Masterson Method August 2021 Newsletter

August 2021 Newsletter

Hello All,

A lot happened last month in California, Colorado, Kentucky, and in Fairfield, Iowa.

In Littleton, CO we completed four new Masterson Method Certified Practitioners, had a collaborative clinic with Mark and Jim, and a Your Horse’s Brain clinic with Dr. Stephen Peters.

From there, a quick drive home and off to the National Pony Club Festival at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.

This was my first time at this event, and I hope not my last. Not only did it open the door to bringing the Masterson Method to kids and young adults of the USPC, but it was a lot of fun. The professionalism, enthusiasm and dedication of the participants of all ages was impressive, and I got to be one of them.

It was inspiring to see these kids so willing to learn. With the help of MMCPs Mimi Duffy, David Ospital, Amelia Nalli and Megan Dushin we were able to teach over 75 kids and young adults basic Masterson Method techniques. These techniques brought the kids’ awareness to physical aspects of their ponies’ bodies that can have an effect on performance and behavior, and gave them tools to improve both. It was fun to see them so open to that, how quickly they caught on, and how closely they connected with their ponies. We're hopeful this will follow them through their riding careers. It was especially inspiring to see Mimi’s and David’s Novato Pony Club kids teaching other children at the Festival. I'm especially grateful to our wonderful new Pony Club Bladder Meridian Instructors; Ryder, Pyper, Jamie and Summer. Thanks!

"In Kentucky, teaching Bladder Meridian was such an astounding experience… just seeing everyone’s faces light up as they built a better connection with their horse and released so much tension in them made me so joyful. I have used [the] Masterson Method for a while now and have seen such a difference in my horses. I rescued a 16 h warmblood with horrible over-the-knee and stringhalt, and after lots of Bladder Meridian he is back to his old self again! Thank you to everyone who made this trip possible." - Ryder, age 11 (photo on right)

"I had an amazing experience teaching Masterson to the Pony Clubbers in Kentucky. During one of the demos, I worked with a really stoic horse, and the girl I was teaching got the horse to lick and chew a ton, itch, and toss its head. Another horse I worked on was a police horse, and it gave a huge response, (relative to what it had been doing before), just behind where the cantle of the saddle would be."

- Pyper, age 13

"Sharing bladder meridian with my peers was a cool experience because it is a really beneficial practice for the horse and the rider. It was also fun seeing the reactions of people when they started to understand what I was saying and their horses started to release stuff. It’s nice to know that you’re making them feel better while you're connecting with them. It was nice to educate other kids and not just adults."

- Jamie, age 13 (photo on right)

"It was an extraordinary experience to share bladder meridian with kids my age and a little older. So many horses that we worked on did so many different things, some were mounted police horses, some were eventers, while others dressage. Some were super stoic while others were very expressive, but at the end of every session we at least got some release. Overall, it was a pretty spectacular experience!"

- Summer, age 12

Pyper and Summer,

and a Happy Horse!

Absorbine was on hand to provide gift bags to participants, and students received Masterson Method Certificates for participating.

It’s my hope that we can continue working with these kids and with the

US Pony Club.

From there it was back to Fairfield and a Certification Completion Course with six more MMCPs.

That’s 13 new MMCPs in two newsletters. We’re catching up!

Congratulations MMCPs!

"Ohm"

While in Watsonville last month I was caught napping, I mean meditating, while working with students at the Certification Course. You can’t trust anybody with a phone nowadays. The paparazzi are everywhere!

Happy New Year?

Last month, right around the 4th was the 4th of July. We heard from Kirsten Collins and her horse Hero who, being a six-year veteran of the Masterson Method, was able to handle the patriotic fervor of the celebration without so much as a yawn. Well, actually a few yawns.

Her story sounded familiar and looking back through emails we found Ruth Bourgeois’ account of an orphaned filly named Hope who’d had a similar experience during New Year’s Eve celebrations around her rescue facility earlier this year. Read more about that below.

Mule (Instructor) Month

Instructor Loni Langdon is going to be doing a zoom presentation on working with mules on our Membership Level 2 call on Tuesday, August 24 at 11:00 a.m. CST. She and I will also be reviewing a bodywork session with a mule on September’s Membership Level 1 call.

Loni has a Weekend Seminar scheduled in Oakdale, CA on September 25th and 26th. This course, and her experience, is not limited to mules however, so if you have a mule or a horse you’ve been wanting to learn to do bodywork on, check her course out on the Calendar below. Horses/mules are supplied! You can read more about Loni here.

New Masterson Method Instructor in Texas

We have a new Instructor, Kelly Jefferson, in Georgetown, TX near Austin. Kelly’s been a MMCP since 2015, has organized and assisted at multiple Weekend and Advanced Courses, and is also involved in Equine Assisted Therapies. If you’re in the area of Salado TX on November 6th and 7th and have been wanting to participate in a Beyond Horse Massage Weekend Seminar, those will be your lucky days. Check out our Calendar below and read more about Kelly here.

In the Office

If you remember in April our Operations Officer Kait Willer left to have a baby.

We had to do some shuffling and hiring to cover this event. Part of that shuffling and hiring led us to MMCP Natalie Lerch, who came to us in March as our Administrative and Marketing Assistant. As Marketing Assistant she does an excellent job brainstorming with us on ways to get the word out about the Masterson Method, and as Administrative Assistant she does an even better job of keeping me on my toes and ahead of things. Not much gets by her. You can read about how much she enjoys her job here ; )

Another valuable addition to our team was Bridget Kinnell, who took over the responsibilities of Field Work Administrator from Megan Dushin who, among other things is now our Project Coordinator. Bridget is cool, competent and as you can see, willing to take on jobs of any size. You can read more about Bridget here.

Thanks Natalie and Bridget!

Coming Up This Fall

Looks like it’s back to Lexington this fall for presentations at the Equitana International Horse Expo October 1 – 3, and at the Best Horse Practices Summit October 29 – 31.

Equitana has been putting on Horse Expos in Australia and Germany for years. I made the first of many trips to the Melbourne Equitana in 2008, and to the colossal Equitana Horse Expo in Germany in 2019. Equitana USA 2021 is the first in the US.

Best Horse Practices is a 501-c-3 non-profit organization that brings together the best of equine research and sound horsemanship. Best Horse Practices Summit is an educational conference whose mission is to improve the horse-human connection by providing eye-opening and inspiring academic and arena presentations in a beautiful setting.

The list of presenters at the Summit is impressive. If you’re in the area I would recommend going to both events. I am!

UK-EU-SA-NZ-AUS

As you can see on the Calendar below, there is a lot still going on overseas.

I received a message from MMCP Cathy Koetsier in Norfolk in the UK that she applied for and now has membership in the International Association of Animal Therapists. The IAAT is an international group of animal therapists who work under veterinary referral, and whose objective is to provide excellence in animal therapy. Check out IAAT and Cathy in their register here.

Olympic News

Walter Saxe, our Instructor and Organizer in Germany has two clients who were at the Olympic Games in Tokyo with their horses as substitute riders: Andreas Dibowski (Germany) with Corrida and Sara Algotsson-Osholt (Sweden) with Chicuelo.

Walter reports, "Chicuelo was used in the final Show Jumping competition. Corrida was fit and ready to go but did not have to be used. Both horses will represent their countries at the European Championships in Avenche, Switzerland. I will look after them there and am very much looking forward to it." Go Walter!

Passing of Leona Dushin

Last month while talking about how excited I was about the US Pony Club Festival in Lexington, I introduced you to Leona Dushin, mother of our own Megan Dushin, and District Commissioner of the Garrison Pony Club for 47 years. Leona passed away on July 31st.

"My mom was super passionate about giving kids knowledge about horse care and management, as well as mastering skills handling and riding horses. She always gave lectures during our lunch breaks and brought out her hand-made posters illustrating different breeds, face/leg markings, how to age a horse by their teeth, parts of the horse, parts of tack, etc. etc. She also coached our region's D team at the 1986 USPC Festival in Lexington."

Leona was a supportive and inspiring influence on many young people’s lives, and on the future of the Pony Club. She will be missed by many. You can continue her legacy by making donations to the US Pony Club annual fund in her honor here.

You may donate "in honor of" or "in memory of" and can add Leona's name. If you wish to include a message to Megan and family, you can add a note and Megan's information: Megan Dushin, megan@megandushin.com.

You can also donate to the International Exchange "Quiz" (select under "Designation") and continue through that page.

Leona Dushin at Equine Affaire with Jochen Schleese, talking about the good old days when she was able to get a seven-dollar saddle through Sears and Roebuck.

Thanks to all for supporting the Pony Club and Leona's family during this time.

One of the Pony Club activities at the Festival was the tradition of the hunt ride. This video was captured early on the last morning of the Festival.

We’ll leave you with this:

The Hunt Field at the 2021 US Pony Club Festival in Lexington, KY

RIP Leona Dushin

Until next month, like me,

Enjoy your horses.

Jim

Happy New Year!

Hi, Megan,

Remember Hope, the little orphaned filly (who is now 7 years old and big and healthy!)?

On New Year's Eve here the local tradition is to set off fireworks at midnight and to shoot guns in the air. Sometimes there are a lot of gunshots fired and it is dangerous, scary and annoying. I have come to dread New Year's Eve because of this. Several years ago a stray bullet killed Mandy, my 26 year old mare that I'd raised from a foal, so it is super stressful for me also.

We have 29 equines at our rescue. Every year there's a new one or two and I never know how they are going to react to the noise. So just before midnight, I go up to the barn. After the gunshots die down, I walk the property to make sure all the horses are doing OK. I always stay in the barn because Hope gets very stressed. Most of the horses are OK with the noise. They all pick up on each other's energy and the newer horses figure out it's no big deal when they see the others standing calmly while fireworks are going off in the distance and gunshots, too. For the most part, it's not a problem. Except for Hope.

Hope was orphaned when she was three days old after her mother got out on the highway and was hit by a car. Hope was attacked by a pack of dogs and suffered severe muscle injuries from being bit. She was rescued by a passerby, who brought her to ESS. We raised her, doing the two-hour feedings round the clock with milk replacement and tending to her wounds. As soon as she was strong enough to be out (about three months of age) she always had a companion horse to hang out with, usually an older gelding, so she'd have horse company and socialization. She loves her horse companions and has a lot of self-confidence. But she always gets stressed when there's fireworks or gunshots, like on New Year's Eve.

This year the horse in the stall next to her stood out in his run during the noise at midnight, pretty much sleeping through the whole thing. The two horses in the paddock adjoining her stall were totally calm, not reacting either. But Hope did not pick up on their energy or get any reassurance from them that she was going to be OK. As I stood in the stall with her, soothing her and trying to calm her frantic pacing back and forth, I thought about this and wondered why she was not seeking reassurance from her horse family. Then I realized that from the time she was less than a week old, I was her "family". I had raised her, fed her, tended to her wounds. And also, she was very bonded with my mare that I had lost that New Year's Eve many years ago. Did she remember that? The two mares were very much alike in personality. They were both alpha mares with tons of confidence and every once in a while in the months following Mandy's death I'd accidentally call Hope Mandy. As I was thinking about this, I kept my hands on Hope. She always needed that hands on reassurance while the noise echoed through the barn. This time I put my hand on the spot on her shoulder that is a calming spot I had learned with the Masterson Method. I kept my hand there, watching for her reaction. She was stressed, but after a few moments her eyes started to soften, her head dropped, and she relaxed. She had some nice releases, ending with a big yawn. I was happy to see this. It was freezing out that night and I wanted to go back to the house and warm up, so it was great that her settling down time was much quicker than usual and I was able to leave her, feeling good that she had responded to the touch and was relaxed and mellow again.

I feel like the MM touch helped Hope a lot that night. While the other horses pick up on each other's energy to get through an otherwise stressful moment, Hope looked to me to help her get through it. The MM work made that happen in a more significant and meaningful way than I've ever experienced with her. Usually I'd just stay close to her, trying not to get stepped on as she fussed and fidgeted and sometimes spooked. This behavior would escalate if she were left alone in her stall. This time I stood right with her, and she was calm. I have seen with our other rescue horses how powerful the MM work is, and how it makes a lasting impression on them. So while I am not looking forward to the next time there are fireworks or noise that trigger Hope's anxieties, I am curious to see if she will be as reactive. I am pretty sure that she will be calmer and that, with time, she may not react at all. Ruth

Oops!

We mistakenly "gave" Lisa her certification in the July newsletter...she's in Block 2 of Field Work but feeling very accomplished!

And since she's previewed what certification is like (in Watsonville), we're looking forward to her actual certification "trial by fire" - to happen soon, no doubt!

Sale! Sale! Sale!

Fall Release Sale!

September 3-7, 2021

20% off Light to the Core - Worldwide Streaming

20% off Light to the Core DVD - U.S. only

Don't "blink" - you'll miss it!

What's Up with the Membership?

August Membership Events

Recording Available:

Level 1 and 2 Members

Replay "Live Review with Jim" call recorded Wednesday, August 11

Upcoming:

Level 2 Members

Live Technique Breakdown will be

Saturday, August 21

Upcoming:

Level 2 Members

Expert Hour will be

Tuesday, August 24

Listening to Longears with Loni Langdon

"I thought mules were shoes?"

Upcoming September Membership Events

Level 2 Members

Expert Hour with

Diane Howard

September 10

Level 1 and 2 Members

"One Full Mule Review with Jim and Loni" call will be September 18

Level 2 Members

Live Technique Breakdown of "Farrier Position and Effective Hind Leg Forward Releases" will be

September 23

Become a Masterson Member Today!

MMCPs In the News!

We've had several MMCP's giving demos this summer - we want to encourage you to try this and there are several great resources on the Field Work site. Read here about Alice Long's experience. Next month, we'll have another demo story from Wendy Martin.

"In my quest to help horses and educate owners of the benefits of The Masterson Method, I’ve been really happy traveling to various facilities to share the method by teaching “interactive demos”. Though the month of June was super hot, the workshop at Foxfire Farm in Brandywine, Maryland was a ton of fun and the participants and auditors seemed to really take advantage of the new knowledge and techniques they learned, and the horses were very receptive!"

"The first part of the demo was all about teaching what The Masterson Method is and how it benefits the horse and rider as a team. The participants learned about herd instincts and how the horse survives as a prey animal by guarding and hiding the tension and restriction in their body and how we can bypass the instinctive brace the horse may reveal while using the techniques. They were able to practice the various levels of pressure that the method requires.

After a quick demo of The Bladder Meridian the participants were able to practice in pairs with the horses of Foxfire Farm. Other techniques demonstrated by me and practiced by the participants were things such as Withers Wiggle, TMJ Points, TMJ Release, Scapula Releases, and Lateral Cervical Flexion, just to name a few!

There was a lot of licking, chewing, and yawning happening! And at one point, a participant’s horse was processing so heavily that she buckled her front knees and rested her lower jaw in the sand of the arena for several minutes as if she was in the REM cycle of sleep! For anyone that was there and may have been skeptical, their doubts were swept away by this sight! The owner later commented “I went to a demo with my horse last week and it worked wonders! She (her horse) almost passed out. If someone told me she’d been drugged, I would have believed them. That’s how out of it she was!”

We rounded out the workshop with lots of great Q & A’s, as well as discussing indications that a horse may show that needs bodywork, the benefits of Bodywork and, of course, I informed the participants all about the Beyond Horse Massage Weekend Seminar and The Masterson Method certification journey!

If you’re an MMCP and are interested in offering demos in your area, I highly encourage you to view Dale Grove’s training in the “Networking Calls” of the Field Work site. I patterned my demo in the way Dale taught it and the demo went super smooth and it was a ton of fun! I highly encourage you to offer your horse community a demo and/or workshop! As we teach, we learn!"

Congratulations Alice, owners and horses!

Who's next?

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.

You'll notice we've been adding our MMES Practitioners to this page - this program is growing! Help pass the word to Equine Therapy Programs and treat those horses to some Tender Loving Care!

Brenda Thompson, MMCP,MMES

Loveland, Colorado

Brenda found her love of horses after moving to Colorado in 2005, when she volunteered at a therapeutic riding center in Fort Collins. Since then, she has been soaking up as much knowledge and information as possible, including reading Jim's book "Beyond Horse Massage" during a particularly cold and wet winter, when the conditions precluded riding. She started practicing the techniques and saw an immediate improvement in her relationship with her horse and his general well-being.

Fast forward to 2016 when she became certified to teach therapeutic riding, and then 2019 became certified as an MMES. Now she is excited to be certified as an MMCP and to share this method of bodywork with horses and humans alike!

Phone: 970-567-2812

Email: brenthompson2301@gmail.com

Raelene Paris, MMCP

Cornville, Arizona

Horses have been a part of my life since childhood, starting with a little pony on my great-grandfather’s farm. I wanted to learn everything I could about them (I am still learning every day!) and dedicated my time to reading, studying, and working at local barns to just be around them. I have done some jumping and eventing, and now do dressage and trail riding with my Andalusian mare and Lusitano gelding.

I met a fellow MMCP who I had come work on my horses and I immediately noticed the powerful impact this bodywork had on performance and mental wellbeing. After the first session I knew I had been exposed to something amazing and I immediately wanted to know the why and how behind Masterson Method®!

Horses have a special magic about them and we are so fortunate to have them in our lives. The Masterson Method® bodywork makes you present and aware and provides a means of communication with the horse. It also allows us to give back to the horses who give so much.

Phone: 928-301-0750

Email: integratedtherapysolutions @outlook.com

Facebook: Integrated Therapy Solutions

Instagram: @integrated_therapy

Rachael Tonsmeire, MMCP

Lugoff, South Carolina

Rachael had been riding for most of her life when her first horse, Beau, was diagnosed with navicular. After conventional treatments failed, she was able to get Beau sound with the help of a knowledgeable barefoot trimmer. This experience was significant in transforming Rachael's relationship with horses. Her focus changed from riding horses to helping them heal. Rachael decided to go to school for barefoot trimming and hoof rehab in 2006. This was the beginning of her journey helping horses.

As she gained more experience with rehabbing horses, she found that there was more to restoring soundness than simply balancing the hoof. She recognized that when there is a problem in the feet, that there is often tension higher up in the body as a way of compensating for the imbalances below.

Rachael heard about The Masterson Method® and became curious about this “different” form of bodywork.