Magic Moments

I am deeply grateful to be able to bring together all of my passions to provide people of all ages with opportunities to shift their way of thinking about themselves and the way they respond to the world around them.

In a collaborative session while Rosemary demonstrates the activity of join-up, I will explain the types of deep transformative learning that occur for participants and observers when the horse becomes the facilitator.

Social Dreaming With Humans & Horses
The invitation is to come together early in the morning in a matrix consisting of both humans and horses. The individual human's night-time dream can be shared into the human/horse matrix.

Once a dream is voiced it is no longer subjective personal property belonging to the dreamer, but an object in its own right with intellectual and spiritual qualities belonging to the unconscious infinite, and now owned by the matrix. The task of the matrix is to free associate and play with the dream, including the horses.

The starting assumption is that there is cultural knowledge in the dream. In the social dreaming process the matrix makes possible and can tolerate a multiverse of meaning. The potential is for new thinking and divergent thought, an illumination of the existential life of the matrix and access to the unthought known.

What might the horses bring? What new thoughts might the humans have?

Session 1: Discovering the Partnership
Building the relationship to a horse based on trust and respect. Trust and respect are two very big words that are used a lot in the horse world. What do they really mean? How do trust and respect really work? In this session we invite you to explore with us the true meanings of trust and respect and how it works within our horse human relationship. How can we transfer it into other aspects and areas of our life away from horses?

Session 2: Striking the Balance
When we are connecting, being or doing something with a horse how do we go about it? Are we balancing our needs with the horses' needs? It is about us coming into balance and allow to the horse coming into balance to truly be and do things together.

This is a practical session with the horses balancing the 'being' with the 'doing'. Does the act of doing interrupt the being or are you doing whilst still being together? This is only one aspect of balance, as balance is a requirement for living here in our physical world while being, in essence, spiritual beings.

Working with Trauma in the Body: Separating Fear from Immobility
We will look at the physiology of trauma and the human threat response as compared to animals, such as horses. We will explore how our physiology as humans is designed to move through events that are overwhelming when there is support from our herd or tribe. Specifically, we will look at how the body holds onto incomplete survival responses in the body when the body is overwhelmed by traumatic events or long-term developmental trauma. We will see how this can show up as a freeze response or dissociation or collapse in the body, coupled with unconscious fear or helplessness. I will give examples of how we can move through patterns of bracing and collapse in the body by allowing the body to complete incomplete survival responses and by providing an environment of support that was missing at the time of the original trauma. We will have a few group and individual exercises (that will be optional for participants) to explore how to restore the body’s natural rhythms and its expression of life force.

The NZ Curriculum is designed to include all learners, no matter what their difference. It's goal is to develop confident, connected and actively involved young people who will continue to learn and to develop the values, knowledge and competencies that will enable them to live full and satisfying lives.

This journey is not always easy and most learners need a hand up at some point in time. Enter the horse! Horses teach you a lot – very little of it actually to do with horses. Their lessons are from the heart. They respond honestly and without judgement. They show us how to listen to ourselves and encourage us to reflect on our behaviour and emotions.

In this session, find out more about the link between learning in schools and the horse as a teacher – the best teacher doesn’t have to be human and the best lessons aren’t always inside the classroom.

Liberty Display & Horse Play
These sessions will be a fun, interactive showcase of the types of horsemanship and games Rosemary usually teaches during Youth Skills Camps and Natural Horse Friendship Days. These activities help build confidence and resilience, and give young people a safe, non-judgemental context to work on and develop their communication, problem solving and leadership skills. As this session is being run primarily by the students, you will see first hand what a positive influence being with horses in this unique way can have on our tamariki. And you will also have the opportunity to participate in some of the activities yourself to get the full experience.

Silent Voice

Young ones often grow up in a disconnected environment which can lead to all kinds of challenges later in life – disconnection from the natural life-giving Source within each living being, disconnection from the all-encompassing web of life that binds all life forms together. This lack of connection can show in a range of symptoms, from behavioural, mental & emotional struggles to physical disorders & illnesses. In this course, Birgit gives you some insights into her work with young ones. Bringing horses and young ones together and holding space for connection to happen naturally allows them to hear the “Silent Voice” inside, thus connecting them to their Inner Source of Peace and Balance.

Spirit Horse 

Mental Health problems are affecting a fast growing number of the human population - many of which can be signs of a disconnection from vital energies. In indigenous cultures the horse has been revered as a companion and “connector”, reflecting our strength and weaknesses to allow us to find balance within ourselves. In this workshop you will experience some possibilities to recalibrate your systems and find physical, mental and spiritual balance, both for yourself when holding space for others and as tools to share with your clients.

Social Dreaming With Humans & Horses
Channelling your Creative Dream Horse
How do you ‘imagine’ a horse? What if you love horses, but don’t own one? Or own horses, but can’t ride – or even love horses but don’t want to ride? Or perhaps you ride, but would like to go deeper into a relationship with the ‘horse…
What is it that horses mean to you?
Conjure up your magical inner unicorn, and take an exhilarating gallop into the deepest realms of your imagination.
In this zoom session with author, photographer, equine facilitated learning practitioner and creativity coach Candida Baker, learn to ‘listen’ to your inner horse. ‘Playing’ with your inner horse can be as joyful as any real horse experience in this physical world.

A Healthy Internal Relationship Your Horse Can Benefit From
Amy uses a method called Yuan Gong, a practice of beautiful moving & still meditations, using the body, mind, breath & Qi energy. Its foundations rest in Chinese tradition, but Western scientific & psychological findings are also incorporated, so Yuan Gong is a comprehensive discipline. Practicing Yuan Gong helps to increase mental clarity, improves internal strength & stability & helps us understand the patterns of thought that inadvertently support negative emotions & illness.
In this session, Amy will be sharing information about the heart & patterns of consciousness to gain more understanding about how to make true change on a fundamental level. It’s possible to make adjustments to life for health, harmony & to help your horse & others. You will be guided through a simple, easy to learn moving meditation for the health of the body & mind. Amy will share how this is closely connected to your horse/human relationship.

Connecting With Your Heart, Awareness & Qi Field With Horses
In this session, Amy will demonstrate how our calm, balanced state influences the horse. She will cover how horses can sense us, as well as how to gain their attention
for learning & guidance. Feeling into your heart as to what it is you would like to do with your horse & how to accomplish this in the most harmonious & healthy way for yourself & your horse. Briefly, she will also look at the horses’ flexibility & balance & how we can influence this. Amy will show & guide you through a healing & share healing tools with you that you can use on yourself & your horse.