Mark Russell

jenlm · Mark Russell

Hello everyone. I just finished cohosting a 3 day clinic with Mark Russell. WHile the hosting experience can be exhausting, the knowledge gained riding with Mark and watching him teach others is overwhelming. If any of you in the states gets a chance to ride with Mark and are interested in truely correct biomechanics and having an intense relationship with your horse ride as many times as you can. He is an excellent observer of both the horse and the human and every time I ride with him I have to take a long hard look in the mirror and realize that once I "get it" my mare will be able to accomplish what she already knows. It is a humbling and thrilling experience at the same time.

kristie

He is on my list to see.

What kind of exercises does he do in his clinics?

Is it a lot of groundwork, or mostly riding, or a good combination of both?

jenlm

Hmmmmmmm lets see. Mark is unlike anyone I have ever ridden with before. He has the uncanny ability to see exactly what a horse needs. Also he can tell without looking when I am not breathing or sitting on my horse while he works her in hand when I am not using my core. The way he presents it is the interesting thing. His approach is unlike anything taught that I have studied and he presents it at a level the rider can appreciate and achieve. So, I really like my lessons taught at a anatomic level and that work for me (although he wants me to start riding with more feel and less brain). Others get taught in a different way. His theory is a lifelong learning things with no instant gratification, but for those that want a litte quicker gratification he just does not seem to teach as deeply. So for riders who want a happier trail horse who is more comfortable in his job great and for those of us who want all the knowledge great. It was the 12th or 13 th lesson with him before I got out of a walk with my mare. Others walk trat canter in 1 lesson. He usually starts a lesson with having you do whatever it is you normally do with your horse - ie lunge, play games or just get on. He is a master observer, then he slowly adds in stuff. This is how my very 1st lesson with him was. Now my lessons start on the ground either in the halter or in the bridle, sometimes we go through some lunging exercises sometimes not, depends on my brain and my mares brain that day. He does a lot of in hand work and I am trying hard to get a feel of that. The he puts the rider up. He will sometimes work the horse in the bridle with the rider up, that way both the horse and rider start to feel what it is like to make spinal adjustments with the rider up. No lesson is ever the same and every lesson is the same.
After my 3rd ride last weekend my brain was buzzing. It may be a couple more doys before I play with my horse again just because it takes me that long to process sometimes. I think for anyone who wants a lifelong learning project and is wanting a truely deep connection with your horse ride with Mark.
If you ever have a chance to take lessons try to take more than 1. The first is an introduction. Go home, sleep on it and be ready the second day to go deep. We hope to continue to have him 4 times a year in Central Georgia and he does clinics in the northeast, southwest, TN or KY area too.

whisperingwindfarms

His book is awesome - it's one of those where you read a couple of pages then you go off to absorb. Then you come back and re-read what you read. Then you go away again. Then you come back and read some more.

kristie

Thanks Jen

So I take it he gives a clinic AND you can take private lessons too? Or is it mostly private lessons?

I like what you said about riding with more feel and less brain. I think I have that problem when I am learning something new. I get too wrapped up in the techniques of what I think I'm supposed to be doing, and not just feeling my horse.

He sounds great! I'm in TN so hopefully I can catch him sometime next year.

jenlm

Kristie,
Do ride or audit if you get the chance. It has really been life changing for me and I don't say that lightly. He does not do group clinics except for his educational vacations. Each lesson is a 1 hour lesson and the best thing about mark as a rider (and the worst as a hostess when it gets dark at 5:30) is that he is not a watch watcher, so lessons end when you reach a great spot. Saturday night we still had lessons going at 6:30 and it is dark down here then. Check out his website for more info and buy the book. However, unless you have a dressage background the book is a little deep and makes tons more sense after having watched a lesson. I read the entire book in 1 week before my first lesson (which I was talked into by my best friend who was hostinghim and needed 1 spot filled - I af course didn't think a dressage guy could help me with my walking horse mare - WRONGO). Now I think i reread the first chapter and 1/2 routinely and that is as much as I can absorb and use now. Hope this helps and I am happy to talk about Mark all the time.

Mandy'sMarty

Jen--Because Mark seems to really emphasize correct biomechanics of horse and rider, what does he do if a horse and/or rider show up at his clinic lame, unbalanced or out of alignment?

Leah

I love his book.

As Jen knows I have been TRYING to attend one of his clinics for, what, a year now?

I hope I am still on the email list as I WILL make it one day.

In the meantime, from his website:

http://www.naturaldressage.com/?cat=3

He talks about releasing the TMJ, C1 and C2-SOOOooooo important-I have really learned that IS the gateway to softness.

From there a horse WILL offer impulsion and it will be pure.

jenlm

Marty,
That is the beauty of Mark. He can see the crookedness/imbalances etc then helps the horse and rider work through them. As for lameness I guess it depends on the degree. If the lameness is do from incorrect usage of the body or rider position (I can make my mare look lame behind if I don't try hard:) then he can help, if the lameness is acute or due to boney changes or torn tendons, then maybe you shouldn't be there. Although I have seem some pretty arthritic oldsters who moved much more happily after a few minor adjustments. At the clinic last weekend we had a 20+ TWH who started to feel so good he thought hard about running away from his owner. It is amazing to watch the horses demeanors change once they are not locked up in their backs and polls any more.