From Carolyn Resnick:

“You are the bomb that causes my heart to beat like a marching band that won first place. It feels so good to see  the method working as well as it is working.”

“This is wonderful.  I am so tickled. You did it again. Wow!!!! Beautiful. I want to put this on by blog on the next ue exercise. It was amazing to me to see that when you began the walk with the second exercise the horses naturally rounder up more and took it to a higher training level.”

“Thank you Thank you Thank you  and you know me well. You really do!!! It is more than my words can share because it appears to me that you really care about me personally, you care about what is in my heart- along with saving the world and that is so needed and appreciated. Your devotion is life giving to me and to others.”

“You give me power to believe in myself and hope in my heart that others are out there like you and me and that we will know them as we know one another and a new family of humans are born in support of a new world that cares to gain deeper connections with all things and friendships and appreciation for natures paradises like the one you are in. Every time I hear from you I grow just a little lighter and younger and my soul feels furnished with more hope and charity, Thank you for making these films.”

Thank you for your support and devotion,
Love,
Carolyn

 

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From students:

” Resting there under the guava tree, feeling the connection, the calmness and peacefulness made the flow taking back its place in my mind. Just watching the softness in Elena’s face, her closed eyes, her relaxed mouth and her peaceful facial features let arose a feeling of deep contentedness inside of me.

Elena and Magic taught me to accept what is, to drop my agenda and to be open for what will come and happen.”
– Zoe Kristensen – (Working student 2019)

“I had the utmost pleasure of joining Stina for her Sahaja Liberty Training and Clinic. It has been over 6 months and I’m still so inspired by all that I learned and observed in the horse clinic. The communication with the horses that Stina has blew me out of the volcano 🙂
The beautiful setting is beyond what you see in this world and I look forward to returning to the academy very soon.
The farm itself is so incredible and my favorite was the fruit forrest and walking through the passionfruit fields!!! How does it get any better than that!”
– Charity Joy Robinson (Sahaja 2017)

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“The big difference was me: My inner feelings, my patience, my awareness. As I started to focus on all the small, basic things during the progress I became calm and centred and I started to realize that my horses love this state of mind. We also had a lot of fun by playing the treasure game and some other exercises Stina had shown to me. After those two weeks in the Caribbean a lot has changed regarding to my daily time I spend with the herd. Now I don’t just do my work in the stable. I am aware of every little interaction with my horses, no matter if it is feeding them or training with them, and that changes a lot.”
– Petra Hasler, Austria, Privat Clinic

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“The first lesson with Stina was all about social behaviour and politeness. When I met her horses I saw something I had never seen before. Very polite and well-mannered horses but still pure and natural. Not drilled by training but more like they had a lovely nurturing with very clear boundaries. The perfect environment where everybody is allowed to speak but also listens. So I realized my minis aren’t polite at all, they behave like spoiled kids.

To accomplish this kind of environment you need a whole new mindset. You can’t use ego, productivity and focusing on results. You need the whole process to grow and for that you need awareness. To develop awareness it’s important you learn to listen to your intuition. Your intuition can tell you exactly what your boundaries are, what you need and how you can react in a very clear and peaceful way. But this is not so easy. My mind is struggling because my ego really wants to interfere. The biggest challenge for me is, even when the mind gets stuck, to just be aware of it and let it be.”

Michelle, Holland, Working Student

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 “To come here to learn is the best way I think. You are in this amazing spot with all the views to the sea and you have the fantastic nature so I just had to be reborn again. I had all this wonderful food, very clean, organic food, and then just b-e-i-n-g. Thank you for the most active and self-growing vacation I’ve ever had. The horses, the hiking and the diving. All challenges in it’s own different ways. And now I realize, that if I just believe in myself I can do almost anything I want to do.” 

Amanda Sandstrom, Sweden, Private Clinic

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“I had such an amazing time and I can’t thank you enough I left empowered as a lead mare with effective ways to achieve goals and aware of my body language.”

Michelle Stewart, Canada, Private Clinic

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 “The amazing turning point is that not only the fear was gone, but it had turned into excitement and happiness of seeing again the lovely Elena; in fact, I actually had missed her and when I saw her, it was like meeting again an old friend with whom bonds are tight enough.”

Maria, Colombia, Lessons

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” I’ve been around horses since I was 5: cowboying and later, hunter/jumping. I stopped riding because I was troubled by the way horses were treated in the stables and arenas I visited. Stina’s demonstrations and the horses of St Vincent Academy brought me back into a relationship of discovery, respect and delight. I learned to meet horses as equals and on their own terms, and to gradually learn their language. What a heart opening experience and in one of the most beautiful locations on earth. In beginning to understand how the horse herd collaborates and cooperates, I began to understand how humans can as well.”

Nancy Weaver, USA, Private Clinic

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“I had the great fortune to take a few horse training lessons with Stina. Stina’s energy with the horses is characterized simultaneously by both calm and fire and it is inspiring to watch her interact with them. She is also an amazing teacher- her instruction is clear and non-threatening. The surroundings at the school are lovely with a view to die for in every direction and the people at the school as well as the local community were warm and welcoming.”

Peggy B, USA

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“Stina has an easy going and playful style of teaching. Her joyful attitude is transferred to both people and horses. This is fun, joy, playing, not striving and pressuring! Out of joy comes energy and connection. There is always an inspiring atmosphere at Stina’s seminars – participants feel free to try out things they are not afraid of making mistakes. Stina is also clear about boundaries and has a very pedagogical way of teaching and handling horses as well as people. I learned how important it is for me to let go. And how important it is as a teacher to let people and horses relax – out of relaxation comes the good stuff – and the learning.  When I met Stina I had already been studying liberty with horses for some time and it was great to see that I was on the right track. I felt very supported and my selfconfidence could grow.It was obvious that horses loved her seminar – they love playing, eating, finding carrots and connecting to people this way. I remember the first exercise with the dreamvalley herd.

People and horses were just sitting around on a beautiful spot in nature. Everybody was having a good time, hanging out. The horses came to the people, joined the party. We did some scratching, some mutual grooming. I really loved that way of hers to introduce the first ritual in that way – a real experience, not only an explanation.”

Tina Mareen Buddeberg, Dreamvalley, Norway

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“I was intrigued after watching many of the video’s on youtube about dancing with horses. This pure connection with horses is what I always wanted. The WHR taught by Stina and her horses was a dream come true. St. Vincent is a treasure among the caribbean islands. You will find yourself in an unique tropical getaway. Nature at it’s finest. Stina is an excellent teacher and she is very passionate about her horses. You soon discover why. Jack, Magic, Spirit, Elena and Darling will show you the way to their heart. Watch and listen very carefully and try to relax and have fun. Simplicity is what I loved about the method. I can highly recommend a course with Stina and her beautiful herd of horses. Just come as you are and enjoy your journey.”

Kim Knuit, Holland, Private Clinic

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“I never saw horses so curious in my life, wild ones, but really friendly. While Stina was explaining me how to do the exercises they were constantly around us; looking sometimes like protecting us, “disturbing” us asking for attention or only standing there thinking about “their own life”. The point is that they were part of the landscape, and I too was part of this moment running out of the time. It was simply magic, and I use this word simply on purpose. It was just perfect to be part of this equilibrium between animals, nature and human being.”

Alessia Calato, Switzerland

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“I was amazed by how they act rather like well-trained dogs, responding almost perfectly to verbal commands and physical clues. I am eager to learn how to be that confident and comfortable around these magnificent animals so I’m looking forward to the next lesson.”

Anna Gudarowska, Poland

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“In Oslo in June 2013, Stina was giving workshop based on “The Waterhole Rituals”, Carolyn Resnick fantastic methods on how to make a mutual, joyful relationship with your horse. Stina is teaching in an easy understandable, dynamic and inspiring way that makes it fun for both the participants and for the horses. It does not matter if you are into dressage, jumping, trailriding, hobbyriding or whatever, these methods are about how to improve your relationship with your horse in a mutual friendly, positive, emphatic and adaptable way. Learning The Waterhole Rituals has for really been the missing link to my horse training and has improved the relationship with my horses in ways I before thought was not possible.

Her story about how she made contact with the wild horses on St. Vincent is also truly amazing. There are so many things to be learned from that story and her patient and emphatic approach towards the wild horses and the incredible results she has achieved.”

Anita Ingebriktsvold, Norway

 

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“I spent a beautiful week at Richmond Vale Academy, in a natural paradise with the jungle all around full of life with its brillant green and the sounds of thousand birds. I decided for that experience because I wanted to develop a better relatioship and comunication with horses : I was interested in liberty with horses and curious about Stina’s work with her herd.
And all my days over there have been full of insights!
I was fascinated by her kind soft approch to horses and the way she put them a request. One day she was giving some food and all the herd was around her, every horse was calm, no one was trying to kick or bite the horse close to him to have more food: Stina looked like a good teacher in the class with all the students waiting for their turn ! I apprecied her leadership and the magic connection she has, the perfect balance between ask and leave, ask and have a positive response, be steady without be severe, be focused and determineted and soft at the same time. I even liked very much to see the horses free, day and night, in such a beautiful area, living in the nature without stables, barefoot, and, on the top of all, with so nice people around. We had also a very good accomodation in the Academy, and we could spent a week not just like a tourist but experiencing the daily activities of the Academy, we had the plaisure to share meals with staff and students and feel the enviromental awarness and commitment in their taking action in all the interesting projects.”

Elisabetta Asti, Italy

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 “I was a working student and to be able to spend so much time training horses in an environment where comparisons and competition wasn’t a part of the training process was wonderful. The horses are really open and positive to the training, and became aware of how much resistance we normally get from our horses if we don’t prep them well enough for the tasks we want them to perform for us. To learn when to work on the connection to eliminate resistance, and when to work with the resistance, was one of the important things that I took with me in my horse training. I lived at the Academy alongside some wonderful people attending the development instructor training program there. The local avocados and bananas were the best I’ve ever had!”

Anne Bjorg Halse Lervik, Norway

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“Stina taught us the most basic, thus the most important things; how to approach a horse as a friend, how to gain it’s trust and accept you as a leader – when you need to be. Among other things, we also learned about the mechanisms in how horses think – and how to play games with them. It was two eye opening days!”

Christina Bruun Orpana, Norway

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“One day, I saw a video of Stina. That night, on You Tube, I watched every video, chronologically, Stina had posted. From finding the horses to her most recent. Dozens of them, I watched each one, mesmerized by the story of the herd. The magic, the music, all spoke to me. Most of all, it was the woman in the videos with the huge smile and an energy that transcended my computer that filled me with pure joy and amazement. Over and over, I would watch the videos as they were posted to see what I might learn, what I could discover from a woman so many miles away with her wonderful herd. The setting in St. Vincent appeared magical, almost unreal, so magnificent. I began to dream that one day I was going there. I had to experience this wonderland.”

Amy Liacata, USA

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“I live in Australia and attended the clinic at St Vincent with Stina and Farah. They were the best mentors in teaching the ‘magic’ of liberty with horses and it was so great to combine yoga with the exercises to calm the mind and stretch the body… I highly recommend attending the next clinic to anyone who has a desire for a deeper connection with their horse and with nature. It was truly MAGIC…”

Fiona Blachford, Australia

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“I discovered the clinic in St. Vincent, and so I decided to attend. It was the best decision I have made in a long time, and I learned so much there. The setting is amazingly beautiful, the ocean on one side, the volcano on the other, and a herd of beautiful, free horses on the property. One of the lessons I learned was to be very clear with your body language, and to watch for signs, some very subtle, that the horse is understanding. I was also reminded of the importance of patience, and not rushing into a new lesson before the horse had learned what you first wanted. One of the highlights for me (there were many) was the river walk with the horses. An hour walk with the horses on long lead ropes, ending up with some very happy horses jumping and rolling in the ocean. Each day therewas something special happening, with the horses, with yoga, with the people who live and work there, and the other wonderful women who were at the clinic. I came back to Canada with a better understanding of herd behaviour in the wild.  The exercises have strengthened the bond with my own horse. I would recommend this clinic to everyone. It was a magical experience.”

Marilyn Crocker, Canada   

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“A magical and freeing experience with horses as guides.”

Julie Mynors, Norway

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 “Oplevelsen af at indgå i en respektfuld dialog med hestene var fantastisk. At opleve hestenes opmærksomhed og villighed til kontakt gjorde et kæmpe indtryk på mig. Denne måde at være sammen med heste sætter både hest og menneske fri til at indgå i et meningsfuldt makkerskab – og så kan dansen begynde…  Tak, Stina, for din positive og entusiastiske formidling af ritualerne til både os og hestene og på snarlig gensyn.”

Tine M Fredriksen, Denmark

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 “I came to St.Vincent to study with Stina. I came here with open heart and ready to learn as much as I can during these 3 months. My dream was to study wild horses so I feel very blessed that she gave me this opportunity to be here and be her student. Stina is an excellent teacher, difficult things seem so easy when you learn all rituals and she always says “it’s all about feeling”  -this I will remember forever. When you’re in the moment and listen to your feelings being around horses than training them seems so easy and you can connect with them so easily. What I like about liberty with horses is that you don’t have to follow rituals one by another, but it depends on horse and situation,so it gives me chance to explore more and adjust training to my inner feeling. Stina’s horses are the best teachers and the first thing what I learned was just spending time with them doing nothing and how much it helps to connect with them faster and later it’s easier to train them because I have spent so much time observing them and learning their body language.

When I came here I was so unsure about myself as a horse person, I was afraid of making mistakes but after spending more and more time with Stina and learning this method made me more confident about my own strength and with every day I become more sure about myself and my ability to become good horse trainer!!! This is an amazing place to be. I love everything about this country, people, nature, music, culture and horses. It grabs your heart and never lets go, so I hope to come back one day and continue learning more from Stina and her lovely horses. Thank you Stina for everything you taught me!!!”  

Kristine Adamsone, Latvia

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“I spent a week with Stina and her horses. Just being and learning for this week with Stina and the horses – an excellent teacher combination in a dream environment- something changed inside me. Being back with my horses at home for over a month now, I realise how valuable this experience was for me and my relationship with my horses. Stina’s clinic clarified so much for me, and within the week I learnt to develop a gutfeeling when to chage the “programme” for the horse, improved my perception when a horse is ready for a request and became better with overall timing, for example when to reward or alter my bodylanguage. I guess I was a patient person with horses before but now I seem to be even more patient because I know I am on the right track and I know that going the long way is quicker in the end. Since I have been back home I have had great little successes, all thanks to Stina!”

Christine Schetter, New Zealand

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“I recently stayed at Richmond Vale Hiking Academy for a few days and had a fantastic time! I received a very warm welcome from members of the academy. My room was simple, tidy and clean with a comfortable bed, and colorful, cheerful sheets. Meals were filling and tasteful, and the hospitality was top notch! I enjoyed tremendously talking with students from around the world. The hiking was amazing and my guide was very experienced and knowledgeable. The scenery is so beautiful and all you have to do to see it is walk outside your room! I was so pleased with my stay at Richmond Vale. For the price, it far exceeded my expectations and was a truly unique experience. I would definitely come again and am looking forward to it!! Stina’s natural horsemanship program at Richmond Vale Hiking Center is truly a unique experience. She is an excellent teacher and horsewoman. Her enthusiasm for what she teaches is quite contagious, and her horses are kind and willing teachers. For the beginner horseperson, or for the more experienced wanting to have a one of a kind adventure with horses in a beautiful and natural setting, I would highly recommend this program!”

Traci Coates, Mustique Equestrian Center

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“I got very interested after reading an article in the newspaper. I got in touch with Stina and we decided on a hike with the horses to Darkview Falls. It was an amazing experience for the 5 of us who had never hiked with horses before. Stina is an excellent teacher and with the help of Roberta and Franklin we all had a great time connecting with these beautiful animals.”

Samantha and Chris, St. Vincent

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“Stina, this was absolutely wonderful, I just thank you for sharing everything you know with us! It all sounds so logic when you explain it, and I have learned sooo much!  Zahira too! I Love this last picture of her touching the ball  We really had fun this weekend!   

Linn Hagalid, Norway