Favorite Finds Week Eighteen
History, Beer and Horses
The famous Carlsberg brewery in Copenhagen Denmark is filled with, well of course beer but also immense amounts of history. Opening in 1847, the brewery relied heavily on 300+ horses to distribute their beer around Denmark. At first any breed of horse would do to transport the beer but in the late 1920’s the ancient Danish breed the Jutland became the primary horse at the brewery. The breed was introduced because a number of breeders around Denmark were worried about the breed’s future especially with the use of motorized transport becoming more popular. Today Carlsberg has 4 Jutland horses that are brand ambassadors and are used primarily for parades and festivals. During Covid, the horses were moved to the Copenhagen Zoo while they renovated the stables and were supposed to move back in spring of 2022. This is just a snip-it of history attached to the Jutland horse and Carlsberg brewery so it’s safe to say that touring the Carlsberg brewery and stables is on my bucket list!
Balance In Movement Lectures
I have shared some of Susanne von Dietze wonderful teachings before but I wanted to share one I am particularly excited about. Her Balance in Movement September series focuses on a different gait each week. The first week already happened, which was the walk but I believe the sessions are recorded so you may still be able to enjoy it. The next session is this Sunday the 11th focusing on the posting trot. I have one student who participated in session one with the walk and she loved it! During our lesson this week she was able to utilize the tools Susanne gave her and she had a much better awareness of her body and how it moved in relation to the horse.
Acupressure Mat
I originally heard about using an acupressure mat from Tim Ferriss and I was pretty skeptical that a flimsy mat with little poking discs would do a whole lot but I have to tell you it is one of my favorite things. I integrate lying on the mat into my yoga and meditation practice but you can use it many different ways such as in your computer chair or putting the pillow under your feet while sitting on the couch. I find that it relaxes me, yes a poking mat can relax you, but it also brings me a lot of body awareness. I find that I am more in tune to myself on days that I use the mat which of course is helpful for my riding. If you go to Amazon and type in acupressure mat, there are loads of choices; I chose to buy one priced on the lower end because I was skeptical and wasn’t prepared to pay top dollar for something I wasn’t sold on yet. I would recommend getting one with the roll pillow though, I love the pillow for my neck and my feet.
Affirmations
It’s so easy to get down on ourselves and fall into a negative spiral when just one thing kicks off the day wrong. Most people instantly mutter to themselves something like, “well this is how the day is going to go isn’t it?” This cute throwback video is just a reminder to be kind to yourself and others. Let this girl inspire your pep talk in the car on the way to the barn. Let it be a gentle nudge to enjoy the barn and our horses and not get hung up on the little things.