Non- Horse Owners / Never Been An Equestrian
- Have you been interested in horses but just didn’t think riding was the right activity for you?
- Are you looking for a new activity to get you outside and moving for 2025?
- Are you lacking animal connections from lack of pets in your home?
- Did you know riding isn’t the only activity that gives meaning to the word “Horsemanship”?
Horse Owners / Former Horse Owners
- Have physical or emotional concerns stopped you from riding but you miss being around horses?
- Do you want a deeper understanding of horse-human relationships that might lead to a better experience if you still ride?
- Would working with skilled horses and watching others, in bite sized chunks, give you the “feelings” to help you a jump start working with your own horses?
This is a new horsemanship program we are starting in 2025 because Starting Point Equestrian believes there is more to the horse-human experience than riding.
The classes will be here at our farm, using our lesson horses & ponies. Since this class is open to beginners and horse owners alike, we feel like this will be the most productive and safe. We may add workshops for those who want to haul-in with their own horses in groups.
We are open to taking this program as far as its participants are willing to go to explore the depths of the horse-human relationship.
This group class will cover:
Horsemanship 101
Can you approach a horse and interact with it, without it wanting to leave?
Learning how to effectively communicate with a horse / pony for everything you might have to do to them (grooming, vet & hoof care) and everything you might want to do with them (hiking, exercising, obstacle course, lunging). Any activity where you would have a halter & lead rope on them for.
Equine Ethology
This is going to be the overall theme. Learning how horses and ponies have evolved to live and behave. What makes an equine tick will help us humans work with them in the most effective and safe ways to create working relationships. Topics include brain and nervous system science.
Liberty
Once you have an understanding of how equines think and behave, and you start getting good at your horsemanship 101 skills, working without equipment is a way to test the skills, knowledge and feel between equine and handler. Think of it like working with a dog without a leash.
Stable Management
This covers care aspects such as feeding principles, regular health care provided by owners and by veterinarians, hoof care, sickness, wound & injury care and prevention.
Socializing & Learning
We want this program to build bonds between humans and horses, but also between humans that want to engage in more meaningful relationships with horses.
In person classes will include combinations of visual examples (instructor showing exercise with a horse, a video, slide show presentation) and hands-on with our horses & ponies. We’ll also be building a journal / workbook that gets added on to with most classes.
Other learning options we can also explore as the group goes on is having a quarterly book club, focus groups, outings, movie nights, field trips.
WHO
For people ages 18 and older who might not be interested in riding for various reasons. We are happy to start groups for friends, or based on age or physical abilities. *We want this experience to be accessible to as many people as possible.
Please note * While we are willing to form class groups for similar aged or abled people this is not meant to be a class suitable for people seeking therapy value equine services (emotional / cognitive / physical therapy). Participants should be cleared for reasonable physical activities and able to process the learning material.
WHEN
Small group classes are forming now.
COST
Group classes, 2 – 4 people (one equine per human) = $25.00
LENGTH OF CLASS
1 person = 45 minutes, 2 people = 1 hour,
3 people = 1 hr 15 min, 4 people = 1 hr 30 minutes.
SCHEDULE
Right now we are looking at these days & times:
- Every Saturday, early-mid afternoon
- Every Other Saturday, early-mid afternoon
- 1 Sunday per month, early-mid afternoon
- Wednesday evenings, 6 pm
Fill out our Google survey to let us know what would work for you – (to try to keep spam bots out, please copy & paste the link URL below into your browser and remove the space / gap).
https:// forms.gle/HrnXu6jinNnVPKBj9
WHAT ELSE?
- You’ll need shoes that are comfortable to walk on varied terrain & sturdy enough to protect your feet.
- Weather appropriate clothing.
- A curious mindset!
For more inspiration on what is possible beyond riding equine companions check out these inspiring resources.
- Making a Difference / Personal Development
Andrea Wady and Elsa Sinclair acquired two horses that were failed by humans, throw-away horses, and had a journey that changed all of their lives.