About me:
I have owned, ridden and worked with horses for over 50 years.
I have studied the Alexander Technique since 1982.
The Alexander Technique is a discipline which teaches a way of helping the mind and body to work together in the most efficient way. Through increased awareness of balance and good posture the student learns to release tension and develops the means whereby good use and posture can be maintained. It provides long term benefits by reducing wear and tear on joints and soft tissues, and allows the student to identify and correct problems as they arise. Many of the principles of Centered Riding are based on Alexander Technique training.
(www.stat.org.uk; www.alexandertechnique.com)
I have a Master's degree (M.Sc 2006) in Equine Science from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of
Edinburgh.
This unique course delivered a thorough and detailed grounding in all aspects of equine biology;
because of its unique position within a veterinary school there was a strong emphasis on athletic performance, injury and disease, and on
current research into complex conditions such as tendon injury, grass sickness
and laminitis.
Combined with my experience of handling and working with horses, the knowledge gained from this course enables me to be clear about the horse's response to input from the rider, either physical or behavioural. I am also able to assess the influence of factors such as saddle fit, feeding, shoeing and general fitness.
I hold the Stage 3 (Groom's) Certificate of the British Horse Society. (www.bhs.org.uk)
I qualified as a Level I Centered Riding Instructor in 2008, and I achieved an upgrade to Level II in June 2014.
(www.centeredriding.org)
I am committed to continually studying and refining my horsemanship, and, in addition to Centered Riding I have attended clinics with Mark Rashid, Buck Brannaman and Steve Halfpenny, travelled to Vienna for a seminar at the Spanish Riding School, and taken part in courses about Equine Behaviour and Learning. I believe that there is never one way above all others of working with horses, it’s much more about understanding the horse, how we ourselves are, and how we relate to and understand what it is we’re trying to achieve.
Why Centered Riding®?
I began to study the Alexander Technique in the 1980s, and around the same time I discovered Sally Swift's revolutionary book 'Centered Riding'. Its straightforward, simple yet completely fresh approach was like someone opening a door into a new world. Much of Sally's work is based on the Alexander Technique, and she echoes F.M. Alexander's philosophy that good posture and efficient 'use' are crucial to getting the best out of ourselves.
For me one of the most refreshing
aspects of what Sally taught is the idea that riders need to be helped to understand how to do what the instructor is asking, and that, because everyone has different perceptions of how they use their bodies, and different habits, the way each rider understands will be different.
Both my daughters have been successful competitive riders, and many hours spent as
groom has given me plenty of time to watch how horses move, how people
ride, and how horses react to their riders. These observations, plus my
knowledge of the Alexander Technique and my ability to empathise with riders
who perhaps suffer from a lack of confidence, or who have to work at developing their skills, combine perfectly with Centered Riding® techniques to create an approach which is sympathetic to the needs of both horse and rider.
For more details about Centered Riding® lessons click here.
I have studied the Alexander Technique since 1982.
The Alexander Technique is a discipline which teaches a way of helping the mind and body to work together in the most efficient way. Through increased awareness of balance and good posture the student learns to release tension and develops the means whereby good use and posture can be maintained. It provides long term benefits by reducing wear and tear on joints and soft tissues, and allows the student to identify and correct problems as they arise. Many of the principles of Centered Riding are based on Alexander Technique training.
(www.stat.org.uk; www.alexandertechnique.com)
I have a Master's degree (M.Sc 2006) in Equine Science from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of
Edinburgh.
This unique course delivered a thorough and detailed grounding in all aspects of equine biology;
because of its unique position within a veterinary school there was a strong emphasis on athletic performance, injury and disease, and on
current research into complex conditions such as tendon injury, grass sickness
and laminitis.
Combined with my experience of handling and working with horses, the knowledge gained from this course enables me to be clear about the horse's response to input from the rider, either physical or behavioural. I am also able to assess the influence of factors such as saddle fit, feeding, shoeing and general fitness.
I hold the Stage 3 (Groom's) Certificate of the British Horse Society. (www.bhs.org.uk)
I qualified as a Level I Centered Riding Instructor in 2008, and I achieved an upgrade to Level II in June 2014.
(www.centeredriding.org)
I am committed to continually studying and refining my horsemanship, and, in addition to Centered Riding I have attended clinics with Mark Rashid, Buck Brannaman and Steve Halfpenny, travelled to Vienna for a seminar at the Spanish Riding School, and taken part in courses about Equine Behaviour and Learning. I believe that there is never one way above all others of working with horses, it’s much more about understanding the horse, how we ourselves are, and how we relate to and understand what it is we’re trying to achieve.
Why Centered Riding®?
I began to study the Alexander Technique in the 1980s, and around the same time I discovered Sally Swift's revolutionary book 'Centered Riding'. Its straightforward, simple yet completely fresh approach was like someone opening a door into a new world. Much of Sally's work is based on the Alexander Technique, and she echoes F.M. Alexander's philosophy that good posture and efficient 'use' are crucial to getting the best out of ourselves.
For me one of the most refreshing
aspects of what Sally taught is the idea that riders need to be helped to understand how to do what the instructor is asking, and that, because everyone has different perceptions of how they use their bodies, and different habits, the way each rider understands will be different.
Both my daughters have been successful competitive riders, and many hours spent as
groom has given me plenty of time to watch how horses move, how people
ride, and how horses react to their riders. These observations, plus my
knowledge of the Alexander Technique and my ability to empathise with riders
who perhaps suffer from a lack of confidence, or who have to work at developing their skills, combine perfectly with Centered Riding® techniques to create an approach which is sympathetic to the needs of both horse and rider.
For more details about Centered Riding® lessons click here.