Easier Movement, Happier Horses Mary Debono

Injury keeping you out of the saddle? Learn actionable steps to help you stay connected to your horse, facilitate your healing, and improve your horsemanship. Learn about mindful movement, mental training, and creative ground exercises.Use your recovery time to deepen your connection with your horse and come back to riding even stronger than before!Use your recovery time to improve in these areas: Mindful Movement: explore approaches such as the Feldenkrais Method to improve body awaren...

Horse sidelined with an injury? Don't despair!Join Mary Debono, your equine expert, as she unveils the silver lining within stall rest. In this episode, you'll discover how to transform recovery time into relationship-building gold.Master the art of mindful movement: Discover the magic of hand-walking in sync with your horse, fostering a deeper understanding of your horse's movement.Unlock the power of Connected Breathing, where you and your horse find harmony through observing each other's r...

Does your horse sometimes seem reluctant or struggle with the activities you've chosen? Too often, owners force horses into roles or disciplines unsuitable for their physical abilities or temperament. The key to harmony is finding mutually enjoyable activities for both horse and human. While challenging our horses is important, we must also respect their individual needs and limitations. In this episode, Mary encourages shifting our mindset, adjusting expectations, and prioritizing acti...

Maybe you’re learning a new form of bodywork and you can’t wait to use it to help your horse. But your horse says, “No thanks!”In this episode, you'll hear about the strategies I use to help horses relax, enjoy and benefit from hands-on work. In this episode, I discuss:- The importance of understanding your horse's past experiences- The power of connected breathing and relaxation techniques- How to work with a horse through their skeleton for a non-threatening touch- Strategies to provi...

How can this feel easier? It's one of my favorite questions.But for many of us, we're so used to trying hard, to struggling, that we forget that things could feel easier for us and our horses.This episode discusses the common "addiction" to struggling with horses and its negative impact on the horse-human relationship.Key Takeaways- Importance of movement, breathing, and attention in shaping interactions with horses- Habitual worrying and struggling can create stress and strain in the brain- ...

Rocking your horse can have positive effects on a horse's muscles, nervous system, and overall movement. Rocking should be done with lightness, effortlessness, and pleasure for both horse and rider. Being well-organized and coordinated is important for effective communication with the horse. Key Takeaways from this episode:- Dressage rider realizes that her horse isn't "stubborn" and "lazy" after all. - Learns to rock her horse from different parts of its body to initiate movement- ...