About me
Since 1998 I am the proud owner of my own horse, Jaurena (Joki) In the beginning she had a lot of injuries, she was at least a few months a year lame or injured. When she was 10 she is diagnosed with osteoarthritis in the lower joints of her feet. The advice I got was to just walk and ride straight ahead to tax the joints as little as possible.
In Dutch we have a saying for people: ‘Rest rust’. That is of cours the same with horses, so I went looking for a stable with a lot of movement possibilities for Jaurena. Via via I found the stable De Maesberg of Sonja Braafhart where horses are outside 24/7. Jaurena liked it very much and because of the combination of lots of movement and focused training in Straightness and Classical Dressage, I could ride her untill she was 26 yeras old. At 27 years it was her time to let her go.

How I discovered guasha
During training I ran into physical blocks of myself and my horse and because of that my attention was drawn to the Guasha treatments of Greetje Hakvoort at the Human & Horse Academy. After receiving some treatments myself, I was convinced by the effects of Guasha. This is how I want to help humans and horses to feel and move better!
In october 2014 I graduated from the Guasha Therapist training course at ‘Guasha Opleidingen Santai‘. I am very proud to be one of the first Guasha Therapists for Horses in the world!
In february 2015 I also graduated for the Guasha Therapist for Humans exam. If you want more information about the treatment of humans, please visit www.guashatherapeut.nl (Dutch website).
Do you want to know more about Guasha? Please contact me.

Education / training
Since 2005 I trained with the following instructors:
Manolo Mendez – Spectator at several clinics
Claudia Wolters – Equilibrio – Academic Art of Riding
Greetje Hakvoort – Human & Horse Academy
Humphrey Dirks – Natural Horsemanship & Parelli
Monique Bleijenbergh – Basisrijkunst – Classical Art of Riding
Nicole Zoet-Oostermeyer – Integrated Horsemanship
Anja Beran – Classical Art of Riding (Visitor at several clinics)
Marius Schneider – Academic Art of Riding (Visitor and participant at several clinics)
Sonja Braafhart – De Maesberg – Academic Art of Riding and Straightness Training
Bent Branderup – Academic Art of Riding (Visitor at several clinics)
Education
The Horse Inside Out
Biomechanics Masterclass
Online Dissection 3 days
Equine Studies, 2021-2023
Academic Art of Riding Instructor
Human & Horse Academy, October 2015 – October 2016
Centered Riding Instructor Level 1
Alona, April – September 2015
Open clinic Centered Riding
Alona, March 2015
Guasha Therapy for Humans and Horses
Santai Guasha Opleidingen, March 2013 – November 2014.
Freestyle training
Freestyle training Emiel Voest, De Maesberg (Sonja Braafhart), 2008
Additional Straightness training
Theoretical and pratical course Straightness Training, Paarden Begrijpen (Marijke de Jong), July – November 2005.
Basic Straightness training
Theoretical and pratical course Straightness Training, Paarden Begrijpen (Marijke de Jong), February – June 2005.
Basic Homeopathy for animals
Sorag Akademie, 2003
Natural health care for horses
Nederlands Hippisch Instituut, July – November 2002.
