Heart Centered Horsemanship

Heart Centered Horsemanship Helping people discover mindful, joyful connection with horses.

Through movement, awareness, and compassionate practices, Heart Centered Horsemanship fosters safe, authentic relationships where both horse and human can thrive. Heart Centered Horsemanship is rooted in the intention to serve horses through supporting owners, horsemanship students and riders in creating partnerships that are enjoyable and mutually beneficial. Over 25 years of experience in traini

ng, teaching lessons, starting young horses, providing equine-assisted learning and therapeutic services, equine rehabilitation and working with rescues has given me experience that can benefit anyone seeking a safe and happy partnership with their horse. I can help you:
-Feel safe with your horse through setting clear and effective boundaries
-Listen to the horse and gain trust
-Become a calming and grounding influence
-Release tension in the horse and facilitate relaxation and connection
-Guide and move your horse without pressure
-Teach your horse to stay light and soft in the bridle
-Ride in a way that develops the horse's core strength to prevent damage from riding

Heart Centered Horsemanship is an holistic approach that teaches people the skills needed to build a meaningful and joyful relationship with their horse. It incorporates the practice of yoga to help people use body, mind and breath in a mindful and intentional manner. It includes techniques from Masterson Method, Feldenkrais, myofascial release, massage, and other equine bodywork modalities to help release tension and relax the horse. Groundwork is based on moving the horse with the least amount of pressure until all movements can be done at-liberty. In-hand training with the bridle and riding are based on classical dressage to help the horse build core strength and carry a rider without damage to the body. Services offered include training and support for horse owners, riding and horsemanship lessons for all ages with school horses, clinics, and "yoga and horses" classes, and equine assisted learning and therapeutic services.

12/01/2025

Even on cold and rainy days, we can spend valuable time with our horses. Practicing Debono Moves is one way we can offer support, release muscle tension, encourage ease of movement, and develop fluid, harmonious, connected movement with our horses.

Want to learn more? You can sign up for INDOOR lessons this winter at LaBelle Equestrian or book a clinic at your facility.

Contact me to learn more about this powerful way to unlock the potential of your horse while creating a soothing and calming space for both of you.

11/30/2025

Does your horse love to have their legs lifted?

In my work of taking horses in to start under saddle and for behavioral rehab, I had quite a few that did not cooperate with lifting their legs, which made farrier visits particularly difficult. At the time, the best I could do was offer positive reinforcement, giving a treat when the horse let me pick up a foot, which worked reasonably well.

When I started learning the Masterson Method I began to look at lifting legs differently. Rather than simply train the horses to let me hold a leg, I could offer support that would encourage release of muscular tension throughout the body. Using gentle movements, I could encourage deeper release and relaxation. I learned that I could make lifting legs a positive experience that the horse enjoyed, a way to foster connection and encourage the horse to follow my movements, and a way to release tension in the shoulders and hips before a ride.

When Scarlett arrived she was a bit of a monster about having her legs lifted, but as you can see she is learning to love this part of our routine!

Took a trip to one of my favorite places yesterday. Didn’t have to go far, but managed to escape my worries and be remin...
11/29/2025

Took a trip to one of my favorite places yesterday. Didn’t have to go far, but managed to escape my worries and be reminded that great beauty can be found in the simple things.

It's Black Friday, and I am enjoying the day by sipping tea, eating leftovers, playing with horses, and thinking about h...
11/28/2025

It's Black Friday, and I am enjoying the day by sipping tea, eating leftovers, playing with horses, and thinking about how much better it is to give experiences rather than more stuff. If you're looking for the perfect gift for a horse loving kiddo, look no further! Information and registration for our Holiday Horse Camp at LaBelle Equestrian on December 27th is on the website, gift certificates are available!

https://heartcenteredhorsemanship.com/holiday-horse-camp-2025-909383

When we ride with a focus on rhythm, balance, breathing, softening, and flow, we may enter a transcendent, meditative st...
11/26/2025

When we ride with a focus on rhythm, balance, breathing, softening, and flow, we may enter a transcendent, meditative state. Time slips away, it is just the present moment, the eternal and perfect space. A horse can be so much more than a pet, an athlete, or a companion. Sometimes the horse is a portal to a place that offers us relief and a reminder of the joy within. This is what Mindful Horsemanship is all about. I am excited to be launching an online course soon and will be sharing my roadmap to achieving this type of relationship with your horses. Contact me if you’re interested in learning more!

11/24/2025

In a retreat with one of my heroes, Barbara Rector, we practiced a somewhat ceremonial activity of entering the round pen with a horse while repeating this mantra: I am the student, I am the teacher, what is the lesson?

The idea was to be open and aware, curious rather than controlling. An intention was set, without knowing what would happen next, each participant suspended belief and trusted intuition.

With my autistic students I often find myself taking a step back, holding space without quite knowing what will happen next, observing their interactions with the horses, and feeling a sense of wonder at their ability to merge with their energy in a way that many “neurotypical” people find so elusive.

I don’t tell my autistic students how to touch the horse.Sometimes they show me things that I don’t comprehend but that the horses clearly love.

I find that what I have learned from horses helps me to understand my autistic students, and also to offer support to their parents and caregivers. With autism on the rise, there is a need for services to support these families.

We are excited to begin a program at LaBelle Equestrian for families that include people with autism. Details will be coming soon! Reach out if you’re interested in learning more!

For the nurturers, the caregivers, the healers, the space holders…Caring for others requires a lot of rather unglamorous...
11/14/2025

For the nurturers, the caregivers, the healers, the space holders…

Caring for others requires a lot of rather unglamorous effort. Horse people understand what it’s like to spend part of every day attending to another being.

At the moment I have 5 horses, all given to me. I never meant to have that many, but here we are. What is most important for them is that I hold a space where their needs are met. I make sure they have enough food and fresh water, their hooves are rasped frequently, they get movement and exercise, their wounds and discomforts are attended to, they have companions and a pasture to roam. They also help me in my career, which I hope is enjoyable to them, as they engage with students and clients in our various programs.

Many of the women I work with also hold nurturing spaces for others, a role that doesn’t take a day off. Sometimes the space holder needs someone to hold space for them.

If you could use a truly nurturing experience, and are interested in learning more about mindful horsemanship and how it intersects with equine assisted learning and therapy, consider joining me and Dr. Alita Buzel, author of Beyond Words: The Healing Power of Horses, at this February. If you book NOW you can get a private room at the rate of a shared room! This exquisite getaway will nourish your mind, body, and spirit, and what better way to tend to yourself so that you may hold a space for others ❤️

There’s something special about the black horses that have found me and stayed. They’re the kind of horses that were con...
11/13/2025

There’s something special about the black horses that have found me and stayed. They’re the kind of horses that were considered problematic by most humans. Each of them had a unique challenge that was both humbling and inspiring. A true Capricorn, the goat in me was determined to figure them out.

One lesson I had to accept was letting go of my idea of how things needed to be for things to be okay. Things were okay when the horse was okay, not when I could make them do something they didn’t want to do.

Real horsemanship is about taking care of the horses, showing up for them and providing for their needs. There is so much more to horses than riding them, as my friend Crow has made abundantly clear. This horse has a powerful spirit, and by holding a space for him I share his energy and wisdom. On our walk this morning I received this message:

There is not much to be gained from having more than everyone else to prove your importance. What matters the most is that everyone has enough. True leadership is in caring for those around you, so that you may be surrounded by peace and joy. When we all do this, our connection spreads across the planet, and we are all okay.

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2445 Centenary Church Road
Mount Ulla, NC
28125

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