Authentic connection of horse and rider

Paradigm shift in equine education

"Why is the paradigm shift necessary? Because you can't solve a problem with the same thinking that caused the problem."

“Everything should be made as simple as possible but not simpler.” Most equestrian theories are simpler counting on the horse’s talent to compensate for the ineptness of the horse’s education. The outcome of course is lameness, sometimes sooner, sometimes later. Instead, why not enhance the horse’s talent and also propensity to remain sound, upgrading riding and training techniques to actual knowledge of the equine physiology? The course is actually the experience of applying the knowledge from the studies in real life. The in hand biomechanics dressage course supports the student in their application of the studies through the forum where direct access to JLC and his students are given for the purpose of answering questions and evaluating the applied work through videos posted.

Science of Motion is truly teaching the beauty and art that dressage should be. Using scientifically proven theories and a kindness that is unparalleled in the horse world, your paradigm shift begins with science of motion. The difference is as stark as black and white. The result is true dialogue and relationship with your horse that is unseen in 'modern' dressage training and competition.

IHTC

Logical progression to under-saddle training

In Hand Dressage Lessons Videos

A zest of classicism and a large body of science.

A full course of Corrective Biomechanics.

Progress at your own speed

Begin to re-learn a true dance with your equine partner with lightness, soundness and longevity.

Therapy in motion is not a complement to static therapies; it is the next generation of therapy. It has to be done in motion as muscles, tendons and fascia do not work under the principle of release and relaxation but instead nuances in tone. It is a response to forces and forces are internal - limb actions - and external - gravity, inertia, and movements, including riders. Motion is also necessary at the level of the nervous system. Motion therapy is the next step. JLC

The answer is a course which is not about making the horse do it but instead how the horse does it. The IHTC focusses on preparing efficiently the horse’s physique for the athletic demands of the performance. The outcome is a horse performing at its utmost potential and remaining sound. When a performance is thought about in terms of optimal muscular development and coordination, the outcome is not only preserving soundness but also restoring soundness. Repetitive abnormal stress causes injury and correcting the root cause of the abnormal stress is the most efficient therapy. “The gait abnormality created by a specific lesion is the gait abnormality that causes the lesion.” (James Rooney, Biomechanics of lameness in horses - 1969).

No need to ever wonder “what shall we work on today?”  You will always have a plan of action, even if it’s a trail ride day.

The IHTC condenses decades or research, experiments and practical applications. There is only one syllable between simple and simpler and without adequate knowledge simple is simpler. We do not pretend that the horse’s biological mechanism is simple, but it can be clearly explained. We do not pretend that riding efficiently is simple but it can be learned. We do not pretend that reeducating a horse is simple. Accepting the complexity of a problem is a decisive step toward resolving it. In most instances a horse can be reeducated if we move away from the riding and training principles that created the problem. It just takes a commitment of time and dedication to the ideas.

The IHTC approaches your education from three different angles, biomechanics, practical application, and case studies. The case studies demonstrate how re-educations are achieved addressing the root causes of abnormal stresses. The main course, the practical application working in hand and/or riding the horse, familiarizes you with advanced concepts, demonstrating that these advanced concepts are not out of reach but instead, are easily understandable with concentration and ethic. The word ethic is used in reference to the fact that the horse will suffer if we don’t have a sound understanding of the horse’s functional anatomy and therefore, the ability to prepare the horse’s physique for the athletic demand of the performance. This education is the task of the biomechanical study presented with each installment.

Since we have followed Einstein’s teaching all along, we should end this introduction with another thought of the greatest mind ever. “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.” Through art, science, experience, sensitivity, humor and the practical application of pertinent discoveries, the IHTC challenges your creativity. The art of riding demands intelligence and intuition. Both are deadened by traditional approaches. Read us with intelligence and then, apply us believing in your intuition and you will succeed.     

For those who have the opportunity to benefit from Jean Luc’s personal instruction, the IHTC is the absolute best complement. Muscles and bone actively remodel in response to change in exercise. Adaptation is necessary practically on a daily basis. Training formulas are generalities. A horse is an individual entity. Success relies on the rider’s ability to analyze the horse’s difficulties, which demands sound and updated understanding of the equine biological mechanism.

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What our (students) have to say:

The Science of Motion has not only provided the answers, but the answers are scientific and not based on belief. Cherie T.

Not only does this class provide a higher level of understanding, it also allows me to ask questions to Jean Luc directly regarding any issues that come up with Kristie C.

If someone had told me that I, just an average rider could change a 15 year old opinionated stallion with average movement into the horse he is today, on his way to being a world class mover with a magnificent character, I simply wouldn't have believed it possible , and it wasn't possible without JLC’s invaluable knowledge and help via the IHTC., I can’t stress how much I recommend this course. Tracey Y

The horse I always dreamed she could be and I have become the rider she always dreamed I could be.  :)  I couldn't be happier so I just wanted to share this exciting news with you.

Thank you Jean Luc.   You gave me my beautiful horse back! April

None of where Nathan is or is going could have been possible without JLC and SOM. As for me. I feel like a tiny bird flying with him, privileged by the journey, amazed by the views. Dana H

I kept noticing how there is such a huge disconnect between the "ideals" talked about by riders and trainers and the results that I saw in their horses. More often than not, horses and riders would not progress beyond 1st level and when they did, the riding did not look graceful or easy. The ideals were not evident in what I was seeing. My own journey in trying to apply those ideals to my own riding was just as stuck. I felt like I was always chasing my tail. When I became aware of SOM I was blown away. Suddenly, the explanation for what I was seeing and experiencing was very clear. It is a paradigm shift. It is not a new spin on an old phrase it is a whole new phrase! Ronda H

Jean Luc Cornille and SOM is the real deal. I have been teaching and training for close to 30 years - first in Combined Training and then in Classical Dressage. The increased knowledge and fresh perspective advanced by Cornille and SOM makes the re-education of both horse and rider easy compared to the nonsense that is endlessly marketed without any basis in reality as we now know it. As theory after theory failed to fulfill the lofty expectations within any available definition of dressage the answers I kept searching for were and continue to be found here at Science of Motion and the In-hand Therapy Course. Susan H

When I signed up for JL's course it was my last hope in finding the key to unlock my mare's difficult behavior, and I knew going in it wasn't going to be an over night process, no gimmicks or quick fixes. I had to put the time into studying and commit myself to JL's course of experience and studies and I could only hope someone I'd never met could help me. Monica G

I was thinking about JL and his work. It occurred to me: He (as Chazot calls him) treats us: riders, trainers, owners, and professionals the way he treats the horse. We are freed from theory. We are grounded in science and the knowledge of what is provided here in IHTC. What worked today might need a different approach tomorrow. It is ok that we change the training according to what will best help the horse. We are developing into thinking educators of our horses. We are encouraged to intuitively and thoughtfully approach a training question grounded in the education we get here. Integrity is a word that often comes to my mind as I work, train and teach. It seems to encompass a lot of what JL is about, and what I want to be about in my own body, my work with the horse, and the work with the people I help.

The support of this group could not be more positive, and I value being a part of this community more than most anything I've ever experienced in the equestrian world.

Jennifer V

So I went to the SOM website and started reading about horses with similar lameness issues being successfully rehabbed with this approach. The more I read, the more it made sense to me. For the first time the whole horse was being taken into account and I could see clearly the genesis of my horse's lamenesses. Sara T

This calibre of education is very, very difficult to find.  Yes you can certainly find pearls of wisdom with various horsemen and/or veterinarians.  But as I said, the depth and the quality of education Jean Luc is offering is priceless.  I've been trying to find a program like this for years.  You'd be hard pressed to find someone who not only understands anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, and equine psychology as well as he does BUT ALSO has a gift for teaching and sharing it.  AND has the career riding experiences that he has.

D.P.

Most of those of us currently enrolled would be considered the freshman class. We are the Beta version, hence the current cost. I am an Equine Therapist, so for me the concentration is on performing the work in hand, as compared to the riders in the group who will focus on the work from in the saddle. The science of equine motion is the same regardless.  We have a private group which serves as both a forum and support group. The variety of questions is great because other people are always coming up with things you might not think of and that broadens the experience. Some of us have become regular friends on the private group as well, so that we can chat outside of the forum. We all keep an eye out for when Jean Luc is doing a clinic in our area so we can see the well spring of SOM in action. For me it is not easy and I have seen some of the DVD's multiple times and still go back to them. It is rewarding though, when you go back and realize how much more you see. What is really amazing though is the way you begin to experience seeing a horse. It is kind of funny when you see a horse standing there and you find yourself thinking, move already so I can see what kind of horse you are. I am not a rider, but even I can watch someone bouncing all over the place at the trot and wonder when the horse is going to go lame, because I see it as a biomechanical issue. LW

Hello, As a recent graduate of veterinary school at the ripe age of 52, I just wanted to comment on science of motion. I went to veterinary college specifically looking for the sort of approach you have developed for rehabilitating horses and for preventing injury in the first place. It is what I imagined doing as veterinarian. For four years as a student I looked for someone would even acknowledge that such an approach was possible let alone had any idea how to go about it. Helping a friend recently trying to rehab a horse with an SI dysfunction led me randomly on a search that allowed me to discover science of motion. Speaking as a veterinarian and lover of horses, I am so thankful that you have dedicated your lives to creating this body of information and are willing to share it with the world. Best wishes, Dr. Timothy Rogers DVM

I sing the praises of IHTC to anyone who will listen. I firmly believe that anyone that teaches or trains should be required to have this level of education – as well as become licensed in some way. Those that teach themselves can only benefit from such an advanced education. Since horses are no longer required to carry our burdens it is folly to expect them to carry our egos. (I have stated this many times in much of my writings) Science such as presented in IHTC assures us that when we school our horses we are first doing no harm and are, in fact, developing horses’ bodies and minds in order to ease their burden while carrying a rider – to bring less than that to any horse, in this age when riding is a pursuit of pleasure or sport, denies the horse a life of comfort and true partnership. IHTC is the future of equine stewardship – but available now. Susan H

You have helped us so much, in so many ways, too innumerable to count.  My horse was a rescue and a rehab project.  I am late to riding, and still would be considered green.  But without the Science of Motion, neither my horse nor I would be able to accomplish what we did together today.  Thank you from the bottom of both our hearts.

Marge N

I was brought up immersed in the world of highest level competition and was taught by some of the world’s best teachers at the time yet in the last 5 years Jean Luc and Science of Motion has opened my eyes to a new and truly wonderful journey of learning with my horses, one that everyone should be embarking on for the happiness, soundness and wellbeing of their horses. Karen B

I wasn’t getting better, my horse wasn’t getting better.  No one could answer my questions.  I was about to give up completely.  Instead I happened upon a Science of Motion clinic, and everything changed.  Questions were answered, which allowed more questions, which fostered many ‘light bulb moments and continual improvement.  It took a few years, but now my 20-year old draft cross is better than he has ever been, my riding is better than it has ever been, and I have the confidence to start the young/green horses correctly.  This is absolutely the right thing to do for your horses!

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