The Masterson Method
®
Monthly eNewsletter - November 2018
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Hello All,
On the Road
I just got back from England in October and had some successful (as usual ; ) courses there. The English (and Irish, Norwegians, French, Dutch and Germans) are so eager to learn and easy to teach! We always have good courses in England and I always enjoy teaching across the pond. Our German Instructor, Walter Saxe’s wife, Karin, came to England to finish her Certification in October and is now a Certified Practitioner (hooray!) as did German veterinarian and hoof specialist, Lisa
Packenbusch
. Congratulations, to ALL of our new MMCPs! I’m swelling with pride at the moment. (And no, it’s NOT the
beer!)
We have a new Masterson Method Instructor in England. We've added British horseman Richard Maxwell. Known for his demonstrations helping owners with problem horses, he will also be teaching Masterson Method Weekend Seminars. We’ve scheduled his first course at his training facility in
Suffolk in April
.
As a youngster Max served in the cavalry unit of the
Queen’s Guard
,
an operational regiment charged with guarding the official royal residences in the United Kingdom.
Max was an experienced equine bodyworker before he became a Masterson Method Certified Practitioner and I’m thrilled to have him in our organization. I was excited to learn that he was recently asked to treat horses of the
King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery
. Although he may have had to put some traditional regimental rivalry aside, I’m guessing he was excited about it too. Can’t wait to hear more about it.
We’re also excited to have a new Masterson Method Instructor in the Netherlands. Chaja Kolthoff-Voest operates the
Freestyle Academy Emil Voest
in the Netherlands with her husband Emil. They have an extensive curriculum there, and Chaja will now be teaching Beyond Horse Massage Weekend Seminars at the academy. The excitement keeps on coming!
I’ll be going back to Germany in March
for
Equitana
, where we’ll have a booth and be doing presentations. After Equitana, I’ll be teaching an
Advanced 5-Day Course
there with Instructor Walter Saxe. It will be our first MM Advanced Course in Germany ever!
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More Education
Last winter we had an Educational Conference in Tucson for Masterson Method Certified Practitioners (MMCP's). Coming up in June, 2019, we’re planning an Educational Conference in England for our UK and European MMCP's. This will be held at the
Unicorn Trust Equestrian Facility
in Gloucestershire. We’re working on a line-up of presenters. Pencil in the first few days of June and stay tuned.
Right now I'm sitting in Seoul, Korea - Incheon Airport, and thought I’d catch you up on things here: The barbeque here is good, the beer is so-so. That’s all I have to report from Seoul, because I’m only changing planes here for Sydney, Australia. I’ll be there tomorrow to start a fun-filled 3 weeks in Victoria and S. Australia. The line-up is:
1) We have a Weekend Seminar hosted by Nicky and Andrew Bowe at their rehab facility in Yarck, VIC this coming weekend. (Done)
3) Then, a drive down to Steve Halfpenny’s ranch in Blanchetown, SA for a
mid-week Weekend Seminar
, where Steve and his wife will be hosting a dinner for all participants (maybe around the campfire?). This
will be our first time in SA.
Fall is always a busy month(s) around here.
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Back Home
I had a good week of teaching back home in Iowa in October after the England trip. I was able to teach two Certification Completion Courses at/near my home, certifying elevan new MMCP’s. Pretty soon they’ll be EVERYWHERE! We had two good groups.
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Improving the Certification Program has been a big priority for me this last couple of years. I feel like I’ve been rushing keeping up with the caliber of students who continue to show up to learn this. I feel that we’re now up to a speed that will allow us to serve them better. We’re following this up with an Instructor, Coach and Mentor Conference in February in Tucson, the purpose of which will be to share, train, and of course, have fun.
Part of this improvement is the completion of the long-awaited new Advanced 5-Day Course Manual. It's been a long wait, but now it’s done! I encourage all MMCP's and Field Work students to download it. If you don’t have a password for the online school you can contact
Megan
for access to it. Go for it!
MM Instructor, Lise Lunde, recently presented The Masterson Method Equine Specialist (MMES) Program to a packed room at the International PATH Conference in
Orlando, Florida
. She said that there was a huge interest not just from the Equine Assisted Therapies point of view, but from the perspective of the benefit MMES brings to the horses that are part of equine assisted programs. If you are engaged in this field at all, please go to the
Training page on our website to learn how you can help the horses that help people.
Read more on Lise's experience at the PATH Conference in our MMES section below.
Long-time MMCP Leslie Brooks's
business
EquiHands Equine Integrated Bodywork
was recently awarded Best Equine Sports Massage Service for 2018 by Global Health & Pharma (GHP)! Congratulations Leslie!
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EquiHands Integrated BodyWork was nominated & then vetted by the GHP highly-experienced in-house panel. When discussing her business with GHP, Leslie commented:
“In addition to being certified by Jim Masterson, founder of The Masterson Method, which in my opinion is the best in the field of Equine BodyWork, I am also, certified in Equine Massage as well as Kinesio taping for the Equine. The primary focus of EquiHands is on the cause of muscle imbalance - looking at the entire horse in order to successfully balance him to use his body & muscles correctly.”
GHP’s Animal Health and Wellness Awards acknowledge and reward those who work to support the welfare, care and wellness of animals and to recognize those who have gone beyond their duty of care to improve their health. GHP prides itself on the validity of its awards and winners. The awards are given solely on merit and are awarded to commend those most deserving for their ingenuity and hard work.
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Acknowledgement
I want to acknowledge this last group of MMCP graduates, and all of the dedicated horse-people who have gone through and completed this program. It’s not the easiest program to go through, but you’ve stuck with it and come out as experts in reading and following the horse’s responses to touch, to enable it to release tension in key junctions of the body that most affect performance.
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Canada
Canada Instructor and Coordinator, Mark Fletcher, recently presented at the Mane Event in BC and has been going gang-busters bringing The Masterson Method to all of Canada. His energy and enthusiasm is infectious and inspiring, as can be seen in these photos of his recent first Canadian Advanced 5-Day Course. Congratulations Mark!
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And let’s finish with this short video clip of newly minted MMCP,
Amelia Nalli,
and her horse,
Galina
showing off a “downward dog” stretch in response to the Sternum Lift Technique. When the horse’s awareness is brought to an area that has it been blocking out and holding tension – in this case the sternum/thorax/withers - often the horse will continue the process of releasing by moving and stretching the area that has been stuck. Enjoy, and see you next month.
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Until then, like me,
Enjoy your horses (stretching).
Jim
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We had our first Masterson Method Course in Israel
with Instructor, Nikki Kagan!
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Watch our
Course Calendar
for the next Israel Weekend Seminar coming up, possibly May 2019.
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Belgium Weekend Seminar with Lucie Klaassen.
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Happy horses, happy people!
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One participant said she thought the pictures of ‘yawning horses’ were just a lucky shot.
During the MM workshop she saw that ALL horses were actually yawning ;-)!
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Lucie Klaassen shared, "
Great group of people and happy animals. We had horses, donkeys, dogs and a pig participating ;-)
Thank you Linda for hosting us!"
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Bladder Meridian Technique Demonstrations by
MMCP, Kathryn Reid, in Cheltenham, Ontario and
MMCP
, Lee Ann, Sommerfeld Pittsburgh, PA.
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"My first Bladder Meridian presentation at the Southern Ontario, EAGALA AGM last Sunday. Heard lots of “wow’s” as these 18 ladies witnessed the workshop horses yawn, lick and chew. What a great feeling to know they will go home and release tension in at least 18 horses. The releasing in the equine and the “wow” in the human are more valuable than gold to me. Thanks Jim and Conley for your hard work and dedication to The Masterson Method." - MMCP Kathryn Reid
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"I have been volunteering at Junior Horse Camps teaching kids Bodywork Basics. Primarily Bladder Meridian, Hind End Point work and basic limb releases.
The biggest highlight so far has been when a kid said to me, “ I had no idea horses could be hurting when we ride them.” I have not seen any programs that teach kids about this aspect of horse welfare.
They just love it!! And these hard working school ponies sure need it." - MMCP, Lee Ann Sommerfeld
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October Advanced 5-Day Course in Watsonville, CA
with
Sandy Vreeberg
.
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Upcoming Advanced 5-Day Courses USA:
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On Friday, Nov. 23 through Monday, Nov. 26 only
:
- Register for a USA Beyond Horse Massage Weekend Seminar
- At the checkout, enter coupon code: BestFriday
And receive $75 off a USA Beyond Horse Massage Weekend Seminar!
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Let your friends know!
"This 2-day weekend was incredible! It brings the DVD & Book alive. I would recommend anyone who wants to learn to take the 2-Day seminar. I have learned so much and had so much fun."
~ Nichole Johnson
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*This special is only available for USA Weekend Seminars.
*Only available for purchase on applicable dates.
*Can not be used with other discounts.
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Listening to the Horse
Movie
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The free online premier of
Listening to the Horse
is Nov. 12 - Nov. 18.
Episode 5 is available
for viewing only today! This episode is on bodywork and healing, the importance of relaxation, saddle fit, bit design, hackamores, and animal communication! Jim Masterson is featured in the bodywork section of this episode. :)
Click below to watch for free or to purchase the full documentary.
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Masterson Method Equine Specialist
Program News
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Getting the Word Out - Conferences & Magazines!
Lise Lunde presented and exhibited on The Masterson Method at the
PATH International
annual conference (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) last month. The focus was primarily on the value of this bodywork to improve connection with the horse. She was blown away as her breakout room overfilled and was standing-room only! Some attendees were familiar with the Masterson Method and had been using it with their program horses. She closed the presentation inviting everyone to try the Bladder Meridian Technique with horses that they work with! A special thanks to Cynthia McClellan who volunteered her time at the exhibit booth and shared her experiences with and enthusiasm for The Masterson Method with so many attendees that stopped by, and also to Megan Dushin, who was instrumental in writing the presentation proposal and putting the information, photos and videos into the presentation.
We also just got accepted to present at the
American Hippotherapy Association Conference
March 21-23, 2019 in Lexington, KY together with Linda Frease, a hippotherapy clinical specialist. Our presentation is entitled
Healing Our Horses: The Masterson Method and Other Bodywork Techniques.
We are honored and excited to be accepted as a presenter!
Finally, we have an article,
Listening Through Touch: The Masterson Method Equine Bodywork
, in the STRIDES magazine for PATH members! Megan included stories from three individuals in equine-assisted therapy programs who recently learned the Bladder Meridian Technique with Kelly Jefferson, MMCP and Masterson Method Equine Specialist. Jim also made sure we shared simple steps on how to do the Bladder Meridian Technique
. Special thanks to Stefanie and Rachel at Ride On Center for Kids, a PATH Int’l Premier Center in Georgetown, Texas, and to Vanessa Schmidt, an equine-assisted learning professional in training through PATH Int’l and Natural Lifemanship for sharing their stories. Thanks also to Kelly Jefferson for helping them learn the
Bladder Meridian Technique
!
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March 29-31, 2019
Leesburg, VA
April 26-28, 2019
Liberty, TX
June 14-16, 2019
Ranchos de Taos, NM
About MMES
The Masterson Method Equine Specialist specializes in sharing specific light touch Masterson Method techniques with persons served in equine-assisted learning and therapy programs. By doing this bodywork on horses, participants deepen their connection with horses while also gaining self-awareness and self-regulation skills; meanwhile, therapy horses are tended to through simple bodywork and learn a new way of relating to people. It's a win/win!
Learn more about certification on our website.
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Leg Release with The Masterson Method
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Tension in the horse’s body affects his ability to perform. Help your horse with this technique.
The Masterson Method® is an innovative form of equine massage that allows the horse to release deep, accumulated pain and tension in muscles and connective tissue. Through the use of light touch and gentle movement in a relaxed state, and observation of a range of the horse's responses (these visual and palpable responses tell you what the horse's body is feeling), you'll open doors to improved health and performance while enhancing communication with your horse.
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New Certified Practitioners
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Christi Shultz
Cave Creek, AZ
Christi has always been around animals and had her first horse at the age of 8 years. She grew up on a beef farm in Pennsylvania. Her father taught her about horses at a young age, and to continue learning throughout her life. She has worked at race horse barns and was an active 4H leader in her local 4H group. She was often found at local team penning events with her whole family competing. She worked as a veterinary assistant for 20+ years and later as a practice manager for veterinary clinics. She was introduced to The Masterson Method by a good friend who knew this needed to be the next career step. She started preparing her certification to give back to the many horses she had growing up. After retiring she and her husband moved to Arizona and she finished her certification and started her business adding magnetic therapy to her bag of tools. The Masterson Method is so practical and she sees horses improvement before her eyes.
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Lara Easton
Surrey, UK
Lara made the decision, aged 8, to discontinue ballet lessons in favour of horse riding. Dancing was fun, but horse time of any kind was far more precious; she wanted to be around horses and for horses to want to be around her. A decade of Saturday afternoons were passed at a riding school in Dorney, where the focus for Lara was on connection, rather than competition. She began practicing Reiki aged 15 and would use this on any animals that seemed to appreciate it.
Aged 19, a break from regular horse-time was necessary whilst living in London to complete her dissertation on the subject of non-verbal communication, and graduate with a BSc (Hons) in Psychology and Counselling in 2005. Lacking the life experience to become a counselling therapist at 21 she initially pursued a non-equestrian career in an unrelated field.
Lara was in due course able to enjoy a rewarding connection with a little cob named Shadow who renewed her passion for riding. Time spent close to horses seemed to reverse the negative effects of a stressful office job, and an appreciation for the value of massage and relaxation in general on her own body developed and increased as years passed.
In 2015, after witnessing the effects of a Masterson Method® session, and the desire horses had to participate in the session, she began reading Jim Masterson’s book ‘Beyond Horse Massage’ and practicing elements of the approach.
Now a qualified practitioner, Lara continues to enjoy the process of listening to the horse and following their responses to uncover how best to help them feel, and be, at their best.
Based on the London/Surrey border & will travel
Phone: 07719655415
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Weekend Seminar-Workshop Schedule
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USA Seminars
Saturday, Dec. 1 - Sunday, Dec 2
Wellington, FL
Saturday, Dec. 8 - Sunday, Dec. 9
Callaway, MD
Saturday, February 16 - Sunday, February 17, 2019
Richmond, TX
Saturday, March 2 - Sunday, March 3
Sylmar, CA
Saturday, March 9 - Sunday, March 10
Decker, MT
Saturday, March 30 - Sunday, March 31
taught by Jim Masterson
Nicasio, CA
Saturday, March 30 - Sunday, March 31
Boyds, MD
Saturday, April 27 - Sunday, April 28
Coventry, CT
Saturday, May 18 - Sunday, May 19
Alder, MT
Saturday, July 20 - Sunday, July 21
Watsonville, CA
Saturday, Aug. 10 - Sunday, Aug. 11
Gunnison, CO
Saturday, Oct. 19 - Sunday, Oct. 20
Watsonville, CA
Canada Seminars
Saturday, May 11 - Sunday, May 12, 2019
Rosedale (Chilliwack), BC
Saturday, May 11 - Sunday, May 12
Cobourg, ON
Saturday, Sept. 28 - Sunday, Sept. 29
Rosedale (Chilliwack), BC
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Europe Seminars
Saturday, Nov. 24 - Sunday, Nov. 25
Skanderborg, Denmark
(FULL)
Saturday, February 23 - Sunday, February 24, 2019 (taught in German)
Vierhöfen, Germany
Saturday, March 30 - Sunday, March 31 (taught in German)
Aßlar, Germany
Saturday, April 6 - Sunday, April 7
Suffolk, UK
Saturday, May 11 - Sunday, May 12 (taught in Polish)
Wiskitki, Poland
Saturday, May 18 - Sunday, May 19
taught by Jim Masterson
Warwickshire, UK
Saturday, May 25 - Sunday, May 26
taught by Jim Masterson
Salisbury, UK
Saturday, June 20 - Sunday, June 21 (taught in German)
Australia Seminars
Wednesday, Nov. 21 - Thursday, Nov. 22
taught by Jim Masterson
Blanchetown, SA, AUS
Saturday, Nov. 24 - Sunday, Nov. 25
taught by Jim Masterson
Yarck, VIC, AUS
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Masterson Method Equine Specialist Training
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MMES Training Seminar
Friday, November 16 - Sunday, November 18, 2018
Sherrard, IL
(FULL)
MMES Training Seminar
Friday, March 29 - Sunday, March 31, 2019
Leesburg, VA
MMES Training Seminar
Friday, April 26 - Sunday, April 28, 2019
Liberty, TX
MMES Training Seminar
Friday, June 14 - Sunday, June 16, 2019
Ranchos de Taos, NM
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Masterson Method Collaborative Clinics
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Considering the Horse - Mind and Body
Collaborative Clinic with Mark Rashid and Jim Masterson
April 1 - 5, 2019 Blue Dot Farm,
Nicasio, CA
To register contact: dianneadel@gmail.com 415-847-6878
July 8 - 12, 2019 Happy Dog Ranch,
Littleton, CO
To register contact: happydogranchco@gmail.com 303-915-8531
*Auditing is available, see link above for more information.
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Advanced 5-Day Course Schedule
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USA Advanced Courses
West Palm Beach, FL with Advanced Instructor
Becky Tenges
Monday, December 3 - Friday, December 7, 2018
Watsonville, CA
with Advanced Instructor
Sandy Vreeburg
Monday, January 28 - Friday, February 1, 2019
Wickenburg, AZ
with
Advanced Instructor
Coralie Hughes
Monday, February 25 - Friday, March 1, 2019
Arroyo Grande, CA
with Advanced Instructor
Sandy Vreeburg
Monday, April 29 - Friday, May 3, 2019
Cedarburg, WI with Advanced Instructor
Becky Tenges
Monday, May 27 - Friday, May 31, 2019
Watsonville, CA
with Advanced Instructor
Sandy Vreeburg
Monday, September 23 - Friday, September 27, 2019
Tucson, AZ with Advanced Instructor
Vanessa Helvey
Monday, October 28 - Friday, November 1, 2019
Europe Advanced Courses
Egestorf, Germany
with
Jim Masterson
and Instructor
Walter Saxe
Wednesday, March 13, 2019 - Sunday, March 17, 2019
(FULL)
Salisbury, UK with
Jim Masterson
Monday, May 20 - Friday, May 24, 2019
Salisbury, UK #2 with
Jim Masterson
Monday, May 27 - Friday, May 31, 2019
Australia Advanced Courses
Yarck, VIC, AUS
with
Jim Masterson
Monday, November 26 - Friday, November 30, 2018
Canada Advanced Courses
Fraser Valley, BC with
Mark Fletcher
Monday, May 13 - Friday, May 17, 2019
Cobourg, ON with
Mark Fletcher
Monday, May 27 - Friday, May 31, 2019
Fraser Valley, BC #2 with
Mark Fletcher
Monday, September 30 - Friday, October 4, 2019
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Certification Completion Course Schedule
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Saturday, December 1 - Sunday, December 2
Victoria, AUS
Tuesday, February 5 - Wednesday, February 6, 2019
Tucson, AZ
Saturday, June 1 - Sunday, June 2, 2019
Oxfordshire, UK
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Melbourne, Australia
Saint Paul, MN
Essen, Germany
Rancho Murieta, CA
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Masterson Equine Services
641-472-1312
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