I’ve been interested in David Thind’s classes for some time, so I was delighted to see a free 1 hour online class offered. It’s just the thing you can be doing if you can’t get to the barn — or even if you can. I came across his website when I was looking at an ad for a saddle (yes, I resisted it), but the premise resonated with me –

Free yourself of compensation patterns, stiffness, crookedness and postural misconceptions that we pick up throughout our lives. Keep the functional patterns that work and reboot the rest! 

Ever since my accident I’ve felt crooked. My left ankle is still weaker than my right and as I get tired, I know that I favor it. Zelda is crooked, too (more on that later) and I wonder how much of her crookedness is a reflection of mine. I need to work on getting myself back in alignment before I can “fix” her.

I never had the time to sign up for an in-person session but David is offering a free online class that I’m definitely checking out. These classes normally cost $35-$50, but he is offering them free as he had to cancel his live workshops. So if you’re home and want to try a very relaxing body awareness and biomechanics class that’s proven to help you relax and reduce anxiety, try it.

The free sessions this weekend focus on understanding that our emotions more or less dictate our posture and that we can hijack our emotions by changing our posture. The session is not just for riders, but for anyone who doesn’t want the heavy burden of stress weighing down on their shoulders.

Good actors know that emotions and posture go hand-in-hand and studies have proven that cortisol levels can change in a matter of minutes, merely by taking on emotion-specific postures. As an added bonus, research suggests that maintaining good posture can improve functioning of the immune system.is a ‘seat training’ workshop. The classical seat demands control over involuntary tension signaling our horses that they are safe and well. You will need a mat and about 1 hour. The class is designed to help you:

• Reduce anxiety and inhibit the sympathetic nervous system
• Achieve a beautiful, deep, supple and effective seat
• Release tension that blocks your horse
• Address pain through improved biomechanics
• Change your self image to become a better version of yourself

You can sign up for the a link to the class here.

What’s different about Dave’s teaching? His website describes it as a hybrid of Feldenkrais techniques combined with Dave’s expert classical dressage and biomechanics background which will elevate every level of rider’s balance, body awareness, symmetry, suppleness, possible pain relief and mental awareness of movement. Rather than a standard way of teaching, students practice isolated movements and body awareness exercises tailored to the dressage rider to hone their skills from the comfort of their homes.