News From Jim

Hi, Jim here.  A lot has happened since our last newsletter, but before I get into what we have been up to, I wanted to point out some new "hands-on" seminar-workshops to our schedule.  A weekend seminar in Jacksonville, Oregon in September also one in Columbus, North Carolina in October, that Tamara Yates will be teaching have been added.  We have changed our Texas weekend location to the Fort Worth area (Burleson) where I will be teaching and have added one last 2010 Level I, 5-day, Phase I Certification course directly after the weekend workshop in Burleson.  These fill up quickly, so I thought I would let you all know first.

Now to our news....we have been approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork as an approved provider, which means we are now able to provide continuing education credits to those in the Massage and Bodywork field.  See below for more information.

This last month Stefanie Reinhold and I worked on horses attending the Gerd Heuschman, DVM, clinic in Indiana.  Dr. Heuschmann wrote the book, "Tug of War" that I recommend for those following the Certification Path. I feel that  it is important for them to read (even if they are not dressage enthusiasts) for the biomechanical aspect of the horse. 

Mr. Jeff Ashton Moore, Dressage Judge and clinician in the biomechanics of the rider was also invited to the clinic to give his insights.

I learned quite a few things at this clinic. It was a good mix of perspectives that all seemed to focus on the same theme of working with the horse, especially in the area of performance therapy, which is my particular focus.  It was also reassuring to find that we were all seeing and feeling the same things in the horse - Gerd, from the perspective of riding and movement -  Jeff from the perspective of seeing and movement - and me from the perspective of my work with the horse's body and movement.  I am especially excited by what I learned there and am putting it together to create the Level II course for our Masterson Method™ Practitioners.

Talking about Masterson Method™ Practitioners, I want to introduce you to our first Level I Practitioner from the UK, Zoe Milne.  Her bio is below.  I am especially excited that so many from Europe are interested in becoming Certified in the Masterson Method™, so that more and more horses and owners can benefit.

Lastly, Stefanie and I are on the home stretch writing the book for Trafalgar Press, due out in 2011.  Our deadline is November, and I will be traveling from now until the middle of November, which makes this last bit of writing problematical.  I am now in California teaching with Tamara Yates the Level I Certification course.  With a quick breather, I head out to help the USET at the World Games in Lexington, KY and with no break in between, fly to the UK to teach another Level I course and weekend workshop (by the way, I understand that there is still room in the weekend workshop, although the Phase I is full.)

I fly back to Washington DC to work on client's horses at the Washington International Horseshow the end of October, then to Texas to teach our last Level I course of the year and finish off in Indiana at a weekend workshop.  Even my head is spinning.  Thank goodness I have Stef to help me finish the book!

One of the last steps on our to-do list is that we need to take the pictures for the step-by-step instructions. We are looking for horse "models" particularly horses in "show mode" with mirror finish coats, trimmed manes, you know, the full monty. We will be shooting the pictures in a stall and are looking for a barn that has a lot of natural lighting.  We found exactly that in a barn in Germany, but that is just too far away.  You can see one of the photos at the top of the right hand column.  If you have any ideas for a model, please let us know.

Here's hoping we bring home GOLD at the World Games!

Like me, enjoy your horses.

Jim