These workshops are dedicated to riders and aimed at the everyday rider as much as for those whose aspirations are to be the elite rider. This is for you if you want to develop skill, body awareness, harmonious movement patterns to absorb and direct the horse with elegance and fluidity, developing yourself by working with you as the individual and unique whole that you already are!

We will take an in-depth look at body structure and function with the aim of developing our skill in the use of our own body for riding. These workshops will be highly practical and experiential in finding your own form. These lessons are not an outside-in approach but an inside-out one! Instead of making constant external corrections to your position by ‘trying’ to make yourself sit well or differently we will involve ourselves in developing good organisational patterns of the body and removing old, habitual holding or tension patterns.

We will use practical exercises to develop suppleness, core strength, physical alignment and stability using a variety of means; lots of lying down, connecting with the breath, postural awareness, some strengthening work and gentle fun. This is not so much about rider technique insofar as finding the ‘right aids’ but about refining the body as an instrument so that your body can behave as you would like it to do. Then, you can spend less time thinking about posture and balance while riding and more time with the experience of riding. You will be able to use your aids with more precision and less tension.

Exercises and lessons are focused on bodywork in a supportive environment. You will gain greater control, awareness and movement in the hips, pelvis and spine as the core theme. You will learn techniques using the breath and mind and how that influences the body and then apply that to riding. We will explore energy and movement and you will gain a new frame of reference that you can apply in a practical way. 

'Postural alignment' means 'finding balance in our posture where we can connect with the breath, relax but remain upright, find our core balance but without holding and find freedom through the joints'. This is a great preparation for ridden work where the rider can seek sensitivity, calmness, poise and posture, both on and off the horse.

"I believe that we need to work on our own body for developing great posture and suppleness off the horse so that we address imbalances and tensions completely seperately. When we are sitting on the horse we want to think about those things much less and dedicate those precious moments to feeling and receiving the horse and absorbing and directing movement; not using that time trying to eliminate deeply imbedded postural faults and locked up tensions".

Jo has identified some important keys that will help you unlock your own posture and alignment for riding aswell as dispel some common myths about posture. We will be working towards the following in an unrushed way and according to individual progress and requirements. The pace will be student led.

• The relationship between alignment, posture and breath.
• Find core balance and stability without locking muscles
• Release the neck and shoulders
• Release your hips, pelvis and back
• Discover energy flow
• Use your intention and awareness at will
• The relationship between the horse's alignment and engagement and yours
• Doing all of the above and more on your horse!

Jo will guide you through a number of bodywork exercises and techniques for you to connect more efficiently and easily with your own body. We will explore postural, movement and energetic awareness exercises from a variety of tried and tested systems.

You will need: Between 4 - 8 people. An indoor area large enough for exercises and discussions to take place in comfort. An option to ride.

Cost: £65.00 per person for One Day Workshop.

Time: 10am - 5.00pm

These workshops are about body awareness, change and alignment for the rider. These are for small groups and working with your own horse. You can either attend an existing workshop or arrange a group of between 4 - 8 people at your own premises.

You will need a large enough space, local hall or large living room, where all participants can lie down on mats in comfort and move around. If your own horses are to be used we will need an enclosed schooling area.