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Yoga and Riding Weekend Clinics

October 16th - 19th, 2008

Deepen your presence on the mat and in the saddle

 

This Clinic may be the perfect way to enjoy Highland Ranch and to bring your interests in yoga and horseback riding together.

"I brought home so many good memories of my stay at your ranch. I truly found the exact vacation I had wished for!

I rode my horse Winston yesterday, and tried the new 'hip moves'--- he responded so easily!! It made me laugh out loud!
Thank you so much! - I had a wonderful time."  Louise J. October '07

Susanne Cohen, HR's own Iyengar trained yoga teacher, once again brings her love of horses and passion for yoga together in an extended weekend workshop focused on experiencing and exploring the connections between yoga and riding.

Susanne Cohen

Susie has been practicing yoga since she was seventeen. She practiced and took classes for many years until her late 30's, when she became very dedicated to learning and practicing the art of yoga. Classes once a week led to class several times a week and, taking workshops whenever she could, she found herself interested in deeper study. She did her teacher training at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco and has been teaching since 2001. She is now pursuing certification as an Iyengar yoga teacher and has passed her first round of exams. She practices, studies and teaches yoga in the tradition of BKS Iyengar.

 

Yoga and Riding Clinic

The Clinic is beautifully designed and balanced to be enriching and complete and yet to allow enough time for participants to enjoy the beauty and peace of Highland Ranch.

The Clinic is open to all levels of riders and yogis. The number of participants is kept to less than ten to allow the instructors to address each participant's particular level of experience and expertise.  This clinic will help if you are learning to ride and want to start off with a sound understanding of your body and it's movement's effect on the horse as you ride. Also, if you are a more experienced rider, Crystal and Susie will bring their combined 35 years of experience to focus on observing and offering adjustments that will incrsase your body awareness and refine the communication and connection you have with your mount.

Yoga and riding each involve a balanced seat, an open heart, a calm breath, a present mind, and a deep connection with all life. In this workshop you will have the opportunity to focus on and practice actions and awareness of the body on our yoga mats and then call up that same awareness and undertake similar actions later in the saddle. For instance, in the yoga studio, you'll practice hip opening poses and then later in the saddle you'll practice the same hip opening action and see the effect it has on your mount. It is exciting when your horse "gets" what you want to do and where you want to go by subtle cues in your balance and movement. When we can communicate with our horses without relying on the bit or the boot, we truly honor and foster the gift of strength and vitality that our horses share with us. Daily yoga classes will focus on alignment, strength, suppleness and breath that invite the body’s responsiveness and well being. On Saturday and Sunday, you ’ll take your enlivened experience into the saddle for exercises and trail riding fostering a more conscious, open connection with our equine friends.

The retreat is designed for people of all experience levels in yoga and riding.  So, bring your own horse or ride one of ours free of charge.

A weekend retreat of yoga and riding instruction will help to:

• Improve your balance, flexibility and stamina on the mat and in the saddle
• Develop your body’s responsiveness and a more conscious attitude to riding
• Encourage harmonious work and play between horse and rider

Price and Accommodation

The cost of the weekend is $815/double occupancy and $925/single occupancy. Rates include:

Lodging in a well-appointed cabin with fireplace, full bathroom and porches with rocking chairs

• Use of a Highland Ranch horse or boarding fees for your own horse
• Use of all ranch facilities and amenities

Cancellation and Refunds

Cancellations occurring before 8/24/08 we will refund less a $50.00 processing fee. For cancellations from 8/24/08 to 10/10/08 THERE IS NO REFUND, however we will credit any payments over the deposit to another ranch stay or workshop in 2008 or 2009. For cancellations after 10/10/08 there is no refund and no credit. Workshop may be transferred to another person.

Please call Susie at (707) 895-3600 or send an email to stay@highlandranch.com for more information. 

"Barnside Yoga Poses"© by Susie Cohen

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