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| Photo: Yogawithhorses.com |
(Seattle Weekly) By Keegan Hamilton - First they started cranking up the heat. Then they switched to doing it on paddleboards. This Saturday they're doing it at a rave. But when it comes to yoga, Dr. Hannah Evergreen has them all beat. On Saturday mornings she teaches a small herd of horses (and their owners) how to stretch, breathe rhythmically, and "promote relaxation."
A doctor of veterinary medicine schooled at Oregon State and Washington State Universities, Evergreen's website says she provides "quality holistic veterinary healthcare" from her office in Monroe. She specializes in equines, and also does acupuncture and chiropractic work on the animals, in addition to normal vet stuff like dentistry and treating injuries.
Some of her clients compete in dressage, the equestrian sport also known as "horse ballet." Dressage tests both a horse's training and conditioning, so the yoga thing is actually kind of a natural fit. Plus Evergreen says the owners of the animals are the fanatical type. In other words, the horses do yoga but the people that ride them don't.
"A lot of of the people are interested in yoga but they take better care of their horse than themselves," Evergreen says. "They do acupuncture and yoga for their horse but totally neglect their own body."
At the moment none of the owners do poses at the same time as -- or on top of -- their steeds. Evergreen started the classes about six months ago, and the animals are just getting the hang of the exercises. She wants to include the riders eventually, as other yoga whisperers have done.
Read full story at Seattle Weekly...
