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Happy Clients
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Traditional yoga for the modern Equestrian.
Equestrian yoga is a way to bridge the gap between the connection between the person and the horse by first connecting the person to themselves.
People have a need for body, mind, emotional and spiritual connection in order to fully understand the world of horsemanship.
Good horsemanship requires the person in the partnership to be mindful and work with their equine partner with purpose and thoughtfulness.
Kiersten Sledge is a certified yoga instructor with her RYT-200 certification and additionaly certifications in restorative yoga and chair yoga. In 2022 Kiersten is pursuing her 100HR meditation certificate and her certification in Ayurveda.
How does it work?
This is not yoga done on horseback, or utilizing the horse as a prop for asana practice.
Yoga for equestrians can be done in private sessions or small group. You will see below this is classified as "Asana Practice" which is the body movements part of yoga. We incorporate controlling the breathing (pranayama) and mindfulness which leads to meditation abilities but yoga is a way of life, not just the physical asana practice. I travel within 20-25 miles of my yoga home base at Animal Assisted Life in zip code 27539 to teach in-person. With a travel fee, I will travel further out depending on availability.
In addition to in person, Kiersten provides virtual private and group lessons across the world. Kiersten will guide your or your group through a series of breathing exercises and body movements specially tailored for the equine. This is a great option for accessibility both geographically AND if doing yoga in the barn aisle prevents your from using props like chairs, bolsters and blocks and you're looking for a more restorative practice or props support your ability to access your physical yoga practice.
Private sessions are $100 a session in person or pair, small group is $250 a session at your location within the range. Virtual sessions are $60 no matter how many join in the session in order to create a cost friendly option for privates and groups to participate in this work. Your barn mates can zoom in all together or from your own homes and split the virtual cost.
Sessions last between one hour and one hour and fifteen minutes.
Service Area Info:
I serve most areas of Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Cary, Apex and Raleigh. My service area is a 20 mile zone. If you are outside this zone, please message me. Within 50 miles there is a $25 travel fee and over 60 miles we can negotiate what works best.
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Equine Bodywork & Massage
I provide equine body work and equine body work basic training for horse owners. There are limited spots for equine body work, and clinics are hosted for horse owners on site at Animal Assisted Life and on location for barns and stables looking to learn the 101 on equine body work. Private training sessions are available for one on one to do body work, teach, and do body energy scans for painful areas.
Types of Equine Body Work & Massage:
Integrative Body Work is a combination of sports massage (deep tissue), cupping, Swedish massage techniques, Masterson Method, TTouch and fascia body work all united to create a "custom massage" for the equine. The methods used will depend on the need of the horse, not the request of the owner.
Equine Sports Massage Therapy is a deep tissue massage for equines. My training comes directly from Jack Maegher's (creator of sports massage) training and influence. The purpose of this type of massage is to provide support in preventing muscle injuries in horses. This includes body work and body movement. (Kiersten is certified from Equissage in Equine Sports Massage Therapy.)
Equine Reiki is a session done on a horse with healing hands that help open energy for the horse in their chakras and provide energy alignment.
Contact me to book. Weekly spots are limited.
ABOUT
True horsemanship is developed in the mindful quality of everything we do—not just in the quality of everything we do with our horses. - Mark Rashid
Epona Equestrian started when Kiersten recognized a gap in the system between quality horsemanship and the ability of equestrians to be focused, mindful and present with their equines. Kiersten has had her feet in the stirrups for over 25 years and spent her youth training in hunter/jumper at Five Star Stables, Oak Ridge Stables and Buckhorn Farms. She continued her private training with Tonya Larsen as a young horse owner and budding Equestrian for many years in the Triangle. After returning back to the Triangle area after university, Kiersten was back into the equine world again, but this time with a goal to make a difference in her riding, training and the way that we all view our relationship with the horse instead of a focus on training for showing and events.
Over the last decade, Kiersten has been focusing on studying horsemanship on a deeper level. This has lead to Kiersten being able to work with some wonderful local and national trainers and clinicians. Currently, Kiersten as a rider is a Western career with her 13 year old Arabian horse, Titan in order to fully maximize on body, kind and spirit connection of riding.
As a professional, Kiersten studied Communication and Sociology at Appalachian State University as an undergrad in 2011. In 2018 she pursued her Masters of School Counseling from Capella University and is a licensed and practicing School Counselor in NC. In 2022 Kiersten will be pursing her NCC, LMHCA and her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision. Kiersten's knowledge of interpersonal communication and counseling contributes greatly into her work with Epona Equestrian.
Kiersten has practiced yoga for 15 years but became fully passionate about making it a lifestyle in 2014. In 2020, Kiersten received her RYT® 200 Yoga Teacher Certification from a Yoga Alliance accredited school, Yoga and Ayurveda Center with Stephanie Ball-Mitchell. Kiersten continues to add certifications to her yoga practice such as restorative yoga, chair yoga and Ayurveda specialist. Kiersten is particularly passionate about teaching yoga to equestrians due to the mind and body connection needed with equines being mirrored in the yogic lifestyle.
Another gap in horsemanship that Kiersten found was in order for a horse to feel mentally and emotionally calm and confident, they need to have their physical bodies addressed with compassion and knowledge. As a prey animal, horses think about their physical wellbeing more so than a predator animal. It is essential as equestrians that while we make sure our mentality is in the game with our horses that we take care of our horses physical as well. Kiersten has also trained with Corinne Bowie to become a Certified Equine Sports Massage Therapist and continues to build on the Equine Bodywork part of Epona Equine. This desire to become a Certified ESMT stems from years of growing up with little tools to cure ailments in all of the hunter/jumper horses combined with seeing the power of professional equine massage and realizing that all along many of her practices incorporated these practices in an informal way. Kiersten continues to study other methodologies in massage and recently has found the power in cupping for fascia and is pursing studying tapping as another modality. In addition to providing individual equine massage, teaching is one of Kiersten's passions and she also teaches horse owners the basics of massages that anyone can do to help connect to their horse and support their physical well being.
In addition to traditional body work practices, Kiersten also provides Equine Reiki and received her training from Amy Rauber-Patton and continues to pursue her education to become a full Reiki master. Horses benefit from energetic alignments as they often relax and feel very fulfilled by the work. Horses have an amazing ability to give back to people energetically and this practices helps us give back to them.
During all lf these practices Kiersten also can often connect with the energy of the horse and do body scans for pain points and learn more about the horse wants and needs through observation of behavior and movement.
Kiersten continues to study various aspects of equine management and keeps up to date on evidence and data based equine developments. This includes an interest and understanding of nutrition, hoof health, dental health, saddle fitting, and equine neuroscience among others. As a forever student, if there's something that Kiersten doesn't know she will always look to find the answer and share it with her clients. With the ever changing scientific world, as well as lifeitmes of learning and professionals out in the world, keeping an open mind and willingness to learn is the most important part of all of Kiersten's practices.
Kiersten's unique blend of professional knowledge and personal passions has lead to a combined approach to working with people and their horses. Her approach is to help people connect to their internal selves, so that they can navigate the external world and then by adding equine massage to her practice she can help horses relieve their external pressures so that they can be more connected internally to their work and human partners.
