Qualifications & Biography

Qualifications

Feldenkrais Method – www.feldenkrais.co.uk

Moshe Feldenkrais combined keen observation, feeling for and understanding of physics, anatomy & neurology to help human beings to function more effectively. The Feldenkrais Method uses “Awareness Through Movement” (ATM) lessons and “Functional Integration” (FI) to investigate old habits and teach easier, more elegant ways of movement. The Feldenkrais Practitioner is a teacher who helps people find a new way of learning and new habits of movement. Moshe Feldenkrais said “What I’m after isn’t flexible bodies, but flexible brains. What I’m after is to restore each person to their human dignity.” Garet Newell, who trained with Dr Feldenkrais, is the Educational Director of 4-year training programmes in Sussex where Katherine completed her training in 2014 … https://feldenkrais-itc.com/garet-newell/

Masterson Method with founder Jim Masterson – www.mastersonmethod.com

Katherine qualified as a Masterson Method practitioner in 2014. Jim Masterson wrote a book called “Beyond Horse Massage: A Breakthrough Interactive Method for Alleviating Soreness, Strain and Tension” which describes how his work helps horses to release tension and access easier ways to function. Katherine read the book while recovering from a broken arm. When she went into the field to play with her horses, they volunteered to be Masterson Method™ models and stood quietly for her, even though she could not hold them. This extraordinary way for her to spend time with horses as she recovered brought a new dimension to her understanding of horses and also to her Feldenkrais practice with human beings.

AlignmentHORSE (previously EquiAlign) with founder Liz VanRoss

Liz has been training Katherine in AlignmentHORSE / EquiAlign since 2020. A horse may know how to perform in nature the occasional straight line or partial circle but most people require horses to consistently hold that course. How does a horse learn to align himself correctly for this work if we do not teach him a new way of holding himself? In nature it makes no sense for a horse to make a perfect 20m circle from A and return to A … in nature, if he has left A why would he want to return to A and why would he do that in a perfect circle? There is so much science that now proves the anatomical capabilities of a horse and their instinctive and behavioural patterning that we can harness to work more effectively with horses. When a horse understands how to align themselves for the task, they find pleasure and ease and choose it over misalignment. Then, when we ride, we do not have to work hard to simply remind the horse when it is that they fall out of alignment. Find out more about AlignmentHORSE Courses

Connected Riding® with founder Peggy Cummings – www.connectedriding.com

Riders and horses each have habits of movement, some of which cause stress and tension … and when people and horses touch each other they influence the way the other moves. Peggy teaches people how to release tension in themselves and their horses so that they can work together in harmony. Connected Riding Groundwork and Riding exercises can result in teamwork of self-carriage and suspension. A rider who finds self-carriage in themselves, may help their horses to find it. Katherine has been a Connected Riding® Practitioner in Training since 2015 and has organized some of Peggy’s UK Clinics. Having completed all of the extensive CR Training CR101-104 and submitted all of the mentored Case Studies before Covid, Katherine is fully conversant with the Connected Riding body of work although she has not yet undergone the final examination.

Tellington TTouch® and TTEAM® with Robyn Hood – www.ttouch.com

Linda Tellington Jones trained with Moshe Feldenkrais and then created her own form of bodywork with horses (and other animals) … Tellington Touch and TTEAM … which she fine-tuned with her sister, Robyn. Peggy Cummings of Connected Riding acknowledges inspiration from many sources including Centered Riding and TTouch. In so many realms, we stand on the shoulders of giants. It is a great privilege to be able to work with modern-day genius and Katherine has been honoured to study TTEAM with Robyn Hood. Since around 2000 Katherine started the using Tellington Touches described in Linda’s books and was able to start training with Robyn in 2012 by attending clinics … but she still has not presented a case study!

Soundcodes for Atlas-in-Balance – atlas-in-balance.org

Katherine went to Schleswig Holstein in 2016 to learn Soundcodes from the creator, Elisabeth Westermann. This is a form of vibrational healing that invites the body to respond. Katherine is qualified in human and animal Soundcodes Therapy.

NO HANDS Massage – nohandsmassage.com

In 2016 Katherine qualified as a No HANDS Massage therapist. This work has informed her work with both people and horses.

A potted biography

Every challenge opens new doors. Since 1999 Katherine researched ways of becoming a better rider and horse-owner; investigating modalities of human and equine movement, diet, training, body-work, healing and equine management.

Katherine has been riding since the 1960s … in Africa, Britain, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and America … and developed in interest in eventing and competing in dressage and show jumping. In 1995 Katherine moved to Asia, returning to her career as a Chartered Surveyor after lecturing at the University of Aberdeen. By 2000 she was working for a multi-national corporation in Indonesia. She joined the Jakarta Polo & Equestrian Club and coordinated a buy-out of the riding club, which she then helped run. Cyndy Cross, the Club Manager, inspired Katherine to devote herself to horses. Her ex-polo ponies were an Australian Stockhorse (part Lipizzaner) and an Australian Thoroughbred from whom she bred a Dutch Warmblood colt called Kizmet (an event horse who lives with her in England). Since returning to the UK she rescued a Dutch Warmblood mare (who had a foal in 2015) and an Andalusian mare. She also treats, trains and rides her friend’s Hanoverian.

The challenges of horse management and horse & rider training and personal development have led Katherine to explore a multitude of modalities, products and approaches. Katherine now lives in Herefordshire with her lovely husband Jack, two gorgeous labrador retrievers (one home-bred) and horses, with occasional visits by the now-grown and trans-Atlantic ‘children’. Without Jack’s tremendous support and encouragement, Katherine would not have been able to devote herself to twenty fascinating years of study and research.

Katherine is passionate about uncovering the full potential in both horse and rider; the kind and compassionate route to balance, harmony and well-being. She is a qualified Feldenkrais Practitioner and Masterson Method practitioner and practices daily Inner Influencing. She has audited Philippe Karl’s 4-year Teacher Training programme, trimmed hooves under Maureen Tierney’s guidance, practiced Inner Influencing with Paul Greblick, studied with Carolyn Resnick privately in California and via video-coaching and personally with Michele Morseth in the US, Jim Masterson, Robyn Hood, Gertrud Pysall in Germany, Clare Frost, Sharon May-Davis, Rosie Withey, Peggy Cummings, Sharon Wilsie and Liz VanRoss. We progress by “… standing on the shoulders of giants.” [Sir Isaac Newton].