Trisha wren ~ Connect With Your Horse

Updated 3 Mar 2011

Come with your horse for an intensive, fun 2-5 day course, to really progress your relationship, communication skills, and performance as a team. Whether you are new to Connected Riding or not, immersing yourself is the ideal way to really focus on the issues that matter to you and your horse and make some serious progress!

Learn how to really connect with your horse via a series of ground exercises, which will increase your awareness of your horse's body patterns and improve his suppleness and ability. Identify your strengths and weaknesses as a rider, working on your body posture and the way your position communicates with your horse. Become a team, reaching new heights and understanding together! (If you can’t bring your own horse, we may have something suitable here; contact Trisha to discuss.)

Days will comprise of a variety of classroom and round pen / arena sessions, and you can put what you are learning into practice with easy to challenging rides on our farm and bush block. Help us move some cattle!

These intensives are applicable and beneficial to all ages and disciplines; the lessons learned will help you progress, whether you are a happy hacker or a competitive rider. Programs are individually tailored.

Our 225 acre farm is situated in the hills above Cambridge, with gorgeous views looking down over Cambridge and Hamilton to Pirongia and Kakapuku, and over rolling farmland and bush to the Kaimai's. You are welcome to camp, find a B&B locally, or join us in the house.

Topics covered:
Connected Groundwork and Riding
communication and attention
softness
engagement / collection and impulsion
position and body awareness
problem solving
using lessons learned out of the arena

Young horses welcome.
 
5 days for $1000 – your own double bedroom, shared bathroom, all meals, horse grazing.
Non-residential $750; includes lunch and grazing
Less than 5 days - $300 per day.
Discounts also available if 2 or more people come together.
Max of 4 people on any intensive.

To make enquiries or bookings, please email Trisha.

Feedback:

"I have just returned home from an amazing trip to Cassie's farm. I had 2 days worth of training with Trisha and her horses, it has definately changed my approach to horses and the way I will continue to work with them. In the few days I have been home I have turned my 16.2hh (giraffe) into a minature, just by performing the Caterpillar and Cheek Delineations. As I am only 5ft 4 it is a great relief knowing that by doing a few excercises that Trisha has taught me, I can be bigger than my horse and guide her rather than her dragging me around. Trisha taught by example trying them (the exercises) on me too, and as a rider and someone who has always had horses I have NEVER EVER thought of doing that. I think that was a huge turning point for me and it made me realise how much horses have to put up with. Trisha was a great teacher, she had so many ways and techniques to make even leading a pleasant and enjoyable task for the horse. She has made me very aware of my position in and out of the saddle, and how I can correct it. This has made me alot stronger and stable. It was just an amazing trip I will never forget and will definitely be going back. I learnt so much in those two days and the techniques I have learnt are making a difference in my own horses now that I am home. I recommend anyone to have a go and attend any of her clinics or do the 2 day course that I did. It will AT THE VERY LEAST change the way you lead your horse =] and change or correct the way you ride, giving you techniques to calm, connect and relax your horse. Thanks Trisha I had a great time and learnt alot."

Emily ~ Nelson, NZ ~ Feb '11

"I must thank you for sharing your home and introducing me to yet another way to consider the horse. I came to you without knowing anything about Connected Riding and have given it serious thought. The idea of being subtle from the beginning and doing much less is very appealing. I have a far better appreciation of softness and lightness and can recognize that my horse is very light but not all that soft.
 
On returning home and practicing with my own horses, all my lot accepted the body moves. Blue (my Andalusian) started stretching and softening the first time I did Caterpillar etc. I'm practicing 'rotation' for that is the hardest movement for me to grasp. I'm so used to big exaggerated cues, shifting my weight with arms and legs well off the horse.
 
That week with you has given me a great deal to mull over, especially the consequences of leverage in the body when in a rigid, braced position compared to the stronger flexed position. I would really like to move as one with my horse and this certainly seems to offer that.

I'm very interested in following through and with my own horse – when can you come to Australia?!”

Dianne ~ Melbourne, Australia ~ 15-19 Jan ‘07