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Joan Adler
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“You can not learn to ride better simply by riding more. 
You must correct the riders ability to move with the horses natural motion
to see real improvement in the performance.”
- Eckart Meyners philosophy behind Balimo


What does Balimo™ stand for?
Balance in Motion

Who is Eckart Meyners?
Eckart Meyners is co-founder of the Balimo™ program and a Professor of Sports Physiology and Body Movement,  retired from the University of Lüneburg in Germany.
Having  spent years researching movement and ways to improve athletic performance, he has discovered numerous ways to improve body mobility and sustain a wider range of motion, as well as to support a healthier body.  The Balimo™ Equestrian Training Program incorporates these techniques and incourages their use in day to day activities.

Who was Jill Hassler-Scoop?
Jill Hassler-Scoop was the late founder of EES (Equestrian Education Systems) and co-founder of the Balimo™ program along with Eckart Meyners.

Who is Hannes Müller?
Hannes Müller is a Master Trainer and Judge in Germany, currently the Director and Chief Trainer of the German Academy for Professional Riders.
The school is renowned for its intensive training program to prepare professional trainers prior to their Bereiter and Pferdewirtschaftsmeister exams.
Mr. Müller is considered to be one of the best trainers in Germany. It is his job to maintain the high standards and quality of riding that is expected of all German professional trainers.
The Balimo™ program is honored to have Hannes Müller as one of it's main faculty. And Joan has benefited greatly from her riding sessions with Hannes, both in the USA and Germany. 

What was the Balimo™ Equestrian Training program about?
The program used straightforward & easy to carry out exercises, (integrating Pilates, Feldenkrais, Brain Gym, Alexander Technique and more).
The aim is to help balance riders’ bodies by stretching, relaxing and strengthening muscles. When a rider is more balanced, relaxed and flexible, she can move more harmoniously with her horse, allowing her to find the correct, relaxed seat. Exercises are performed both mounted and unmounted;some exercises use the Balimo™ Chair.
The Balimo™ chair is a unique apparatus to teach riders to follow the movement of a horse and continuously remain in balance.

How many observation hours are involved in the Balimo™ program?
As a graduate instructor of the Balimo program, Joan has spent over 150 hours observing and interacting with Eckart Meyners,learning his principles, techniques and exercises. She also continues to train with Mr. Meyners in Germany, when possible.

What are some of Eckart Meyner's principles?
  • the rider must consider themselves an athlete
  • the need for BALANCE before all else is achieved
  • riding is about movement and motion
  • it is necessary to develop a feeling rider, as well as harmony between horse and rider
  • it is through the sensitive seat that true communication between horse and rider happens to achieve harmony,
  • the rider must first uncover her own strengths and weaknesses; then design an exercise program that will balance her own muscles and muscle groups
  • Eckart Meyners' 6 Point Program is the foundation of exercises designed for riders to develop their athletic needs related to balanced muscles
Learn more about Eckart Meyner's principles and Balimo™.
- through private riding lessons,  incorporating  Balimo™ exercises.
- unmounted body awareness workshops, where you  learn various exercises intended to help  access more freedom for your riding.
-  Balimo™ Seat Clinics.
Can you describe a Balimo™ Clinic?
There is an interactive theory lecture on the first morning, introducing the principles of Eckart Meyner’s work, followed by an unmounted warm-up for participants.
which then leads us to an hour long Balimo exercise class. Individual 45 minute private lessons on Saturday afternoon, which may involve taking the rider on and off the horse to do various exercises to encourage better movement.
Sunday incorporates the changes made the day before into a more typical mounted session for each student and may add other exercises as deemed necessary.
Everyone leaves with  increased body awareness and specific exercises to address their weaknesses or body issues.

Balimo™ Seat Clinic  Format

We  offer it in a one day format; however,everything just gets compressed!  The advantage to the longer format is that the rider really gets a chance to establish some new 'muscle memory' - the best way to 'own the new changes', rather than just experiencing it one time.





Joan's Balimo™ training includes the following:

2013
September 19 - 20, 2013
Balimo Refresher training sessions with Eckart Meyners
Location: WRFS  Riding School, Handorf, Germany

2008

July 25 - 26, 2008
Balimo Instructors'  'Lab Days' with Eckart Meyners
Location: Johnson & Wales University, Rehoboth, Massachusetts

2007
October 14th - 20, 2007
Balimo Instructors'  Workshop with Eckart Meyners & Hannes Müller
Location:  German Riding School, Warendorf, Germany

July 28 - 29, 2007
BalimoSeat Symposium with Eckart Meyners
Location: Johnson & Wales University, Rehoboth, Massachusetts

July 29 - August 1, 2007
Balimo Instructors'  Workshop with Eckart Meyners & Dr. Kathy Kelly
Location: Johnson & Wales University, Rehoboth, Massachusetts

March 31- April 1, 2007
Balimo Seat Symposium with Eckart Meyners
Location: Shea Therapeutic Riding Center, San Juan Capistrano, California

April 1 - 4, 2007
Balimo Instructors'  Workshop with Eckart Meyners & Hannes Müller
Location: Shea Therapeutic Riding Center, San Juan Capistrano, California


2006
July 22-23, 2006
Balimo Seat Symposium with Eckart Meyners
Location:  Fields and Fences Farm, Gurnee, Illinois

July 23-27, 2006
Balimo Instructors'  Workshop with Eckart Meyners & Dr. Kathy Kelly
Location:  Fields and Fences Farm, Gurnee, Illinois

April 1-2, 2006
Balimo Seat Symposium with Eckart Meyners
Location:  Yellow House Farm, Alpharetta, Georgia

April 2-6, 2006
Balimo Instructors'  Workshop with Eckart Meyners, Hannes Müller,
Dr. Clete Linebarger
Location:  Yellow House Farm, Alpharetta, Georgia


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