The Masterson Method, Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork

09/01/2025

Starting Today!!!

We often receive wonderful stories about how learning The Masterson Method® has impacted you and your horse. This month, in honor of Jim Masterson’s birthday 🎉, we want to celebrate your stories with a special contest!

Here’s your chance to share your journey and win a personal phone call with Jim!

▪️How it works:

Every Monday in September, starting Sept 8, Jim will draw one story to win a personal call.
The last drawing will be on Sept 29.

▪️Ways to share (videos or photos with a caption encouraged!):

Email: [email protected]
Post on social media + tag
Send us a Direct Message on Facebook/Instagram

Your story could inspire others and earn you a one-on-one conversation with Jim.

📌 More information here:
mastersonmethod.com/how-has-the-masterson-method-shaped-your-journey

Let’s fill this birthday month with stories that inspire and help horses live healthier, more comfortable lives — in connection with their people.

08/30/2025

September is Jim Masterson’s birthday month, and he wants to celebrate by connecting with the people who make The Masterson Method® community so special… YOU!

⭐ Is there a question about your horse you’ve always wanted to ask Jim?
⭐ Are you just starting out and curious about what inspired him?
⭐ Or do you have a story of how The Masterson Method® has helped your horse (or you) in a meaningful way?

This month, you have the chance to share it and win a personal phone call with Jim! How it works:

Every Monday in September, starting Sept 8, Jim will draw one story to win a personal call. The last drawing is on Sept 29.
Want more chances? Share a new story each week!

Ways to share your story (easier than blowing out all the candles on Jim’s cake!):

Email: [email protected]
Post on social media + tag
Send us a Direct Message on Facebook/Instagram

Your story could inspire others and earn you a one-on-one conversation with Jim.

More information here:
https://mastersonmethod.com/how-has-the-masterson-method-shaped-your-journey/

Let’s celebrate Jim’s birthday month with stories of connection, improved performance, and transformation!

08/29/2025

Every horse tells a story. Sometimes it’s obvious: a limp, a spook, a refusal. But other times, it’s the subtler details: a shift in posture, resistance under saddle, or a new hesitation in movement, that make us wonder what’s going on beneath the surface.

One condition that can hide in plain sight is kissing spines. Advances in imaging show that many horses may have it, yet their experience of it is unique to each individual. Some show clear signs of discomfort, while others quietly adapt until the tension builds too high.

That’s where a bodywork perspective makes a difference, inviting us to listen to the horse’s responses, release tension where it’s held, and create space for comfort and ease.

In our latest blog entry, Understanding Kissing Spines from a Bodywork Perspective by Charlie Frost, we explore:

🔹 What kissing spines can mean for the whole horse
🔹 Why subtle changes in behavior and movement matter
🔹 Gentle techniques that help the horse's tissue release tension and find relief

Read the full article here:
https://mastersonmethod.com/understanding-kissing-spines-from-a-bodywork-perspective/

08/28/2025

Just a little over 2 months to go until the Best Horse Practices Summit — and we’re excited that Jim Masterson will be participating as one of the featured presenters!

📍 October 31–November 2
📍 Santa Fe, New Mexico

This unique event gathers riders, trainers, researchers, and equine practitioners who all share a common goal: better care, deeper connection, and improved performance for our horses.

Jim will be sharing the principles and techniques of The Masterson Method® — and with this method, results speak for themselves: improved suppleness, lasting tension release, and a stronger horse–human partnership.

You’ll also learn from other outstanding horsemen and women like Daniel Dauphin, Katrin Silva, Patrick King, and many more.

🎟️ Tickets are going fast — don’t miss out on:
🔹 Morning classroom sessions + afternoon arena presentations
🔹 Networking with like-minded horse lovers
🔹 Evening expert panels & engaging discussions
🔹 Swag bag + trade show access

👉 Secure your spot today and give your horse the best gift you can — a better you:
https://www.besthorsepracticessummit.org/registration/

08/27/2025

Why Wednesday ~ My horse won’t lower his head when I try doing the Head Down Technique; he tends to bring the head up immediately. Is there any recommendation you could share?

Answer: Some horses carry so much tension in the poll that going straight to that area feels too invasive for them. That’s why it’s important to set them up for success with relaxation first.

Jim shares two simple tips you can try:

🔸 First, instead of asking straight down, gently invite the head to the side before going into Head Down.
🔸 Or, prepare with a Light to the Core technique called the Crestline Wiggle. This soft side-to-side movement along the crest helps release tension in the nuchal ligament and topline, which often makes it easier for the horse to let go and lower the head on their own.

Movement through a range of motion in a relaxed state releases tension in the muscles and connective tissues surrounding the joints or junctions being moved. It’s not the amount of movement but the amount of relaxation in the movement that gets the release.

Watch Jim demo both approaches in this video, and notice how movement in a relaxed state is key to doing this technique.

👉 To find out more about these subtle but powerful techniques, join one of our Light to the Core Courses and learn how they can positively affect the deepest interconnections of the horse's body.

https://mastersonmethod.com/light-to-the-core-course-2/

08/25/2025

⏰ Last Call! ⏰
Don’t miss history in the making — Patrick King & Jim Masterson together for the very first time in Virginia!

📅 Hand in Hand Clinic
▪️ Sept 12–14: SOLD OUT
▪️ Sept 15–17: Just a few auditor spots left!

👉 Register now: 🔗 https://pkhorsemanship.com/hand-in-hand-clinic

And the best part? The learning continues…

📅 Sept 20–21, 2025
Join us back at Patrick’s Academy for a Masterson Method® Weekend Course with Suzanne Liscouski 🐴
Hands-on learning, fundamental techniques, and a whole new level of connection with your horse.

Spots are very limited for this course; sign up now here:
https://mastersonmethod.com/product/natural-bridge-va-sep-2025/

08/20/2025

Why Wednesday: Why does my horse release in the hind end when I’m working on the shoulders or poll?

Answer: Because the horse’s body is one connected system. The longissimus dorsi muscle runs from the lower neck, under the scapula, along the back, and attaches to the pelvis and sacrum. When you release tension in the neck or shoulders, it affects the sacrum and hind end as well.

But here’s the key: you’re working with the horse’s nervous system. By bringing gentle awareness to areas of tension, the horse lets go in a relaxed state — and that release often carries all the way through the body.

Know someone who would love this? Share it with a friend and learn together! And if you want to learn more, there’s no better way than with your hands on a horse, guided by one of our expert instructors. Click the link below to find out how attending a Weekend Course can help you improve your horse’s wellness and performance.

https://mastersonmethod.com/beyond-horse-massage-weekend-seminar/

08/18/2025

This month’s newsletter from Jim is packed! Here’s a peek at what you’ll find inside:

In August, we’re putting the Technique Breakdown Videos in the spotlight. Sometimes we can find ourselves struggling with techniques from the Weekend Course or the Home Study Course. To help, Jim now has step-by-step video breakdowns—and you can even grab them individually.

As always, events are another great way to learn from different professionals who complement each other’s knowledge. For example, in September, Jim will be doing two clinics in collaboration with Patrick King. Their first joint clinic filled quickly, but auditor spots are still open for the second September date. We’re also looking forward to the upcoming Best Horse Practices Summit in Santa Fe, NM, from October 31 to November 2.

Speaking of events, Dr. Stephen Peters—who takes his brain all over the world—landed in Poland, where he met up with our Instructor Beata Filonowicz to integrate the Masterson Method into his clinic “Your Horse’s Brain.”

Another great way to keep learning is through podcasts. In this issue, you can catch Jim in conversation with Shawna Karrasch and Jessie Hillegas.

We also love to highlight the inspiring work of our practitioners. This month, we’re sharing how MMCP & MMES Laura Spielman is making an impact through The Rosie Project Foundation, serving first responders and Marines.

As usual, you’ll also find updates on new practitioners, upcoming courses, and, of course, Jim’s signature humor and heart woven throughout.

Don’t miss the full newsletter. Sign up today to get it delivered straight to your inbox each month:
https://f.mtr.cool/pkrrjzedca

08/15/2025

🚨 Only a few auditor spots left for the second dates! 🚨

For the first time, renowned horseman Patrick King (Academy for Classical Horsemanship) and Jim Masterson (creator of The Masterson Method®) are teaming up for two special, three-day clinics in Virginia.

Patrick’s classical principles + biomechanics blend seamlessly with Jim’s bodywork approach, giving you tools to:
🔹Deepen your connection with your horse’s movement, feel, and timing
🔹Unlock relaxation, improve performance, and enhance partnership
🔹 Integrate groundwork + bodywork into your everyday training

📅 Clinic Dates:
▪️ Sept 12–14, 2025 – Participant and Auditing spots SOLD OUT
▪️ Sept 15–17, 2025 – Participant spots half full, LIMITED auditing spots left!

📍 Location: 100 Equus Loop, Natural Bridge, VA
🎟 Auditor Fee: $50/day or $125 for all 3 days (pre-registration required)

Auditing is the perfect way to soak up their expertise—observe up close, take notes, and gain fresh insights you can take home to your own horse. Spots are limited and going fast—reserve now!
🔗 https://pkhorsemanship.com/hand-in-hand-clinic

08/14/2025

Got weekend plans? Make sure this LIVE horse talk is on your list! If you love learning about horses, you won’t want to miss it!

🎙Join us this weekend, August 17th at 7:30 p.m. est., for a LIVE podcast to discuss the Best Horse Practices Summit this year in Santa Fe NM, Oct. 31st-Nov. 2nd.

Patrick King Horsemanship & Dressage will be hosting this Podcast with BHPS founder Maddy Butcher and the rest of our presenters, Dauphin Horsemanship, True West Horsemanship, The Masterson Method, Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork and Katrin Silva Dressage!

The Summit is a non-profit organization that aims to improve the horse-human connection by bringing together equine research and sound horsemanship. Professionals, barn managers, and riders of all disciplines will gain knowledge to improve their practices. We'll be discussing the latest news and insights about the summit. Mark your calendars, you won't want to miss it!

08/13/2025

Why Wednesday: I have found your page recently, and I am amazed at the way horses respond to this type of bodywork. My mare moves restrictedly on the front end, and I would like to know more about how the movement techniques work.

Answer: When we are doing The Masterson Method movement techniques, it comes down to two concepts:

▪️Applying levels of pressure (touch) and movement to the horse’s body in a way the horse’s nervous system cannot brace against or guard.

▪️Reading changes in the horse’s behavior as you do this—so you can identify where the horse is holding tension, allow the nervous system to release it, and recognize when that release has happened.

When we use movement techniques, we’re not just massaging the horse—we’re moving certain parts of the body through a relaxed state. If, at any point, the horse shows a sign of discomfort, we soften and yield. Why? Because the moment we reduce the pressure to a level where the horse feels comfortable again, there’s nothing to brace against. Without the need to resist, the horse can bring awareness to that area.

That’s when the magic happens—the muscles soften, tension melts away, and the body can return to balance.

In this clip, Jim Masterson explains why this principle is at the heart of every movement technique, and how it helps improve the horse's mobility and performance.

The best way to start learning The Masterson Method is by joining one of our many Weekend Courses. Reading about it is one thing—feeling it with a horse changes everything.

If you want to experience it for yourself, comment “FEEL” and we’ll send you the link to our Weekend Courses info.