Judy L. Cross Strehlke has been teaching riding for over thirty years.

Her early training was in Western and trail riding.

As a Maine native from Dover-Foxcroft,Maine USA Judy was introduced to Dressage and Combined Training thru Pony Club as a teenager.

During college in Equine Science, she started competing in Combined Training Events.

As a young professional rider and IV instructor, she was coached by members of the US Olympic Three Day Team.

This was a life changing experience for Judy and she began to pursue the Centered Riding path by studying extensively with Sally, continuing for over 20 years.

She became an Advanced Level IV Centered Riding Clinician in 1999, one of only 17 in the US and Europe.

Judy's own struggle with chronic back pain and incorrect habitual posture gives her a  unique perspective in helping others over come physical challenges that prevent them from achieving their riding goals.

This path led her to Therapeutic Riding.

She and her husband Bob Flury-Strehlke have a 70-acre horse farm in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine USA.

Judy taught children with learning disabilities and mental health challenges as well as Dressage and Eventing.

She and her husband Bob Flury-Strehlke have a 70-acre horse farm where Judy taught children with learning disabilities and mental health challenges as well as Dressage and Eventing.

Judy developed her own way to combine these theories on movement called Integrated Riding.

Her approach focuses on how to enhance learning in all riders using Movement Based Learning principals.

She incorporates Brain Gym and Centered body work in all her lessons and uses a series of exercises both on the ground and on the horse to develop kinesthetic learning skills.

This three year educational program combines non-threatening groundwork, with Centered Riding and Classical Dressage training.

The Journey is currently being taught in Finland.

This course is for riders who are looking for a softer and kind and positive way to train and ride their horses based on Partnership, communication, and relationship building.

Judy teaches the riding section which emphasizes relaxation, body language in the saddle and how to develop the language of the aids without tension.

She is an advanced PATH instructor and an Advanced Level IV Centered Riding International Clinician.

She currently teaches Centered Riding to instructors throughout the US and Europe and

Integrated Riding Techniques to physio- therapists all over Europe and The US.

Judy is one of three instructors in an international collaboration called "Journey into the Horse's World".

This three year educational program combines non-threatening groundwork, with Centered Riding and Classical Dressage training.

Judy developed her own way to combine these theories on movement called Integrated Riding.

Her approach focuses on how to enhance learning in all riders using Movement Based Learning principals.

She incorporates Brain Gym and Centered Riding body work in all her lessons and uses a series of exercises both on the ground and on the horse to develop kinesthetic learning skills.
She is an advanced PATH instructor and an Advanced Level IV Centered Riding International Clinician.

This course is for riders who are looking for a softer, kind and positive way to train and ride their horses based on Partnership, communication, and relationship building.

Judy teaches the riding section which emphasizes relaxation, body language in the saddle and how to develop the language of the aids without tension.

Judy developed her own way to combine these theories on movement called Integrated Riding.

  TRE® has not been evaluated by the US Food & Drug Administration or the
      American Medical Association.

  This technology is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

  Medical advice must only be obtained from a physician or qualified health practitioner.

  Results may vary between individuals.

  There are no guarantees, expressed, or implied.

The "Basics" of Centered Riding are fundamental concepts and personal tools for every rider.

When we are able to apply these basics in our riding and use of self, they help us use our mind and body well and improve our balance, security, freedom, "feel" and communication with our horse.

Each of the basics interacts with all the others; if you improve one basic, the others are all affected.

Soft eyes allows you to see more and be aware of more around you because you use your peripheral vision, and also opens up your other senses awareness to increase your ability to feel your horse.

Hard eyes give the effect of trying too hard; they cause stiffness and inhibit "feel" and free movement.

While a horse cannot see his rider's hard or soft eyes, he can feel the resulting stiffness or lack of it in the rider's body and reacts accordingly.

Over-concentrating on the horse in a negative way (forcing and "fixing") or obsessing about some aspect of the rider's body can cause a similar effect, sometimes called "hard eyes inward."

Breathing: Deep, full and natural breathing, using the diaphragm rather than breathing high and tight in the chest.

Good breathing affects the whole body and the horse as well, helping centering, relaxation and "feel" and releasing excess tension.

Breathing can also enhance energy, rhythm, freedom and comfort, and also improves communication with the horse.

Centering: Becoming aware of your center of balance, movement and control, which is located in the lower body below and behind the navel.

Centering can be described as internal balance, both in the body and in the mind.

Balance: Finding the balance of the body and all its parts. Balance is sometimes described as "building blocks," referring to "stacking up" the parts of the body vertically, so it is balanced with the feet underneath the center.

When a rider rides in a forward balance or jumping seat, the angles of the body are balanced.

Only when the rider's body is in balance can the joints be free to allow the body to absorb and follow the horse's motion; if the rider's body is out of balance, it will have to stiffen as it resists the effect of gravity.

Two additional and basic Centered Riding concepts are:

Grounding: Experiencing your connection to the earth and gravity, which gives you balance, security and the ability to engage your joints as springs.

The two major points in the body where we experience grounding are the seat bones (when seated) and the feet, especially at the natural balance point of the foot sometimes called the "bubbling spring".

Clear Intent: Making a clear mental decision organizes the body and mind and enables you to communicate clearly with your horse, your body and with others.

It uses "ideokinesis" (a word meaning "the idea you hold in your mind affects the way your body moves"), to give direction to the body and to the horse without having to consciously apply muscular effort.

Clear intent is essential for control and clarity in riding and handling horses.

The easiest way to begin to use clear intent is to ride your horse in a specific direction.

PATH Intl. was founded in 1969 as the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) to promote safe and effective therapeutic horseback riding throughout the United States and Canada

Today, PATH Intl. has more than 850 member centers and nearly 7,600 individual members in countries all over the world.

PATH helps and supports more than 54,000 men, women and children with special needs each year through a variety of equine-assisted activities and therapies programs.

Though PATH Intl. began with a focus on horseback riding as a form of physical and mental therapy.

The organization and its dedicated members have since developed a multitude of different equine-related activities for therapeutic purposes, collectively known as equine-assisted activities and therapies (or EAAT).

PATH Intl. Certified Instructors use these equine-assisted activities and therapies to help tens of thousands of individuals each year with physical, mental and behavioral challenges gain strength and independence through the power of the horse.

EAAT helps people from all backgrounds and all walks of life in a variety of ways.

Increasing strength and flexibility, improving motor skills, promoting speech and cognitive reasoning, and building relationships and social skills.

The individuals served by PATH Intl. members may face any number of challenges, including paralysis, multiple sclerosis, autism, Down syndrome, substance abuse, traumatic brain injury or amputation - but all benefit from the power of the horse.

PATH Intl. upholds its mission to promote excellence in EAAT through four primary program areas: instructor certification, center accreditation, educational opportunities and advocacy work.

PATH Intl. certifies instructors and accredits centers according to a set of field-tested standards designed to ensure the highest levels of safety, ethics and effectiveness in the industry.

Instructors must attend workshops and pass both a written and practical exam to become certified to teach EAAT programs, and centers may undergo a voluntary site visit to become accredited service providers.

The process is led by trained PATH Intl. members who volunteer their time and expertise to help teach, test and grade fellow professionals seeking certification or accreditation.

To date PATH Intl. has over 3,500 certified instructors in several disciplines and almost 800 member centers who confidently provide EAAT services according to PATH Intl. standards.

In addition to certification and accreditation, PATH Intl. offers many different educational resources to its members and other industry professionals.

Including hands-on workshops, educational publications and industry newsletters, mentor programs and peer networking, and regional and national conferences.

PATH Intl.'s conferences attract hundreds of attendees each year, who come to hear lectures by leading industry professionals, learn about the most recent developments in EAAT, and participate in discussions about trends in the medical and equine fields.

In addition to these educational opportunities, PATH Intl. also advocates for the application of professional standards in all realms of EAAT and partners with like-minded organizations to promote the use of EAAT in new and innovative ways.

Core Values:

Access and inclusion - promoting diversity and opportunity in equine-assisted activities and therapies.

Compassion and caring - providing a culture of safety, understanding and ethical treatment of humans and horses engaged in equine-assisted activities and therapies.

Cooperation and collaboration - connecting and partnering with those who share the PATH Intl. vision in a mutually beneficial manner.

Education - sharing valued knowledge with our constituents to facilitate their success.

Excellence - promoting quality in all undertakings.

Innovation - encouraging and supporting creativity, inquiry and cutting-edge research.

Integrity and accountability - ensuring that all business is based on ethical principles and conducted with transparency.

Professionalism - enhancing the value and credibility of the industry.

Service - providing effective and responsive information and programs to our constituents.

Holism - promoting an awareness of body, mind and spirit in equine-assisted activities and therapies.

PATH Intl. History: Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.), along with its dedicated members and volunteers, has been a pioneer in the field of EAAT, bringing the novel idea of therapeutic horseback riding to the United States from Europe in the middle of the twentieth century.

Lis Hartel, an award-winning dressage rider from Denmark, is generally regarded as the impetus for the development of therapeutic riding in Europe.

Despite being physically impaired by polio, Hartel took the silver medal in

Grand Prix dressage at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, and medical and equine professionals around Europe soon began to implement programs for riding as a form of physical therapy.

Word of these events spread quickly to the United States and Canada, and therapeutic riding centers began opening in North America as well.

Two of the first professional riding centers were the Community Association of Riding for the Disabled, founded by J.J. Bauer and Dr. R.E. Renaud in Toronto, Ontario; and the Cheff Center for the Handicapped, founded with the help of Lida McCowan in Augusta, Michigan.

A group of 23 forward-thinking and passionate individuals soon recognized the need for an organization to act as a clearinghouse of information about therapeutic riding.

On November 2, 1969, this group gathered at the Red Fox Inn in Middleberg, Virginia, to lay the groundwork for the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA).

From these beginnings, PATH Intl., as it is now known, has grown to thousands of members across the world and expanded upon therapeutic riding to include dozens of different equine-assisted activities that benefit people with special needs.

Today PATH Intl. headquarters are located in Denver, Colorado, but hundreds of volunteers from all over the country - including a few of the founding members - still help run, govern and grow the organization so it may continue to be an industry leader.

Understanding Body Language Of the Horse Through "A Journey into the Horse's World" What is Journey into the Horse's World ?

This a three-year educational Journey that combines Groundwork Communication, Centered Riding®, and Classical Dressage training.

It is a collaboration of three international instructors who have more than 80 years' combined experience between them in the World of the Horse and rider.

The entire course is taught over three years time. Each clinician meets with the participants 6 times for four days each.

Many of these meetings have all three clinicians teaching together.



      Part One:

Ground Work taught by:

Piet Nibbelink

This part is about creating a flow in which you and your horse can go.

The way to do this is through body language which is directed by your state of mind.

Piet guides people to a deeper understanding of their own state of mind.

Then and only then can communication with horses come from a clear and authentic place within us, only then can the horse experience the true you.

Piet will be offering you the opportunity of how to influence your own state of mind to open up better communication between you and your horse.

      Part Two:

Centered Riding® taught by Judy Cross Strehlke, Level IV Centered Riding Clinician.

This part is about the flow of energy in the rider's body and the impact on the natural balance and movement of the horses.

You will learn how your state of mind affects your body's movement and energy flow as well as exercises to increase relaxation, softness, and connection while riding.

Habitual movement and posture of the rider often interferes with horse's ability to perform the tasks we ask in a balanced and healthy way.

      Part Three:

Hanna Engstrom has been a lifelong rider and has her own teaching facility in Gotland, Sweden.

She is a recognized trainer in this method.

She has been trained in Classical dressage with the masters from the Academic Art of Riding.

She uses patience and respect for the horse to help them discover their own balance.

Organizers may add an additional charge for use of a horse if participants cannot bring their own.

Clinicians' Fee. $ 1,500.00 per participant

There could also be a stable fee for those working with their own horses.

There may also be an additional charge if the organizer provides lunches and coffee and snacks during the breaks. These would be added to the total costs per participant.

We prefer that lunch be provided in order to keep the group together.

Participants can also bring their own or order delivery.

However, it is better if everyone eats in the same place so we can continue our discussions through lunch, when people leave for lunch it breaks up the flow of the course.

Special Instructor Menus:

  Judy Cross Strehlke is gluten free.

  Hanna Engstrom is a vegetarian.

  Piet does not eat pork.

Note: We will also provide our own lunches if not supplied by the organizer.

Number of participants:

  Minimum number of participants 8:

  Maximum number of participants: 16

Accommodations:

It is important that the three of us are able to stay together during the clinic.

We are willing to stay in a private home if available and/or we would be willing to rent a place for the time we are there at our own expense.

  Do we pay attention to the fact that every movement in the saddle is a     body language with meaning for the horse?

  Are we even aware of what our movements are saying to the horse while     we are in the saddle?

  Can we sit in such a way that we do not interfere with the natural abilities     of the horse?

  Do our body habits impact our horses way of going?

Level Four Advanced Centered Riding® Clinician and position specialist Judy Cross Strehlke teaches the second part of Body movement communication with the horse while in the saddle.

  Do we take the time to help the horses develop their own balance and     strength?

  Do we listen to the balance language of each horse?

Classical Movement Trainer Hanna Engstrom teaches how to develop the strength and balance of horses to carry themselves in natural balance while working in hand and under saddle.

  Hanna Engstrom - Sweden
    Ekeskogs Gard 906, Hejde
    623 75 Klintehamn, Sweden
    E-mail: info@ekeskogs.com
    www.ekeskogs-ridingacademy.com

  Piet Nibblelink - The Netherlands:
    Rijkerswoerdsestraat 21, 6836 AG Arnhem, Netherlands
    E-mail: depaardenmaat@hetnet.nl
    Tel: 026 323-0055
    www.depaardenmaat@hetnet.nl

  Judy Cross - The United States:
    186 Garland Line Road, Dover-Foxcroft, Maine USA
    E-mail: ride@mainetrailrides.com
    Tel: 1-207 564-3451
    www.mainetrailrides.com/Ebook.html

Journey schedule: Our goal is to meet 6 times a year for four days each time for three years.

This can be shortened depending on the wishes of the participants.

During the entire Journey we all meet several times with all three clinicians.

Part one: with Piet Nibbelink starts this educational course.

After participants have completed Part One.

Part two: with Judy Cross Strehlke

This part is based on the Centered Riding® techniques.

If students are ready and have successfully completed the requirement of Centered Riding® they can be awarded Instructor Level I.

Members then start Part Three with Hanna Engstrom in the Classical training of the Horse and rider. This session end with again the last meeting of all three instructors.

After the course, participants can continue their education in three yearly updates one with each instructor.

These are also four days long and include continuing the work learned in the Journey.

Brain Gym is a series of simple body movements used to integrate all areas of the brain to enhance learning and build self-esteem.

The exercises can be done in just a few minutes and can be used by anyone.

They are easy to do, and the benefits are immediate and obvious.

For detailed descriptions of the movements used in this manual, see Brain Gym Teacher's Edition, by Dennison and Dennison, 1989.

These movements facilitate the integration of the brain for whole-brain learning and aid in completing neurological development.

Simply stated, Brain Gym is movement that stimulates or calms brain function. We can tell the children that Brain Gym is moving their bodies to wake up their brains.

Brain Gym is a program of physical movements that enhance learning and performance in ALL areas.

Brain Gym includes 26 easy and enjoyable targeted activities that integrate body and mind to bring about rapid and often dramatic improvements in concentration, memory, reading, writing, organizing, listening, physical coordination, and more.

Brain Gym develops the brain's neural pathways the way nature does - through movement.

Brain Gym began in the 1970's with the work of educators Dr. Paul Dennison and Gail E. Dennison.

Originally, the Dennison's were seeking more effective ways to help children and adults who had been identified as "learning disabled".

They drew from a large body of research by developmental specialists who had been experimenting with using physical movement to enhance learning ability.

Brain Gym uses simple movement to integrate the left and right brain functions for a task. When action originates from whole brain balance, the body's natural learning abilities are revitalized and performance becomes easy and effortless.

An integrated system increases self confidence and maximizes mental, physical, and creative abilities.

God`s Kingdom and Will:
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth
as it is in heaven (Mathew 6:10)

Click on the camera and goto International Photos of Judy Teaching: