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.

🎯The only thing we can really control is ourselves. When we learn to do that, our horses will be safer.
12/19/2025

🎯
The only thing we can really control is ourselves. When we learn to do that, our horses will be safer.

12/18/2025

I remember a time when it was very important that my horses be ridden “on the bit” and “in a frame.” I was taught to keep the nose on the vertical with a steady (often very heavy!) contact on the reins. I took dressage lessons for many years, and I did all the things I was told, or at least I tried. What I teach now is a world apart from what I did then.

Healthy movement is not gained by restraint, inhibiting the body, or blocking the horse’s ability to achieve balance and ease. My students don’t use bits, and often choose to skip the saddle and opt for a ba****ck pad. They learn to maintain softness through their contact, always “going back to nothing,” no pressure on the reins at all. They are guided to return to a state of relaxed readiness, soft and aware, ready to respond to what is happening in each moment. They are taught to guide their horses to fluid, easy, balanced movement as they flow together in harmonious connection.

When I was growing up, I spent a lot of time worrying about what the horses looked like. Would the judge approve? Would my horse look like the ideal image of a dressage horse?

Now I am far more concerned with what the horse feels like. Are they soft, balanced, connected, and moving with ease and grace? That is healthy movement. That is what’s best for the horse, and, imho, that is what matters most.

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!

Address

2445 Centenary Church Road
Mount Ulla, NC
28125

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Heart Centered Horsemanship posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Heart Centered Horsemanship:

Shortcuts

Share

Category