Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Liz Mitten Ryan, Author



Liz Mitten Ryan is an expert in horse herd language, natural horse training, therapy with horses, horse programs, equine programs. She is the co-author of four award winning spiritual horse books…

Welcome Liz!

Where are you from?
I was born in Vancouver, BC Canada.

What was your first encounter with a horse?
Riding lessons at age five.

What is your favorite horse breed?
I own Warmbloods but recently bred an Iberian Warmblood (Andalusian/Warmblood cross). I love the mix.

Who do you have in your stables?
I have 14 Warmbloods, two ponies, a steer that thinks he's a horse and two llamas.

What is your riding discipline?
I call my riding and ground play method Natural Horsefriendship (as opposed to Natural Horsemanship) It is not a discipline but a joy. 
We ride around the playground, pasture, on the 320 acre property and in the hills. 

What’s your favorite thing to do?
My favorite thing to do is let my horse take me where she wants to go.

Do you have a favorite horse anecdote?
One of my favorite stories is when I was teaching the horses to touch cones, balls etc. with their nose. After I taught two or three, the rest of the horses just knew how to do it. Then Tesoro, the steer, came over and wanted to play. When I let him out, he ran over to the cones that were in a line and touched each one, then came over to say 'I can do anything they can... where is my treat'.

How can I learn to be intuitive with my horse?
Intuition is to humans what instinct is to animals. Make a commitment to spend more time in the natural world and with animals and listen to the clear sharp voice of spirit which is more easily heard away from the noise and clutter of the city. The more you listen, the more it will speak to you.

What is 'Equinisity'?
Equinisity was a word the horses offered meaning: 'The gift of finding the unexpected yet truly meaningful perspective through the almost 360 degree vision of the equine.'

Any advice for someone looking to buy a horse?

I would suggest making several visits, playing on the ground, riding, taking the horse on a walk away from the barn or ring -in the meadow or pasture, out on the trails etc. Spend lot's of time at liberty in a ring or round pen just hanging out, brushing, walking, asking him to join you. Make it fun, share some treats...

Any advice for a novice rider?
Get a kind, confident schoolmaster horse to teach you everything he knows.


Follow Liz…

No comments:

This Week @ Monday Creek: History and Cosmos

  The Ides of March came and went without much ado. Falling on the 15 th of March, it was a significant date in ancient Rome. It gained not...