It was to be the first of its kind. The focus was on the 7th neck vertebrae and its problems stemming from a widely chosen form of training with Dressage and Showjumping horses at the moment. Firstly a biomechanical riding and judges aspect of the damage of Roll-Kur, a veterinary explanation of the health damage and well then came me – the Spiritual side.
The night before, our participating vet called to inform us that she was extremely sick and would not be able to join the seminar. So it was now up to Wolfgang and I to provide as much information we could ourselves to cover the afternoon ahead of us.
That turned out to be not a problem!
In a country where I thought they would never be ready to hear what I had to say, even though in my heart I always felt they needed it the most, because of one man – Wolfgang Kutting who, in his own words ‘was taking a risk doing this seminar with me, not knowing exactly what it was that I was going to say’, opened the doors for the first seminar involving the Spiritual connection to classical riding, given in Germany, with a very special group of people coming with their hearts wide open to what was about to happen on this day.
Not to mention Wolfgang’s desire for me to do this in German was a challenge for me, thank fully I was understood!
The smiles that were present from three wonderful riders and their horses! During the practical demonstration in between our talks, Marvin Engels, Kristina Aline Kutting and Kerstin Isabel Kutting entered with their best friends and helped us explain why training with respect for an animal ultimately teaches respect for ourselves and each other.
It was informative, refreshing and positive in all directions. To have the explanations physically explained so beautifully by Wolfgang, then to see it so clearly shown by the riders Marvin, Kristina and Kerstin was evidence enough for these wonderful viewers why a new direction of pain on horses will not and cannot be allowed for much longer.
For me my talk was mainly upon WHY one would even choose to train in this way.
Most of it is a closed heart chakra and stuck in the illusion of life. The focus of this seminar chosen by Wolfgang, was on the 7th neck vertebrae of the horse – here is where the heart chakra of the horse is situated. Horses are a reflection of their human partners and to understand their problems is to understand our own.
What I was blessed to have learnt and experienced during my years spent with Paul Warnke and Josef Freese will be ingrained in my heart and Soul for the rest of my life. To come back to a country that I held so much respect for and to see the place that once stood its ground with patience, correct training and honor towards horses and a system, be completely lost to now only a few people, was for me devastating.
In the days I rode for Paul and for Josef, except the rare few horses (unfortunately needing to be sold quickly) draw reins, fast tracking their training before their ideal age or mental ability, using stronger bits and using double bridles (more than once/twice a week for older horses) was for both the Dressage horses and the Show Jumpers, simply not allowed.
Sometimes things need to become really bad before we make change. In the competitive horse industry of Showjumping and Dressage, worldwide, things for the horses are very, very bad.
To be able to have the chance to speak to a group of people willing to understand what is going on in their own lives but also in the lives of those around them, with compassion and understanding, is showing the shift in this industry already.
The connection, information, shared views,
open hearts and open minds that Wolfgang and I have been blessed to share together, made this day possible. It is the bridging of two worlds that for most people, are either unaware of one of them existing or are unaware that one does not exist without the other. We are functioning from multiple levels and they are all influenced by one source – individually and collectively – our Souls.
It was not a day of showmanship nor of talents and abilities, although the beauty of these horses and riders always shone through, it was a day of awareness, of knowledge and of the power of putting the health and wellbeing, not only of our horses, but of our hearts truest callings to come first.
The Book is like a little help in every day – if I’m unhappy I just remember or read some pages – sometimes just the personal words she wrote in for me on that day we met.
Stay focused Catherine – you are one of the most beautiful and inspiring persons I know.
So much Love to you from Germany!”
Kristina Schumachern – Words from the amazing person who covered the days photography. Thank you Kristina.
I am so grateful to my dear friend Wolfgang for the opportunity that he gave to me and to us all, to be there and speak to such a wonderful group of people. To his amazing wife Heike and daughters Kerstin and Kristina, who are in themselves, a force of light but most of all to a group of people who came to listen, to open their minds, who held no judgments and walked away with each of their lights shining just that little bit brighter, making our world for these horses and for these humans, a better place to be in.
“I’m so glad that I met Catherine at a great workshop in Germany last year. She was so positive and her point of view about horses, Riding and living was so lovely… I remember tears running down my Face, when I realized my ‘faults’ and sometimes you just need to turn your mind in another, better and free direction.
The Book is like a little help in every day – if I’m unhappy I just remember or read some pages – sometimes just the personal words she wrote in for me on that day we met.
Stay focused Catherine – you are one of the most beautiful and inspiring persons I know.
So much Love to you from Germany!”
Kristina Schumacher – ALL of these beautiful photos and more were taken by Photographer Kristina Schumacher. Thank you so much Kristina!
Catherine Louise Birmingham 