The Masterson Method in Vienna

klfinsand
6 days ago
1 min read

What do Icelandic teddy bears and I have in common? The Masterson Method Beyond Horse Massage in Vienna, Austria!

This past weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a course led by Austrian instructors Hans-Michael and Mitra just outside the historic city of Vienna. Hans-Michael’s ranch is in a cozy village that seems completely dedicated to the sturdy, hairy Icelandic horse. I felt at home in this part of eastern Austria, surrounded by horsehair, the inviting smell of hay, and birdsong—where a native English speaker like me was made to feel welcome.

True to a Masterson Method course, I was captivated by the changes in students as they discovered new ways to touch the horse. Those “ah-ha!” moments—when the student understands, and the horse relaxes—are what these courses are all about. Working together in pairs and sharing techniques, by the end of the two days, these horses were ready for their dental exams, with wide-open mouths and closed eyes. The Icelandic horses melted under the Masterson Method as they began to R-E-L-A-X.

Although this course was conducted in English, the native Austrian speakers naturally slipped into their language when describing the details of the Masterson Method and the horses. My mind was exhausted by the end of the two days as I tried to make sense of the foreign sounds around me. In the end, that didn’t matter because the real power of this work goes beyond spoken language when we learn to be quiet and listen to the horse.