as we go down the rabbit hole of exploration of what it means to be in relationship with our horses, ourselves, and the training process.
Do you feel like there’s more to riding than just the “riding” part?
Have you gotten glimpses of an inner world that you could explore within yourself and with your horse?
Have you felt that within that space there is so much you could learn about yourself and develop within your relationship with your horse?
But have you found that you talk yourself out of that…
“No, people will think I am crazy?”
“That’s not going to get me further in my training.”
“I don’t want to be the only one doing this. I don’t want to do this alone.”
Well, let me tell you…
Join us for an intensive Masterclass series with Catherine McCrum and Shana & Thomas Ritter where we will be exploring these concepts and more. Together.
In 2019, the Aware Rider Program was created by Catherine McCrum, Thomas Ritter, and Shana Ritter as an online learning experience for those who understand that their own health and well-being ties into the health and well-being of their horse.
It was created as a safe, nurturing space to explore out-of-the-ordinary conversations about the physical-mental-emotional realm of experience with horses.
This is a conversation about the conversation we have with our horses.
In 2024, we are doing it again for the fourth time...
In this, our fourth course of The Aware Rider series, Thomas, Shana, Catherine, Charlotte and Yvonne are delighted to continue the ‘conversation about the conversation you have with your horse’.
The 11- week course is all about how to ‘be’ with your horse so they really enjoy being with you. The aim is a happy horse who actively seeks contact with you AND enjoys the training process. And who doesn’t want that!
Combining an exploration of mind-body theories with the practice of Feldenkrais lessons, you will learn new and practical ways to develop your sensory awareness, be more present in the moment, and communicate with your horse so that they feel heard, respected and understood.
We will be concentrating on developing the particular qualities that create the foundations for a joyful partnership between horse and human. There will be six live meetings on zoom with Catherine, Thomas and Shana and, new for 2024, we will also hold two live panel discussions with surprise guests on The Aware Rider themes that most interest you.
In addition, Catherine will teach a second “Awareness Through Movement” Feldenkrais lesson, and Charlotte Rhonwen Zetterberg is creating a series of Feldenkrais audio lessons designed especially for this course called ‘Lose your Mind and Come to your Senses’. And finally, Yvonne Lübcke will be bringing her unique and invaluable insights to equine communication.
Intrigued? Join us!
"…our nervous system, as well as our body, works to restore equilibrium rather than to keep it. The structure and the function of the nervous system provide the principles and the means to guide us to efficient use of ourselves. This is essential if we are to learn to function in harmony with ourselves.’'- Moshe Feldenkrais
Week 1 -
Developing a mutually enjoyable partnership (relationship) with your horse
There are few things more enjoyable than seeing your horse lift his or her head in the distance, recognise that it’s you and come over to greet you. In Week 1 we will discuss how to become the person your horse most loves to be with and consider what might go wrong when our human attributes interfere in the process!
Friday, March 15 - Full Length ATM Lesson 10:00am GMT
Monday, March 18 - Discussion & Short ATM Lesson 6:00pm GMT
Week 2 -
A dialogue not a monologue - walking in your horse’s hooves
Horses communicate through their senses and body language whereas people love words and thinking. In this week, we will explore how you can become more horse like in your movement, posture and sensory communication.
Friday, March 22 - Full Length ATM Lesson 10:00am GMT
Tuesday, March 26 - Discussion & Short ATM Lesson 6:00pm GMT
Week 3 -
Mind/Body communication - an embodied and whole-hearted approach to training
The quality of our presence affects those around us and that includes our horses. There are times we need to increase our presence, while at others, we need to know how to be smaller. This week we will play with changing our size, width, length - you name it, we'll explore it!
Friday, April 5- Full Length ATM Lesson 10:00am GMT+1
Tuesday, April 9 - Discussion & Short ATM Lesson 6:00pm GMT+1
Friday, April 12 - Panel Discussion - 6:00pm GMT+1
Week 4 -
Be Present - Seeing, sensing and engaging with your horse’s world
Week 4 takes us into the realm of present-moment attention, living in the here and now, and learning how to observe from a different stand point to our usual familiar place. An absolute necessity if we want to deepen our understanding and experience the sensory world of our horses.
Friday, April 26 - Full Length ATM Lesson 10:00am GMT+1
Tuesday, April 30 - Discussion & Short ATM Lesson 6:00pm GMT+1
Week 5 -
Finding the focus (yet remaining adaptable!)
It's important to know what your aims are and to understand those tasks which will help rou to reach them. Sometimes though, it's hard to identify what we truly want. In this week we will work together to clarify what motivates you to ride, why you want to be with horses, and how to keep on going when the going gets tough.
Friday, May 17 - Full Length ATM Lesson 10:00am GMT+1
Tuesday, May 21 - Discussion & Short ATM Lesson 6:00pm GMT+1
Week 6 -
Happy Horse, Happy Rider
Do you allow yourself to feel satisfied with your work? Do you end a session with a sense of completion? In this last week we will discuss how in our action-oriented world, it really pays off to to slow down, pause, and savour those moments when your work is done for the day. It’s in the 'space between' that we can find the clarity for the next creative moment to emerge in the training process.
Friday, May 24 - Full Length ATM Lesson 10:00am GMT+1
Tuesday, May 28 - Discussion & Short ATM Lesson 6:00pm GMT+1
Friday, May 31 - Panel Discussion - 6:00pm GMT+1
The course will run from March 15 - May 31, 2024
This is a 6-module course, however, there are break weeks incorporated into the schedule which take the overall duration to 11-weeks.
Each week will cover a different theme. We open each week with a discussion (followed by an ATM lesson) about the topic for the week. We will explore concepts, share experiences, and invite thought-provoking exploration. All sessions are held on Zoom, all are recorded and downloadable afterwards.
In this case, "ATM" doesn't stand for Automatic Teller Machine. 😆 ATM refers to a Feldenkrais "Awareness Through Movement" lesson. It is not mandatory to show up live for these lessons, although we encourage you to do so if you are able. All of these lessons are recorded and downloadable. You can do these lessons as many times as you like (and we hope that you do!).
Feldenkrais is mindfulness in action, and this is what it can do for your riding:
• Develop science-based strategies to learn what the talented riders just "Do."
• Change your movement patterns and improve your riding.
• Address your habitual way of moving and open up for the new.
• Learn how to make choices with awareness while riding.
• Discover how to act with choice rather than compulsion.
• Experience how the smallest movement in one part of the body changes the whole body, and how doing less can get you more.
• Achieve better coordination, focus, and harmony with yourself and your horse.
While we encourage you to attend LIVE as much as possible, it is not required. Every session is recorded, and there will be ongoing discussion in the Facebook Group for as long as the course remains ongoing.
Week 1 - Developing a mutually enjoyable relationship with your horse
Friday, March 15 - Full Length ATM Lesson 10:00am GMT
Monday, March 18 - Discussion & Short ATM Lesson 6:00pm GMT
BREAK WEEK
Week 2 - A dialogue not a monologue
Friday, March 22 - Full Length ATM Lesson 10:00am GMT
Tuesday, March 26 - Discussion & Short ATM Lesson 6:00pm GMT
BREAK WEEK
Week 3 - Mind Body Communication
Friday, April 5 - Full Length ATM Lesson 10:00am GMT+1
Tuesday, April 9 - Discussion & Short ATM Lesson 6:00pm GMT+1
Friday, April 12 - Panel Discussion - 6:00pm GMT+1
Week 4 - Being present
Tuesday, April 23 - Discussion & Short ATM Lesson 6:00pm GMT+1
Friday, April 26 - Full Length ATM Lesson 10:00am GMT+1
BREAK WEEK
Week 5 - Finding the Focus
Tuesday, May 7 - Discussion & Short ATM Lesson 6:00pm GMT+1
Friday, May 10- Full Length ATM Lesson 10:00am GMT+1
Week 6 - Happy Horse, Happy Rider
Friday, May 24- Full Length ATM Lesson 10:00am GMT+1
Tuesday, May 28 - Discussion & Short ATM Lesson 6:00pm GMT+1
Friday, May 31 - Panel Discussion - 6:00pm GMT+1
Honestly, you don’t even need to own your own horse to take this course. You only need to have an open, inquisitive mind and a desire to explore deeper into the possibilities of relationship with yourself, the horse(s) you interact with, and your riding.
As far as tech, you will need a device such as a computer, tablet, or phone. You will need an internet connection and access to your email account to receive your login information. You will need a web browser to access the recordings and Facebook Group. You will need to download the free zoom software to attend the live sessions.. Any issues along the way, just email our team and we will try to do everything we can to help you.
6 Weekly Themed Discussions (Live)
On topics designed specifically to inspire your curiosity, exploration, and inspiration. We invite you to join us to explore out-of-the-ordinary topics that will enrich your relationship and riding experience. Within each discussion, there will be a short Feldenkrias Awareness Through Movement (ATM) Lesson to help stimulate the mind and senses. Hosted by Catherine McCrum and Thomas Ritter.
6 Full-Length Feldenkrais ATM Lessons (Live)
To round out each week, there will be a full-length Feldenkrias Awareness Through Movement (ATM) Lesson to help you develop awareness of how the ways you think, feel, sense and move impact your riding, your relationship with your horse, and your life. Taught by Catherine McCrum.
2 Panel Discussions (Live)
Something that you want to hear more about? We have included two live panel discussions with surprise guests. So you can look deeper into the The Aware Rider themes that most interest you.
And more...
6 Mini Feldenkrais Lessons
An additional series of short Feldenkrais lessons especially for this course titled 'Lose your mind... and come to your senses' designed to do exactly that!… Get you out of “thinking” mode and more into “sensing” mode. These are integral tools to help you step out of the endless chatter of the mind and experience the sensory world, just like your horse does. Pre-recorded lessons taught by Charlotte Rhonwen Zetterberg.
6 Weekly Insight Lessons
Relationship-building exercises you can do with your horse which will help you develop your partnership in a fun, inquisitive way that helps support the working alliance between you and your horse. Building consent, learning from the horse, and nurturing the horse’s role in the partnership. Lessons taught by Yvonne Lübcke.
Exclusive, Private Facebook Group
For the full length of this course, there will be much to share, discuss, and explore. This is why we have created a special space for the discussions that will happen outside of the live sessions. Within this nurturing community, you can share your interactions with your horse, the results of your lessons, ideas or thoughts that bubble up through the process, as well as document your journey of exploration with your horse. You will be surrounded by a group of like-minded explorers, who share your interest in exploring the extra-ordinary realms of relationship, communication, and partnership with horses. This Facebook Group is exclusive to the 202 live run of this course.
The Aware Rider Podcast
Every audio/video lesson and live session recording will be put together into a podcast you can access from any device, so that you can listen to the lessons anytime, anywhere, as many times as you like. You want to listen at the barn, while riding, on the drive to the horses, or while walking the dog or cleaning the stable? THIS is for you.
Aware Rider 2024 begins on Tuesday, March 12, 2024.
00
DAYS
00
HOURS
00
MINS
00
SECS
“As sure as ferrets are ferrets” Guarantee
We hope you will love this program. You will have a full 2 weeks from the start date of the course (until March 28) to see if it is right for you. If it doesn’t resonate with you, just let us know and we will refund your money. No hassles. No hard feelings.
Aware Rider 2024 Enrollment Options
