In 2005, a
talented Belgian Dressage rider/instructor with weak
shoulders, and a passionate American Natural Horsemanship instructor
seeking a
new path, met in a dark Spanish airport, and discovered they shared a
vision
for the future of sporthorse development and the welfare and well-being
of all
the worlds horses...
For the next six years we
continued our research,
teaching, learning, collaborating and staying up talking late into many a
night. Our collective experience with hundreds of horses was further
honed by
two very challenging equine professors
who became our inspirations for developing a new way to be with, and be
seen
by, our horses. Saskia's champion dressage mare Rayou,
and Alissa's partner in liberty and play, the dominant gelding Doc
A'Nalu, challenged us to become more creative,
more clear in our communication, more horse-like in our mind-set, and
more
aware of the impact of all the aspects of the life that we impose upon
these
beautiful domisticated creatures...
February 2011 - we presented
the first official Rayou A'Nalu Dressage™ Clinic in Kilauea, Kaua'i,
Hawaii - three fun and fabulous days of demonstrations, one-on-one and
two(instructors)-on-two(horse/human) sessions of riding and training,
horse
behavior observation and analysis, horse psychology, group simulations
and
hands on work with the horses and many and varied question & answer
sessions with our lovely crowd and student body. Our vision is to get
students to take a wide view of the horse not just as an athlete capable
of amazing
feats of physical expression and inter-species bonding, but also as an
intelligent animal with thoughts, emotions, and needs. These unique
qualities
of Equus are enabled and enhanced by excellent health, soundness of body
and
mind, and the building of a relationship between horse and rider based
on
trust, clear communication, and mutual respect. This panoramic way of
looking
at the whole horse, this new way of looking at the whole training
picture, is Holistic Horse
Development™ - an intensive
program of study focused on six areas:
Rayou A’Nalu Dressage™ - Correct classical training for lightness, responsiveness, willingness, effortless
athleticism, strength, confidence and teamwork
Equine Hanna Somatics® - Performance Enhancement through mind-body connection, expanding range of motion,
pain relief and supporting overall health
Performance Hoof Care - Bare, Strong, and Booted as necessary for rough terrain, gives hooves Ultimate
Performance. No Hoof, No Horse...No Metal!
Hybrid-Stable Habitat™ - Simulated Natural Habitat maintains health, fitness, and soundness of body, mind and
spirit; minimizes chores and vet calls...
Nutrition - A Research-based low sugar mostly forage diet optimizes health, regulates gut motility, and stabilizes
energy levels
Training/Education - A program for both horse and human to prepare for riding Dressage, or any Discipline. The
HHD Foundation Pyramid™ is built on groundwork, confidence building, skills building, fitness and developing
good leadership.
Welcome to the path to success in dressage and everything else you dream of doing with horses!