Pilates for Horses
A Day Course for Horse Owners
with Gillian Higgins
This practical day course focuses on 'Pilates' type exercises that you can do with your own horse. Learning how to do these groundwork exercises can be hugely beneficial to all horses and boost performance.
During this course you will learn how to perform exercises that will improve:
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Posture
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Core stability
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Strength
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Flexibility
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Suppleness
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Coordination
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Balance
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And more.
You’ll go home with ideas for exercise programmes for:
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Preparing and strengthening young horses
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Supporting posture and musculoskeletal health of performance horses
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Maintaining the health and mobility of older horses
There will be plenty of hands-on participation with the opportunity to practise the exercises on different horses with Gillian present to help and guide you.
The facilities at Wavendon Grange allow us to bring horses into the classroom alongside bones and the other anatomical models. This enables us to combine the theory and the practice!
And with a variety of very different horses willing to perform these exercises (from a pony cob to a 17hh ISH,) you will go home confident to try them with your own horse.
You do not need to bring your
own horse for this course.
If you would like to read another horse owners review of the day check out this blog article:
All of Gillian's courses are supported by a wealth of photographs and video footage taken from years worth of work including footage of her anatomically painted horses and from her dissections.
Also during the course you will have access to Gillian's large collection of bones and anatomical models. This ensures that you will be better able to visualise the anatomical structures relevant to posture and pilates.
Timetable
09.00 Welcome and Coffee
09.30 Principles of Pilates - Theory Session
11.00 Break
11.30 Pilates Exercises - Practical Session
12.30 Lunch
13.15 Pilates Exercises - Practical Session
14.30 Break
15.00 Equine Gym Exercises - Practical Session
16.00 Discussion
16.30 Close
Notes
Tea, coffee and homemade cakes will be available throughout the day
Please bring your own packed lunch
This course is held both inside and out so please bring appropriate warm clothes for a day out on the yard.
This course is limited to 14 people to ensure small groups and individual attention.
Course Price
Course Leader
Prices include VAT
GILLIAN HIGGINS
Gillian is an equine anatomist, biomechanist, BHS Senior Coach, professional Sports and Remedial Therapist and author with a first class honours degree in Equine Science and Business Management.
She specialises in assessing the musculoskeletal systems and designing exercise programmes for improving posture and performances as well as assessing and addressing individual horses’ weaknesses.
In 2008 she developed her own 'Pilates' for Horses when she wrote a book 'Pilates and Stretching for Horses' and later followed this up with a DVD 'Pilates for Horses'.
With a passion for equine 'Pilates' and with the welfare and comfort of the horse in mind, she has given 'Pilates' workshops all over the world.
Gillian works with horses from all disciplines and levels from leisure to Olympic and they all benefit from Gillian's specialised exercise programmes.