EVANSVILLE Yoga on the Bridge Saturday afternoon is the first public event to be held on the iconic Marchand Bridge over Pigeon Creek at its entrance to the Ohio River.

The event hosted by the Evansville-Area Trails Coalition (ETC) and Evansville Power Yoga will be at 5:30 Saturday on the bridge that is part of the Pigeon Creek Greenway.

We wanted to bring yoga to the community and bring exposure to the trails and all they have to offer, said Mark Goltiano, owner of Evansville Power Yoga. The atmosphere on the bridge at sunset will be so peaceful and serene. The scene, right there on the river, lends itself to a serene physical activity like yoga.

The event is free and open to all levels of yoga including those who have never participated in the art before, he said. And the setting on the bridge is a nice, not intimidating way for people to get a chance to check yoga out and see what it is like.

This venue is urban but also serene at the same time, Goltiano said. We are going to be downtown but have a relaxed energy. Yoga is all about finding peace when sometimes it is difficult.

Drew Hays, executive director of Evansville Trails Coalition, said he hopes Yoga on the Bridge becomes an annual event. Not only is it an opportunity for a community wellness activity, he said it is also a way for residents to see the Marchand Bridges transformation and the beauty of the Greenway and trails.

It always amazes me to hear people say that they havent been on the trails yet, Hays said. They will tell me they have read about them or heard someone talking about them but havent seen it for themselves. We want to promote what we have and get people excited about it so they can help us demand that we get even more trails.

The Coalition is a private nonprofit to promote and expand the Greenway as well as making the community more bikeable and walkable. Hays pointed out that Evansville lags behind some nearby communities like Owensboro, Ky., that has 26 miles of trails. But he said the community is poised to expand its trail system with momentum building.

And events like Yoga on the Bridge just help spread the mission of ETC and get word out about what the Greenway is about and the need for even more.

We are always looking for more creative ways to take advantage of what we already have here, Hays said. This event will be a lot of fun and is something that will go toward improving our health, well being and quality of life.

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Serene Yoga planned for Marchand bridge over Pigeon Creek at Sunset Saturday

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With my eyes closed and my body finally relaxed, I slowly laid back and began to settle into my yoga practice. That is, until my mat moved. Moments later, it shifted again before finally letting out a loud neigh. This is precisely what makes horseback yoga challenging, fascinating, and fun.

The class, offered by Campbell Equine, is held at Sky High Farm in Leverett. The bucolic setting serves up a heavy dose of tranquility. Being outdoors and breathing in fresh air definitely provides a different sensory experience than a typical yoga studio.

The first portion of class was spent on solid ground. An instructor led the group through a series of stretches, twists, and bends to warm up our bodies and get the blood flowing.

Next, it was time to climb high atop the horse. Depending on your experience as a rider (or, in my case, lack thereof), you have the choice to use a saddle or go bareback, which is more challenging. For those with physical limitations or injuries, there is also the option to use an exercise ball in place of a horse.

Poses targeted the entire body, with an emphasis on the legs, hips, shoulders, and back. The horse not only makes for a fun four-legged companion, but it also challenges you to remain focused and present. If your mind begins to wander, you risk tumbling to the ground. Balance is also a big part of the equation. Some participants did the poses while their horse was in motion, activating their core muscles to help maintain proper form.

I went into the class thinking the horses role would purely be from a physical standpoint, but I could not have been more wrong. Horses are incredibly sensitive and intuitive creatures. From the moment you climb atop them, they absorb your energy. I didnt realize it at the time, but after a chaotic couple of days, my body had been carrying around a lot of tension. And having only been on a horse once in my life, I was admittedly a bit nervous to try horseback yoga. From the moment I sat atop B.H, I immediately felt his lucid body begin to tense up. I had transferred my frenetic energy to my horse, and my being stressed out was making him stressed out.

The instructor led me through a series of breathing exercises to calm my mind. As soon as I began to relax and let it all go, my horse did the same. Ultimately this made the poses a lot easier and the adventure a lot more enjoyable for both me and my partner.

For me, the experience encompassed what yoga is all about staying present, letting go, and reigning in your thoughts in order to rebalance and reignite both your mind and your body while challenging yourself at the same time. And I found theres no better, or cuter, barometer than a horse to help accomplish just that.

Horseback Yoga, Campbell Equine Training, http://www.campbellequinetraining.com, see website for classes and pricing.

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Horseback yoga: Latest edition of 'Get Moving, Boston'

23 September 2013 Last updated at 05:17 ET

A mass yoga event led by Indian spiritual leader Swami Ramdev will go ahead after he was allowed to stay in the country.

Swami Ramdev, 47, also known as Baba Ramdev, was stopped by officials at Heathrow Airport on Friday and detained for eight hours.

He was questioned again on Saturday but was allowed to stay in the country.

The YogArena is a free event for up to 1,500 people being held at Glasgow's Emirates Arena.

Ramdev's supporters had feared he would be told to leave the UK on Saturday but immigration officials ruled he could stay.

The yoga master, who is only in the UK until Tuesday, said he had no problem with the UK government and added he would like to come back for up to three months.

Ramdev told the BBC's Asian Network he was placed on a high risk list by the Indian authorities for speaking out about corruption, a claim denied by the Indian government.

Speaking through an interpreter, he said: "I'm sad that my government provided false information about me, so a red alert was attached to my name like for criminals or terrorists."

Leicester East MP Keith Vaz, who attended a meeting between Ramdev and immigration officials, said it was a matter of concern that he should have been treated in the way.

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Yoga guru to hold class for 1,500