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Balanced Horsemanship

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Balanced Horsemanship

Balanced Horsemanship based on mindfulness, alignment, energy, compassion, flexibility and natural horsemanship.

28/02/2024

After - Oberon 30 January 2024 -
No poles, no circles, no lunging, no hour long sessions, no trotting, no cantering.

This photo was taken after one of the very few rides I did on Oberon. Between the Before photo and this After photo (5months) Oberon had maybe 2 or 3 rides, NO lunging and NO circle work.

His work mostly entailed of the Balance Through Movement Method developed by and to give him a sufficient energy outlet, I would pony him for an hour outride with my horse, Allegro, once a week. Also, ALL this development was don’t at a walk, absolutely no trotting or cantering was done.

1 - Oberon’s glutes and and hamstrings have developed beautifully and evenly and this is testimony that, despite popular belief, a horse does not need hours of hard work under saddle or in circles to develop properly. In fact, by this point, Oberon’s sessions would never be longer than 30-45mins (including fascia massage) and circles would have been ABSOLUTELY DETRIMENTAL to his development and would have caused him severe pain.

2 - a developed trapezius due to correct thoracic sling activation, no riding, no circles, no trotting, no cantering.

3 - because Oberon was able to develop the muscles between his first rib and scapulae, his nerve impingements have gradually decreased and he is better able to carry a rider with stability and pain free .

Oberon’s work and sessions were all slow, extremely meticulous and not once did he break a sweat. Added to this, I put most of my emphasis on his mental and emotional health and recovery, the body naturally followed.

No poles, no circles, no lunging, no hour long sessions.

Just patience, understanding, compassion, the right knowledge and determination not to compromise the horses mental and emotional well-being for the sake of results.

28/02/2024

Oberon 23 August 2023

This little boerperd has been one of THE most challenging cases I have had to work on so far for numerous reasons.

Developmental issues, SERIOUS nerve impingements and physical immaturity left him with mental, physical and emotional trauma which made him extremely dangerous and impossible to ride.

1 - underdeveloped glutes and tight hamstrings made it very difficult for Oberon to carry his weight on his hind end, step his hind legs under the center of mass and lift his back.

2 - an atrophied trapezius is indicative of a thoracic sling which is not being incorporated to do his work. For those of you who don’t know, a well-developed and activated thoracic sling is one of the most important factors needed for a horse to do his work properly, especially when carrying a rider.

3 - an underdeveloped shoulder area meant Oberon was experiencing extreme pain from an impingement of his brachial plexus nerve bundle which caused severe head shake, making him extremely unstable and dangerous, if not impossible, to ride.

All of the above meant that Oberon’s training entailed ABSOLUTELY NO circles, no lunging and no riding.

Most of his work was according to the Balance Through Movement Method developed by and I can say for certain, if we had not been blessed enough to find her work and attend her Master Class, there is not chance we would have been able to help this wonderful little horse.

After photos to follow shortly.

27/09/2023

Be gentle with them. They are FAR more sentient than you realise 🙏🏼

11/09/2023

What is our work about? It’s about dropping the straps, the force, the domination of another being, and rather cultivating connection, communication, enjoyment of work and authentic care for the mental, physical AND emotional well-being of our horses.

Yes, a lot of our work is focused on correct biomechanic movement and muscle development of horse and rider, but ultimately this cannot be fully achieved unless both horse and rider are truly connected and trusting of one another.

and her beloved Unicorn Beau Jour are an incredibly rare example of this beautiful relationship.

22/08/2023

I oringally posted this last week (Ps. don’t post distracted) and used the dates I got sent the photos instead of the dates they were taken ( I figured this out and quickly deleted the post because in an infamously deceptive industry, honesty and truth are top priority to me).

I posted it as being 3 month results which niggled my brain for a while until I figured out where I went wrong, because I know there is no quick fix, no 3 month miracle cure. Good results take time, dedication, consistency and diligence. You have to trust the process.

In fact, besides for ego, people wanting quick, instant results is exactly the biggest problem facing the Equestrian industry. No one is willing to slow down at the expense of their own “fun”.

Nicola, Amber and I have worked diligently, patiently, step by step, learning the correct movement patterns, muscle activations and deactivations (horse and rider) and the correct mental and emotional state in order to get these results.

Yes, it took us a year. But personally I have seen many horses stay the same over a year, or worse, hypertrophy and atrophy the wrong muscle groups because that’s how they are being worked, using conventional, “work the horse hard” methods.

Old methods often produce kissing spine, tightnesses, blown tendons, pole and pelvic disfunction, behavioural problems and entirely wrong movement at the horses’ expense.

In our mind there is no choice, if it’s in the horse’s best interest to slow down, we will slow down.

And ultimately, this produces 10/10 results with the horses, it’s the humans who tend to have difficulty with this, the horses love the pain free work which allows them to slow down, breathe, and learn how to carry a rider correctly, step by step.

22/08/2023

Slow down. Let them breathe.

15/11/2021

If you have found stillness through your body last week, then this week you are ready to find stillness in your mind.

If you cannot control your body, how could you possibly gain control over your mind?

During your meditation this week, combine a motionless body with a quiet mind.

Yes, your mind will wonder, this is normal. Your task however is to become conscious of and observe this movement, and to then gently coax your mind back to a place of tranquility.

Practice this for at least 15minutes a day.

Find serenity
🌱🎐🌱

15/03/2021

Soulja Boy in action over jumps. He is still young and learning, but shows a beautiful ability to judge a stride and is willing to wait for his rider

15/03/2021

🍃🏇🏻5yr old Talented Thoroughbred for Sale 🏇🏻🍃 R8000 Soulja Boy is looking for a good home. He has received excellent schooling in show jumping and natural horsemanship. His responsiveness, quick mind, kind demeanour and eager desire to please gives him splendid potential at whatever his rider asks of him. He moves beautifully, with a long flowing stride and is an utter pleasure to jump as he loves to find rhythm and fly. His forward, eager walk effortlessly covers ground on outrides and he loves to lead the herd though will settle behind and let others take the lead if need be. He needs an experienced rider to guide and calm him which is sadly the only reason for his sale. He is trustworthy, reliable, soft and sweet but needs a confident rider to keep him comfortable. He is very much loved and will only be given to a good home with a capable rider who can encourage him to reach his full potential.
Contact Adele on 082 448 1011

15/02/2021

Michie and Immie are an absolute delight to work with. Here we are working on a soft seat, steady hands and a consistent rhythm. Oaklands Equestrian Estate

06/01/2021

Michie and Immie have been making remarkable progress 🤩 we did some in hand work and by using this fun little maze we started teaching Immie to bend around the inside leg and respond promptly to halt aids. Absolutely adore working with these lovely ladies 🌴🌺🌴

07/12/2020

This beautiful boy is up for adoption and looking for a good home.
Souljer Boy is such a pleasure to work with as he’s responsive, respectful and extremely eager to please though he will need a more experienced horseman to help him along his journey.
He’s 5 years old, learning the tricks of Natural Horsemanship extremely well and has great foundations in basic schooling and jumping.
Please contact me on 0840164752 if you are interested 🙏🏼

10/09/2020

What better way to connect with breath, body, movement and the moment than with yoga under the trees before your ride? Our Yoga for Riders classes at Redwoods Riding School have been such a pleasure and there is no doubt that one can feel a difference to relaxation and flow when you’ve had a little stretch and strength session before your ride.

08/09/2020

If there is one thing Tsipporah has taught me about good horsemanship, it’s that less is more. She’s never enjoyed the usual way of schooling and learning, so it’s always a challenge to find ways to teach her.
I’ve realized it’s her who’s been teaching me, and I’m so grateful for such a patient teacher

01/09/2020

Boys will be boys, and Fire and Ticket (dark bay) are always honing their “stallion” skills 😄 Fire and I have been working on leg yields, can you tell? Redwoods Riding School

31/07/2020

It’s about compassion and communication. It’s about listening. It’s about love 🍃♥️🍃

20/07/2020

Some days, a horse is just too distracted, too spooky and too high headed for anyone to feel comfortable riding. That’s why ground work is an absolutely fundamental part of horsemanship as it provides the opportunity to safely put your horse through the motions whilst minimizing the risk of injury.

28/06/2020

Open your eyes and see that you are blessed
🍃🙏🏼🍃

28/06/2020

This weekend we went for an exploratory ride from Redwoods Riding School to Ballito’s Cable Ski Park. Got a little lost, but with great horses like these, it’s all park of the fun 💚
🍃🌺🍃

18/06/2020

It is safe to say every rider wants to feel a sense of security while they are riding. To do this we have to give our horses a sense of security. And one way to achieve that is to do your ground work.

We often want to lunge our horses to expend some extra energy in the hopes that our horses won’t act up. This might be effective for a while, but eventually your horse just gets fitter which means you have more energy to deal with!

That’s why Natural Horsemanship ground work is so important. Not only is your horse expending energy, but you are also developing trust and communication through games which earn your horse’s respect from the ground up. When you have your horse’s respect, you can enjoy the sense of calm and security you receive when you’re working with a trustworthy, reliable friend, and your horse will feel the same.

Here Shan Shan is doing a beautiful job of learning the basics by asking her pony to make upward and downward transitions, as well as changing rein on cue.

Like all things, the process of building trust takes time. Be patient and kind and before you know it you’ll have built a lasting foundation of reliability and trust through discipline, consistency and most importantly, compassion.
🌳🍃🐎🍃🌳
Redwoods Riding School

17/06/2020

Hip Flexors for Horse Riders

Say hello to your hip flexors. If you haven’t met before, it’s important you take time to get acquainted. Your hip flexors are important for the movement of your lower body, balance and bending.
These muscle help you maintain balance in the saddle, but when you have a weak core, they tighten up along with your inner thigh muscles to compensate. Clenched inner thighs make it more difficult for your horse to transfer his momentum from his hindquarters through to your hands, making your ride feel tense, rigid and lacking in forward flow.
At our next Yoga for Riders class we will be focusing on stretching your hip flexors as well as strengthening your core.
This combination of strengthening and lengthening will help you maintain a more balanced posture so that your thighs stay relaxed and your horse can move with a more confident stride.
🍃🌺🐎🌺🍃

09/06/2020

Aerial yoga is a great way to experience the benefit of yoga, with the support of the swing. It’s also a fantastic way to open tight hips, and standing poses are great for grounding the Muladhara Chakra, giving you a sense of contentment and compassion towards yourself and others. What a wonderful way to approach your horse! It is always a great idea to find peace before you begin working your equine friend, and yoga is a great way to prepare yourself for the ride (or ground work) ahead. Contact Tsi for horsemanship training sessions focused on strength, flexibility, poise and communication with your horse. Redwoods Riding School
084 016 4752

04/06/2020

The Muladhara Chakra deals with instinct 🦊, which goes hand in hand with survival. With horses it is important to remember that no matter how your horse feels about you💕🐴💕, at some point you are going to have to face 1000’s of years of instinct (whether it be spooking, bucking or bolting). We can’t change this naturally engrained instinct, nor should we. But we can work towards understanding that instinct and finding a flow with it to channel it constructively, not as a horse owner or rider, but as a fellow herd member in your horse’s eyes 🐎🐎🐎One of the best ways to get in touch with yours and your horse’s instinct is to get into nature and go on outrides. The added benefit of grazing (when utilized correctly) is also a fantastic way to work on relationship training with your equine buddy 🤗 Redwoods Riding School

02/06/2020

The Muladhara Chakra is situated at the base of the spine🧘🏻‍♀️have you felt yourself go rigid and tense in your lower back area when you’re frightened or feel threatened? 😬This is because this red energy pool is linked with survival and security. When you’re afraid, all the muscles surrounding this area tighten up, giving you tense, locked up hips. Locked up hips mean a locked up body and therefore a tight, tense horse. If you want your horse to flow smoothly through his hips and shoulders, you need to allow a firm fluidity in your own hips and shoulders. This means relaxing, breathing, enjoying your ride and letting go of fear 😌If you want your horse to trust you, you have to learn to trust your horse. This is a long process, but an absolutely fundamental foundation of Mindful Horsemanship 🍃🐎🍃

01/06/2020

For the next few weeks we will be discussing the Red Muladhara Chakra, the energy system at the base of the spine, and how it relates to horsemanship. Don’t get caught up only in what your eyes can see and what science can prove. There is so much more beyond the third dimensional realm and if there is one animal who makes us aware of unseen energy, it is the horse. 🥰 Redwoods Riding School

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Ballitoville
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Videos

How do you know you've schooled your horse correctly? When he is strong and emotionally regulated enough to hold rhythm and correct frame, without the rider's help and additional straps. Of course the rider must be balanced and light on his back, but if the horse knows how to activate his body correctly, it shouldn't be necessary for the rider to constantly keep him there with force, straps or even two hands. Correct frame comes from an emotionally relaxed place, and educating the horse on which muscles he should be using to do his work in a tension and pain free manner. If the trainer has done her work right, the horse should be able to maintain rhythm and correct frame on his own. This takes hours and hours and hours of work, patience, self-reflection, gentle compassion, communication and mutual trust. 🌸🕊🌸 #Allegro #mylove

According to Balance Through Movement Method by @travelinghorsewitch , we are learning to slow down and train our horses into correct biomechanic movement patterns to empower them to do their work pain and anxiety free.We do this by teaching them to switch off their lower neck muscles (this is NOT a head down exercise, if it were training aids would work. There is no reality where strapping a horse’s head down works, often it causes more pain than good), engage their thoracic sling, and keep their weight on the outside front leg.Why do we do this?In the second part of the video you can see Amber’s natural movement when we aren’t supporting her. This movement is fine when a horse is on its own, but introduce circles and/or a rider, and you’re playing absolute havoc on the horses mental, physical and emotional health.With a back that hollow and a head that high, one can only imagine the strain and pain put on the spine, poll and pelvis when the weight of a rider is introduced.If I’m not mistaken, Amber is well into her 20’s, and yet she is still able to learn how to engage the proper muscles for her work, and relax the wrong ones.It’s so easy to see how much more comfortable she is in the first video, the question is, why would you want to work a horse any other way?Again, there is no way you can get these results with force or straps. The only way to do it, is through patient persistence and a compassionate heart.