Hello All,
One of the benefits of traveling less this year has been that I’ve been able to spend a little more time doing things that I enjoy doing while at home, such as,
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spending more time with my nephew; |
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visiting friends with Annabelle and Jeremiah, and |
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No, wait that’s not my airplane. This is my airplane.
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One exciting thing to come out of all of this time at home is that we’ve been able to focus on new ways to effectively bring more Masterson Method education to you. The key to doing this remotely is that it has to be done effectively. |
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Some people say that you can’t teach feel. I don’t think that’s true. We’ve taught thousands of people who’ve wanted to learn over the years how to watch what the horse is telling them, and feel where the horse is bracing or holding tension in a way that allows the horse to release the tension rather than brace against it. Everybody has the sense of feel that it takes to do this. Sometimes it just has to be “re-learned”. It turns out that by practicing these bodywork techniques as they were designed, to release tension in the horse, you automatically learn the feel that it takes to do that. This is because the techniques are interactive. It goes both ways: the horse teaches us as we help it to release tension.
The point is, that we’ve been able to teach people how to do this to a small degree with books and DVDs, and to a larger degree with hands-on training at Weekend Seminars, Advanced Courses and our Certification Program.
Improvements in Training and the Development of an Advanced Home Study Course
Now, out of necessity, we’ve been working on a way to improve the training for our students in a way that can be done remotely and effectively. The key to being effective is interaction; not just interaction between Instructor and student, but also self-interaction. That’s how humans really learn; when they become aware of the process they're using to learn. It’s interesting that that’s also how horses really learn.
On a side-note; it's also how the horse’s body really releases tension. The horse has to become aware of the process in a way that it cannot block it out (the reason we stay "under the radar"), long enough for its own nervous system to release the tension. And the cool part about this method is that we get feedback from the horse. The horse tells us where it’s been blocking tension, and tells us when it’s been released. There is an interaction between the horse and the practitioner, but also an interaction between two parts of the horse's nervous system. The horse is releasing the tension; we're just there to help.
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We’ll be using a learning system based on these principles in an Advanced Home Study Course for students who have taken an Advanced 5-Day Course, or are in our Certification Program. This system is designed to help the student slow down and identify (become aware of) where the hidden gaps are between where he or she wants to be with a technique, and where he or she actually is at the time of the practice. Once this is identified, the student can implement what was learned in this gap with the next horse, and while doing so begin the whole process over. It’s a system of never-ending learning. |
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Different Levels of Learning - Developing a Membership Program
The goal of all of our programs is to teach people to get better and better at whatever level of bodywork they are practicing or learning. Once you start working on or with horses, you never stop learning. Our goal is to facilitate that.
To that end, we're taking the learning system that we've been developing for our Advanced program, and using that system to develop a monthly learning program for ... well, what the heck. Everybody!
Now, I find that exciting!
Just as we can create an Advanced program to make educational content available for students, we're also creating a program that will make educational content available at whatever level someone is learning, or wanting to learn, in the structure of a monthly learning program online.
In a nutshell, this is how this Membership Program, which will be available this Fall 😊 will work:
We'll be starting with a two-level membership. The first level will be for anyone interested in learning more.
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First Level Members will have access to a social platform to connect with other Masterson Members. There will be a monthly live bodywork session with Jim. Some months will be a bodywork session live where I take questions (similar to the facebook live events done in the past). Other months it will be a recorded bodywork session accessible for you to view, then we’ll have a live zoom call where I’ll answer questions you have about the bodywork session. The reason we’ll be doing live reviews is because of the interesting horses I come across at other facilities where they may not have internet. From a learning perspective these horses can be very worthwhile to review. What we’ll do in these cases is video-tape the session and review the video live with members and answer questions during the review.
We will have a Forum in which members will be able to have conversations and discussions. We hope to facilitate the creation of groups connecting Masterson Method (MM) people of similar disciplines, interests and geography. MM People Unite!
From our free youtube videos on up, it’s always been our philosophy to make content accessible for people to learn at whatever level they desire or can afford. This level will do that. You’re able to start at whatever level you desire, learn what you can at that level, and then decide whether to move on to another level, course, or program. All of the features on this level will be archived.
On this level I’ll be reviewing videos of specific Techniques done on different horses in slow motion (the videos, not the reviewing ; ) The cool thing about this is the variety of horses that will be worked on, and the fact that the smallest detail of movement, bracing, softening or releasing can be seen, stopped and discussed in slow motion (the video, not the discussion ; ) This is something we’ve been developing for use in our upcoming Advanced Home Study Course and it’s super-helpful. We’ve been testing it with select students and we all are really excited about it.
We will have regular live topical presentations by Masterson Method Certified Practitioners and other authorities on topics such as tack and saddle fit, feet and legs, common injuries and physical issues, the effect of different disciplines and other topics that are relevant to what we find in the horse’s body.
We hope to create “study buddy” groups for students, and also to connect students geographically with other students and MMCPs.
The content of this level will be archived, and second level members will have access to all of the first level features and content.
This is it in a big nutshell. We’re getting this together for the Fall and we’re excited about it, so stay tuned!
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Be sure to check what we have further down. Lise Lunde, Megan Dushin and I talk about our MMES Equine Specialist program for Equine Assisted Therapies and Learning, and Mark Rashid, Crissi and I talk about the combined clinics we do, one of which is upcoming in Arrroyo Grande, California this Fall.
That’s about it for now. Hope to see you somewhere, sometime, some media!
Until then,
Like me, enjoy your horses!
Jim
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"Considering the Horse: Mind and Body"
Collaborative Clinic with Jim Masterson & Mark Rashid
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Ever wonder what goes on at one of Jim's Collaborative Clinics? Well, listen up as Jim, Mark and Crissi talk about what happens at a "Considering the Horse: Mind and Body" clinic.
You have three clinic dates to choose from:
**Note: In addition to the clinic, Jim will be scheduling Private Bodywork sessions at each of these clinics, please follow the link to contact hosts and set up an appointment
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Interesting Post on The Masterson Method Facebook page:
Use of the Principle of Non-Resistance in
Equine Bodywork
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The Masterson Method® of Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork comprises of two basic categories of techniques: those that release tension in situ, and those that release tension through range of motion in a relaxed state.
Releasing tension in the muscles and restoring flexibility and range of motion to the skeleton work together. Relieving tension in the major muscles that control a joint allows the joint to operate more freely. Simply asking for movement of a limb or body part in a relaxed state can release even more tension in the muscles and soft tissue that control that area of the body.
Whether you are using a technique to release tension in situ or to restore range of motion, how you “ask” the horse is fundamental to success. By using too much pressure or moving too fast, the horse will brace - either externally or internally - against the technique. If the horse is not in a relaxed state when you ask for movement of a limb there is likely to be bracing against the movement and tension is generated.
If the horse is resisting because there is an injury or excessive pain in an area while doing any techniques that ask for movement, he will continue resisting in order to protect the area. In any case, whenever you meet resistance, soften. In this way you run little risk of aggravating a hidden injury.
By “staying under the radar” the techniques of The Masterson Method are performed in such a way that the horse doesn’t brace against them. This requires feel and skill that may take practice to perfect, but if you begin with the basics you will get results immediately.
Enjoy more of our blog posts by Jim and other Masterson Method Certified Practitioners on our website:
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Masterson Method Equine Specialist News |
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Tricia Boyd, a Masterson Method Equine Specialist, PATH Int’l Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor, and Trauma Sensitive Youth Yoga Instructor at Holistic Riding Equestrian Therapy (HRET), has led Masterson Method sessions with volunteers in their new Equine Dream program designed to help people connect with horses and learn the basics of horse care. "Especially during this year of COVID-19, people were craving a way to safely gain a heart connection with animals and find peace and joy in a world that is drastically changing and full of unknowns. We find that it's not just the horses eyes that soften in this work! The volunteers benefit as well." One volunteer shared this:
”I thought learning about The Masterson Method was absolutely fascinating! Who knew that a light touch (or NO touch!) could be so beneficial to a horse. Tricia showed us the [Bladder Meridian] technique and how to stand at a distance to soak up all of the very subtle movements and reactions the horse displayed. It was amazing to experience!!!!” - Kathy S., HRET Volunteer
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Benefits of MMES and How it was Created
One morning of the Considering the Horse clinic at Happy Dog Ranch in July, Jim Masterson, Lise Lunde and Megan Dushin sat down to share how this program came to be, and the benefits to both horses and people in equine-assisted learning and therapy programs. Check out this short, 5-minute video and share with anyone you know who may be interested! We have two more Masterson Method Equine Specialist courses on the calendar for 2020 with just a few spots left.
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About MMES
The Masterson Method Equine Specialist specializes in sharing specific light-touch Masterson Method techniques with persons served in equine-assisted learning and therapy programs. By doing this bodywork on horses, participants deepen their connection with horses while also gaining self-awareness and self-regulation skills; meanwhile, therapy horses are tended to through simple bodywork and learn a new way of relating to people. It's a win/win!
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New Podcast Interview with Jim |
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Jim was interviewed by author and horse trainer, Jec Ballou, for the |
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Newly Certified Practitioners |
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Stephanie Wilkins
Flintstone, GA
I have always had a deep love for animals and have always admired and loved horses but it wasn’t until I began working with them for the therapeutic benefit that they provide to people that my life became quite centered around them. In the course of my journey, I came to realize that the horses were helping the people but the horses weren’t always receiving the same benefit. It was then that I made my commitment to help the horse.
I learned about the Masterson Method when I saw the techniques being used on a horse that was exhibiting some behavioral issues but it wasn’t until I saw the techniques being used on a horse that was having some performance issues that the profoundness of the method became evident. This was a horse that I trail rode with and the owner was contemplating if the horse was ready to retire due to how uncomfortable he was on the trail. The horse was not of retirement age. Two days after his first Masterson Method session, we went for a trail ride and he was a different horse, literally from the minute that he hit the trail. He looked as if he was walking on a cloud and I had never seen that much movement in his hind end. He immediately went into a full gallop the minute he got into the woods, it was like he was saying, “I’m back and I feel incredible!” The look on his owner's face said it all - he had gotten his horse back that day! I watched that horse be transformed right in front of my very eyes. My Masterson Method journey began the next day! I had found what I had been looking for to help the horse.
I am extremely passionate about this work because I have seen first hand what it can do for a horse and for the horse and rider. The thing that I love the most about the Masterson Method is that it is something that you do with the horse rather than to the horse which follows my lifelong commitment to horsemanship by continuing to learn and being the best partner that I can be for the horse.
I work with a wide variety of equine breeds, ages and disciplines; performance, pleasure, working, therapy, pasture, etc. This method benefits ALL horses, no matter what their job is. I live on a small farm in Flintstone, GA and serve the Greater Chattanooga Tri-state area (SE Tennessee, NW Georgia and NE Alabama).
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Lucie Olafsson
Gilbert, AZ
At 8 years old Lucie’s love of horses started with her first pony. Her passion continued in 1992 - 1995 at the Agricultural College in La Pocatiere, Quebec where she completed her degree in Equine Technology and became a Certified Instructor with the Canadian Equestrian Federation. Lucie decided to get her amateur status back to focus on training and showing her own horses in 2000 but by 2004 her life path was revealed to her after the injury her show mare sustained stepping out of a trailer.
Looking for answers and ways to help horses recover from injuries and return to the show ring, Lucie began studying equine massage and body work methods. After moving to Arizona in 2014, Lucie stumbled across the Masterson Method while researching online. She jumped right in and did the Home Study and Anatomy Class offered. It was then that Lucie knew she had discovered the exact modality she had search for all this time!
In December of 2018, Lucie lost her beloved stepdad to cancer. It was an incredibly difficult time, and it made her realize that life is short and now was the time to pursue her passion. On a Friday night in March of 2019, over pizza and wine, Lucie gave her 2-week notice at her job! She sat down with her supportive husband and signed up for the Weekend Seminar, and the Advance 5-Day Course with Becky Tenges in May. She re-took the Home Study class to review, watched all the DVD’s again, and completed the Biomechanics Class. She also asked all her friends if they would let her practice on their horses- and she worked tirelessly at that for two months - to make sure she would be the best she could be when she began the in-person classes.
Lucie loves sharing her passion with others and teaching her clients so they can connect with their horses on a new level while helping them release tension. The Bladder Meridian Challenge has inspired her to teach as many people as she possibly can! Lucie is so thankful for this journey and the great people she has met because of the Masterson Method thus far. As she told her certification friends, “this is not the end, this is only the beginning!”
Most of Lucie’s clients are based in the Gilbert/Chandler area, but she also travels to surrounding areas and visits Cave Creek at least twice a month.
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Weekend Seminar-Workshop Schedule |
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USA Seminars
Canada Seminars
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European Seminars
(taught in German)
October 31-November 1 Uddel, NL (taught in Dutch)
(taught in Dutch)
April 24-25, 2021 Uddel, NL (taught in Dutch)
Australia & New Zealand Seminars
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Advanced 5-Day Course Schedule |
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USA Advanced Courses
European Advanced Courses
*Note this is a Wednesday to Sunday course.
*Note this is a Wednesday to Sunday course.
Canada Advanced Courses
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Certification Completion Course Schedule |
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USA Courses
September 16-18 Fairfield, Iowa
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Masterson Method Equine Specialist Courses |
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Masterson Method Collaborative Clinics |
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USA Clinics
Collaborative Clinic with Jim Masterson and Mark Rashid
Collaborative Clinic with Jim Masterson and Mark Rashid
Collaborative Clinic with Jim Masterson and Mark Rashid
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USA Expos & Demos
Masterson Method Demo October 25 with Lise Lunde
Equitana, KY has been cancelled for 2020 and rescheduled for: October 1-3, 2021
Lexington, KY
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"Absorbine’s relationship with The Masterson Method® is a natural fit. Jim’s breakthrough but simple concepts are all focused on helping the horse to relieve tension, feel more comfortable and improve their relationships with owners and handlers.”
~ Amy Cairy, Director of Marketing,
W. F. Young, manufacturers of Absorbine products
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THE MASTERSON METHOD®
641-472-1312
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