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Welcome to SoftStride
SoftStride is a holistic somatic practice supporting women, including female riders and their horses as interconnected systems.
Founded by Rose Kilian, a bestselling somatic author and registered Yoga Teacher in Training, SoftStride blends nervous system regulation, mindful movement, and embodied awareness to help women develop greater balance, confidence, and connection, both in daily life and, for riders, in and out of the saddle.
Rose is currently studying equine bodywork and ergonomics to further expand her practice and deepen her ability to support the unique physical and emotional relationship between horse and rider. Her work is rooted in the understanding that tension, stress, and imbalance rarely exist in isolation. What shows up in the rider impacts the horse, and vice-versa. When resolving problems in the horse–rider partnership, healing is most effective when both are considered together as one system.
SoftStride offers a calm, intentional approach for women seeking clarity, presence, and harmony through awareness and embodied movement.
What Is Somatic Work?
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Somatic work is a body-based approach to healing that focuses on how stress, emotion, and pain are held and processed within the nervous system.
Rather than intellectualizing problems, somatic work works with physical sensation, awareness, breath, and gentle movement to support regulation and resilience from the inside out.
At SoftStride, somatic work is used to help women develop a stronger sense of safety, presence, and connection within their bodies. We leverage the power of the nervous system to reinforce states of relaxation so you can feel grounded, breathe deeper and find balance.
This practice is non-clinical and focuses on science-backed holistic healing modalities. It does not include any form of mysticism but rather focuses on a supportive, complementary approach that honours the body’s capacity to self-regulate when given the right conditions.
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Client Stories
I’ve dealt with the effects of chronic stress all my life—increasing as I get older and encounter the natural bodily breakdowns of aging. I was hoping this short book would give me some new ideas to add to my regular attack upon inflammation. Indeed, I’m happy to report that I did find new things in this book I’ve not seen elsewhere. Thanks!
I was particularly impressed with the sections that dealt with the following topics: the author’s personal stories; the detailed explanation of the autonomic nervous system and its role in causing or soothing chronic stress; easy techniques that may release chronic stress [deeply contained breathing, directed humming {tried this, it works!}, swinging, free-form dancing, and vagus nerve soothing]; and the clear illustrations visually showing how to do these and other mild exercises.
For anyone suffering from the effects of chronic stress, these personally applied techniques are great for complementing medications and treatments by physicians and other expert health practitioners. What’s in this book can be easily adapted and optimized for one’s own body and needs. Highly recommended!
I’ve read a lot of books on stress relief, trauma recovery, and vagus nerve work—but this one stands out. What I appreciated most was that the techniques weren’t just theoretical—they were practical, doable, and surprisingly powerful. Within minutes of trying some of the exercises, I noticed a shift: less tension in my jaw, more groundedness, and even better sleep that night.
This isn’t a fluffy self-help book. It’s methodical, structured, and assumes you’re ready to take your nervous system work seriously. Some techniques are subtle, but they work on a deep level—especially when practiced consistently. I’ve been dealing with chronic stress for years, and this book gave me a real foothold to start changing that.
Highly recommended if you’re familiar with basic somatic work and ready to take it further. If you're new to all this, maybe start with a simpler volume first—but if you’re ready for the next level, this is a hidden gem.
I have been doing somatic exercises daily for over 3 decades and can vouch for their power and effectiveness. Initially, I used them as a way to get into deep meditative states, and then later this progressed into healing physical injuries as well (I am a former competitive bodybuilder, 1984 Mr Australia winner). This is a great book providing an extensive range of advanced somatic exercises. The written instructions are accompanied by well-drawn illustrations that are easy to follow. If one takes the time to practise daily, they will achieve both mental and physical healing. And spiritual awakening is possible too, with dedication, if that is your goal.
Get In Touch
Connect with SoftStride to begin your journey towards balance and harmony with your horse. We're here to support you and your equine partner.