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Flowing Equines

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25.01.2022 This is the kind of ride that can only come from completely trusting your horse and staying out of his way. There are so many subtle ways in which we block our horse from moving properly and pass on the tension from our own bodies into theirs. We must as riders aim to achieve suppleness in our own bodies through our own work off the horse's back if we ever expect harmony with them. And we must trust them completely in order to not hold them back. I certainly don't have this ...good of a ride everyday, but at this time I had been regularly doing yoga and working on my own body, as well as my own mindfulness and my ability to clear my mind of tension and trust my horse. Because I have had this experience, when my horse is not going well, I can be quite certain it is because I myself am not right in my mind or body. I have shared this video before, but I always come back to it to try to remind myself of the feeling I had on this day, and I hope it will serve as inspiration as others go out to see their horses today too. This is a nearly 20yr old horse, who has many soundness issues and at this time was just coming back into work from a paddock injury (hence the slight restriction behind). Trust that your horse will amaze you, ask him to show you what he can do, and stay out of his way :)

22.01.2022 "Stretching keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy, and we need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints. Without it, the muscles shorten and become tight. Then, when you call on the muscles for activity, they are weak and unable to extend all the way. That puts you at risk for joint pain, strains, and muscle damage." -Harvard Health, 2013

22.01.2022 When we hold a belief that we are not good enough, this creates an internal dialogue of judgement and criticism. We practice this dialogue constantly, telling ourselves we are not good enough. Then, when we try to interact with others, this is the dialogue at which we are most practiced. We judge and criticise those we love, our partners, our horses, even in subtle ways, we are telling them that they are not good enough. That what they are doing is not good enough. Change yo...ur belief. Believe that you are good enough, because YOU ARE. Then, this dialogue will disappear. Then you will begin to interact with others, including your horses, in a way that lets them know that you believe they too are good enough. When people or horses feel they are being judged they will not feel comfortable to show you who they really are. When you approach them with love they will show you their true beauty.

18.01.2022 CONNECTION. FREEDOM. MINDFULNESS. Why? Why do you share your life with horses? What do you get out of being around and training horses? I think it is extremely important to ask ourselves this question. ...Continue reading

17.01.2022 Trust that your horse knows what you want and be patient with him. Listen more, do less, notice what your horse is offering. Still your mind, and supple your body.... The more freedom you give the horse, the more they will show you what they can do. Riding is simply the act of staying out of the horses way, mentally and physically. So you must master your own mind and body if you ever wish to master your horse. Today was a really good day <3 Danny is beginning to show beautiful movement through his hocks and his musculature is looking very nice. You can see him become round in these photos. Round is in the back, the movement becomes like a ball rolling over the ground. These are screenshots from a video, which I will share soon. Hope you all had as lovely a time with your horses today as I did!

17.01.2022 I had the most wonderful time with my horse Danny Boy in the paddock and I wanted to share this with you all. I had just propped up my phone hoping to get some footage for myself, but it was such a lovely session I thought I would do my best to edit together the footage even though we were out of the frame a bit. This horse is the greatest teacher I ever could have asked for. He is both a proud and a nervous horse. You cannot force this horse to do anything. If you try, he ...Continue reading

16.01.2022 WHAT DOES CORRECT CONTACT LOOK LIKE? This is my favourite video out there on how to correctly establish contact with a horse and one that I come back to time and time again as a reminder of what correct training looks likes. One of the most difficult but most important skills to develop is the ability to maintain a weight of the rein contact with the horse by following the horse's movement.... It is important not to try to stretch the horse by lowering the hands, which will cause bracing in the horse. Instead the hands simple follow the horse's movement upward until the horse stabilises and chooses to seek the contact downwards until the stretch. When you watch horse's at any level, look to see if the horse is seeking the contact by stretching forward into it, even in higher head and neck positions. Is there a "positive feel" that the horse is taking the contact by stretching forward into, or is the rider taking the contact with backwards tension? It is (sadly) rare to see a horse who is truly seeking the contact, but this is what it looks like. If a horse is working correctly, he will stretch all the way down to the ground when given the length of rein to do so. When the horse is strong enough to carry himself in a higher frame, the sense of stretching forward into the contact should be preserved, and the hind end movement should not be shortened. (bonus, Exemplary rising trot!) Thank you Art2Ride, Karen Loshbaugh, and Will Faerber https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpDnKmbc7Q0

14.01.2022 **update - currently closed for lesson as of 4/8/2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions - exciting things to come once we are all safe to come together again!** FLOWING EQUINES: OPEN FOR LESSONS Classical Foundation Training: Art2Ride Associate Trainer... Hi Everyone, I hope you have all been safe and well during these unprecedented times. I know for some of you have been unable to see your horses as much as you like. As we have steps towards regaining some normalcy here in Melbourne, I would also like you all to have some support in bringing your horses back into work. Classical foundation training is an excellent method for bringing your horse back into work safely, because we always work with the horse at its current level of development, never asking the horse to perform movements that they are not physically capable of in the present. In addition, we focus on developing the horses topline muscles so that they can be safely ridden. Thus, we can bring your horse back into work and get them strong and fit relatively quickly with low risk of injury. In fact, if your horse has had some time off, it is the best time to start this training, because any overdeveloped muscles they may have been previously using to compensate have had some time to relax. If you're interested in trying this method for the first time, please send me a message! For my existing clients, I have missed all of you and I would love to hear updates on how you have been doing. I hope to come see each of you soon. For those of you were planning on attending my clinic that was cancelled when we went into lockdown, watch this space for updates, as it will be rescheduled soon! Let me know if there is a good time for you this year. Kindest regards, Kate

13.01.2022 Wonderful example of a stretch in the trot from my client Riki Steele's mare Zelda! This horse is developing beautifully and is going well under saddle :)

12.01.2022 ATTENTION North Eastern Suburbs - As far as GLENBURN! There is a special opportunity for you to join our Fresh Start Course due to a cancellation in this area. Please let me know (message me through FB) ASAP if you would like to join me!...Continue reading

12.01.2022 Relaxation? Now let's see some energy, athleticism, and pizzaz! Starting to play with the working gaits and some sitting trot too. Danny boy is 20 next month but it seems like he is getting younger every year

12.01.2022 WORK-IN-HAND, LUNGING, & RIDING with my horse Danny Boy Another lovely day in the paddock with my horse Danny Boy. I have been rehabilitating him from an injury for the past three months, and I've recently re-introduced ridden work. I work him in the arena 2-3 days a week and on the weekend we get to enjoy some time in the paddock together, which is currently where he really does his best work. The rehabilitation process started with work-in-hand exclusively for several week...s. In the work-in-hand I am focused on achieving relaxation throughout the horse's whole body, and on moving the horse into the outside rein. I then re-introduced lunging work. In the lunging work I focus on keeping my shoulders relaxed so that I do not send a message of tension down the line. I walk with the horse and send the horse out in front of me, as if I am driving him from point to point on the circle, and I try to keep turning my body to stay with him. I like to introduce a little shoulder fore on the circle to help increase engagement once the horse is relaxed. Finally, I re-introduced the ridden work. My goal with the ridden work is to stay out of the horse's way with my body. If I can achieve this, then it will be identical to the work-in-hand. My focus is on softening my back, stretching up and back with my shoulders, and stretching into my legs. Each stage builds the strength and suppleness the horse needs to progress to the next stage. I hope you enjoy this video. (Music credit: 3 Sérénades, Op.96, composed by Ferdinando Carulli, played by Menecha Casano and Néstor Guestrin)

11.01.2022 Great find by Charmaine-marie Dressage of a rare book with photos of Nuno Oliveira's students stretching their horse's in a walk alongside a his quotes about impulsion!

11.01.2022 Introducing Dony and her 17yo Clydesdale x Appaloosa Pappy! This is their 3rd lesson and we are starting to see Pappy release some of the tension through his topline. It's wonderful to see how he becomes more engaged with the work each session as he realises we are communicating to him an easier way for him to move. These heavier Clydesdale crosses can actually be very sensitive and can really move quite fluidly when they start to open up - so you really can never judge a book by its cover! These two have a very special bond and are joy to work with! Dony Smith

09.01.2022 FRESH START: BRINGING YOUR HORSE BACK INTO WORK SAFE AND SOUND Foundation Training: What is it and who needs it? After a long lockdown in Melbourne, many of us are wanting to bring our horses back into work. But after all this time we have had to reflect, do we want to do things the same way we were doing them before? If you are looking for an ethical and safe way to bring your horse back to work, and at the same time completely restart your horse in a way that will mentally...Continue reading

08.01.2022 VULNERABILITY AND LISTENING I've gotten to the point in my training now where I don't stress over bad days. If we aren't putting our best foot forward, mentally and physically, how can we expect our horse to put their best foot forward? If I have a bad training day (or week, or month!), I focus on finding peace in my life, finding ways to come back to the present moment, to allow my mind to become quiet again. I also focus on getting my body right, for example through stret...Continue reading

07.01.2022 NEW YEAR! New students! New 10% off promotion! Hi everyone!! If you've been thinking about learning classical foundation training, but haven't been able to make it a priority, now is the time! Give your horse and yourself a gift in this new year (new decade!). I'm continuing my 3 lesson package promotion (3x1hr lessons for $130) into January and offering 10% off initial consultations (now $40!) For new students in January only! ... I'm also waving extra travel fees for January up to 1hr 15min out of Melbourne for everyone including existing students! I'm very passionate about helping you and your horse find new levels of relaxation and connection. Learn how to keep your horses sound for the new decade! -Kate

06.01.2022 LEG YIELDS The leg yield is foundational lateral exercise used to teach the horse to take weight on the inside hind. By teaching the horse to take weight on one hind leg at a time, the horse will develop and eventually be able to shift weight to both hind legs together. This exercise also increases the horse's suppleness and flexibility. You can use the leg yield to help get the horse working over his back. Once the horse starts stretching consistently, this will create space... between the vertebrae and you can start working the leg yield properly, asking for some bend through the whole body as Danny demonstrates in this video. In the leg yield, the rider's inside leg impulses in time with the horse's inside hind. Both hands come slightly to the inside, opening the inside rein. The horse should move into the outside rein, which is what mostly controls the yield. The horse's shoulder should stay in the lead, there should not be too much bend through the neck, and the inside hind should cross under. Hope you enjoy this video!

06.01.2022 "CHECKING IN": Are You ACTUALLY Spending Time with your Horse? A 2min Quiz Do you sometimes feel unmotivated to spend time with your horse? If so, ask yourself, when you do see your horse, do you REALLY spend time with them? Here is a little quiz to see if you are really spending time with your horse: *******************...Continue reading

06.01.2022 TESTING THE SITTING TROT I've been really happy with the deep relaxation Danny Boy has found and how consistent he has become on the stretching work! Now I would like to see that he can maintain that relaxation and length through the muscles when more energy is added and when asked to engage more. Through working in a balanced posture in the stretch, he has developed his topline and the overworked muscles he was using to compensate have relaxed. ... With this new strength I can now ask him to start to come up at the poll, just slightly and for short periods at first. I can also start to do some sitting trot to develop those back muscles further. What is important in the sitting trot is that the horse continues to come through with the hind legs, maintains the rhythm, and the back stays lifted and does not drop out from underneath me. When the horse's back is supple and lifted, the sitting trot is actually quite comfortable! It's a good test of whether the horse is working properly or not and how much their back has developed. How many strides can they hold you up for before you need rise again? I also show in this video how Danny can maintain balance now when changing directions in the trot which is a new development. His transitions also continue to improve (I have not worked on transitions, only on improving the gaits themselves). I also show a short leg yield in the walk, where Danny maintains more of a working frame for a moment. And of course, we end in a nice stretchy extended walk! I'm looking forward to exploring more new territory with this horse, and building upon our solid foundation. And I hope to train others in the foundational work so they can explore higher levels with maintained relaxation, proper balance, and topline engagement from their horses to preserve their soundness and longevity. It's my passion! This is my 20yo (next month!) arabian, Danny Boy after 1yr 8mo of rehabilitation work. Enjoy!

05.01.2022 EXCITING NEWS!! ART2RIDE ASSOCIATE TRAINER- FOUNDATION LEVEL Hi Everyone! I'm very excited to announce that I am officially an Art2Ride Associate Trainer. I look forward to sharing more of this classical foundation training with you all! Below is the video I submitted to earn this title, and an endorsement from William Faerber, founder of Art2Ride. Enjoy! " Kate Ann has done an excellent job returning this old boy to health. Everything about this video was wonderful to watch.... She explains very well her thinking behind what she is doing and why. Her position and use of aids has improved immensely. Really great job, I’m very proud of the work you’ve done and welcome you into the ranks of our associate trainers. I think you all will enjoy watching her video as much as I did." - William Faerber Please don't hesitate to send me a message for a chat if you're interested in lessons or have any questions! https://art2ride.com//art2ride-associate-trainer-program/

04.01.2022 Your proactive plan to bring your horse back into training SAFE AND SOUND. Limited spaces. 5 lessons across 10 weeks to build relaxation, top line, and get you back to riding. ...Continue reading

02.01.2022 FLOWING EQUINES - ART2RIDE FOUNDATIONS CLINIC Classical Foundation Training - El Castillo Equestrian Centre April 19th, 2020 Hi everyone, ... Flowing Equines is education for riders and horses to achieve soundness, balance, topline development, relaxation, mental engagement, athleticism, and joy! With the right education, a horse can flow underneath the rider like water, and the rider can simply direct the current a truly harmonious interaction. Art2Ride is Classical Foundation Training, developing the horse's strength, balance, connection, and engagement, one step at a time. I am an Art2Ride Associate Trainer-Foundation level. I will be giving 1hr private and semi-private (2-person) lessons at El Castillo on April 19th. This clinic will focus on foundational principles of how to develop your horses topline, engagement, willingness, and relaxation. Private lessons $100 Semi-private lessons $65 Fence-sitting $20 Lessons can be any combination of ground work (work-in-hand and lunging) and ridden work. *If you would like for me to ride your horse, you must book a private lesson - and note that I will only ride horses that look rideable! Please let me know if you would like a lesson! I'm looking forward to meeting you and your horse! Limited spots available, book ASAP to secure your spot. Kindest regards, Kate

01.01.2022 Congratulations to Riki Steele who is doing a fantastic job bringing her 6yo horse Zelda along. This horse works more consistently over her back with each lesson, and we are starting to really see her lift through her core. She's starting to really engage in the trot work and I'm looking forward to seeing Riki riding this horse very soon! :)