What I found most helpful: first explaining what you want to do and why it helps specific issues, then doing the video demonstration is key! Ending each section with a test of knowledge helps organize my thoughts and solidify the process. This online class is done VERY well – much more information on “how to” than the Beyond horse massage video. I liked that he had difficult horses to work on – as that is much more realistic to what I find in the barn when helping others with their horses.

What I Experienced: I found that I needed to soften even more…. especially the hind end work.
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What I found most helpful: I love the videos because it gives me a good 3 dimensional picture of what to do and what’s happening with the horse.

What I Experienced: Amazing! Everything from blinking to whole body stretching and lots of great relaxation and deep breathing. I’ve also seen a difference in the way my horse is moving and a lengthening in his stride and he’s no spring chicken! He’s had a lifetime of work and stress and injuries and even with acupuncture, chiropractic and massage, I’ve seen more profound responses in him with this work. He’s a rather stoic horse who doesn’t show a lot and he’s become much more demonstrative. I love it, thank you!
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What I found most helpful: I am amazed at how these simple techniques can make a difference in how comfortable my horses are after I work on them.

What I Experienced: The first time I got a huge release from my horse was so rewarding for me. Even my trimmer has noticed a difference when she’s working on their hooves. They stand much quieter, are less resistant and better able to stand and balance on three legs while she’s working on them.
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What I found most helpful: What I found most helpful about the Beyond Horse Massage Home Study Course was being able to watch Jim work on horses while teaching folks in his methodology. Nothing like being able to watch the “Master” at his craft. Lorre was my weekend seminar instructor and there were things that Jim presented in the home study course, that I just didn’t hear or see during that weekend with Lorre (no offense to Lorre please). Additionally, in preparing for the 5 Day Advanced Course I wanted to review my understanding of the materials, practices and anatomy so I would feel confident moving forward into the next course. The online course helped me see where I needed to review & how to tweak some of the ways I applying the methods.

What I Experienced: It’s been really interesting seeing how different animals react, release & where/when those releases occur. Generally I have to say that in practicing the techniques, I’ve been so surprised by how light a touch it takes to unlock tension. Some techniques have been easier for me to practice than others. For example, I’m having good luck with head up but not such positive results with under the scapula release. After watching Jim work under the scapula in the on-line course, I’ve had better luck.

Recently, I’ve been playing a lot with TMJs, just putting my fingers on the junction and WOW the yawns just start happening. I’m fascinated with how little touch is needed to signal the nervous system to be effective. It’s like magic!
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What I found most helpful: The book was very informative and I enjoyed the home study course as a review after reading the material and practicing on the horse(s). I liked the videos because they actually show Jim (and volunteers) working on the horse. I seem really grasp the information better with viewing the videos.

I ordered the book first and then shorty after ordered the video. If I did it over I would have ordered both at the same time because they compliment each other.

What I Experienced: It is just awesome to see the horses release with the Masterson Method whether they be more outward responses by a horse who will release easily in your presence or even with the horses that are more shy or stoic in their release… of course I prefer horses who have a more visible release because that gives me better feedback that I have done a good job in helping them let go of stress and tension.

My experiences have made me realize I need to improve on wiggling when doing lateral cervical flexing and I need to get some tips from Jim on working with bigger horses. I meant to do that in the 2 day; especially when doing the lateral Cervical Flexion but I forgot to follow up on that at the end of the course.
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What I found most helpful: Watching Jim perform the techniques on different horses, seeing how they respond and how he then proceeds with the technique. His explanations are very helpful and I like how he reiterates important points throughout the sessions

What I Experienced: I’ve been working with this Method for about 1 year now on 8-10 horses per week and feel like I am gaining a better understanding of the method all the time.
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What I found most helpful: I’ve been working on reactions to the lightest of touch and release to engender responses both in training and for health issues. For me it’s wonderful to find that I’m traveling in the right direction. It’s pushed me further down the road to understanding more about the use of relaxation techniques and its connection with the nervous system. At first glance, it looks rudimentary, but actually it has an amazing impact on the whole horse and there’s a lot happening under the surface both with the superficial & deep muscles as well as aiding the physiological balance of the whole body.

What I Experienced: I worked on a mare who was extremely heavy and stiff in hind, particularly the left hind. She had very positive responses particularly to massaging the poll area especially with the the head down. She was tighter with the head up. When I got to the back she lifted her hind leg and directed my hand to the abdominal obliques, as I felt my way backwards I found the semitendinosus, semimembranosus & gracilis muscles very tight. After working on the hind end junction she seemed a lot happier and I was able to get some great releases as she dropped her pelvis. She stayed with her legs both forward and inwards as well as crossing over in the backwards position for some time before returning to normal stance.
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What I found most helpful: My wife, Chantal Holder (Nee Labuschagne) trained under Jim at Red Barn Stanford and then went on to assist Jim on a course in Ireland. Chantal has showed my the method and I have used this for some time so the course really gave me so much more information and I found the whole course to be extremely helpful and worthwhile.

What I Experienced: When putting into practice what I have learned from each section, I found that I was getting better and more releases than before
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What I found most helpful: Being able to see the techniques live with the practical explanation. What I Experienced: Excellent, the horses all released and gained benefit

What I found most helpful: Repetition is how I learn and I appreciate being exposed to the same material more than once in different ways. Makes me curious to know who designed all of the Masterson Method teaching materials. It appears to have some science behind it.

What I Experienced: I’m continually amazed at the variety of responses a horse will express. My “latest, greatest” was with a quarter horse gelding who’s lately become stiffer in the front end and the stiffness was starting to show up in the hind end. After doing the bladder meridian and hind end points, and he just showing me some fidgets and an occasional single lick, I stepped back about 15 ft. from him with the owner. After about a minute he brought his front legs back toward his hind legs, squared up with the legs about half the front-to-back distance he’d normally stand with, extended his neck and stretched his nose to the sky until his neck was extended slightly PAST vertical, held the position for a good 10 seconds, let out a huge sigh/grunt, came back to a normal stance with head down, licking some. The owner had never seen the horse do this before. And, oh yeah, he’s performing well now.
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