Posted in Advice, Clinics, Stories on Jan 26th, 2012
This week’s post is from guest blogger Kai Mattern.
From riding waves to riding horses
Sports like white water kayaking, surfing and windsurfing took up the bulk of my life, sports that teach you to work together with nature rather than against it and the occasional encounters I had with horses and their riders didn’t match the pictures I had in my mind.
Leading at Liberty
Leading with tack
My background with horses
One day I went for a ride on a dude string which is another funny story I might tell in another occasion, either way it led to me taking riding lessons and some months later to my decision to get my own horse. I bought Oli when he was around 9, he was an extreme horse, a thoroughbred off the track with plenty of go but no whoa. Researching horse training on the internet, I found lots of information on natural horsemanship and for sure this was the path I wanted to be on. One method I tried, was round… Read more
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Posted in Advice, Misc on Feb 17th, 2011
Announcement: Please check back to Tuesday’s blog on the Uberstreichen Class, we have new videos posted.
The conference call was wonderful because of our group and the interesting questions asked. It is so uplifting to be heard and appreciated! Thank you all for your contributions to the call! I am more and more aware that I am making a difference for the horse getting a better deal, and helping the cause of finding other uses of horses from the connection we share with them. They have so much to offer mankind in our evolution, well-being, and life enrichment that they bring to us. We need to take care of the horses we have produced- it is our moral responsibility, and it is important to man’s own salvation. The mind set that would take care of a horse after its practical need for labor and transportation and entertainment is a mind that will help to form peace on the planet.
The Question
Someone on the call asked a question about her trainer who felt that her riding was setting her horse’s training back, and she wanted to know if this is possible. I want to add more to my answer to… Read more
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Posted in Misc on Jan 12th, 2011
Second Annual Free Course, Winter 2011
Introduction to the Course
Today is the first day of my free Uberstreichen Exercises course for the winter! For those of you who are new to this class, I want to send out a warm welcome! For those of you who took my class last winter, welcome back! The schedule for the course and the blog will be the following: Tuesday’s blog will be the Uberstreichen course, and Thursday’s posting will be a regular blog. Now, let’s get started!
A Quick Note: I want to gently remind everyone that since these exercises are my own creation and intellectual property, I own the rights to them exclusively. This class is for you to learn and benefit personally from these exercises on my site only, no permission is given to copy or reproduce this material for any reason.
A Brief History and Purpose of the Uberstreichen Exercises
“Uberstreichen” or more correctly, “überstreichen,” and how I am using it, comes from a term in dressage that means to release the rein or reins to check if a horse is… Read more
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Posted in Lessons on Jan 7th, 2011
My new exercise is called the “Loopty~Loo.” The purpose of this exercise is to bring willingness and a better response to rein aids and leg aids for half halt, collection, lateral aids, and throughness while riding. It will also create trust and a deeper working bond. This exercise is done from the ground. Practice this until it is smooth for a month before you expect to see any results from the saddle. I am very excited in sharing this with you because I know how much it will improve your horse’s response to the riding aids. It will build your connection, your horsemanship skills under saddle, and the horse’s ability to be elastic. An elastic horse is a happy horse!
When you start out, do not practice for more than 10 or 15 minutes at a time, which includes the pauses you take. Begin by having a halter on your horse with no lead rope. You will use the halter to guide your horse around you. You can do this exercise without the halter if you wish. Start the exercise standing next to your horse at his shoulder when your horse is comfortable and would stand with you like… Read more
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Posted in Advice, Misc on Jan 4th, 2011
Announcement: Caribbean Clinic!
It is my hope that my students will take this opportunity to go someplace special to learn my Method with Stina Herberg. I have been working with Stina and her wild horse herd intimately over the last three years. What Stina has learned is very important to the world at many levels. The program that developed from this three-year experience is not to be missed. Stina is officially opening her horsemanship programs at the Richmond Vale Academy and Nature Center in St. Vincent. The kick off will be this exciting new clinic happening on April 4th – 9th 2011 featuring Yoga and Horsemanship in the “Yoga and Rituals for Riding” clinic! The center that is hosting the program is a place that will afford you experiences with horses more magical than you can imagine! I assure you – you will have the experience of connecting with a horse like the boy in the movie, The Black Stallion. St. Vincent, one of the most beautiful places on earth is a paradise of private beaches, tropical flowers, fruit trails, waterfalls, streams, and swimming at the base of waterfalls with horses! I wish I could be there- but all of… Read more
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Posted in Misc on Dec 23rd, 2010
When I was a kid, I had an old horse and he did not know how to do anything but what he was told because of the years of service he was use to. I was not skilled enough to ride him without guidance even though he would do what you told him to. I did not know how to activate the gas pedal and break in relationship to the turning aids, and make the needed adjustments in order to ride a horse. Riding a horse is not an easy matter. Once we learn, it is as easy as breathing, so we easily forget how much we know, how much we have learned, and how much awareness we need to bring to a beginning rider as teachers of horsemanship.
I have wanted to construct a quad where the breaks would sometimes work too sensitively, and range to less and less sensitive, to not working at all-or it might even go faster when applying the breaks. Turning the vehicle would work with the same irregularities. Sometimes I dream of this teaching aid. If any one knows how to create this monster I would love to talk to you about building… Read more
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Posted in Advice, Misc on Dec 14th, 2010
Back at the desk again after our 10-day WRIC and In the Box Program’s First Annual Beyond the Waterhole Rituals™ clinic with nine students. It was an amazing journey! The group was focused, understanding, nurturing, happy, supportive and very willing. I am sure you who were in the clinic are safely back home. I am still resting up. Thank you for bringing your smiling faces and opens hearts.
Over the 10 days, we learned more about who we are, and how we as individuals want to go about approaching our horses, each other, and our lives ahead.
The art of horsemanship starts every day rather than being found at the end of the journey. My Method is so different that it takes some time to catch on in how to train a horse without tack and only in the moments of connection without repromand. Everyone in the class was really comfortable with my method. I was very impressed.
Liberty Training, a word I coined, is a training method that begins at liberty rather than a method of training that ends at liberty. It starts with the first breath, and at the moment you and your horse are in the same… Read more
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