Welcome to The Art of Riding with Karen Musson
Home Introduction Philosophy Articles Coaching & Clinics Gallery Links Site Map

Coaching Information

Private Coaching
Workshops & Clinics

CLINIC SCHEDULE & SIGN-UP

NEW: DESIGN YOUR OWN
           Clinic or Workshop!
NEW: ON-LINE COACHING
           Sessions

NEW: wider area &
           young horse handling

Karen's coaching style

What to expect from Karen's clinics

Feedback from Students

Contact Karen

Resources for Sponsors

The Art of Riding
Horsemanship Through Feel and Release

NEW: DESIGN YOUR OWN Clinic or Workshop!

See below for Karen's most popular Focus Sessions (FS). Contact Karen about the ones that interest you the most and plan a coaching session, workshop or clinic to suit your needs and budget. You can also just sign up for a clinic or coaching.

Many other topics available!
If you do not see a topic you hoped to cover, request it :)
(Click on arrows for more detailed descriptions)

FS0: Riding Through Feel: What is Feel and Release?

Focus:  When you and your horse have the same idea at the same time, the 'feel' goes both ways. Develop the state of being in which true feel flourishes: full presence, sureness, clarity of intent and meaningful inner energy. Free your horse's unguarded 'try' with a partnership based on feel and release. Understand the nuances in the meaning of release, vs. pressure-and-release, the difference in feel from the horse's point of view, and the positive effect on performance and partnership.

Release Release need not imply the release of preceding pressure, escalating pressure or anything that is uncomfortable. Explore different kinds of release, each affecting the horse differently. Look at the meaning in this, for your horse: what do you mean by what you do?
Partnership based on reciprocal feel Release your horse to your ideas: blend, shape, release. Give him the opportunity to feel of you. Leave the lightness in tact. Make the right thing easy, not the wrong thing difficult. Enjoy a partnership in which your horse seeks to help you (even save you).
The root of the neck is the key to all things! What exactly is the root of the neck? What is its importance and why? Explore how the root of the neck is "the best kept secret" for  true horsemanship and excellent riding: accessing your horse's mind, releasing a magnificent and healthy self carriage, connecting with his instinctive life energy, freeing his movement, balance and more!
Leading up freely on a float The litmus test for your horse's foundation: many indicators are revealed that relate directly to the elements of a great saddle horse. Lead up freely through release... no pulling!

“When it comes to cooperating with the human, we’re talking about the feeling the horse has in every square inch of his hide and all through his mind, as it relates to a human touching him directly or indirectly.” Bill Dorrance, in "True Horsemanship Through Feel", page 2.

“Pressure: This is what we’re trying to get away from, so we might not mention it”, Bill Dorrance, in "True Horsemanship Through Feel", page 346.

“Make it his idea: Say instead, ‘help it to become his idea through feel.’ No talking about ‘make’ the horse do anything. That’s out.” Bill Dorrance in "True Horsemanship Through Feel", p339

“The horse’s mental and physical setups work real close together” Bill Dorrance, in "True Horsemanship Through Feel", page 85.

"That mellow feel is really more about the way his mood and his mind are", Bill Dorrance, in "True Horsemanship Through Feel", page 49.

"Lightness is already in the horse. That’s what true lightness is. It’s just a question of if the person can leave it in there and get it to work for him, because the horse’s preservation is tied right to that lightness” Bill Dorrance, in "True Horsemanship Through Feel", page 336.

FS2: Riding Through Feel: left, right, STRAIGHT -
        direction through feel, not micromanagement!

FS3: Riding Through Feel: accessing all four quarters of
        your horse through feel. Now we're talking!

FS4: Riding Through Feel: the best kept secret of a
        fabulous ride...freeing up your horse's shoulders.

FS5: Riding Through Feel: build in a great stop and
        backup on a float

FS6: Riding Through Feel: trouble-shooting

 

Details of session content are customized to the particular rider/horse combinations in any given coaching session.

Many other topics available!
If you do not see a topic you hoped to cover, request it :)
 

The Art of Riding © Karen Musson 2007- 2010, All rights reserved.

Site layout, page design including color combinations, The Art of Riding, TheArtOfRiding  and Hector's Hill Farm are marks of Karen Musson.
Site layout and design are proprietary to Karen Musson. Web site content is provided for information not for instruction.