February 2021 E-Newsletter |
|
Hello All,
Oh great… another German dressage book!
A lot of fun stuff to report on this month. One big item is that the Dressage book in which Coralie Hughes and I collaborated – Dressage Horse Optimized – is being released by a German publisher. It’s been translated by our Instructor Walter Saxe, and will be released in March. More on that, and on Water Saxe, in our next newsletter.
Halte Ausschau danach! (Google-translate for, “Keep an eye out for it… or else!”)
|
|
Podcast - Doubt the Doubt
I’ve been invited to a couple of interesting podcast interviews over the last few months. Below you’ll find a link to a conversation with Heather Drummond at See'rs, Be-ers, Knowers and Doers. (See below for full interview.)
It was an interesting talk about Intuition and the role it begins to play during bodywork sessions with the horse. Sometimes we get caught up in our head with things like, “Am I doing this thing right?” Or, “What do I do next?” However, when you reach a point that you’re able to stop thinking about what you’re doing, your intuition kicks in and you can allow the next thing to pop into your head and go with it.
The cool thing about this type of bodywork is that the horse helps us to get to that point. When your mind settles into following the horse’s responses, it begins to clear to the point that you start to “un-think”. You get out of your mind. We have a saying around here that "You have to be out of your mind to do the Masterson Method." Sometimes thinking is over-rated. I personally try to stay away from it whenever I can do something without it!
BUT, just to keep things balanced, next month we will be highlighting a podcast I did with a top-rate professional farrier, Pete Butler of the Butler Professional Farrier School. Pete’s dad is Doug Butler, literally wrote the book on horseshoeing, Principles of Horseshoeing. PS - I say that “balance” thing in jest, as Pete and I also had a pretty enlightening conversation. Next month!
Road Trip – Mules, the Desert, new MMCPs, Mark & Jim, and part of Crissi
I just returned from a three-week working vacation to Arizona and California. On the January calendar for me were two Certification Completion Courses and a “Considering the Horse – Mind and Body Clinic" (The Mark and Jim Show) with Mark Rashid.
As both events were only about 2,200 miles away, I thought, “What the heck, I’ll take the truck!” In went a sleeping bag, a tent, a tarp, and a couple of not-too-smelly Rambo horse blankets. I took the “back way” from Grand Junction through Monument Valley down to the Ponderosa Arena near Phoenix for the first stop at the Mark and Jim Show.
I always enjoy these clinics as I learn a lot. The Ponderosa Arena is a fun and well-run family facility for winter ropers, and Cave Creek, AZ is a fun community in the hills north of Scottsdale.
After the clinic, I stayed in Cave Creek and worked with a group of students, all ready to become Certified Practitioners.
|
|
|
|
Mark, partial Crissi, and Jim |
|
Is that Jim with a "J" or with a "G" => |
|
|
From there I headed west to the Mojave desert to camp for a couple of days in the middle of nowhere. It was beautiful. It was also a little chilly, but I wasn’t too worried because I had my Rambos, and I think the smell kept the snakes away. |
|
Then, over to Watsonville, south of Santa Cruz, for another Certification Course with the help of Instructor and organizer, Sandy Vreeburg. |
|
Cave Creek Certification Completion Course |
|
Watsonville Certification Completion Course |
|
I want to thank all of the Masterson Method Certified Practitioners (MMCPs) and Instructors who are always there to help at these courses. And, I want to congratulate the MMCPs who braved the hours and hours (over 426 of them) receiving instruction, writing up case studies, and working on horses to accomplish this goal. It is an achievement. Congratulations!
After the Watsonville Completion Course, I drove south to Atascadero, CA to spend the day working on mules with our "mule person" and Instructor, Loni Langdon. We video-taped this because in July, Loni will be hosting a Mule Month video presentation and Zoom call with our "Hands Online" Members. Yee-haw!
|
|
Finally, I hooked up with my nephew in Santa Barbara and we made our way back to Fairfield, IA through Death Valley. On the way back, we snuck by Area 51 in Nevada and Moab, UT. Next month I’ll have a short but riveting video story of that trip, if interested.
In bodywork, when you follow what the horse is telling you, you never know what it’s going to lead to. Often you’ll find issues that relate to what the owner is experiencing with the horse, often you’ll find more, and sometimes you’ll find none.
The ultimate goal is to free up anything that might be affecting movement, performance, or behavior in the horse. However, everything we find in the body is caused by something, and if along the way we can help the owner determine what the “causer” (or causers) is, then the owner might be able to further help the horse by remedying the causer.
Often, the cause is something that’s occurring at the time and that can be remedied at the time. Examples of these would be saddle fit, tack, foot issues, work or over-work, and maybe even rider.
Often though, what we’re finding can be the result of something that’s happened in the past such as a fall, accident, or injury. The horse may have learned to deal with or compensate for it over time, but the original issue usually - gradually or all at once - shows up at some point. It usually shows up as a change in performance or behavior, or mystery lameness. When working on the body, these older issues have a hard, wooden, unmoving feel to them and can be uncomfortable for the horse when you find them.
Horses do everything for a reason, and performance and behavioral issues often are the horse telling us that physical discomfort is in the way of doing what we’re asking.
Not trying to scare anyone or paint a dismal picture, it’s just that horses are survival animals and will do what they can to cover up physical issues that might present themselves as weak or compromised. Bodywork that stays “under the horse’s radar” can often uncover stuff before it turns into something too big to cover up.
A case in point, at our Mark and Jim Show clinic in Arroyo Grande, CA last fall I worked on a handsome Lusitano (or was he Andalusian. Uh-oh… I may be in trouble now!) named Cash. We recorded and reviewed the bodywork session in this month's Hands Online Level 1 "Live Review with Jim" Zoom call.
|
|
While working on Cash I felt that the performance issues Cash’s owner described could be partly related to something that happened to/with Cash in the past. She’s had him for a while and didn’t know of any significant incident, accident, or fall. Of course, we don’t know what these guys do out in the pasture or the stall at night or when we’re not looking, especially when they’re younger, but we do know this happens because it’s been documented by Gary Larson with cows. =>
As we peeled the layers off Cash during the bodywork, he did have the feel of a horse who’d had something happen in the past.
|
|
|
He’s had a history of insulin resistance and laminitis, which also shows up in the body during the bodywork. Cash is very fortunate in that his owner is open to listening to and recognizing what her horse is telling her, and who doesn’t push him beyond what he can comfortably do. She is interested in finding ways to support him as she moves forward rather than push him through issues. Cash had a follow-up session with Instructor, Sandy Vreeburg, and this was the owner’s report:
“...Sandy gave him a pretty thorough session. She told me that many times a horse’s reaction to touch on his chest and girth can be indicative of an ulcer. Well guess what, he did have an ulcer. My horse seems to be fine now. The vet who’s an internist said that a very large percentage of horses do have ulcers. It’s the side effect of being in captivity. As for my guy add to that the fact that he’s Insulin Resistant (IR) and on a strict eating regimen. But so far so good. I’m hoping to have Sandy work on him again.”
Here’s a short clip of some of my work on Cash (full session in Hands Online Membership):
|
|
Apart from interesting and entertaining personalities, every horse is an interesting story that reveals more each time you work with him/her.
Later this month, Level 2 Members will have the chance to hear from Coralie Hughes, one of our advanced Instructors, talk about Strategies for Staying Soft From the Horse's Point of View in the Expert Hour with an MMCP.
If you want to experience some of these stories with the horse or hear from our experts, you’re welcome to join our Hands Online Membership calls every month. We have one live Q&A Zoom call each month where I answer questions about a bodywork session like the one with Cash above , and two additional live Q&A Zoom calls for Level 2 Members (just this week they learned and asked questions about the Head Up Technique). It doesn’t cost much, and the jokes are free. You can find the details and sign-up from the Masterson Method Membership page.
|
|
At Home
Well, it’s been hanging around zero degrees F (-18C) for about two weeks now. We haven’t had a cold snap like this for a few years. Last time this happened I had to go out in the snow to round up some stray kids and bring ‘em home.
|
|
After the first couple of snows this year the sleigh came out and Annabelle and Jeremiah and I were able to go for a spin. I showed you a teaser in last month's newsletter. This is the full sleigh ride below: |
|
Until next month,
like me, enjoy your horses!
Jim
|
|
Interview with Jim
Podcast: See'rs, Be-ers, Knowers and Doers
|
|
Episode 62: "Doubt the Doubt". Listen to Jim talk with Heather Drummond, host of the podcast, See'rs, Be-ers, Knowers and Doers, a podcast all about intuition.
She writes: "We spoke about doing the next thing and how stopping can both be intuition. We also spoke about how he was just led to do the next thing and the next thing and by not getting in the way his curiosity led him."
|
|
Starting to Feel Frisky? Want to Venture Out?
A Weekend Workshop Awaits You!
COVID Bio-Safety Updates
|
|
Considering registering for a course? (If so, you are in luck, scroll down below for a list of courses here in the US and Internationally.)
If you’d like to register for a course but are not sure how things will pan out, know that you will be able to transfer your registration to another course without a transfer fee, or if you decide to cancel you will get a full refund. We are waiving any transfer and cancellation fees at this time.
Also, see the precautions we’re taking to help keep everyone safe.
|
|
Welcome, New MM Team Leader
Malia Aldrich, Course Organizer & Marketing
|
|
A California native and cowgirl at heart, horses are the root of Malia’s day to day. Malia came on board with the Masterson Method in 2020 with Course Organization and Marketing. In 2018 Malia earned her Masterson Method Certified Practitioner title. Her love for helping both horses and people has created a solid clientele within her community.
Sharing her passion and knowledge of horses with her two daughters while living in the remote mountains of the California Coast brings her immense joy. Malia considers herself to be a gourmet cook, wine connoisseur, avid reader, sun chaser, with a love for dancing in the kitchen with her husband Forest, and riding her horse Sonny as much as possible.
Just like anyone can learn The Masterson Method anyone can be successful at hosting a Weekend Seminar. Whether you are looking to grow your business at your barn or riding school, or looking to earn a free spot (yes, I said free spot!), hosting is a fantastic opportunity to cast the magical spell of Masterson.
Contact Malia at malia@mastersonmethod.com or call (831-241-4857) to cultivate an inspiring opportunity for you, your business, and community by hosting a Masterson Method Weekend Seminar. We are now looking for late summer/fall dates and beyond.
|
|
My name is Jenna and I am lucky enough to live and work at Ekone Ranch, a multi-faceted organization in the Columbia Gorge area, in rural Washington. Ekone is home to Sacred Earth Foundation, a nonprofit land trust covering 1,138 acres.
White Eagle Memorial Preserve, one of only a handful of natural conservation burial grounds in the country and, COVID aside, we host retreats, field trips, and summer camp for kids and teens. I found my way here for the first time in the summer of 2001 as an eleven year old summer camper. Drawn by one thing and one thing only, the horses. I confess, I'm a serial horse girl (I'm sure some of you can relate).
Long story short, I'm still around and nineteen years later, I manage our herd of 15-20 horses, work with our horses, volunteers, guests and wrangle spreadsheets in the office.
This summer, for obvious reasons, we had to overhaul our summer plans since we couldn't have summer camp as usual. We offered four-day family camps, in which people could come and experience the land and the horses and everything that Ekone is, all while staying within their family bubble.
At the beginning of the summer, we offered socially-distant riding activities during these family camps, however, with Washington case numbers rising and mandates and restrictions amping up, it just didn't seem feasible to keep riding and also stay compliant. So, we changed plans again. We stopped riding, and then I had to figure out something I could do with people and horses that didn't necessitate being quite as close to them for quite as long. So, Masterson Method bodywork, it was!
And they Loved it!
|
|
Young camper trying out the Bladder MeridianTechnique |
|
Look Here! Website picked up
our Press Release for:
"A Mind Like Still Water" documentary
|
|
|
|
Look who picked up our Press Release!
Overseas and having difficulty renting or purchasing the video via Amazon? Try Vimeo. You can purchase or rent the video there.
And, don't forget to leave a review!
|
|
Brrrrrr....it's cold outside. What happened to the Spring-like weather that peeks out of the Winter-blues about now? Instead, we have sub-freezing rain, ice, and snow!
Well, we got you covered! Check out our Winter Beanies! Super warm and form fitting - no cuff getting in your eyes when you are trying to throw hay, or dump the wheel barrow.
|
|
Newly Certified Practitioners |
|
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.
|
|
 |
Alex Seth-Smith
East Sussex, UK
Serendipity – good fortune or fate.
That is how I found an internet video of Jim Masterson demonstrating the bladder meridian technique - a perfect illustration of serendipity. At the time, I did not appreciate how watching the bodywork demonstration would mark the beginning of a life-changing journey with The Masterson Method®.
I was looking for help with my young thoroughbred mare, who was not able to maintain canter on a circle. (And, although not wishing to be negative about the expertise of a variety of physiotherapists who had examined her – none had been able to resolve the problem with her pelvis). Incredibly, not only did learning Masterson Method equine bodywork lead to easing the sacroiliac imbalance for my horse but, eighteen months after seeing the video, to my qualifying as a practitioner.
The study of equine anatomy and biomechanics is an ongoing commitment, as it is my belief that understanding how the horse functions, improves the quality of each bodywork session.
I have also studied communication with a leading animal behaviour expert - the ability to connect with horses enables me to liaise closely with owners, to ensure the optimum result is achieved for every horse.
Through working with my own mare, The Masterson Method® has demonstrated what can be accomplished in terms of improved performance and a sense of well-being. It is my wish to bring this technique to other horses, that they may also know the benefits that relaxation can bring to mind and body.
Located in the South East, I work with clients in the Kent, Sussex and Hampshire areas. Please feel welcome to contact me if you wish to make an appointment for your horse.
|
|
|
|
Isabell Gilles-Birth
Heimbach-Eifel, Germany
I got Jim's book "Beyond Horse Massage" more or less by chance; borrowed by a friend. He said, “Look at this, it could be something for you” and… what should I say, it changed my life.
Only applying a few techniques, I was already fascinated what this type of bodywork does to the horse and how positively it affects the horses mind/behaviour. It soon became clear to me that I would love to learn more.
After the Weekend Seminar I decided that becoming a Certified Practitioner is what I would love to do to help as many horses and horse owners as possible. I even went a step further and finished my first career as a Product Planning Manager in the Automotive Industry in order to give my full dedication to my second career as Masterson Method® bodyworker.
Each time I work on a horse, I am still amazed by the effect this type of bodywork has on the musculature, the range of motion, the horses mind and, at the end of the day, the horse’s performance. What fascinates me most and, which is the biggest challenge at the same time, is that the less you ask the more you get. It is like the Title of one of Mark Rashid’s books “A Journey to Softness”. (Maybe that is one of the reasons why Jim and Mark work so effectively together.)
From my point of view, keeping a horse healthy or helping a horse during its rehabilitation is teamwork between the horse, the owner, vets, bodyworker, farrier / barefoot trimmer, saddle fitter and trainer.
I would be happy to be part of the team for your horse.
|
|
|
|
|
Kazuko Matsusaka
Bloomington, Indiana
Kazuko did not grow up with horses although that was her dream. She spent her early years practicing violin and eventually became a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. It wasn’t until she joined the orchestra that she started riding and eventually purchased her first horse.
Intrigued by the human/horse relationship, she took a leave of absence to become a PATH Int'l certified therapeutic riding instructor. Wanting to give back as much as she could to the therapy horses, she studied barefoot trimming, complementary medicine, and equine sports massage.
She was introduced to The Masterson Method® by another therapeutic riding instructor and it has truly changed her way of working with horses, both on the ground and in the saddle. She has learned to listen to what the horse is telling her through subtle body language and feel, and to work “with” the horse instead of “on” the horse. With softness and patience, the practitioner can work under their highly sensitive fight or flight or guarding responses, earn their trust, and reach them on a much deeper level both physically and emotionally.
Kazuko loves to feel and see a horse release tension, and the resulting improvements in the horse’s performance and attitude are a joy to see. She is now retired after 25 years in the orchestra and is living her dream on a small farm with three horses, six donkeys, three goats, a cat, and her husband.
|
|
|
|
Katie Kingsland
Devon, UK
I live in Devon with my 4 children, 3 dogs and 4 horses. I have been around horses all my life, starting at a very early age having ponies on my grandad's farm. I then went on to be part of a riding club. I now compete in dressage and team quest with a group of friends. I also take part in local show jumping and one day events.
I became interested in The Masterson Method® when I was having problems with my mare Daisy. Once she had had a few sessions, I started to notice a real difference with the way she went and felt under the saddle.
I then went to an introductory day and got completely hooked and then my Masterson journey started.
Having recently just bought an ex-race horse, I now use The Masterson Method® on her on a regular basis as she finds this very beneficial through her retraining program.
Horses are my life, my passion and my everything.
|
|
|
|
Weekend Seminar-Workshop Schedule |
|
* If the course you had your heart set on is sold out, please email jo@mastersonmethod.com to be added to the waiting list.
Worried about COVID19? Read our COVID precautions and refund info here:
|
|
USA Seminars
Canada Seminars
(taught in French)
(taught in French)
(*Note: Sun-Mon course)
|
|
European Seminars
(taught in German)
(Taught in German)
(Taught in Polish)
(taught in German)
(taught in German)
(taught in German)
(taught in German)
(taught in German)
Australia & New Zealand Seminars
South Africa
|
|
|
Advanced 5-Day Course Schedule |
|
USA Advanced Courses
European Advanced Courses
(*Note: Wed-Sun course)
June 2 - 6, Aßlar, DE (taught in German) with Walter Saxe
(*Note: Wed-Sun course)
(*Note: Wed-Sun course)
Canada Advanced Courses
(*Note: Wed-Sun course)
Australia & New Zealand
(Check back for upcoming 5-Days)
|
|
Certification Completion Course Schedule |
|
USA Courses
Tentative: Sept (TBD), Fairfield, IA
|
|
|
Masterson Method Equine Specialist Courses |
|
Masterson Method Collaborative Clinics |
|
USA Clinics
Collaborative Clinic with Jim Masterson and Mark Rashid
|
|
Your Horse's Brain, Collaborative Clinic |
|
USA Clinics
Your Horse's Brain Collaborative clinic with Dr. Peters, Mark Rashid, and Jim Masterson
|
|
USA Expos & Demos
(Check back for upcoming demos)
|
|
"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
|
|
THE MASTERSON METHOD®
641-472-1312
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
