Equine Education & Horsemanship
Our Equine Education & Horsemanship program gives veterans meaningful opportunities to learn, connect, and grow through hands-on experiences with horses. Through safety education, grooming, groundwork, and Join-Up®, participants develop confidence, patience, communication, responsibility, and trust.
Horse Safety Education
Every experience begins with horse safety.
Participants learn how horses think, communicate, and respond to their environment while developing the knowledge and confidence needed to work safely around them. By learning proper handling techniques, understanding horse behavior, and practicing personal awareness, participants build a strong foundation of confidence, responsibility, patience, and respect.
These essential skills prepare participants for every aspect of our equine programs.
Grooming Therapy
Healing Can Begin With a Brush.
Grooming provides participants with an opportunity to slow down, become present, and develop a meaningful connection with a horse. Through brushing, cleaning hooves, and caring for the horse, participants experience the calming effects of purposeful touch and connection.
This hands-on experience can encourage mindfulness, build trust, promote emotional awareness, and create a sense of responsibility in a peaceful environment.
Groundwork
Communication Begins From the Ground.
Groundwork teaches participants how to communicate with horses through body language, clear boundaries, and trust rather than force.
As participants learn to earn a horse's trust and respect, they have opportunities to strengthen leadership, patience, confidence, emotional awareness, and self-understanding—skills that can extend beyond their time with the horse.
Join-Up®
Building Partnership Through Trust.
Join-Up®, developed by renowned horseman Monty Roberts, is a relationship-building experience centered on trust and non-verbal communication.
Participants learn how to invite a horse into partnership rather than rely on fear or force. When a horse willingly chooses to connect and follow, it creates a powerful example of trust, leadership, communication, and mutual respect.
For many veterans, this experience can provide a meaningful opportunity to reflect on trust, relationships, communication, and personal growth.