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News From Jim  Hi Everyone, I am finishing up the year in Indianapolis. I've just returned from Europe where I had the photos taken for my upcoming book, and then took a side trip to Spain for a 10 day rest, or more like a siesta. The photo shoot went really, really well. We got a lot of great informative shots - I think Marcus Brauer, the photographer, said he has downloaded 2000 pictures that he took over the two day shoot. Both Marcus and Stefanie - my co-author of the book, worked hard to get the sequences of shots correct and we now need to go through and pick out the best for the Masterson Method™ Book! Does anyone have any good short success stories that wouldn't mind us using in the book? It would add a lot for the reader to have "real world" success stories. Send me what you have and I will let you know if the publisher decides to use them. That would be great! After we finished the photo shoot we headed to Spain for 10 days. I will be downloading some pictures from both Germany and Spain to my Facebook page. I want to encourage anyone who is thinking of visiting Spain, to visit Jerez in Southern Spain. While there, plan to stay at La Fonda Barranco. David, the owner, is an ex-pat from Dublin, Ireland, who has lived in Spain for many years and runs this B&B. He is an amazing host. Not only did he show us around, but also made all the arrangements for an enjoyable time there. From sipping Sherry at a private Bodega to watching Flamenco, he really went out of his way to make our stay even better. I highly recommend his B&B. While in Jerez, I met with one of the head veterinarians at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art. They gave us an insider's tour and we watched the horses being trained in the beautiful arena. Here is a picture of us in front of the outdoor arena.  The building behind me, over my left shoulder, is the indoor arena. Thanks goes out to Maria Cox, one of our Phase II Certification students, for creating the excitement to go to Spain in the first place; it was a great vacation. The calendar column to the right has the upcoming courses we have confirmed so far. Those of you that are waiting on the UK and Ireland course dates, you will see that we have those dates and almost all of the courses planned in the UK, listed. The cost is advertised in US Dollars, as we will be doing the registration/monies from the States. We give you an approximation of the cost in Euros or Pounds Sterling, but the monetary currency keeps fluctuating (in your favor, I hear.) The Certification Courses fill up quickly, so if you think you might be interested, please get me your application. Read the Certification Path webpage and at the bottom you can sign up. Last year the courses filled up 3 months in advance. Lastly, our "Shopping Cart" is now open with new Masterson Method™ items. Our intent is not to become a merchandising store, but as items come to me that have an impact on equine bodywork we plan on carrying them, or, we will provide you with the website that does carry them. Read below Lori Dinkleman's experience using the Masterson Method™ on her own horses. Lori is now doing the Phase II work which involves her working on case studies. She sent this for all of us to enjoy. I am thinking that this is a heck of a good case study! Like me, enjoy your horses. Jim
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Masterson Method™ at National Championships 55-mile
Endurance Ride.
By Lori Dinkelmann, Phase II 
Certification student.
Once again, I must brag about my good fortune with the Masterson Method™
Our family arrived at the 2010 Endurance, 55-mile National Championship in South Carolina with the goal of finishing my daughter Sydney as first junior among very tough competition, and my husband Christo was competing in the Heavyweight division. I had given both the horses a complete bodywork session before arriving. At the vet-in the day before the ride, Sydney's horse, Rabdan trotted out lame on the left front. We were stunned. Since the vets considered it "inconsistent," they gave us another chance to present Rabdan at 6:30am the next morning, hoping we might work out his lameness.
Quite discouraged, we returned to our camp and discussed our misfortune. My daughter had worked so hard, and chances were now that she and Rabdan would not be able to start the Championship unless all that I had learned in my Masterson Method™ training would turn things around for us. Late that evening I began examining Rabdan's left front. We were quick to suspect Rabdan's old bowed tendon injury, which had left an unsightly swelling on this lower leg but had not caused him lameness since it had healed and hardened several years ago. I checked for pain in his suspensories and fetlock and knee joints. There was no heat or tenderness on his old tendon injury site nor his hoof. I put both hands flat on Rabdan's left shoulder in various positions, from withers to elbow and point of shoulder and watched for reactions from him. I got a number of eye blinks from him in several areas. I did exactly the same thing on the right shoulder and surrounding area and got little to no eye blinks from him. I decided then to focus my Masterson Method™ work on Rabdan's left shoulder, neck, pectorals, and withers. To balance out my work on him, I did some work on his right side before I put Rabdan up for the night.
We awoke at 5 a.m. the morning of the ride, and I began working on Rabdan's left front shoulder, neck, pectorals, and withers again. I balanced out my work with a little of the same on the right side, released the hind end, and stretched him. I saddled Rabdan and rode him out, first at a walk and soon at a trot and he looked sound. My husband and I returned to the vet check, where they were expecting us. I trotted Rabdan under saddle for the Head Control Judge, Otis Schmitt, DVM. He said he looked perfectly sound. Success!! We returned to our camp to give our daughter the great news. She and Christo proceeded to the starting line and off they went. In light of Rabdan's shoulder tightness, we opted to ride conservatively instead of competitively, focusing on just finishing the ride with healthy horses, and keeping our fingers crossed that Rabdan would keep it together.
The first loop was 22 miles, and their horses' heart rates were down to criteria when they came in. Sydney and Rabdan vetted through with A's. Christo was asked to present his horse Lucius again, as the vets noticed a slight lameness in Lucius' right front. So I gave Lucius the same workover on his right side as I did Rabdan the night before. There was no heat detected, no joint pain detected. I focused my Masterson Method™ skills on his shoulder, pectorals, withers, and neck, being sure to balance him with some quick work all around, as the vet holds are quite short. Christo presented Lucius again to the vets and he trotted out very sound. Success again!!
This ride was in the Sand Hills area of South Carolina, and unless the horses are trained regularly in heavy sand, the sand can take its toll on their muscles, ligaments, and tendons. I have never seen so many lameness pulls at the finish of an endurance ride. There were serious front and hind end lamenesses. This made me grateful that we had made the choice to ride conservatively. It also concerned me, considering Rabdan's issues at the outset, Lucius's issue at the first vet check, and the fact that my husband is the biggest rider there at 6 foot 8 inches, nearly 280 pounds without tack, riding a 15.1 hand Arabian. The first three Heavyweight riders horses had already been pulled for lameness.
The next two loops totaled 33 miles. Both horses came in with heart rates already down each time. At both checks the horses got A's. Most significantly, they both received A's for "gait" at the final vet check, easily securing their completions.
We are thoroughly convinced that without the Masterson Method™ our experience at the National Championship would have been very different. Thanks to Jim and Tamara for teaching me all I know!
Editor's note: This is a condensed version of the story, to read the full version, go to the Testimonial Page on the website. Choose from the pull down menu
to select the category, "Certification Students."
Lori Dinkelmann can be reached at: LDinkelmann@esquiresolutions.com
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Ask Jim: 
I have a question. If a horse tests positive on the hoof reaction points (in the girth groove area, for example) is there any release that can help this? I know we discussed some hoof concepts at the clinic but can't recall this.
Or, because it is hoof pain, is it something that can't be addressed through the Masterson Method? Leah
Hi Leah,
A positive test of the hoof point on the girth is a sign that something in the front foot or leg on that side might be hurting. You want to put that information together with other signs that there might be front foot pain, such as atlas/poll pain on that same side, and possibly tightness or soreness on the hind diagonal, to get a more accurate assessment of front foot pain. You can put that all together with any other data, such as movement, flexions, etc. to determine if you have a problem.
As to getting rid of the soreness in the girth area or anywhere else in the body related to the foot, all the front end releases such as poll, neck, shoulder, etc, will help, and massage of the pectoral muscles at the girth will help, but if the foot is not taken care of, then the muscle soreness will come back.
As far as the hoof, joint, ligament, or whatever the primary cause, if it has reached the lameness stage, bodywork will probably not "fix" the problem. But, it will help in other ways; it will increase circulation to the limb (circulation is the biggest healer in the horse), enervation in the limb, and most of all, it will release tension in the body that prevents the horse from using the rest of the body efficiently and providing cushion and suspension to the legs and feet.
That all said, you have to take the whole picture into account before getting too worried about a foot problem. For example, if the horse is in regular work, training, or showing, and is standing in a stall the rest of the time, then he will probably have sore feet. However, if all the signs point considerably to one foot more than the other, then there might be a reason to have it looked at further by a veterinarian. Does that make sense?
Hope this helps to clarify the hoof points in general. Let me know if there is anything else going on with your horse that I can help you with.
Keep up the good work, and see you at the next seminar!
Jim
Editors note: Jim teaches a general evaluation of the horse to the Phase I Students. "Hoof Reaction Points" is one of the evaluation points at the girth area that can show hoof soreness.
To read more Questions and Answers go to the Discussion Forum webpage.
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Seminar
Calendar
November 13th - 14th Pendleton, IN (45 min NE of Indianapolis) FULL!Masterson Method™ Weekend Seminar-Workshop December 8th Culver, INCulver Academy Private workshop January 15th - 16th Palo Alto, CaliforniaStanford University's Red Barn Masterson Method™ Weekend Seminar-Workshop Read about course descriptionClick here for FlierFor more information Contact Us or call 641-472-1312, M-F 9am-noon Central Time January 17- 21 Palo Alto, California 5-day, Phase I Certification Course. Prerequisites apply. Read about course descriptionClick here for flierFor more information Contact Us, or call 641-472-1312, M-F 9am-noon Central Time January 29th - 30th Wellborn, FloridaMasterson Method™ Weekend Seminar-Workshop. Read about course description. Click here for flier.For more information: Contact us, or call 641-472-1312 M-F 9am to noon Central Feb - March - April Client workWinter Equestrian Festival West Palm Beach, FL and FITS Endurance Ride, Ocala, FL March 26th - 27th Cresson, Texas (Near Fort Worth, TX) Masterson Method™ Weekend Seminar-WorkshopRead about Course Description.Click here for flierContact us for more information, or call 641-472-1312, M-F 9am-noon Central Time March 28th - April 1st Burleson, Texas(Near Fort Worth, TX) 5-day, Phase I Certification Course.
Read about Course PrerequisitesClick here for flierContact us for more information, or call 641-472-1312, M-F 9am-noon Central Time April Rhode IslandDates not set Masterson Method Weekend Seminar Workshop May Tryon, North CarolinaDates not set Masterson Method Weekend Seminar Workshop and Phase I,III 5-day Certification Course June 4th - 5th County Navan, IrelandMasterson Method™ Weekend Seminar-Workshop Read about course descriptionFor more information Contact Us or call 641-472-1312, M-F 9am-noon Central Time June 6th - 10th County Navan, Ireland5-day, Phase I Certification Course. Prerequisites apply. Read about Course DescriptionFor more information Contact Us, or call 641-472-1312, M-F 9am-noon Central Time June 18th - 19th HorseWorld Bristol, UKMasterson Method™ Weekend Seminar-Workshop. Read about course description For more information Contact Us, or call 641-472-1312, M-F 9am-noon Central Time June 25th - 26th Devon, UKMare and Foal Sanctuary Masterson Method™ Weekend Seminar-Workshop Read about course description For more information Contact Us or call 641-472-1312, M-F 9am-noon Central Time June 27th - July 1st Devon, UK5-day, Phase I Certification Course. Prerequisites apply. Read about course descriptionFor more information Contact Us or call 641-472-1312, M-F 9am-noon Central Time |
Masterson Method™ Shopping Cart is now OPEN for Business
Just in time for Holiday Shopping, we have opened our new Shopping Cart of Masterson Method™ items!
We will be adding select products as they become available. Jim doesn't want to become a merchandiser, but instead wants to make available products that he particularly likes to use.
First up, will be the Masterson Method™ Hats, in Green, Maroon, Pink and Lavender (seen here.) These hats are worn by Jim and have the Masterson Method logo on the front and a clip back closure. $15.99 plus shipping.
We are also highlighting items that Jim likes that we will not be carrying here, but we will supply you with the links to buy them directly from the supplier.
First, "No-Fly" natural fly spray. Jim likes it because you can spray it on and go directly to work on the horse without fear of chemicals soaking into your hands. And, it smells good! Made with Essential Oils Of: Cedar, Peppermint, Cinnamon, Geranium, Geraniol, Lemon Grass, Rosemary & Thyme, this is a great tool for your tool chest.
You can find a link to "No Fly" on the Shopping Cart.
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