Ride With Your Mind (RWYM)
As stated in Mary's book, Ride With Your Mind Essentials:
Learning to ride well is a mammoth task — far larger than most riders realise — yet Mary Wanless believes that the essential skills of riding can be mastered by virtually every rider, if they are given the right tools.
Whilst the horse world is rich in descriptions that tell us what the horse and rider should look like, we lack good information about exactly 'how' to produce the desired result. Good horsemen ride well without knowing how they do it, and without understanding why you are not like them and cannot do it too.
During 23 years of research it has been Mary Wanless's personal mission to expose the secrets of fine horsemanship, breaking down riding skills into 'bite-size' chunks and finding ways of describing them that work for average riders. The net result is that her acclaimed 'Ride With Your Mind' teaching methods can successfully turn average riders into talented ones.
RWYM is suitable for all levels of riders, whether confident or nervous, riding school riders, happy hackers or competing in any of the disciplines. It is very much about the rider being aware of their body and how the horse responds to changes. Each lesson builds a check list of thoughts and feelings for the rider to take away, so they can practice in their own time. Horses are great teachers too, they provide the feedback to let us know whether we are on track, so long as we become aware of their responses and how to read them.
RWYM is best taught on a one to one basis, as every horse and rider combination has their own unique needs, although group sessions can be accommodated. Generally I teach at Overdale Equestrian Centre, Nether Westcote, in the Oxfordshire/Cotswolds area, but I also travel to teach individuals, at their own yards, within a 25 mile radius. I also have a client base in Northamptonshire which I visit monthly. Special arrangements can be made for groups further away.