Hello All,
There have been a lot of things happening since we last spoke. I’m going to start just by listing them, in no particular order of importance!
I’m happy to report that MY dog book met the text deadline, just before I left for MY two Certification Courses in CA… after returning from MY trip to the Mark and JIM show and Dr Steven’s Your Horse’s Brain Clinic at the Happy Dog Ranch in Colorado.
Well, that’s about it. Oh, and a couple of other things of varying significance have also occurred ; )
Over There
Walter Saxe held the second Masterson Method® Therapists European Conference in Germany in July. It was well attended, well accepted and just… Well Done!
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Netherlands Instructor Masja Fick was joined by MMCPs Ellis Buis and Helen Jones for an MM demonstration at the EquiDay Exhibition in the Netherlands in July, with MM Instructor Lucie Klaassen also doing a demo at the Exhibition. It was an MM invasion!
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As if that’s not enough, MMCP Cathy Koetsier - our Field Work Mentor in the UK - reports that she held a Masterson Method Day at Heart to Hand, focusing on Light Touch Techniques: noticing and interpreting the ponies' responses to light touch. She has a couple of good demonstration videos on the Heart to Hand Facebook page.
They’re doing amazing things over there without me! Don’t they know who I am?
You can find out more about what’s going in Germany and the Netherlands
Scotland
Vicky Devlin sent this photo from her last Weekend Seminar at Ross Dhu Equestrian in South Lanarkshire, Scotland.
She said, “It was a brisk day, and the wind was coming from the east.”
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She’ll be back at Mark and Morag Higgins’ Ross Dhu Equestrian teaching another Weekend by the time you read this and will be teaching our first Advanced 5-Day Course in Scotland from August 15-19.
Australia
Vicky will be back in Australia teaching three Weekend Seminars – Queensland, Victoria, and West Australia – in October. The Queensland Seminar is full but the other two have a few spots left. See Course Calendar below.
We’ve also partnered with Horse Deals Magazine to offer a special discount on an Advanced 5-Day Course October 24-28 in Victoria (see in section below).
For those of you who’ve already registered or taken a Weekend Seminar and would like to do the Advanced Course, check out the details below. Also, see our article in the September edition of Horse Deals.
For those of you who aren’t sure, don’t worry. Not all of our Australia courses look like this:
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More info on these courses on our Calendar below.
Back Over Here
We had another Mark Rashid, Jim, and Dr. Peters Show and Brain Clinic at the Happy Dog Ranch in July. These clinics keep getting better and better.
Mark, Steve, and Jim
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No, not a face-off at the OK Corral |
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I was happy to see MMCPs and Field Work students from both Europe and the U.S. at Happy Dog. I got to visit with Wendy from the Netherlands, Susie and Tina from Switzerland, and other MMCPs from my backyard in the Midwest. Also got to hang out with Instructors Sandy Vreeburg and Lise Lunde. It’s fun to get together with people after being sequestered for so long.
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Lise Lunde, our Masterson Method Equine Specialist Instructor, will be presenting at the PATH Region 9 Conference in Bend, OR this month, and at the PATH International Conference in St. Louis in October. Read more about these and about Masterson Method in equine assisted therapies below.
We have another Mark, Jim and Steve Show scheduled at Happy Dog Ranch for next July, and we’re going to try to schedule more at locations that cover both coasts and the middle. In the meantime, Mark and I will be at Anita Para’s Big Horse Ranch in Arroyo Grande with MMCP and human Certified Massage Therapist Dianne Adel in October. Dianne is both human and works on humans, and will be balancing riders while Mark and I try to keep the horses mentally and physically balanced. Be there or be square!
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I may have mentioned above in MY news that we certified six new MMCPs in Watsonville, CA last week. Congratulations! You’ll be reading about them in upcoming newsletters and on our Facebook page soon.
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While in California the whole group of MMCPs, Instructors and family was again invited to spy on sea otters in Monterey’s Elkhorn Slough with Capt. Wendy Kitchell, courtesy of Monterey Bay Eco Tours. Wendy’s an avid sailor, horsewoman, and MMer. If you’re in the Monterey area and enjoy wildlife check out her silent, all-electric catamaran, wildlife-guided eco tour.
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I think that’s about it for this month. |
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and I say,
Until next time,
like us, enjoy your equines.
Jim
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Horse Deals Special for
Advanced 5-Day Course
We are offering a 10% discount on the Advanced 5-Day Course in Melbourne in October.
If you have taken a Weekend Seminar in the past or will be attending an upcoming Seminar in October, then you are eligible to take the Advanced Course. Read about the Advanced Course on our website.
To get the discount enter the coupon code HORSEDEALS when registering.
And Enjoy! Thanks!
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Letter from Marie in Sweden |
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We never know where the Masterson Method® book/DVD or Streaming will end up. Recently, the office got a wonderful email from Marie. She gave us permission to include excerpts from her email...
I accidentally found a video on youtube with Jim doing the bladder meridian release with a chestnut horse and just felt “Wow!” I immediately realized how huge this was. I watched other videos on youtube and started to test the bladder meridian technique on the riding school horses I ride a couple of times a week at a nearby riding school here in Sweden. I soon ordered the book and video package and I have gone on to learn and work with all the techniques shown in the book...
I love Jim’s clear messages and sense of humor. My favorite is his answer in one of the videos: “What about biting?” “I generally try not to bite the horses when I work with them”.
My neighbor has two old horses, and I get the opportunity from time to time to do the bladder meridian technique with them. Their relaxation is very clear, with licking and chewing and yawning.
At the riding school, one of the horses I used to ride, Bruun, would position himself and show me the spots he selected for the hind end release, and he would yawn and sometimes stretch his whole body afterwards with his front legs long and low. He is a small, agile and very elastic horse....
...I have rambled on – just to tell you how much the Masterson Method® means to me and to my relationship with this and other horses. But it goes beyond that; as it opens up a new and deeper way to relate to my horse friends, it opens up a new way to relate to myself and the living world around, it is an opening to a deeper and more profound way of relating to life, with “a mind like still water”. So I do hope it will be possible for me to participate in your courses one day and to become a certified practitioner (can I lure one of you to Sweden??).
Until then, I want to thank Jim with my whole heart for teaching us all so generously this amazing way of working with horses. Marie
Thank you Marie, your email brought tears to our eyes!
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Jim was on the WeHorse Podcast a while ago...they are replaying some of their most popular episodes, including Episode 02, with Jim Masterson.
We thought you might want to hear it again...
...once you start listening, you won't want to stop.
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More photos from our Netherland MMCPs |
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Masterson Method Equine Specialist (MMES) Program News |
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Here is a story from Wendy, who attended the MMES Course in Petaluma, CA, June 28-30th.
Working with Danny…
Day one of our MMES training found Ashley and I working with “Danny”, a relatively new addition to the Giant Steps Therapeutic Program. He had recently passed all the tests to become a program horse. In our introduction, we were told how hard these horses work. It's not necessarily grueling physical work but they work with clients who are processing quite a few emotions in a single session.
As we led Danny out, I could feel his ability to go internal at the slightest ask. In my opinion, this is a useful skill as a therapy horse. It is his own way of protecting himself.
We had been shown the steps to running the Bladder Meridian and Ashley started down his left side. We quickly learned that even the slightest contact with Danny’s hair with the softest touch would create a brace. He would not move but actually would freeze and slightly curl his nostrils. Wisely, Ashley offered less pressure by backing off which was rewarded by an ever-so-slight change of breath. Just a slight softening let us know we were on the right track. I was astounded that by keeping her hand five inches off as she followed the Bladder Meridian he was able to relax more and more. She had several releases and Danny started to trust us.
My turn came to start on the right side and Danny was in a relaxed state. I quickly learned the correct amount of distance as the nostril flare came right back if I got too close with my “Air Gap Touch”. Five to six inches off seemed to be what he was comfortable with. I made my way about half way down the neck and got some blinks which showed me he was aware of that particular spot. I waited and had some releases then moved on to just before the withers, when all of a sudden he rapidly raised his head straight up as high as it would go. He stretched upward to the ceiling like a giraffe, craning his whole neck. Ashley and I were both shocked and that’s when Ashley grabbed her phone to film as it was so surprising. What a release!
As I continued, Danny became so relaxed, he actually fell asleep and that is what you see in the video (below). This horse, who was so standoffish, was able to trust us enough to fall into a deep sleep. Our experienced instructors had us keep him awake as he was in such a deep sleep, they didn’t want him to buckle. What an experience! I am blown away at the effectiveness of tapping into the horse’s neurological system to release tension. Danny is fantastic at his job and works hard, what a gift to be able to give back to him in this way.
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Here are details about upcoming PATH Presentations:
Lise Lunde will be offering two more PATH presentations this year!
- PATH Region 9 Conference in Bend, Oregon, Saturday, August 20, 2022.
- PATH International Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, Sunday, October 30, 2022.
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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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A few more photos from California |
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Another photo of Walter Saxe in action? |
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We've been working with Horse Deals Magazine in Australia, getting the word out about The Masterson Method® and upcoming courses taught by Vicky Devlin. Pick up your copy Down Under! |
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Look for a two-part article on Mystery Hind End Lameness in the next few months! |
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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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Jennifer Lee, MMCP
Hawkhurst, Kent, UK
Jenny started her horse journey working at local stables in exchange for riding lessons. Her family bred and showed Jacob sheep and at local agricultural shows Jenny would be drawn to the Arabian horse showing rings. She now has her own Arab and is looking to do low level endurance with him. As a teenager Jenny competed in affiliated showjumping with Dutch warmblood Gambit.
In line with family tradition Jenny headed to London becoming a Chartered Surveyor specializing in Urban Regeneration, including a stint at Kingfisher retail group and a postgraduate diploma in retail management from Oxford University. Ten years on Jenny was juggling life with two young children so set up a canine exercise and fitness business Joggy Doggy Ltd. Through Joggy Doggy and the sport of Canicross Jenny got to compete across the UK and represent team GB in France at the European Championships.
It was Jenny’s daughter Chloe’s interest in horses that gave rise to the opportunity to welcome Queenie and Star to the family. Queenie was a kind obliging Connemara mare but struggled with a tight back. Whilst researching equine massage Jenny stumbled upon the Masterson Method®. In no time Jenny headed to Scotland for the weekend course swiftly followed by the five day. In all it took nearly 3 years for Jenny to move from her logic fact-based background into her new profession as a fully trained Masterson Method Certified Practitioner now using feel, intuition and visualization. The Masterson Method® facilitates total focus on the horse’s responses and allows a level of connection and communication that is quite unique.
It is incredibly rewarding to see a horse releasing tension and finding a place of comfort within newly enhanced movement patterns. Jenny considers it an amazing privilege to share this gift with the equine community and their compassionate owners.
Phone: 07584438973
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Kelsey Mammen, MMCP
Casper, Wyoming
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Kelsey grew up in Nevada and remembers long dusty trail rides through the desert with her grandfather as some of her earliest memories. At ten years old she watched a show jumping competition and decided that looked fun. From then on Kelsey pursued personal riding goals in the world of Eventing. Kelsey is a licensed professional counselor in Wyoming and has worked in the therapeutic/adaptive riding industry since she was 14 years old when she started volunteering for a local program. Kelsey found passion in helping others through her own connection with horses and continued this after going to college by working with youth in foster care doing equine-assisted work. Kelsey decided to go back to school to get her Master’s degree in equine-assisted mental health counseling in 2017 and this is when she was first introduced to the Masterson Method® by a friend in her program who showed her the bladder meridian.
After she finished her Master’s degree, Kelsey decided to pursue the route to certification in the Masterson Method®. During her Masterson journey, Kelsey lost her heart horse and eventing partner, Ransom, to a sudden colic. His legacy inspires her to continue to learn and grow.
Kelsey is passionate about helping horses and humans connect and heal, and the Masterson Method® is a powerful way to achieve this. While Kelsey has a special place in her heart for working with therapy horses, she also loves working with athletes and their horses from all disciplines to improve movement and performance. Kelsey is also a Reiki master and offers energy/chakra work in sessions when appropriate.
Kelsey currently resides in Casper, Wyoming where she works as a mental health therapist and equine bodyworker.
Phone: 775-445-9127
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Kate Xerri, MMCP
Nr Upton on Severn, Worcestershire, UK
After a long break from horses, when ‘life got in the way’, I found myself unexpectantly drawn back into the world of horses in my early 50’s. With age comes a changed outlook and a greater leaning towards self-preservation and that led me finally to ‘Tara’, 22yrs old, a Connemara who would look after me as my older body got used to the saddle. Together she and I learned the basics of dressage, groundwork and connection. As that connection deepened, I resolved to be a better rider for her and to learn how to make her life as comfortable as it could be in her advancing years.
The Masterson Method® videos were being shared on Facebook and I knew immediately, without considering any other courses on offer, that this was the direction I needed to go in. I signed up for a weekend seminar in 2019 and was forced to take the time I needed (by Covid), to mainly develop my practice of the basics on Tara, and with the help of a friends’ 2 ponies. By the time life was starting to get back to normal I was ready to progress through the rest of the program, practicing with all manner of horses and ponies and all shapes and sizes, all of them with something new to teach me. All the time I marvelled at how the system works and how much it can enhance the well-being of the horse.
I became a Certified Practitioner in May 2022. My aim is to spread the word about Masterson Method® and treat as many equines as I can so the method becomes well-known and the well-being of horses improved. I have found no better way to improve the bond with a horse and hope that others may follow the same path. Tara is still enjoying the benefits at age 28 and the level of trust between us develops day by day.
Phone: 07748985805
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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!
This is an interesting and informative course for beginning to learn more about your horse, yourself and your mutual relationship. It's a very cathartic way to spend time helping and improving the horse as you quietly bond.
(Weekend Seminar)
If you want to connect better with people and horses, this is a way to do it.
(Advanced 5-Day Course)
This course was beyond my expectations. I learned so much from the teacher and every person in attendance. My work with horses and people will be new, informed by this experience.
(Masterson Method Equine Specialist Course)
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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
USA 2023 Courses
Canada Seminars
(taught in French)
Canada 2023 Courses
(taught in French)
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European Seminars
(taught in Dutch)
(taught in French)
(taught in Polish)
(taught in German)
(taught in German)
(taught in Dutch)
(taught in Dutch)
Australia & New Zealand Seminars
Asia
(taught in English with Japanese translation)
South Africa
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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
Canada - 2023
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
(Check back for upcoming courses)
Canada Courses
(Check back for upcoming courses)
Australia & New Zealand
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European Courses
(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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Canada Courses - 2022
Canada - 2023
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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 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
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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