to use energy.
Become clear and more precise with Body Language.
Understand how horses learn
Learn about Positive Reinforcement
Use ground skills as a diagnostic tool and for your horse’s emotions and as physical therapy for your horse.
Use obstacles to create visually clear mental pictures and “games” to help your horse learn.
Put ground skills to purpose eg. trailer loading, crossing bridges, creeks etc.
Learn about posture, self carriage, balance and biomechanics for both the horse and rider and how to enhance these through ground work and riding.
Learn how to better “go with” your horses movement, that is, how to flow with the horse in perfect harmony.
Ride from your centre with a unified body.
Refine your aids, by using your body more and the reins less.
Help the horse to better follow your focus and line of direction.
Learn exercises to improve rider balance and learn more details about riding dynamics including trot diagonals and canter leads.
Develop more HQ engagement and collection in the horse.
Learn body awareness, body balancing and meditation techniques to clear emotions, heal, move more freely and fluidly and empower yourself – mentally, emotionally and physically.
Learn bodywork and horse care practices to improve your horse’s physical health and well being as well as improve and develop their physical capability, athleticism and performance.
For questions regarding the course content, horsemanship or eligibility for the course contact Mel mel@melfleming.com