Opening Gaits Therapeutic Riding Center
Providing personal growth through success in therapeutic riding & horsemanship
At Ashvana Stables 401 main road gill, ma 01354 USA 413 863-0002

Connecting With Horses

Relationship with a horse is a connection with a large animal in which you have a mutual partnership. Through yoga, one may reconnect with the body as integral to self, rather than separate from. In turn, it is through an embodied-yogic practice, translated into relationship with the horse, that freedom and partnering with the horse is realized. A new paradigm is being born in which the horse is used as a mirror that demands congruency of body and mind. The horse becomes a genuine partner in the healing process by connecting with something outside of the self, that ultimately increases community consciousness. The horse demands authenticity and congruency of thought and feeling. The horse allows for an understanding of the impact of caring for and safely connecting with another being.

Strong girls, Powerful women

Today we are witnessing widespread violence in U.S. society and globally. Parallel to this trend is a rise in diagnosed mental health issues among youth. Adolescent girls are at a great risk of turning this violence against themselves due to socialization of women in society. As a result, they are often unidentified as “at-risk” as their behaviors/coping mechanisms do not impact others, but instead destroy their own individual essence. Self-harming behaviors such as eating disorders and self-mutilation are examples of turning violence against the self. These are girls and women who do not want to be invisible, but do not know how to be recognized as strong, talented, and full of voice. Her spirit demands to be heard, but the only audience is her own body to which the violence is enacted. Somatic-based learning, such as yoga, therapeutic horseback riding, and equine experiential learning, create an opportunity to reconnect with self and others in a balanced and healthy way. This connection with and compassion towards the self makes it difficult to continue the self-infliction of violence against the body. Integrated Riding offers an opportunity to find your voice, trust your intuition, and nurture your spirit.