I have a lifetime love affair with horses – from age 6 riding Arabians in Persia, subsequent formal lessons in the UK, horse ownership and competing, to training with the British Horse Society as an Instructor back in the late 80s, to more compassionate approaches to training and connection, to equine bodywork.
I managed several yards in the south of England, working with driving horses, polo ponies, school horses and dressage stars.
I moved to Canada in 1994 bringing my beloved Welsh Cob with me. My equine activities switched to a more personal level while I spent ten years in IT. A startling life event prompted me to escape to my real self… to a path of teaching and practicing Yoga and Thai Massage. I maintained my equine interests, but my life underwent dramatic changes and I found myself traveling the globe, sharing my holistic skills, occasionally getting to ride horses in exotic places like the Philippines, Tanzania, Hawaii and Andalusia.
The principles of Yoga and Thai Massage fundamentally overlap with the principles of relationship-based horsemanship and equine bodywork, something that I leaned into more over the years. I moved from the old BHS style of handling horses to a more sympathetic training and riding style. I began to incorporate aspects of holistic bodywork, communication and awareness. I picked the brains of many professionals in the equine world and eventually landed on The Masterson Method® of Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork as a path to follow to gain more certification and validity in the Equine professional field. As my practice of Thai Massage for humans brings deeper levels of healing than most table massage, thus does MM often go deeper for horses.
The way in which The Masterson Method® works with, rather than on the horse, is what makes it fundamentally so effective. While other bodywork practices can be hugely beneficial and efficient at keeping horses working, I believe MM offers another level of integration. We allow the horse to dictate what happens, we work cooperatively with the horse and their parasympathetic nervous system to encourage fundamental changes.
I bring my experience, connection and empathy to my work with every horse. I am learning with every horse I meet, and relish the opportunity to bring softness, relaxation and release of tension to each, enabling improved performance and quality of life.