Services
Here is everything you need to know about our lessons: what we teach, lesson formats, who our students are and more!
Our curriculum
It is quite important to know what we teach, but even more important is how we teach it! Watch the video to find out.
Our curriculum goes from zero to high levels of disciplines such as dressage, colt starting, liberty, gentling, trail riding, cooperative care and more.
Beginner students start from leading and husbandry, and once they know how to keep themselves safe, they start dynamic lunging, liberty and riding.
Students with previous horse experience might jump in at different stages of our curriculum, depending on the pre-requisites of each class. This is all valid for both human and equine students.
Our Students
Horses
We love to support horses through their learning stages! Elizabeth specializes in physical training and rehabilitation. The horses who find her usually need to learn how to carry themselves more efficiently for a healthier and stronger body. Giorgia specializes in emotional resilience and connection. The horses who usually find her have a hard time connecting with their human, they can be spooky, emotional or sensitive about everyday husbandry tasks.
Adults
We work with adult students from all experience levels, disciplines, and interests, but the goal for our teaching is always the same: to help our students learn how to better support horses through connection and partnership.
Many adult students are thoughtful and heart-felt first-time horse owners. Some are long-time dressage enthusiasts looking for a different or better way to dance with horses. Some adults are just trying to fulfill a childhood dream!
Teens
Our teenage students love to engage with horses in different contexts and disciplines, such as dressage, jumping, liberty, tricks and trail rides. Our teenage students also find depth in the pure relationship with their equine partner/s. Horses can make us laugh, protect us, communicate strong emotions, carry us, connect or disconnect with us. Interacting with them gives us lessons for life, especially valuable in complex times such as adolescence.
Children
Children come to Hatha Equus to meet horses as holistic beings, sometimes for the first time. They learn to stay safe around these beatiful, mighty…and quite flighty beings. They learn the basics of “horse whispering” from the very beginning, through foundational horse handling, liberty and riding. These foundations are necessary, whatever horse-related path they might choose in the future: be it competing in a specific discipline, adopting a horse for personal pleasure, gentling a wild mustang or becoming a trainer.
Families
We love to set the space for our students to come and enjoy horses…as a family! The limits of team work are endless, when you work with horses! Families come to us to enjoy each other and their horse partner/s in a common learning space, in which everyone has a say and everyone contributes to the fun.
Lesson Formats
Intensive Programs
Throughout our curriculum, you will encounter topics that are best learned with a certain momentum, accountability and consistent group of participants. This is why we offer intensives for all ages and levels! Our main intensives are New Students Orientation, Intro to Positive Reinforcement, The Equine Yogi and Cooperative Care…though we keep piloting new programs, so stay tuned!
Private Lessons
Often times we need one on one support and undivided attention from an instructor to delve into deep concepts about our relationship with horses. Private lessons can be booked with Elizabeth or Giorgia depending on your focus. Elizabeth can support intermediate or advanced riding lessons, physical imbalances/asymmetries in horses and students, correct riding positions, and more. Giorgia focuses on helping student and horse unpack deep communication and trust, as well as supporting beginner students advance to group horsemanship and riding classes.
Hatha Equus horses can be borrowed for lessons for those students who do not have their own.
Group Lessons
Some of the most powerful growing moments are best shared with friends! There is much we can learn by watching and supporting others as they experience new challenges and successes.
All group lessons are organized by age and experience level.
Click here to get more details on specific lesson types!
PLAIN FUN
"Giorgia is extremely knowledgeable and deeply passionate about Positive Reinforcement training. She truly wants you and your horse to succeed.
She goes above and beyond to get you there. If you have a question or are struggling with something outside of class, she is there for you.
I highly recommend Giorgia. She has made a big difference in the relationship I have with my horse and the excitement I have working with him going forward.
If you are looking for a safe way to deepen your relationship with your horse, a better understanding of your horse’s body language, and just plain FUN! - her Intro to Positive Reinforcement Intensive is for you!"
happy place
"I took a very long (15+ years) break from horseback riding from middle school on because the push to compete wasn't what I loved about horses and I felt stuck. Meeting Elizabeth was serendipitous and has been life changing for me. Her approach to horses and their humans is what I didn't know I was waiting for. Her kindness, warmth, and compassion, married with her expertise and skillful teaching make my lesson with her the highlight of my week (I wish I could have lessons everyday!).
She teaches you how to think and problem solve instead of memorizing one correct way of doing things. She focuses on the health (mental and physical), balance, and happiness of the horse and draws many parallels to yoga that now seem so obvious but never did before (as the best ideas are)! My connection and partnership with horses is so much stronger now than ever before.
Learning from her is my happy place 🙂 Growing up, lessons included a lot of yelling and shame; you will never feel anything but supported by Elizabeth as you grow. Her bright smile and exclamations of joyful encouragement have helped me reach places I never knew I could.
And all of that's just about me. My horse partner absolutely adores Elizabeth and is an incredibly strong, calm, balanced, happy dude who loves to practice yoga and strut his stuff thanks to her!"
Respect and Enthusiasm
"Trainers are amazing. I have been a student for the last two years and I cannot state enough how much Elizabeth has helped me grow through private lessons.
Inspiring
"My daughter Julia is three years old and goes to the Tots and Parents class! My wife, Julia and I are simply in wonder for what Elizabeth and
Upcoming Intensives
Intro to Positive Reinforcement Intensive
What if your horse came to you running any time they saw you?What if you had to drag them out of the arena at the end of a training session because they loved it too much and wanted to stay and play?What if they voluntarily passed on green grass and great horsey...
The Equine Yogi Workshop!
You won’t want to miss this opportunity to help your horse become the best version of his or herself, and in turn be a better partner for you!