I was your basic horse crazy girl, who by the age of 9 had convinced my Mother, a horse would be a good idea. I pretty much didn’t dismount until I left home to get married. Life and marriage, to my wonderful husband Skip, and children, sons Paul & Ethan, put the horsewoman on hold for quite a few years.
But when I decided, that my passion for horses had been shelved for long enough, and I jumped back in with both feet! First looking at horse ownership (expensive), than opting to volunteer at a horse rescue, where I started mucking stalls and grooming the horses. All the while I kept thinking there has to be more I can do to help them. I felt that they needed more than restoring their health, (which the rescue is phenomenal at doing), but something to help to renew their spirits, bring new balance and motion to their bodies, as well as incorporate a gentle touch they could trust.
My husband an avid reader and bookstore junkie, came home one day with the solution, a book he bought for me—a book on horse massage. I immediately connected with what the author was explaining and went to the internet. The book was Equine Massage by Jean-Pierre Hourdebaigt, R.M.T. and one I still recommend for someone wanting to give massage a try.
I found a equine bodywork workshop in Iowa and signed up. My husband went along and we took the weekend training in a technique called Masterson Method™ bodywork. I continued with this training, learning the basic techniques and mechanics of doing bodywork, and becoming certified in early 2010. It was a good beginning, but it wasn't enough, so as I worked on the horses I continued learning and growing, devouring numerous other modalities, such as acupressure, TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), massage, Reiki, and other bodywork techniques. Each new venue opening me to a deeper connection with the horses I touched. Finding numerous good teachings, and much overlap in techniques, but all with excellent outcomes in relation to the work on the horses.
I have to admit, with all my learning and work, the most important thing I learned…was in the stalls…with the horses. I learned to listen, to watch, and to be still. My greatest teachers were the horses I served. Finding as I worked, that the horses were leading me to try new techniques, to listen to there subtle queues and to trust what I felt as I worked.
I have too many stories to relate here, but I’m happy to share, so I’m sure I'll be sharing them as time allows on my website, www.equineatparr.com under the Case Study tab.
Then along came Kit. A horse I was asked to look at...to see if I could help find a home for him...who had had an serious injury in his pasture 3 months earlier and would not use his right front leg. He was scheduled for euthanasia if he could not be adopted out. Well now he's my horse…his shoulder it turned out was broken....but that’s another story and you can follow it here on my blog Equine a.t. Parr - Horse a.t. Balance
My dream, calling, life path or whatever you’d like to call it, is to share what I’ve learned, and what I’m continuing to learn, with others. My desire is to use these techniques working on horses, bringing balance and comfort to to them. But I also want to share this with their owners, Helping them learn how to do simple techniques and to build these connections and insights for themselves.
This ability is not mine alone, but one I’ve been entrusted to share with you, to help you too to make this connection. As we all work toward the best quality of life for our equine partners.
Tami Parr, CEB
No comments:
Post a Comment