Horses have carried us through history and have been our partners along the way.
It's only natural that they accompany us on our path to self-discovery. It’s time to start your journey.
EQUIYOGA
EquiYoga is the continuous practice of self awareness through asanas (poses), pranyama (breathing techniques), and meditation on the mat and in the saddle to create a collaborative partnership with your horse. You begin this program on the mat creating a foundation of breath and learning the asanas. As you move to the saddle our horses stand patiently, often breathing and stretching with you, as you begin to find a flow. When you are ready to advance, the horse walks as you match your rhythm with the animal. This unique technique highlights many trouble areas, such as the neck, shoulders, arms, seat, and legs. It brings awareness to your balance and strength, essentially because your mat is moving to its own pace. By adding the equine element to yoga, the equestrian will learn to adjust to new situations with breath and suppleness, reevaluate the body cues to keep clear communication, and build a deeper connection to your horse. This discovery can be utilized to enhance your riding and your yoga practice.
EquiYOGA & Trail Riding Retreat
Equestrian sports involve two athletes of different species performing together in physical and mental harmony. Like any good team, we owe it to our equine partners to show up as our best selves. The EquiYoga & Horsemanship Retreat and Clinics provide the rider with tools and knowledge based on natural horsemanship philosophy and an EquiYoga practice.
Starting on the mat, each EquiYoga class focuses on a distinct section of the body (upper, lower, or trunk) and provides a solution to the following question: How can I use this area to communicate with my horse more clearly and strengthen our partnership?
With hands-on observations and guidance in the arena, Justyn helps you apply these ideas from the mat to the saddle. Every session aims to address physical patterns, mental obstacles, and several other challenges that prevent you from being a confident and balanced rider.
We move on to trail riding clinics, where you can now apply these new techniques in active riding situations with the safety of the ranh. We teach you the basics of safely sending your horse, approaching an obstacle from the saddle, rating your horse through varied terrain, and assessing the trail to become a proactive rider. We believe that the more knowledge and skills you possess as an equestrian, the more complete your partnership will be.
Heading out of the arena and onto the trail, we will ride in stunning locations throughout the week, so you can utilize these concepts in real-life scenarios. You will begin to recognize your patterns and responses while riding, and you will be able to adjust to your surroundings.
With a mixture of trail riding, EquiYoga classes, Yin Yoga sessions, smudge stick making, and trail riding clinics, this week is less about the adventure and more about the journey.
“Where ever you find the foot print of the human being in the sand, you find the foot prints of the horse walking next to him”
Meet our yOGA instructor
A good day in the saddle is as healing as a session on my mat.
Justyn Vogel - EquiYoga
As co-owner and outfitter of Enchantment Equitreks, Justyn has blended her passion for horses and yoga in our EquiYoga program. After developing her own practice for 15 years, she received her teacher training at Indi Yoga Studio in 2017. Trained in a Yoga Physics style that focuses on function over form, Justyn leads classes centered on rider release and body awareness. Her classes will take you from mat to saddle to trail, with sessions designed to create a comprehensive understanding of the asana and horsemanship connection.
Follow:
Enchantment Equitreks Youtube Channel: EquiYoga and Horsemanship playlist features brief videos that explain how to incorporate our philosophies into your barn life.