Anna says, “In spite of good care, riding and ethical training some horses still struggle to stay connected and sound in their “back”, gut, mind, wind, and limb.  New equine locomotion discoveries not only underpin whole body soundness for horses, but will help your body to understand what locomotion movement to enable, promote and allow under you as you ride. This deepens your understanding and ability to have a correct (biomechanically beneficial and beautiful) rein CONTACT. As a side effect, you may also find changes in your human locomotion, in the connection of your own neck and pelvis towards freer, more sustainable movement.”  

Amanda Austin-Pilley, recommended by my trusted friend and colleague Anna Gordon-Redmond, with be visiting Ashen Equestrian Centre on September 3^rd & 4^th 2024.

Amanda Austin-Pilley backs and restarts and deglitches horses in the USA.  As she often works alone her techniques are built around that, “If I’m going to get on them with no one around, I have to be darned sure they are ok with it, and that we have communication. That they know there is a good answer (to the balance problem a rider poses) and that staying calm, present and paying attention to me is the best way to find it”

Each summer she trains and manages horses for “Texas” the Musical which runs for 2 months.  This show takes place in a canyon, at night, with lights, audience, flags, stage gunshots, music and mounted actors who are not riders. Each year an assortment of begged and borrowed horses have a few weeks to become reliable, amateur-friendly, “stage” professionals. Amanda trains both horses and handlers to deliver this consistently.

Anna says, “Amanda has real skills for training all types of horses to understand how to MANAGE THEMSELVES in highly stimulating environments!  She starts with all horses by ground working them to find the precise responses and balance they will need under saddle. She believes that many unwanted behavioural or movement patterns are the horse’s reaction to the stress their system undergoes due to their loss of ability to balance in any given situation. She works on helping the horse to pay attention to where it is in space and how to rebalance itself in the way it will need when ridden.  Balance and clarity are de-stressing for the horse and help it to regulate its own nervous system. Once the horse has learned this is available to it, that horse can then learn to seek this self-connection in response to other things/environments. This gives it a solid sense of competence (whatever level of energy is needed for that activity- from low to jumping against the clock or cutting cattle in competition) but not at the expense of responsiveness.  Amanda has immaculate timing and clarity and is firm where necessary but absolutely not abusive. Any horse she has worked is pleased to see her the next day. (Especially the ones who initially had strong objections to the questions she asked). There is a bodywork element to her input, horses often release long-held patterns around breathing, their face, jaw, head and neck and in their belly and hind limb articulation and find huge relief in doing so.  Horses worked with in this way develop a deep internal steadiness. They are not shut down, they become more fully present in themselves and confident in their ability to deal with life (with humans). It helps them to not hold and build tension, to be in balance, light and responsive to the aids, and to recognise and match the amount of energy being asked for. This is an excellent basis for all ridden work and makes them SAFER to ride and be around. Amanda has worked with Buck Brannaman and extensively with Brent Graef. Whilst she may use tools and choreography in the fine western horsemanship tradition her focus and skill set have evolved into something which can help you refine and enhance your own work.

Horses she has worked with:

• are calm, but alert and fully present
• are happy to work
• understand their job and how to find balance under the rider
• are able to pay attention to you in new places or circumstances
• are able to have focus at competitions
• learn to actively seek balance and calm and correct locomotion in themselves without being drilled or shut down
• have “emergency buttons” so if spooked, excited, triggered or adrenalized, they can quickly and completely bring themselves back down again in response to the rider/handler.
• are behaviourally solid and genuinely, deeply ok with being ridden”

Attending horses / ponies and their owners will work alongside Amanda on both days for about an hour per day (although these sessions might be split into a few shorter sessions, rather than 1 full hour at a time depending on the individual).  There will also be a dismounted workshop each day. 

Owner Places – (ONLY 2 SPACES REMAINING)

• 2 hours of input from Amanda.
• Dismounted workshop each day.
• Observation of other sessions throughout the clinic.
• DIY livery eve of 2^nd / morning of 3^rd (to suit you) – eve of 4^th Sept, stabling on dust-free bedding and turn-out weather permitting.
• Cost £350 (Members) £380 (non Members)
• £100 deposit to secure, balance invoiced and payable in August.

Auditor Places –

• Observe all sessions with Amanda
• Join dismounted workshops
• Cost £100 (Members) / £120 (non-members)
• Full payment on booking.

Optional Extra Bodywork with Anna Gordon-Redmond –

• Horses / Ponies –
• (One and a half hours) £90
• £75 to those who attended Anna’s Clinic in July.
• People –
• (1 hour) £70
• £60 to those who attended Anna’s Clinic in July.

Please note!  These sessions will take place during Amanda’s Clinic. 

• Because no one can be in two places at one time you will miss some clinic observation while these sessions take place. 
• Horses / Ponies here for the clinic will be body-worked in their stables.
• Visiting horses / ponies will be scheduled to be body-worked in the field shelter, will have an hour or so to rest in a paddock and will then need to be travelled home to make space for the next booking.
• Please do not book to Audit Amanda’s Clinic if you want your horse body-worked by Anna.
• Human bodywork sessions will take place in Ashen Cottage so you will only miss an hour or so of Amanda’s Clinic should you also wish to Audit or have a horse / pony on Amanda’s Clinic.
• These sessions must be booked in advance with me, email by return to secure yours, and payment details will be forwarded to you to pay Anna directly for bodywork sessions.

 

• Stay on-site
• Hook-up – £20 per night per vehicle.  (£15 to Strider Club Members)
• Clubroom – £20 per night per person.  (£15 to Strider Club Members)
• “Camp” – non-hook-up lorries / trailers requiring yard shower, kitchen and toilet £5 per night.
• Email for details / to secure the above.
• Local B&B’s – Please enquire at The Ship Stores in Clare and The White Horse in Ridgewell.