“Learn about yourself as you learn about nature”
At Riverland Horse Farm we are passionate about connecting people to nature: and what is closest to nature than the spirit and feel of a horse?!
Our vision: combining the psychology of natural horsemanship and healthy dressage
Through horsemanship exercises we invite our clients to learn about horses, the way they think and how they learn. Our goal is to help you create insights into how to you can manage your own body, mind and emotions to create a harmonious conversation with your horse. This is possible from the ground or in the saddle: through natural horsemanship exercise, dressage work in hand, bridle-less riding or riding exercises with cavalletti.
Our goal is for students to learn about themselves through the system of natural horsemanship and combine this with healthy athletic exercises that combine dressage training and rider biomechanics. When there is harmony, you can build your partnership, improve balance and transform your training into a playful dance with your horse!
NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP: a natural approach to horse training
Elena specialized over the years in teaching natural horsemanship through the Parelli Natural Horsemaship program (as a 2* star instructor). Natural horsemanship teaches expertise and success with horses based on the way horses relate and communicate in their natural world.
Based on respect for and love of horses by understanding horse nature and psychology the natural horsemanship enables anyone at any level to have fun with horses and achieve amazing results naturally.
To know more about the Parelli Program visit http://www.parelli.com/ The ABC of the Parelli: Do you know The Seven Games? We will learn together!
DRESSAGE for the horse and rider
Dressage is training that makes a horse supple, balanced and strong. Learning and practicing dressage movements or patterns raises the body awareness of both horses and riders. But whether you love dressage for it’s qualities as an Olympic discipline, or you enjoy more basic riding but want your horse to have more chances of being injury-free, balanced and healthy: dressage can be used as a therapeutic practice!
For the rider: focusing on dressage is a careful practice to becoming better at knowing the strengths and weaknesses of your own body. In combination, through the practice of different exercises, the aim is for the rider to also become aware of how the horse’s body is moving. For the horse: dressage is learning to connect to the rider’s suggestions, and become increasingly aware about moving in a healthy way.
Just like physiotherapy, in dressage we want to check that the horse’s body and the rider’s body can move freely, strengthening, lengthening, or flexing to reach a whole range of new movements. The goal of the process is to have horse and rider mindfully develop into a well-balanced combination. The horse becomes an expert at carrying the rider’s weight and the rider an easy weight to carry!
Horsemanship lessons…
Would you like to learn more about yourself?
Horses are a great mirror!
Horsemanship lessons are not only about horse training…
You will learn about how you communicate and your leadership style
You will learn about team work and building a relationship