Hello All,
Over There… Again!
Japan
Well, those dad-burned foreigners have done it again! They’ve stolen the Masterson Method Newsletter headlines. Last month was Czech Republic. Now it’s Japan. I just received this news:
八街で教えられる最初の馬のマッサージクラスを超えて千葉日本
Can you believe it? Well, I guess I just have to move on and try to come up with something even more newsworthy. You can read more about this news below.
More Over There...
Australia
We’re teaching courses in Australia again! Instructor Pam Martin just finished teaching a Weekend Seminar at Neddy Park Equestrian Centre in Laceby, Victoria and we have Weekend Seminars scheduled in Queensland, Victoria and Perth in October. See our Course Calendar below. We’ll be scheduling more courses there for 2023. I know it’s been a while. The c-word has been keeping us away but we’re back and looking forward to it.
Also in Australia, we just submitted an article on Connecting to Your Horse to Horse Deals Magazine. It should be in next month's issue (if that Warwick Schiller guy doesn't take up all the space ; )
Stay tuned!
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Germany and Poland
A new milestone for Masterson Method for performance horses in Europe, our Advanced Instructor in Germany Walter Saxe is in collaboration with the Poland Equestrian Federation to be the equine physiotherapist for the Polish Eventing Team. He'll be up there working with their horses next week and will have more news for us in July. Can't wait! Congratulations Walter… and Poland!
Also in Poland, Advanced Instructor Beata Filonowicz just finished teaching another Advanced Five Day Course. She's posted some fun pics on her Facebook page. Go Beata!
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Greece
Instructor Nikki Kagan was recently asked to do a demonstration for the Israel Equestrian Federation... and then was asked to do another. She tells us why below. Nikki is also traveling to Greece in September to teach our first Weekend Seminar there. If you’re traveling to Greece and want to do something fun and different – and educational –then do a Weekend Seminar in Greece. And it’s only ten minutes to the beach!
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Over Here… finally!
Back here things are going well. Courses are going on, people are working on horses, horses are talking to people. We received a large shipment – you remember those – of actual hard cover Beyond Horse Massage books, so they’re back in stock!
I’m busy in the office working away on the dog book. Fingers are getting tired but it will be worth it. As far as I know, the publisher Trafalgar Square Books is going with the title Beyond Dog Massage. I thought it might be fun to have a dog book title contest and throw new ideas their way to confuse… I mean help them. I thought maybe something like, Way Beyond Horse Massage – Dog Massage.
If anyone has something creative to throw our way, throw it. We have a great publisher and editor, and they have a great sense of humor. I’m sure we’ll go with whatever they recommend, but it might be fun to throw some creative ideas their way. And don’t be too serious!
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“The Queen’s representative” |
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“Doggy Screen Actors Guild union break” |
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“Nellie, waiting for direction” |
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Been so busy with “the book” that I had to take a look at our Masterson Method Facebook page just to see what’s going on! There’s a lot going on. Here’s some:
Mules
BTW, Loni’s teaching a Weekend Seminar in Santa Rosa Valley, CA in October.
Collegiate Equestrian Teams
I joined a podcast recently with Sally Batton’s Athletic Equestrian Riding in College Series. Sally’s a knowledgeable clinician who works with college and high school riding teams. She was the Director of Riding and Varsity Equestrian Head Coach at Dartmouth College from 1990-2019 and was on the Board of Directors of the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association from 1984-2017. You can have a listen to the podcast on our Facebook page (as well as the links below).
There are also some fun video clips and photos, some sales, and some educational stuff. I’d keep scrolling to see what’s going on farther down but I’ve got to get back to you-know-what!
Mid-May brought The Masterson Method® to the amazing new home of Patrick and Lisa King in Natural Bridge, VA. With the farm sitting on a hilltop on a direct line between a Buddhist monastery and a meditation maze of trees, the air was electric and the Masterson Method fit right in!
Patrick and his wife Lisa are both extraordinary equestrians. Lisa has an enviable resume of dressage training and experiences. Patrick has “closed the loop” as a complete equestrian, having started thousands of colts, in addition to studying under the masters of natural horsemanship and dressage. He continues to evolve his horsemanship by broadening into Haute Ecole and work in hand with the top national and international trainers. Lisa has included Masterson Method techniques and concepts into her work with horses for many years. Patrick recognized the need to help the horse to physically accept training and has been studying various modalities.
That horse people of this caliber wanted to host a Masterson Method clinic is a huge compliment to Jim and the method. Both Lisa and Patrick participated as students in the very large class, which was not just a little daunting for the instructor! The horses were great for the students who responded very positively to the method. Suzanne Liscouski and Heather Hoffmann were outstanding assistants. The waiting list was long enough to fill another class, so hopefully Patrick and Lisa will want to host again soon.
Thanks, Patrick and Lisa, and Instructor Coralie Hughes.
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You can find a 2018 podcast with Patrick at his website (or on our podcast page! : )
Masterson Method Equine Specialist
“Congratulations! Your abstract, Connecting with Horses Through Touch and Observation, has been selected for presentation at the 2022 PATH International Conference in St. Louis, MO! We are thrilled to have you join more than 50 sessions as we come together this October!”
We very, very much appreciate and congratulate MMES Instructors Megan Dushin and Lise Lunde, who tirelessly champion this worthwhile effort to give back to both the horses and humans who participate in these programs. |
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If you’re in the Equine Assisted Learning or Therapies world, between now and October we have Masterson Method Equine Specialist Courses scheduled on the east and west coasts, in the middle, and now in the south.
MMCP Stephanie Wilkins, who lives in the Chattanooga Valley in northeastern Georgia will soon be organizing and teaching Masterson Method Equine Specialist courses in that area of Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama. Go Stephanie!
Light to the Core
We have a new weekend course in our line-up. We’ve been working on this for over a year and the actual course is finally out in the US as well as in Canada. If you’re interested in taking or even hosting a Light to the Core Seminar, check it out here.
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At Home
Admin and Marketing Assistant Natalie Lerch traveled from Seattle to Fairfield in May to work on some projects with Jo and me. It wasn’t all work, and she shares some more relaxing aspects of her trip below.
On the Trail
Was able to take a short break at home last weekend. Have been building a sheep-herder camp wagon (just in case) for the last couple of years and had it finished in time for June 6th, known to many as the anniversary of D-Day in Europe, and to others around here as my wife Conley’s birthday. So, we loaded up the wagon and headed out on the trail…
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"Well, maybe not THAT far out on the trail."
That’s about it for this month. Enjoy your summer and until next month,
Like me, Enjoy your horses.
Jim
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Jim Masterson on Athletic Equestrian Podcast with Sally Batton |
While he's been busy with the Dog Book, he hasn't been too busy to talk about The Masterson Method® with Sally Batton.
Take a listen and let us know what you think!
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Beyond Horse Massage Book in Japanese |
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Beyond Horse Massage has been translated for a Japanese publisher by our Masterson Method Certified Practitioner Tomoko Sembongi. Our MMCP in Japan, Asako Miyajima has been promoting and preparing Masterson Method to be taught in Japan for quite a few years. Asako traveled to Oxfordshire to certify in 2019. Vicky Devlin and Tomoko will be traveling to Japan to teach our first Weekend Seminar there with Asako’s assistance at Colza Horse Club in Chiba on November 5-6.
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In June, the Israel Equestrian Federation approached me to conduct a demo to help people understand the principles behind The Masterson Method® and how the approach to bodywork relates to the way I interact with my horses.
The response was so overwhelming they added a second session! Participants learned how to trace the Bladder Meridian, understand the principles of touch, how to work with non-resistance, and what we mean when we say “yes, no, yes, no“.
Although all participants were horse enthusiasts with various types of experience with horses, ranging in age from 11 years old to 70, all were blown away by the horses' response to touch, as well as their own emotional response to the impact of the work on both horses and humans in the space in which we were working…
Congratulations to Nikki, participants and horses on a successful Demo!
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The Beyond Horse Massage book is back! |
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Hey, hey (or hay, hay!) - the BHM book is back in stock. Let us know if you need one! Thanks for your patience - we hope the DVD and Streaming have been helpful. |
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Masterson Method Equine Specialist (MMES) Program News |
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Sherri Moore has been busy since getting her MMES certification...here is her story. |
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I went through the Masterson Method Equine Specialist certification in Spring of 2019 and have been using the techniques I learned ever since! The Masterson Method® has helped us be able to pinpoint spots of tension in our therapeutic riding horses quickly, thereby allowing us to address the problem areas to keep them as comfortable, healthy and happy to do their jobs for many years to come. As is typical of many therapeutic riding centers, most of our horses are older, and using Masterson Method techniques has helped keep them comfortable and sound for their job! I’ve even used these techniques with some of our ground horsemanship students. Teaching them how to do the Bladder Meridian Technique and watch their horse for releases not only benefits the horse, but it also helps the students slow down, focus on the moment and form a bond with their horse. I am so glad I decided to go through this certification, as it has greatly benefited not only myself, but our equine partners and our students!
About the Masterson Method Equine Specialist Program
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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Lucky Winner in the UK? Who are you? |
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Vicky Devlin was devilish indeed - she put a Beyond Horse Massage book - with special inscription in a phone box book exchange! This occurred on April 23rd in Alderly Edge, Cheshire.
Here's the deal: if you were the first "borrower" of the book (or know the borrower), send Vicky a note with the inscription that she wrote (click on her name above).
The winner will receive free BHM streaming - more information on that to the lucky reader!
Update:
We've not heard any news - anyone know the winner? This deal is going...going....
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Natalie's visit to Fairfield |
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I had a wonderful working vacation in Fairfield from May 23-26. It would have been nice if my luggage had joined me before May 25, but I had the necessities and did a bit of shopping to get by. |
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Jo's birthday was May 24...even though she had to work because I was there, she had a few moments to relax.
Jim and Conley threw a dinner party for Jo (no plates were damaged in the taking of this photo) and invited Kait, Olivia, and Weda. Lovely celebration!
Jim made dinner - he is a great chef!
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Kait, Olivia, Jim, Natalie, Weda and Jo
(Conley was the photographer)
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We were in the middle of a sale, so I got great experience understanding the office "flow"...I helped print labels, process and package products. But it wasn't all work and no play...I got to hang out with Zipper, and the dogs made me feel welcome.
On Wednesday, Jim, Jo and I went for a buggy ride with Annabelle and Jeremiah - that's one thing off my bucket list!
And yes, I got to drive! OMG! Not sure I'll ever be a stagecoach driver - thank you A & J!
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AHHHHHH!
The horses were ready for their food - and so was I - here's our race for home. Annabelle and Jeremiah got a shower and dinner - then Jo, Jim, Conley and I headed for the Cider House - another bucket list item - CHECK! Whoo-hoo!
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I had a delightful time in Fairfield.
I appreciated the warm welcome and fun times with Zipper, Boots, Popper, Nellie, Annabelle, Jeremiah, Kait, Olivia, Weda, Jo, Jim and Conley - thank you so much!
Can't wait for my next visit...
Natalie
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A Note from Stephanie Wilkins |
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I have shared with many people that I have had the opportunity to meet some of the most incredible people through my Masterson Method journey. But recently, I got to experience this in a whole new way.
A while back I had a woman reach out inquiring if I ever came to her area or if I knew of any MMCP in her area. She had recently moved and she mentioned that she had already been working with an MMCP where she had previously lived but was now needing someone in their new location. It was pretty obvious that the Masterson Method® had been profound for her horse, Levi, and they had created a strong bond with his MMCP, Alice Long.
I did a little research and realized that I was the closest one who would travel but she was still a few hours away from me. I told her that I would reach out if I was in her area. Well, some time passed and I was planning a group demonstration clinic and thought that I might be nearby so I went to look for her information but couldn't find it. I did remember that she had worked with Alice Long, MMCP. So I reached out to Alice to see if she could help, Alice knew immediately who I was talking about and shared Levi's incredible story and sent me Gena's contact info and - well - the rest is history!
Attached is a picture of me with Gena and Levi after Levi's bodywork session to send to Alice. How wonderful it was getting to know Gena and Levi and bringing the Masterson Method® form of bodywork back into Levi's life. But how wonderful it also was to be able to get to know another MMCP, Alice Long, through this. The relationships that we get to build with horses and their riders/owners along with the incredible supportive network of The Masterson Method® connecting practitioners (who are many times miles apart) is something that I have much gratitude for. It is truly a gift. Thank you all so much for creating such an interactive and supportive network. Stephanie
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Masterson Method® Recognized Host/Barn |
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Teresa Elvin (Host and Owner), Samantha Walker (Instructor) and Tucker!
Whispering Woods Stables
Whispering Woods Stables is owned by Teresa Elvin and located on the top of Ingraham Mountain in Augusta, Maine. I purchased the facility and founded Whispering Woods in 2012. As a very beginner rider in 2006, purchasing my first 2 horses in 2007, taking over ownership of what is now Whispering Woods Stables in 2012 - well, things were moving quite fast. In 2013 or 2014 I heard of the Masterson Beyond Horse Massage program and just knew I had to have them at my facility. After researching and finding out there was an application process, I quickly filled out the paperwork, emailed it in and didn’t have much confidence that Whispering Woods would be chosen - after all, why in the world would a well-known, well established, very successful organization pick a small stable in Maine for a clinic? Much to my surprise and excitement I received word that “they picked me”!!! What a huge honor, I was so new to the industry I didn’t really know much about running a stable or horses for that matter – but I tend to just jump in feet first…that was the very beginning of a great relationship and now 7 years later Whispering Woods is still hosting the program.
We offer unmounted equine assisted growth and learning programs and find that by offering the Masterson techniques to the horses regularly they completely let go of whatever they may be taking in from the clients. There is no greater reward than to see our horses completely relax and have their body let go of all of the stress and anxiety that comes along with the work that they do.
I would like to thank the entire Masterson Method Organization for their support and for returning to Whispering Woods for so many years – I believe this is our 7th year!
A special thank you to Samantha Walker for her part in our Masterson Method Journey – the horses (& the humans) love having you as our instructor – great work.
Thank you for recognizing Whispering Woods Stables– we are honored!
Teresa Elvin, Owner
ESMHL, Path International
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It's Summertime - here comes the Sun! |
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The weather has been crazy all across the United States this spring and into summer, hasn't it? Wherever you are, we hope these visors will come in handy - get yours while supplies last!
Only $20 - Which color suits you?
Available only in the U.S.
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Newly Certified Practitioners |
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Need help for your horse? Find a Masterson Method Certified Practitioner (MMCP) near you. Our Certified Practitioners are dedicated equine professionals who have acquired highly attuned skills in partnering with the horse to release tension and increase range of motion, thereby restoring healthy posture and performance. Add an MMCP to your horse’s wellness team by visiting the Find a Practitioner page on our website for the closest practitioner to you.
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Jill Austin, MMCP
St. Paul, Minnesota
Like many of you, my love of horses started early in my life. Our family would drive from Chicago to the beautiful Western US for a summer vacation each year. During the trip, we would take a trail ride through the mountains; it was the best day of the year for me. My parents were not horse people, so I would not return to riding until I had my own children many years later. Now, riding for more than 25 years, I have trained in both Western and English disciplines, and spend most of my time trail riding and caring for our two 20+-year-old quarter horses that we have had since they were just eight years old.
Learning and being certified in the Masterson Method® has taken me to a new understanding of how to communicate and improve the performance of horses. Being prey animals, they hide their pain from lurking predators. They are also highly intelligent with a unique and complex anatomy. The Masterson Method® takes this all into consideration through a series of learned techniques designed to release tension in their body. The communication signals of the horse help me to focus on the right areas to peel away the layers of tension that will allow their bodies to move more freely.
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Who's next?
Where are you from?
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We know you MMCPs are out there doing great work - if you recently received your certification, please send your information to the office and we'll get you on the website ASAP!
Phone: horses are trying to call
Email: and email to make a bodywork session appointment!
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Interested in taking a course? Here are a few testimonials that might convince you!
It is a course that offers non-invasive techniques to help bond with a horse and help the horse release tension. The techniques get results even when a person is just beginning and get so much better with practice.
(Light to the Core)
You get tons of information and hands on experience. Even if you don’t plan on getting certified, horse owners will definitely benefit from taking this seminar. (Weekend Seminar)
This program is the best out there for improving range of motion and performance with horses, along with communication and interaction with your horse(s) while releasing tension and restriction. The joy and satisfaction YOU feel
while improving the wellness of your/the horse cannot be fully expressed in words. (Advanced 5-day)
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Weekend Seminar-Workshop Schedule |
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* If the course you had your heart set on is sold out, please email jo@mastersonmethod.com to be added to the waiting list.
Reminder: there will likely be a course price increase on certain courses this year.
More information will be provided soon.
Worried about COVID19? Read our COVID precautions and info here:
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USA Seminars
Canada Seminars
2023 Courses
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European Seminars
(taught in Dutch)
(taught in French)
(taught in German)
(taught in German)
(taught in Dutch)
Australia & New Zealand Seminars
Asia
(taught in English with Japanese translation)
South Africa
(Check back for upcoming Weekend Seminars)
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Advanced 5-Day Course Schedule |
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USA Advanced Courses
October 24-28 Apex, NC with Sandy Vreeburg
October 31-November 4 Tucson, AZ with Vanessa Helvey
USA - 2023
European Advanced Courses
with Walter Saxe
October 24-28 Egestorf, DE taught in German with Walter Saxe
Canada Advanced Courses
Australia & New Zealand
South Africa
(Check back for upcoming Advanced 5-day Courses)
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Certification Completion Course Schedule |
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USA Courses
Canada Courses
(Check back for upcoming courses)
Australia & New Zealand
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European Courses
(taught in German)
(taught in German)
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Masterson Method Light to the Core Schedule |
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USA Courses - 2022
USA - 2023
European Courses
(Check back for upcoming courses)
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Masterson Method Equine Specialist Schedule |
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Masterson Method Collaborative Clinics |
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USA Collaborative Clinics
Considering the Horse: Mind & Body with Jim Masterson and Mark Rashid
Your Horse's Brain: A User's Manual with Dr. Stephen Peters, Mark Rashid and Jim Masterson
Considering the Horse: Mind & Body with Dianne Adel, Jim Masterson and Mark Rashid
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Masterson Method Expos and Demos |
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USA and European Expos & Demos
Taught in Swiss German and German
This demonstration takes place during the PATH Region 9 Conference.
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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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