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October 2019 Newsletter.

Hi Guys

I can’t believe we are into October and the latter part of the year already.

In September we finally had the Building of Jane workshops and I have to say that I and the other attendees were blown away by how much detail and information flowed over that weekend. I see so much more detail now in the horse in my lessons, it’s like my eyes now have an x-ray quality to see so much more.  A number of people who couldn’t attend have requested we run it again, and if there is enough interest, I would consider bringing Anita over again from Qld, so I am taking expressions of interest in doing a workshop in 2020.

Here is a video of us building her at the last workshop.

The next 2 months are going to be a great learning time for myself as I attend a number of educational opportunities to keep expanding my own knowledge and skills.

Carl Hester, a rider and trainer I think everyone holds in high regard, is coming to Perth so I am going along to watch his master class.  I’m sure most of the horse fraternity will be in attendance hanging on his every word in awe.

I am then attending the Belinda Bolsenbroek master class, and I can’t wait to work with her again and fine tune and absorb her depth of knowledge.  Due to a clash in dates, I had to forfeit one of my own favourite venues to attend this clinic, but I know it’s worth it as everything I learn, I will hand on to my students.

Straight after the Belinda Bolsenbroek Clinic I will be travelling to Mackay and then Canberra, before returning to New Zealand to work once again with Jennifer Abdelnoor on 3 clinics.

Finally, while in New Zealand in November I will be attending a Coaching Training with Mary Wanless and watching her coach a 3-day clinic.

So, if you want to cram in a lesson before I leave on the 27th Oct please contact me, or book into a clinic. Im only get back late on Saturday 30th Nov.

For those of you that don’t look at FB I thought you may like to read my latest blog.

Working with ‘Energy’ and your horse. 

At my recent clinics in Darwin the subject of ‘energy’ came up for some great discussions. As a result, I thought it would be useful to share some of my basic ideas on working with ‘energy’ and your horse.

I like to keep all my lessons in a good energy space for both horse and rider. This is a place where it is encouraging the relaxation of the mind and body of both the horse and the rider. This is where it needs to be, and then the harmonious dance between the horse and rider can begin.

Energy can also be translated into the emotional state of your horse or yourself. A horse’s energy might be UP in a number of ways – nervous, excited, happy, quick, wanting to please or even sad or depresses. Or, it may be DOWN – dull, slow to react, soured, depressed, shut down.

Horses, like people, can have high or low energy and they can both have this in a positive or negative way. Noticing how your horse’s energy is and then how your own is, is an interesting observation – if the energy of your horse is in the negative form, changing your own energy or emotions can start to bring the horse into a more positive space for training and spending time with each other.

‘Up your energy’, what does it mean? I’ve often heard people talk of lifting their energy. When they demonstrate it, I observe the front of the body lengthening in a negative way and holding an upward breath into upper rib cage, resulting in their centre of mass/balance being too high and making them unstable. Also, ‘upping’ the energy is sometimes translated into an aggressive response from the rider. In the end, it’s going to be left to the interpretation of each person how they will respond.

I like to think of lifting my emotions to joy, excitement like butterflies in my tummy, expansion of breath into my tummy and back. It all depends on the horse’s energy as to how I would use mine. When the rider’s energy and the horse’s energy in synchronised, both come into flow, and flow happens when you both listen to each other and match each other’s energy in a positive, supportive way.

So how does it affect you? What does it do to your breathing – is it carried up, short, quick or do you lengthen your front? If you are told to ‘up your energy’ can it be not in an aggressive form but rather in the form of excitement and encouragement? With internal excitement, body language and voice of joy or happiness, for example “yay, good boy”. If you lower your energy how does it translate – are you heavy in the saddle? How does your breathing change? Can you empty your lungs with an out breath through pursed lips to contain the internal pressure (barometric pressure) and soften your tone without collapsing down onto your horse, so he does not hollow and push his hind legs and pelvis out the back? Do you use low tones in your voice, for example in the form of a deep hum down to your diaphragm?

This is only a small portion on the subject of ‘energy’. I am always intrigued and curious about how this plays out between horse and rider and I would love to hear your thoughts on it. I would love to hear how working with your energy with your horse has played out and what changes were made.

Up and coming clinics for October:

4th Oakford. Pm into the evening.

5th Oakford. All day and back to our old format. You are welcome to join us for lunch. Clinics accommodate 9 riders per day, in private 45 minute lessons, with/without video feedback and mini-workshop at lunchtime and then again at the end of the day.
Clinics can be structured to enable riders to leave shortly after their lesson if they are under time constraints, and will ride early or late in the day, or stay for the day to watch other lessons and participate in the video feedback/ mini-workshop.

11-12th AHAA club contact the club to book.

18-20th Albany

29-30th Mackay Qld.

Clinics for November:

1st-2nd Canberra NSW.

Booking details for all clinics are on the website www.annmontgomery.com.au

Happy Riding