A SAFE SPACE FOR horse-loving humans TO GROW IN HORSEMANSHIP SCIENCE, SKILLS AND SOUL, SO THAT THEY CAN EMBARK ON MOVIE-LIKE ADVENTURES WITH HORSES...force-free.
New Student Orientation
@ Wildsong Ranch, Longmont, CO
Investment: $299
CAN YOU/YOUR CHILD/YOUR TEEN RELATE TO ANY OF THESE? ⬇️
You watched ALL the horse movies
You dream to have a horse one day, your favorite summer activity being reading a book under an apple tree, his head on your lap, then riding around tackless just for fun
You could benefit from being part of a heartfelt, supportive community of peers, instructors and big quadrupeds
You're a highly creative person, and want to figure out your own unique path in harmony with horses
You've been part of toxic equestrian environments where abuse was a synonym of training and the only recognized way to feel accomplished was to compete and win ribbons
You've owned horses and / or took classes, but ethical horse training through science, skills and soul is still new to you. You want to dig deeper
Enough with the
PRESSURE
You don't care about ribbons.
Or progressing too quickly into any equestrian sport that you know very little about, anyway...just for the sake of advancing a set of practical skills.
It IS possible to
TAKE THE TIME IT TAKES
In a space in which achieving measurable results is not nearly as important as it is to feel in harmony...with ourselves and together with horses!
No more feeling
UNSAFE
Is it really "normal" to fall off and get stepped on so often?
That these horses seem so tense all the time?
Your new normal is
MAGICAL CO-CREATION
It can only emerge from consent-based communication and deep connection. We teach the tools to get to both, with horses!
SEE WHAT OUR STUDENT'S MOM SAYS ABOUT HER JOURNEY WITH US:
What's Included in the Program
1. 3 HOURS OF HATHA EQUUS IMMERSION
Whether you are attending an "official orientation program" or whether you had signed up to the "last minute availability" email list, the stars aligned and you are jumping into a horsemanship half-day, your Orientation package gives you access to 3h of starting to breathe the Hatha Equus air! 😍
We'll demo some fundamental concepts for you and you'll get some hands on experience with our horses!
2. "FOUNDATIONS OF CO-CREATIONAL HORSEMANSHIP" VIDEO COURSE
This video training will prepare you and support you on the concepts you'll see in class.
This course will allow you to:
discover the theory behind the horsemanship languages and tools you will use
learn the main knots you'll use in class every time)
observe and review the safety protocols that you'll be repeating each time, such as "how to safely lead your horse through a gate"
learn to spot subtle stress signals, i.e. how your horse feels like as you interact with them
observe the foundational principles of consent-based training in action (watch Giorgia's demo with her mustang Sombra)
3. SNEAK PEEK (90MIN)
Watch us train horses or teach experienced students on a lesson date of your choice, and ask us any question you wish!
Investment: $299
How to enroll in our New Student Orientation
Here is how this works (it's super simple!).
1. Purchase the Orientation package (click on the button "Enroll in Our Orientation Program")
2. You will immediately get a confirmation email which is going to direct you to scheduling your half-day with us and your sneak peek. The email is going to give you access to our supporting video materials, too!
SCHEDULE
Children sessions are on Saturdays at 8:30am-11:30am.
Adults sessions are on Fridays at 8:30am-11:30am.
If none of the above works for you, it's probably a good idea to get on the waitlist.
Things here at Hatha Equus evolve all the time - there might come a time when our schedule changes and you'll be able to make it 🤷🏼♀️
WHEN Can I Have My Orientation? 😍
For your convenience, here are the upcoming Orientation dates.
NOTE! We try to hold age-specific classes, but the ages sometimes mix and it's actually very beautiful.
Everyone is encouraging, kind and adventurous. So feel free to enroll to whichever day/time works for you!
🚨 View-only 🚨
🚨 Please DO NOT SCHEDULE HERE 🚨
🚨 View-only 🚨
🚨 Please DO NOT SCHEDULE HERE 🚨
What's After Orientation?
Our curriculum goes from zero to high levels of disciplines such as dressage, trail riding, jumping and more. We are absolutely not married or overly excited about competing, though if our students wish to try it in a way that respects the horse's wishes and happiness, we will support them in the endeavor.
We are also passionate about colt starting, liberty, gentling, horse rehab, cooperative care and more.
Beginner students start from leading and husbandry, and once they know how to keep themselves and their horses safe (mentally, emotionally and physically), they can start digging deeper in any discipline they wish.
We offer intermediate Co-Creational Horsemanship classes and riding classes for all levels to support our students' journey beyond the foundations 🤗
Watch the video to know more about your journey within our curriculum!
A note on Riding
Riding is not a necessary activity for a horse to be happy — quite the opposite: maaaany of them dislike it!
Most of us humans LOVE riding, though...us included!
So, our team has spent a lot of time, studies, exploration and sweat trying to find a way to introduce it to horses in a way they can themselves find fun.
It is absolutely possible, yet it takes a while to master this “way”. Please know, in this sense, that riding will appear later in our programs, and even when it will, it will always happen on the horses’ terms, and it will never be the only thing we do with them!
Also, let us share this vision with you: once you’ll have mastered all the necessary tools, which we are very much committed to sharing with you, we want you to be able to experience the joy and reciprocity of consensual riding! It’s one of the best feelings in the world!
These are not really riding lessons, got it. Won't I get bored?
Our current students would laugh at this question, since when they found us, they didn’t know that so much fun could be had with horses from the ground either! Below are snippets of real life to give you an idea of what you’d be doing in our classes (this is a list we compiled for our younger students, but the same activities hold for adults 🤗)
Liberty play with Positive Reinforcement
Consent work
Bonding games
Passionate liberty play with Intrinzen (advanced student with a horse who has a solid sense of boundaries)
Passionate liberty play with extra safety feature in case the previous video left you wondering about your survival 😂
Herd observation
And, on top of all this, remember: once you have all the tools to be a happy sidekick to a happy horse and you have built a relationship with a horse who is now excited to carry you...the sky is the limit!! You can jump, trail ride, play fun games from the saddle, develop your dressage skills, while continuing to develop all the skills (and the fun!) above!
Frequently asked questions
WHEN IS THE NEXT ORIENTATION?
The 3h hands-on part of your Orientation will happen during regular Beginner Horsemanship Class! These are:
Children: alternate Saturdays @ 8:30am-11:30am
Teens: alternate Tuesdays at 3:45pm-6:45pm (we know it's a weird time. It does work, though, we've workshopped it!).
Adults: Fridays @ 8:30am-11:30am
After Orientation, these will also be our regular class times!
WHAT IF THE SCHEDULING DOESN'T WORK FOR ME?
We are so sorry to hear that 😔 These are the times that are available for us right now to teach new students and beginners, but hey, please make sure you get on our waitlist! Things evolve all the time here at Hatha Equus, so you might get notified of a change or that sometime!
WHAT IF I AM NOT REALLY A BEGINNER?
We get it. You have been a whole childhood of riding behind you, maybe you've even owned horses before, or maybe those few times in which you went trail riding with your family, you felt like you were doing pretty well. And you don't want to "do beginners things".
Well...Consensual Horsemanship really is...DIFFERENT. It is actually usually humbling for experienced horse people to come to Orientation...and realize how much they actually...have YET to learn about horses subtle communication, consent protocols, species-appropriate management and intrinsic motivation!
So, please come open to re-explore your foundations and find. anew level of depth in your horsemanship!
Also, just so you know, we always tailor the tasks and challenges to your experience.
WILL I RIDE IN MY ORIENTATION?
Nope! Not yet! And there is very good reason! Please refer to the section "A Note on Riding", a few paragraphs above this one on this page, for a fuller explanation.
NO BUT REALLY, MY DAUGHTER HAS BEEN TAKING RIDING LESSONS FOR 3 YEARS ALREADY!
First of all, that's fantastic. Secondly...she STILL will need to do our New Student Orientation. Again, we prepare students to be happy sidekicks to happy horses, here, and to that purpose, unfortunately, it doesn't really matter that much that the human already knows how to trot, canter and jump on horse-back!
If you'll want to trot, canter and jump within our program — which you totally can! We love and do all that! — we insist that it be consensual. And it takes tools, time, knowledge and feel (and a good degree of self-awareness!) to get there 🙏🏻🤗
CAN I JUST SHOW UP AT WILDSONG RANCH AND JOIN A GROUP CLASS?
Gosh, it would be so wonderful for us to welcome such spontaneity! But, sadly, our insurance is not so happy with that notion. So we ask you to please book through this official channel 🙏🏻 Thank you. for understanding!
IS THERE ANY SIBLING OR PARENT DISCOUNT?
Yes! We LOVE it when siblings want to start this adventure together, or when a parent wants to get to know horses too (that IS, in our experience, a very responsible choice if you child or teen is going to own a horse. Not to mention that...hey...no harm done in coming out to have some serious fun with horses, and letting them change your life fo the better! Sometimes us parents are so focused on making our kids' lives amazing, that we forget to treat ourselves with living our childhood dreams, too!)
Anyway, upon booking the second "Orientation spot", please use the code "ORIENTATIONFAMILY": the second student will receive a discount of $50!
DO YOU DO TRAIL RIDES?
Advanced students only! In order to take them out on a trail ride, we need to know that they have developed solid safety instincts on horse back, confident seat and cues, and especially a trust based relationship with the horse they are going to partner up with! So if you wanted to call us because your granddaughter’s birthday is next week and you wished to take her on a trail ride…we are probably not the right fit for you!
WHAT'S AFTER ORIENTATION AND WHAT ARE THE COSTS?
Orientation naturally segways into our horsemanship half-days: the place for all-round horse-related learning. This is where you learn the skills and the knowledge to train and care for horses. Month by month, we rotate among different horsemanship frameworks and activities. These classes happen in a half-day group format and we request your attendance twice/month.
Investment: $149/session
DO YOU RIDE ENGLISH OR WESTERN?
YES! 🤪
Now in all seriousness, talking about the type of saddle we use misses the point for Hatha Equus. We draw from different disciplines and horsemanship frameworks (which we practice on horseback and on the ground), to teach our human students of any age how to support horses physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually…and vice versa! Sometimes a certain type of saddle supports a horse or rider better for their personal goals (ie- a jumping saddle for someone who wants to jump is more comfortable than a western!).
But we can do dressage in a western, or trailride in a dressage saddle!Many new students also ask us what sort of clothes they need to wear for lessons. We have no other standard than comfortable and safe (we will be more specific as you join our programs of course!)…for the rest, you do you!
WHAT HORSES WILL I/MY CHILD/MY TEEN WORK WITH?
We are lucky enough to have many horse teachers among our herd, of many different breeds and talents, each of whom will teach your teen incredibly valuable lessons! At the beginning of students' journey with Hatha Equus, we try to pair them up with as many horses as we can, so that they can learn to communicate with as many horsenalities as possible! As students make their way to intermediate and advanced level, they might even start considering leasing opportunities with a horse in particular!
DO YOU HAVE LEASING OPPORTUNITIES?
Indeed! Leasing opportunities often come up at Wildsong Ranch, and Hatha Equus is excited to facilitate horses and humans finding each other in more committed partnerships! As soon as our beginner students get handy with the horsemanship tool kit we teach and are able to cross a few safety and consent items off of our “leasing eligibility checklist”, then beautiful conversations can happen 😍 Remember, all the horses at Wildsong Ranch have owners so it doesn't depend on us. We can just say that we have seen over time that the universe has a way of opening up opportunities at the right times.
TESTIMONIALS
"I originally approached horses with the goal of learning to ride. The connection I have with horses now is so rich I no longer see riding as my goal. I love grooming rituals as much as I love liberty play. Hatha Equus has taught me skills that have not only helped me as a horseman but have helped me connect to myself. My work with horses has changed me. I show up differently to my relationships. If you are looking to have a meaningful relationship with yourself through horses, the team at Hatha Equus are the catalyst for a journey that will take you to places you only thought existed in films."
Brock Daves
Fine Art Photographer and Graphic Designer
“These trainers are amazing. I have been a student for the last 2 years and I cannot state enough how much Elizabeth helped me grow. Their holistic and gentle approach goes way beyond just a simple horse lesson. You learn how to respect your horse and ask him/her permission to create a relationship, which is based on respect and enthusiasm instead of fear and submission.Highly, highly recommended!”
Mario Di Dio
VP of Engineering, Nova Labs
“My daughter has been attending beginner horsemanship classes at Hatha Equus for the past three months. As soon as she finishes a class, she starts counting down until the next one. Learning how to care for the horses in addition to learning how to ride makes her feel empowered. I love that the instructors are patient and kind and have a strong focus on safety. We highly recommend the classes at Hatha Equus for building a strong foundation in horsemanship. We feel so lucky to have discovered this gem!”
Rosalie O.
Mom
What's Next?
After we’ve shown you (or your child) what our approach is all about, we are ready to support you step by step, in getting all the tools to feel safe and knowledgeable in starting a lease, or even “owning” your “own” horse partner. We do so through our Horsemanship Programs.
Once you've mastered all of the tools we teach in Horsemanship Programs, we will gladly welcome you to our Horse Training Programs!
HORSEMANSHIP PROGRAM
We think of our horsemanship classes as the place for all-round horse-related learning. That's where we teach the skills and the knowledge to train and care for horses. Month by month, we rotate among different horsemanship frameworks and activities.
These classes happen in a half-day group format and we request your attendance at least twice/month.
Investment: $149/half-day session
HORSE TRAINING PROGRAMS
(upon graduation from horsemanship program)
You are now ready to join horse owners in our weekly classes, monthly clinics and more. Whether you have found a lease horse, whether you have adopted your own or whether you are still happy to work with all the personalities available at Wildsong Ranch, our home, you now have the skills to support them mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually, and to have some serious fun while doing so!