Sunday, March 25, 2018

A Perfect Day in the Sun

Tiina, Thor and Jack.

We spent a wonderful weekend in Italy and came back late last night. Had a great nights sleep before picking up Jack from our friends place and heading to the stable with my best friend Tiina. 


We took almost 30 year old Visti with us an headed out to the forest. The weather was purely amazing. The sun was shining, there was still snow on the ground and everyone was so happy and full of energy. I went without a saddle on Visti and mostly took it pretty easy when the others were cantering around. What a perfect day in the sun. 



The horses are enjoying the sun at our active stable. 



My darling horse!

Sunday, March 18, 2018

Correcting your aligment


We talk a lot about alignment in riding. Correct alignment is crucial if we want to develop as riders. There are a lot of ways that we can work on correct alignment and I believe that the best way to do it is through various training out of the saddle. When we do yoga, pilates or other forms of muscle training we get to know our bodies better and we get to feel when we are aligned and when we are out of alignment.


There are however some great tricks that we can use also when riding and our trainer Tiina Rikkonen gave one great advice to us on Friday. When we were leg-yielding from the center toward the track I was putting my weight too much to the right side. I drop my hip to the right and become crooked in my spine. This time Tiina did not tell me to think about my hips or hands or legs or anything else. She told me to look over my right shoulder to the right and through that Thors' movement became more fluid and I could really feel myself straighten up.


I started to think about it after the lesson and realized that it can be the smallest things that can make a huge difference. I also tried it while sitting at home. You can tilt your pelvis to the right and put yourself in a crooked position. Once you are there you then turn your gaze to the right and feel your  your lower body straighten and your whole physique becoming more aligned. When you try it e.g. sitting on a chair it is also a lot easier to master in in the saddle. This little trick is however one great way to straighten up and get yourself more aligned on your horse (you just need to know to what side you are crooked to first. That however is a whole other story.:) 


Yesterday Thor had a day off and today we headed out hacking with some friends and our dog Jack. It was the most beautiful weather. Still a lot of snow but very warm and the sun really warmed our faces. When we were almost home I told the others that we would still stay in the forest since Thor felt so good and Jack had a lot of energy. We headed for a long run and we were all completely beat when we returned to the stable. I can't believe the nature that we have around as and even if I love our dressage and jumping lessons I really really enjoy hacking out right now. Thor is also so good and supple to ride that every second with him is such a pleasure. After that we grabbed some food with Ella and went for a lovely sauna. What a perfect way to prepare for a new week ahead.


More blogging on alignment, the riders seat and other similar stories can be found here.

Monday, March 5, 2018

Usko unelmiin!

Eeva Jaakonsalo ja minä.

Kun aloitin joogaopettajakoulutuksen pari vuotta sitten Clare Gates-Sjöblom kysyi miksi olemme tulleet mukaan koulutukseen. Kerroin, että elämäni missio on luoda mahdollisimman hyvä elämä mahdollisimman monelle hevoselle ja jooga tulisi olemaan olennainen osa sitä missiota. Halusin yhdistää hevoset ja joogan, mutta en vielä tiennyt miten. Olin kuitenkin varma, että se on se polku jota haluan kulkea ja tiesin sen päivän koittavan, kun jooga ja hevoset yhdistyisivät juuri minulle luontaisella tavalla. 


Johtamisvalmentaja ja mindfulnessohjaaja Eeva Jaakonsalo saapui elämääni vähän aikaa sitten. Eevan kanssa ajatuksemme resonoivat heti ja kun Eeva pyysi minua mukaan Kekkolan kartanoon vetämään joogaa ei tarvinnut miettiä hetkeäkään.



Viikonloppu oli kaikin puolin upea. Fantastiset puitteet, kaunis luonto, charmikas ja hyvinhoidettu kartano, kotoisat huoneet, pehmeät sängyt, mindfulnessia, joogaa ja hevosia. Ruoka oli toisesta maailmasta. Täysin ekologista ja lähituotettua ja paikassa oli kaiken kaikkiaan todella hyvä energia. Porukka oli huikea ja viikonlopun aikana ehdittiin itkeä ja nauraa, saunoa, istua paljussa ja käydä avannossa.

Maaginen Kekkolan kartano





Kuva: Riikka Hakala

Kaikki nämä pienet yksityiskohdat. Kuva: Riikka Hakala
Ruokailusali
Saunassa sai pestä hiukset järvivedellä (rakastan järvivettä)

Yksi höyryävistä paljuista. Juuri sopivan kuumaa vettä.

Avanto järven rannalla

Saunahuoneen takkatuli ja kynttilänloiste. Niin tunnelmallista.

Kuva: Riikka Hakala



  • When I started my yoga teacher training a few years ago our teacher asked us why we are there. I told the group that my biggest mission is to create a better life for horses 🐴💕 and in order to do that I want to combine yoga and horses. I want to teach people both physical and mental awareness in order for them to be more aware and grounded around their fourlegged friends. I was never sure how I would do it or how I would combine these two passions of mine. But I knew that moment would come. A few years back I met Eeva Jaakonsalo and this autumn we planned a retreat at Kekkolan Kartanor that not only involved Mindfulness and Yoga but also horseback riding a few hours every day. And it was perfect. Truly magical. 

  • I really really enjoyed every second of it and I felt so at home. Just where I am supposed to be. So maybe my point being is that you should listen to your hearts calling. When you do what you long for, it all make sense. 

Maneesi

Pakollinen tallikisa, joka ilmestyi pari vuotta sitten tallille, lähtee omille
teilleen kesäisin ja palaa aina syksyn tullen. 

Peikko, minä, Eeva ja Pinni. Super Ihana tuttavuus tämä Peikko, 

Tämä on vierastalli, jonne saa tuoda oman hevosen leirien ajaksi.
Kekkolan kartanon ikioma fantastinen "hevoshotelli". 

Siis tämä ruoka..... Ja jälkiruoat. Mums.....



Järjestämme seuraavan Mindfulness, jooga ja Ratsastus -viikonloppukurssin Kekkolan kartanossa 14.-16. syyskuuta. Toivottavasti näemme siellä. Alustavat ilmoittautumiset tapahtumasivun kautta.

Kurssilaisten ajatuksia viikonlopusta:

"Miten voikin ihmisellä olla ilo ja onni kokea viikonloppu, jollainen minulla on ollut.
Rentoutumista, ratsastusta, liikutusta (sekä mielen että kehon), joogaa, saunaa, koiria, naurua, kissa, mindfulnessia, aivan mielettömän mukavia ihmisiä, upea kartano, kielen mennessään vievää ruokaa ja kevätaurinkoa," Riina Rajaniemi

"Tämmöistä mahtavuutta on taas, ettei meinaa oikein edes kestää. Tiedättekö, kun yhtenä päivänä on päässä sellainen kimeä stressiperäinen surina ja seuraavana ihan vaan hiljaista ja tasaista ja ihanaa. Kiitos, EevaKia ja kartanon taitavat ihmiset ja hevoset," Riikka Hakala💓 r


Kotosalla Ella ja Jack nauttivat maalla vanhempieni kanssa ja Thor sai maastoilla Tuulikin, Tuulikin ystävän ja Vistin seurassa. Ihan parhautta! Kiitos kaikille super avusta. 






Super kaverukset Thor ja Visti!