Hi Everyone,   

 

We have a bit of an international newsletter this month, but

let's start with the weather, here.  It's cold!   Minus 17 this morning!  

 

But it does present a perfect opportunity to clean tack, watch DVD's, mentally ride your pattern, jump that perfect course, or fantasize on the perfect ride.

 

Canada

Talking about staying inside and watching DVD's, Claire Griffiths of Winchester,

Ontario, Canada had the brilliant thought to rent out her local theater and screen videos with her riding community. After garnering permission from the publisher, Claire gathered about 40 people with minimal donations to cover the cost of the theater, and the group watched some of Buck Brannaman's 7 Clinics. This month she is screening our Beyond Horse Massage DVD. What a great idea for this cold weather. Hope it stays cold through this month for that. Read below for more information. 

 

Ireland

We are now accredited by the Irish Massage Therapists Association, as an approved provider of continuing education credits. You will see that we have added their logo onto our website. An article I wrote will be published in their member magazine next month. I am happy our curriculum is strong enough to have International organizations like this take notice and approve.

 

Australia and New Zealand

We are also "in review" with the International Institute for Complementary Therapies  for continuing education credits and insurance in Australia and New Zealand. Five thousand plus therapists are members of this organization. We will keep you posted.

 

Plans have begun to come to Australia in November 2014. We have applied to present at Equitana, Melbourne  (November 20th - 23rd) and have tentatively planned 2-Day Courses prior to and after these dates, both in Melbourne and Western Australia. We're in the process of looking for facilities to host our Advanced 5-Day Course, for which we need approximately 50 horses (10 horses per day). These can be spread out in 5 facilities over 5 days, as long as they're in the same area. I understand this may be a little bit of a challenge to arrange in Australia because of all of that excess space laying around, but if you have any ideas or contacts, please contact Conley@MastersonMethod.com. 

 

Germany

The German translation of Beyond Horse Massage, DVD should be out by May.  At the same time the German based magazine Mein Pferd (My Horse) will be ready to print articles to promote the DVD in Germany. I am excited to have a whole new country of horse people introduced to our method in their own language.

 

China

I just learned that 2014 is the Year of the Yang Wood Horse. My niece Siri sent me the full Chinese Astrology explanation. I may be done reading it by next year. I've included a couple of paragraphs below. In the meantime here is a synopsis: The outlook is good!  You may be rolling your eyes but it seemed like such good news I thought I would pass it on. 

 

Colorado (OK, so it's not a country, but it's close.)

A couple of weeks ago I joined a webcast interview with Anna Twinney. Anna is a gifted International equine specialist, natural horsemanship clinician, animal communicator and energy healer. Her Reach Out To Horses program is based in Colorado but Anna teaches her very special brand of knowledge and talents to horse people around the world.  Click here to hear the interview =>  

 

Arizona

The first week of March, we will be hosting our first Instructor Training Conference in Tucson. Over the last couple of years we've put a lot of energy into improving courses and training materials for our students. Now it's time to give some attention to the dedicated people who provide the training. All ten of our Seminar Instructors - including two from Europe - will be coming together to share ideas, refine teaching methods, and develop a program that will further enhance the training we bring to our students (It always comes back to the students!).

 

In addition, I know that many of you who have become Masterson Method Certified Practitioners have expressed interest in becoming Instructors. We will be discussing at this conference a format for training new Instructors, as the need presents itself. And I'm hoping we'll need many..... in all equine disciplines and fields. So stay tuned.

 

Home

We are getting great feedback on the new Beyond Horse Massage, 6 Week Home Study Course.  Right now, this is a 6-week course, but we are putting together a packet for those who would like to own the course on DVD.  I encourage anyone taking the 5-day Advanced Course to use it as a review of the Weekend Seminar. The more you are prepared for the Advanced Course, the more you'll get out of it. Cost of the Home Study Course is $255, but if you've already taken Weekend Seminar you can get it for $99. Read the testimonial below.

 

What makes a better App?

As you may know, we launched the Masterson Method App last year. As cool as our app is, most of the information on this app can be found by going directly to our site via your smart phone. When we were developing this app, we had envisioned it to be a tool that would make working on horses easier - something you could take into the barn with you.  Now the app is up and running, we would like to include you in the next process - making this app the "must have" for Masterson Method people. What kinds of things would you like to see on this app? What would be your ideal app? Please send Cindee your ideas at cindee@mastersonmethod.com  

 

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures 

We've added a Gallery page to the website. It's packed full of pictures. If you have taken a Weekend Seminar or a 5-day Advanced Course, see if you can find yourself in the group photos. We also welcome photos of you working on your horses  - the funnier the better.  Or, if you just want to toot your own horn, send them on.

 

Courses

The Course Calendar's filling up. Check out a Weekend Seminar coming to a barn near you!   

 

In the near future you'll be seeing on that calendar a, Dressage Movements Revealed 3-Day Course to be taught by Coralie Hughes. On this course students will learn the Masterson Method techniques of the Weekend Seminar, with the focus being on the biomechanics of dressage and additional sport-specific techniques for the dressage horse.  Coralie will be teaching the Masterson Method techniques as presented in the Dressage Movements Revealed DVD.

  

Back to Canada, the UK, and the US

This month I want to highlight three recently certified practitioners. Phil, in Canada, Holly, in the UK and Maureen here in the US. Very global group.  If you are looking for a Masterson Method Certified Practitioner somewhere in your area, we have a webpage just for you!  It's the Find A Certified Practitionerpage.

Anna Bergenstrahle is one of our Field Work students of the Masterson Method and is currently a long distance graduate student in equine studies at the University of Edinburgh.  As a part of her graduate thesis, Anna asked us to post a survey for veterinarians asking about the use of complementary therapies in their practice.  If you feel comfortable forwarding this link to your vet, please do.  If you are a veterinarian, Anna promises that it only takes a few minutes of your time.  See below for more information. 

 

Lastly, there's one more video I'd like to share with you on this cold February morning. It's one of my favorites - and I'm not even in it! But it always gets me laughing: Horse Karaoke with Jim Masterson  

 

Hope this warms you up some before Spring.

    

Until then, like me,  Enjoy your horses.     

 

Jim

 

 

Dear Jim,

As you know, although I live in the United States, I am a graduate student at the University of Edinburgh and am conducting a survey as part of my thesis requirement.

It is believed that many horse owners use complementary and alternative therapies without first consulting their veterinarian.  Such actions can lead to possible misdiagnosis.  This survey is being conducted to determine how veterinarians view complementary and alternative therapies and whether such therapies are considered as part of their approach to treating equine musculoskeletal back pain.

Participation in this study entails the completion of a brief questionnaire online and should take less than 5 minutes. Please be assured that anonymity and confidentiality of all information provided will be maintained. All data collected will be used for research purposes only.  Completion of the questionnaire implies you are giving consent to take part.

Please forward this survey to your EQUINE VETERINARIAN ---- This survey is for Equine Veterinarians ONLY!  Please ask you equine vet to participate.