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Notes From Jim:
Hi everyone, I have just returned from three back-to-back Advanced 5-day Courses. I am continually impressed with both the level of horsemanship and how quickly the students picked up the new techniques. You will read below biographies of three of the new practitioners below, Lise Lunde from Brainerd, Minnesota, Terry Erlwein from Bishop, California and Erin Webber from Queensland, Australia. Congratulations to all three! This month's newsletter highlights the principle of, "less is more." Read Erin Webber's, "air gap is my friend," Lise Lunde's experience with her horse, Two Soks, and, this month's Masterson Minute is a testimony to the principle of, "less is more." Student, Barbara Glass, tells of her experience with a particularly agitated mare using "less is more" to get the releases. This conversation was taped during the Arizona 5-day Advanced Course in January. My camera work won't put me in line for a second job at a television station, but you will get the gist of the conversation between Barbara, Natasha Kline, MMCP, Yvonne Ohlensehlen, our Mentor Coordinator, and me. I am pleased that I now have about three weeks home. But, no rest for the wicked. At the end of the month, Coralie Hughes, MMCP and I are meeting up in Wellington, Florida to tape a new DVD on specific techniques to use on the Dressage Horse. It's long been a goal of mine to break down the techniques that target particular disciplines and highlight them in a dvd. Dressage was the first on the list. Our friends who taped the, Beyond Horse Massage DVD, Dianne and Michael Killen, from High Horse Video Productions, will be meeting us there and we have some surprises up our sleeve that will help make this dvd a "must have" for the dressage rider, competitor and trainer. From there, most of March will be spent at Horse Expo's around the country. I start out at the beginning of March in Denver at the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo, and then to Albany, Oregon to the Northwest Horse Fair and Expo. Check the calendar listings for the Expo's nearest you, I hope you can come and watch the presentations and stop by the booth to visit. Lastly, I want to encourage all my European friends to sign up for the Hitchen, Hertfordshire Weekend Seminar-Workshop with Diane Howard. Not only is she an excellent teacher, but we have had to change my schedule because of the new dressage dvd launch and therefore we have had to cancel my September visit to the UK. This means there will be only one Advanced 5-day course in the UK this year in June along with one weekend seminar-workshop that I will teach in June in Suffolk, UK. Diane has gracefully stepped in to teach the Weekend Seminar-Workshop in Devon, UK in September. Enjoy this month's newsletter... Until then, like me, enjoy your horses! Jim
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The Masterson Minute
This month we highlight student, Barbara Glass, at the Tucson, Arizona, 5-day Advanced Course talking with Jim and other students about a difficult mare she just worked on and the transformation that was created in the mare, and in Barbara.
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New Masterson Method Certified Practitioner, (MMCP) Lise Lunde,  Brainerd, Minnesota
Since childhood I have had an interest in horses, taking advantage of any chance to take lessons or spend time with horse related activities. It wasn't until adulthood that the opportunity for owning horses became possible.
Over the past 20 years I have participated in a variety of equine activities including distance riding competitions, dressage and trail riding. I have also been involved with Mounted Eagles, a therapeutic riding program for the last 5 years.
Horses have been a constant in my adult life as personal and career changes as a nurse practitioner presented. Horses have provided me with the opportunity to meet new people and learn new skills. My own horses have been an important part of creating a sense of balance in life over the years.
An injury to her endurance horse several years ago, led to an interest in equine massage and certification in equine sports massage therapy. I have also been interested in complementary therapies for horses including acupressure and Reikki.
More recently, challenges with performance and behavior with my horses led me to find the Masterson Method. After attending the weekend seminar, I was sure that I had found a unique and effective way of working with horses. The journey to becoming a certified practitioner in the Masterson Method™ has reinforced this. The interaction and response of the horse using the Masterson Method™ has been rewarding as I have observed improvement in physical and behavior issues and more importantly improvement in my interactions and relationship with horses. Practicing the Masterson Method™ has increased my awareness of how "less is more" in many aspects of life with both horses and people.
I am available in the Minnesota area. Please contact me at lisealunde@aol.com or 218-232-7561.
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 New Masterson Method Certified Practitioner, (MMCP) Terry Erlwein, Bishop, California
I have always loved horses. From my earliest memories of playing with my model horses (I still have some of them), through the many stages of riding lessons as a child to horse ownership all my adult life. Like many people, I acquired a difficult horse and went searching for a way to help him. A local trainer here in Bishop introduced me to some natural horsemanship methods and I knew there were answers to be had in there somewhere. I joined a local riding club and met some lovely like-minded folks who were all on their own natural horsemanship journey.
Through the years of riding lessons and clinics I learned the importance of body language for horses. I learned to read some of their signs and behaviors and learned that many behavior and performance problems come up because of body issues. I watched the first Masterson Method™ DVD at a club meeting and thought "AHA" and "this may be the missing link for me and my horse." I took a weekend clinic and was totally hooked.
The weekend was great and I developed a need to learn more about The Masterson Method™ so I had to go on to certification. My Phase II Field Work case studies included Reining Quarter Horses, Western Performance horses, Arabians doing endurance, Dressage horses, off the track Thoroughbreds, Mustangs, Mules and my very old Labrador. (I don't know why that one didn't count as a case study!!)
As I have gone through the certification process I have come to believe this Method has made me a better, kinder and more patient person. Not just in my horse life, but at work and at home as well. I can't wait to see where the next steps in my horsemanship journey take me. Where ever that is, The Masterson Method™ will go with me.
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New Masterson Method Certified  Practitioner (MMCP) in Queensland, Australia,
Erin Webber
While surfing the web at work one day, I came across a guy working with horses getting them to do things I have never seen a horse do!! Who is this guy and where is he located, I wondered??? Deep in my psyche I didn't want to touch another horse until I met this man, a Mr Jim Masterson.
So I then pursued a course of action to get me to learn what Jim did. I read that he ran workshops..ok I thought...mmmm... I made plans and saved money and "went for it" and flew to the US to learn the Masterson Method. I had spent most of my life around horses and massaged people to support my lifestyle of surfing and traveling. I had been working with horses for 10 years yet never had results like Jim had.
So, I came to the USA to take courses in the Masterson Method and my yearning for more exploded. This meant I had to gain certification to become relatively satisfied.
During the final Phase III of Certification, I had a massive shift in my sense of touch with the help of my mentor, Coralie Hughes, God love her, and she guided me to The Masterson Method's way of touch. I battled with slowing down and, "less is more." Coralie gave me enormous support and tears welled in my eyes when the penny dropped !!!
Today, Air gap is my friend. My fear of looking like a fruit loop has dissolved after watching releases appear before me at the seminar.
I am now a very proud Certified Practitioner of the Masterson Method™. I have returned home to Australia and gracefully greeted my super sensitive American Saddlebred mare and have proceeded to practice what I have learned. Inside of the biting and kicking she responded with calmness and contentment.
All the girls at the Currumbin District Horse Club Australia could not believe at Stars' remarkable peacefulness, and contentment either could I ...
A big thank-you to Coralie Hughes for being there and to Jim.
Editor's Note: You can find out more about Erin at the Find A Certified Practitioner webpage on the website.
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Testimonial: Two Soks
by Lise Lunde
After my weekend introduction to The Masterson Method™ last year, I was so eager to practice on my own horses. Each one has helped me understand how The Masterson Method™ works on a variety of levels depending on the horse.
 I wanted to share my experience over the last year with my horse Two Soks. He is an Arabian gelding that I have owned for the last 10 years. He has been a companion, teacher and partner. I consider him as a gift in this lifetime. He is not an extremely expressive horse but always a willing partner. We have participated in competitive trail riding, dressage and some natural horsemanship clinics. He has never had any injuries or lameness issues, but has some challenges due to his confirmation, mostly a longer back.
When I started to use The Masterson Method™ with Two Soks he did not show any tremendous releases. He would blink and chew and stay relaxed. I now think that he may have been "blocking" my attempts due to my using "too much" pressure.
Two Soks has been instrumental in my understanding that "less is more". As time went by and I continued to work with Two Soks he started to show me that indeed there was much below the surface. While working on the Psoas Release Technique, he turned to look at me several times, started pawing his front legs and then went into a "downward dog" yoga position in the stall. His chest went all the way to the ground. He repeated this several times on each side. After this he yawned multiple times and shook his whole body. It was impressive! This continued for several sessions.
Soon, he went back to a more stoic response, but the next layer soon came to the surface. This fall, he started to become very fidgety and agitated when I would work on the hind end points. I had never had to tie him in the stall but started to wrap his lead rope to work on him. I have to admit that I was getting frustrated and then I thought about "less is more" again. I tried keeping my hands 1 to 2 inches off his body and just watched for the blinks. It worked and as I worked with him he began to be more relaxed and under saddle was so much more relaxed and fluid.
In all the time I have been working with Two Soks I had never been able to see much response to the dorsal or lateral arch technique. I had thought that perhaps that he was permanently locked up in the SI/lumbar area, which honestly made me feel pretty guilty.
When I returned from Tucson last month after completing the Phase III, Certification Completion Course, and being Certified, I was so thrilled but due to the extreme cold in Minnesota did not get the chance to work on Two Soks for 2 weeks. Last week I finally had the chance and much to my delight and I think to his surprise, when I did the dorsal arch he not only had a small arch but an arch that no one could have missed. It was enough to make my day, week maybe even year!
So, to Jim and everyone that has made the commitment to spread The Masterson Method™ to those that are interested I want to give you all a THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. It has been a year of learning and relearning and I am so happy to have found The Masterson Method™.
Editor's note: You can read more about Lise Lunde, MMCP on the Find a Certified Practitioner webpage on the website.
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Thanks to Jim and Coralie Hughes after a 5-day Advanced Course:
From Karen Hisata
THANK YOU to both you and Jim for such a wonderful learning experience! I think the two of you make a great teaching team as your styles of teaching and explanation balance each other out.
I also appreciated being shown how a smaller person could do the work safely. Jim's Method is simply mind-blowing amazing and part of its tremendous strength is in his great intuition and observation. Jim has found a way to work with the extreme sensitivity of the horse enabling them to guide their own return to body health. Way cool!
I love this approach - its like horses are being given their voice in their own health management...
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Calendar of Events
For Prices of each course, follow the link for more information to the Calendar Page on the website. There you will find each course's price, location and registration info.
March 2nd - 3rd Hertfordshire, UK
Weekend Seminar-Workshop with Diane Howard & Vicky Devlin
March 9th - 10th
Tucson, AZ
Weekend Seminar-Workshop with Vanessa Helvey
March 11th - 15th
Hutto, TX
5 - Day Advanced Course Jim Masterson
March 23rd - 24th
Bothell, WA
Weekend Seminar-Workshop with Coralie Hughes
March 25th - 29th
Bothell, WA
5 - Day Advanced Course with Coralie Hughes
April 1 - 5th
Tryon, NC
April 6 - 8th
Tryon, NC
Certification Completion Course with Jim MastersonPrerequisites Apply Applications available on School Website April 5th - 7th Iowa Horse Fair, Des Moines, IowaDemonstration by Instructor, Becky Tenges on Masterson Method™ techniques. April 13th - 14th Lexington, KYWeekend Seminar-Workshop with Coralie Hughes April 20th - 22nd Madison, WIJim Masterson will be presenting Masterson Method™ techniques April 20th - 21st ,
Grass Valley, CA Weekend Seminar-Workshop with Marie Riley April 26th - 28th St. Paul MinnesotaHorse Expo 2013Jim Masterson will be presenting the Masterson Method™ April 27th - 28th, 2013 Clinton, OKWeekend Seminar-Workshop with Yvonne Ohlensehlen For More InformationMay 4th - 5th Hobart, INWeekend Seminar-Workshop with Coralie Hughes For More InformationMay 18th - 19th Bend, ORWeekend Seminar- Workshop with Vanessa Helvey May 18th - 19th Yalaha, FLWeekend Seminar-Workshop with Lorre Mueller For More InformationMay 24th - 26th Madison, WICertification Completion Course with Jim Masterson
Prerequisites Apply
Applications on School website.
May 25th - 26th Mequon, WIWeekend Seminar-Workshop with Stefanie Reinhold For More InformationMay 27th - 31st Mequon, WI5 - day Advanced Course
June 1st - June 2nd Eagle, IDWeekend Seminar- Workshop with Lorre Mueller For more informationJune 1st - 2nd Seminole, OKWeekend Seminar Workshop with Yvonne Ohlensehlen For more informationJune 8th - 9th Buxton, MEWeekend Seminar-Workshop with Marie Riley For More InformationJune 22nd - 23rd Haverhill, Suffolk UKWeekend Seminar- Workshop with Jim Masterson For More Information or contact:
June 24th - 28th Salisbury, UK
5 - day Advanced Course
For More Information or contact Vicky DevlinJune 29th - July 1st
Salisbury, UK
Certification Completion Course with Jim Masterson
Prerequisites apply. Applications are on the School website.
July 20th - 21st
Philadelphia, PA
Weekend Seminar-
Workshop with Marie Riley
July 20th - 21st
Berlin, WI
Weekend Seminar-Workshop with Stefanie Reinhold
For More Information
July 20th - 21st
Vernon, British Columbia Weekend Seminar-Workshop with Diane Howard
For More Information
July 22nd - 26th
Philadelphia, PA
August 19th - 23rd
Palo Alto, CA
5 - Day Advanced Course For More Information Sept 7th - 8th Devon, UK
Weekend Seminar-Workshop with Diane Howard
October 5th - 6th Fairfield, IowaWeekend Seminar-Workshop with Jim Masterson! Only one this year!! Register early! For More InformationOctober 7th - 11th Fairfield, Iowa5-day Advanced Course
For More Information
October 12 - 14th
Fairfield, Iowa
Certification Completion Course with Jim MastersonPrerequisites apply
Applications are available on the School Website All courses are certified by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork for continuing education credits for massage therapists.
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Tip of the Month, by
Lise Lunde, MMCP
When working on hind end points it sometimes feels like you are not seeing much change. I think some of this is because the front end work requires more movement from both the person and the horse. If you are on a hind end point and it seems like nothing is happening or there is a lot of fidgeting, try staying a little lighter or a little longer. To stay at one point for 2 to 3 minutes seems like a long time when it is just you and the horse. Watch for subtle responses like lowering of the head, softening of the eye, change in breathing pattern. The responses often proceed something bigger to come.
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Testimonial by Sue Baird
prior to a
Masterson Method™ Weekend Seminar-Workshop
....I gotta tell you that I am soooooooo excited. Have been practicing on a variety of horses at our barn and am so ready for feedback and discussion. I am finding the whole thing addictve AND meditative.
I LOVE seeing the responses with the horses. I have had TWO horses look as if they would fall asleep when doing the hind end points. And two horses follow me around the stall to ask for more treatment, when I backed off to give them release time.
Doesn't get much better than that!!!! Am having a wonderful time "feeling the feel" and knowing how much and how little to use. Dynamite stuff.
Cheers,
Sue
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