heather moffet - simulator workshops. anyone been?

[ThatVikRinA22]

ive been skipping around the net looking at various videos on technique etc...when i came across this lady Heather Moffet and her Equisimulator. Ive watched how it works and her talking about it, and how she gets "hands on" to show you technique etc.
also found her saddlery range interesting as the stirrups are all in a different place to allow a more balanced riding position. All the things she talks about happening in conventional saddles happens to me...lower leg falling forward, trying to sit back into the more comfortable part of the saddle etc so have bookmarked her page - her saddlery starts at reasonable prices for synthetics....

anyway - back to this equisimulator. it simulates the horses movement and she can get hands on while you ride to show you how to move/absorb the movement etc.

the seminars take a max of 10 students and are over 2 days.
im seriously looking at going....has anyone gone or does anyone fancy going?
thanks

[Flojobunny]

I'd love to go but there's no way I could do an over nighter.
There is a mechanical horse near me and I've often fancied trying it but they tend to use it a lot with special needs so I've never felt able to ask to have a go myself.
But apparently it does everything from walk to dressage.

[ThatVikRinA22]

mmm.

i think i might seriously look into a seminar - its a couple of hundred for the 2 days but i might treat myself. I didnt have a holiday last year and didnt really get anything for birthday (my own fault - i didnt know what i wanted) so i reckon i could justify it!

she says she can teach a beginner (like me) how to absorb the movement within a few hours, it all looks very hands on but im struggling so badly with technique. i need alot of practice but this seems to speed up the whole learning process. Also how to work out the correct diagonal by feel alone, when to apply the canter aid....all stuff i am keen to get right before i get into bad habits! also says it saves horses a lot of discomfort (presume their back is saved the sack of spuds phase!)

im going to see what dates the seminars are.

[Mitchy1nge]

sounds fun! I loved the race horse simulator at Newmarket but that is probably a bit different

hope you enjoy it :)

[Twattybollocks]

The mechanical horses are good, but have one failing, you don't get the forward motion that you do with a real horse, so it's easier to balance with just up and down, not a bad thing when you are just learning.
The Stirrups being further back is good for most people, if you have big feet though, you may not need it, and also if like me you are hypermobile you may struggle more with the stirrups back if your leg naturally moves back like mine does! Found this out the hard way with my very expensive custom made saddle that I then had to have the bars moved forward to the standard position!

[lovebeansontoast]

If you're anywhere near North Essex, Ashen Equestrian Centre also has a simulator. Not sure how the prices match up, but it may be worth a look www.ashenequestriancentre.co.uk/3.html

[ThatVikRinA22]

thanks all - not near essex but not near devon either!

what appeals is more than just the equi simulator though - it was having the instruction of heather moffet with it that appealed.

my feet are child sized so i think her saddlery would work for me.

mentioned it to DH today just in passing....will keep working at it!

[unobtanium]

I've been to Heather, and her workshops are very good. I have been riding for a long time and I still found her instruction extremely useful.

She is a bit out on a limb in deepest Devon, she would be the first to admit, but can point you to some very nice B and Bs in the area.

I would unreservedly recommend her. She is in a beautiful spot and you will get to meet some very interesting characters (two and four-legged) around her yard.

I have two of her saddles too, they are great but here in France people think the whole treeless idea is very weird.

PM me if you would like to know more!

[catanddog]

I wanted to go to Heather, but sadly time and distance doesn't allow it! I found an Enlighted Equitation instructor fairly locally (a freelancer), who rents simulator at a riding school, and had a fantastic hour long lesson last week. It was brilliant, and I came away with tons of new knowledge and lots of things "clicked" into place for me. I've now ordered the book and a seat saver too.

I'd recommend looking on the website and seeing if there are any EE instructors near you and they'd be able to tell you where any more local simulators might be.0

[ThatVikRinA22]

thanks - i missed these replies somehow!

cat - how do you find an EE instructor? i looked on the site and cant see how to find anyone else - i thought she was the only one.

unfortunately, due to an expensive roofing repair i dont think i can justify going to devon, not just yet anyway.

[catanddog]

Sorry Vicar was away for a few days....there's a section on the EE website that allows you to search locally. There's info on the site about what the Instructor levels mean. I'd recommend the book too.
www.enlightenedequitation.com/teacher_find.htm

[Loshad]

vicar, not ee, but there is a simulator at manor grange stud near knottingley

[ThatVikRinA22]

thank you both!

will look into both of these - there are a couple in my area judging from the link and knottingley is very near....will investigate!
thanks so much.