by Nikki Kagan Anyone who follows Jim Masterson’s work, as well as those of us who treat horses with the Masterson Method know full well its effectiveness on horses. In fact, it works so well, that I began noticing its effect on people too. When I decided to study the Masterson Method and eventually become…
By Lisa Haldane, MMCP and owner of Avalon Performance Horse and Rider Support In Part One of this series, I talked about what the daily routine is like for cutting horses when they are in a training and show environment. It was descriptive of the life of the horses that show at the highest levels,…
by Crissi McDonald, MMCP When we shut the truck doors and let the dogs jump out of the backseat, our clinic horse Rocky raised himself from a warm morning nap he’d been taking. He pushed on to his front legs, rocked forward, and then got his wobbly hind end underneath him. As he walked toward…
By Lisa Haldane, MMCP and owner of Avalon Performance Horse and Rider Support As many of you know I got certified as a Masterson Method practitioner in 2009 and started teaching weekend seminars over the next few years. Later I developed the online courses that are now offered through Avalon Performance Horse and Rider Support…
Have you ever noticed in training that it is often easier to do lateral work, bending, turning, and lead changes, in one direction than in the other? This may be due in part to a horse’s natural predominance of one side; what is sometimes called, “natural crookedness.” Horses are similar to humans in this respect.…
Jim Masterson was interviewed by Jane Pike on the Confident Rider Podcast. Jane shares: Team, I am so thrilled to be able to share this conversation with you today on my podcast. I’m talking with Jim Masterson about the Masterson Method and how it is we can work with our horse to release underlying…
What if My Horse Tries to Kick me? If he’s tries to kick you, it’s because you’re finding something with your hand that he’s been covering up and blocking out, but now that you’ve found it it’s bothering him. He’s now letting you know you’ve found something uncomfortable. You don’t even have to know what…
Can I do this Wrong? We use techniques with this method that use no pressure or movement, and some that involve different levels of pressure and movement. But they all rely on reading the responses of the horse, and softening when we run into resistance. If you’re doing this then 1) you can’t hurt the…
The most common complaint, in my experience, that inspires a horse owner to request bodywork concerns the perceived inability of their horse to bend properly. As a rider and trainer, I know that a rider’s incorrect body position alone can make it impossible for a horse to bend properly through the body. However, when I…
Article by Becky Tenges, Certified Practitioner, Instructor and Certification Block 3 Mentor ~ Since becoming certified as a Masterson Method Practitioner and Instructor, I have been on a continuing education quest to become a better bodyworker by learning more about anatomy, biomechanics and possible primary causes of discomfort in my horse clients. For a couple…