About – Sacred Connections Equestrian

About Sacred Connections Equestrian

“When you train the horse to do this or that – you can only do this or that. Train your horse well, and the horse can do everything—Brilliantly.” Catherine Hunter

We get it. There are thousands of self-proclaimed “experts” out there telling you a hundred different things you should be doing with your horse. It seems everyone has “the best” approach or has developed that “miracle fix.”

So how do today’s horse lovers find a system of training they can depend on? How do they determine if the system is suitable for their riding goals and is based on proven results over time?

I found Sacred Connections Equestrian and began to study forward riding.

Gradually I noticed my knee pain eased, my back pain eased and I was able to connect with my horse in the present moment. Riding is now a cooperative and consistently joyful experience.

What joy it is to gallop securely across a field on a horse that once grabbed the bit and bolted from fear.

Marabeth M., ‘A’ Circuit Rider

Food for Thought...

Calvary horses had to remain calm, quiet and responsive around guns, cannons, swords, smoke, traffic and more. They had to willingly cross bridges, ride through traffic, and stand quietly – often in the midst of chaos – for long periods of time. And they had to do this without the use of harsh tools, force or abuse.

The Cavalry had to have horses that would

Stay sound and healthy

Remain calm, quiet and sensible under chaotic conditions

Willingly listen, cooperate and trust their riders

Were athletically agile and capable

The Cavalry had to have riders who:

Were safe, secure, and effective in the saddle

Could easily and quickly communicate with their horses

Ride for long hours without hurting their joints

Quickly and easily learn a comprehensive riding system that preserved their

horses’ health, soundness and well-being

Additionally,

The cavalry didn’t have teams of vets, chiropractors, massage therapists and acupuncturists keeping their horses sound. They had to develop a system of riding and training that supported their horses’ health, soundness and well-being while covering long distances over all kinds of terrain, often at speed.

Most of all they didn’t have years to develop classically trained horses and riders. The cavalry needed a training system that was easy to learn in a short period of time, so they could put horses and riders in the field—without hurting the horses.

In the 1920s, the US Cavalry uniquely combined French Classical Dressage with the Forward Riding techniques used by the Italian Cavalry and were originally developed 7,000 years ago by the First Horsemen on the Eurasian Steppe. By combining these two ancient systems, the US Cavalry became one of the finest cavalries in the world. In the 1930s, Captain Vladimir Littauer adapted this system for civilian riders, implementing the genius of Non-Interference Techniques to quickly and easily create secure, highly effective, Non-Interfering Riders.

Sacred Connections Equestrian is one of the very few sources available today through which horse lovers can find expert instruction in this unique, highly effective, historically proven system of training for horses and their riders.

SCE Instructor/Trainer/Clinician

Catherine Hunter

Catherine is a lifelong student of the US Cavalry Forward Riding System as adapted for civilians. She is a nationally rated rider/instructor, a licensed trainer and a former Mounted Police Trainer.

Catherine’s Accomplishments and Experience: include foxhunting and serving as a professional Whipper In for a recognized hunt, showing, training and judging hunter/jumpers, galloping racehorses, riding as a steeplechase jockey, eventing, trail riding, and coaching Pony Club and 4-H teams at regional and national competitions.

Catherine’s training: While studying and learning to instruct and train in the Forward Riding System, Catherine trained with US Cavalry Instructor and Olympic Coach, Gordon Wright; Olympic riders and coaches such as Lendon Gray; ANRC National Judges including Jimmy Cantwell, Pam Cantwell Baker, Kay Russell; and nationally acclaimed author, Jane Marshall Dillion.

As a Jockey: At an early age, Catherine became disillusioned with the abuse in the show world, and sought a lifelong dream of working with racehorses. “I think I read too many Black Stallion books,” she said. She taught herself to gallop both Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses and earned an assistant trainer’s and trainer’s licenses in Alabama and Kentucky. She also successfully jockeyed her show and hunt horse, Swaps’ Fair Countes, in Point-to-Point races and amateur steeplechases in Alabama, Tennessee and Ohio.

Cavalry Reenacting: For 20 years, Catherine rode her Thoroughbred, Count of War, in Civil War and Middle Ages reenactments. “The most fun I’ve had on a horse!” she said. Together Catherine and Count served as command staff courier for the largest reenactments in history—the 135th Battles of Antietam Creek and Gettysburg—and as Mounted Security for the reenactments of 140th Antietam Creek and Battles of Atlanta. Catherine and Count also participated in Middle Ages equestrian reenactments, and served as Huntsman for the Royal Meridian St. Leonard’s Day Hunt.

Peace Rider: In 2004 Catherine and Count completed a 1000 mile ride for world peace from South Carolina to Ground Zero, in New York City. Along the way, Catherine spoke to church, civic and youth groups, schools, veterans and Women in Black groups. She and Count also toured the war memorials in Washington, D.C. to honor our veterans and offer a prayer circle for world peace.

Equestrian Journalist and Speaker: As an Equestrian Journalist, Catherine is published in regional and national newspapers and magazines on the subjects of horses and the cavalry. She is the author of Sacred Connections Equestrian, and soon to be released, Restoring Authentic Horsemanship. She also served as keynote speaker on the subjects of horses and the cavalry for national and regional events.

Clinician and Instructor: Catherine has conducted clinics for fellow horse lovers throughout the Eastern and Southeastern US. For the last 20 years she has specialized in using the Non-Interfering Techniques of Forward Riding for the rehabilitation and retraining of horses and riders damaged by today’s rushed, competition-focused training practices.

Catherine’s Training Approach: Catherine’s approach to training is patience, patience, and more patience! ‒ for both horse and rider. She believes in helping riders discover the “how and why it works” and the “how it affects the horse,” rather than using severe bits, tie-downs, draw reins, or other gadgets to force submission. Catherine always places the safety of riders and horses, and the horses’ health soundness, and well-being before human egos or ribbons. Through teaching the Non-Interference Techniques discovered by the First Horsemen on the Asian Steppes, Catherine excels in correctly and humanely training quiet, steady, bold, forward horses and secure, confident, capable riders, without hurting the horses.

Equine Structural Integrator, Saddle Fitter/Movement Special

Kelly Snyder, LMBT

Kelly is an Functional Posture and Movement Specialist serving clients in much of Western NC. She is trained and certified in Structural Integration and Neuromuscular Therapy. She is also a professional saddle fitter who has been thoroughly trained by world-renowned, expert saddle-fitter and saddle designer, Ron Friedson of Pegasus Saddles.

Visit Pegasus Saddles at:

PegasusUnicornSaddles.com

For the past 10 years Kelly has been successfully using Structural Integration and Neuromuscular Therapy along with other massage and bodywork modalities to treat her clients’ abnormal compensatory postures*, myofascial trigger points, and overall knots, aches, and pains.

Poor posture, aka, *Abnormal Compensatory Posture (ACP) can be directly connected to poor movement. Reasons behind a horse developing an ACP are many, but can include:

Hoof imbalance

Poor saddle fit

Rider imbalance

Certain riding and training techniques

Improper use of certain riding and training techniques

Injury

Sickness

Visit Kelly at equinefreedomsolutions.com

Event Coordinator

Caroline Ashe

Caroline is a lifelong equestrian as well as an event and marketing coordinator. She has spent time in the saddle as well as being a vet tech for an equine full service and surgical center. She has had the opportunity to learn about sports medicine and rehab during her time at the clinic.

Additionally, spent 12 years in publishing magazines and event organization. During that time, she learned to effectively market niche businesses as well as manage events.

The publications Caroline worked with created business to business trade magazines for the nightclub and retail sectors. The nightclub sector had a yearly Expo with up to 5,000 attendees.

She began riding, as many of us do, at about 2 years old. Caroline came up through the ranks of dressage only to become disillusioned with the treatment of both horses and riders. Due to this imbalance of power for the horse, Caroline stopped riding for a number of years.

She did return to riding when she bought her Friesian mare, Janine, in 2006. Caroline and Janine learned to dance. The childlike wonder of horses had returned.

Fast forward to the end of 2024 when Caroline met Catherine. The two instantly hit is off as they both possess a strong drive to help both horses and riders achieve better, healthier relationships. Caroline came on board with Sacred Connections Equestrian to help bring that compassion to equestrians everywhere.

In addition to her equine activities and day job, Caroline is heavily involved with search and rescue as a K9 handler. Her dog, Phorman, searches for live humans who have been trapped or buried after a disaster. She also has a young dog, Tenebre, coming up the ranks for recovery to bring closure to families.

Because individual circumstances may vary, no guarantees are made regarding the information contained in this website. Sacred Connections Equestrian, LLC, staff, officers, instructors, employees, representatives, and others acting on behalf of Sacred Connections Equestrian, LLC, make no guarantees concerning the level of success you may experience by following the advice and strategies contained in this website, and you accept the risk that results will differ for each individual. The information provided is in no way intended to diagnose or treat any health, soundness, nutrition or other imbalances. It is recommended a qualified equine practitioner be consulted for any questions regarding the horse’s health.