About
Caroline Rider
Between Caroline’s
passionate presentations on horse-human relationships,
to her inspiring liberty and freestyle demonstrations
with her horses, Caroline Rider is becoming
one of the equine industries most popular clinicians
and performers.
Caroline
has spent her entire life around horses, beginning
with her first lesson at the age of 4. As a young
girl she showed and worked locally for a riding
instructor while taking care of her beloved, backyard
equine Brandy. It was during this time that her
view of being, and working with horses began to
shift, motivating her to seek a more harmonious
way in which to be with them and communicate her
requests when training and working.
As an early teen, Caroline spent much of her time
observing horses and sketching them in her journals.
She attributes her passion for drawing and painting
to being inspired by nature, especially the horse
in all its magnificence. Her desire to learn prompted
her to question the purpose of all things and
there interrelatedness to one another. Caroline’s
craving for more knowledge led her to seek out
many different philosophies on horsemanship, levels
of consciousness and spirituality. Two of the
most influential readings for her were the Black
Stallion Series and books she found at the
library on Taoism: an Eastern Philosophy that
teaches the many depths of spiritual authenticity
through living in the present and with consciousness.
Between reading, sketching, observing horses at
the local barn, and spending all day with her
own horse in the summer months, Caroline was soon
on her way to discovering what she knows and teaches
today – trust and acceptance are the keys to acquiring
true partnership and leadership with our horses.
Caroline continued taking lessons from varied
hunter/jumper and equestrian instructors until
she went to college. In her late twenties, she
directed much of her creativity and ambition towards
her own graphic design business. She enjoyed building
the business through strong community ties and
relationships and within the first 2 years she
was able to hire her first employee. Her love
for learning and sharing her knowledge with others
led her to speaking engagements and lectures throughout
the D.C. Metropolitan Area on topics ranging from
“Starting Your Own Business – Taking that Leap
of Faith,” to “How to Authentically Live in the
Marketplace.” With all her purpose, Caroline still
felt a void and one that left her dreaming about
her days with her late horse Brandy.
It wasn’t until her mid-thirties that Caroline
was able to support her enthusiasm for horses
and re-enter the equine industry, specifically
the very well publicized world of Natural Horsemanship.
She felt a kinship to the teachings of many of
the well known and leading clinicians and spent
much of her time absorbed in their practices while
cultivating her own style and approach. Through
her years of experience, she is able to connect
people with their horses so that they too can
experience more connection, confidence, empowerment,
fulfillment, joy, partnership, harmony and oneness.
What separates Caroline today, from most natural
horsemanship clinicians, is her Tao
of Horsemanship™ approach to teaching horses
and humans. This approach combines classical dressage,
natural horsemanship principles and techniques
with a Taoist way of living and interacting. Caroline’s
method begins with teaching humans 3 core awareness
skills that will help them excel in any level
of horsemanship, or equestrian sport they desire.
These core awareness are the keys to mastering
success within ourselves and with horses. And,
because being present, and having vision, are
so important to becoming the leader our horses
accept and trust, Caroline’s primary focus is
to help horse owners understand: “where
you need to be for your horse, when you are needed
(timing) and why you are needed to either be or
do in that moment.”
Caroline’s versatile equestrian background in
training makes her a well-rounded teacher of all
disciplines, breeds and levels of horsemanship.
Because Caroline’s primary focus when teaching
is to bring out the best in each and every horse
and rider she encounters, she is able to help
them reach their potential, dreams and aspirations
– easily and naturally. Her depth of knowledge
and passion for both horse and human is heart-felt
and inspiring. Her teaching style brings compassion
and a no-non-sense approach to dealing with both
the horse and human that presents itself, at that
moment. While Caroline’s vast experience in most
disciplines allows her to reach all equine schools
of thought, she is best known for teaching horse
owners how to become better partners and leaders
for their horses through “the power of thought
and natural movement.”
You can find
out more about Caroline's philosophy, and approach,
within the following Rider Horsemanship® educational
formats: Tao
of Horsemanship™
Horse and Human Educational DVD’s, clinics,
and lessons.
“I
believe horses to be incredibly intelligent,
feeling and sentient beings. They are my soul
mates, companions and teachers. It is also my
belief that in order for us to work with horses
naturally, we must allow them choice and freedom
of expression. When we allow, we are aware and
present, opening ourselves, and our horses to
all possibilities – opportunities to create
and share deeper rapport, bonding rituals, 2-way
communication, companionship, play and partnership.
This is a way of being
(Taoism) that I practice everyday with my horses,
and one that allows me to reach my potential
and theirs.”
– Caroline
|
