My partnership with my horses is based on me giving to them and them giving to me, it’s a reciprocal relationship centred in love. Love flows when all our needs are met. Horses wish to feel safe and comfortable; humans seek connection, influence and ways to be creative. My focus is on conversations and setting up situations that allow the horse to grow in partnership with trust, confidence, softness, power, bravery and physical balance. I have found the most powerful motivators to be love, joy, delight and laughter.

I have spent many years searching for the right path, the best way for the horse, and how to achieve high-level accomplishments with positive biomechanics and mindsets. What I have come to realise is, that the moment I seek to be ‘right’ I create a pressure and a negative set up. So I am now searching the realms of endless possibilities, seeking what the horse can offer and building and expanding on those offers, little by little, ride by ride, by starting where we are at and growing into the goals we wish to achieve. I use the concept of experiential learning and find the greatest progress happens with time and encouragement.

A horse finds comfort when it moves with relaxation, softness and balance. In this state they are able to offer us their power and athleticism with ease, grace and lightness. Liberty or riding in these moments of unity and oneness are my delight. Communicating with my intention flowing through my breath and my body feels like magic when my horse responds willingly in total harmony. Each cue becomes a seamless combination of thought and response and the horse yields his being to my direction and our delight. For movement in total unity feels amazing to us both.

I am also a believer in faith, healing and the power of nature to connect us to our soul’s delights and seek to see fulfilment of our hearts desires. Healing, bodywork and listening to the horse are major components of my way of training: flowing with the day and the feel we each bring, grounding in the moment and allowing the session to be guided by the horse’s present state and responses. Groundwork and ridden work can both be done in ways that release physical tension, soften the body and increase the sense of wellbeing. I love the idea that the horse finishes a session feeling good in themself and about themself. I once heard it said “I work the horse until he’s satisfied” it gave me a wonderful image of the satisfaction that a horse gains from spending time with us enjoying connection and challenges for mind and body.

As an instructor I am looking to increase the knowledge and understanding of my students to empower them to the goals and dreams they have with their horses. The level of creativity, dedication and self-mastery they choose to embrace is up to them.

For this years showcase I am presenting Riding in Effortless Balance: The three keys you need to ride your horse in balance and allow it to feel effortless. Learn the importance of lines of travel, speed of gait and body position and posture. Then my second piece will be on posture and balance and how it affects the horse: Learn how riding your horse in different balance postures affects their development of strength and suppleness.

In 2022 I am seeking ways to share more of the healing that horses have brought into my life. I am planning to run retreat workshops where you can spend time with your horse to find deeper unity and understanding of each other in balance and harmony, as well as continuing to teach development of horse and rider in balance, privately and in clinics. These sessions aim to offer deeper experiences of togetherness, shared balance and effortless communication for horse and human, through ground work, bodywork and ridden work.

Watch Rebecca’s demonstrations ‘Riding in Effortless Balance’ Parts 1 & 2 in Arenas 1 and 2.

Based on Devon/Cornwall borders: national and international travel possible.
Website: balancehorsemanship.co.uk
Email: balancehorsemanship@googlemail.com
Phone: 07927026819
Facebook: facebook.com/Horsedevelopmentspecialist

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