This Horse Does Yoga
Practice calms equine nerves
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If you thought coed naked yoga was a little out there, consider equine yoga, in which humans and horses practice the ancient tradition simultaneously (although it’s not apparent how much the animal benefits from the exercise).
The Doma India School, a 50-year-old school of horsemanship in Argentina, uses yoga to heal abused or otherwise nervous equines. The school, established by father and son Oscar and Cristobal Scarpati Schmid, explains its holistic approach on its website: “The method is to tame the horse according to its nature, avoiding cause [sic] fear and pain, and by earning their trust and loyalty.”
In a YouTube video garnering more than 100,000 views, a skilled horseman rolls a horse onto its back and proceeds to handstand directly on top of the horse’s girth. At one point, the two share an intimate moment while touching noses.