Whole Horse Training

Equine CranioSacral Level 4 Workshop
In December 2005, I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the final class in the four part series of workshops to learn CranioSacral work for horses. These workshops, developed and taught by Maureen Rogers, have greatly increased both my sensitivity to the equine predicament and my ability to offer ways for horses that come into my care to find relief and self-expression in their worlds.

Traveling Light? Hardly! My friend, Ann, and I traveled to California for the workshop. We flew out of Boise to Oakland and rented a car. The woman at the car rental counter took one look at us and suggested an upgrade to a larger vehicle. I know they are trained to do that, but I think she thought we might really need more room. We declined and crammed all of our luggage into the compact car.		Mayacamas Ranch, Calistoga, CA The beautiful Mayascamas Guest Ranch was the meeting place for a fabulous group of students from all around the U.S. One woman came all the way from Australia. The variety of experience and interests among the participants offered as much opportunity for learning as did the classroom.


Great food We were spoiled and pampered by the staff at Mayacamas Ranch. This shot of the dining hall reveals the homey, welcoming atmosphere, but cannot begin to tell of the wonderful food that was laid out for us three times a day. And being in the heart of California wine country, evenings proved to be relaxing as well as sociable.		Rolling hills and trees Once we were settled into our cabins, we had an opportunity to explore the lovely grounds and meet the horses who would be taking part in the class work. They were all shapes, sizes and kinds with a variety of backgrounds and health issues. Each had their own experiences to share with us and each proved, as always, to be a teacher in his or her own right.


Inspiration Each morning, the classroom work begins with a meditation, which is then shared with the group. Often, before the meditation begins, Maureen will read from one of her favorite books to inspire us with "juicy" thoughts and insights into the spiritual aspects of CranioSacral practice. Here, she reads from Secrets of the Talking Jaguar, an inspirational book by Martin Prechtel.		Hands on The first afternoon, we were able to work outside in the arena. Before beginning the work, we gathered for a demonstration. This class focused on two protocols, The Temporal Clock with added sinus releases, which addresses the cranial sutures that pertain to the temporal bone and are critical to comfort in the TMJ and facilitates opening the sinuses, and The Windows to the Sky protocol, which incorporates acupressure points.


Quack, quack, quack, quack These two Ducks, whose names escape me; one was Murphy and the other's began with an "M" as well, provided heartwarming comic relief to the workshop. Raised by Mayacamas Ranch employees from tiny ducklings, these two see no difference between themselves and humans. They went everywhere with us, but declined invitations to enter the classroom.		Demonstration Maureen demonstrates one of the energetic holds in the Temporal Clock protocol. An energetic connection on the temporal bone and the neighboring zygoma provides an awareness that encourages and enables maximum freedom in the skeletal sutures. She reminds us to envision the skull, the location of the bones and perceive the flexible nature of the living bones rather than the hard, immobile quality of hardened, ‘dead' bones we are accustomed to seeing in skulls.


In the zone This work is so remarkable with horses! Here, Dr. Katie, a veterinarian now practicing in Utah, marvels at the total relaxation and focus her equine partner obtains during a session. Realizing just how sensitive horses are to our energy and the energies of others around them is one of the real eye opening experiences that comes with doing this work. How does this sensitivity exist in their everyday life? It's a question worth pondering.		The spiritual power of Horse Here I am, enjoying the beautiful scenery, the wonderful people in my class, and the magic of Equine CranioSacral work. The skull sitting on the fence beside me serves as a reminder of the ramifications of all the things we do with and to a horse's head whenever we interact with one, the importance of gentleness in handling and dental care, and the marvelous patience and wisdom of Horse, our teacher and guide.