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.
Rider Biomechanics, Core Strengthening, special workouts, R+ or R-, bits are evil, you
need these tools, or you’re abusing your horse doing this or that—the horse world has
created so much difficulty and confusion around riding—and it seems everyone with a
video camera is an “expert.”

Sacred Connections Equestrian cuts through all the image focused, click-bait noise and
draws from a traditional, historically proven system of training that makes riding:

Clear

Simple

Easy

Fun

For both Horse and Rider
Communicating and connecting with horses is not difficult. Sacred Connections
Equestrian draws from an historically proven system of training that makes interacting
with horses easier, more successful and more fun for horses and their humans.

The original Forward Riding System, with its roots dating back thousands of years to
the first horsemen and combining the art of Xenophon, includes foundational
groundwork and beginning through advanced riding and training techniques that
simplify communication, make riding easier, and creates a solid foundation and
connection for both horses and riders.

“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...

Are looking for a proven system of training that creates a calm, willing, cooperative
horse? A horse that is fully engaged and capable of participating in a true connection
with you?

Are you looking for a system of training that prioritizes your horse’s safety, soundness
and well-being?

What if you could take the vet, chiropractor and massage therapist off speed dial?

Consider the following:

While, for the sake of our beloved horses, we would never wish to go back to using
them for transportation or warfare, we can learn from the cavalry’s legacy of placing the
horses’ soundness and well-being first.

The cavalry had to be kind to and take care of their horses. The cavalry troopers’ very
lives depended on their horses. The horses had to trust their riders completely. Their
horses could not be forced, coerced, or shut down into learned helplessness.
Fortunately mechanization has replaced horses in the cavalry and for transportation.
However their legacy of exemplary training, their legacy of placing the horses’ welfare
above all else is still there.

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 Steppes. The legacy of
knowledge gained by combining these two ancient systems, created one of the best
systems of training horses and riders throughout history.
This system became known as the American Forward Riding System. It created horses
that:

• Stay sound, healthy and happy

• Remain calm, quiet and sensible under chaotic conditions

• Willingly listen, cooperate, trust and connect with their riders

• Are athletically agile and capable

Today, horses trained in the Authentic Forward Riding System are capable of calmly
and willingly crossing bridges, riding through city traffic, standing quietly on a loose
rein, and listening to and cooperating with their riders’ needs.

Such horses are supple, balanced and athletic, excelling at a variety of disciplines
including:

• Cross-country

• Trail

• Dressage

• Jumping

• Foxhunting

• Eventing

• Endurance

• More

Authentic Forward Riding System training never uses force, harsh tools or bits, doesn’t
stress horses into learned helplessness, and never pushes horses beyond their physical,
mental or emotional abilities. Horses trained in this system are fully engaged and open
to their riders, forming loving bonds with their humans that last a lifetime.

Riders training in the authentic Forward Riding System:

• Are secure and effective in the saddle

• Can easily and quickly communicate with their horses

• Can ride for long hours without hurting in their knees, ankles or hips

• Are bold and confident because they trust their ability and their horses

• Have more fun with their horses

The cavalry originally developed the Forward Riding System because they needed to
train riders and horses quickly, and easily—without hurting the horses.

They needed riders who were bold, confident and effective.
In the 1930s, Captain Vladimir Littauer adapted the US Cavalry’s Forward Riding
System for civilian riders, implementing the genius of Non-Interference Techniques to
quickly and easily create secure, highly effective, Non-Interfering Riders.
Such riders build lifelong relationships of trust, communication and loving connection
with their horses.

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 Hunter, is a lifelong student of the
Authentic Forward Riding System. 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 4H 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 U.S. 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 has conducted clinics for fellow horse lovers throughout the Eastern and
Southeastern US. For the last 20 years she has specialized in using Non-Interfering
Techniques for the rehabilitation and retraining of horses and riders damaged by today’s
rushed, competition-focused training practices.

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 Eurasian 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.