The Abuses of Equestrian Sports and How Yoga Can Help

From Stress to Serenity, Yoga Could Revolutionize Horse Riding.

Now more than ever the world needs Yoga, the tools of yoga, the science of Yoga.

In light of the recent scandals of horse abuse behind the scenes of the Paris, Olympics, I felt compelled to write this.

We see this in the Horse world, Olympics, riders and horses stressed, pushed to their limits,

The recent incident >> Equestrian riders at Paris Olympics ‘horrified’ by video of Dujardin whipping a horse

Many riders come to me who have left the Equestrian world from Dressage, jumping and eventing because of the abuse to both horses and riders.

I do not blame the horses, nor the riders, but the system, the system we see in everything that pushes those to do more than they are able, creating stress, fear, abuse.

As the planet heads into another era, an age of transformation, connection and well being, we can build a better world for all living beings.

Yoga with horses can help riders and horses be their best, do their best from a state of harmony and alignment.

One of the main reasons I began my journey of Yoga connected to Horses was to help horses and humans find harmony and well being. It is a powerful process of healing and connection between horse and human. The science of Yoga offers us so many tools to heal ourselves, not only our physical bodies but also our mental, emotional and spiritual bodies.

In the mainstream Equestrian World, we are often mesmerized by stunning Dressage performances, impressive Jumping skills, and the stamina seen in Eventing. However, behind the scenes, both humans and horses are frequently stressed, pushing themselves or being pushed beyond their limits until deep trauma is created. This stress manifests in physical injuries, such as horses going lame or riders experiencing terrible accidents. Additionally, we witness the abuse horses endure. While flagrant displays of abuse, like using painful bits, spurs, and tie-downs, are evident, subtler forms of mistreatment also exist. A recent example from the Olympics showed a team rider whipping a horse 20 times. These are just the surface issues we witness.

Beneath the surface, behind the scenes, the rider is pushed into extreme stress of competitiveness by their trainers, their sponsors and by the Equestrian world in general, its as if the goal justifies the means, no matter what they are. For decades and centuries this abuse has continued in a masculine dominated world of control, power and being at the top. I use the world masculine not as between man and woman, although there is definitely that energy too, but the masculine quality that lies within us all and becomes inbalanced through society norms and demands, calling us to be stronger , better, more powerful, more in control even to the detriment of others and even ourselves. We have witnessed and are witnessing to an extreme degree in countries in the world today or war and devastation. I am dismayed and horrified that even in todays world it is okay to see dominance take over and destroy the lives of innocents.

Sadly we witness this on all levels and in the Equestrian world also, whether it be in Dressage, Eventing, Jumping, Racing, Polo, breeding etc.

But something positive is happening out of this event that was witnessed in this year’s Olympics in Versailles, where a well-known respected rider lost her mind, lost her control, and physically abused a horse she loved. The need to accuse and point a finger, to judge, is a very pompous one. I am sure many pointing fingers have done similar and even worse.

The questions should be, instead, what brought this to happen? What is happening in the Equestrian World, what has been happening for decades and longer, is now being brought into the spotlight. Now is the opportunity to not point fingers and judge, not come from a place of holier-than-thou, but instead to find solutions, measures that can ensure the well-being of both horse and human, at all times.

I am not much for the sporting competition in the horse world, mainly because of the equipment and abuse that is forced upon the horses against their will and permission. They are too often considered as machines to fulfill the humans' aspirations at any cost.

However, I do enjoy watching a beautiful connection in harmony and lightness, when the horse is willing, where there is mutual love, trust, and respect between both horse and rider. And yes, it does exist. I won't mention names here, but there are those out there doing incredible and amazing feats with their horses in true partnership. Sadly, they are not many; they are not the norm. What was witnessed at the Olympics this year is much more of the norm, especially behind the scenes.

I hope the equestrian authorities, the judges, the trainers, the sponsors, the owners, and the riders will begin to shift how they perceive things and ask themselves, what is true honor? Not the blue ribbon, but the respect and true connection between humans and horses.

It is my deep belief and understanding that horses, along with dogs and cats, have stood by mankind, often despite the terrible treatment, to guide, heal, and help humans on their spiritual journey, to reconnect to their souls and each other. Horses bring us this sense of honor, freedom, trust, respect, nobility, the connection to spirit, and our true authentic selves.

But what can we do, as horse lovers, horsemen, horsewomen, whether from pleasure riding to competing, how can you make a difference, how can I make a difference?

I believe by first being the example, we can show a better way forward. Through gathering knowledge and through our own practice, we can bring more light into this horse world. Just as yoga brings light unto the world, we too can also do this.

I do this through Yoga in connection with horses. This can help immensely  riders and horses in the competitive  wold of sports. Yoga can help the rider to reduce stress and calm the nerves, bringing more focus and clarity, help them connect to unconditional love through trust and respect of self and their horses.

Yoga can help the physical bodies, release stress tension, pain, build more strength and stamina, stretch and lengthen tight muscles, open joints. When  the physical body, the emotional and mental bodies are in harmony and alignment, one becomes a lighter, more balanced and connected rider for the horses, instead of getting in the way of the horses natural balance, you gracefully influence it to find their own natural balance without the interference of the human. You can see how amazing this would be as a daily practice, and especially before competing. A stronger more relaxed body, quiet steady nerves and a focused balanced mind are key to creating that magical lightness we see only so rarely or in the Grand Masters.

Yoga is also highly beneficial to the horse. Why you may ask?

First, if the rider is grounded, relaxed, present, and aware (just as naturally horses are when in harmony, and horses always seek harmony first), when this energy of harmony and wellness emanates from the rider, it also influences the horse's energy, helping to support the horse in releasing tension, becoming present, and focused on the rider's lead.

The horse is a highly sensitive being, which has helped them survive over 60 million years on this planet. They are very sensitive to our breath and where we hold it; it sends them much information about who we are and what we are up to. This is immense feedback for the horse. So when our body is tense and we are breathing shallowly in the chest, this is high energy, and the horse receives the message that there is a threat. The horse then activates the sympathetic nervous system, flight or fight response; hence we get the so-called “bad horse, nervous horses, edgy horse, spooky” etc. But if we learn how to control our breath through yoga techniques, we can calm our own nerves, our emotional and mental states, and in return influence our horse's energy and nervous system. They perceive the slightest, smallest shifts in our breath as information and react accordingly.

I practice yoga all the time with my horses. But that doesn’t mean me sitting on the horse doing acrobatics; that's just a fun result after a long time of practicing yoga. Yoga is about the union of body, mind, and spirit, bringing the physical, emotional, mental body, the subtle energy body, and the intuitive body into alignment, to bring harmony which in spiritual terms brings us to enlightenment, but in our relationship with horses, it brings alignment, well-being, and true connection.

I would like to see more riders, trainers, and owners in the horse world practicing yoga, not just on the mat in a studio (though that is also immensely beneficial) but also out with their horses in the pasture, where the horse is at liberty (they will be shocked when their horse begins to come to them of their own free will and want to hang out with them because the energy feels so good) or in the stables (in stables we often see a lot of stressed riders and horses) and just before entering the ring before competition. It can be just a very short 5-minute routine to bring our body, mind, and spirit into alignment, and find that connection with our horses not just on the physical, mental, and emotional level, but on the spiritual level. That is when true connection happens and magic begins!

I will share a short routine I always practice before doing anything with my horse, and I mean anything, brushing him included.

I personally would also like to see people using other amazing techniques that are out there to support themselves and their horses.

Linda Tellington Jones was the Captain for her US Olympic team many years ago. She had a severe injury and discovered the Feldenkrais method to heal herself. She then went on to use it for her teammates. But she realized the riders were linked with their horses and horses had physical and emotional injuries as well. Linda Tellington Jones went on to create a Feldenkrais method for horses, then dogs, then cats, and then all animals and changed her direction in life. Her methods are proven to help rewire the nervous system at a cellular level for all different types of physical, emotional, and mental pain and illness.

The Masterson method, created by Jim Masterson, is also an amazing technique to help support horses and riders.

Jin Shin Jyutsu, the Art of Japanese Healing, of which I am a practitioner, is also a powerful tool to help heal and support both horse and rider, and one can easily learn and apply it to oneself and one's horses.

Chakra Balancing for both humans and horses is very powerful. Chakras are connected to our emotions, our thoughts, the subtle energy channels in our bodies, physical organs within the body, and the whole endocrine system. By balancing the Chakras, you heal the whole.

There are many methods in the world. Most imply having a professional practitioner come to you to give you and your horse a session, and while it is extremely beneficial, it can often be costly and something that you cannot have as an ongoing practice.

But learning the techniques of Yoga in Alignment with Horses, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Ttouches from Linda Tellington Jones, and the Masterson method, these are practices you can learn and do yourself.

And this is what I am passionate about teaching and sharing with the world, offering something that anyone can learn and take home and apply to themselves, their horses, family, and pets.

I teach healing for horses and their human guardians through Yoga techniques, such as breathing techniques, poses, and meditations, as well as Chakra Balancing for both humans and horses, Jin Shin Jyutsu, and Energy healing, in such a way that students, riders, and owners can go home and use this right away to help support themselves and their horses, promote physical, emotional, and mental well-being, and connect with their horses spiritually, heart to heart.

If you have a particular issue you need help with, please reach out to me through our website or our Instagram @horses.yoga

I am very happy to help.

It is my humblest desire to reach out to others, to help, bring light, and build a better world for all living beings on this beautiful and incredible planet we are so blessed to live upon.

Never give up; there is always a choice, always a path, always a helping hand. Just open your hearts and become present and aware. Life unfolds in unexpected ways when we are open to it.

Namaste,

The light within me acknowledges and sees the light within you.

Terry.