Heart Centered Horsemanship

10/23/2026

My greatest teachers have not taught me to do more. They have taught me to notice more.

Through presence, awareness, and listening, I have learned to become more powerful in the most gentle way.

The shift in my horses since meeting Mary Debono has been profound. I’ve learned to create softness where there was tension and bracing, and to facilitate more positive change by doing less. I’ve watched horses who didn’t want to be touched begin to welcome her “delicious” Debono Moves.

For years, my colleague, equine bodyworker Deb D'Amato , and I have been exploring the intersection of bodywork and horsemanship, discovering how subtle changes in touch, movement, and awareness can transform our interactions with horses.

In our Yin Horsemanship Clinics, we share these discoveries, exploring how gentle touch, greater awareness, and a deeper understanding of the body and nervous system can support healthier movement, greater relaxation, and more cooperative partnerships.

If you’d like to experience what’s possible when we slow down, do less, and notice more, join us November 7 at LaBelle Equestrian in Mt. Ulla, NC!

https://heartcenteredhorsemanship.com/yin-horsemanship

10/21/2026

She calls them Debono Moves, but a more descriptive name might be “The Art of Getting Your Horse to Melt Like Butter.”

Inspired by her training as a Feldenkrais Method Practitioner, Mary Debono | Feldenkrais® Teacher & Debono Moves for Animals teaches her students to use gentle, supportive touch to help the body shift habitual patterns that can interfere with ease of movement and function.

This lovely art of touch not only supports more comfortable, functional movement, but the soothing process can also calm both horse and human, strengthening connection through a sense of safety and pleasure in shared positive experiences.

I was so grateful to have Mary here last weekend, sharing her knowledge and helping us discover even more possibilities for ourselves and our horses!

Deb D’Amato and I have both been studying with Mary since early 2020, and her work has profoundly influenced how we approach horses. We’re continually amazed by what becomes possible when we slow down, do less, and expand our feel and awareness.

If you’d like to experience some of this magic for yourself, join us November 7 for our Yin Horsemanship Clinic at LaBelle Equestrian in Mt. Ulla, NC. We’ll be exploring gentle touch, mindful movement, and the art of creating greater comfort, cooperation, and connection with horses.

10/20/2026

Another excerpt from Sidekick’s visit to Rowan Helping Ministries , this lesson is about using the breath to have a calming influence on the horse. As I was talking a motorcycle startled Sidekick, but within seconds he was back to grazing.. This stuff really works!

10/19/2026

Sidekick and I made a visit to Rowan Helping Ministries this afternoon to share some wisdom from the horses. A big one is the importance of communicating boundaries, holding a safe space for ourselves, and how that differs from control. We also practiced techniques for grounding and calming the nervous system, building connection through positive experiences, and communicating in the embodied language of horses.

Sidekick and I are available for local appearances, get in touch for more info!

09/30/2026

When we teach a child horsemanship, what else are we teaching them?

We're teaching them what to do when another being resists them. We're teaching them something about power, leadership, communication, boundaries, and what success looks like.

What if resistance inspired curiosity instead of escalation?

My newest Beyond Dominance piece explores what horses could teach the next generation if we measured success by more than simply getting the horse to do what we want.

What Is Horsemanship Teaching Our Children?

I’d especially love to hear from parents, instructors, and equine-assisted learning professionals: What do you hope children learn from horses?

https://beyonddominance.substack.com/p/what-is-horsemanship-teaching-our?r=4gqru1&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

What horses can teach the next generation about power, safety, and relationships

09/29/2026

I often hear people blaming the horse when they don’t like what the horse is doing.

My students learn something different: to notice what THEY are doing in each moment and ask, “What can I change to create a different outcome?”

When they learn to adjust their movement, energy, position, or response to what the horse is communicating, they discover that they have choices. Instead of trying to control the horse, they learn how to influence what happens next.

Blame doesn’t create change, and it doesn’t give us much power. Learning to recognize what we can do differently does.

While we can’t control what someone else does, we can control how we respond. That’s empowerment that extends far beyond the arena.

09/22/2026

Some of the most important riding lessons don’t happen on a horse. I teach students embodied riding, using the movements of their bodies to communicate with clarity in a way horses naturally understand.

I don’t teach pressure and release, I also don’t teach R+ (though I do use it sometimes). My focus is on how we can use our movements and energy to “speak horse,” even when we’re riding.

It is a joy to move the horse as an extension of the body. But, first we need the ability to intentionally move our bodies with mindful awareness. We also need the ability to adjust our energy to activate or ground the horses.

My students learn how their bodies move, and how their parts relate to the horses’ parts. They learn to understand how balance and alignment feel in both themselves and their horses.

If you’d like to learn more about Riding with Mindful Movement, contact me to schedule a lesson… virtual or in-person!

09/19/2026

Mindful Horsemanship classes teach students to create relationships based on authentic connection and embodied communication. These classes aren’t about training with positive or negative reinforcement. They are about developing connection through shared positive experiences and communicating in the language of horses.
When we ask our horses opinion, we start to have a conversation. Students learn to gain cooperation rather than making demands, a lesson that will serve them far beyond the arena.