The Foundation – Connecting and Fundamental Feel – Macksville, NSW – May 19-21

 

Start & Finish Times 9:00-5:00  May 19-21

 

This course lays the foundation for beautiful partnerships with horses - mind, heart and soul connections with horses. Great relations and partnerships with horses start on the ground and this course is a groundskills only course - no riding involved. Learn how to connect, communicate and understand your horses - why do they do what they do? Learn the ever elusive quality of feel. This course is also Part One of the Postural Development and Biomechanics Groundwork therapy course and the pre-cursor for the Riding with Synchronicity courses, Liberty work, Engagement and Collection & Confidence Courses.  

Learn the philosophy and foundational techniques of "Connecting with Horses and Riding with Synchronicity" - the art of creating beautiful partnerships with horses. Inspiring and supporting horses and people to become confident and empowered, to be together in harmony, and move with freedom, balance and athleticism. With softness, gentleness, kindness and love, you can have leadership and develop a magical bond with your horse, a true friendship. Connect to your horse's mind, heart, body and soul.

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 or be a performance horse ?
This is my dream horse. And a horse like this is created not bought. Even if you bought one 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 the energy of the person they are with. We have to develop ourselves. This teaching addresses all areas of mind, body and spirit to help horses and people reach their highest and most magnificent potential and achieve these goals.

This is  FEEL GOOD HORSEMANSHIP  - because it causes horses and humans to FEEL GOOD !!!

Learn more about the course content...

 This Ground Skills course is the most important of  all the courses I teach. It sets the foundation of concepts and principles from which all the rest is built. It is essential for all who are new to my teaching and whether you are a beginner or had years of experience I believe it will be of great benefit to you.

This course will begin to teach you how to understand horse's 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.

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.

Investment The cost to come with your horse is $595 for 3 days EB (early bird) Price - if paid in FULL before May 1st. After that the price is $695. A 50% deposit will secure your spot. Horse spots are limited to 8.

The cost to come without your horse is $85/day for day 1 and day 2 and $55/day for day 3. Total of $225 for 3 days - EB prices - if paid in full before May 1st. After that prices are $95/day for day 1 and day 2 and $65/day for day 3. Total $255 for 3 days.

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...

Macksville Showground

Macksville, NSW

Contact Glenda Pate to find out all the details about the venue. Bring an electric fence for a day yard.   

glenda.pate@bigpond.com

0429 692 269‬

'Functional Saddling' consultations, BALANCE saddles, Private lessons & Bodywork sessions -

 

These sessions are available the day before or after the course or in the mornings or evenings of the course.

Find out more details about these sessions

COMPREHENSIVE saddling consultations where you test ride several BALANCE saddles or saddles of your choice take 1.5 to 2 hrs. and cost $185.  They involve riding in your own current saddle 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 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 saddles or other) in this process.
 
If your horse did prefer the BALANCE saddle and you were potentially interested in purchasing one (second hand or new), we would then test ride several different models of the BALANCE 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 based on my experience. This is priced according to the time taken. eg. $55 for 30 mins or $30 for 15 mins. Get in touch in you want advice on whether you need a Comprehensive saddle consult or if a Mini consult will suffice.
 
Private Lessons/ Training sessions  are $120/hr  (Coaching in groundwork, riding, trailer loading, problem solving, healthcare and management).
 
Bodywork   Energetic Bodywork and or PEMF  (Pulsed Electromagnetic Field) treatments $110 Equissage treatments  $88

 

 

 

 
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.

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You can make your payment by direct deposit, or by PayPal (2.6% surcharge).

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