School of Lightness NZ

21/06/2026

In NZ too! Let’s make this the normal way of riding for the future of everyone & all horses 💝

Why we ❤️ Legerete

There is a much needed shift occurring in the equestrian world.

As a community, we are beginning to openly talk about horses as sentient beings. Recognizing there is a cognitive dissonance occurring when we say we love our horses, but then ride or train in a way which involves pain, conflict or confusion. And that horses trained in a way which takes away their natural balance, their ability to move freely, see properly and even breathe - should not be winning prizes.

It has been wonderful to see the outpouring of delight about the recent bridleless competition and the ease and harmony witnessed there. Even with the caveat that these horses were predominately trained with bits and bridles, it revealed a desire in many riders for 'something different'.

And you may now find yourself in a positive place where you want to ride in a manner which restores to your horse their natural beauty and balance (and even enhances it) rather than detracts from it. However, understanding where to begin can be hard. A dream is one thing; the reality of knowing what to do can be challenging.

Philippe Karl, the founder of the Ecole de Légèreté, has spent his life advocating for the horse. And sharing his knowledge, insight and utterly logical approach to understanding what a horse needs if we want to ride them. And how - when we understand how to use our hands, body and minds - then a bit can form part of the solution rather than be the cause of the problems. A horse can actually find comfort in the relaxation, balance and release riding can offer, when a dedicated rider takes the time to understand and practice.

If you would like to know more, please do join master teacher Sylvia Stossel and the group of Légèreté instructors being trained by her, this coming weekend at Naturally Light Equitation.

You can find the details in the down below...

21/06/2026

Contact me if we can organise Legerete lessons in your region. Especially if you are a trainer who is ready to learn & train a better way that is kind & respectful of the horse 💝
I want this to be the normal way we ride horses in NZ, in the future! It would also help judges to learn the principles too - once you can see correct function v’s dysfunction - you can’t unsee it!! And it would change EVERYTHING!

I am in Feilding this week, Whangarei weekly, with Cambridge/BOP starting to organise clinic plans & Oamaru in spring/summer 🤩 let’s spread the Legerete way, far & wide!!

Why we ❤️ Legerete

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DqpmX8yff/?mibextid=wwXIfr

There is a much needed shift occurring in the equestrian world.

As a community, we are beginning to openly talk about horses as sentient beings. Recognizing there is a cognitive dissonance occurring when we say we love our horses, but then ride or train in a way which involves pain, conflict or confusion. And that horses trained in a way which takes away their natural balance, their ability to move freely, see properly and even breathe - should not be winning prizes.

It has been wonderful to see the outpouring of delight about the recent bridleless competition and the ease and harmony witnessed there. Even with the caveat that these horses were predominately trained with bits and bridles, it revealed a desire in many riders for 'something different'.

And you may now find yourself in a positive place where you want to ride in a manner which restores to your horse their natural beauty and balance (and even enhances it) rather than detracts from it. However, understanding where to begin can be hard. A dream is one thing; the reality of knowing what to do can be challenging.

Philippe Karl, the founder of the Ecole de Légèreté, has spent his life advocating for the horse. And sharing his knowledge, insight and utterly logical approach to understanding what a horse needs if we want to ride them. And how - when we understand how to use our hands, body and minds - then a bit can form part of the solution rather than be the cause of the problems. A horse can actually find comfort in the relaxation, balance and release riding can offer, when a dedicated rider takes the time to understand and practice.

If you would like to know more, please do join master teacher Sylvia Stossel and the group of Légèreté instructors being trained by her, this coming weekend at Naturally Light Equitation.

You can find the details in the down below...

07/06/2026

Putting some very old things, to good use 😉 decorating my stables
Halter hanger for 🖤Tyra & 🤎Polly

07/06/2026

05/06/2026

When I am teaching riders how to train their own horses in Legerete, I’m teaching the rider the language we use to communicate, while also teaching the horse.

This intricate way of being with your horse, requires the rider to remove ‘control’ from their psyche (& any sense of the egotic self) … because there is no room for resistance, especially in the body, but also of the mind.

And what you get is freedom & flow. From a horse that has learning to carry itself and a rider also carrying themselves while communicating requests that the horse knows how to answer.

My lessons help bring a rider into coherence, so the horse can respond 💫

Why we ❤️ Legerete

05/06/2026

We can all relate!! 🫶🤗💯

Why we ❤️ Legerete

“This makes me feel like I don’t know how to ride!”

I hear that all the time when I’m teaching and I always have to chuckle. There is nothing I can relate to more deeply!

There is a huge difference between mashing a horse’s body around, and actually riding them.

When my teachers taught me to truly ride generating energy from behind and steering the shoulders, not the mouth, it became very apparent I was relying entirely on the head for control. It was extremely humbling, and very frustrating. I had many lessons that felt like purgatory - not advancing until I could learn to direct with my seat onto a track of travel, learning not to let my over active hands get involved and to actually funnel the energy through.

I went from overactive, micromanaging riding to being floppy and ineffective, afraid to be at the helm. I’ve been at this a while, and I always remind my students of this : I did not pop out of the womb understanding this- and if you are naturally gifted at it, I’m happy for you - but don’t be alarmed if it is hard.

If it were easy, everyone would be doing it!

If you’re feeling frustrated, inept, stuck in purgatory, and so on, try to remember this is not easy. It’s very simple - but it is the most difficult task you could undertake: mastering your body and mind to ride in a harmonious way with a horse. There are no shortcuts, no easy get out of jail free cards for learning how to direct fluidly without interference. Buddhist monks study a lifetime at a monestary to get control of their minds - so you have to direct that kind of energy and dedication into it, within the walls of your own arena.

It’s hard, and you will struggle and make mistakes, but you will be just fine, and so will your horse. It will come together in glimmers, in tastes- you’ll get motivated by a little feeling here and there, and you can remember that feeling to get you through the next plunge back into purgatory.

03/06/2026

YES!! 🙌 The answer that shoulder in is what we are asking the horse to do, be it on a circle, straight line or diagonal, etc…
Master Teacher Melanie Bulmahn simply explains ✅

(Melanie started my Legerete journey & who was one of my main Legerete teacher for many previous years 🤗)

19/05/2026

Blessed with perfect weather, the Feilding / Palmy crew are all showing SUPER progress!! Carefully guiding many quality & fun moments as they learn the next phase of their horses balance & openess in Legerete… very excited riders (& teacher!) about what they are achieving! And they should be proud, their practice & results is all the proof they need (even if it does include rosettes as well 😉👌)
💛🦄🪽🩰⚖️🤩
I’m so lucky to do what I do! 🥰

& It’s why we ❤️ Legerete!

26/04/2026

Teaching a language via the hand
👌🖐️🤌
In a clear way into the corners of the lips… 👄 and mobilise the tongue 👅
Why?
Because that is soft, light 🪶will not weight the forehand & helps the horse to learn to carry themselves.
⚖️🪽

Why we ❤️ Legerete

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1BHkf6hB1g/?mibextid=wwXIfr

10/04/2026

ATTENTION Calling on riders in
🌳 Cambridge
🌞 Tauranga
🌲 Rotorua
🔁 Waikato / BOP areas
Who have been asking for a lesson visits :)

We have a fabulous indoor venue available to us in Cambridge (with overnight adjistment if needed) so if riders are wanting to form a group, that is an enthusiastic supportive learning enviornment - spectators also welcome. Lets get this region progressing on their Legerete journey 🤩 Winter is a perfect time to go down to the core & teach your horse beneficial balance (without using tension), to move freely, lightly & understand exactly what you are asking for!

This is where you become the trainer! I teach you how to train your own horse.... because lets be honest, all conventional ways outside of Légèreté are just conditioning the horse to varying levels of pressure! And riders who know that more rein or more leg isn't giving them the results they dreamed of!

I have some regular riders that I teach, as I travel to & from Palmerston North, but I know they would love to have a group environment, so you can all learn from eachother 🫶

Please comment below & then I can create a Waikato group chat which is where lesson dates are decided, group wins & questions are shared - so we aren't working alone in between our visits. There is a lot of knowledge to share! No questions are too big or too small to ask.

Look forward to hearing from you (maybe again for those who are already part of our smaller Cambridge group 😉 )
Sarah x