Living Horsemanship is for everyone of all riding disciplines. From high-level dressage riders, to reiners and cutters, to hunters and jumpers, to gymkhana, to trail riders, and polo players alike, we haven't come across a riding discipline that has not caught a groove with this awareness. You are probably asking yourself: What can you expect from a Living Horsemanship Clinic? I can offer you tools to build your body awareness and confidence and bring that to your horse. We like to work from the inside out. That is why we are taking a keen look at the biomechanics of the human in conjunction with the biomechanics of our horse. When we line up the horse and rider, we see how similar our movements are. We are always looking for softness. Softness, for me, is working from the inside out. When we feel lightness, I believe that is the outside working inward. There is not a lot of understanding from the horse when it is our outside working and not our inside. And that is true for the human as well. Our Living Horsemanship Clinic consists of techniques to increase our Body Awareness. This body awareness has come together, for me, through many disciplines. I tend to take what works for me from these disciplines. Digest them. And, make them my own. This is what I hope for you. You will take what works and make it your own. I always want to encourage you to try different things. In doing so, we find what resonates in our own soul. If this truth resonates within us, it certainly will resonate with our horse. The disciplines that are foremost to me are Pilates. I am a certified Pilates Instructor with an emphasis in rehabilitative work through Long Beach Dance Conditioning. I have incorporated practices from Alexander technique, Feldenkrais techniques, Qi Gong, as well as Aikido. However, I don't limit myself. I am always looking to and for new ways to improve my body and horse awareness. This is "Living Horsemanship to me." A wise teacher said to me, "When we listen to our horse, we get an education. When we don't, we get experience." I want to always listen. I want to keep myself open to what you have to say and what my horse has to say. And believe me, horses do not whisper. Their voice is loud and clear. Yes, they are subtle, sometimes more than others. It takes a soft ear from us, the human, to hear the horse. But, their words are always there. In Living Horsemanship, as our title suggests, we want to be in the moment. We ride for the moment and we train for tomorrow. Living Horsemanship is addressing the human, with our conscious and unconscious braces, that unintentionally block the flow of energy and movement, not allowing our partner, the horse, to move with the grace and beauty he was born with. I believe that the horse mirrors us. I've had students say to me, "My horse is really tight in the left shoulder and it has made my shoulder really tight." Of course, I smile and ask them to possibly rethink that. Nine times out of ten, it is our shoulder that is tight and has brought that lack of movement to our horse. Our horse is compromised because we have become compromised without even knowing it. A wise cowboy told me many years ago: "The horse is never wrong." It always surprises me when students say, "It's me and not my horse." But than I realize that we are taking the first step on a never ending path to us becoming better horseman. Living Horsemanship is a rhythm and rhythm is life. This work is about finding the balance in that rhythm and moving with that rhythm our horse, directing the energy of that rhythm or redirecting that energy. Being balanced and staying in the saddle. The rhythm is harmonious, the rhythm is music, and the rhythm is life. I wish you all breath (deep diaphragmatic thoracic breath) to find your rhythm and harmony. See you in saddle (in neutral spine, of course). Kim |
