resonant riding founders
meet our founding team
Resonant Riding is built on a relationship between two trainers with a long history of Icelandic tradition, a passion for classical dressage training, and never ending interest in flow theory and the creative process. Laura “Lala'' Benson first met Carrie Lyons Brandt at an Icelandic horse training center in Kentucky run by Guðmar Pétursson and his family. Lala was the first person to put Carrie on an Icelandic horse. Soon after, Carrie began taking regular lessons and competing successfully in youth competitions, with Lala as her mentor.
From Kentucky, Lala moved to Iceland for an internship. There, she became the first American to graduate all three years at Hólar University as a horse trainer and riding instructor. Lala used that education to found her equestrian arts business in California. Her passion for the performing arts, education, and promotion of the Icelandic horse has led her to become one of the most recognized clinicians and performers in the industry. Carrie followed in Lala’s footsteps, doing her first internship in Iceland and ultimately becoming the second American to graduate all three years at Hólar University with the same degree as Lala.
Back in the United States, Carrie joined Lala in running and performing in the Knights of Iceland show team across the country. During performances and in various joint educational ventures, Lala and Carrie discovered they had more than just their history in common. Both trainers found that they were implementing a unique combination of classical dressage training and traditional Icelandic methods, while using knowledge about the creative process in music and flow psychology. This special blend of influences and ideas was having a positive impact on their success and the success of their students. Lala and Carrie concluded that good horsemanship is built on a deep understanding of biomechanics and technical dressage exercises that are implemented using many of the same principles as jazz music such as intuition and spontaneity. Finally, in 2017 they decided to make their work together official and use the power of collaboration to begin to build what is now Resonant Riding.
THE DOUBLE RUNE
Our logo uses a nordic rune representing the ride or journey through life. The “Raido” or “Reið” literally translates to “Riding” and symbolises the journey of life, movement, growth and adventure. The process of the journey is what the riding is all about, not the final destination. This rune was very important for us as the Nordic mindset of freedom and spirit in the horse is at the heart of our method.
This training methodology has always been a collaborative effort and thus the plurality of the two R runes represents the spirit of partnership. We have always believed in the power of our alliance. When it comes to creativity - teamwork is not just simple addition - it is multiplication.
The mirroring images also represent our core value that our horses are the most honest mirrors of our physical and emotional state. The horse and rider relationship should work as an infinite loop, constantly reflecting feedback between the two.