New Student Orientation

Upcoming New Student Orientation Scheduling and Enrollment

Focus

Happy sidekicks to happy horses

If you are new to Hatha Equus, whether you are new to horses or you have previous horse experience, this is your “entry program” with us! With our Orientation, we seek to introduce you to the four fundamental macro-areas that our horsemanship curriculum digs its roots in:
1. Safety
2. Care
3.Communication
4. Trust

As the program’s name lets on, this is an orientation to all the above. We will then have ample time to elaborate, develop and grow under each point of view in the weekly Horsemanship Classes!

This class is a required prerequisite for all new students regardless of background or experience before attending other classes.

Curriculum

This program offers an insight in what it would be like to interact with horses the “Hatha Equus” way. In particular, we seek to introduce humans to all (or well, as many as possible!) the tools needed to become happy sidekicks to happy horses.

NOTE! This program takes place entirely on the ground (no riding!)

Safety

✓ Safety tools with horses at liberty
✓ Safety tools with horses on-line
✓ Haltering
✓ Gate protocols
✓ Positioning for safety at liberty
✓ Positioning for safety with halter and lead-rope
✓ Lay of the land

Care

✓ Body scans
✓ Grooming tools
✓ Grooming protocols (including hoof picking)
✓ Tack
✓ Tacking up cooperatively

Communication

✓ Herd dynamics observation
✓ “Moving body parts” mindset
✓ Pressure and release framework
✓ Positive Reinforcement framework

Trust

✓ Predictability

✓ Different speeds and energy for different horse personalities

✓ Permission
✓ Relaxation and stress signals

SACRED

“I am so grateful to have found Hatha Equus.

Their sacred orientation to building relationships with horses is so utterly beautiful.

They teach that spiritual and energetic partnership with horses brings about a mutually beneficial, and playful, experience that is joyful for both the rider AND the horse.

It’s so unlike any other horse barn I have been involved with…in the best possible way”

— KIMBERLEY SCHICK

Enrollment

PREREQUISITE

Upon your enrollment, we will ask you to check a box where you confirm that you understand that this program is entirely grounded (no riding) and that all of our programs are focused on becoming sidekicks to happy horses (see “A Note on Riding” below).

PRICE (2022)

Inclusive of an introductory video series and four in-person (60min) group sessions at Wildsong Ranch.

Upcoming Scheduling and Enrollment

FEBRUARY orientation

MAGIC, MAJESTY AND RELATIONSHIP

”After decades away from horses and after a scary experience with a horse in my late 20’s, this orientation helped me start facing my fears with more understanding, compassion, and skills to enjoy the magic, majesty and relationship with horses. Learning and re-learning the basics of horse care, natural horsemanship and positive reinforcement in a supervised group setting on Wildsong’s beautiful land was a blessing”

— Michele K.

Groups

We divide our new students per age groups: children, teens or adults.

During the New Student Orientation Program, you will always be in the same group!

Groups max out at 6 students.

A Note on Riding

Riding is not a necessary activity for a horse to be happy — quite the opposite: most 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!

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 wish you one day to be able to experience the joy and reciprocity of consensual riding! It’s one of the best feelings in the world!

Enjoy a video of Giorgia showing Consensual Riding tools with her mustang Sombra —

— in particular, Start and Stop Signals.

Upcoming New Student Orientation Scheduling and Enrollment

Holidays new student orientation