Equestrian Tai Chi is Tai Chi that I developed for practicing on horseback.
- It combines the positive aspects of Tai Chi and the therapeutic effects of the horse’s natural energy.
- The purpose of Equestrian Tai Chi is to promote the smooth flow of Chi (internal energy) through the body and to balance and bring harmony to the horse’s and rider’s energy together.
Equestrian Tai Chi works by moving and cultivating the Chi in the body.
- Once the Chi has been cultivated, it is stored in the Tantien which is the major energy centre of the body, located on the centre line of the body, a few inches below the navel.
The Tantien acts as a reservoir for storing internal energy.
- The energy from the Tantien can be used to maintain a healthy body, a healthy mind and spirit.
- This energy contributes to people’s overall vitality and joyous engagement with life.
When practicing Equestrian Tai Chi, as the Chi flows through the physical body, it also flows through the layers of people’s energy, their vitality, their emotions, their mind and their spirit – these extend from inside the body out into their bio-energetic field.
Like us, the horse also has energetic bodies.
- When we practice Equestrian Tai Chi on our horse, it has the effect of harmonising our energy fields with that of the horse’s, so that our actions smooth both our energy — and the horses energy — calming.. relaxing.. and balancing our energies through its layers.
Most horses appreciate and understand this smooth flow of energy and they communicate this to us through their behaviour and by licking and chewing which is a common sign that horses are relaxed and happy.
Many horses intuitively know how we feel internally because they are able to sense our emotions and feelings as they come out through our physical body into our energy field.
- When we practice Equestrian Tai Chi, it brings harmony and balance to our emotions – drawing our horses to want to be with us and not be repelled by our bad moods and anxieties.
- The regular practice of Equestrian Tai Chi helps to soften the energetic boundaries between us and our horse and to open up energetic lines of communication between us.
- When we are calm and relaxed with our Chi flowing through our bodies, our spiritual nature becomes more apparent to us – when this happens, it is possible for us and our horse to recognise each other as fellow beings, both physical and spiritual, who have different qualities to offer each other.
- The mutual energy field that develops benefits both us and the horse, it flows from us to the horse and from the horse back to us.
This unified energy field is more powerful than just ours, or just the horses — together, it multiplies the healthy effects and advantages for us both.