Mark was inspired by the teachings of the late Portuguese riding master Nuno Oliveira, and in the 1980s he traveled to Portugal for lessons in classical dressage. Since that time, Mark has developed his own training program based on the concepts of riding in lightness and the French classical style combined with Natural Horsemanship. Mark believes that when it comes to good horsemanship, there is very little difference in the learning process; his clinics attract riders from western, hunt seat, dressage, and gaited disciplines.

Mark talks to riders from the horse’s point of view. And teaching both horse and rider to relax and develop the suppleness and strength necessary for better energy flow and balance is what led Mark to tai chi twenty years ago. Mark believes that the practice of even elementary tai chi and qi gong exercises gives the rider insight into a process whose goal is to achieve optimal unity between horse and rider.

For more information about Mark you can visit his website: www.naturaldressage.com